Never Really Over

Chapter 15

July 2015

Beth arrives home with two days to go before pre-season begins. Her flight is delayed by several hours, which she thinks is the universe being unnecessarily cruel as she just wants to get home to John. She's not in the best of moods when the taxi drops her outside her apartment block. The lift is broken, and she is faced with the prospect of lugging her bulging case up several flights of stairs alone. But before she has even conquered a few steps John rushes downstairs, smiling broadly and Beth's frustrations disappear completely. He looks well, his skin a caramel brown from his summer glow, and he hasn't cut his hair just as she requested.

He's been watching from a window for her to arrive, he knows it's a bit sad, and if he knew one of his mates had gone this soft over a girl he'd be tearing into them, but it's been weeks and he's missed everything about her from the way she kisses him as though her life depends on it, to how coy she looks if he catches her staring at him. John grabs her case in one hand, stumbling slightly under the weight of it, she always packs too much, and wraps the other around her waist. It feels so good to have her back home.

"Hi," he feels suddenly shy after weeks apart. But Beth, so used to being the more confident of the two, does not have any sense of trepidation. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him in closer, brushing her lips against his, teasingly, without applying any pressure. "I missed you," her breath tickles his lips enticingly. John's reservations disappear, he pushes her roughly back against the wall and presses his lips to hers, pushing his tongue between her wanting lips. Beth tightens her grip on his neck as the kiss heats up. John pressing his body against hers as their tongues move together and their lips caress the other's. When he pulls away, Beth is breathless, and feeling a little anxious because they've spoken a lot about what they will do when they are reunited and as the big moment draws ever closer, she starts to feel nervous. John seems utterly convinced that they are going to have incredible sex, but what if she isn't any good at it!?

"I'm taking you on a date," John's words stop Beth's racing mind. "So, you have to go get changed, but I think everything you own is in here." He shakes her handle of her suitcase.

"Where we going?" Beth asks, her heart fluttering in excitement at the prospect of her first proper date. She can't help smiling at the thought of her and John walking into somewhere hand-in-hand and everyone looking and thinking how lucky she is to have bagged him, the person she thinks is the greatest boy in the world.

"Rome," he shrugs nonchalantly. "So, hurry up, we've gotta leave." Beth's delay has left them tighter for time that John feels comfortable with. Beth surveys the contents of her wardrobe carefully. She thinks it's sweet that John is taking her to Little Rome, the scene of their first 'not a date' what feels so long ago now. She selects a maxi skirt and a crop top, perfectly for a summer evening and refreshes her make-up as quickly as she can, John seems in a hurry, so she doesn't bother to do her hair properly, just running a brush through it and pulling it back in a high ponytail.

Whilst she is changing John goes to his flat to do the same, as always, he's ready before Beth and returns to wait for her in her living room. Maxi is still at the cattery so he's no-one to keep him company. Beth's surprised to find him in black suit trousers and a white shirt when she emerges from her bedroom. "No," he shakes his head as he walks over to her. "You look gorgeous," he kisses her briefly and he can't resist resting a hand at the base of her back on her bare skin. The feel of it after so long apart is almost addictive, he wants more, wants to remove all her clothes and his until they are completely naked, skin-on-skin, but right now, he has to put his lust aside again. "But you have to get changed, wear something fancy, a dress."

Beth frowns, they never dress up for Little Rome, it's very casual, but if John's making an effort, then so should she. "You could have said before," she huffs before returning to her room. She chooses a navy camisole dress with a wrap skirt that does wonders for her boobs and makes her waist look tiny, but also shows a little more leg than she would usually dare. She adds some jewellery, vamps up her make up a little and with the aid of some dry shampoo styles her hair in an up-do classy enough to match her dress.