Page 5 of The Lies
Chapter Two
“Addison, where the fuck are you?”Juliette shouts into my ear when I answer my phone. Blake’s just run inside to pick up the pizza he ordered before leaving the old café. “I’m stood here waiting, but it seems that everyone who was on your flight’s already got their luggage and fucked off.”
“Oh shit, Ju, I’m so sorry.”
“You didn’t get on the plane, did you? I’m stood here with a fucking sign and everything.” I can’t help but laugh as the image of her stood at arrivals with an inappropriate sign pops into my head.
“No, I’m so sorry I forgot to tell you.”
“What could possibly have hap—It was him, wasn’t it? It was the gardener.”
“Yes,” I admit. “I was just about to go through security and he stopped me. I still can’t quite get my head around it.”
“Aw, did you run off into the Irish sunset happily ever after?”
“Yeah, something like that,” I say, thinking about the grimy building. I may not be too happy about him helping me out like this, but a wide smile breaks across my face as I think about what I could do with that space. “Ju, can I call you tomorrow? I’ll explain everything,” I say as I see Blake heading my way.
I don’t know what Juliette knows about her brother; this is the first time we’ve spoken since I found out the truth. I only texted her to ask if she could pick me up at the airport, knowing that I’d need distracting once I touched down in London.
“Okay. I’m presuming this has all got something to do with Edward. He seems to have disappeared.”
“Yes, it’s him all right. I promise to tell all tomorrow, but right now I have a date with a man and a meat feast pizza.”
I hear Juliette gasp in horror. “Adds, the calories…the carbs,” she breathes.
“We’ll work it off,” I announce, and immediately hang up to her shrieks of delight.
“Everything okay?” Blake asks after handing me the steaming pizza box.
“Yeah, that was my best friend, Juliette. She was waiting at Heathrow for me—whoops!”
“It’s nice to know you had someone waiting for your return, but I’m so fucking glad you’re not with her right now.”
“Is that right?” I ask with a laugh, because he’s already proved pretty well how happy he is that I’m here.
“Yep. So tell me about Juliette.” His words make me realise how little we actually know about each other. This thing between us hit me so unexpectedly and so forcefully that we’ve missed out on all those early date conversations most people have.
By the time we pull up to Blake’s house, I think I’ve pretty much explained Juliette and all her quirks and oddities to him. Talking about the craziness of my best friend makes me realise how much I miss her. My friendship with her is the only thing I can look back on fondly from my time in London. We’re going to need to set something up to ensure we continue seeing each other. I hate the thought that we could lose touch after all these years.
I carry the pizza in while Blake pulls my suitcase from the back of the van.
“Take that upstairs and strip down to your underwear,” he demands the second I step into his house.
I want to question him but I’m too excited by the prospect of him also stripping down to bother, so I just do as I’m told. I watch him walk off towards the kitchen as I begin making my way upstairs. I didn’t venture up here last time so I’ve no idea which is his room, but it soon becomes obvious when I poke my head first into a bathroom, then a sugar pink room, and then another full of tools and boxes.
Walking into his navy blue room I set the box I’m carrying on the white chest of drawers before dropping my handbag and set about removing my clothes as instructed.
When Blake finds me, I’m sat in the middle of his bed with the pizza sat temptingly close. My stomach grumbles as he stands in the doorway with two glasses and a bottle of wine in his hands. His eyes run the length of me, making me aware that I’m sat on his bed in the most boring and unsexy underwear I own.
“I wasn’t aware I’d be showing anyone,” I say, trying to make an excuse for my white cotton undies.
“You couldn’t look sexier than you do right now, lying on my bed,” he admits, his voice deep and husky, sending tingle to my core. “You can start,” he says, gesturing towards the pizza when my stomach starts up again.
As much as I want to reach for it, I know that Blake’s about to get almost naked and I want that more than any kind of food right now.
“Not until you’ve joined me.” Then, as if to torture me further, Blake sets the glasses down before making a right show of opening and pouring the wine, followed by the slowest removal of clothes I think I’ve ever seen.
By the time he joins me on the bed, I’m only seconds away from combusting. Seeing all his tanned, taut skin has thoughts of the pizza well forgotten. There’s something else I want in my mouth. I push the box towards the end of the bed before straddling his thighs. I sit back and look at him. I take my time, committing him to memory in case I really am dreaming and none of this is really happening.
