8. Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Mack
I could still feel the imprint of Maisie's lips on mine and feel the warmth of her body pressed against me. It had been a week since the night at Ace's house and I still couldn't believe that I'd opened up and told her as much as I had.
There was obviously still so much that she didn't know, I didn't want to burden her with memories of my past. Before we went our separate ways that night we exchanged phone numbers and have been texting non stop since. It's so much easier talking to her through the phone than face to face, she seems to steal all the air from my lungs and set my heart on fire.
I'd never had any sort of intimate relations with a girl, it was incredibly embarrassing having to tell Maisie that. Well, obviously I only told her about the kissing bit but I'm pretty sure she could piece the rest together. I'm twenty two years old, just had my very first kiss and was very much still a virgin. Now, I know that it's not really anything to be embarrassed about but most people my age have had multiple sexual partners by now. I hadn't even left the house alone in such a long time, I definitely hadn't met anybody who I'd want to be intimate with …. until her.
Just being in Maisie's presence brought me back to life, she sent a buzzing through my veins and filled me with a feeling I'd never once possessed. Acceptance. For some unknown reason she seemed to like me, she didn't think I was too tall or too quiet. She didn't think I was the weird shy guy, the way she looked at me. Man, I'd never get enough of that look.
We hadn't seen each other in person for the last week as we had both been busy with college and university, but we had been texting constantly and speaking on the phone for hours every night. About anything and everything, getting to know all the small uninteresting facts about each other. It was nice and every time my phone buzzed in my pocket I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
Hugh and Ace had noticed too, they hadn't said anything about it. I was expecting some teasing comments but they hadn't said anything, just gave me reassuring smiles.
Ace had asked again if I wanted to move in with them, I really did and was really leaning towards giving it a try. It was time, time to grow up and time to spread my wings. The only person I was worried about telling was my mum. She held onto so much worry for me. I know she longed for me to have a normal life like all the other twenty somethings but I also knew that she'd have trouble letting me go.
I'd just gotten home from college and was sat on my bed contemplating how to go about discussing it with Mum and Dad when my phone buzzed on my bedside table. I'd placed it there before getting in the shower, now I was just lounging about doing nothing. I practically leapt from the bed to grab my phone, already knowing who it would be. Lifting my phone, reading Maisie's words, I couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped me.
Maisie: So Muscles, can you do me a favour? x
Me: That very much depends on what that favour entails Little Flame x
Maisie: I need you to write me something …
Me: Write you something? Like for uni? x
Maisie: No Muscles, not for uni x
I was so confused.
Me: Ok, spill the beans … x
Maisie: I want you to write a bucket list x
Me: A bucket list? Like the things I want to do before I pop my clogs? :D x
Maisie: A different kind of bucket list smart arse. I want you to write a bucket list of all the things you feel like you've missed out on over the years … And stuff you want for the future x
I couldn't help my heart sinking when I thought about it. I really had missed out on the part of my life where I was meant to grow and explore, experience things that I probably shouldn't.
Me: Why? x
Maisie: So sceptical :D I want to make all your dreams come true Mackie boy x
God, what had I done to deserve meeting this woman. I had no idea what we really were. We'd shared a kiss, the best kiss but I certainly wasn't about to jump the gun and start demanding more. For one, she could have just been taking pity on me. Feeling sorry for poor old Mack, the twenty two year old who'd never even been kissed.
Me: Why? x
Maisie: Because I want to …
Me: What's the catch? What do you want in return? x
Maisie: There's no catch. The only thing I want in return is that you take me along with you. Whatever you do, wherever you go, take me with you x
That statement instantly brought a lump to my throat, I struggled to swallow it down. Maisie hadn't been overly forthcoming about her past but the more I got to know her the more it seemed as though she was just as lonely as I was. Maybe she needed this as much as I did.
Me: Ok Little Flame … x
Maisie: Really? x
Me: Really really :D I'll work on it tonight, maybe we can make a start next week? We both have a week off college and uni. Unless of course you already have plans? Just fit me in wherever you can …
I was rambling again. I seriously couldn't help it, I always felt like a burden. Like I was taking up somebody's time when they could be doing something far more exciting. I hoped that one day that feeling would go away.
Maisie: I couldn't think of anything I'd rather do more. And Mack? … x
Me: Yeah? … x
Maisie: Think outside the box baby, anything goes ;) x
Jeez, my dick was now at half mast as I thought about what that could possibly mean.
Me: Anything? x
Maisie: Anything 3 x
I spent that evening putting together my bucket list, writing any old ridiculous thing that I could think of. I wanted all the experiences, all the things that we were probably way too old to be doing now. I wanted other experiences too, I wouldn't be offended if she didn't want to participate in those with me though.
After all, I was me.
