by Julie Archer
I took two glasses from her. “That’s great, thank you.”
The venue was amazing. With stunning gothic architecture, the former church and priory was unique, and had been faithfully restored to close to its former glory. Roccia had done well.
“Saff Barnes, I heard you were on the guest list tonight.”
I turned to see Joel, Roccia’s Features Editor grinning at me, a beer in his hand. “Joel, good to see you.”
Roccia were one of the publications who had supported TheSB right from the very start and I’d known Joel a long time. He was someone I trusted to give an honest review of our music and he also hadn’t been one of the publications who used my love life to sell copies or boost online views. He was one of the reasons I’d agreed to come along.
“Who’s this?” He turned to Tris, a hand extended.
The two of them shook hands. I could see Tris look unsurely at me, perhaps wondering what to do or say.
“Joel, this is Tris Judd. He’s my new boyfriend.” I snuggled into Tris’ body—not exactly a hardship—keeping up the pretence. “We met at uni a while ago and recently bumped into each other again. One thing led to another and…”
“We started seeing each other,” Tris finished, pulling me closer and placing a kiss on my temple.
God, he’s good.
“I’d heard the rumours, wasn’t sure if they were true.” Joel nodded before someone called his name. “Gotta go, need to get this dinner underway, we’re on a curfew here. If we don’t leave at midnight, we’ll all turn into pumpkins.”
Once Joel was far enough away, Tris released me, much to my disappointment. I’d been enjoying being pressed up against him like that.
“Did I do okay?” His expression was full of concern. “I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t?”
I couldn’t resist. I leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips, albeit briefly. “You did good.”
And at that moment, I heard the click of a camera phone, instantly realising our first kiss was about to be blasted all over various social sites.
Reluctantly, I drew back. “We should go and find our table. I’m starving.”
The rest of the evening passed without incident. There were a couple of people on our table I knew from previous events and we chatted endlessly about the music we were working on, upcoming gigs, Tommo joining the band. Tris listened carefully, chipping in on occasion with a few words of his own. Throughout the night, he barely left my side, his hand either resting on my shoulder or my leg. If he left it there for much longer, I was going to overheat.
When the time came for everyone to leave, my usual instinct of wanting to join the after party wasn’t there. I wanted to have a party on my own. Or rather, with Tris.
I’d drunk copious amounts of champagne throughout the evening and as well as feeling deliciously buzzed, was a little wobbly on my heels. Tris seemed to sense my unsteadiness and held me close to him as we waited outside for the Uber. I lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke up into the night air and watching the plumes make patterns in the sky.
“How much longer is the cab going to be?” I complained impatiently.
“Given you kept the guy waiting earlier, I suspect he’s getting his own back.” The corner of his mouth curled up as he teased me.
“Fair point.”
Tris reached out and gently brushed something off my cheek. The soft motion made goose bumps prick my skin and I shivered involuntarily.
“Cold?”
I shook my head. “Not exactly…” I stared up at him, fixing his dark gaze with my own. I wondered if he wanted the same thing I did right now.
The beep of a car horn made me jump and we sprang apart. Seriously, the Uber guy had such bad timing.
It was less than a ten minute journey back to the hotel, but I couldn’t stop fidgeting. This version of Saff wasn’t one I knew. Usually in a situation like this, I wouldn’t hesitate. I would go for it, no fears, no regrets. I’d had one night stands I’d worried less about, where I’d only known the guy in question a mere matter of hours before hopping into bed with him. I couldn’t work out why this felt so different. Did I want one night with Tris or did I want more?
I cast a sideways glance at him. He was staring out of the car window, watching the scenery slip by. One moment he was illuminated by the streetlights, the next in shadow. I wished I knew what he was thinking.
Finally we got back to the hotel. I couldn’t wait to get back to the room and…well, I knew what I wanted to happen. I had to make sure Tris wanted it too.
