Tornado (18+)

13- Paisley

Shakes and Cakes hasn't changed in five years. As soon as I cross the threshold, I'm stepping back in time to an era I never knew but wished I could've. It depicts a typical 1950's diner with its black and white checkered floor, red leather booths and neon sign trim. The walls hold nostalgic records and framed photographs of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Fats Domino and boasts an original Rock-Ola jukebox as a retro feature.

The diner is famous in Castleford for its extensive choice of specialty desserts and milkshakes and in the early years of the millennium, people would travel from all over the UK to get a booth so they could say they'd been here way back when.

Today there are only two booths occupied.

"Where do you fancy sitting?" Tez asks behind me.

In your lap.

I scan the vicinity and straight away I find booth seven vacant. My regular booth number when I lived in Castleford. "There," I say pointing.

Tez places his palm in the small of my back to guide me and only sits down once I am seated. He's acting like a real gentleman and although it's nice, I'd like to see more of the alpha male in him. Like I did that night at the Lazy Lion. I want him to grip my hand and drag me to the booth. To sit next to me, not opposite me, and pen me into the corner so I've no choice but to be that close to him I can hear his heart beating in his chest. For him to curl his fingers so tightly in my hair as he kisses me that I struggle to breathe.

I want him to make me his. Again.

"Paisley, are you alright?"

I jump at the sound of his voice and slowly blink at the waitress standing by our table.

There's something wrong with me. I shouldn't be having fantasies of his dominant side in a public place.

"Oh... Uhm... Yeah." I shoot them both a closed-mouth smile then quickly check out the specials board. "Can I get a Ferrero Rocher shake and a Belgian waffle with salted caramel and white chocolate ice cream please?"

Tez orders a triple chocolate shake with a Cookie Monster waffle and gelato.

I sit back and observe the diner with an impish grin, lost in the memories of my sixteen-year-old self. That was the age I was permitted to come out with friends without my parents' paying Lucien to keep an eye on me. I could've gone anywhere and done anything in Castleford from that point on, but I chose to bribe my friends to come to the diner every weekend so I could sit and lust after Tez.

"Are you going to share the reason for your bright smile?"

"I have a direct view of booth two," I declare.

He stares at me with eyes full of confusion. "Booth two? Where?" He asks swiveling around and stretching his neck. "Am I missing something?"

I point it out next to the jukebox and sit back and wait for him to join the dots and make the connection, but the longer I wait, the heavier the ache in my chest.

He straightens himself and turns back slowly. The recognition highlights his face and my heart lurches. "That's where I always sat."

"Yes. And I sat here. I'd spend those two hours every Saturday and Sunday watching you out of the corner of my eye. I'd imagine all the ways I could snuff out the lives of Susie Parkridge and Lisa Lord. Those two were like freaking cling-ons where you were concerned."

He reaches for my hand and I let him take it. "How mad is it that we both spent our time here secretly checking each other out and now seven years later, we're actually here together."