Do You Do Extras? (An American in the UK Book 1)

by Nikki Ashton

  Phoebe’s breaths were short and quick as I carried on kissing back up to her ass.

  “I’m so close,” she moaned.

  I gave her one more kiss, touched her pulsing bud and watched in awe as my girl went off like a rocket.

  Phoebe

  Grantley seemed to be a lot more relaxed since our shower and little bit of exercise on the bed. In fact, we both were, so much so, that we’d fallen asleep for almost four hours. I was a little disappointed as I would have liked to have had a look around Dayton, or maybe go to the RiverScape MetroPark and do a river walk. As it was, we had a couple of drinks in the bar and then dinner.

  “I think we should go fairly early in the morning,” Grantley said, popping a french-fry into his mouth. “Should only take forty minutes to get back into Dayton.”

  “You want to get it over and done with?”

  He shrugged. “I guess so.”

  “Or is it that you want to spend some time with him, if it goes okay?”

  Grantley averted his eyes to concentrate on his almost empty plate.

  “It’s okay to want that, Grantley. It’s only natural, he’s your dad.”

  “Yeah but he left me, Phoebes. Why the hell am I even giving him the time of day, never mind my damn kidney?”

  “Because you can’t help how you feel. You said he was a good dad before he left.”

  Grantley sat back in his chair and threw his napkin onto his plate. With a huge sigh, he ran a hand through his hair.

  “What a fucking shit storm this is.”

  “Hey,” I whispered, leaning forward to take his hand, “don’t let all that work I did relaxing you go to waste.”

  He grinned at me. “You were phenomenal, I have to admit.”

  As I thought about our shower, I felt my cheeks heat up. Grantley gave me a cheeky grin and reached for the wine to pour me another glass. Just as he put the bottle back down, we heard his name being called.

  “Shit,” he muttered. “I thought we’d be safe in here.”

  We were eating in the hotel restaurant and as they had a strict privacy policy for their guests, Grantley had felt we’d be able to have an uninterrupted dinner.

  “Grantley, is that you?”

  Grantley’s brow furrowed and he swung around in his seat. “Oh my God, Serena. How the hell are you?”

  I looked up to see a tall, blonde woman approach us. She was wearing a tight, red dress and extremely high, black shoes. She looked sexy and sophisticated and made me feel extremely underdressed in my white linen trousers and vest top.

  As she got closer to us, Grantley pushed up from his chair and held his arms out to her.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked, walking into his embrace and kissing his cheek. “Of all the places to see you.”

  “I’m just visiting family. What about you?” Grantley stepped back to look her up and down. “You look great by the way.”

  “Oh bless you, I’ve just got back from Barbados. My folks were celebrating their thirty year anniversary.”

  “Really, how are they?”

  “They’re good,” she replied, looking Grantley up and down with a smile. “Really good.”

  “So why are you here?”

  “I’m doing a restoration project here. A huge turn of the century house that the new owner wants to restore to its former glory. I’m staying here at the hotel, until I can arrange a rental.”

  I watched the two of them interact and felt like a spare part, an invisible one at that. After a couple of minutes, Grantley spun around.

  “Shit, I’m sorry. Serena this is my friend, Phoebe. Phoebe, this is Serena, an old friend.”

  Serena leaned around Grantley and stuck out her hand. “Lovely to meet you, Phoebe.”

  “You too,” I replied, trying not to feel put out that Grantley introduced me as his ‘friend’.

  “Why don’t you join us,” Grantley offered. “For a drink at least.”

  Serena gave him a beautiful smile. “If you’re sure that’s okay. I’ve just got back from dinner, but a nightcap would be wonderful.”

  Grantley looked to me and I nodded. What else was I going to say – no, she’s too bloody beautiful to sit next to?

  Grantley pulled back a chair and Serena sat down.

  “So, I said to him, if you want that on your walls you need to employ a different contractor.”

