Trace of Innocence | Sweet and Sour (Book 4)

Chapter 52

"Do you want to keep it platonic in public at first? It's fine if you do. I won't be offended."

"What do you want to do?" she asks, and although I want to let her make the decision, I know I have to be honest about where my head is with all of this. If there's one thing I've learnt from these last few months, it's that honesty is always the best policy.

"Well, I want to shout from the rooftops that the most beautiful girl in the world has agreed to go out with me again," I murmur. "And I'm past caring what the world says about me, as long as I've got you by my side. But... I also know from experience that having the media on your case morning, noon and night puts a strain on any relationship initially. And I also know it stresses you out. So maybe it would be foolish to rush into any big announcements until we're both feeling relaxed enough the second time around to be ready for it."

"I'm on board with that," she nods. "I do want to make us official to everyone eventually, but I agree it would be good to keep it quiet for the time being."

I love how we can have these grown up conversations.

"Admit it," I leer. "The sneaking around turns you on."

"Massively," she nods, and I pull her face down to mine for a kiss.

"I knew it."

She slides one leg across my stomach so she is sitting astride me, which is guaranteed to make me hard within seconds. My hands creep slowly up her top, and although she mutters something about seeing my family, she puts up no resistance. Her protestations are weak and unconvincing, and she is returning my kisses with increasing passion and enthusiasm.

"I bet I can make you come in under two minutes," I challenge as she lifts up to let me slip my erection inside her.

"Not a chance," she counters.

I don't time it, but the fact that she doesn't come crowing to me afterwards tells me I won the bet.

~~~

After a quick shower we venture downstairs and finish off the remnants of breakfast which apparently we missed. Uncle Mike torments Jess with pointed comments about us being a couple but she seems to take them in her stride and I watch her across the table, giving her knowing looks and wrinkling my nose at her playfully every time she blushes. My eyes wander to a leaflet on the fridge for the annual fireworks display next weekend at a social club near my old house, and I imagine Jess and I hanging out with my friends, bundled up in coats and wellies, eating hot dogs and going on a couple of the rides.

Mum and Aunty Dee cook a roast while the rest of us gather in the lounge for a game of Scrabble (I win, much to Gemma's annoyance - she hates it when I beat her), and then after dinner we climb into Jess's car and head back to London, after making arrangements to return next weekend for the bonfire.

Jess sighs contentedly, and we chat about the weekend just gone and how nerve-racking it is to meet each other's family.

"They loved you," I reassure her, as she shares her worry of making a good impression. "How could they not?"

"I hope so," she sighs.

"Of course. And at least they weren't threatening to break parts of your body, like Calvin did when I first met him." 

I can laugh at this memory now, but I won't deny it scarred me for life.

"True," she grins. "I'd better let my parents know we're officially back together, before we're spotted out somewhere and the rumours start again."

I know Calvin is included in this, and the thought of him coming after me when he finds out I'm back with Jess gives me a flutter of nerves in my stomach.