The Book Boyfriend

Twenty.

“Your skin is so soft,” His hands were as busy as mine as I felt every inch of him, my nails digging into his back as I arched mine. “You’re beautiful.”

Our make out session only started to get hotter, my body flushed with the desire to take things further. His skin was burning like mine; barely taking time to breath I don’t think we stopped our assault on each other for hours until finally things settled. Curled into the crook of his arm, my own was stretched out of his chest possessively and his heart was frantically beating against my ear. I could feel my own beating at the same pace, slowly winding down I doubted I’d ever fall asleep, but we did. Just like the last time we slept together Beau kept hold of me like his life depended on it and I had never felt so wanted or loved.

-

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t the last person to be ready to leave. Jess sat on her phone in the lounge room catching up on the Rosa gossip from Bianca, who had been working as her personal trainer since she started the reality show.

“Beau, come on! We’re going to be late!” I called up the stairs, the thud that followed had me running back up to my room. I almost laughed seeing him practically hanging himself trying to do up a tie and from where he now sat on the floor, I knew what the thud had been from.

“Need help?”

“Please.” I helped him stand and undid the knot he had turned the silky fabric into. I tossed it over onto the bed, untucked the collared shirt and undid the top couple of buttons. “What are you doing?”

He sounded completely horrified; like I had d just ruined his ready for the office look.

“We’re going to my parents, not work. You don’t need a tie; you don’t even need that shirt. Do you have a sweater or something?”

Dinner with my parents wasn’t going to be like what we had at his Mums. It would be Mums cooking in the crowded dining room and John would probably take his dinner to the front room so he could eat in front of the TV and while I was certain Dad would give him a hard time, the majority of it would be directed towards me.

“I just want to make a good impression.” He whispered. I knew he was stressed, all day he had been tense and unable to relax. We’d even sorted out what he was going to wear when we went to the shops earlier and clearly he changed his mind.

He was worse than Jess.

“You will. Are you even comfortable in this?” I gave his shirt a little tug and sighing he shook his head. I went back over to his bag, going through his clothing until I found the knitted sweater. Since he only had jeans on, it kept is casual, but nice enough to show he had put a bit of effort in without changing who he was.

“Better?”

He pulled it down a little and nodded, yet he still didn’t smile.

“Beau, relax.” We kissed quickly before the car horn sounded from outside and looking out my window; Jess was in the car waiting. “Come on, she might leave without us.”

I made a silent prayer she would in fact leave because in all honesty I was just as nervous as he was. Only now wasn’t the time to tell him that.

 I could hold it together for both of us.

We stopped at the liquor store on the way and grabbed some wine to take with us and by the time we arrived, we were twenty minutes late.

“Becky, Jess!” Mum must have been waiting behind the lounge room curtains as the second Jess cut the engine she was at the door. “Did I say six thirty? I meant six.”