“So, we’re not going to get changed then? Skinny dipping instead?” I ask, just to make sure I’ve understood this correctly.
“Well, I don’t think going naked is a particularly good idea, so I’m going like this. Now you’ve come back to me, I don’t want to lose you again by taking more off!” She’s laughing. Great that she finds my current state funny.
“You’d be having the same problem if you were stood in my shoes,” I say quietly. I don’t think she’s heard me, as she is making her way to the water.
“I can’t complain about my shoes either, Ry,” she turns and winks at me as she starts to disappear into the sea. “And don’t worry, the water’s pretty cold, it should sort your problem right out,” she says dropping her gaze to my crotch. Fuck. “You won’t need a bathroom this time!” Oh my fuck, did she actually just say that? She knew all along. Bitch. She’s going down for that.
“You’re going to regret that, Molly,” I say as I drop my shorts and wade into the water in just my black boxer briefs as fast as I can, so she can’t see exactly how excited I am by this.
I make my way over to her, where she is now in up to her neck. I go straight over and pick her up. She wraps her legs around my waist, and puts her arms on my shoulders.
“Oh,” I hear her say as she wiggles her hips, “I see the cold water didn’t work.”
Shit, fuck, don’t do that, I’m already holding on by a thread holding her like this; she doesn’t need to move as well.
“You are in so much trouble, Molly Carter. You are going to regret this,” I scold her, staring straight into her eyes, trying to stare her down and stop her laughing. It doesn’t work, but I know what will. I grab her waist tight, and throw her as hard as I can into the water.
“Fuuuuu-” she squeals, but is cut off as she goes under.
When she comes back up, she is spluttering and frantically wiping her face. “Do you know how fucking disgusting that tastes, fuck face?” she says, glaring at me.
“No, I wasn’t stupid enough to go under like you!” At that, I get a huge wave of water pushed at me, but I see it coming and turn away.
We spend ages messing about in the water like teenagers. It’s great to be carefree for a while. Molly is such fun to be around; she doesn’t take herself too seriously, and is quite happy to laugh at herself. I think she is starting to regret winding me up earlier though, judging by the amount of times she has had to spit out a mouthful of salt water after I’ve managed to dunk her again.
I notice that she has started shivering and her teeth are chattering. “I think it’s time we got out. You look freezing.”
I go over to where she is, and stand close to her. I’m looking at the beach behind her, because I’ve just seen a group of lads come down from one of the huts that is above ours, and I’m keeping an eye on our things. Molly is looking out to sea and, as far as I know, has no idea they are there. Time for my revenge!
“Come here,” I say as I pull her in to my arms and squeeze her tight. “Thanks for this. I like acting like kids again,” I kiss her hair as I say this, making her look up at me.
“The whole week has been brilliant; thank you for bringing me. I can’t believe it’s nearly over, though. I don’t feel ready to leave yet.”
She makes me laugh as she starts pouting. “I know, but we still have tomorrow, and then you’ve got all that new stuff to go in your room when we get back.” The thought of that perks her up a little.
I slowly start rubbing my hands up and down her back, like I’m warming her up, and lean forward so I’m whispering in her ear. “Do you know, you’re even gorgeous when you have black makeup running down your face,” I tell her softly.
It’s completely dark out here but for the light the moon is casting across her face and neck, allowing me to see enough to know I just made goose bumps break out across her skin. Good, my plan is working.
“I don’t believe you. No one looks good like that,” she says back to me.
“Believe it, gorgeous.”
My hands are still roaming over her back, and I keep pushing them a little closer to her arse or around her sides to her breasts. I can hear and feel her pulse rate picking up from my touch. Over her shoulder, I can see the group of lads have sat on the beach with cans of beer, and are watching us. I bet I know what they’re thinking!
I place a soft kiss under her ear, and I hear her sharp intake of breath at my action. I do it again, and again. Her breaths are coming out fast now, and I can feel her pulse against my lips. I move my hands back up her back, and slip my fingers under the strap of her bra to test the water. She just groans, and presses her breasts harder into my chest. That’s right, Molly, let yourself be taken away by the moment. I feel her hips slowly start to grind against me again. It takes everything in me not to moan with pleasure. It’s now or never, otherwise I will get carried away. I move my hands around her back one more time, as I place another kiss to her neck. This time I unsnap her bra, pull it away from her, and move towards the shore as quick as I can.
“Ryan, what the fuck?” I hear her squeal from behind me, but I’m too focused on getting out of the water, grabbing our stuff and heading to the hut.
“You little shit, there are people on the beach. Come back, you little fucker.”
I can’t help it, I am crying with laughter as I make my way to our hut with all our clothes. The lads can see exactly what I’ve done, and are laughing with me. I shout over to them, “Perfect timing, lads, I needed revenge and you’ve just played an awesome part in it. Enjoy the show!”
They all shout back different things, including ‘I hope she’s as hot as we think she is’, a chorus of thank yous, and laughter.
I’m now stood on our balcony overlooking the beach and Molly, who is still in the sea. She looks seriously lost out there alone, and the lads are really giving her some grief now. I almost feel bad. Almost.
