by Angel Devlin
“Your parents in with her?”
He nodded. “Yeah. Go on through. I’d better update Leah. She’ll be going demented and it’ll not be good for the baby.”
I walk over to the room she’s currently in and wave from the doorway.
“Aiden. Oh my god, Aiden. You’re our hero. You saved our girl.” Kaylie’s mum flies at me and then her dad shakes my hand and gives me a man hug.
“Just doing my job, but of course, it was Kaylie. Can’t have anything happening to my girl.”
Kaylie is awake but has an oxygen mask on. She takes it off to say something but starts coughing.
“Put that back on right now, young lady. For goodness’ sake, you can thank Aiden later,” her mum snaps at her following it up with a gentle stroke down her cheek and a rearrange of the mask to ensure it’s fitting properly. Kaylie rolls her eyes at me and I smirk.
“Thank God you’re alive and will be out in plenty of time for that party. I know being thirty is a milestone for you but trying to top yourself was a bit extreme.”
Her eyes narrow as she knows she can’t give me a sassy retort.
“Do they know how it happened?” her dad asks me.
“They have their suspicions, but they have to confirm it. Seems to have started in the stock room.”
Again those eyes are staring at me but I’m not going to say anything further. Not while she’s being monitored. I can’t be having her getting worked up.
“Well, I just wanted to check she was okay. I’ll head off home now. It’s been a long day and I could use another shower.”
“Would you stay five minutes just while we go get some drinks and sandwiches? Or until Jenson comes back?”
“Of course I will,” I reply. They leave the room and leave me alone with Kaylie. A captive audience.
“I’m not going to tell you off for running into that classroom even though it was against all procedures. Because you kept those kids safe and calm while they must have been going out of their minds. You’re the hero, Miss Kaylie Hale, not me. I’m just the firefighter who broke down the door and carried the hero out.”
She can’t help it, she lifts the oxygen mask off again and croaks, “both heroes,” before putting it back in place.
“I’m so fucking glad you’re alive. Don’t ever do this to me again. Promise?”
She nods. She’s looking tired, fighting to keep her eyes open. I hear her parents’ voices approaching, getting nearer.
Standing by her bed, I lift her oxygen mask and put my lips on hers, briefly. Just a brush of my lips against her own.
I stand back to see her reaction but she’s asleep. I’ve no idea if she knows I did it or not. All I know is I want to kiss her over and over again.
Kaylie is discharged the next day. Her mother wants her home with her but after protests with lots of coughing I agree that I will stay with her. This satisfies both Kaylie and her mother as Mrs Hale is satisfied that she’s under the best possible care with me being a fireman and Kaylie is satisfied that she’s away from her overprotective mother.
“Thank fuck,” she says when we get back to her flat. I look around and note half the furniture is missing from the place. There’s no sofa or television.
“What the fuck?”
“She moved out. Cheryl moved out. She said she was going but obviously my being in hospital was the perfect time for her to escape. One month’s rent and then I have to look at moving. Right at bloody Christmas.” She starts coughing again.
“I’m getting you some water. Calm down, we’ll sort something. Now, while you’re recuperating is not the time to be getting stressed.” I steer her towards her bedroom. “Go and get into your pyjamas while I get you some water.”
Heading back into her bedroom I remember that she only has a single bed. “Hutch up, looks like we’re getting cosy tonight.” I climb on the bed beside her handing her the drink. She takes a few sips of water and places it on her bedside table and passes me the remote.
“Here, find us something to watch,” she says settling back against the pillows.
Tomorrow I will tell her about Phillip. That he won’t be welcome back at her or any school any time soon. I don’t know how she left things with him after their date. I don’t know how she’ll respond, but I do know I need to tell her how I feel soon. Knowing how fast I could have lost her. That she could have perished in that fire. It shows me that I’m going to have to confess everything. She must not have been awake when I kissed her because she’s never mentioned it and I’m sure she would have done, even if just to ask me what the fuck I was playing at.
And if she doesn’t want me romantically? Well, I’m going to offer to be her sperm donor. But I’ll do it the way she wants it, soft music and candlelight. The old-fashioned way. So tomorrow, I’ll talk to her about Phillip, and then I’ll let her process that and recover ready for her party. But after her party, then we need to talk.
I’m so fucking nervous.
“You going to find a programme or spend the night in a dreamworld?”
“Sorry.”
I flick through the channels and find an Avengers film partway through. Lots of man totty for her and Scarlett Johansson for me.
“Do you want something to eat?”
“No thanks. I’ve already been rescued from one fire this week, don’t want you burning down the kitchen. That’s if Cheryl left the cooker.”
“We’ll get all that sorted after your birthday. I promise. Cheryl is not ruining your celebrations okay?”
“Okay. Now can you be quiet because Loki’s just come on screen.”
I want to say I’m better than Tom Hiddleston but Kaylie looks content and comfortable, so I just snuggle in closer and watch the film until she falls asleep, her head on my arm.
13
Kaylie
I wake to the driest sore throat and pounding head I think I’ve ever experienced, but neither is the most insistent feeling in my body. That comes courtesy of the low throb coming from between my legs and it doesn’t take my sleep fogged brain long to realise why.