I hadn't shown Maisie the list yet and she said she was in no hurry to see it, we both wanted time to get to know each other better and that would be much easier if we didn't have the pressures of the list. There was stuff on that list which would be life altering for me and I didn't want her to feel obligated to be the one to help me achieve them, we had only just really met after all.
So for now, the pressure was off and we were currently walking side by side through the local park taking her little dog Milo for a walk. He was a cute little thing and Maisie doted on him like a best friend.
"So, have you always wanted to be a vet?" I asked Maisie as we walked along the pond edge, watching little kids feeding the ducks.
"Yeah, I think so … I never had pets growing up but there's always been something that's intrigued me about animals, especially dogs. They love … unconditionally. That's a special thing. Have you always wanted to be a fireman?"
She turned those bright blue eyes on me, a soft smile on her face and the genuine curiosity of wanting to get to know me.
"I have, ever since I was a little boy. I remember getting my mum to make me dressing up outfits and she'd always pretend to be the damsel in distress you know?" I laughed at the memory, my mum always took the time to play with me, always listening to what I had to say, always making me feel like her favourite person on the planet.
"I can just imagine it now, what about your dad?"
I paused to contemplate her question before answering,
"I've always been closer to my mum, we just always clicked. That's not to say that I'm not close to dad, I am, it's just different. My dad is a quiet man, reserved, likes his own company. I know he loves me, he just doesn't often show it in the way you'd want him to you know?"
I'd always longed for a closer relationship with my dad. It wasn't as if he ignored me or neglected me, it was almost just non existent, like two passing ships in the night, aware of each other, respectful of one another but that was about it. My dad worked a lot when I was a kid and never really got involved when the bullying picked up, my mum was like my shield, my battle armour. My dad just wasn't.
"Yeah, I get that. Did you ever want siblings?" Maisie asked me, talking to her was so easy, opening myself up in a way that I had never had the chance to before.
"Always, it was lonely on my own and if I ever have kids I'd definitely like more that one. How about you, do you have brothers or sisters?"
"No … I always wished for them, but no …"
There was more to Maisie's story than met the eye, I knew there was, I'd never pressure her to tell me though. That was her story and she'd open up to me if she wanted to, I didn't miss that spark of loneliness in her eyes though when talking about her family.
We continued our walk along the edge of the pond, chatting and laughing. We walked closely together, our hands brushing slightly every now and then. Each touch was like a jolt of electricity shifting up my arm and settling somewhere deep in my chest.
Every look, every touch, every word spoken made me feel a connection to her that I'd never felt before. The shy smiles, the soft laughter and the flirty jokes made my heart pound a rhythm in my chest. Every time she spoke she had the habit of reaching out and squeezing my forearm, her warm skin on mine causing goose bumps to pepper across my flesh. If I was a braver man, a more experienced man I would have made a move to hold her hand miles back.
We had been silent for a few moments, both deep within thought, although it seemed we'd been thinking the same thing when she reached for my hand and intertwined her fingers with mine. Her hand tiny in my palm, my sweaty palm. She held on tight, gave me a quick glance and continued our walk with a serene smile on her face. Meanwhile, I was blushing so hard it was a wonder I had any blood left in the rest of my body, my face was currently at battle with my dick, seeing which one could react the hardest to her.
It sounds ridiculous that the simple act of holding hands could have such a profound effect on me, but when you haven't so much as touched a woman until recently, my body didn't seem to know which way was up.
We were so caught up in our little moment that neither of us seemed to anticipate what would happen next. It seemed to happen in slow motion, Milo saw a squirrel on the other side of the pond, yanked Maisie's arm so hard that she was pulled forward. Maisie let go of Milo's leash at the same time I tightened my hold on her hand. She fell forward, took me with her and it wasn't until we hit the water with a splash that I finally let go of her hand to brace for impact.
The water was about two foot deep so my knees very quickly made contact with the floor, freezing cold water seeped into my jeans as I finally came to a stop on my hands and knees. I looked to my left to find that Maisie had faired much worse, she was so much smaller than me that the water had swallowed her whole. She was sat on her arse, water up to her chin with the biggest smile on her face, seeming to be waiting for my reaction.
Her soaking wet crimson curls were plastered across her face, leaves and sticks woven through the strands. I could barely see her face but that smile was blinding. So blinding that I couldn't help but return it, which very quickly turned into full belly chuckles. We both sat in the middle of a disgusting pond, laughing until our tummies hurt and tears were streaming down our faces. Other dog walkers stood around laughing with us, Milo continued to bark at the squirrel which was now safely hidden in the tree.
For the very first time in my life, when caught in an embarrassing situation and all of the attention was on me, I didn't feel like recoiling in despair. I didn't want the ground to open up and swallow me whole, I embraced it. All of these people weren't laughing at me, they were laughing with me and that felt damn good.
Despite the fact that we'd fallen into a filthy pond for all to see, this may just be one of the very best days I've ever had and it's all down to the soaking wet, soggy, smelly woman walking next to me.