Eventually, I see her square her shoulders as though she’s made a decision, and she starts to walk out the water, clutching her breasts in her hands. The catcalls and whistles from the group of lads increases as her body emerges from the water. She keeps her head down, and heads this way as fast as she can.
When she hits the path to our beach hut I shout down “Revenge is sweet, Miss Molly.” She looks up at me and growls – yes, actually growls. Fuck, she’s pissed off.
As she comes towards me, I hold out the towel I got for her as soon as I got here. See, I’m not a total dick. I could have made her walk about here like that so I could watch some more.
“I cannot believe you did that, you fuck wit. That was so embarrassing. I think I hate you a little bit,” she says very seriously, as she pulls the towel around her, unfortunately managing not to flash me in the process. All that work, and I didn’t get a good look at her tits!
When she’s sorted, she bursts out laughing. Thank God, she looked so serious I thought she was about to castrate me right here. I can’t help it, and laugh along with her.
Once she’s calmed down, she walks over to the fridge, pulls out the bottle of Apple Sourz, and pours us both a very large shot in the tumblers from the cupboard. She passes me a glass and lifts hers up. “To embarrassing friends,” she says with a laugh. I clink her glass and take a drink.
“To revenge,” I say, and we repeat the process.
“I actually cannot believe you did that, Ryan. That took more balls than I gave you credit for.”
“Don’t you go worrying about my balls, Molly. There is most definitely nothing wrong with them. You deserved it after what you did to me.”
“Yeah, maybe, but doing it while there was a group of lads on the beach was just evil.”
“I know. I’d love to say I’d planned it, but I don’t think I could have planned it that perfectly. When I saw them over your shoulder, I just knew what I had to do.”
“Ryan…on a more serious note.” Oh shit, what have I done? I nod for her to go on. “Tonight was fun, don’t get me wrong, but whatev
er that was tonight needs to not happen again. I’m all up for having a bit of fun with you, but you’re my best friend, Ry. I don’t want to lose that. Ever.”
“I agree, I don’t know what I would do without you. Let’s just put it down to the amount of wine we had with dinner.”
“Okay, I’m glad we are on the same page with this. I’m going to go have a shower then go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.” She kisses my cheek as she passes me.
“Night, Molls.”
Chapter Nine
Molly
The last day of our holiday was great. We just chilled out by the beach hut, reading and enjoying each other’s company. Luckily, after our little talk the night before, things between us seemed to have gone back to normal, which was a huge relief. I was struggling to cope with what was going on. Things got so heated, for me anyway, when Ryan was joking around in the sea, that I was really concerned we were going to ruin our friendship by doing something stupid. I thought the night with Twister was close, but I very nearly went for it in the sea with his hard body pressed up against mine.
It’s now Friday, and things have been normal since we got back. I have finished off setting up my room, and Ryan put my shelves and mirror up on Tuesday, so I could get everything in place.
I have practically spent every waking hour working other than that. I have thought more about what Ryan said about just going for it with finding an office and employing someone to work with me, and I do agree, but it’s just such a huge step. Not only that, but this business was Hannah’s and mine. I’m not sure how I feel about having someone else do what she would have done.
Going away wasn’t the wisest thing to do, but it was worth all the work I’ve got to catch up with now. Because of me hiding in my room working, the only time we have really seen each other has been at dinner. Ryan’s been experimenting in his new kitchen, seeing as he has the time being on school holidays, and I have to say, he’s not doing a bad job.
Tonight is the night he told me he wanted me for the evening for some kind of birthday surprise. I hate surprises, and Ryan knows this, which is why he has been winding me up about it all week. I now feel like a coiled spring with the pressure of it all. He has told me to dress smart-casual, so I guess we are not going somewhere posh, and to be ready for six o’clock.
I decide to wear the maxi dress that I didn’t wear on holiday; it is black with a pink print all over it, and the jersey material clings in all the right places. I have left my make-up light, as my tan does the job well, and just added some eyeliner and mascara to make my eyes stand out a little. I grab my flip-flops out of my wardrobe, my handbag off the bed, and head upstairs to see if he’s ready.
I find him sat on the sofa watching the local news. He notices me straight away, turns the TV off. and comes over to me.
“You look amazing as always, Molly,” he says as he gets to me, but he hasn’t got that heated look that he kept getting at the beach hut, which is a relief.
“You too.” He is wearing light blue jeans that hug his arse and muscular thighs in the most delicious way, and black fitted plain t-shirt and black Converse. It’s simple, but so hot. He has obviously tried to style his hair, but as usual, his dirty blond locks are falling over his forehead in a sexy mess, and he smells out of this world.
“Right, come on. It’s nearly time for your surprise,” I groan in response.
He grabs my hand and pulls me out of the house. He stops by the passenger door of his car, opens it, and ushers me in.
“Wow, being a gentleman tonight, are we?” I comment. I don’t think he’s ever opened the car door for me before.
“Not likely,” he says with a huff, making me laugh.
Well, that is, until he takes me by surprise by leaning into me, grabbing the seatbelt and strapping me in. I see that look flick though his eyes quickly, but it is gone as fast as it appears.
“I am able to do that myself, you know.”
