Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LEWIS
Age twenty-one
There’s a knock on my bedroom door. “Lewis? Are you ready to go?”
I open it slowly, rubbing my temple with one hand. “Hi, Maw,” I mumble.
She’s in a beautiful black velvet dress, her hair styled in a chic twist. Behind her stand Jamie and Da, both looking sharp and ready for the evening ahead.
With horror, Maw takes in my white T-shirt and grey joggies. “Lewis! What are you wearing? You can’t go like that!”
The four of us are supposed to be heading to Inverness for a casino-night fundraiser at Jamie’s rugby club. Neither Ally nor I ever took a shine to the sport the way Da hoped we would, but Jamie is a mean winger. I don’t particularly like complimenting him, given how annoying he is as a wee brother, but I’ll concede that when he gets the ball, it’s an impressive sight. He’s fast and can really tear down the pitch with it. He’s hoping to go pro, and Da—who’s ridiculously proud of him—reckons he’s got it in him.
Leaning against the doorframe, I cough and clear my throat. “I don’t think I’ll make it tonight,” I say softly, as though even speaking causes me pain. “I’ve got this terrible headache.”
“Oh, my baby!” Maw draws me into a hug.
Jamie, meanwhile, laughs. “Bollocks! Developing a mysterious illness on a night Iona is home from Glasgow? C’mon, Lewis, you’re not even trying to be subtle anymore. Just admit it already: the two of you are shagging.”
“Oi! Da, are you going to let him speak like that?”
“Your brother’s right,” Da says to Jamie in that low, rumbling voice of his. “Don’t say that kind of thing when we’re in a corridor. A guest might hear you.”
“ That wasn’t my objection,” I say. “My objection was Jamie saying it at all. Iona and I are just friends—and I really am ill.”
“Pfft. Aye, right.” Jamie folds his arms.
“You two go downstairs and get in the car,” Maw says to Da and Jamie. “I want to have a quick chat with my baby to see if he’s okay. He is looking a little peaky.”
“Why do you always call Lewis your baby?” Jamie questions. “He’s not the youngest—Cat is. He’s not even the youngest boy—that’s me.”
“Aye, but just look at him.” Maw cups my face in her hands and gives it a squeeze. “Butter wouldn’t melt. When you were children, unlike the rest of you, Lewis never wriggled out of a hug or protested about being kissed. Even now...” She gives my cheek a peck. “See? He lets me do it. Would you, Jamie, without some cheeky comment? Or Ally without a grumble? Or Cat without a moody teenage tantrum? No. But Lewis? Always. He may be the second oldest, but he’s the only one who still lets me fuss over him.”
Jamie tuts and shakes his head. “Mate,” he says to me, “your relationship with Maw is so unhealthy. And Maw, are you forgetting he’s supposed to be ill? Actually, don’t worry about that—I don’t think you can catch being super horny for Iona.”
I thump Jamie’s arm for that, and he grins, rubbing it.
“Shoo! Off you go, both of you!” Maw waves Da and Jamie away then comes into my room with me and closes the door behind her. She feels my forehead. “Hmm... no temperature. Maybe Jamie is right about your mysterious illness.”
“Maw!”
“Sorry, I know it’s nothing to do with me. I’m sure all those trips down to Glasgow are perfectly innocent. No doubt you and Iona just meet up for coffee and cake.” The sparkle in her eyes suggests she doesn’t believe that for a second. “For what it’s worth, though, the idea of you and Iona being an item warms my heart.” She places a hand on her chest. “I’ve waited and waited and waited for you to tell me, ‘Maw, I’ve got something to admit: Iona and I have been seeing each other for a few years.’ But the confession never comes! How much longer before you finally spill the beans?”
“Jesus, Maw, you’re as bad as Jamie tonight. There’s no confession to be made, so—”
“She’s my best friend’s daughter, and you’ve known each other since you were babies. It’s perfect!” She’s not listening to me.
“Well, Da and Jamie are waiting for you, so it’s time for you to go.” I guide her towards my door.
“Okay, I’ll leave you alone, but promise me one thing. You do use protection, don’t you?”
