They didn’t exactly approve of AJ being even fake-married to another woman, and they were worried about Lisa getting involved in something so messy and complicated. But, for whatever the reason, they seemed to like him and they trusted her to make her own decisions in life, even if they didn’t agree with them. She was an adult now and she knew they’d be there for her whatever she decided, though her dad did threaten to break AJ’s legs if he ever hurt his daughter again. Despite being a joke, AJ lost all color in his face and stammered out a few “Yes sirs,” which made her giggle and seemed to appease her authoritative father and comfort her mother, whom she suspected was doing a good job of hiding her worry.
Much to her parents’ disappointment, she told them she was going back to the States in a couple days. So, knowing time was limited with their daughter’s ‘new’ love interest, they quizzed AJ about anything and everything. He took it in his stride, not seeming phased at all. He actually seemed to enjoy it.
After dinner, they headed to the shops to grab some basic provisions for AJ. He didn’t even have a toothbrush, or clean underwear. It was also much colder than the climate he’d left in sticky Alabama. The boy was wholly unprepared for the Irish elements. They went to Tesco first. It reminded him of a much smaller version of Target. Grabbing a trolley and a ‘scan as you shop’ machine, they started at the very first aisle and walked all the way around the shop, just to be together doing something normal. They needed normal after the day they'd had.
With the air cleared between them, she enjoyed the normality. It was nice doing something so humdrum as picking up things at the store. Clothes, toiletries, even some snacks and food items both for AJ to try while he was in town and to take back for Jeremy. It felt a bit ‘further down the line’, something a cohabiting couple would do. As they stood debating what color toothbrush AJ should have, and which of the somewhere in the region of twenty-three toothpaste options laid out in front of them they should pick, she couldn’t help but feel like she was getting a glimpse into their future.
Note to self, Google how to kill off the not-a-real-wife when you get home. KIDDING.
Kinda.
With a car-full of stuff they mostly didn’t need, they went for a drive.
It’s almost like being in Target with Chelsea!
Despite everything that had happened, it was still pretty early and they were still kind of coming down from their transatlantic flights and the emotional gauntlet they’d both run that day.
She directed him to Warrenpoint, a local seaside town she visited regularly throughout her childhood. The Aquarian in her loved everything about the water: the waves lapping the rocky shore, the smell of the sea air, the nostalgia of fish and chips, ice cream cones and skimming stones in the cold water. Here she felt calm, safe, and was reminded that feeling as completely out of control as the crashing waves often appeared, was not the end of the world. The tide would recede, the waves would calm and the water would still. It was just a matter of time. You just had to wait. Just as she’d pull herself together at some point, but being there reminded her that it was ok to feel like she was fighting the waves crashing inside of her every now and then.
The short drive was pretty quiet. They were still a little off. She figured it would be that way for a while. A lot had transpired in a short space of time, and she needed time to work through it all. She wasn’t going to gloss over everything or pretend like things were fine. That would undoubtedly make things worse. Facing it head on was how they’d decided to move forward, but that wasn’t an avenue without consequence.
“I used to come here all the time when I was younger,” she told him. “The park down here is lovely. They have tennis courts, a gazebo, beautiful flowers. When we were kids, we’d sometimes get ice cream and sit on the wall watching the hubbub. If we hadn’t already eaten, I’d take you for fish and chips, but if you feel like it, we could eat ice cream and sit on the wall. I mean, I know it’s dark and you probably won’t be able to see much, but it’s still a nice place. People walking their dogs, ships coming and going. In summer you can’t get moving with all the tourists.”
He bought the two of them ice cream – thankfully the shop took cards as he had no sterling on him – and they sat on the wall looking out over the Irish sea. It was cold, but not particularly windy. He had put on his new sweater – a proud Tesco purchase!
“A little cold there, babe?” she smiled.
“You could say that,” he replied, shivering as he ate his ice cream. “I can see why you like it here,” he mused, “it’s quaint.”
“It used to be the highlight of my week when I was little. The excitement of coming down that road to play on the beach and watch the windsurfers and jet skiers out there, or the crazy people swimming in the freezing cold water. I’d imagine that I was on some tropical island, with warm water instead of our near freezing waves, and golden sand under my toes instead of pebbles and rocks.”
He pulled her close, and she sat with her back against his chest, relishing feeling it rise and fall. They sat for a long time, mostly quietly. Occasionally, he’d nuzzle into her hair or whisper in her ear that he loved her, or that he was sorry. She’d pull his arms tighter around herself and reply that she loved him too and that she knew he was sorry.
The more time she spent with him by herself, the surer she was that this hockey boy was her boy. The depth of emotion she felt for him scared her sometimes, but she was nonetheless convinced that this guy was sure to be The One. She just wasn’t sure how to wrap her head around these new complexities in their relationship. He’d asked for her forgiveness and she wanted to give it to him, but wasn’t sure how to go about forgiving him and rebuilding the trust that was broken between them. They were going to continue their long-distance relationship and she was scared she might become that neurotic girlfriend demanding to know every single thing about his life. There had to be a balance, and as long as they both worked on finding it, she had hope it could work.
