Steve’s head might be working out whether Lydia wanted the same things as he did, but his heart was already falling. They’d put on a DVD - The Avengers – but didn’t watch much of it. Not even the Iron Man Robert Downey Jr or the muscular Chris Evans in his Captain America Lycra suit could distract Lydia. The cuddling led to kissing, but he was conscious they were babysitting her nieces and if Rosie or Olivia did venture down, they shouldn’t see anything inappropriate.
He had a very good relationship with Lydia’s nieces. He wanted to keep it that way.
“Do you want this?” Lydia asked.
“This?” Steve frowned. “Kissing you, yes, I want.” He kissed her again, wanting his tongue to find hers, but she pushed him away playfully.
“No, silly,” she giggled. “You know, cosy nights in front of the telly, kids upstairs asleep. Do you want it, too?”
“Oh,” Steve said, sarcastically, as if cottoning on, making Lydia giggle more. When her expression sobered, anxiety etching into a frown, he quickly reassured her. “Absolutely. Why’d you ask?” Lydia had confirmed it herself, she wanted the same things in life as him. Another tick in the box, Steve thought, trying to refrain from smiling too much. Sometimes he felt like Dick Dastardly rather than Superman the way he was executing his plan – well, Ruby’s plan – and Lydia was doing exactly what he wanted; falling for him. Falling in love never seemed so easy.
“Oh, well, maybe I’m too practical for my own good, but I don’t see the point in being in a relationship if we’re going off in opposite directions. And I like you, Stuart, a lot.” She nervously chewed her bottom lip. Steve wanted to kiss her, but resisted, pulling her closer. She touched his face, gently stroking his temple. “And I wanted to make sure we both sought the same things, before it was too late…and one of us got hurt.”
“Lydia, I like you a lot too, and I hope we can have this,” he gestured to the comfy sofa, the lounge full of family portraits, “together, too.”
But could he provide it? His life would not be as private as ordinary Stuart’s. Lydia was private, even shy, until she learnt to open up and trust. Would she accept life in the Hollywood fast lane?
“Wow, most blokes would get freaked out so early on discussing something so heavy.” She sighed with pleasure, snaking her hands around his neck, pulling him towards her for a reward, a kiss. His words had obviously pleased her.
Stroking her hair as he released from the kiss, he said, “I’m not most blokes. Believe it or not, however strange this may sound, I’m looking for the perfect – no not perfect,” he shook his head, screwing up his face, “the right woman to settle down with, for the rest of my life.”
“Oh, Stuart, that’s lovely.”
Sprawled out on the sofa, the film forgotten in the background with the volume turned down, he kissed her thoroughly, his tongue exploring her mouth. Soft, unhurried, sensual caresses. Her legs wrapped around his, tightening, pulling their bodies as close as they could fully clothed.
Steve wanted her naked. The next step was for him and Lydia to fall into bed and make love as if they were virgins, exploring each other’s bodies for the first time. He couldn’t wait much longer. And neither could she. But they had to. Her family could return any moment, and with the girls upstairs, one of them was bound to wake up and stumble in on them. Instead, Lydia would have to suffer his hardness against her jean-clad thigh. He risked his hand seeking her soft breast, slipping under her blouse, gentle, tender touches, and her breath shortened, hot on his cheek.
The front door slamming shut separated them. They sat up, both running their hands through their hair, and giggling, straightened their clothes, like naughty teenagers almost caught in the act.
“Hey,” Paul said, cautiously entering the lounge, holding Emma’s hand.
“Girls been okay?” Emma asked.
“Haven’t heard a peep after I bathed them,” Lydia said, switching off the television with the remote. “They had a story and went straight to bed, good as gold.”
“Great.” Paul nodded, hands slung in his pockets.
“Right, well, we’ll be off. Leave you to it.” Lydia jumped up from the sofa. Steve needed more time. He was still very conscious that he had an erection the size of Mount Vesuvius. Hoping his un-tucked shirt would cover his slowly softening arousal, he stood up and shook Paul’s hand and kissed Emma quickly.
