Chapter 43
Chapter forty-three
Rosa pulled up outside the block of flats where Billy lived. Rain drove hard against the windscreen as the wipers went back and forth to clear it.
The afternoon had dragged on, with Rosa checking her watch every ten minutes in anticipation; a reaction that had set her mind off into a world of overthinking until she was finally able to admit she was excited.
Now she was here, the nerves were creeping in.
She sat motionless, seatbelt still on, and counted to ten as she watched the raindrops splash against the glass.
Was it ridiculous to imagine a life with Billy again?
She certainly couldn’t deny that having a healthy sex life again was very much appreciated.
“Right.” She unbuckled the seatbelt. “Just enjoy it for whatever it is and worry about what it becomes, when it becomes it,” she said to herself as she pulled the handle and opened the car door.
Making a dash for it, she didn’t press the lock button until she was under the doorway’s overhang. Her car beeped, the indicator lights flashing once as though waving her off. She stuffed the keys into her pocket, yanked open the door to the flats, and went inside.
Flat four was on the second floor. She’d never been inside before now.
Billy would always pick Imogen up and drop her home, but in the beginning, Rosa had insisted on picking her up, bibbing the car horn when she was outside.
She’d watch through the staircase window as Imogen ran down the stairs and out into the street, waving her little hand the moment she saw Rosa behind the wheel.
There was another door at the top of the stairs. She opened it and stepped inside to find four more doors, one in each corner: Flats 4–7. Billy’s was on her right. She took another ten seconds, adjusted her dress, fluffed her hair, and then knocked.
The door opened almost immediately, Billy’s smiling face greeting her, trademark dark curls hanging loose as usual. She wore a tight-fitting burgundy T-shirt and black trousers. She looked hot, Rosa thought.
“Hey,” Billy said, opening the door wider.
Rosa took a breath, said a quick, “Hi,” and launched herself at Billy. Lips met in a bruising kiss, her arms threading easily around Billy’s neck as they moved back a step and Billy pushed the door closed.
She had no idea where they were going, only that they were kissing, and moving, and Billy’s hands were all over her. The zip on the back of her dress had been lowered, cool air hitting her back. Rosa pulled Billy’s shirt free from where it was tucked into the waistband of her trousers.
Her tongue was met with the full force of Billy’s—eager and flexible as they battled back and forth to occupy each other’s mouths.
A door opened, a hand moved away from her, and a light switched on before the palm was back, squeezing her breast and hardening her nipple.
Her back was shoved up against something hard and cold. The kiss broke and Billy stepped away, gasping for air, her mouth open as she watched Rosa. Her eyes, already dark, darkened further.
Billy pulled off her shirt—braless and brazen. Rosa realised they were in the bathroom.
“Take it off,” Billy said, before turning on the shower.
Rosa smirked, last night’s conversation playing over in her mind.
“You want to watch me strip?”
“I mean…it’s not like you haven’t done it before.”
Slowly, she shimmied and let the dress fall free from her shoulders. The material falling to the floor and puddling around her feet. She kicked off her heels and turned her back on Billy.
Billy, whose keen eyes watched on intently, stood frozen in place.
Rosa reached behind herself and unclipped the bra—lilac lace. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure Billy’s eyes were still on her, she covered her chest with her arms and spun around before slowly leaning forward, her arms and the bra all falling away, revealing her breasts.
She bit her bottom lip as she watched Billy’s reaction; the way her gaze lingered just long enough before travelling up to Rosa’s face, her mouth, and then her eyes.
“Go on,” Billy encouraged, a slow smile appearing as she unbuckled her belt. The sound of the water masked their breathing, steam billowing around them.
Rosa matched the grin. Fingers hooked into the sides of her matching underwear, her eyes locking on Billy, as she slid the silk and lace down her thighs. When they dropped to the floor, she stepped out and forward, her own hands brushing Billy’s away from the button on her trousers.
“Is that how you remember it?” Rosa asked, her voice low and husky. The zip lowered, and she slipped her hand inside the waistband of Billy’s shorts, finding her already wet.
“I think it had the desired effect,” Billy said, her hips jerking.