I’m not alone in this bed and my companion is curled around me like a freaking snake.
My heart rate increases as realisation dawns. His arm isn’t just wrapped around me. It’s also under my tank with his hand cupping my breast.
Fuck.
I try to ease away from him, but all it achieves is for his grip to tighten.
“Kaylie,” he breathes, his voice desperate and needy. Then he does something that really freaks me out, he moves his hips slightly and the unmistakable feeling of his solid length pressing into my arse makes me gasp. “Kaylie, mmmm…” he moans. He’d better not be having a fucking sex dream about me.
My heart thunders in my chest but I don’t panic as much as I thought I might in this situation.
As I lay there trying to figure out how I feel right now, a memory hits me.
I was lying in that hospital bed. Aiden was sitting beside me about to say goodbye. But before he left, he lifted my mask and brushed his lips against mine.
That was a dream, right? That didn’t actually happen? Imagining him doing that was just my imagination after he rescued me. He saved my life and that along with the smoke inhalation screwed with my brain, right?
My mind spins as I try to come up with reasons as to why that didn’t really happen when Aiden’s fingers move against my nipple. It puckers under his touch sending a bolt of electricity to shoot towards my sex.
“Fuck. Shit.” I jump from the bed in panic, totally freaked out by my reaction to his touch.
My body doesn’t know it’s him. It’s just reacting to touch. It’s natural. I tell myself as I back away.
“What’s wrong?” His sleepy, rough voice fills my ears and I lift my eyes from the floor.
“I… uh…” His long, lean body is stretched out on my bed, pressed right up against the wall in only a tiny pair of boxer briefs. Inches of perfection greet me before the most obvious bulge catches m
y eye. The insistent throb between my legs kicks up a notch as I fight to drag my eyes away.
I shouldn’t be looking at my best friend like this. But you’re that desperate, a little voice in my head screams. Just think how good he could make you feel.
“No,” I shout, making Aiden jump.
“What? I didn’t ask you anything.
“Cover that up, Aid. I need coffee before dealing with you exposing yourself.”
He glances down his body. “Shit.” Dragging the covers over his bottom half, he doesn’t look half as embarrassed as he should.
I’m still staring, I know I am but my mind’s racing at a million miles a minute with thoughts that should not be allowed in my head. My chest heaves as I try to fight the unwanted desire that’s still raging within me.
I really need to find someone willing to shag me to put me out of my misery.
“Kaylie, are you okay?”
His eyes drop to my chest and it’s only then I realise that my nipples are trying to fight their way through the fabric of my tank.
“Fuck. I need… I need to…” Spinning on my heels, I march from the room and slam the newly fitted bathroom door when I get there.
Dropping down onto the toilet, I go about my business before sitting back, the events of the past few minutes running on repeat in my mind.
“What were you thinking?” I ask myself, slapping my palm against my forehead. “So not appropriate. I know I just had a near death experience but there’s no need to go all crazy.”
“Are you talking to yourself in there?” Aiden calls out.
“Fuck. I’ll be out in a minute.”
When I do open the door, it’s no more than to crack it open enough to see if he’s in view. I breathe a sigh of relief when he’s not and run for my bedroom, grabbing an oversized hoodie and pulling it over my head to cover up.
The scent of fresh coffee hits my nose and my mouth waters. With one last glance at where he was laid almost naked not so long ago, I sigh and walk towards the kitchen.
I keep my gaze down, not knowing how he’s going to react to what happened this morning.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, placing a mug down in front of me.
“Oh… um…” I panic, my body temperature soaring, making me regret the hoodie. “Well, I wasn’t expecting—”
“I meant your head and throat.”
“Oh… yeah, better thank you. This will help too, I’m sure.”
Glancing up at him, I find he’s now fully dressed in yesterday’s clothes. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed.
I’m desperately trying to come up with something to say to distract myself from the image of him on my bed that seems to be burned into my fucking eyelids when he speaks.
“I need to tell you something.”
“Oh?”
He shifts uncomfortably in his seat and my pulse picks up in anticipation. Is he about to tell me that he did kiss me and that he wants to do it again? Or that he knew where his hand was this morning?
“It’s about the fire.” Those four words sure put out the fire that was about to rage inside of me. “We know how it started.”
“Why do you look so nervous to tell me? Fuck, was it my fault?” I’ve no idea how it could be seeing as it was at the other end of the school but the way he’s looking at me with deep creases in his forehead leads me to think crazy things. Concern isn’t a look I see on Aiden often so when it’s there I know it’s serious.
“No, no, of course not. It was Phillip’s.”
“What?” My brows pull together in confusion.
“He left the room. A couple of kids found his fags and lighter and took them to the stock room to play with. The next thing everyone knew the place was alight.”
“Fuck. What’s going to happen to him?” My voice comes out sounding much more concerned than I really am. I’d pretty much come to the conclusion the universe hadn’t brought him back to my life for any good reason.
“Pretty sure you won’t be seeing him at your school again, that’s for sure. His neglect almost resulted in the death of five kids and another teacher.” His face pales as he thinks back. “I doubt he’ll be welcome in many schools after that.”
