This London Love

by Clare Lydon

  Meg groaned, then crashed her head into the pillow as Kate used her thumb to swipe across her clit. All bets were off. Meg’s blood thundered down her body.

  Kate circled and then pressed into Meg, letting her know there was no escape — she was hers. Kate increased her speed, and within a few seconds Meg’s chest flushed, something popped in her brain and a climax ripped through her body. With it, she let out a strangled cry. It came from deep within her and was laced with emotion Meg hadn’t even known she possessed until tonight.

  This was all new for both of them, but fresh in such a rich, deep way for Meg, she wanted to weep. But she knew better than that — crying at first-time sex was not the done thing. However, when Meg opened her eyes, refocused and felt Kate’s gaze drilling into her, she was pretty sure Kate felt it too. This shift, this other realm they’d opened up, one that Meg knew would be very hard to contain now it was out of the box. Their first time, and it was like they’d known each other their whole lives.

  Hot damn.

  ***

  But there was no time to dwell on matters — Meg was still in the zone and Kate knew it. She went to give her more, but was stopped when Meg brushed her hand away.

  “We’ve got all night.” Meg’s voice was low, bass-like. “And I want to see if you taste as sweet as you look.”

  Kate’s stomach lurched. Could this night get any better? She had a feeling it could.

  Meg reversed their positions and watched as Kate stretched and squirmed beneath her. Meg sucked each nipple gently, kissed her way down her stomach before settling between Kate’s legs, breathing heavily to indicate her intentions.

  Kate cast her eyes downwards — her stomach was rising and falling rapidly, her breathing heavy.

  “You’re going to kill me, you know.” Kate’s voice was a gentle whisper.

  Meg licked the inside of Kate’s left thigh, then her right. “Well, just think of the story I get to tell the ambulance crew.” The whole time she spoke, Meg’s mouth was placed directly in front of Kate’s clit, so Kate felt the heat of every word. “I’m the ultimate stud and you get to die in the ultimate fashion. I think we all come out covered in glory, don’t you? Or covered in something.”

  Before Kate had a chance to respond, Meg flicked her tongue and delved into Kate, licking around and around, in and out, up and down. Kate put her hands out grasping for something, but there was nothing there - she was in freefall. Somehow, though, she knew Meg was her parachute.

  Kate was on the edge, as Meg ramped up her particular brand of charm offensive, sucking Kate into her mouth gently, then applying pressure where she knew it was needed. Meg’s tongue was a weapon of mass destruction.

  In a matter of minutes, Kate came with a shuddering rush as her body shattered into hundreds of glittering fragments, before magically fusing itself back together again. She spun and spun for what seemed like forever, the stars circling above her, before she sailed down to Earth on a cloud of emotion, sailing up and down as Meg continued her masterpiece. Eventually, everything stopped, the only sound being Kate’s chest wheezing up and down.

  And then there was Meg, head on Kate’s thigh, chin glistening, grin firmly in place.

  After a few seconds she crawled up Kate’s hot body, kissing Kate’s soft skin as she went, then fell onto the bed beside her. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, just kissing hair, hands, arms, cheeks, not wanting to acknowledge the feeling pulsing between them. However, even if they weren’t ready just yet, the emotion was wholly present, spinning above them, categorising this moment in their lives as a date to remember. Flick to this date in the future and it might say: found Narnia, hit up Nirvana. This was the day bliss came calling and left a card at both their doors.

  Kate’s shattered body was a testament to that.

  ***

  Three hours later and Kate was on her feet, walking down the hallway in a daze. She was half-dressed and half-drunk on sex, so she hoped Jess or Lucy weren’t home. If they appeared now, they wouldn’t get much sense out of her.

  She took a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water, then drank it down in one. Sex was thirsty work - particularly this kind. She was still woozy from it, still reeling from their compatibility, not quite believing tonight had finally happened. But it had, and she was living, breathing proof you could walk into a florist one day and find the woman of your dreams. She kicked herself for not being more of a flower-buying girl sooner.