When they got home later that night, they booked return flights together, via London, where they planned on spending a few days exploring, “just the two of them,” as back to back transatlantic flights would be just pure insanity.
***
The following afternoon, they headed for the airport. She wondered how he had managed to convince his parents to pay for their flights back. These last-minute flights aren’t cheap, she considered as she reminded herself that his mother was a big-shot lawyer. The fifty-five-minute flight was annoyingly over an hour late, but passed quickly enough once they were flying. With only their hand luggage on board, they didn’t need to wait at baggage reclaim, and before long, they were on the Gatwick express, city-bound.
The Airbnb they stayed in was a short walk from Victoria underground station. It was pretty central and incredibly well priced for London, especially given how last minute they'd booked.
Exploring ignited a fire in her heart. He could see the excitement on her face from the minute they booked the layover. As soon as they arrived and dumped their bags in their room, Lisa pulled out the itinerary she’d quickly thrown together and thrust it in his face.
“Day One,” he read aloud. “This is so you, you know that, right? Most people would take an impromptu trip to London in their stride and just find their way. You, on the other hand? You have practically no time to prepare, but manage to put together a written itinerary, with alternative suggestions to your main ones, places to eat along with highest rated dishes, opening times and prices for all of the tourist attractions. When did you even find the time?”
“Problem?” she asked eyeballing him from across the room.
“No ma’am, I love it when you get so freakishly organized. It’s totally hot. I dig it. It’s like weird Type-A foreplay or something. I’m just surprised you don’t have day of the week underwear.”
“Sarcasm?” she questioned. “I bring you an itinerary that every Trip Advisor user around the globe would be envious of, and you answer me with…s
arcasm? And just ‘cause you haven’t seen my day of the week underwear doesn’t mean that such underwear doesn’t exist.”
“Point taken.”
He flashed a grin that was met with an eye roll and turned his attention back to the page in his hand.
“Okay,” he read again, “Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, Tower Bridge, Tea with Lizzy at B’ham Palace?” he looked up from reading.
“Only her besties get to call her Lizzy,” she shrugged at his amusement.
“Westminster Abbey, feeding Lizzy’s swans in Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, Wicked at The Apollo Victoria Theatre…” His eyes scanned down the remaining attractions and suggestions.
“Jeez. Good thing you don’t want to cram too much into this short trip to London, Lis. And, better still that neither of us is at all jetlagged to hell.”
She laughed, “It’s just a guide, AJ. We don’t have to do it all.”
“Uh huh. I know these lists. I’ve heard all about these lists from Chelsea and you when you went on your family vacation. Everything on this list will need a check mark next to it before we board the plane. Come on, get those shoes back on, we don’t have a minute to lose!”
Considering it was early evening, they opted to grab dinner and go for a stroll around Westminster – stopping at anything that looked vaguely like a tourist attraction and taking selfies, or having strangers take their picture together. They laughed a lot and they kissed as the sun set over the Thames. Though Lisa was still wary after what had transpired, they bought matching “I love London” t-shirts and beanie hats from a street vendor ‘cause their ears were cold and they wanted to be one of those sickeningly sweet, hopelessly in love, normal couples who wore matching tourist shirts around the city they were visiting.
They had crepes for dessert from street-food vendors after almost hitting up the London Eye but being deterred at the extortionate cost of tickets. Instead, they headed further down the river and took the cable car, not quite as fancy, but they still got an aerial view of the illuminated city.
On her way back to the hotel, Lisa remembered that there was only one bed in the room.
This is going to be awkward.
“There will be no sex for you this evening,” she announced matter-of-factly as they rode the elevator to their floor.
“Uh. Ok? I had no expectation that there would be, but thanks for the forewarning, I guess?”
He sounded hurt that she felt the need to explicitly tell him as much. Her cheeks burned.
“I just don’t want things to be particularly awkward, or for there to be any misunderstanding. I’m sorry, Pim, but I’m still processing everything and I just think we shouldn’t get caught up in things and carried away.”
“I get it, though I’m obviously disappointed. I’m definitely feeling things and think the make-up sex could be pretty epic,” he answered as she swiped the key-card to open their door.
“It would be, but for one? I’m knackered – that was a jam-packed day. And for two, I really don’t think I want make-up sex after the revelation that you’re married to be our first sex.” She saw him grimace and hurried to finish, “but, we can definitely make out and have make-up cuddles if you’re interested?”
“Sold!” he announced pulling her into him for a hug. “I really am sorry, Lis.”
“I know, I just need a little time,” she chewed her lip.
“I understand.”
He paused for a moment. “Hey wait – does this mean I gotta wear pants to bed?”
“It does. Be a good boyfriend and remove the temptation.”
“That doesn’t actually remove anything, it just covers it. Poorly.”
Shaking her head, she laughed, as she walked into the bathroom to get ready for bed. AJ joined her, wearing only a pair of boxers and they stood brushing their teeth in silence.
So much sexual tension.
So much sexual tension.
Stop staring at his chest in the mirror. He can SEE you, Lisa…Damn he’s fine.
She met his eyes and blushed.
This is going to be a long and hard night.
