‘Your date’s here and if you’re not ready, I’ll go with him. He’s gorgeous.’
‘I know,’ I blushed, secretly pleased he’d obviously passed her stringent inspection. ‘And I’m ready, but Reece isn’t here yet. I can’t go without Poppie.’
‘You can and you will. He’s always late, go with Alec and I’ll see you there,’ Poppie urged, her smile threatening to crack her face. She clapped her hands and giggled. ‘Don’t give him a chance to change his mind. My best friend finally has a boyfriend. I’ve waited years for a moment like this.’
‘You have?’ I laughed, kissing her cheek. ‘He’s not my boyfriend yet, we may not even get on.’
‘Please,’ she scoffed. ‘You’re one of the easiest people ever to get on with. See you in a while.’
‘You look beautiful, darling,’ Mum smiled, linking arms with me as she herded me out of my bedroom.
‘Thank you, I just love my dress,’ I beamed, so touched that my parents had treated me to it.
‘You’d look beautiful in a sack, I meant your face. You’re glowing. You really like this boy, don’t you?’
‘I do,’ I nodded, feeling a frisson of excitement run through me.
‘He’s older than you,’ she stated. I detected an element of concern in her voice.
‘Only by four years.’
‘Do we need to have the birds and the bees talk before I hand you over to him?’ She raised her immaculately groomed eyebrows at me as we stood at the top of the stairs.
‘Mum,’ I moaned. We never discussed boys or sex. She didn’t even know that I’d never kissed a boy, let alone anything else.
‘Well?’
‘No. I know all about sex, thanks to school and Poppie, but I’ve never slept with a boy and I have no intention of doing it tonight either. Besides, he’s not like that. He’s too nice to pressure me.’
‘I hope so. If he respects you, he’ll wait until you’re ready.’
‘Mum, I haven’t even kissed him yet, sex is so not on my mind.’ I was being honest, the thought of doing something wrong and putting him off me absolutely terrified me. Kissing though, that was a whole other matter. I couldn’t wait to kiss him.
‘Good. I know you’re eighteen now, but you’ll always be my baby,’ she reminded me, kissing my temple.
She walked me to the front door, which was wide open. Dad was either talking to Alec or grilling him. Either way, I was too preoccupied drinking in my date to care. I’d challenge anyone to find a man better looking, and that was without a tuxedo to enhance the appeal. He was clean shaven, and his strong jawline and body looked even more masculine than when I’d last seen him. He’d left his blond hair in that surfer’s unruly mess that I loved. What was even more breathtaking, if that were possible, was the look on his face as he ran his eyes from my blue painted toenails, up my dress, lingering for a second on my breasts, then up to look into my eyes. My breath hitched to see the expression on his face, and the way his tongue darted out over his soft and utterly kissable lips.
‘Paige, you look stunning,’ he greeted, pulling a hand from behind his back to produce a silver beaded bracelet with a blue corsage. My eyes widened in surprise as he waited for me to give him my hand so he could slip it on. ‘I had a little help from your mum, as well as Poppie,’ he smiled.
‘Thank you,’ I whispered, my normal voice failing me. My skin tingled when his fingers brushed my wrist and I felt my stomach flip.
‘What time will you be bringing her home, Alec?’ Dad asked, sounding like a strict headmaster.
‘What time would you like me to bring her home, sir?’ Alec replied. I saw Mum smile out of the corner of my eye. She liked him already, and that question and salutation would earn him some serious brownie points with Dad.
‘How about midnight?’
‘Dad,’ I moaned, at the same time as Mum said, ‘Richard!’
‘She’s eighteen, for goodness sake. She’s never given us any trouble, give her a little slack. Two a.m. the latest please, Paige,’ she warned.
‘Two?’ Dad spluttered, his eyes bulging with horror. I could virtually see all of the scenarios fathers feared would befall their virgin daughter flashing through his eyes.
‘Two,’ Mum said firmly, kissing my cheek and shoving me out of the door before Dad had another chance to object.
‘Thank you,’ I grinned. I turned and kissed a still-stunned Dad, then looked up at Alec. Even with my heels on, he was still slightly taller than me.