“Molls, just be quiet and go with the flow. You are not in control here. I am,” he states in a voice that I know is his teacher voice.
“Sorry, Mr. Evans,” I sing, like when I was in primary school. With this, he pulls something out of his back pocket, and moves towards me again.
“Ryan, you did not just do that!” I squeal at him.
He was so quick that before I knew what was happening, he was tying something around my eyes so I couldn’t see out. Once he knows it’s secured, I hear him shut the door, and a couple of seconds later, I hear him get in the driver seat and start the car.
“Is this really fucking necessary?” I growl.
“Yes, it is. Just forget we’re going somewhere, and imagine that it’s research for that project you were working on last week.” I guess he’s referring to the bondage stuff I was drawing.
“Um, Ry…I don’t think this is quite like that, if I’m honest!”
“Maybe not, but I thought it might take your mind off it a bit. Have you been to one of the nights you are advertising?” he asks, but I hear his voice get quieter as he ends the question like he doesn’t really want to know.
“Oh yeah, all the time.”
“What, really? You’re into all that stuff? You’ve never talked about it before.”
“No, Ry, not really. I’ve only ever stepped inside for a meeting with the manager. I am seriously intrigued though.”
“Oh um…what about…um…” he clears his throat “um…bondage in general, have you done that stuff?”
“Ryan, are you getting embarrassed?” I can hear it in his voice. “Come on, we’ve talked about all sorts before now, and you haven’t got embarrassed.”
“Shut up, Molls, I’m not. I just wondered.”
“Yeah, whatever. In answer to your question, no, I haven’t. I’ve never been with anyone I would have trusted enough to do anything like that. What about you?” I ask, but I’m guessing from his embarrassment that he hasn’t.
“You really think Hannah would have done that sort of stuff?” he asks with a laugh. “Don’t get me wrong, sex with her was amazing, but she was so straight-laced that she classed doing it out of a bed as wild!”
I laugh to myself, remembering all the conversations I had with Hannah about sex. Bless her, she was so naïve.
“Yeah, that’s true, but what about the girls you slept with before?”
“I was a teenager; the fact that I was getting laid was more than enough. I didn’t need bells and whistles on it!” I just know he’s got his boyish smirk on his face right now. I wish I could see him.
“You’re such a bloke!” I laugh.
“Yes, and…?” This makes me laugh harder. I’m so glad we have gone back to being almost normal with each other again. I don’t know what I would do if I lost this.
“Right, we’re here. Stay there and I’ll help you out.”
“Can’t I take it off now were here?” I sulk.
“Nope. Hang on.”
A couple of minutes later, Ryan is standing behind me with his hands on my waist, steering me in the right direction.
“Right, we are going upstairs. Lift now…okay, up we go.”
I knew we had come into a building, but going upstairs has confused the fuck out of me.
“Is it much further?”
“No, we are almost there. Right, stand here…” I feel him bring me to a stop and turn me slightly, “Are you ready?”
“No!”
And with that, he unties me.
“What?” I ask as I look around.
I’m in some sort of office. It takes me a few seconds to register that the work hanging on the walls is stuff that Hannah and I designed since we started the company. I turn around to look at Ryan, and see that he is not standing alone. Next to him are Susan, Pete, and Emma, and all of them have big smiles on their faces. It is in that moment that it hits me.
“We’re in the flat,” I state as they all come towards me saying ‘happy birthday’, and all give me a hug.
“Wait, what
? You’re going to have to explain this to me.” They all laugh at my confused state.
“When Ryan moved into his new house, we got some builders in, as you well know, to revamp the place. We were going to rent it out to students again, but it soon became clear that none of us wanted anyone living in the place Hannah, Emma, Ryan and you had spent so much time in. So we decided to apply to change its use from a flat to an office. It was accepted, so Lilly designed the interior, and we asked your brothers to do the work. Then it was going to sit here waiting until you were ready,” Susan explains, like it makes all the sense in the world.
“Until I was ready?” I ask, still totally confused.
“Yes. When Ryan rang us last week to say that you were talking about how busy you’d gotten and how you were talking about the need to hire someone else, we had to get our arses into gear and get it finished for you.” I can feel the tears beginning to sting my eyes as what she is saying sinks in.
“You’re telling me that all of this is for the business?” Susan starts laughing; apparently ,the look on my face is priceless.
“Yes, it’s for the business. The business that you and our daughter started. We want you to still be able to live out your dream, and we realised that this flat is the perfect way for you to do that. So this is for you. We have fitted it out with the basic office furniture, but we have left it for you to get everything else you need. We had to get Ryan to get copies of yours and Hannah’s artwork off your laptop so we could use it to decorate the walls. Do you like it?”
“I can’t believe you have done this. You have already done so much for me; this is just too much.”
“Angel, we love you like one of our own. We want to do everything we can to help you. Plus, it’s for Hannah as well. She would be so happy to see the business you both dreamed of since you were kids coming to life.”
With that, I throw myself at her and hold her tight while I cry on her shoulder. I turn around and give Pete a hug, and then Emma, before I turn and jump into Ryan’s arms and sob harder.
Angel Series Books #1-2.5 Page 10