  But Kate was a big believer that everything happened for a reason, and Meg had come along just when Kate’s faith in love was wavering. In just a few weeks, Meg had reaffirmed Kate’s belief there was someone out there just for her. Kate hoped Meg felt the same way, because right now, Kate didn’t want to be anywhere else.

  She filled her glass again, then got another and filled that, before heading back to the bedroom with water for her and Meg.

  Her Meg, she hoped.

  24

  Meg’s phone alarm blared at 6am.

  Kate untangled herself from Meg and rolled over, slamming her alarm clock. The noise continued. Then suddenly stopped.

  “What day is it?” Kate rolled onto her back, before turning her head slowly towards Meg, peering out from bloodshot eyes. “Sorry — I’m not a morning person.” She scooped Meg back up into her arms and kissed her still-warm neck.

  “Neither am I this morning, believe me. I need more sleep, you need more sleep…”

  Meg was silenced by Kate’s lips covering hers, Kate’s hands roaming over her naked butt, up her naked back. She groaned as Kate slipped her tongue into her mouth and then just as swiftly back out again. Meg was ready to be had all over again at a single touch from this new lover. Again and again.

  After a few minutes, Kate pulled back and stared at Meg. “Wait, did you set the alarm so we could have early morning sex? I’m confused. Couldn’t it have waited until at least 8am when normal people are awake?”

  Meg’s body shook as she laughed. “Sorry — this is the life of dating a florist. We have a big day today and I have to get up and help Mum. Saturdays are not days we can take off.”

  Kate’s face dropped. “What if I tie you to the bed and hold you hostage?”

  “You’d have to face the wrath of my mother and I don’t think you’d come out a winner.” Meg had a rueful smile on her face. “It’s been tried before and nobody ever comes out of it well.” Meg kissed Kate lightly on the mouth before hopping out of the bed with a groan. “Can I have a quick shower to wake myself up?”

  Kate rolled backwards and nodded. “You’re the cleanest person in this house right now.” A pause. “My dressing gown is on the back of my door.” Kate pointed towards her grey towelling robe that was hanging next to a baseball jacket. “I like your tattoo by the way.”

  Meg shrugged on the dressing gown, then came back and stood beside the bed. “You mentioned that last night when we were drifting off.”

  “I did?”

  “Uh-huh. Said sunflowers were your favourite.”

  “Well, now you know I wasn’t lying.” Kate snuck a hand out and grazed Meg’s thigh.

  In return, Meg kissed her. “Just so you know, you’re hard to leave. Especially because I know what we could be getting up to today.” Meg grinned widely, last night’s scenarios playing through her head. Every inch of her body wanted to stay and play, but she knew she had to get going. Work called.

  Kate groaned and her eyelids fluttered shut, then back open again.

  Meg placed a passionate kiss on her lips, before straightening up. “At least you’ll have sweet dreams when I’m gone.”

  “That much I can guarantee.”

  ***

  True to her reliable self, Meg was at the shop by 7.30am — but her mind was still replaying last night. Her body was humming in a way it hadn’t in over a year and she was more than a little proud of herself. Sparks of desire cascaded through her as she recalled Kate’s lips on her body, Kate inside her, Kate on top of her, Kate all aroun
d her. Meg wore the resulting smile as she unlocked the front door and switched on the shop lights, before dumping her bag behind the counter and sitting down.

  She was still in that very same position when Olivia walked in two minutes later. Meg raised her eyes and quickly tried to erase all the images currently parading through her head, lest her mum somehow see a digital readout on a magical screen above her head. Olivia sometimes seemed to possess such psychic powers, so Meg was taking no chances.

  “Morning, daughter!” Olivia put her bag underneath the counter next to Meg’s and fiddled with her golden hair. “Bit blowy out there this morning — you’d never guess I just spent ten minutes styling my hair before I left the house, would you?”

  “You look gorgeous as ever, mother,” Meg said. And then she winked. At her own mum. WTF? Meg needed to reset her brain from sexy mode to normal mode. Plus, she was determined not to wink at her mum again.

