Page 46 of Be With Us: An Urban Foursome Love Story

Now, a couple of hours later they were making their way up the stairs to the third floor of the building, laughing and flirting and full of nervous excitement and energy.

It was quiet on the landing, a few towels sat in heaps outside doors, waiting to be collected and a small cleaning cart stood abandoned at the far end. Wall sconces illuminated the door numbers and Amy led Emilia by the hand with the two men following behind, stopping when she reached the first room.

She pressed the key card against the handle and there was a gentle beep. The door unlatched and she swung it open effortlessly with the palm of her hand. Inside, the room began to light up. Spot lights underneath the bed illuminated the thick pile carpet and sleek embedded lights slowly brightened in sequence.

‘Here’s your card,’ said Amy, handing it over to Emilia, her hand shaking and bobbing up and down as she spoke. ‘Shall we meet back here in ten minutes? You can knock on the adjoining door?’

‘Sure,’ said Emilia as she grabbed Cassian by his shirt and pulled him towards their room.

She fumbled with their card, dropping it onto the floor. Cassian picked it up and placed it back between her quivering fingers and she turned and pressed it against the reader, heading inside.

‘Oh shit,’ she said, leaning against the door as it shut behind her. ‘Is this really happening?’

‘I guess so?’

‘Is this okay?’

Cassian approached and placed his hands either side of her face, stroking her cheeks and eyebrows with his thumbs, something he would often do to calm her down.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Is there anything you want to talk about?’

‘Like what?’

‘Things you don’t feel comfortable with.’

Emilia turned away and sat down on the bed. ‘I guess so, but I don’t think it’s going to be like that. I just want to see where things go. I want it to be nice and so does Amy. I trust them.’

Cassian sat down next to her and put his arm over her shoulder and she hugged him tight and kissed him, then pulled away.

‘We should probably get ready,’ she said. ‘Should I perfume my pants?’

‘I love you,’ he said, looking at her calmly, there was a long and happy silence as they looked into each other's eyes.

‘I love you too,’ she said, melting.

*

CHAPTER SIX

EMILIA KNOCKED TENTATIVELY on the adjoining door and waited, bottle of wine in hand. She tried to be patient, but she was bristling with excitement and barely able to stand still. A moment later Amy opened it a crack, and peered around the edge.

‘Yes? Can I help you?’

‘Police, we’re looking for a couple? One’s a shit artist and the other one looks like a statue that’s escaped from Ancient Rome?’

Amy’s serious face crumbled and she burst into laughter and opened the door. She had changed into a black lace bodycon dress and Emilia found herself struggling not to stare.

‘You’ve found us, miss. Bang to rights,’ she turned away as she took the wine from Emilia’s hands, passing it to Mark who opened it with one twist.

‘We’ve only got a single set of wine glasses,’ said Amy. ‘So I hope you’ve brought yours.’

Cassian produced their pair from behind his back and set them down on the side table.

Mark walked over and poured out four equal glasses, and then picked up the first two and handed them to Emilia and Cassian, and then passed another to Amy who had sat down on the edge of the enormous bed.

Amy looked up at Emilia and patted the duvet beside her and said, ‘Come, sit with me.’

Cassian sat down in one of the two arm chairs that faced the bed and Mark put down his glass and settled down into the other one, facing the girls.

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