Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sadie
T hree weeks go by and nothing bad happens.
Quite the opposite, actually. It’s all just endless goodness. I go to work, Gary sat happily on my shoulder or on the perch Leo had installed specially for him. I get several five star reviews from my clients, and plenty of shout outs on Instagram. I have fun with my chosen family, cinema trips, drinks after work, karaoke, the usual.
Except this time, Leo is holding my hand, smiling at me in a sensual, knowing way he never has before. Stealing kisses that pull the soul right out of my body between appointments and over lunch. Spending most nights in my bed, wringing heights of pleasure from my body that I never knew I was capable of feeling.
I’ve only ever truly relied on Tim to genuinely love me before now. Our father is getting to be more and more of an asshat the older he gets, and our mother is mildly loving but too cowed by him to be terribly demonstrative about it. Our older brother, Jacob, is pleasant, but stilted, awkward; we go weeks without hearing from him, even though he lives only a few towns away. The twin bond has seen us both through some tough times, like his teenage fatherhood and my bout of depression a few years ago. We’ve always had each other’s back. We were born always having each other, so I thought that was my lot, and that I was extremely fortunate to have it. A twin is an incredible gift.
I relied on Leo’s friendship, which I suppose is a sort of love, but this…
The way he treats me, like he happily worships me and can’t wait to make me smile, has me hooked.
I’m starting to genuinely open up to the idea that what we have between us might be permanent, and not just a flash in the pan. I actually don’t think he is going to lose interest now that he’s had me. He hasn’t wavered once; far from it, he gets more adoring each day.
I’m going to have to get past my trust issues. He’s proving himself over and over, and he doesn’t deserve to be doubted.
By the time Eli’s birthday comes around, we’re signing his birthday card together rather than getting him one each. So, you know. Togetherness is now our jam.
We knock on their door, and I fidget uncomfortably with my bra strap, which is digging into my shoulder. Leo notices, and without a word, straightens it out. “Could you be more attentive,” I chuckle, straightening the front. My boobs are a bit sore today. I think I need some new, more supportive underwear that doesn’t dig in so much. Maybe I can take Leo bra shopping, get his opinion in the changing rooms…wind him up enough for him to drive us straight back to his…
“I’ll keep trying,” he murmurs in my ear, making my spine tingle.
The beam on Em’s face when she opens the door and sees us together speaks volumes. “Shut up,” I mutter good naturedly, giving her a light shove.
“I didn’t say anything,” she whispers back, giving me a cheeky wink.
“You don’t have to.” I scowl at her playfully.
We head through to the dining table in their lounge, where Liaden and Dean are already sitting. Liaden rapidly finishes swallowing her rose wine so she can bound up to Leo and give him a huge hug in greeting. Dean quickly follows, with darling little Click limping behind and begging us for a fuss. I happily give it to the sweet pup as I let him know how good and handsome he is.
“You trying to steal my woman, Click?” Leo joins in with the Click fussing. “Should I be jealous?” he jokes as he watches me baby talk Click unabashedly.
“No more than I am of Liaden and Dean for those cuddles,” I quip back with a wink to them both. And then I remember that he’s given them the same massive cheque he gave Em and Eli on their wedding day. I was stunned when I heard about what he’d done all these years, saving their rent so he could give it back to them at a later date, but the more I thought about it, the more typically Leo the move seemed to be. I hadn’t realised just how well off Leo is, but maybe I should have. He has nice cars, quality threads, and he’s a highly successful businessman who pays us well, after all. Not just the class clown.
“Where’s the birthday boy?” I ask, holding up Eli’s card with the Nine Inch Nails tickets Leo and I managed to score for him. At my insistence, we went halves.
Em tips her head towards the kitchen. “Birthday Boy insisted he wanted to make us all po-boys for his birthday,” she says fondly. “I’d have taken him for a posh dinner somewhere, but he has his heart set on them.”
“Yum.” Eli made me a po’boy once, and it was nothing short of epic. The crawfish was magically delicious, like nothing I’ve ever had before. Emily married an amazing cook, that’s for damn sure.
Eli pokes his head out of the kitchen door, smiling at us in greeting. “Hey, y’all. They’re almost ready.”
“Cool. So, what’s the plan for this evening? Beyond the best sandwiches in the world, obviously.”
Eli cringes. “You can’t call this a sandwich ! That’s like calling Dom Perignon ‘grape juice’, for Chrissakes.”
“Uh huh. Am I eating one and going dancing, or two and settling down for a pleasant evening in?”
“The latter.” I’m not surprised; Eli is a homebod, even more so since he got married. “I’ve got all the Karate Kid movies lined up on Prime, and a whole shit ton of N’awlins style praline in the fridge.”
