The other man

Holiday

"And you're sure you'll be okay at jo's?" Connie asked,

"Mum, I'm 14, stop worrying,"

Connie rolled her eyes, "I'll see you in two weeks."

"You do realise we've never been apart for two weeks before," Grace told her, "but don't worry, I'll be fine... Just don't get too tanned,"

Connie hugged Grace once more, "Jacob sends his love, we will see you soon."

They sat at the airport, a glass of wine in her hand, a beer in his. He ran his hand up and down her thigh, "fourteen uninterrupted days," he smiled and she couldn't help the smirk that spread across her face as he raised his eyebrows.

They walked side by side as they walked up Sri Lanka's 5th highest mountain. It had been Jacobs idea, and he'd known that Connie being Connie wouldn't complain.

"You know these locals who keep running past us are putting us to shame," she smiled as she took his hand and squeezed it,

He smiled, "you reckon we can tackle these 5500 steps before sunrise?"

"Definitely," she grinned.

"Good luck," a man smiled as they reached the last 1000 steps, "those last ones are a killer,"

Jacob shook his head as Connie rolled her eyes.

They reached the top moments before sunrise, they had been lucky with the weather and they sat in a comfortable silence as the sun rose. She sat between his legs, leaning back against his chest as he kissed her cheek softly. His hand rested gently underneath her top, his fingers stroking her smooth skin as she closed her eyes,

"Don't shut your eyes," he smiled, "this view is magical,"

"5500 steps and not a cross word between us," she smiled, slipping her fingers through his as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her.

"We have to get down yet sweet cheeks," he smiled,

"True... You sure your knees are up to it?"

He kissed her again, deciding that as beautiful as this place was, it was far too public to ask her to be his wife.

The walk down was much more leisurely and they stopped in small coffee stops along the way.

"You know, I knew I loved you when you used to bring me and Grace Coffee and flapjacks from Costa," she admitted, slipping up onto his lap and running the backs of her fingers across his cheeks, "I was married and Grace was ill and I though that maybe what I felt for you was just affection... Turns out I loved you since then,"

He kissed her gently, "I used to watch you with Grace and think that I'd never seen a mum so close to her daughter. You never complained, you hardly ever left her side... I remember thinking that if I was with you I wouldn't let the two of you go through so much on your own."

She stood up and held out her hand, "lets get down I'm starving."

He rolled his eyes, "are you ever not hungry?"

She smiled, "no."