Count On Me

Part Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Seven

Lizzie woke up in her bed, alone. She hadn't gone to bed alone. After her tears at Nate's bedtime, she'd taken time to compose herself, but had rejoined the Wickers and they'd had a pleasant evening, just talking. His parents were nice, very nice. Their love for their son shone out of the eyes and in their words. And he almost regressed to a cheeky teenager as they bantered. It was a beautiful experience and if there were moments that she felt excluded, then a hand would land on her thigh, squeezing, pulling her back into the family.

He saw them out as she finished cleaning up, then as she washed the glasses at the sink, she felt arms wrap around her, lips connect with her neck.

And suddenly she was starving, desperate; she craved the closeness that he was making it possible to believe in, physically, but also emotionally. He made her feel complete, and she loved that so much, craved it even. They barely made it to her bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes on the route to it.

She sighed; she'd need to clear that up before Nate woke up. She rolled onto the cold half of the bed to reach for her phone to check the time, then if she hadn't been lying down, she might have fallen down. It was just before midday. She couldn't EVER remember lying in that late.

Lizzie knew she should sit bolt upright, get dressed, get on with things. But she was just too comfortable. It was then she heard a noise from outside. That made her get up, and her heart literally melted to see Oscar and Nate, bundled up in warm clothes, on an obviously chilly morning, playing football. Oscar stood in front of a small goal she hadn't seen before, trying to save...and elaborately missing the kicks towards it from Nate. Every time he scored a goal, they whooped and celebrated as though they'd won the World Cup.

She sighed; it was a perfect scene, in the midst of what was becoming a perfect weekend.

"So you're alive?"

Lizzie opened her eyes, amazed to realise that she'd fallen back asleep.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel exhausted."

He laughed, "well you didn't let me get much sleep madam."

She blushed at that, then burrowed back under the duvet, he chuckled from his position at the bedroom door, "so the options are, young lady, get up so we can go get some lunch...or I'm coming in there to join you, regardless of the consequences."

That made her blush again then she whispered, "is it wrong that I want the latter?"

His eyes widened in surprise, "you just keep killing me, Lizzie. Now, get arse into gear, as I recall, I am about to treat you at a certain shopping mall."

Oscar smiled at his parents, he wanted to hug them, hard, but instead he was left with smiling. He hadn't told them about the extent of his relationship with Lizzie, but he knew his mother had guessed. It was dangerous ground, just as Lizzie kept reminding him, and he was surprised that his mother was so complicit in that. But he wasn't about to open that door after his parents announced that they were taking Nate out of the night, and he was staying at the hotel with them. For Oscar that was an amazing gesture, as it gave Lizzie and himself a full night to themselves, and he had a lot of thoughts as to what that could entail.

Lizzie on the other hand was almost devastated. That was one of the things he'd first learned about her, she saw accepting help as a sign of weakness, and he knew deep down that she'd worry his parents would think she couldn't cope. Nothing was further from the truth, but everyone deserved a break, he just wished that she'd realise that.

After they left she literally locked herself in her bedroom, he wasn't sure whether she was upset, shy, or just taking space...they weren't at the place where they would happily get ready in each other's company. Living under the same roof as Lizzie was really challenging the normal boundaries of a fledgling relationship, and he had to remember that. Though it was tempting to knock down her door and kiss her senseless.