Paisley’s forehead pressed against Georgina’s. “Let me give you exactly what you want,” she whispered, pressing her thumb against Georgina’s swollen clit. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life making love to you…”
“I-I, oh…” Georgina’s eyes slammed shut, her body stiffening momentarily beneath Paisley. Arousal coated her fingers, Georgina’s fingernails now gripping and digging into Paisley’s back. “Oh, fuck!” Georgina convulsed, shaking as Paisley slowed her fingers. Their hips continued to roll, gentle shockwaves coaxing another string of moans from Georgina.
“Hey…” Paisley offered Georgina a sympathetic smile as tears hit the pillow beneath Georgina’s head. “Babe, don’t cry.”
“That…it was…”
Paisley pressed a kiss to the tip of Georgina’s nose. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Georgina woke to the scent of cinnamon wafting through Paisley’s small but homely apartment. It wasn’t nearly as big as her own place, but it did feel perfect for nights together, snuggled on the couch with a Christmas film playing out in front of them.
She was getting ahead of herself, Georgina could be sure of that, but this morning felt too perfect. Georgina was here, naked in Paisley’s plush bed. She rolled over to Paisley’s side, her eyes immediately landing on the framed photo next to Paisley’s alarm clock. Georgina took the photograph, her thumb grazing the smiles she and Paisley were wearing. It was a smile of complete love. Contentment. Joy. It was a smile she once had the pleasure of seeing every day. At times, one she woke up to.
Georgina closed her eyes briefly. Could this really be the beginning of a new, refreshed relationship for them? Could Paisley truly forget the past—the hurt caused? Georgina sincerely hoped so, but she would also understand if it wasn’t possible. Paisley was young enough to fall in love with someone new, Georgina wasn’t stupid, but she wanted to be the woman Paisley turned to. She wanted to be the one holding Paisley in the night, and when they woke. Forever.
Georgina reached for her hoodie on the floor, sitting up and slipping her arms through it. As much as she wanted to stay in bed, Paisley wasn’t with her, so it was a waste of time. She would rather be out in the kitchen where the action was happening. And with the cinnamon rolls she could smell that needed tasting—that was a given.
Georgina climbed from the bed, glancing round in an attempt to find something more comfortable than her jeans. She found a pair of sweats sitting neatly on a single chair close to the window—they would do for the time being. Opening the door quietly, the sound of something sizzling caught her attention. Paisley was making breakfast.
Wow. Georgina leaned against the frame of the door, smiling as Paisley’s newly toned body came into full view. Boy shorts hugged her ass cheeks, her own hoodie covering her upper body. Barefoot, Georgina crept away from the bedroom door until she was close enough to slide her arms around Paisley’s waist.
“Good morning, beautiful.” Georgina took Paisley’s earlobe between her teeth, pulling Paisley’s warm body back against her. “Something smells delicious.”
“Mm, that would be you.” Paisley’s head fell back on Georgina’s shoulder, her eyes closing. “You always did smell good, though.”
“No, it’s the bacon.” Georgina smiled against Paisley’s neck. “I don’t know the last time I shared breakfast with anyone…or had it cooked for me.”
“That’s because you weren’t here with me.” Paisley turned, reaching up on her tiptoes and kissing Georgina. “But now you are, and I can fatten you up.”
“Sounds like my kind of day.” Georgina wouldn’t ruin the moment, but every morning back in Scotland had been depressing. Even when Rhona was around, Georgina still chose to spend the morning alone, usually offering the excuse of having to look at cases for Brian back in Liverpool. No such thing existed. Georgina merely survived in Scotland. One hell of a miserable existence. “I really don’t want to leave here today.”
“So, don’t.” Paisley shrugged. “Do your thing. Whatever you prefer.”
“Maybe, I don’t know…”
“Sit.” Paisley smacked Georgina’s ass as she motioned towards the small dining table against the wall. “I’ll bring breakfast over now.”
