Page 73 of The Best Book Boyfriend
Back on the road, I lean my head against the cool window and watch the streetlights whip by. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
“I haven’t heard from you much lately,” I say, turning sideways in my seat to face him.
“I’ve just been busy with the shop, that’s all. You OK?”
“Yep. Just miss you.” I say like I’m not fantasising about having sex in the back seat of his car right now. “This night ended up being way more fun than I expected.”
“Why’s that then?”
“Because I saw you, dumbo.” He keeps his eyes on the road, but I see the corner of his mouth curl up and mine does the same.
At my house, he helps me out of the car and holds my elbow as he guides me to my front door. I sit down on my little garden bench and hunt for my keys before handing them to him. He opens my door and when I brush past him he smells so lovely it makes me stop and look at his lovely face which is so lovely and sexy. Time stands still when I look at his mouth. His jaw ticks and he presses his lips together. I want to kiss him there in that exact spot, close my eyes and brush my lips over his, and wait for him to unfurl and kiss me back. I want it more than anything. I need it.
“Kiss me.” I lick my lips and lean a little closer.
“What?”
“Kiss me,” I say, my head tilted up towards him, ready and waiting. “Like you did on my birthday. Please?”
“No,” he shakes his head and steps away from me, reaching his arms out to usher me inside with minimal contact. “No, Kara, that’s the booze talking. You don’t really want that.”
“Yes I do. I’m not that drunko,” I say. I roll my ankle as I pull my shoes off, grabbing onto my coat rack to steady myself. Sure, I’m wobbly, but notwasted. “Just a little kiss? No! I changed my mind. A big kiss.”
OK, maybe I am a little bit wasted. But it still doesn’t mean I want it any less. I want more than kissing. I want tipsy sex where you’re all giggly and silly. And hangover sex.Oh fuck do I want hangover sex.
I like it when you’re a teensy bit hungover, not the spewing kind, but the kind where you just want to stay naked in bed all day with warm hands on you and maybe eat a big bag of popcorn and watch a movie but then you realise you’re not watching at all because you’re kissing and smiling and tucking your legs in between each other and then having hard but slow sex and then you come and fall back asleep again.
My hands can touch both sides of the hallway if I stretch them out wide and I’m doing it now, bouncing back and forth, hiccuping as I go.
“Are you going to be sick?” Luke asks.
“NO!”Oops.“I didn’t mean to shout at you.”
“OK, let’s get you some water and something to eat.”
“Have you got any Coco Pops?”
“Kara,” he laughs. I want to eat his warm laugh so it lives inside me forever. “This is your house. Haveyougot any Coco Pops?”
“Hahaha, oh yeah. Oh. No. I don’t. Booo.”Hic.
He sits me down in the armchair and brings me a glass of water, standing over me until I’ve finished it. “Stay there. I’ll rustle something up.” He hands me the remote and there really is no other option for being drunk on a Friday night. I press play at the point where I last finished watching, about a third into the film. When he reappears a few minutes later, I’m curled up under a blanket. He hands me a plate.
“What’s this?”
“Fried egg roll with chilli sauce. No better way to prevent a hangover.”
I scoot myself upright and take a big mouthful and it is so delicious and salty and spicy and warm and already making me feel better. Luke sits on the sofa eating one he’s made for himself. “What are we watching?”
“Pride and Prejudice.” It makes him smile. “It’s my favourite. The ultimate Book Boyfriend.”
“Why is he the ultimate?”
“Look at his big, moody face. Such a hot, grumpy bastard.” I take another mouthful of my roll, but keep going. “He could have anyone. Everyone wants him, but he only wants her. Of course, they misunderstand each other all the time, give each other the wrong impression about their feelings, push the other away.”
I can tell he’s trying not to laugh at me when I finish my roll and start swooning about the room, reciting my favourite lines to him.
“You have bewitched me, body and soul.” I fawn and then burst into tears. “I always cry at this bit,” I say, even though it’s a lie.
