Page 80 of Not My Little Drummer Boy
“Chances are, with all these people, they missed it. Let’s hope. Anyway, you’re doing well.”
“You make me look good,” he says, tugging playfully at my gloved hand. I look into those velvet eyes, the lights playing across his face, turning his features into something almost ethereal. There’s this quality about Teddy; like he’s escaped from a fairytale, too beautiful to be real. I can’t help it. My hand drifts to his jaw of its own accord, guiding his mouth to mine. It’s a chaste kiss—after all, we’re in public—but a lick of fire ignites between my thighs.
“Do you think they caught that?” I pull back reluctantly.
“I don’t give a fuck if they did.”
“Neither do I.”
“Hey, we need to get out there.” He extends his hands to me, then pushes carefully away from the railing. “They’re playing our song.”
The DJ has switched to another track. Stellar Riot’s ‘Voltage’ blasts from the enormous speakers, and I skate backwards, towing Teddy onto the ice one more time, steadying him with both hands clasped in mine.
“Do you still get a kick out of this?” I say. “Hearing the drums and knowing it’s you.”
“Every time.” He exhales a laugh, cheeks flushed pink from the cold. “Especially this track. ‘Voltage’ has my name stamped all over it—wait till the drum break kicks in. Always makes me want to grab sticks, even on the ice.”
The song becomes our anthem for the next hour; the DJ playing it twice more as we circle the rink. By the time we finally leave, Teddy’s managed three complete circuits without falling, and I’m drunk on the winter air and his laughter.
The car glides to a halt outside my house, and Teddy leans in to kiss me. His lips are still cool from the winter air, and I taste peppermint and chocolate on his tongue.
Suddenly I don’t want to get out; I don’t want the night to end. I’d vowed to keep things simple between Teddy and me until I was sure, but already I’m regretting that.
I need more than him holding my hand; more than a kiss. I know what more of Teddy feels like. I know what he tastes like. Damn it, I even know the sounds he makes when he comes. Right now I want to take the list and tear it up, even though the cautious part of me argues back how unwise it is.
“Do you want to come in?” The words tumble out before I can stop them. “I can show you my tree.”
“And here I thought I’d heard every invitation,” he says, and I can feel his smile against my lips. “But yeah, I’d love to see it.”
His lips slip down to graze my neck, and I shiver at the sensation.
He pulls away and turns his attention to Gavin, who’s discreetly looking straight ahead, as he always seems to do.
“Cheers, Gavin, drop me here, yeah? Go home to your wife and kids, mate. I’ll grab a cab later.”
“Thanks, Guv. You have a nice evening.”
I take Teddy’s hand and lead him up the steps to my house. Inside, the hallway glows softly. My tree lights cast warm golden shadows around the sitting room, and it seems a shame to turn on the main lights, so I don’t.
Teddy unbuttons his coat, tucks his hat and gloves in a pocket and hangs it on the coat rack. I put mine alongside, thinking how natural it looks—his things and mine together—and how much I’d like it to stay that way.
“Nice place, Rachel.” He scans the room, and I feel a surge of pride in my house with its polished original floorboards and ornate fireplace surround. He moves toward my restored mid-century sofa, pausing at the framed print on the wall.
“Is that a Banksy?”
“Yeah, only a print, of course. An original one day, maybe. Give me ten years on a partner’s salary.”
His head snaps back. “You’re a partner? How did I not know this?”
“Almost.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “As long as I don’t fuck up in the next two weeks. Before the vote. Which is why last week was… a lot.”
“Pressure, eh?”
“Yeah. And a snivelling little snot named Marcus. He was in Hong Kong; I wasn’t. He wants that seat too, so I made sure they saw who was actually doing the work.”
“Now I get it. You in your room on that damn laptop half the night, socking it to them.
“Guilty,” I say, reaching for the light.
