Spiralling Skywards: Fading (Contradictions, #2)(33)


“So, no time for romance then?”

“Always time for romance, babe, especially if it’s with you.”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “Do you ever give up?”

“Nope, and I never will.”

“Well, you should.”

“I know.”

“Anyway. Are we gonna be Facebook friends or what? I’ve no clue what I’m doing on there, so I may need guidance.”

“Yep, I’ve been setting up my account as we’ve talked.”

“Cool. You can help brighten my lonely days and save me from dying of boredom before this baby’s born.”

“Any time, Sunshine, any time.”

“Thank you.”

We were both quiet for a few seconds, and the familiar but hated awkwardness crept in.

“Anyway, I won’t—”

“I miss you, Sarah. I had to get away. I couldn’t . . .” He let out a heavy breath. “I’m glad that you’re happy. I want that for you. It’s just hard to watch coz it’s not with me. So, yeah. Moving away was the best thing I could do. Especially for myself.”

“I’m sorry, Will. I really am.”

“It is what it is.”

I didn’t know how to respond to all of that and chose to remain quiet again.

“So,” he said way too loud and upbeat, which made me flinch a bit. “When’s this baby due? Boy or girl? Will he be a Gooner?”

“Seventh of July. We don’t know, and no. He’ll be a red.”

“United? Tell me you’re joking?”

“Afraid not.”

“Poor kid.”

“I’m sure he’ll survive. After all, didn’t they just win the league for the tenth time or something?”

I took a swig from the bottle of water I had sitting on my tray table but almost choke when Will says, “Oh please don’t tell me you’re gonna call the poor kid Ronaldo or something sad like that?”

Images of my vibrator popped into my head, and after a minor coughing fit, I managed to reply.

“Nope, I definitely don’t think that’s at the top of Liam’s list of names.”

It would, in fact, be right at the bottom, after Will and before Adam of course.

“Okay, well I best get back to work.”

“You do that. I’ll get back to playing solitaire on my laptop and staring out the window.”

The line went quiet, and I thought he was gone but then I hear, “I know you don’t wanna hear it, but if it ever don’t work out, you know you can always call me, right? I’ll always be here for you, Sunshine, always.”

“I know, Will. Thank you.”

***

I woke with a start from a vivid dream where I was trying to lasso a horse. In the dream, I got too close, and the horse kicked me in the belly. My dream self wasn’t pregnant, but the pain of being kicked was excruciating regardless.

I sat up with my heart pogoing around inside my chest and phantom pains twisting in my abdomen. A chair scrapped across the floor, and then Liam’s face appeared in front of me, chasing the dream away.

“What time is it?” I asked with a croaky voice.

“Almost seven. I brought Chinese with me, but I didn’t wanna wake you.” He tucked my hair behind my ears and held my face in his hands as he placed a soft kiss on my lips.

“I fucking miss you, pretty girl,” he said, dropping another kiss right below my ear.

“You don’t miss me, you miss fucking me.”

“That too, but I miss you in my bed. I miss waking up with you spread all over me, your smell’s fading from the sheets. Did I tell you I had to spray them with your perfume?”

His words made my nose tingle, and I shook my head in answer. “Come and get in my bed then.”

“If I get in your bed I’m gonna wanna touch ya.”

“I might just want you to touch me.”

His face lit up and he wiggled his eyebrows up and down as he gave me one of his big, crinkly eyed smiles.

“Yeah?”

I threw the sheets back.

“There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Get in here.”

His shoes and suit trousers were off in an instant, and he climbed into bed beside me.

“I wanna feel your skin on mine,” I told him.

He helped me pull off my pyjama bottoms and then slid the straps of my vest down my arms. Instead of pulling it over my head, he pulled it down my body and off, disappearing under the blankets as he did so. When he reappeared, his hair was sticking up in all directions.

“Take off your shirt,” I whispered.

“Why are you whispering?”

“I dunno. Coz we’re doing bad things, and I don’t wanna get caught.” I laughed as I spoke, making him laugh, too.

He pulled his shirt off over his head and then cuddled me against his chest. He had a smattering of fair hair there and my nipples react as they brushed against it. I had been unbelievably horny during my pregnancy, and it had been over a week since he touched me last. Going from two or three times a day to nothing was tantamount to torcher.

I slid my hand inside his boxers and wrapped it around his dick, which was already hard for me.

“Jesus, babe, you squeeze like that for too long I’m gonna make a mess in your hand.” He mumbled around a mouthful of my nipple as he slid his hand down my body and between my legs.

Lesley Jones's Books