“I really don’t deserve this,” Georgina said, shaking her head as she pulled out a seat, “but thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Paisley returned with a full English breakfast, condiments already waiting in the centre of the table. “And,” Paisley paused, leaning down and kissing Georgina, “happy birthday.”
Choosing to forego breakfast for a moment or two, Georgina pulled Paisley down into her lap, her bare thighs exposed and deliciously inviting. “Thank you so much for all of this, Paisley.”
“It’s just breakfast.”
“It’s not. This is everything. Truly.”
Silence settled between them, Paisley’s head resting against Georgina’s. Both needed a moment to comprehend the fact they’d woken up in the same bed. Both needed to breathe for a second—this was too much for a Saturday morning. Georgina closed her eyes, her bottom lip quivering.
Focused on the ceiling above her, Georgina’s eyes burned. Two weeks ago, she’d left Liverpool, Paisley none the wiser as to why or when she would return. This was hard, so much harder than Georgina had anticipated, but she couldn’t go back. As much as she wanted to drive home to Liverpool, her body clad with Christmas pyjama’s Paisley had bought her—matching—Georgina couldn’t. Paisley would understand one day, but Georgina wished she could be honest with her right now.
Today was her birthday. Thirty-eight years old. Today was her birthday, but she was sleeping in a hotel room, only a handful of her belongings present. This wasn’t the life she envisaged. This wasn’t how her future was supposed to pan out, but here she was, sleeping in a room under a false name.
Paisley had been calling her for the last hour repeatedly, Georgina unable to answer. She wanted to. God, she wanted to answer every call with “I’m sorry, I love you.” but it wasn’t that simple. Georgina’s life would never be simple again.
Her phone buzzed, a voicemail flashing on the screen. She knew who it would be from. Paisley was the only person she knew who left voicemails on Georgina’s personal number. Everybody else simply hung up if they got no response. She pressed the flashing mailbox, listening to the monotone voice tell her she had a new message.
“Hi. I’ve been calling. I-I know you don’t want to hear from me, I know I’ve hurt you in some way, but I needed to wish you a happy birthday. It’s important to me, even if you don’t care about birthdays.”
Georgina smiled, tears slipping down her face.
“So, I thought I would update you on the office. Erm, Billows agreed to the settlement. Brian shook things up and brought in a few new cases. I’m sure you know all of this, you wouldn’t just let anyone run your business, but I wanted to tell you anyway. Oh, and I’ve officially been demoted.”
Georgina’s brow furrowed. Paisley? Demoted? How could that possibly happen?
“I don’t mind, I guess. It was always too good to be true being given the assistant job by you. But I wanted to thank you for giving me the opportunity. It really has opened my eyes to what’s expected within law firms. You’ve really helped my career, Gee.” Paisley paused, her voice hesitant. “So, I should get off the phone. I’m just rambling now.”
Georgina held her breath, the thought of Paisley’s voice disappearing too painful. What if she never heard her voice again? What if her voicemails deleted themselves? She’d kept every message Paisley had ever sent her, but they could vanish, just like their relationship had. What would Georgina use to remember them then? Paisley would be a ghost…non-existent in her life.
“So, I’ll just say goodbye.” Paisley’s voice broke. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you since last week but it’s never going to happen. I’m sorry, Georgina, but I can’t keep calling.”
“I’m sorry, too,” Ge
orgina whispered. “I’m sorry for everything…”
“I do love you, I always will, but I’m letting you go,” Paisley said with a finality that broke Georgina into a million pieces. Her chest ached and her breath caught. “Bye, Gee. I love you.”
Georgina threw her phone to the bed, curling into a ball beneath the covers. Was this what a broken heart felt like? Was it true people could die from such a thing? It certainly felt that way in the moment. If the option was given to Georgina, she would agree to end everything right now. It would have been simpler. Less painful. This devastation was too much to carry.