  Grantley’s deep laugh echoed alongside Serena’s ladylike tinkling one and it took all my time not to stick my fingers down my throat and gag. It had been like that for the last half hour, a bloody mutual appreciation society. They’d barely said two words to me, and to say I was pissed off was an understatement. At one point, while looking at some photographs on Serena’s phone, Grantley had actually turned his back on me.

  I decided that I’d give it another ten minutes and then I was going to go to bed. Grantley could stay down here with Princess Serena. While they continued with their chatter, I wasted time, busying myself making a tower of sugar cubes. It was when I’d just managed to balance sugar cube number four that Grantley actually spoke to me.

  “Sorry, what was that?” I asked, offering him the weakest of smiles.

  “I was just telling Serena that you’re from England.”

  “Hmm that’s right.”

  She’d know by my accent if I’d actually been given an option to speak.

  “Whereabouts?” she asked. “I went to London once, I loved it.”

  “No, I’m not from London,” I answered and went back to my tower.

  “Oh, okay.” She gave Grantley a small smile – one that said ‘wow, your friend is rude’.

  “Phoebe’s from near Manchester,” Grantley answered. “Aren’t you?”

  I looked at him and nodded, not missing the hard stare I was getting.

  “Yes, about forty miles away.” I gave Serena a smile. “So, how do you two know each other?”

  “Didn’t Grantley tell you?” Serena said, rubbing his forearm, over his scar. “Gosh I’m wounded.”

  “Tell me what?” I replied, smiling sweetly, dreading what Grantley hadn’t told me.

  “We lived together,” Serena announced. “In fact we almost got married.”

  My heart stuttered, did a fly up to my throat and then right back down to my stomach.

  He’d lived with this woman. This woman was beautiful.

  “Oh,” I choked out.

  Grantley closed his eyes momentarily and I saw his lips move in a silent curse. He looked at Serena.

  “It was a drunken suggestion more than a proposal, if I remember correctly.”

  “Again Grantley, I’m wounded.” Serena giggled and turned to me. “He’s never been the romantic type. I think we thought about it for a day tops and then decided we’d just move in together – which lasted only a little longer than our ‘engagement’.”

  I forced a smile and picked up my coffee, allowing Grantley and Serena to continue their reliving of old times. Once I finished the last drop, I decided I’d had enough.

  “I think I’m going to go up to bed,” I announced, pushing up from the table. “It’s been lovely meeting you Serena, but I’m shattered after the travelling.”

  “You too, Phoebe. Hopefully we can meet up for dinner before you fly back home.”

  “That would be lovely.” I held my hand out to Serena.

  As she shook it, Grantley got up from his chair too and leaned in to give Serena a hug.

  “Oh, you’re going too?” she asked, surprised.

  “Yeah, like Phoebes said, it’s been a long day, we should get to bed. Was great to see you though.”

  Serena looked between us and gave a soft laugh. “God I’m such an idiot. I didn’t realize you were together, when you said Phoebe was your friend, I just thought…”

  “That’s totally understandable,” I replied. “He said I was his friend.” My answer was pointed and I didn’t really care. What did she think I was, his bloody body guard?

  Grantle
y flicked me a worried look and took hold of my hand.

  “Great to see you again, Serena.”

  “You too Grantley, and please let’s do dinner.”

  Grantley didn’t answer, but kissed her cheek and led me away from the dining room.

  “Wow, crazy seeing her here,” he said as we got inside the lift.

  “Hmm, she seems lovely.”

  I pulled my hand from Grantley’s and moved to lean against the rail at the back wall. I really didn’t want to be a spikey bitch, but I just couldn’t help but feel it. I could barely look at him. The disappointment I felt was overwhelming. How could he treat me like that? I dropped my head, angry that hot tears were threatening.

  “You okay?” Grantley asked, stooping down to look at me. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

  He lifted my chin with his finger and looked at me. His shoulders sagged as he let out an exhale.

  “What are you upset about?”

