Page 125 of Take My Hand

“I actually want those girls to hurry up and go out.” Looping my fingers in the belt loops of her jeans, I pulled her to me. “You’re not in a hurry to eat are you?”

As I kissed her neck, Maya pressed her tits against my chest and moaned. I’d totally discovered her hot spot a couple ofweeks back. She had others, but they were more accessible with her clothes off.

“I can wait,” she whispered. “When do the girls go out?”

“Soon.” My hand went to her arse, and I cupped it, giving it a squeeze. “Although not soon enough.”

Then, as if they’d read our minds, three pairs of feet could be heard thundering down the stairs. Maya and I pulled apart, but as the girls raced through the door, giggling, I moved her in front of me to avoid an embarrassment.

“What the hell are you wearing?” I asked as the three of them pulled to a halt. “And where’s Liv?”

“Zombie schoolgirls,” Maddy replied and beamed at Maya. “It’s her mum’s birthday. Hi Maya.” Maya smiled back as Maddy continued talking. “And before you say anything about seeing my knickers, I have running shorts on underneath.”

“Thank the lord for that.” I looked between the three girls. They all wore the same school uniform, the skirt of which just about covered their backsides, and their socks were pulled up over their knees. As for their faces, they were made up in grey and white paint, to look like zombies, apparently. Maddy and Emma were grinning at me, but Ana was far from happy.

“You not loving the costume, Ana?” I asked. “Your face is kind of giving it away, love.” Maya nudged me and I was reminded how bony her elbows were. “She looks miserable,” I aimed at her.

“I wanted to go as ghost,” Ana grumbled. “In fact, I didn’t even want to go at all.”

Maddy plastered on a smile and forced out a small laugh. “You can’t just go in a sheet, Ana.” Maddy’s back stiffened, and it was clear that things between her and Ana hadn’t improved. It was also clear that Ana was still suffering with her parents separation. It had only been a week since we’d talked, but I’d hoped something I’d said had sunk in.

Emma looked at her phone and broke out a grin. “The boys are here.”

“Deep joy.” Ana sighed heavily, her comment causing Maddy to flinch.

“Okay, girls,” I said, clearing my throat. “Have a great time.”

Emma skipped out with Ana following slowly behind, while Maddy came to kiss me on my cheek.

“Bye, Dad.”

“Bye and be safe.” I hugged her to me. “Is Ana okay, by the way?”

She shrugged alongside a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know. I thought she was, but she’s hardly said a word all day.”

Maya ran a hand down Maddy’s arm. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

Maddy nodded, already aware that I’d told Maya all about Ana and her parents. “Maybe. For some reason she’s mad atmefor calling Dad, yetshewas the one who said it was okay.Andshe’s been vile to everyone today, even the lovely lady in the Co-Op on the way home.”

“Just keep an eye on her,” I advised, kissing Maddy on the forehead, “but don’t let her spoil your night. And make sure you don’t drink too much, or that Zak doesn’t drink and drive.”

I got the eye roll. “I won’t, I won’t, and he won’t. Okay?”

“Okay.” She then turned on her stupidly high heels and followed her friends. “Christ, teenagers.”

“Teenagers, who,” Maya said pausing as the front door banged shut, “have now left us alone.”

She grinned and I grabbed her, continuing from where we’d been interrupted.

Craving her had become something that I’d gotten used to over the last weeks. Every single minute of every single day, all I wanted was her. It only intensified when I wasn’t with her or hadn’t seen her for a couple of days. With our work and the distance from our homes, a couple of days was the very leastamount of time we were apart, generally it was five and I hated every single one of them.

With our hands tugging at each other’s clothes, it was obvious Maya felt the same way. She couldn’t get me naked fast enough, her fingers ripping at the buttons on my shirt.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she rasped as she stepped out of her jeans and kicked them to one side. “Please can we just make this hard and quick, because,” she said, reaching behind to unfasten her bar, “I’m desperate for you and some curry.”

I paused momentarily to watch her, sure that my eyes were like that bloody heart-eyed emoji that Maddy sent me whenever I told her she could have something or do something. Basically, when she was creeping.

“I can go as fast and as hard as you like, gorgeous.” Not able to wait any longer, I yanked off the rest of my clothes, racing with Maya to see who got naked first. It was a tie and we both moved at the same time, grabbing and smashing our mouths together.

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