“Nice meeting you both.”
“Yes, hope to see you again, Stuart,” Emma said, giving an appreciative nod to her sister. “We heard so much from Olivia and Rosie. Thank you for taking them to the panto.”
“It was fun. They’re cute girls,” Steve said, and Lydia squeezed his hand appreciatively.
Once the door had closed behind them, Lydia launched herself back into Steve’s arms and her tongue was plundering his mouth with determination. Reluctantly, Steve broke off.
“Let’s at least get to the car,” he said, pulling out the car keys and tugging at Lydia to follow him.
“Shall we just do it in the car? I don’t think I can wait.”
Steve laughed, deep from his belly, sensing Lydia had to be joking, but he’d play along. “Let’s get off your sister’s driveway first, huh?”
“Blast, you’re right.” She clicked her fingers. “Drive to mine.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, even if Ruby’s out, she’ll come home eventually. Might as well stay at mine – where we won’t be disturbed,” Lydia said seductively, grinning.
Steve drove Lydia’s Beetle, occasionally looking out the corner of his eye, catching Lydia chewing her lip, staring at him lustfully. He needed to concentrate on the road ahead, not the beautiful, horny woman sitting next to him. She didn’t touch him, probably equally afraid he might crash the car, but it didn’t stop his groin from aching with desire.
The minute he pulled the car up outside her house, and turned off the ignition, he half expected her to clamber awkwardly across the handbrake and onto his lap. Instead she leaned across, cupped his face and pulled his mouth to hers.
While they fumbled, and giggled, Steve had a nagging feeling that they should get into the house. He was constantly watching his back and was confident the press weren’t onto him, but even so, he wouldn’t need this hitting front pages – mucking around or not. He wanted Lydia private in his life for as long as possible. And there could always be one sneaky bastard somewhere trying to catch him out.
“Lydia…” he said between breathless kisses, “we should go inside. I’m assuming I’m invited in for coffee.”
“Sod the coffee,” she purred, nibbling his earlobe, sending hardening heat into his lap.
He opened the car door, and she released him, and somehow hit the horn, so it blasted. She giggled.
“Great, wake the neighbourhood,” Steve teased. “Now we’ve definitely got to take this inside.”
“I was never really going to do it in the car with you.”
“I’m relieved.”
Lydia threw her handbag and door keys on the floor, as Steve closed the front door behind him, and holding Steve’s hand, led him up the stairs and into her bedroom. Steve subtly tapped his back pocket to check he had his wallet on him, knowing it contained a couple of condoms. Since dating Lydia, he’d made sure he was prepared for this moment.
Although he’d wanted to act cautiously with Lydia, he also realised there was a certain urgency. Hollywood weighed heavy on his shoulders, and was always at the back of his mind, unless thoughts of Lydia scrambled his head…especially when she nipped at his neck.
She kicked off her shoes, losing a couple of inches in height, and he tugged her towards him, pressing his hard body against her softness.
“I’ve fantasised about this moment for weeks,” she said, her hands struggling with the buttons on his shirt. He removed her blouse.
“Weeks, huh?” He slid his hands around her back, unclasping her bra. The swell of her breasts naked against his chest was divine. It had been a long time since he’d held a woman in his arms like this. Too long.
Okay – so he’d held a woman in front of a camera, but not like this. He hadn’t been with anyone since Erica had walked out on him. Hollywood didn’t allow that either, a woman on the rebound, not unless you want it plastered in the gossip magazines.
“Practically the moment you walked into reception.” Lydia fell back onto the bed, he crawled on top of her, soaking up her almost naked form – only her black lace knickers hid what he craved. He licked and sucked each breast, until the nipple hardened. She whimpered impatiently, but he was going to take his time and savour every moment. It felt important he did this right.
With all the pent-up sexual energy they both had, he didn’t want to disappoint.
Her nails dug into his back, and she bit his shoulder as he kissed her neck. He licked and kissed, until he reached the black lace. He teased, biting gently at the fabric, knowing his teeth softly grazed her most sensitive parts. Her hips hitched.
