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As the words left his lips, Alex closed his eyes. Shit. It was true wasn’t it? He loved her. He’d told himself he was doing Helen a favour. He’d thought it might be fun to have a little fling. He hadn’t even made it as far as the fling, and now he was in love. He’d been wondering why he hesitated to make his move when she’d been at his house. He’d been wondering why he’d been putting off calling the speed dating women. He’d been wondering why he’d started staying in and watching TV rather than going out on the pull, and he hadn’t had a clue until the words were out of his mouth. Alex was stupid. Stupid and in love.
Emily hadn’t said anything, but she hadn’t run away either. Alex guessed that meant the ball was still in his court. He took a breath. ‘And I think you could love me. And I know you don’t love Dominic.’
That must be true, mustn’t it? She’d have walked out by now if she did.
‘You don’t know that. I’m very fond of Dominic.’
That confirmed it. ‘I do know that. Nobody under eighty says “very fond” and nobody, of any age, says they’re “very fond” of someone they want to shag senseless.’
‘There’s more to love than shagging each other senseless.’
Alex grinned. ‘But it’s a really, really good start.’ He hadn’t won her over yet. He needed to do some ‘in love’ stuff. What did people in love do? ‘I could be a boyfriend. I could get a better job. I could get a house. We could go shopping for curtains and look at wallpaper samples.’ Alex’s ideas about long-term relationships were hazy, but he suspected they were heavy on DIY.
She shook her head. ‘You’re all about living in the moment.’ But she sounded unsure, less angry than she had before.
‘But what’s a plan other than a series of moments?’ He stepped towards her. ‘And I’d do everything I could to make every single moment incredible.’
He left the gap between them. This had to be her decision. She had to take the final pace. She stepped towards him and lifted her face. He pushed his lips against her, and felt her response. He’d expected her to be tentative, but as soon as their lips touched everything changed. Hands grasped at his belt. His were already tugging at her skirt, until it pulled up over her hips. She kicked her shoes into the corner and stood back from him, just long enough to drag her tights and knickers away and fling the ball into the corner, while he pulled a condom from his wallet and put it on. He pressed her backwards against the wall, and pulled one leg up against his hip, gripping her thigh. He pushed into her and felt her gasp against his neck. He thrust again, desperate to feel everything she could give him. Her fingers clung to his hair. Her breath pressed hot into his neck. He thrust again and again, quick and hard and urgent. They came close together, stickily, gleefully, ecstatically.
Alex paused for a second. He pulled his head back slightly and found her lips again, kissing her more slowly, trying to tell her all the things he wasn’t sure how to put into words. Eventually he pulled back.
Their eyes met. She giggled, as she pulled her skirt down.
‘Right.’ She stopped with her head bent forwards against his chest. Her hair smelt like wildflowers. He kissed the top of her head.
‘Yeah.’
Alex stepped back and hauled his jeans and boxers back on, allowing Emily to squeeze past him and retrieve her underwear.
‘So what now?’ Alex asked the question as casually as he could manage.
Emily leant back against the wall. ‘I need to talk to Dom.’
‘Yeah.’
She stepped towards the door, and then stopped. ‘You won’t tell anyone? About this?’
Alex shook his head. ‘Not til you’ve talked to Dominic.’
‘Good.’ She looked around the room. ‘Our little secret then.’
Alex nodded. ‘You go first. I’ll wait a minute before I come out.’
Emily raised an eyebrow. ‘Not your first public toilet then?’
Not his first public toilet, but maybe his last. He gazed into Emily’s face. So this was love. ‘You could stay a bit longer?’
She looked around. ‘Here?’
‘No. Obviously. We could go somewhere.’
‘I can’t.’ She looked down at the floor. ‘I’m still with Dominic.’
‘But just for the time being?’
She nodded, and then shook her head, and nodded again. ‘Yeah. I’ve got to go.’