Chapters (52)
- COVER PAGE
- DEDICATION
- PART ONE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- PART TWO
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Frustrated, she threw her phone down on her duvet, breathing heavily through the hole in her sheet mask. Why do I keep doing this to myself? she wondered, remembering all the times she’d given him an inch and he’d taken a mile, discarding her carelessly, leaving her bruised and heartbroken. But, then again, he was exceptional in bed and it had been so long since she’d been with somebody. Months, in fact. She longed for the reassuring touch of another human. So much so, she was barely even repulsed by the sweaty, sardine-can cram on the Tube during peak hour. And Freddy was a reassuring reminder that she was still desirable. Maybe things could be different this time?
‘Fuck it,’ Evie muttered, grabbing her phone and texting away furiously.
Evie: Maybe.
Evie watched as the flashing ellipsis popped up on her iPhone.
Ever-Ready Freddy: What are you up to?
Evie: Just walked in the door. Drinks with the girls!
Ever-Ready Freddy: I’ve been missing you. Can I come over?
Evie: Fine. But this is the last time.
Evie leaped out of bed and strode into the bathroom, where she tossed the soggy mask in the bin, moisturised, switched on her hair straightener and surveyed herself in the mirror. Her face was flushed from the mini facial, her hair needed a wash, and her wearable blanket didn’t exactly scream ‘Ravage me now!’ But knowing Freddy, he’d be on his way home from the pub, which meant she only had a little over twenty minutes to get ready. At best. She began a process of rapid triage, prioritising the most pressing issues (hairy legs, underarms and bikini line) and moving on methodically until she felt presentable enough.
Just as she was slipping on a pair of sexy black silk pyjamas, her phone buzzed again with a message from Freddy saying he was outside. After one last look in the mirror, Evie sashayed to the front door (trying to get in touch with her inner sex goddess), unfastened the security chain and swung it open. There, leaning up against the door frame, hand on hip and more glassy-eyed than usual, was Freddy in all his six-foot-two glory.
‘Hey sexy,’ he said, lacing his arm low around her back and burrowing his face into her neck. ‘You smell amazing.’
Before Evie could respond, Freddy lifted her into his arms and carried her towards her bedroom. Her legs wrapped around his torso as if by instinct, and Evie leaned down and kissed him passionately. Kicking open the door to her bedroom, he threw her down on the bed, lifted her camisole top and kissed her body hungrily.
‘Wait!’ gasped Evie, pulling away breathlessly and trying to manoeuvre herself out from under his body. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this. Not again.’
Freddy practically wilted before her eyes. ‘If you’d rather not, I can just go. Really,’ he said, though his face told another story.