“Aye, of c—” I catch myself, but it’s too late. Shit. I was in such a hurry to get her out, I said that without thinking.
Maw giggles delightedly. “I knew it! I knew it! ” She does a little dance. “This is the best news ever. You know, when you were very wee, Ally and Aidan often shared a bath, but so did you and Iona. You’d splash about, giggling away, naked and utterly shameless. And now you’ve graduated from bath-time buddies to bedroom buddies!”
“Oh my God, Maw, just stop talking! Why would you even say that? That’s so weird! Here’s my door, so if you could just—”
“Wait till Elspeth and I have a chat about this. Oh! She’s going to be as delighted as I am.”
“So I can’t trust you to hold your tongue, then? Keep the secret? No?”
“Well, I need to talk about it with someone . Would you rather I natter about it with your da and Jamie on the drive to Inverness?”
“No! Under no circumstances may you tell Jamie. I’d never hear the end of it.”
“In which case, Elspeth and I will have a wee chat tomorrow.” Maw rubs her hands together. “I can’t wait! She’s going to be over the moon. My darling boy and her gorgeous girl!”
I scratch behind my ear. This is a disaster. “Aye, well, Iona wanted to keep things casual, okay? She’s focusing on her studies. You know what Elspeth is like—she’ll be as excited about this as you are. Then she’ll start chatting about it with Iona, and then I’ll get it in the neck for letting it slip.”
Maw considers this. “Hmm. I can certainly ask Elspeth to keep it to herself, but... you’re right. She probably won’t.”
I sigh. “Great. Well, I suppose I’ll have to warn Iona. At least we managed to keep it a secret for a few years, eh?”
“So secret that Jamie was making a joke about it just five minutes ago.” Maw grabs my face again and kisses my cheek. “Anyway, you’ve made me so happy. My baby—all grown up!”
“Jamie’s right: maybe the baby stuff is a bit weird.”
“Och, wheesht! You’ll always be my baby, Lewis.” She plants a kiss on my other cheek. “Right, well, I’ll leave you to your night of... lying about in your room feeling under the weather.” She winks. “I’ll have a quick word with Ally and Cat before I go and tell them that you’re not well and should, under no circumstances, be disturbed.” A thought comes to her. “Is it hard sneaking Iona up here, or—”
“I’m not discussing any details with you, Maw. Please just go.”
“All right, my wonderful, handsome son. I’ll see you in the morning. Remember to get some sleep in between all the... you know...”
My cheeks blaze, and she laughs, a warm, melodious sound that fills the room. She’s getting a kick out of how embarrassed I’m getting. I couldn’t ask for a better mother—she really is incredible in every way—but she seems to think her motherly duty includes making her kids squirm.
Finally I get rid of her, and I wait five minutes before padding down to reception and peeking into the restaurant. There are a good number of customers for a February evening. Cat is serving, and even though I can’t see Aidan, I know he’s helping Elspeth in the kitchen, stepping into my usual role. Next, I glance into the snug and spot Ally behind the bar, pulling a pint for a customer while chatting away to the man. I quickly retreat before he spots me.
Lately Ally and Aidan have been taking on odd jobs wherever they can—they’re planning to go travelling soon and see the world, so they’re keen for any extra cash. As for Cat, she was invited along to the casino night, but at seventeen she wouldn’t have been able to drink or gamble, so it wouldn’t have been much fun for her. Understandably, she chose to stay behind.
When I agreed to go with Maw, Da, and Jamie, I didn’t know Iona was going to be home this weekend. After learning she was, I couldn’t think of any good reason to pull out, other than faking a last-minute illness. Anyway, I’m hardly going to go through to Inverness to hang out with some rugby guys when Iona is right here in Bannock.
With the coast clear around the front door, I shoot off a message to Iona, telling her to come over now. A minute later, she’s here—and soaking wet.
“It’s awful out there!” She gives me a quick kiss on the lips—dangerous, considering the others could stroll into reception at any moment. “Even just running across the road, I got drenched. Is your da really okay driving to Inverness in this?”