  “I’m not upset,” I snapped, as the lift shuddered to a halt.

  As the doors opened, I pushed past Grantley and practically ran towards our room, wanting to get in the bathroom and hide from him for a while. Unfortunately, as I got to the door, I realised that he had the key card, having left the spare in the room, so I had to wait. When he reached me, I stood to one side, letting him open the door and usher me in.

  “Okay,” Grantley said, throwing the card on top of the chest of drawers. “What’s wrong? Is this because I didn’t tell you I’d lived with someone – lived with Serena?”

  “If that’s what you think, then you’re more clueless than I thought,” I replied, while rifling through my bag for my PJs.

  “Well I must be, because if it’s not that I have no fucking clue what’s upset you.”

  Finding my pyjamas, I clutched them to my chest. “I told you, I’m not upset. I’m fucking angry and disappointed.”

  “What the hell for?” Grantley moved towards me and cupped a hand under my elbow. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, about living with her, but it just didn’t seem important. Like she said, it lasted all of five minutes. As soon as we’d moved in together, we pretty much realized it was a mistake. We tried for a couple of months and then called it quits – on our relationship too.”

  “Grantley that was your life before we’d ever met. We’ve been together a short time, I have no rights to complain or worry about anything you’ve done in the past. If you chose not to tell me then that’s your prerogative. I admit, it was a shock, but that’s not what this is about.”

  “So what the hell are you angry and disappointed about?” he asked, throwing his hands into the air.

  I shook my head. “You introduced me as your friend and then proceeded to ignore me. Do you know at one point you turned your damn back to me.”

  “No I did not.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Yeah, well you did.” I pushed past him to go to the bathroom.

  “Phoebes,” he pleaded. “I’m sorry, it’s just I haven’t seen her in a long time. It was kinda nice to catch up.”

  I swung around to face him, the anger pounding in my head. “And I understand that, I do, but you didn’t have to ignore me. And as for me being your ‘friend’, well that’s fine, but if that’s all I am, I bloody well wish you’d told me before I had sex with you.”

  “For fuck’s sake, it’s one damn word. So fucking shoot me.”

  “It’s a word that you insisted I was to your mother, or was that just to piss her off?” I cried. “If you just want to be friends now, then fine, but go and get your own fucking room because you’re not sleeping in here with me.”

  Grantley stamped his foot. “God damn it. This is the exact reason why I don’t do fucking relationships. You woman are all the same, damn bat shit crazy.”

  “Fine,” I snapped. “There we have it, I’m bat shit crazy and you’re a rude cock womble. All sorted, now fuck off.”

  With that I turned and stalked into the bathroom, just a few minutes later hearing the door to the room slam shut.

  Grantley

  What the fuck just happened?

  I slammed out of our room and down to the elevator, stabbing a finger at the button. What the hell was wrong with women? What the hell was wrong with Phoebe? She was normally so cool about everything, but she was spitting like a cornered snake in there. All I’d been doing had been catching up with an old friend.

  “Fuck,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.

  Was she right, had I concentrated on Serena and barely spoken to Phoebes? Yeah probably, knowing the dick that I was at times. If I had, I get why she would be mad, but to practically throw me out of the room, well that was a bit overboard.

  Shit, did I really turn my back on her?

  As the elevator stopped, I considered pushing the button for our floor and going back up, but figured it might be better to cool down a little. Plus, I was right, this was exactly the reason I didn’t do relationships. We’d had a great day, with some amazing sex thrown in, and one little mistake and she’d flown right off the fucking handle.

  I decided that I’d have one drink in the bar and then go back up and try and smooth things over. Shit, who was I kidding, I’d be going up there to plead her forgiveness.

  “Draught beer, please.”

  The barman nodded and set about drawing me a large beer. As he pushed it toward me, I felt a hand on my back.

  Phoebe. Thank fuck one of us was an adult, now I’d take her back upstairs and show her what she meant to me.

  Grinning, I turned around.

