Page 20 of Stolen Kiss

Heidi laughed again. They had keys to each other’s houses and spent time going back and forth like the two premises were one.

Heidi squirted her neck with perfume and then dropped her lipstick into her purse.

“Come on, let’s go. I don’t want you here when he arrives making me all nervous.”

“I want to say hello.” This came out as a whine like she was one of her kids in her class.

“You said hello at the gig race.”

“Don’t spoil my fun, babe.”

Their bickering was interrupted half way down the stairs when a rap on the door sounded. They froze like they were cat burglars.

“Get going, open the door so I can say hello,” Freya nudged Heidi.

Heidi loved her best friend, but this wasn’t helping her nerves. She had no idea why he wanted to take her out or have anything to do with her. But she was going to go with it. This light kiss he’d given her still burned on her lips from the other day.

Heidi jogged down the rest of the steps. The front door was three paces from the bottom stair. She swung the door open just has Jason was raising his hand to knock again.

“Holy hell,” Freya said behind her.

Heidi couldn’t agree more. Jason looked good at twenty-two but at thirty-three he was breath-taking. His dirty blonde hair had been tamed as much as it allowed, but looked gorgeously messy. His dark jeans, polished shoes and proper shirt made him superbly put together but one look at his leather jacket and she was transported back to that time when it was the only thing she wore. It was long enough to cover her naked bottom but only just. He made her walk away from him in the flower fields in the moonlight just to make sure.

“Jason.” She could hear her breathy tone and felt her cheeks flush when his eyes melted at her tone.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked.

Snapping out of her gaze she turned at the waist to look at Freya who was still froze on the steps.

“You’re leaving now,” Heidi said.

“Okay,” Freya said holding up her hands.

Heidi watched as she took her time to pick up her handbag in the open plan living room. The front door opened into the livingroom. The front window was on the street and anyone looking in could see what she was doing.

She’d wished she’d closed her curtains because Betty Boyle chose that moment to walk past her front door and looked at her then at Jason and then back to her. She slowed her pace as she scowled at the scene.

“What’s her problem?” Heidi muttered.

Jason looked over his shoulder and then back to Heidi.

“Did she say something?”

“Only with her face,” Freya said. “I’ve never seen her smile but her face was grim.”

“Hi Freya,” Jason said beaming her a wide smile.

Heidi was dazzled for a moment and then made herself busy pulling on her ankle boots. She couldn’t balance so plonked her arse on the bottom step. She watched as Freya said a few words and pulled her school bag over her head to sit cross ways. Freya lived next door so why she was getting ready like she was going to for miles was a mystery. Heidi didn’t think too much about it because Jason’s gaze was back on her.

“Where are the buggy keys?” Jason asked.

“They’re on that set of keys,” Heidi said pointing to the hook by the door at Jason’s side.

He unhooked the keyring with a single finger and then clutched them in his hand.

“Goodbye Freya,” Heidi said in a more formal tone. Her nurse voice when her patients wouldn’t do as they were told.

“Don’t forget the tea,” Freya whispered as she squeezed past and kissed her cheek.

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