All my faults (Working Title)

You two threw slow out the window a few kisses ago

"You're fussing," Caroline was grinning at me as I fussed with top for the fifteenth time in the cramped quarters of the lorry.

"I know," I sighed.

"I haven't seen you this nervous before, it's cute." Lotte grinned from where she was sitting with a glass of wine scrolling on her phone.

"Horses are easier to understand than boys," I sighed.

"Agreed," Caroline raised her glass and not for the first time I wished I was staying to drink wine and gossip with them.

There was a knock at the door and I felt myself pale a little.

"You'll be fine," Caroline consoled as Lotte jumped off the couch and opened the door.

"Hi Penn," She grinned cheekily.

"Hey," He smiled, looking as relaxed as ever.

"Hi," I smiled, feeling Lotte's eyes burning into me. "Let's go," I ushered him away from the door before she could throw any smart chirps at me.

We walked out into the night air and I took a deep breath.

"Are you as nervous as I am?" I turned to find him grinning at me.

"You're nervous?" I laughed, "Oh thank God, I thought it was just me."

"Ridiculous isn't it?" He chuckled and suddenly the tension was gone.

"Utterly," I smiled, he opened the door to his car for me and soon we were on the highway, rolling towards town.

"Do you know what's happening with Paige and James?" He asked, taking me by surprise.

"No, why?" I asked, feeling a wave of dread roll over me.

"I heard her talking to Julia yesterday and they were talking business..." he trailed off. I waited, "I didn't hear exactly what it was but, well, it sounded like they were talking about Carlita."

I sighed, I had known it was coming but it felt like a sucker punch all the same.

"Thanks for the letting me know," I sighed.

We sat in silence until we pulled up at the restaurant.

I mentally shook myself as we sat down to eat.

"Sorry..." I mumbled, noticing the look he was throwing at me.

"I shouldn't have told you," he grimaced.

"No, I'd rather know, it just feels a little like a punch in the stomach," I grimaced.

"I know, but Julia's a solid person, she wouldn't do anything that wasn't well thought out."

"Yeah..." I trailed off.

"We can go if you want...." he trailed off, suddenly looking awkward.

"No, sorry," I shook myself, mentally kicking myself for making him feel uncomfortable. "How's you dad?" The words slipped out before I could consider them.

"He's pretty much the same, angry sometimes, occasionally lucid, weak." He sighed, the lines etching his face as he spoke. "We take it day by day."

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked," I found myself apologising again.

"It's fine, you're the only one who's seen him in that state, it makes sense you'd ask." His tone was matter of fact.

"I ask because I'm worried about you Penn," The words slipped out, surprising me, I saw a matching look cross his face and then he smiled. I felt a flush blaze across my cheeks and suddenly the table cloth was fascinating.

"I like that you worry about me," he said softly, and I looked up to meet his steel grey eyes, their intensity sending a delicious shiver down my spine and sending my stomach into acrobatics.

The waiter arrived and the spell was broken.

We fell into comfortable conversation, dragging over wine and then coffee. Finally when we walked outside, he took my hand and we walked in companionable silence back to his car.

I could feel my body tingling with anticipation as we drove back to the show grounds. The air seemed to thicken as we pulled into he parking lot and he turned off the car. Neither of us moved.

"So," he finally spoke and his voice was husky, I felt a thrill run down my spine. I turned slowly to face him. His steel grey eyes catching me and instantly I was drowning in him.

"So..." it was a promise and a question all at once.

Before I could think I leaned over and locked my lips on his, he kissed me back instantly, our lips warring and dancing and in an instant I knew he was everything I'd been looking for. I slipped my hands around his neck, clambering off my seat and slipping onto his lap. His hands gripping my hips and finding their way to my skin sending trails of fire across my body. Suddenly there was a loud hoot as his car horn blared and we both jumped.

"I think you hit it with your butt," he chuckled after a moment, I locked eyes with him and we both dissolved into laughter.

Finally, he slipped his hands around my hips again and planted a sweet kiss on my lips. "I really want this but I don't really want to do this in a car," he smiled and I felt a little wave of disappointment. It must have showed on my face, "I think you're worth going slow with." He wrapped a thread of my hair, fiddling with it absentmindedly, his brow furrowed, "I don't want to mess this up Shay."

"Me either," I breathed, before I could think about it. Suddenly, it felt right. We sat wrapped in each other for a while, finally we climbed out of his car and he walked me back to the horse box.

"Thanks for tonight," I smiled at him.

He grinned and leaned down, kissing me slowly, leaving me breathless.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he smiled and then turned and left me standing outside my door, my head spinning.

I took a deep breath, turned and opened the door and was met with a deafening squeal.

Lotte and Caroline were standing behind the door, clearly spying.

"Oh my god!" Caroline squealed, "tell us." she commanded.

"I..." I paused, unsure I could understand it myself, let alone explain it to someone else. "He's amazing." It came out a little more wistful than I meant to and the knowing looks only served to bring more of a blush to my face.

"You're in love," Lotte chuckled and I threw a pillow at her.

"I've never seen you like this about anyone before." Caroline grinned and the blush turned to a fire across my cheeks.

"It's nothing yet we're just, taking it slow...." I trailed off.

They both shot me knowing looks.

"You two threw slow out the window a few kisses ago," Lotte smirked and I had to settle for rolling my eyes and escaping to the bathroom before I could let them go down the rabbit hole. 

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Image Via Unsplash (shout out to  Alejandra Quiroz on Unsplash)