“You’ll want to bring a jacket,” I told her as we were leaving the hotel room. She looked incredible in a tight black dress. She had curled her hair into waves, pulling them back in a low ponytail at her neck. She didn’t wear makeup, which I liked. She was beautiful without it.
“But it was really warm today,” she argued, slinging her purse over her shoulder.
“It’s England, baby, it gets cold at night whether it’s summer or not.”
“All I have is a fleece. That’ll look horrible with this dress,” she exclaimed.
I hugged her tight. “You’ll look wonderful in anything you wear,” I told her sincerely.
Shit. Who the hell had I become? I didn’t have much practice playing the boyfriend role.
Is that what I was now?
Morgan’s boyfriend?
I had been so sure I didn’t want anything serious with her. I didn’t have time for relationships. It wouldn’t be fair to Morgan when I couldn’t offer myself fulltime. Not during the season anyway.
Yet the more time I spent with her, the harder it was to stay away from her. And it was more than the sex. I just likedher.
“Before we go, I want to give you something.” I opened the drawer on the bedside table and pulled out a small bag and handed it to her.
“What is this?” she asked, taking out the piece of jewelry inside. She made a noise of appreciation as she held up the metal heart necklace she had admired early.
“You bought it?” She gently touched the tiny detailed pendant.
“Well, I didn’t nick it if that’s what you’re asking.” I took the necklace and draped it around her neck, fastening beneath the fall of her hair.
“You didn’t have to do that, Lucas. It’s so expensive.” She looked at her reflection, running her fingers along the chain.
“A hundred quid is nothing, love.” I sounded like a bit of a wanker, but it was the truth. It was a drop in the bucket for me.
“I’m not sure I can accept this,” she argued, still caressing it.
I kissed the side of her neck. “It looks lovely on you. Of course you can keep it. It’s a gift. I wouldn’t have bought it if I didn’t want you to have it.”
She still seemed unsure so I kissed her mouth so she couldn’t argue with me about it any more.
“Thank you, Lucas. You can be pretty sweet when you want to be.” Her eyes sparkled and I liked seeing her happy. It made me happy.
“Don’t tell anyone. It’ll ruin my street cred.”
She mimed zipping her lips. “Your secret is safe with me. Promise.”
We couldn’t stop smiling at each other. I couldn’t stop smiling period. I couldn’t remember the last time I enjoyed myself with another person like this. With a hand on the small of her back, we took the lift to the lobby where I had arranged for a car to meet us out front. Neither of us was hungry after eating at Spitalfield’s, so we had decided to head straight to the club Alan had told me about.
It was already after ten by the time we headed across town.
Morgan held my hand in the back of the car and I liked the way it felt to be here with her. I realized I hadn’t thought of another woman in weeks.
Not since pushing my way into the toilet at the Thorny Rose.
Huh.
That was new.
“So where’s this place we’re going? I’ve never been one for the whole club scene; so don’t expect me to dance. The most you can get out of me is drunken swaying. Maybe some bouncing with my hands above my head if I’m feeling particularly wild,” she informed me with a smile on her face.
“We can drunkenly sway together, okay?”