‘Shall we?’ he smiled, offering me his arm. I took it, trying to contain the ridiculous smile that was threatening to crack my face. He looked and smelled divine. I glanced up at him in surprise as he showed me to the passenger seat of a sleek-looking black car. ‘Toyota GR86. It’s new, I just got a really good job offer. We have a lot to catch up on,’ he advised as he opened the car door for me and helped me in, tucking in my dress before carefully closing the door. I watched him walk around the front of his car, waving goodbye to my parents who stood watching, then he undid the button on his black jacket before sliding into the driver’s seat.
‘I think you ought to start with why you’re here, I thought you were seeing Ruth?’ I asked in a rush as soon as he shut the door.
‘Nothing like easing into casual conversation,’ he laughed, starting the engine. ‘What happened to “Hello, nice to see you,” Paige?’
‘It is nice to see you, but I’m still confused. I only found out you were coming about forty minutes ago. Do you know where you’re going?’
‘I do,’ he nodded, flashing me a dazzling smile. I quickly looked out of the window to wave goodbye to Mum and Dad and Poppie, who’d joined them on the doorstep. I suddenly felt nervous. I was on my own with him. On a date. Paige Taylor, klutz of the year, was on a date with sex God, Alec Wright. ‘You really do look stunning,’ he added, sincerity saturating his voice.
‘Thank you so much,’ I blushed, turning to smile at him. ‘You look really handsome in that tuxedo. Not that you don’t look handsome all of the time, you do, you always have … not that I make a habit of comparing how handsome you look in various outfits, but … I’m going to stop talking. I’m doing that thing that I do. I babble when I’m nervous. Not that I’m nervous because you’re here, I’m not, honestly. God, Paige, shut up. See, I’m doing it already, that thing I do, babbling,’ I uttered, aghast with myself. He laughed as he pulled out onto the main road.
‘I like that thing that you do and I especially like the idea that you find me appealing. I’ve been crazy about you ever since I met you.’
‘You have?’ I asked, my stomach doing that weird rolling thing again. It only ever happened around him. Did he just use the words “crazy about you?”
‘Wasn’t it obvious? I was so close to kissing you in Daisy’s stable last year, which was so bad of me, I was with Ruth at the time.’
‘And you’re really not now? You may not have noticed, but she doesn’t exactly like me.’
‘She doesn’t really like anyone, Paige. I didn’t realise that she was so horrible to everyone else until that day. We’d been together so long, I guess I was blind to it. No one else interested me enough to make me see that I wasn’t actually happy with her, until I met you. But then you vanished.’
‘I was so humiliated,’ I whispered, dropping my head to my chest. ‘Everyone seeing that disaster of a competition, getting covered in cow poo, and then finding out I only won because no one else entered. I couldn't face seeing you again.’
‘You still did really well and it only made me want to protect you when I saw you so upset.’
‘So, what changed? I saw her in May and she said you were still together.’
‘She did something that I found really appalling, so I broke it off right away,’ he nodded, with a distasteful look on his face. I twisted in my seat to get a better look at him as he drove.
‘What?’
‘She posted a picture on Facebook with some nasty comments and got quite irate when
I called her out on it. We had a blazing argument and I ended it there and then. I should have ended it earlier, when I knew I liked you, but you disappeared and I had to head back to university. After so many years with her, I guess I just thought better the devil you know and all that. I just can’t believe I was with her for that long when she’s so hateful.’ He flashed me a look of sympathy before turning to face the road again.
‘It was me, wasn’t it? A picture of me on the bus after I fell in the river,’ I sighed. I knew she’d show him, to put me down, but to publically broadcast it? That was really low.
‘Yes,’ he said quietly.
‘You ended your relationship with her because she was mean to me?’ I stared at him stunned. He was like some medieval knight in shining armour.
‘In part, but also because she was mean full stop, that was just the catalyst for something I should have done a long time ago. Can we make an agreement that we don’t talk about her for the rest of the night? It’s not exactly first date etiquette to talk about the ex, is it?’
‘First date?’ I smiled at him shyly, my heart suddenly racing with excitement.
