Something Else

Chapter 11 - Sorting Out

He ran his fingers through his hair, holding it briefly in the nape of his neck before shaking it loose again. 'I've had enough of all the shit that's been going on between us lately, and last night I did a lot of thinking. But before I even contemplate talking to you about anything, there's just one thing I want you to tell me, and that's all that crap you went on about yesterday, about you thinking I've been shaggin' that bird is absolute shite, and it was just you being a total arsehole, cos if I know for one minute that you actually believe what you were accusing me of, then I don't want to know you – at all!'

It was a sound gamble. He watched her as she thought about it and pulled her towards him again, knowing she couldn't handle the closeness – it flustered her.

'You'd better not be messing me around, Lee,' she warned, wary of his motives.
He took her hands and placed them unashamedly in his lap, making her feel his semi-erection. 'Does this feel like someone who's messing you around?' he asked.

Claire swallowed, not knowing how to handle the situation and held his gaze as the hardness beneath her fingers began to grow.

' ... Well?'

She looked away in confusion, first nodding and then shaking her head, unsure suddenly, as to what she should be answering. 'Yes,' she then blurted out, thinking that was probably what he wanted to hear her say, 'Yes, I was an arsehole. I know that, but I just exploded when I found your watch in that bitches bag! I didn't know what to think.'

'Well, you're going to have to stop all that kind of shit if we're going to get back together, cos I'm not putting up with it. If we're going to make a serious effort at making this work, then you're going to have to learn to trust me and give me some space.' He kept his hands on hers, making her rub him gently through his clothing, and she let him, watching his face, wondering if she'd heard him right.
'Are you trying to say that you want to give it another go?' she hesitated in asking.

He nodded, and Claire couldn't believe it, and then as she went to speak, he closed his eyes, taking her hands off his lap and rolled his head back. 'I think you'd better stop that. It's too nice. It's been a long time.'

She bit her lip, not knowing how to react and just looked at him dumbly while he rearranged himself.

'What's made you suddenly change your mind,' she then asked, 'you said before that you'd never take me back?'

'Things have changed. You weren't pregnant then.'

For a moment, she just watched him, not daring to take her eyes off him just in case she happened to notice the faintest sign of amusement trickle through his ice-blue eyes.
He leaned to one side and dug out of his pocket a small pink velvet box. 'Here, I bought this for you. I was thinking about it all night, and once I got back to the flat, I just sat there thinking and thought, fuck it. Just do it - give it a go, so I drove up The Rocks to that shop you've always liked. I know it's the one you'd have wanted.'

The moment he said that she knew what it was, and her mouth fell open. 'My God!' she breathed. Inside the box was the beautiful antique heart-shaped diamond ring she'd admired for years. It had been in the window every time they'd passed.

'I want you to marry me.'

The words came hard, but they were out, and the only good thing he felt about it was by the way he had worded it – I want you to marry me, and not, I want to marry you!

Claire looked up in shock. Never in a million years had she ever expected to hear those words come out of his mouth! ' ... What on earth's made you decide on this?' she had to know.