Ha! Hard may be the operative word there, Lis. But you’ve drawn your line in the sand and now you have to follow-through. Stick to your guns, even if you are drooling over his...
She took a little longer than AJ to get ready for bed. When she emerged and found him sitting upright in bed reading a book, her heart quickened.
I feel like he’s deliberately trying to look more attractive than normal. I could absolutely jump his bones…
“You getting in? Or are you just going to stand there staring?” he grinned at her.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Enjoying what?” he asked faux-innocently.
“You know what,” she answered, climbing into bed next to him.
"Oh, you mean all this insane sexual tension and the fact you want to do way more than make out right now, but you’ve told me I’m not getting any and you know I’ll respect it no matter how much you beg?”
“I don’t beg,” she answered. “And you want to do more, as well.”
Why did I have to tell him he wasn’t getting laid? I’m such a freakin’ idiot. And he’s stubborn enough now that even if I did beg, he wouldn’t relent.
“Of course I want to do more, way more. But I’m not the one who announced in the elevator that you weren’t getting any – if you need reminded of what you said, I’m sure the guy on the fourth floor - who probably was actually staying on the twelfth floor but just got out to avoid the awkward conversation we were having – remembers, very clearly, what you said.”
Maybe I could tease him into doing way more…
“You’ve made your position very clear this evening, Miss Millar and, as a proper gentleman, I shall be respecting it,” he paused, “though I’m not against doing everything but…”
“Everything but?” She looked at his cheeky grin and couldn’t help but smile.
He can probably hear my heart thumping in my chest.
He dropped his book next to the bed. She swallowed, closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she felt his fingers trailing between her legs.
Breathe. You brought this on yourself. It’s going to be the longest and probably the most torturous night of no-sex of your entire life and you deserve it. You absolute fucking idiot.
His lips were on her neck.
Her skin tingled.
Definitely the most torturous night of my life.
***
The following morning, they had a delicious breakfast in a French café. AJ had been smiling smugly to himself all morning.
“You’re just so happy with yourself, aren’t you?” she asked him.
“Well, you did say you ‘don’t beg’. Though, I vehemently disagree. It certainly sounded like you were begging last night.”
She blushed and chewed the inside of her cheek.
Because you drove me fucking crazy.
“I still can’t believe I couldn’t convince you to just give in…” she answered, still in disbelief that his resolve had held so steady.
“What the lady wants, the lady gets. And the lady was very clear about what she wanted – that said, though, it was incredibly difficult, and for a moment, I thought I was going to die of frustration. Plus, I know you’re worth the wait.”
He kissed her forehead as they found the tube station to head to Piccadilly Circus. Try as he might, AJ couldn’t wrap his head around the different lines, connections and directions of the underground right away.
“What is this? Some kind of railroad labyrinth? Do I get a prize if I get to where I want to go?”
At Leicester Square, they bought his and hers M&M mugs at the M&M store and filled a bag of the limited-edition extortionately priced flavors of M&M’s to snack on during the flight.
I can’t believe how much we just paid for sweets!
They also grabbed a couple of London red double-decke
r bus kits from the Lego store – she suspected one was for him to keep.
They enjoyed watching the street performers together. A girl in a brightly colored tutu with loud music was doing a routine on roller skates around a make-shift cone-track. There were Star Wars characters and a guitarist who sang Van Morrison and Billy Joel. They sang along as they stood watching parents sending their kids forward with change to drop into his guitar case.
Her favorite street artist was the guy drawing chalk-flags from various countries around a large Welcome to London sign. She dropped some coins on the Irish flag and AJ dropped some on both the American and Canadian flags.
The city was alive. Its pulse was almost tangible. They were surrounded by crowds of people, tourists and locals, shopping, taking in the sights, mostly sporting dark, heavy coats and wrapped up against the bitter chill.
Next, they headed to The Science Museum and later worked through the other attractions on their list.
Queen Lizzy wasn’t home for tea the next day, but Lisa did convince AJ to try a posh afternoon tea at Claridge’s, which resulted in an argument over whether it should be cream and then jam, or jam and then cream. They ended up sticky from both the cream and the jam.
Lisa loved exploring the city with AJ. He spied things that she didn’t, and she remarked on things that he had missed.
“Can we travel together again in the future?” she asked him after a kind stranger had taken their picture at Tower Bridge.
“Of course we can, I’ve loved this trip,” he answered sounding relaxed and happy.
“Me too,” she grinned. “I’ve enjoyed spending honest-to-God quality time together. And I’ve enjoyed your best friend not bursting in the front door every time I try to tear your clothes off. It’s been quite refreshing.”
He laughed and agreed with her. It was nice to be able to be free with each other, holding hands, kissing whenever they wanted. They were much more comfortable than they had been in Alabama. London had been the perfect opportunity for them to recoup. They were on neutral ground; everything was out in the open, and there were no expectations or responsibilities. And, best of all, she didn’t have to share him with a fake-wife. She felt regenerated, though far from ready to return to reality. Still, their London getaway had to come to an end sometime.
Intimate Strangers (The Lisa Millar Series Book 1) Page 8