“Rock and roll,” I tease, though that actually sounds perfect. I love a good eighties movie franchise, the cheesier the better, and I’m a little tired tonight, so these low key plans suit me down to the ground.
“My birthday, my rules,” he says with a wink, and Em yelps next to him as though he just pinched her bum. My suspicions are confirmed when she taps him on the arm, going bright red and failing to repress a huge smile.
The food is unbelievable. All of it. The po’boys are even better than I remembered, the shrimp so fresh and juicy that I could weep. And the shards of praline, with chopped pecans sprinkled on top, are heavenly. I think I take more than my fair share, but I just can’t bring myself to be apologetic.
“So, I’ve never seen Karate Kid,” Liaden says. The boys all stare at her incredulously, but neither Em nor I are surprised. She had a rather sheltered upbringing that prioritised nurturing her genius IQ more than providing it with mindless entertainment. Poor thing hadn’t even seen Clueless until we came along.
“OK, but before we right that wrong,” Eli says, shaking his head a little in disbelief, “Em and I have something cool to share with you all.” He puts his arm around her as she cuddles Click, who’s ensconced in her lap and doggy-swooning as she strokes his ears.
There’s no way she’s pregnant, I think. Apart from both of them having fertility issues, neither one of them would look as happy as they do right now. They’d be more likely to be devastated and inconsolable.
“We kept it quiet in case it didn’t go through, but…” Em beams from ear to ear. “We bought a house at auction! It’s just a few streets away on Vance Street, and it’s a total wreck, but it’s going to be lovely when it’s done.”
We all cheer and give congratulatory cuddles. It’s clear that Dean already knew - I imagine Eli told him because he’s lived downstairs from Dean for years because he was needed, but from what I hear, Dean has all but moved into Liaden’s flat. And besides, he’s a lot more stable now, so there’s no problem.
“And the best part,” Eli adds, “is that we can still live here while the building work is done, thanks to Leo’s generosity.” Leo lifts his can of lager in acknowledgement. “And also thanks to Leo, we’re cash buyers because it’s that much of a disaster zone, we got it for a song, so no mortgage, and there’s still a little money left over to remodel. So…” He lifts his own can in a toast. “To Leo, one of the best guys I know.”
We all agree and toast him with our cans and glasses, and it’s sweet to see Leo go a little pink. “Well, also, to Eli and Em,” he protests, “congrats, guys. Can’t wait to see the end result.”
I give him a thoughtful look. He really does take every opportunity to do nice things for people. And he doesn’t want credit. He’s just glad his incredible gift has been useful to them. How many people can say that?
And, if I want him, he’s all mine. For the rest of my life.
Leo
All I did was bring her breakfast in bed.
Honey nut cornflakes in a bowl that separates the milk from the cereal, and a sweet, milky coffee to go with it. Nothing fancy; Eli inherited all the cooking nous in the family.
But, I think as her tits brush against my face while she ties my hands to her bed head with her dressing gown tie, I’ll make a point of bringing her cereal every morning if this is my reward.
“How long do you think you can stay hard?”
“What a question.” The truth is, with her naked and straddling me, and me at her mercy, I’m not too sure…but I’ll give it my best shot.
“Only asking because I want to - “ She eases down onto me with a little grunt, making my toes curl. “I want to try something.”
“I’m at your disposal,” I say wryly, but my breath comes faster when she starts riding me. And not just riding me. She’s using me to further her own enjoyment, tightening experimentally and switching up her speed until she finds one she likes. “Ohhhhh…” She throws her head back, and her hair is so long that it tickles my legs. “It’s usually harder to…come…when I’m on top, but…” She winces happily as I feel my helmet rub against a place inside her that I know she loves. “God, you really do have the cock of the century…”
I laugh. I can’t help it. “Now that - ” I grunt as she squeezes me. “That…is high praise.” The pleasure burning along my shaft is stopping me from thinking coherently. “Fuck, babygirl,” I mutter, feeling myself getting pushed closer and closer to the point of no return until I’m gritting my teeth, pulling on my restraints hard, wanting nothing more than to touch her, dig my fingers into her flesh until she yelps…
And then I forget my name when the first flutters of her orgasm start to tickle me, and my hips lift up of their own accord, slamming into her over and over until we’re both shouting with ecstasy.
She unties me straight away, and I hold her, still connected intimately and making no move to alter that situation.
Fucking bloody hell , I love her.
After a few scant minutes, she extricates herself from my arms, gets up, and throws some clothes on, downing the coffee I made her. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Same place you are,” she says with a one sided grin, throwing my jeans at me. “Come on, get your kecks on.”
What my girl wants, my girl gets. She hurriedly finishes her cornflakes while I put my clothes back on, stretching away some stiffness.