“Please, take my knickers off,” she moaned, trying to assist with their removal.
His fingers teased the lace, tugging at the fabric.
“Rip them.”
He grinned wickedly. Quiet, shy Lydia was demanding he rip her underwear. Secretly she was a fox. He tore at them with his teeth and fists, throwing the black lace aside, then with gentle thumbs, he parted her, rubbing, stroking. His own impatience grew, wanting to taste her, feel her heat on his tongue, give her the pleasure she deserved.
And he knew, he wanted her and only her, forever.
Her fingers combed his hair, while he explored her heat, sucking, tasting, until her body trembled and she moaned. The tug at his hair, told him she wanted him back with her. Her eager mouth found his immediately. Blindly, he reached for the wallet he’d thrown onto the bedside cabinet and riffled out the condoms.
“I can’t get enough of you,” she whispered. “I want you inside me.”
Those words alone hardened him further. He wanted to bury himself inside her, and stay there for eternity. He had a male need for sex, but this was better, he knew they’d be making love, yet he was still too afraid to actually utter that four letter word.
Slowly, he sank into her, liquid hot, and with every thrust, he fell further, deeper, wanting, hoping, Lydia would be the one.
She felt perfect in his arms. Lydia wasn’t like Erica; he could grasp, savour her. She was beautiful. Their bodies fitted. Hard against soft. Man beside woman.
“Stuart…” Lydia whispered as they rocked, deeper and slower, bringing her closer and closer to another orgasm. The name hurt, like a punch to the gut. He almost faltered. He wanted to hear his name called from her lips. How upset would she be when she learned the truth? He would have to tell her. Soon.
As she came, her nails dug into his buttocks, pushing him in harder, knowing he too could release. Speeding up, thrusting faster, harder, he cried out with sheer pleasure and clung to her, bringing her body tightly to his, as the waves of pleasure thrummed through him.
He’d never made love to a woman like it. It had never meant so much. They belonged to one another.
Satisfied and clammy with exhaustion, they cuddled. The scent of sex lingering around them. Lydia fell asleep in his arms, but although exhausted, his head wouldn’t let him sleep. He wanted Lydia to know the truth, but when could it be best to tell her? Would she forgive him for lying? Would she understand why he had done it?
Steve watched her sleep, tangled in the sheets, peaceful and relaxed. He stroked her back gently, loving the swell of her breasts pressed against him and the warmth of her thigh, hooked over his.
Was Lydia the one? He wanted her to be, but it just felt too easy, falling for her. He really didn’t think this plan of Ruby’s would work. He’d envisaged spending quality time with Ruby mixed with maybe a few dates, but he never imagined he’d meet the one.
When Ruby had first introduced him to Lydia, he’d thought her pretty, but nothing outstanding. Just the girl next door. Quiet, reserved and polite, with a wicked sense of humour – she seemed to laugh at Steve’s jokes a lot. That was the important thing. But every day, she’d blossomed, as he got to know her better. They shared similar interests. Not that they’d done very much together, but they’d talked enough about stuff. Maybe he needed to date her a bit more, to make sure. Be certain before he confessed all.
It had been a month. How long did it take?
And currently how he felt, with the heavy ache in his chest where his heart beat, he couldn’t bear the thought of being parted from her.
In the bedroom, Lydia had turned into a sexy minx, the sex they’d just shared wasn’t shy or polite. It was damn well fantastic. She’d be the perfect wife on his arm in the limelight. She wouldn’t do anything that would give the press ammunition, and behind closed doors, she’d possess Steve with her passion. Steve remembered the exquisite feeling of her nails trailing along his back, digging into his shoulders, and ass. His body started to respond to the memory, his arousal growing, hardening again. He stroked her breasts, kissed her neck. She gave a sleepy moan, pulling Steve in tighter. He found her mouth, dragging her out of her drowsy state, and was soon making love to her all over again. Gently, slow, sensual.