A Beautiful Forever(33)

I think my heart just exploded in my chest, did I hear that right? She’s coming back with me?

“You will?” I ask her, not quite believing me ears.

“I will,” she whispers, tears falling freely from her eyes.

Wiping her tears with my hands, I draw her mouth to mine, slowly sliding my tongue in unison with hers. I have completely lost my mind, and I’ve lost it in her. Lifting her shirt over her head, I throw it on the floor, picking her up, so she’s wrapped around me, her body quivering as we kiss.

I carry her over to the bed and lay her out in front of me, kissing every part of her as I try to convey everything I’m feeling right now in the way I am touching her and loving her with my body.

“I was so afraid you wouldn’t come back,” she whispers as her nails drag along my back as she presses herself against me.

“I’ll never leave you Paige,” I whisper back, sliding against her body as we rub our arousal against each other.

“I need you Elliot. I don’t think I can breathe without you,” she murmurs as she tilts her hips, guiding my tip inside her. I freeze momentarily, locking my eyes with hers as she thrusts her hips upwards, urging me to enter her. “Just you, I need you,” she repeats, and I slide myself inside her, moaning at her hot wetness as she clenches herself around me.

“God you feel amazing,” I moan as we move rhythmically together, in a sensual dance that I’ll never have enough of. I’m crazy about her. I'll do anything to be with her.

Clinging to each other, our mouths connected along with our bodies, we moan and whimper as we slide together, our climax building until we release it as one, gasping for air but refusing to part. If only we could stay just like this, unmoving forever, this is sheer bliss.

As we lay together afterwards I trace over her tattoo with my fingers while she rests her body over my chest. I can’t help but notice that out of everything, she said just now, she avoided saying those three words that would mean the next five days would be filled with hope instead of trepidation; she never said she loves me, even though I f*cking well know she does.





Chapter 25


Paige


“I can’t believe you’re quitting on me!” Andrea moans as I tell her my news. “And in a week! How am I supposed to replace you that quickly?"

“I’m sorry Andrea, really I am, but I told Elliot that I’ll go back with him,” I explain, “Don’t hate me.”

Andrea laughs as she comes toward me and gives me a friendly hug. “I could never hate you Paige. I'll really miss working with you. To be honest, I was pretty sure this would happen when you and Elliot got your act together, and I’m so happy for you both. Do you think you’ll ever come back? Because I could always use you if you do,” she asks hopefully.

“I don’t know what’s happening right now, I’m still kind of shocked I agreed to go.”

“Well you do want to go don’t you?” she asks.

“I want him, I just kind of wanted to stay here longer – there are things I wanted to do, but now I’ll have to put them off.”

“Well then, that settles it. You’ll have to come back and when you do, you’ll work for me again.”

I laugh at her boldness - it’s nice to be wanted. “Alright, I’ll come back as soon as I can,” I concede.

“Excellent, now get to work missy. You still have to finish up all of your booked clients before Thursday.”

“Yes ma’am!” I say saluting her on a laugh as I move toward the front of the salon and flip the sign on the door to open. Looking around the salon I let out a sigh, I’m really going to miss it here.





Elliot


“Good morning Elliot,” Celsey sings out as I enter the gym for my last few days of work. “You’ve got a pretty busy client list today. Everyone wants to get one final session in before you leave. Are you counting down?” she asks, handing me a sheet of paper with my client print out on it.

“Kind of, I’m happy to be going home, but I’m really going to miss it here. How much longer to you have?” I ask, knowing her time to leave must be coming soon. She started at the gym not much longer after I did.

“A week and a half. I’m feeling the same way – I don’t want to go, but I miss everyone from home.”

“Are you coming to my going away bash?” I ask as I pick up a clip board and pen, sliding my printout under the clip.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she smiles before I move through to the staff room to put my bag in my locker.

The first client on my list is a guy around my age called Tony. He's here to bulk up a bit after being as skinny as a rake for most of his life. I’ve been training him for the last two months, and he’s made some great progress doing heavy weights and supplementing his diet with some heavy-duty protein powders.

I find him warming up on the treadmills and wander over to him. “Ready for our last session?” I ask him as I approach.

“Not really. They’re giving me the guy, who's replacing you. I have no idea if he’s any good,” he comments as he hops off the machine.

“They don’t hire just anyone here mate. I’m sure you’ll be in good hands. Come on, let’s get started,” I say as I clap him on the back and lead him over to the free weights area.





Paige


“Naomi, I really don’t think you should go messing with your hair colour. It’s beautiful the way it is,” I say to her as she sits on the salon chair discussing her style options with me.

“Paige, I want a change. My hair’s always been like this, and I love that two-toned look that some girls do – you know how they have brown underneath and the blonde on top with those feathered styles that kind of flick out?” she explains.

“Well, it’s your hair Nomes. I just don’t want you to regret changing it, because we won’t be able to change it back once it’s done,” I point out.

“Come on Paige, do it. I want you to be the one to give me a new style. It'll be a way for me to remember you when you go.”

“Couldn’t you just take a picture to remember me by?” I ask with raised eyebrows as I talk to her via the mirror.

“Paige!” she pleads, her voice slightly whiney.

“Alright, alright, I’ll do it for you,” I submit. I get the need for a change but when people come in with beautiful naturally coloured hair, it always stabs at my heart a little to alter it.

I leave Naomi flicking through a magazine while I go into the back room and mix her colour before returning to start her transformation.

“Are you happy about going home?” she asks as I pin the top half of her hair up.

“I’m happy I’m going with Elliot but I kind of wanted to stay here,” I admit to her.

“It’s very romantic,” she sighs. “Meeting on a plane and falling in love.” She stares off, smiling dreamily as god only knows what plays through her mind.

“You read too many romance novels Naomi,” I laugh at her as I start to paint the bottom half of her hair with her new colour choice.

“Leave me alone,” she pouts. “I like to see people happy; that's all.”

I smile at her in the mirror briefly before I focus my attention on applying her colour evenly.

“It must have been some night away though, to make you change your mind,” she prods, trying to get me to divulge some details. When I don’t respond, she pushes further. “Did he tell you he loves you?” she asks biting her lip as she waits for the answer.

“He did,” I admit carefully.

“Was it romantic? Did you say it back?” she gushes.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s going on with you and that guy from the Salsa club – you’ve seen him a few times haven’t you?” I ask, trying to steer this conversation in a new direction. I can’t really tell her that he yelled it at me because I refused to hear it now can I?

“Oh no Paige! You haven’t told him, have you? But you do love him; I know you do.”

I can’t answer that, I can’t say that in my thoughts let alone out loud. Knowing it and admitting it are two very different things.

“Paige, why don’t you say it?”

“Because it’s too hard, Naomi, it’s too hard for me to say it.” I tell her, keeping my eyes low, so she can’t see into them.

“Oh no!” she says again. “Please don’t break his heart Paige, he’s head over heels for you.”

I freeze at her words before turning away to place the bowl of dye on the trolley for cleaning. I take an extra few moments with my back turned away from her, squeezing my eyes shut as I breathe through the emotion swelling inside of me.