“Shh! We’ll chat in a minute.” I take her hand and tug her towards the stairs—in a rush because I don’t want to get caught but also because I last saw Iona a month ago and I’m desperate to be alone with her. There was a joint McIntyre and Stewart family lunch earlier, and, as always, it was torture spending time with Iona without being able to touch her.
I don’t speak again until we’re up one floor and I’m leading Iona along the corridor to my room. “Da will be fine. He’s forever saying to guests that, in Scotland, if you cancelled your plans on account of the weather, you’d never do anything.”
At my door, I release Iona’s hand to get my key.
“I love you in joggers,” she whispers as I open up. “They’re so soft, and I can feel everything through them.” She gives my arse a playful squeeze.
I grin at her then we head in. She removes her waterproof jacket, revealing a light-blue sweater dress that clings to her every curve. Fuck, she looks good. Maybe I should have made more of an effort and put on jeans and a shirt. Then again, she doesn’t seem to be objecting to my joggies. In fact, her gaze is fixed on them right now.
“Lewis, are you already getting hard?”
I glance down. “Aw, shit. Aye.”
Her eyes gleam with mischief. “Another reason I like you in joggers: they don’t hide anything. At all.” She points. “Is this just from the arse squeeze?”
“Well, that , and the fact that I’ve been frustrated all day. It isn’t easy having lunch with you without being able to touch you, you know.” I shift my weight from foot to foot. “I reckon my body knows what’s coming, so it’s getting ready for action.”
She throws her head back and laughs. “But what if your body has it wrong and all that’s coming is a hug and a long chat? Maybe that’s all I’m in the mood for tonight?”
I scratch my neck. “Aye, well... in that case, we can just hug, I suppose.” I’m sure she’s teasing me—she loves to torment me when she knows how worked up and desperate I am—but I play along. “So long as you’re okay with my cock jabbing you while we hug, of course. There’s nothing I can do about that—the thing has a mind of its own.”
Giggling, she draws me into her arms, holding me tight, her tits pressing against my chest. Her hands slowly slide down my back to my arse, which she squeezes again, both cheeks this time, then she pulls me closer to her, pinning my cock snugly between us. She rests her head on my shoulder and lets out a long exhale, her breath hot on my neck. Then she moves her hips against me, creating a friction that sets my blood on fire.
“So... what do you want to talk about?” she asks.
“Talk?” I croak, struggling to latch onto a coherent thought amidst the torrent of sensations. “Er... oh, shit, there is something we need to talk about. Something serious.”
It’s the last thing I want to do, but with a monumental effort, I peel myself away from Iona’s deliciously warm embrace.
“Er...” I gently slap my cheeks with both hands. “Crap, we probably shouldn’t be chatting about this while I’ve got a boner. Could you be a bit less irresistible for a few minutes?
“Sorry, this is just how I am.” She gestures to herself. “I’m hot as hell and I can’t hide it.”
I chuckle. “Aye, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. All right, we’ll just have to ignore the bulge in my joggies. Here’s what’s up: I was chatting to Maw earlier, and she was pestering me with all these questions about you and me. As usual, I denied everything, but then she tripped me up and... well, long story short, she now knows what’s going on between us—and she’s going to talk with your maw tomorrow.” I wince. “I’m sorry. Are you pissed off with me?”
“Oh, Lewis.” Solemnly she shakes her head, her eyes locked on mine. “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. What have you done?” A smile creeps onto her lips. “God, you actually look worried. I’m teasing you, Lewis—it’s fine. To be honest, it’s probably long past time we told our families. This isn’t the best moment to say this, what with your whole tenting situation, but this is about more than just sex for me. Don’t go getting cocky, but... I do kind of like you. What I mean to say is, you’re not bad—as boys go.”
I puff out my chest. “Just as well you warned me not to get cocky—I’m feeling pretty smug right now, but I’ll try my best to rein it in. You ‘kind of’ like me—nice. For my part, you’ve been my best friend my whole life, and these last few years you’ve been something more—much more. I’m sure there’s a word out there that describes how I feel, but I can’t think what it is at the moment.”