She made a mental note to call Brian. She wanted Paisley reinstated as an assistant to whoever they employed to replace Georgina. She was too good to run around for people, fetching coffee and lunches like some lacky. Paisley Healy deserved the highest paygrade the firm could allow, and Georgina would make sure that happened.
No longer willing to remain awake for the rest of this God-awful day, Georgina reached out to the bedside table, popping two sleeping pills from the little brown bottle. The more she slept, the less she cried. This wasn’t how she wanted to spend her days, but fear coupled with unimaginable heartbreak had led her to this. Sleep. It was all she could offer herself.
“You with me?” Paisley kissed Georgina’s temple. “Babe?”
“Say that again.” Georgina’s eyes fluttered open, a small smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. “Please, call me that again.”
“Happy birthday, babe.” Paisley smiled, turning Georgina’s head. “What were you just thinking then?”
“About you. The day you called me to wish me a happy birthday.”
“O-oh.” Paisley cleared her throat. “Where were you?”
“In a hotel room,” Georgina said. “Somewhere between Carlisle and Dumfries.”
“Alone?”
“Yes, alone.” Georgina searched Paisley’s face. “I didn’t have anywhere to call home at the time. I checked into a hotel off the motorway and stayed there. It was only supposed to be for one night, but that turned into three and then four.”
“I’m sorry you went through that, Gee.”
“I’d go through it again if it meant that the end result would be me, here, sitting in your kitchen.”
“How long did you hotel hop for?”
Georgina focused her eyes on the dining table, straining to remember those weeks when she was in a constant state of sleepiness and depression. “A month. Perhaps two…”
“You slept in a hotel room over Christmas?”
Georgina nodded. “Mmhmm.”
“That’s really sad.” Paisley wrapped her arms around Georgina’s neck. “And never happening again.”
“I hope not.” Georgina might have been willing to do anything to keep Paisley safe, but she wasn’t sure she would survive hiding out a second time. She was so used to being out in the city, socialising and attending events. When she left, leaving that life behind, Georgina couldn’t believe just how stark the contrast was to her new life. At times, she wondered how she’d ever survived it.
“What do you want to do today?”
“I want to ask you a question.” Georgina faced Paisley fully. “Your opinion…”
“Okay.” Paisley sat upright. “I’m all ears.”
“Do you think I should sell up?”
“It’s your home, Gee. That’s your decision.”
Georgina shook her head. “I’m asking you. I’m asking you because I wonder if you could ever imagine yourself back with me? This time for real. Out in the open…”
“I-I–”
“I know this is probably too soon for you, and I’m not asking you to pack up this second and come home with me. But in the future…is it something you see?”
“Yes.”
“Yes?” Georgina’s heart slammed against her ribcage. “You really mean that?”
“I mean that.” Paisley climbed from Georgina’s lap, sitting across the table from her. “Now, eat up. I have a busy day.”
“Just you?” Georgina quirked an eyebrow. “What about me?”
“You will be at home getting the place warmed up and ready for my arrival.”
Georgina’s heart beat perfectly in her chest. Seeing Paisley with that joyful look in her eyes once again made every fibre in her being sing. As she sat here this morning, feeling very much welcomed in Paisley’s apartment, Georgina couldn’t believe her luck. She would thank whoever was watching over her. Mr. Healy may have won the battle, but Georgina was certainly going to win the war.
13
Will pushed through Paisley’s front door, clearly flustered as he blew out a deep breath and dumped a bag down on the kitchen island. Paisley offered him a smile. She’d called him an hour ago, claiming she’d run out of essential ingredients for her casserole, but Will knew white wine and chocolates wasn’t part of any casserole recipe. Still, Paisley was thankful that Will had gone out of his way to bring her what she needed just the day before Christmas Eve.
Paisley needed Georgina’s birthday to be perfect. She needed it to go according to plan. Even the socks she’d bought them three years ago still sat in the bottom drawer of her dresser; tonight, they would make an appearance.
“Okay, you wanted wine and chocolates…”
“Too predictable?” Paisley turned, scrunching her nose as she faced Will. “I mean, it is, isn’t it?”