“Jesus,” I mutter, wondering how you even begin to deal with that.
“Couldn’t have happened to a nicer bloke if you ask me.”
“That’s enough. I’ve not got the energy for Phillip bashing right now.”
“Are you sure you’re feeling okay? I’ve got a shift in a bit, but I can see if someone will swap.”
“No, no, I’m good. You can go.” I try not to put too much emphasis on the idea of him leaving, but after this morning, I really need an Aiden free space.
He hesitates after putting his empty mug in the sink.
“I’m on a late shift. Do you want me to come here after to check on you?”
The thought of having a repeat of this morning is enough to have me shouting “No!” in a panic.
“Okaaay. Can I call once I’m home just so I know you’re okay?”
“I’ll text you if I go to bed before you ring.”
“Promise me you’ll call me if you start feeling ill. I hate the idea of you being alone and suffering.”
“Aiden, I’m fine. You heard the doctors.”
“I know.” He looks like he wants to say more but he keeps his lips sealed.
Saying goodbye to him is awkward in a way I’ve never experienced with him before and I don’t like it. I’ve never had anything like this morning with Aiden before, ever. So the fact he caused that kind of reaction within me is enough to knock me off kilter more than a little.
By late afternoon I’m going stir crazy. I hate sitting around the house knowing I should be relaxing. It’s just like telling someone they can’t push the big red button.
I get so fed up with myself that in the end I pull my coat and scarf on and head out. My birthday party is tomorrow night and I have nothing to wear that’s worthy of a thirtieth.
I take it slow as I head towards Oxford Street. The fresh air invigorates me as much as it makes me cough so I keep going.
I try on dress after dress trying to find something that is equal parts a cover up and sexy. It’s easier said than done. They either expose way too much boob or much too much thigh.
I must have tried on at least twenty before I find what I think is the one.
Twirling around in the mirror I take in the sequined halter neck which is cut low enough to give a hint of what I’m hiding beneath and then the flowing skirt that kicks out from around my waist and hangs just a little above my knee. What I really love though is that the black dress has a red lining that can only be seen when the skirt swishes. It is a perfect statement dress and something that I don’t think any of my friends and family will expect. Even more reason to drop more money than I’ve ever spent on a dress before. My birthday tomorrow marks another chapter in my life. One where I’m going to have what I’ve always wanted. A baby. It might not happen the conventional way, but I don’t care. I need to do this for me.
I manage to find a killer pair of red shoes to go with my dress and a matching red clutch. When I walk out of the shop with my bags swinging from my fingers, I feel much more like myself than I have in ages despite the cough that keeps catching me off guard. For the first time in a long time, I’ve got a plan. A plan that is going to get me exactly what I want and put paid to my previous plan of finding Mr Right. Maybe I’m not destined to ever find him, and do you know what? I’m totally fine with that. I don’t need a man. I am more than capable of being in charge of my own destiny.
I get back to my house late with my new purchases and cartons of my favourite Chinese takeaway which I take to bed with me to indulge in. Turning the TV on, I find Bridget Jones’ diary has just started. I smile to myself and stuff some noodles into my mouth.
“We’ve got this, Bridge. We’ve got this.”
14
Aiden
Who
invented single beds? Bastards. I had my chubby sticking in her but not in the right place. I had to think about Brandon naked to make it go down and then I basically ran to the kitchen after getting dressed.
Kaylie seemed okay. Just needs some more time to recover, so I’ll leave her alone until her party now. Which reminds me, I need to get her a present. It’s a special birthday. For mine she got me Formula One tickets. What the hell can I buy her? A massive box of Godiva chocolate is a given, but I’ll have to ponder anything else after my shift.
I nip to the Godiva shop on the way home. There’s nothing like cutting it fine. I ask for a hamper around the £100 mark. It’s in a gift box so that’s fantastic, no wrapping. Then I pop to another store and get her a chocolate fondue set because I don’t think she’s ever bought one. I’ve not spent anywhere near enough or got anything special enough. I walk into a jewellery shop and the woman behind the counter obviously sees a desperate expression because she beckons me over after watching me wandering and sighing for five minutes.
“I need a present for my best friend.”
“Okay, so what about a watch? We do some great guy’s gifts.”
“Oh no.” I shake my head. “My best friend is a woman. I’ve known her since we were six and now she’s thirty.”
“Riggghhtt, erm so tell me a little about her, so I can get an idea of her likes and dislikes.”
“She loves chocolate. Hates apples. She’s single. She wants to be a mum.”
“I was thinking more favourite colours.”
“Oh. Well, erm, red. She likes red.”
I leave with a ruby pendant for her and some matching earrings and once again a gift box comes to the rescue. Job done. Now all I have to do is get a card. A jokey 29-forever card does the trick and I’m off home. Tomorrow morning, I shall make my way round to her flat with a birthday breakfast as is our tradition and then I’ll leave her to get ready for the party and go home and shit myself while I try to get the guts up to confess my feelings. I’ll tell her Sunday for definite. It could spoil her birthday if it all went wrong. Sunday it is.