She tilts her head slightly and bites the corner of her lips. “Well, you obviously need to mull it over. Maybe another hug will get those gears whirring again.” She steps towards me, but instead of wrapping her arms around me, she lays her hands on my chest and guides me to my bed then shoves me down onto it.
“Perhaps a little more skin contact could help too.” She tugs her dress over her head and slides down her leggings.
I take in her pale-blue lace bra with matching panties—the same colour as the dress she just discarded—and my breath catches in my throat. Her nipples press against the delicate fabric, entrancing me, while her panties cling to her hips perfectly.
“Fuck.” I lick my lips. “I’ve never seen these before. When did you get them?”
“Yesterday, as a wee treat for you. Don’t go getting used to this kind of thing—my student loan isn’t meant for lingerie. But as a one-off, I thought, Why not? ”
“Any time you want to shop for this stuff, let me know and I’ll transfer you money. I can’t think of any way I’d rather spend it.”
My mind is a whirlwind of desires. I want to reach out and cup her tits, to feel that lace beneath my fingers and tease those hard nipples. But another part of me is desperate to press my hand to her pussy—to feel her warmth then trace the outline of her folds with my fingertips, checking to see how wet she is for me. Then again, the sight of her in these scanty pieces is almost more than I can handle. As much as I love how she looks, I’ve this overwhelming urge to strip her completely bare.
As it turns out, I don’t get to do any of these things because Iona takes control of the situation. She climbs onto the bed and straddles me. “Where were we? Oh, aye, I was going to give you a hug.” She places her hands on my chest then rubs her pussy along my length, from base to tip and then back again. She lets out a soft moan.
I shiver. Fuck, I love it when she uses my cock like this, for her own pleasure.
“Is this okay?” she asks, continuing to move against me. “As hugs go, I mean.”
“Er... mmm... a-aye,” I manage to mumble, sounding like a caveman discovering fire for the first time.
There’s something incredibly hot about lying back, doing nothing, and letting her do all the work. The problem is it turns me on so much that I always get this primitive desire to grab her hips and grind against her—or when I’m inside her, to thrust. In theory , I’m happy for her to take the lead, but my body just won’t allow it—it never does. As the mood takes over me, instincts kick in, and I have to be in charge. Luckily, that’s exactly how Iona likes it.
Already my hands are gripping her curves, pressing her more firmly to me, dictating her movement and her speed—although I’m sensitive not only to my needs but hers too. I want to make her moan again, and when she does, it nearly has me losing control of myself. Despite the layers of clothing between us, I can feel the heat radiating from her, and a dampness too.
“Bloody hell. If we keep this up much longer, I’m going to make a mess in my boxers. Can I put a condom on, push those expensive panties to the side, and fuck you?”
She lets out a soft chuckle then bends over and kisses me. “Of course.”
Later, we lie cuddled up under the covers, both naked, Iona’s lingerie finally discarded. We’ve had sex twice. The first time was fast and frantic—neither of us could hold back after a month apart. Our second session, though, was slower and more deliberate. We savoured every touch and sensation.
I reckon we’ve got one more round in us, maybe two, but for now I’m resting my head against Iona’s warm breasts, using them as a pillow while she runs her fingers through my hair. I don’t think there’s anything more relaxing than snuggling up like this after we’ve both come.
By the sounds of it, outside the weather has got even worse—rain batters my window—but in here I’m snug and content with Iona. It’s as though we’re in our own private world.
Until, that is, a flicker of light catches my eye. At first it’s faint through the curtains, barely noticeable. But soon enough it becomes persistent and intrusive, flashes of blue breaking through our sanctuary. I lift my head and squint against the brightness.
“What is that?” I say, as much to myself as to Iona.
“I’m not sure,” she murmurs. “Maybe you should check?”
“Aye.”
Reluctantly I pry myself from her warmth and climb out of bed, the cool air nipping at my bare skin. As Iona props herself up on one elbow, I pad over to the curtains and open them a crack, just enough to peek through.
Down on the street, a police car is parked outside the hotel, its blue lights pulsing rhythmically, illuminating the pelting rain.
The shiver that courses through me has nothing to do with the cold. Something is wrong. There’s no other reason the police would show up on a night like this.
What’s happened?