“If you want orgasms, you’re going to have to shower regularly.”
I squealed as he slapped my ass and stalked into the bathroom.
Luke
I slumped on the sofa in Ashleigh’s flat.
“You’re bored.”
Ashleigh was right, but I wasn’t exactly trying to hide it.
“I said for you to go for a run while I do this.”
We were meant to be packing her flat up, readying for the movers coming tomorrow. But she had so much crap, it didn’t seem like we were making much progress. All morning she had been giving me reasons why living together wasn’t going to work out, and it was fucking me off.
“I know, but I want to be with you. It’s just, you know, this stuff is boring. I want to skip to the bit where we’re waking up naked on Sunday morning together.”
“Life is boring. We can’t spend all our time in bed. If I’m living with you, you’re going to be bored more and more often.”
I sighed. “You’re pissing me off now. It’s as if you’re looking for an argument, and I’m just not going to give you one. You’re not sabotaging this.”
“Me?” she yelled. “You’re the one that wanted us to move in together. It’s your fault.”
“Yeah, I guess I’m a terrible person. I just want us to be happy. Go ahead and shoot me.”
When Ashleigh didn’t reply, I turned. Her mouth was scrunched up. She was clearly thinking about how she was going to respond.
“I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice. She moved toward the sofa where I was sitting and stood in front of me. “I’m just nervous. I want everything to be perfect and all my shit is everywhere and there’s more than I thought and I don’t see how it’s all going to fit—”
“Ashleigh, take a breath, or you’re going to pass out and that’s really going to piss me off.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her onto my lap. “We’re going to have bumps along the way and nothing’s going to be perfect, but that’s okay as long as we’re both heading in the same direction. You’ve got to understand that our future is together, and nothing is going to change that.”
She pushed her bottom lip out like a toddler. “I love you, and I want to live with you. It’s just . . . it’s stressful.”
I pulled her close and snaked my arms around her waist. “I know it is. But there’s nothing to be nervous about. I’ve seen you hung over with panda eyes. I’ve seen you ugly cry. I’ve put up with your crazy when your hormonal hurricane hits. And I don’t love you in spite of all that—I love you because of all that stuff. We know each other, Ashleigh.”
She smoothed her hands over my chest and rested her cheek against my shirt. “This romantic, grown-up, protective side of you is, well, not new, but more concentrated than before. Does that make sense?”
She was right. I was a little different with her now. I’d always been protective of her, but now I’d kill for her. “I told you. You bring all that stuff, all that good, out in me.” I was a better man with her.
“Okay, they’re calm,” she said, gazing at me.
“Who are?”
“The leprechauns who’ve been running about in my stomach all morning. They’ve all had a dose of the Luke Daniels’ sedative.”
“Now you’ve got me worried. If you have leprechauns living inside you, then maybe it’s not such a good idea to be moving in together. Maybe you’re better off in a mental health facility.” I chuckled as she rolled her eyes at me as if I were the one who had said something ridiculous. “Actually, speaking of leprechauns, I have a wives and girlfriends thing at work next weekend. I keep meaning to tell you. Can you come?”
“And it involves leprechauns? Well then, yes of course. I love leprechauns.”
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. “I’m serious. It’s a client thing. A rugby match—England’s playing Ireland on Saturday.”
“Sure.” She shrugged.
“Sure?” Was it really going to be that easy? Emma had never wanted to come to my work events.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun.”
And just like that, she was trying to make me happy, wanting to spend time with me, wherever we were. It had never been like that with Emma.
“I’ll have to teach you the rules. I don’t want you to be like the other WAGs there.”
“I’ve known you for more than twenty years. You think I’ve not picked up on how Rugby Union is played?”
I bent my head and dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth, trying to distract myself from the swell of pride in my chest. I loved that my girl knew rugby, that she knew me so well. “You smell good.”
“You always say that.”
“That’s because it’s always true.”
She pulled away from me. “Okay, let’s kick ass with this packing and then go back to yours and get naked.”
“Now, there’s an incentive. I’ll start on the kitchen.”
“I’m putting on some motivating music.” Ashleigh moved toward her speaker system.
“Okay, but, please God, lay off the P!nk.” I found an empty packing box and took it into the kitchen. “Jesus,” I whispered to myself as the strains of Taylor Swift filtered in from the living room.
“Sorry,” Ashleigh shouted and Miss Swift gave way to Otis Redding. A perfect compromise.
I grinned and started to pull out saucepans from the cupboard nearest the door. We were doing this. We were really doing this. I’d lived with Emma, but for me that had been about pooling resources. With Ashleigh, it was about starting a future together. Emma had told me that moving in, for her, had been the first step toward marriage and kids. I’d never seen it like that. But of course, that was exactly what it should have been. I’d been naïve and unwittingly cruel. A slice of guilt cut through me as I thought about it.
I just hadn’t realized how love should be.
I finished the kitchen off quickly and went to see what progress Ashleigh had made. Otis Redding had since melted into Stevie Wonder. I found her in her bedroom, her back toward me and her hands on her hips, looking around for her next task. I knew what Stevie meant—Ashleigh knocked me off my feet.
“I think I’m done,” she said as she caught me gazing at her. “How are you getting on?”
I stuffed my hands in my pockets to stop myself from pushing her up against the wall and ripping her underwear off. “Kitchen’s all packed up.”
“Well then, that’s it. I don’t need to pack my clothes. The movers said they’d do that. Jesus, how are we going to fit all this stuff in your place?”
“Our place.”
Ashleigh smiled. “Yes, I suppose it will be.”
“We can move if the space isn’t right. I’m only renting month to month. We really should find somewhere to buy together.” As usual, my mind was racing forward to the next phase of our lives while Ashleigh was still getting used to moving in together.
“Are you trying to give me a coronary? Let me get used to this first. One step at a time.”
And there was the answer to the question of whether or not she was ready for me to propose. My heart sank a little. I’d passed by the jewelers in Hatton Garden twice since I’d first seen the ring I had in mind for her. It was still in the window, but I didn’t know how long that would last. I really wanted to show it to her, to ask her. She clearly wasn’t ready. Perhaps I could get it now and just hold on to it until the time was right? I was pretty sure I could get Ashleigh to a place where she wanted to be my wife. I just wasn’t sure how long it would take.
“Okay, so let’s get back for NCN.”
“Should I ask what NCN is? Promise me it’s not sports.” She clasped her hands together in front of herself in a mock prayer.
“Naked Chinese Night, obviously. It can be our first new tradition.”
“You’re crazy.” She pushed at my chest.
“But you love me anyway.”
“I love you because you’re crazy, not in spite of it.” She lifted up on her toes and grazed her lips over my jaw. There was no better feeling. Now I just had to get her to marry me, and life would be perfect.