‘Yes, ok?’ He gave me another of his swoon worthy smiles, making me virtually melt into the cool leather of his passenger seat.
‘Yes,’ I whispered, astonished that I seemed to have acquired a boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend, the one guy I’d been dreaming about for the last year.
‘Great, so tell me all about what you’ve been up to since I last saw you.’
The journey passed in a blur, and before I knew it, he’d pulled up in the car park of The Domville hotel and was opening my door. I took his hand as I stepped out, praying I hadn’t just waffled all the way here and bored him to tears. That habit I had was really irritating and if I felt like that about it, God only knew how much it must annoy people on the receiving end. I gasped as he lifted a hand, palmed my cheek, and ran his thumb over my lower lip. Sparks of electricity ignited all of my nerve endings and sent a shiver skittering down my spine.
‘You look like something out of a fairy tale, Cinderella at the ball, but even better. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?’ he murmured, holding my gaze. I swallowed a lump in my throat, my heart soaring at his words.
‘Does that make you my Prince Charming?’ I asked, a noticeable tremble in my voice.
‘I guess it does,’ he smiled, slowly lowering his face towards mine. My mouth went dry as I tried to remember all of Poppie’s tips for kissing over the years. She told me no guy wanted a girl with a mouth as wide as a guppy, who sucked his tongue with the force of a Dyson vacuum cleaner first time, or licked him to death like an overeager puppy. She’d told me to just purse my lips and let him lead and take control. Don’t slobber, don’t slobber, don’t slobber, I chanted to myself as he got closer and closer. Not that it would be an issue, as right now my mouth was drier than a centenarian nun’s vagina. My knees nearly gave way as he inched ever nearer, and I quickly reached up to clasp his firm biceps. I was sure that he could hear the drumming of my heart on my ribcage, then the short gasp of surprise when he planted a tender kiss on my … forehead? What was that all about? ‘Time to head in,’ he advised, taking my hand, slightly redeeming himself by lacing his fingers between mine. I tried not to look disappointed as I nodded my consent.
We headed up in the lift, still holding hands and occasionally smiling at each other, then made our way to the ballroom, where we were signed in. The noise of music, chatter, and laughter was deafening. Alec made his way towards the bar, not letting go of my hand as we squeezed our way through the crowds. I recognised a lot of people, but Poppie and I tended to keep to ourselves, we’d never really socialised with many of our peers. Some of the girls from my group, that I saw every school morning for registration, gawped as they saw Alec. It made me stand a little taller, proud to think that of all the girls he could pick from, he’d chosen me. He was crazy about me.
‘What can I get you to drink?’ he asked as we made it to the polished oak bar.
‘I’d love a water please.’
‘Water? Don’t you want a glass of wine or champagne?’
‘I’m not really a drinker,’ I shrugged, not wanting to confess that the mere whiff of alcohol usually rendered me to a giggling heap.
‘Ok, water it is, but you have to at least have one glass of champagne with the meal to celebrate.’
‘Celebrate what?’
‘You’ve just finished all of your exams, that’s a pretty big deal. I’d imagine you’re thinking of going on to university?’ He pulled up a stool and helped me up onto it, before clicking his fingers and getting the barman’s attention. He placed an order for a glass of water and a glass of soda with lime for himself. At least I was going to be a cheap date. He turned his attention back to me, his face turning serious. ‘What are you hoping to study and where are you looking at applying?’
‘Poppie and I would like to do modern languages at Cambridge, if our results are good enough.’
‘That’s great,’ he replied, the tension on his face easing immediately. ‘If you get in there, it will make it easier for us to see each other. I was hoping you weren’t going to be too far away from me in London.’
‘London?’
‘I just graduated from Leeds university, fingers crossed I’ll achieve my BA honours degree in photography. My portfolio was so strong that I’ve already been offered a job in the fashion industry, training under the prolific photographer John Graves. It’s an amazing opportunity. I’ll be based in London primarily, but will get to travel the world with him on shoots.’
