CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Corey
Bathed in sunlight, an orange glow surrounded Nora like an aura. I never would have even thought to use the word aura before. In fact, I’d never thought about a lot of things before her. Problems were solved with money and distance instead of communication and effort.
‘Corey?’ she mumbled, blinking lazily against the bright sun.
Her head rested in the groove between my arm and my chest, our peppermint and lemon combination my new favourite smell.
‘Hey,’ my voice croaked.
Lucky reluctantly lifted his head. The little furball decided it didn’t matter which body was which and had spent our sleeping hours switching between leg grooves.
‘So, ah, how are you feeling?’ Her teeth plunged into her bottom lip.
‘Like life couldn’t get any better.’ I grinned at the relief on her face.
‘I thought you’d change your mind,’ she admitted.
I didn’t tell her I’d worried about the same thing and, instead, let my body do the talking until she bolted upright with realisation an hour later.
‘I’ve got Pilates,’ she exclaimed.
If it were up to me, we’d spend the entire day on this mattress. I could survive for days with her as my only nourishment. Possibly even weeks.
‘You’re not going to skip it?’ I asked.
‘Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to spend the day locked in this apartment with you. It’s just… I’ve missed my body and being free to do something as simple as my regular Pilates class.’
‘I understand. It’ll be nice to use my own body for Muay Thai this afternoon.’ I stretched my arm behind my head as Nora walked to the bathroom. ‘Christ, that’s a sight I never thought I’d like to see.’
‘I’m not sure whether to be insulted or flattered by that remark.’
She was right. My thoughts were blasting out of my mouth before adjusting themselves into compliments.
‘A compliment,’ I yelled right before the door closed.
I climbed off the floor and opened the door to the steaming bathroom. Nora spun to face me, her lips sending prickles across my body and down my groin. Her confident shoulders, her optimistic smile, her soul shining through the body I’d come to know so well.
‘How long ’til you need to be at Pilates?’ My voice dropped an octave or two.
‘An hour, I think.’
I stepped into the shower under the hot water, my arm encircling Nora’s tiny waist.
‘I can work with that.’
Nora still hadn’t arrived home from having drinks with Hayley after Pilates by the time I left for Muay Thai, and I missed her face already.
My arms stretched over my head with a familiar pull of muscles.
Each movement smooth and comforting, motions I’d never take for granted again.
I joined everyone on the mat and enjoyed the adrenaline of my first class in weeks, each muscle in my body begging to be put to use.
I stood in the attack line and lifted my hands in front of my opponent; a brunette I hadn’t seen before.
‘You new?’ I asked.
‘First class. Moved here from Victoria not long ago.’
I grinned at him and threw my arms into it. Each fist of mine that flew forward was blocked by his arms, the two of us falling into an easy rhythm.
‘Swap,’ the instructor ordered.
Now his fists flew to my face, blocked by my own arms. Sweat dripped from my temples by the time the class ended, and my opponent slapped my back in acknowledgement.
‘You’re good,’ he panted.
‘Thanks. You’ve got a good rhythm.’
After we bowed our goodbye and pulled our water bottles from the shelf, he asked for my name.
‘Corey,’ I replied.
‘I’m Thomas.’ He reached out and shook my hand. ‘New to the area. Bought an apartment with my inheritance, now I just need a closer job to go with it.’
‘What do you do for work?’
‘Finance.’
My stomach tensed as an idea came into mind. ‘Let me find you a business card so you can send me a résumé. I might have a job if you’re interesting in applying?’