“Sometimes predictable is perfect, Pais,” Will said, placing the items on her kitchen island. “You don’t have to go over the top. Georgina just wants you to be you.”
Paisley braced her hands against the countertop. “God, I hope so.”
“Why are you suddenly so nervous?”
“Because everything has changed since yesterday, Will. Everything.”
“What do you mean?”
“She, uh…we…” Paisley shook her head. “Georgina stayed over last night. Here, with me.”
“O…kay.”
“And then this morning,” Paisley said, her eyes smiling, “we shared breakfast. It was perfect. Everything about my life since yesterday evening has been perfect.”
“You do remember that she left though, right?”
“Stop.” Paisley held up her hand. She understood Will’s concern, Paisley’s own concern had only just begun to subside, but she couldn’t let him go any further. If this day was going to end how she hoped it would, Will really couldn’t go any further. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“Fine.” Will shrugged, pulling himself up onto a stool at the breakfast bar. “And when she hurts you? I’m supposed to just sit and watch you fall apart?”
Paisley could only offer Will a smile. “She’s not going to hurt me. I can see where you’re coming from, but you wouldn’t be saying this if I hadn’t drilled my own worries into you.”
“Maybe not. But you did have those worries, Pais. How can they have just suddenly vanished?”
“Because last night was everything, Will. Absolutely everything I never thought I’d have again. She really is back. Georgina, God…she’s back.”
“Come and sit with me for five?” Will climbed down from his stool, motioning for Paisley to join him on the couch. “I know you’re busy, but just a few minutes.”
Paisley lowered the hob, setting the casserole to a simmer before she transferred it to the oven for the remainder of its cooking time. She would hear Will out; it was the least she could do. One hint of him suggesting she call this whole thing off though, and she would have to stop him. Correct him if necessary.
“I’ve missed you lately,” Will started, “and I want what’s best for you. But are you sure this is it?”
“I’ve missed you too.” Paisley smiled. “I’ve just had a lot going on.”
“Mmhmm, like shacking up with the boss.” Will smirked. “But, Pais—”
“Will…”
“Okay. Okay, I won’t push this.”
“Thank you.” Paisley squeezed his hand. “I know you’re here for me,
but Georgina isn’t going to hurt me.”
“I have seen a huge difference in you around the office,” Will noted. “You seem so much more relaxed.”
“I am.” Paisley relaxed back. “And I don’t know what’s going on yet, but I just need you to be my friend.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t been around for you much this week.” He blushed and confessed, “I kinda met someone.”
Paisley’s head shot up. “You did? I want to know all about it. What’s his name?” The pronoun may have slipped from Paisley’s mouth, but she wouldn’t correct herself.
“Y-you know?” Will asked, horrified. “How?”
“You’re not serious.” Paisley burst into a fit of laughter. “You’re gayer than me, Will. And I’m really gay.”
“Is it that obvious?” he asked, his hand now splayed across his chest dramatically. “Oh, my God.”
“When you do things like that?” Paisley motioned to the position of his hand. “Yep.”
Will’s voice trembled when he said, “Pais, I don’t know what to do. My mum won’t like this. Help me.”
“Do you want my honest opinion?”
Will nodded.
“She probably already knows.”
“Then why hasn’t she asked me? Why didn’t she throw me out already?”
Paisley smiled. “Maybe because she loves you?”
“No, I can’t talk about this.” Will held up his hand. “I just…talk about something else. Anything. It’s giving me palpitations thinking about it.”
Yep, he’s gay. “Okay, uh…”
“Has Georgina told you anymore about her reasons for leaving?”
“She says I should know and she wants to tell me, but I’m not pushing it. She tried to tell me last night but I’m not sure it matters anymore, Will.”
“I’m dying to know.” Will rubbed his hands together. “Give me the details again.”
“Will.”
“No, come on.” He gestured his hand between them. “It’ll take my mind off my own issues.”
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