We stood awkwardly in the living area, Tris loosening his tie. I felt the urge to rip open his shirt, not caring it might scatter buttons all over the place.
“Do you want a drink?” he asked, tossing his tie down on the sofa.
I shook my head. “No. Do you?”
“Then what do you want?” His question was direct, and I figured I might as well give him a straight answer.
“I want you to kiss me.”
“But there’s no-one around to see.” A flicker of uncertainty crossed his features.
“I know.”
“Then…”
“For fuck’s sake, Tris, can I make it any more obvious?” I crossed the room to him in about three strides and reached up to wrap my arms around his neck, drawing him to me. “Please, kiss me…”
20
Tris
Hearing Saff’s plea was all the encouragement I needed. The last few hours had been torture. Pretending to kiss her, pretending to have her by my side when all I wanted to do was exactly this.
My lips crashed against hers, our mouths moving together, tongues entwining as we devoured each other. Her black and gold coat fell to the floor and my hands slipped over the sleek satin of her dress, caressing her arse, moving to her hips, holding her against me. I could feel the beginnings of an erection as she moulded her body to mine.
“Oh, God, you do want this,” she said, moaning her words into my mouth, her hand sliding over my cock restrained by the suit trousers. I hardened even more.
“Jesus, Saff, what the hell are you doing?” Her stroking became insistent and I knew if I didn’t get my clothes off soon it was all going to be over embarrassingly quickly.
She stopped and stepped away from me. For a moment, I thought she was going to call a halt to things, but instead she grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it up and over her head before throwing it aside.
My jaw dropped. She stood in front of me, resplendent in a black satin push-up bra, matching panties and fishnet hold-up stockings. Her pink and blonde hair was mussed up and her tattoos stood out in stark contrast to her creamy skin. If I thought I had any self-restraint at all, it vanished into thin air the moment I saw her.
“I’m feeling a little underdressed here.” Her voice was husky, thick with lust.
I kicked off my shoes and socks, then scrambled out of my suit and shirt. Her gaze fell to the crotch of my boxers and she quirked an eyebrow. I growled and grabbed her around the waist, stumbling backwards as I pulled us both onto the couch.
Saff straddled me and reached inside my shorts, her hand curling around my cock, her thumb tracing a line around the tip. I sucked in a breath, trying to quell the sensations racing around my body. Seriously though, if I didn’t do something soon she was never going to want to do this again with me.
“Hey,” I murmured. “Let’s try something else.”
She withdrew her hand and I flipped her onto her back, providing me with a brief respite. I hooked my thumbs into her panties and drew them down her legs, before pulling them right off. Gently spreading her thighs, I bent down and gently kissed a line from the inside of her knee right to where I wanted to be. My tongue slid across her clit and she moaned, bucking against me. I smiled against her, as her hands wound into my hair directing my actions.
“Tris, Jesus!”
I didn’t stop, continuing to vary the pressure and motion as I worked her towards orgasm. Her breath was coming in short
pants and I could sense she was close. With one last flick of my tongue, she screamed my name, shuddering almost violently as she came. I sat back on my knees, watching the quivering wreck Saff had become, eyes closed, hands roaming across her own breasts as if trying to prolong the pleasure.
She opened her eyes, blinking. “I need you inside me. Now.”
Frantically, I scrabbled around for my wallet. Finding what I needed, I gripped my cock and rolled on the condom, fumbling because of my excitement. I turned back toward Saff, who had slid out of her bra and was now lying on the sofa in just the fishnets and heels. My cock pulsed in response. I moved back on top of her, pausing as I was about to slip into her.
“Are you sure?”
Saff’s response was to grip my buttocks and pull me towards her.
It had been a long time since I’d been with anyone, let alone someone as gorgeous as Saff and, as I thrust myself in, I knew it was going to be quick. I sincerely hoped she would let me repeat it. The sensations built quickly and unfortunately I fulfilled my own expectations on timing. Saff didn’t appear to notice, her nails digging into my back and across my shoulders, lost in her own reaction. With one final push, I grunted and lost it, my own breath coming in hard gulps.