  “You okay this morning?” Olivia scratched her chin and regarded Meg with caution.

  Meg nodded and jumped up off her chair — movement should shake her out of her loved-up reverie, surely? “All good, but in need of coffee. Shall I do the honours?” Meg didn’t wait for an answer, she was already off and into the back of the shop to fill the coffee machine.

  “Did you make a start on the Dylan order?” her mum shouted.

  Meg flicked the switch on the machine so it glowed orange, then walked back to the shop. “Not yet,” she mumbled.

  Olivia gave her a look. “Okay, but you’re acting very strange this morning. Anything I should know?” As she said it, Olivia consulted the order book, then walked around to start gathering the relevant foliage for the wedding. The star flowers were set to be delivered by their supplier in half an hour, so their job now was to get the supporting cast perfect.

  Meg shook her head. “Nope,” she said, disappearing into the back again. Of course, she wanted to share her triumph with her mum, but it was a bit soon. She needed to give what had happened a chance to breathe, a chance to live on its own before she shared it with anybody else. At least another ten minutes before she blurted it all out. Perhaps 15 if she was lucky.

  The trouble was, it was all a bit too soon since she’d tumbled out of Kate’s flat and taken the tube to work. She could still touch and taste Kate, still feel how fantastic it’d been to wake up in someone’s arms again. In Kate’s arms, to be precise.

  Out the window of the kitchen, Dave from the next door estate agents’ walked by — he waved at Meg, mouthing “Morning!”

  Meg waved — had Dave been able to read her thoughts? No, of course he hadn’t, she was being stupid. She grabbed two white china mugs from the cupboard over the sink. A few minutes later, she filled them with hot, black coffee, adding a splash of milk for her mum and a lump of sugar. She hesitated, then added a lump of sugar into her own too. She figured she could do with the energy.

  She walked into the shop, where her mum had put on the radio in the background and was cracking through the first wedding order at some speed.

  “Blimey — you’re on fire this morning.” Meg put the coffee down beside her mum and resumed her position on the chair.

  Her mum glanced back at her. “Someone has to be, seeing as you’re on a go-slow. I take it last night was a heavy one? Wasn’t it Nathan’s party?”

  Meg nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. “It was. And yes, it was a late one.”

  Olivia sighed. “What have I told you about Friday nights? Leave the drinking till Saturday — we need you alert today.” But then she smiled. “But I’ll let you off this once, seeing as you’re normally the model daughter.”

  “I am?”

  Olivia turned and smiled at Meg. “You are.” She paused. “Anything else I should know?” She swept her eyes up and down her daughter’s frame.

  Meg adopted her best innocent face. “No, why?”

  Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Because, darling sleepy daughter, those are the clothes you were wearing when you nipped round to mine en route to the party last night. So either you were feeling very lazy when you woke up this morning and just stepped into whatever was on the floor — which is very unlike you — or you never made it home last night. Am I warm?”

  Meg looked down at the floor, drummed her fingers on her mug, then looked back up at her mum. “Never work with your family. I should know this, shouldn’t I? I should go around schools warning of the dangers of going into the family business.” She hugged her mug with both hands.

  “And?”

  Meg smiled. “Yes, you are correct. I went to Nathan’s party last night, and Kate came too, and then I went back to Kate’s flat.”

  Olivia put down the scissors she was using to curl some peach ribbon, walked over to Meg and hugged her. Full-on, take-your-breath-away hug. Then she held her at arm’s length and smiled a smile that only a mother can.

  “I’m proud of you — well done.”

  Meg looked alarmed. “For having sex?”

  Olivia laughed. “For getting out there and giving it a go again. I know it hasn’t been easy for you this past year, but meeting someone else is exactly what you need to put a bit of sparkle back in your life — and when I walked in here this morning and saw that goofy grin on your face, I knew what had happened. If Kate was here right now, I’d kiss her myself.”

  “That would be awkward.”

  Olivia let go of Meg and returned to her ribbon curling. “Nonsense — the woman who’s put the smile back on my baby’s face deserves nothing less.” She paused and her face tensed. Olivia drew in a deep breath and rubbed her chest.