“I’m taking you to Bean and Gone,” she says. It’s her favourite coffee shop along the waterfront. It used to be just a van that popped up now and again, but it was so popular that they leased premises.
“My coffee didn’t hit the spot?”
“Course it did. But today their mug of the day is amaretto, so…”
“Say no more.” It’s one of her most loved, most coveted coffees from any cafe in Foxton, and they only serve it every couple of weeks or so. I reach for my wallet, and she shakes her head.
“Nope. This one is on me.” I open my mouth to protest, but she beats me to it. “Or what we just did never happens again.”
I drop my wallet like it’s on fire.
“You’re not serious,” Sadie hoots as we wait for our orders.
“Deadly. I mean, why not?”
“Because no-one wants cushions with your face printed all over them!”
I put a hand on my chest. “Pumpkin, I’m hurt…”
“ Or curtains with a life size portrait of you!” In spite of ticking me off, she’s giggling like a schoolgirl, almost doubled over at my suggestions of housewarming presents for EmEli.
“But they love me,” I grin, “and what could be better than to be able to hug my face any time they like? Or gaze at me whenever they draw their curtains?”
“One,” she says, holding up a forefinger, “either of them could end up sitting on your face… Don’t say it! ” She gives me a mock stern look, and I hold both my hands up in surrender. “And two, I can’t think of anything more off-putting than drawing the curtains to settle in for some night time shagging, and having your face staring back at - ”
“Hey, hey, hey, I never said they had to hang them in their bedroom,” I point out.
“And I never said they’d be shagging in their be- ”
“Sadie?” A shocked male voice says behind us.
We both turn, and I think both our faces fall at the same rate.
Peter.
“Hullo,” he says, still seeming stunned but quickly donning his mask of haughty officiousness. It suits his Savile Row suit and Rolex watch, both of which very obviously cost a bomb and are unnecessarily flashy for a morning coffee break. His eyes have shadows under them, like he hasn’t slept well in a few days. Maybe he lies awake at night thinking about how badly he fucked things with Sadie, and what a life ruining mistake that was.
If he’s not, he seriously should be.
Sadie looks him up and down with a sneer before looking back at me. “Are our coffees ready yet? I’m ready to go.” Her voice is cold, but I know it’s not aimed at me.
Peter bristles. “I was about to say you looked well ,” he says reproachfully. He pulls a woman closer to his side, and I hadn’t seen her until now. Blonde, reasonably pretty in a somewhat bland way, expensively dressed, and looking down her nose at us both. “This is Cecelia. My…”
“Fiancee,” she finishes for him in a nasal, brittle voice. Giving us an appraising look, her expression makes it obvious that we don’t pass muster as far as she’s concerned. Ah. The Vice-Chancellor’s daughter, the woman he was boffing on the side while Sadie tried her best to make things work. I can’t fathom how anyone could prefer beige Cecelia to technicolour Sadie. There’s just no contest, and if he’s honest with himself, even Peter would be able to see the stark difference now that it’s right in front of him, and he must see that he got the shit end of the stick.
“Fascinating stuff,” Sadie drawls. She jumps slightly when she hears the barista call our names, then grabs her travel mug and storms out. I follow quickly, not bothering to look at Dickhead and Snotty Marie again.
“Bastard, arsehole, wanker, fuckface, cockwomble - ” She mutters savagely to herself as she stomps back to her flat.
“Easy there, Gary,” I tease, and she pauses, looking at me and smiling reluctantly.
“Sorry. Just… What the fuck was that?! Who does he think he is, and why the fuck would he think I’d want him to say hello?! I want him to drown in a vat of human shit from the nearest music festival loos. I don’t want to pass the time of day with him. Or his fiancee ,” she finishes, imitating Cecelia’s whiny voice. “Bloody nerve. And the way they looked at you? You are fifty billion times the person either one of them would ever be!” She growls harshly, and starts stomping back to the cafe. “I oughta go back there and - ”
“Hold up, before you go all Bruce Lee,” I chuckle, catching her around the waist and carrying her a few paces back the other way. “Take this as a timely reminder that they’re not worth it.”
“ You are, though,” she snarls.
My heart melts. My fierce, loyal, scrappy Sadie. I love you, too . I think I’ll have to wait to hear the words, but this is a big indicator to me that I’m not alone in this heartspace. “And I couldn’t give a flying fuck what either of them think of me, and nor should you. Don’t waste yourself on him anymore. Now. If you keep wriggling like that, a certain part of me is going to start pointing due north, and that’ll be entirely your fault. As fucking usual.” She stills, and I feel her ribs vibrate as she starts busting a gut laughing.
“And if there’s one thing I’ve learned,” she purrs to me, turning in my arms, “it’s that a Leo Mills erection is a criminal thing to waste.”
We don’t waste it.