‘A fashion photographer, that’s amazing,’ I stated sincerely, reaching out to touch his arm as I tried to hide the jealousy I felt at the thought of him around gorgeous, scantily clad models. I gratefully accepted my water as he handed it over, taking a few gulps to ease my dry mouth.
‘Thanks, I’m pretty excited about it. I start next month, so I’ve got to get sorted with looking for somewhere to live. Have you ever considered taking up modelling?’ he asked. I did a most unladylike snort of amusement, forgetting I had a mouthful of water, and ended up spraying him when I choked on it and two jets shot out of my nostrils as well as a geyser-like torrent from my lips.
‘God, I’m so sorry,’ I exclaimed, grabbing a tissue from my bag to wipe my face and then dabbing his jacket, absolutely mortified.
‘Don’t worry, it will dry, though I’m glad you didn’t have a glass of red wine now,’ he laughed. ‘What was so funny about my question?’
‘Me, a model?’ I rolled my eyes as I sat back on my stool.
‘Why not?’ he frowned. ‘You’re tall, you have an amazing figure, and you’re stunning. You’d have no trouble booking lingerie or swim shoot campaigns. You’d earn really good money, get to travel the world.’
‘Please, I’m Paige calamity Taylor. You’ve seen me in action. I’m the girl who gets sprayed with cow poo, falls in rivers and gets coated in mud, and snorts water all over her date. I’m not model material.’
‘Yes you are, Paige,’ he responded seriously, reaching up to clasp my face and angle it up towards him. ‘No one in this room holds a candle to you. You have the most exquisite bone structure, eyes I could drown in, and those lips … you have no idea how badly I want to kiss those lips of yours.’
‘Do it,’ I breathed, desperate to experience it, to know if it would be as good as I was imagining. He leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth with a chuckle.
‘Not now, not here,’ he whispered in my ear.
‘Does my breath smell? I had a tuna sandwich for lunch as I had no idea I’d be seeing you. If I did, I’d have avoided fish altogether. Is that why you don’t want to kiss me, I have fishy breath?’ I gabbled. I was going to have words with Mum. How could she let me eat fish, knowing I had a date due to arrive?
‘Your breath doesn’t smell, Paige, and you’ve no idea how hard it is for me to resist kissing you, but I’m going to.’
�
��Why?’ I pouted, beyond impatient to pop my kissing cherry with the man of my dreams. He chuckled and tugged on my lower lip with this finger and thumb.
‘When I kiss you the way I want to kiss you, the way I’ve dreamed of kissing you, I don’t plan on coming up for air for a very long time. I’d prefer not to have an audience for that, ok?’
‘Ok,’ I squeaked, gripping the edges of the stool seat to prevent me from melting into an over aroused puddle on the floor.
‘Trust me, I promise to make up for it later.’ His tone just oozed sex. He was confident, masterful, and damn, he smelled so good.
‘Paige!’
I looked around when I heard my name being called, and it took me a moment to pull myself together from Alec’s promise and refocus my dazed eyes. I spotted Poppie and Reece heading over. I slid off my stool to hug her tightly and kissed Reece on the cheek. When I straightened up, I felt Alec slip his arm around my waist. Poppie winked at me, making me blush.
‘Poppie, Alec. Alec, my best friend Poppie, and this is her boyfriend Reece,’ I announced.
‘Pleasure to meet you, Reece,’ Alec advised, shaking his hand. ‘I’m Alec, Paige’s boyfriend.’
‘Boyfriend?’ I looked up at him, shocked. I thought we were just on a first date, see how it went kind of thing. I didn’t think anyone used labels like that so soon. Especially when they hadn’t even snogged.
‘Yes,’ he grinned. ‘Ok?’
‘Definitely ok,’ Poppie laughed, answering for me when I couldn’t find the words. He’d rendered me speechless for once. ‘Though I have to repeat the best friend warning I gave you over the phone, Alec. Hurt her and I hurt you.’
‘I have no intention of ever hurting her, Poppie,’ he stated sincerely, curling his fingers around my waist and gently squeezing me closer to his side. ‘And I believe I owe you a few drinks for helping me out with tonight’s plan?’
Until We Collide Page 4