We lay on the sofa, silent apart from the occasional gasp.
“I think this is a bit more than fake, don’t you?” I ventured.
“Fake relationship doesn’t equal fake orgasm.” Saff twisted onto her side. “And I certainly wasn’t pretending.”
I reached out and tucked a strand of her pink hair behind her ear. “Me either.”
When I woke up in bed on Sunday morning with Saff’s naked body nestled against my chest, I almost had to reach out and pinch myself. After our first hasty liaison, we’d headed upstairs to the bedroom and taken our time exploring each other’s bodies, finding out exactly what made us tick, or rather cry out with pleasure. It had been well after three when we’d finally succumbed to sleep. I fell into a sated slumber, sleeping dreamlessly for the first time in a very long while.
And when I did rouse, seeing Saff’s face made me wonder if I was dreaming awake.
While she still slept, I gently stroked her hair, my mind whirling as I listened to her steady and even breathing.
What would happen when we got back to London? Would she tell Jonas we were together? Or would we carry on keeping up the pretence until such times as she felt she didn’t need me any longer?
The latter train of thought worried me the most. Maybe Aunt Annie was right. I didn’t want to lose my heart to someone only to have it smashed into pieces.
Saff yawned and stretched. “Mmm, morning,” she murmured. Her hand slid under the covers to find me half-aroused. “Honestly, Tris, you can’t get enough, can you?”
“I think you’ll find that it’s you.” I grinned as she ran her hand up and down the length of my dick. “We should probably get going. It’s not long until the train leaves.”
Saff pouted. “And I have to sit beside you for two hours without touching you.”
“Oh, you can touch me, but I think what you have in mind would probably have us thrown off the train.” I pulled her towards me, meeting her lips, my tongue probing gently into her mouth, her soft skin sinking against mine. It took all of my willpower not to toss her onto her back and carry on where we’d left off last night.
She broke away, staring deep into my eyes. “Tris Judd, you’re incorrigible.”
I winked. “I learned from the best.”
21
Saff
Nestled in Tris’ arms, I couldn’t have been happier.
Everything about it was so right.
I realised we hadn’t known each other for long, but it was different somehow. Despite my initial misgivings when Jonas had suggested getting together with a nice, normal guy, someone not in the spotlight, Tris by far exceeded all my expectations. Not only did we have things in common from our past, but he genuinely seemed to care about me. He’d looked after me the other night at the pub, he’d been the perfect gentlemen on Friday evening and then again last night, he’d been…perfect. My groin twitched thinking about what we’d done and I was craving a repeat performance.
However, I needed to know where we stood. If this pretence was going to become real what I needed to know was whether we had a future.
I almost laughed out loud at the thoughts going on in my head.
Who are you and what did you do with the real Saff Barnes?
“Tris…”
“Mmm?” His lips brushed against my neck, causing a shiver to shoot down my spine.
It was going to be difficult having this conversation while naked and feeling horny.
Reluctantly, I extricated myself from his embrace and reached on the floor to find a t-shirt to pull on. I settled back on the bed, cross legged, looking down at his sleepy face, his hair all mussed up, his perfectly toned torso marred by a couple of scratches from our over-enthusiastic session. I reached out and ran my fingertip over one of them, trying to restrain myself from dipping lower beneath the covers. He caught my wrist and kissed my palm, and I practically dissolved.
I took a deep breath. It was now or never.
“You know how we’re pretending to be a couple?”
“Mmmhmm.” His lips vibrated against my palm as he replied, before drawing back. His beautiful hazel eyes fixed meaningfully on mine. “Although there wasn’t much of that last night.” He quirked an eyebrow.
“I’m not sure I want to do it anymore.” I couldn’t think of a better way to say it.