  “Serena,” I said, shocked to see her there.

  “Hey. I was having a smoke outside and noticed you come in.”

  “You still smoking? You do know it’s bad for you, don’t you?”

  Serena pulled out a barstool, inching it a little closer to mine.

  “I know, but I only have the occasional one these days. Must have been seeing you, made me feel the need.”

  She laughed softly, but the way she was looking at me, I could already sense where this was going.

  “I just thought I’d have one last beer. Phoebe’s taking a shower.”

  Serena nodded thoughtfully. “So how long have you been together?”

  “A couple of months,” I lied.

  She didn’t need to know our business, plus part of me hoped it might warn her off without me having to say the words. A budding two-week thing, well she’d be all over that like a rash, if I knew Serena.

  “I thought maybe longer to be honest.”

  “Why so?” I asked, edging my stool back.

  “New relationships don’t usually see one of the couple drinking alone in the bar, last thing at night.”

  “Like I said, I fancied a beer and Phoebe is showering. No drama.”

  I took a huge long swig of my beer, and then pushed the still half-full glass toward the back of the bar.

  “I think I’ll get back up there. She’s probably finished by now.”

  What the hell was I doing downstairs, sitting with Serena, when I should be with Phoebe? She was right, I had been rude and a fucking cock womble, whatever the fuck that was. I hated that I’d made her feel like that. She was here supporting me and I’d made her feel like shit while I chatted about old times to an ex.

  “You could stay for another,” Serena said, placing a hand on my arm. “Maybe take a bottle of your favorite Macallan back to my room.”

  I pushed off my stool, moving my arm away from Serena’s touch.

  “I don’t think so, Serena. You know I’m here with Phoebes.”

  “It’s just a drink, Grant,” she replied, with a shake of her head.

  “No, you and I both know you’re thinking it would be much more than a drink. Which it could never be.”

  I went to move away, but Serena caught hold of my hand.

  “For old time’s sake?”

  “No Serena. I’m going upstairs to my girlfriend, who I care a great deal about, becaus
e she’ll be waiting for me, in our bed.”

  She dropped her head and sighed.

  “You take care,” I said and left her sitting at the bar.

  When I let myself into the room, it was in darkness and I could just about make out Phoebe’s body in the huge bed. She was deadly still, but I knew she wasn’t sleeping because I could hear her sniffing.

  Fuck, she was crying and I felt like a total shit.

  Climbing onto the bed, I crawled up behind her, wrapped my arms around her body and kissed the back of her head.

  “I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “I was a fucking cock womble and I can’t apologize enough.”

  “Where did you go?” she whispered, her voice breaking.

  “The bar. Serena was there.”

  Phoebe’s body stiffened in my arms and she tried to wriggle free, but I held on tight.

  “She asked me to go back to her room, for a drink.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I’m here, so you know what I said. But, if you want specifics, I told her no, because my girlfriend who I cared about a great deal, was waiting for me in our bed.”

  “You did?” Phoebe left out a sigh and her whole body relaxed.

  “Yes, pretty girl, I did.”

  She twisted and turned over to face me, and in the dim light, with only the thin shafts of the moon shining through the shutters, I saw the sticky tears on her face. I leaned in and kissed them away, two kisses to each cheek and a final soft one on her lips.

  “I didn’t think,” I whispered. “I got lost in catching up with her and acted like a rude prick.”

  “I felt invisible,” Phoebe replied. “And I’m such a long way from home, it just got to me. I felt so alone, but I know I probably overreacted.”

  “No, no you didn’t. I was in the wrong. I should have introduced you properly, as my girlfriend and I should have afforded you the courtesy that you deserve – even as my friend.”

  “Are we friends again?” she asked, snuggling closer.

  “You bet we are.” I kissed her again. “Good friends, with special benefits.”

  “We are, eh?”

  “Oh yeah,” I nodded. “And I’m going to show my girl exactly how special those benefits are.”