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17 - All That I Am

"Cara, darling, you're making no sense."

"Newsflash, Slumberbuddy, if you want sense out of me you can't kiss me like that."

He quirked an auburn eyebrow at me. "Like this?"

Oh. Dear. Lord. Lips. Chin fuzz. Tongue. Hands. Mmfghalskphmf.

"Benedict?" Panting, I wondered if I was still standing.

"Mmm?" He seemed a little short of breath too.

"Can we please go somewhere else?"

"Where would you like to go, love?"

"Some place with a convenient bed...couch...table...horse."

He half-chuckled, half-choked, but led me nonetheless on unsteady legs to the car and we left.

We didn't find a horse but two of the other three items came in very useful.

---

My phone rang just as I was finishing up my last lesson the next morning, the Sherlock theme tune alerting me to the identity of the caller. I waved goodbye to Ahmed and his mum then answered. "Hello, Mr Franklin."

His laugh made me smile. "Hello crazy lady. How about a bike ride this afternoon?"

That gave me pause for thought. "As in Boss Hog type bike or clingy, leave-nothing-to-the-imagination cycle shorts type bike?"

He laughed again. "Well, I have both but on this occasion I mean the Boss Hog type. I have a spare helmet and jacket if you need it and it's a fine day. We could get out of the city for a while."

"I'd love to. Give me half an hour to get ready?"

"Deal."

I dressed in jeans and t-shirt, pulling on leather ankle boots and a long cardigan for extra warmth and protection. When Ben arrived I took a few minutes to admire the sleek, powerful lines of his bike, a Honda CBF600. "Nice wheels," I observed as he adjusted the seat for me. The jacket he brought was a little large but did the job and the full-face helmets we wore ensured anonymity as we wove through Saturday afternoon traffic and headed for the open road.

"You okay back there?" Ben called at one stage. Me? Hey, I've got a ringside-seat view of the Cumberbum, get to wrap my arms around his waist as tight as I like, there's 76 hp of engine thrumming between my legs and the world is whooshing by at an exhilarating, wind-blown pace. Yes, Ben, I am definitely okay.

"Great," I answer, giving him a thumbs-up for added measure. He doesn't need the details. Well, maybe later.

We rode for about an hour before he pulled over in front of a sign that said 'Welcome to High Woods Country Park.'

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Colchester. I thought if you like we could stretch our legs here for a bit then find a nice pub for a quick drink before we head back."

"Sounds great." So that's what we did; Ben donned his cap and glasses disguise and we stumbled upon a guided tree walk with a ranger named Richard who, despite having no other takers, happily led us through the park explaining woodland management, both current and historical. The beautiful surroundings were well maintained and the atmosphere so tranquil and calm it was difficult to believe we were so close to a bustling town. There were quite a number of pubs and bars to choose from for a drink but once I saw the sign for the Act One bar, I insisted we couldn't possibly drink anywhere else, so we enjoyed a refreshingly cold cider before mounting the bike again for the trip back to London.

"Can you stay for a while?" We were back at my flat. "What time to you have to get ready for tonight?" Ben was attending a theatre event that evening and I had a gig then drinks with the guys.

He consulted his watch. "I've got an hour to spare."

I reached up to kiss his jaw. "I wonder what we can possibly do to while away the time..." Then giving him a flutter of my eyelashes, I took his hand and led him to the couch, sitting on his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck. An hour later his lips were as kiss-swollen as mine when he bid me goodnight, promising to call the next morning.

---

We'd gone to Callahan's, our usual watering hole, and after a couple of hours were all three sheets to the wind, most of us drinking beer followed by vodka shots. Jake had been knocking them back like his life depended on it so I was astounded to see he was still standing and even slightly coherent.

"I gotta go," Rick announced, swaying slightly on his feet. "Jake, you okay buddy?"

"Sure, sure," he replied, waving his arms around and almost clouting Marcus in the process. "Oo, sorry mate." Marcus swatted his hand away and they both stumbled a little.

"I'll make sure he gets home safe," I assured Rick, blinking at him through my glasses, which were slightly fogged up from a face overheated with alcohol. That last drinking game we'd played had been rigged against me, I was certain of it.

"One more for the road!" Jake announced after they called last orders.

"Oh God," I mumbled, not sure that I could take another one and damned certain that I shouldn't. "Not for me thanks."

"Come on Caz, don't be a piker!"

"No Jake, if I have any more I'll be sick. I'll have a coffee please Nick, a strong one."

"Sure Cara. What about you blokes? Coffee?" Nick asked the others.

They insisted on shots though and after knocking them back Marcus said his farewells and weaved his wobbly way through the tables and chairs and out the door. I took a gulp of my coffee, burning my mouth in the process, though thankfully my earlier imbibing dulled most of the pain. Jake went off to the men's room while I drank the rest and by the time he came back it was time to go.

As we walked to the nearest taxi stand I held his arm, to steady myself as much as him. He piled into the back seat first and I had to push him further over to make room to get in beside him, giving the driver the address for Jake's flat. I didn't say much on the journey, my thoughts too clouded to carry on a normal conversation, but after a few minutes I had the thought that perhaps I should try to sober Jake up a little, or at least rehydrate him so he didn't feel so bad in the morning. I told the driver to go to my flat instead and when we got there, pulled a stumbling Jake along the path and in the door, dropping my things unceremoniously on the floor just inside and heading to the kitchen to put the kettle on.

I was peering at cupboard doors, trying to remember which one held my coffee cups and the sugar, when I heard a sound behind me and turned. The next thing I knew Jake's arms were at my waist pulling me towards him, his head blocking the dim lamplight as his lips descended on mine.