Tris’ face fell as he let go of my hand as if it had burned him. “Oh, right. I’m sorry.”
I reached out and grabbed his hand. “No, no, I didn’t mean it in that way. I meant I don’t want to act any longer, because, well…” I dropped my gaze, unable to meet his eyes. What if he didn’t want the same thing? What if he was going to reject me? I wasn’t used to rejection. I was usually the one who called the shots. “Because I think I want more.”
His thumb crept under my chin, pulling my head up to look at him. “As in ‘you really like me’, and not just because you paid me?”
Hearing it out loud made me cringe a little bit. It really did sound mercenary, playing around with someone’s emotions. Not able to speak, I simply nodded.
A broad smile stretched across his handsome features. “That’s good, because I really like you too.”
My relief was almost palpable. He really likes me too!
“What are you going to tell Jonas?” Tris asked, shattering my momentary buzz of satisfaction.
Ugh. I didn’t want to have to think about my cousin now.
“Let’s not talk about him. Let’s celebrate us.” I threw off the t-shirt and arched my back, giving Tris a full view of my breasts. “And I know exactly the way to do it.”
Sunday train journeys were the worst.
Busy carriages, slow running services, engineering works, staff shortages.
Anything that could possibly have slowed down the trip home happened.
And all I wanted to do was to get home and sleep with Tris again.
Well, not sleep obviously, but to carry on what we’d been doing last night and this morning.
I wasn’t sure whether I was ready to tell Jonas our relationship had moved on to a different level to the one we had initially set out for it to be. He would already have seen a couple of the pictures and short paragraphs which had ended up on The Goss website and another one of the sidebars of shame. That had to make a difference to my so-called tarnished reputation in his eyes. I suspected Joel may have fed them some information, given they knew Tris’ full name and where we’d met. “Did you plan on going home?” I asked Tris.
His eyes were closed. We were sitting next to each other because of the amount of people on the train, sharing a table with an elderly couple who had got on at Crewe and complained we were in their seats. “God only knows what time we’re going to get back, so it might be easier for
me to stay over.” His mouth twitched and I knew he was thinking the same as I was.
“That would be nice.” I kept my tone light, trying to act as if I didn’t care what he did.
Tris cracked open one eyelid. “I meant so I could be there when Uncle Col arrives tomorrow morning. We’ve got to finish the kitchen.”
I punched him casually in the ribs. “Oh, really?”
He opened his other eye and grinned at me. “What did you think I meant?”
My gaze travelled down his body, making the obvious stop at his crotch. “I had fun last night. And this morning. So, I wondered…” I trailed off, letting him fill in the gaps.
“Honestly, Saff, you’re going to wear me out at this rate.”
The older woman on the other side of the table gave me a dirty look, no doubt making judgements based on my appearance and adornments. Part of me wanted to push her to see how far I could go. But it was also a long time until we arrived in London and there weren’t any stops in between then and now, so I didn’t really want to have someone glaring at me for the remainder of the journey. Instead I gave her a broad, false smile.
“Okay, I promise to keep my urges to myself.” I couldn’t resist running a hand over Tris’ thigh, my hand dangerously close to his fly.
“I think that’s probably for the best, don’t you, missy?” The woman said, her tone cold and her expression one of a bulldog chewing a wasp. “We don’t want that kind of behaviour here in First Class.”
I held back a giggle. If she knew some of the things I’d got up to in the past on a train. And not even in First Class.
“Yes, of course, I’m so sorry for disturbing your journey.” I’m sure she could tell my words were hollow. “Not long now.”
To keep the peace, I shoved my earphones in and replayed the track from our rehearsal the other day. The more I listened, the more I loved the song. I knew it would make the perfect comeback tune. Even Jonas couldn’t fail to agree. While I listened again, Tris’ hand found mine, his thumb caressing my palm. Seriously, if he kept that up, I wasn’t going to be able to wait until we got home.