  Meg crinkled her forehead. “You okay? Are you having pains?”

  Olivia closed her eyes, exhaled and rubbed some more, shaking her head. “Just indigestion I’m sure, almost nothing. Honestly, every time I get heartburn is not a heart attack.” But Olivia still wasn’t smiling.

  “Well excuse me for looking out for my mother,” Meg said. “Sit down when you’ve done that, have a break, I can do the rest.” Meg got up and put an arm around Olivia, who shook it off just as quickly.

  “Even with heartburn I can do this better than you because I haven’t been up half the night, have I?” Olivia smiled gently, but Meg could see she was still in pain.

  Olivia changed the subject swiftly. “And what about the other one — does she know about this? Might knock the smile off her cocky features too.”

  Meg shrugged. “Well, I guess she might have an idea if she’s home when I rock up later in the same clothes. Plus, I did tell her I had a date before I went out, and also that we needed to get the house on the market and start moving on with our lives.”

  This time, Olivia dropped the scissors. They fell with a clatter onto the polished wooden floor. “You told her that?”

  Meg nodded, before hugging her mum to her. “And please don’t drop the scissors like that when you’ve just said you’re having twinges — you nearly gave me a heart attack. I expected you to sink to the floor at any second.”

  Olivia laughed in her ear. “The younger generation are so dramatic! You and your brother both.” Olivia rubbed Meg’s back. “But back to Tanya — let’s hope she gets the message into that thick skull of hers once and for all. But it might take a couple of goes, because it is pretty thick.”

  Olivia shook her head, then grinned. “Anyway, let’s not worry about her today — you’ve got far happier things to be thinking about.” She turned back to the job in hand, then back to Meg. “But now, we need to get going with these orders — so do you feel like giving me a hand like you said you would when you thought I was dying a minute ago?”

  Meg grabbed the order book. “I’m on it.”

  25

  Monday evening, and autumn had crept up on Meg like a tap on the shoulder. All around, the leaves were turning red and brown and attaching themselves to the pavement, making running treacherous. But Meg wasn’t put off — the evening sun was just going down when she stepped out of the shop and set off running t
o the park.

  Meg loved the feeling of her body clicking into gear when she ran. It was one of those moments she so rarely had in life where she felt suddenly free, her mind clear, and she concentrated on just what was happening to her at that specific moment — the mechanics of running. Her feet pounding the pavement, her legs somehow attached, her upper body processing the airflow. At moments like this, her body felt like a miracle of modern science.

  This week, her body had already been put through a workout - Kate had made sure of that. After leaving on Saturday morning, Kate had texted Meg throughout the day, making her smile and blush in happy union. After work, Meg had gone back to Kate’s with the intention of going out for dinner, but they’d never made it out the front door. A rush rumbled from Meg’s head to her toes as she recalled their evening and night spent together.

  On Sunday, they’d ventured out to one of Kate’s favourite places for brunch. London had seemed brighter, warmer, fitter and fresher than it had for the past year, and Meg was well aware why. She loved walking down the road holding hands with Kate, breathing her in, feeling part of a couple.

  Sure, this was how you were supposed to feel in the first throes of romance, but honestly, Kate threw up other feelings altogether for Meg. More rounded feelings. A flicker that Meg had never truly felt before.

  It was something she was well aware of, but also petrified of.

  ***

  After running with her club for over an hour, Meg made her way home through the dusky night air. It was nearly 8pm. What was Kate doing now? Having spent Friday and Saturday in her bed, last night had felt quite bereft without her.

  As she rounded the corner of her road, Meg’s buttocks tweaked and she cast her mind forward to dinner and a hot bath — her body deserved it. She slowed to a walk to let her heart rate recover as she made her way up her road.

  The smell of roast chicken hit her nose as she stepped into the house. Then there was laughter from the kitchen which meant Tanya was entertaining. Again. Meg had arranged for the estate agent to come round and value the house today and Tanya had agreed to cover it. She might as well get the conversation over with.