Ollie’s eyes burn through me. I push back the memories of us skin to skin, and remind myself I have a job to do.
When I finish, I ask them to do a few lengths of the pool, not just because it’s good for them, but because I want a head start on the steam room myself. No matter how much I’ve grown in the past few weeks, I am nowhere near ready to sit in a steam room semi-clothed with half the rugby team.
Through the dimly lit tiles and eucalyptus-infused steam, I can barely see a thing. Enjoying the way the heat engulfs me, I relax back and inhale a lungful of hot moisture, relishing the way it seeps inside my core. The gentle click of the door opening does not surprise me. I’d bet everything I own the first person to join me is my secret boyfriend. My lips curl into a smile as he takes a seat and the slippery bench next to me and pats around until he finds my thigh and strokes it with affection.
‘You’re going to be the death of me in that swimsuit.’ His voice weaves through the steam as he leans closer towards me, clumsily searching for the zip of my costume. ‘Does this come all the way down?’ He gives the zip a little tug to test it.
‘It does.’ I place my hand over his swimming shorts and a low groan exits his chest.
‘I can’t wait to unwrap you later.’ His lips find mine, and he pulls me on top of him, a thigh either side of his powerful legs.
Knowing we could get caught heightens my desire for him, even though I’m the one insisting on secrecy. ‘Someone might see us.’
Stuart’s voice from across the moist, hot haze startles both of us. ‘They already did.’
ChapterTwenty-Six
OLLIE
Amy exits the steam room without a word. Though I can’t make out her face through the steam I don’t doubt her usually tanned complexion is pale and as horrified as my own.
I should have insisted on coming clean to Eddie the minute I knew we had something special. I could kick myself a hundred times over, because if Eddie hears about us from Stuart it will be a million times worse.
Reaching my room, the corridor is empty. I half expected her to be there waiting for me so we can come up with a plan together – we have no choice but to face this head on now. Time is no longer on our side. It’s a luxury we don’t have. There’s no way Stuart will keep his big trap shut, especially after I threw him out of Amy’s room all those months ago.
A sickening feeling settles in the depth of my core. Shame washes over me like a tidal wave. I’ve lied to one of my best friends for months now, carrying on with his little sister behind his back, hiding her under my bed while he had tea with me for fuck’s sake. I love her, but does it justify my bad behaviour? My blatant disrespect for my friend?
I need to tell him now, before somebody else does.
My phone rings from the bedside locker. The nickname I have for Amy illuminates the screen, taunting me: Forever.
I swipe to answer. ‘Amy.’
‘What a fucking mess.’ Her sobs are audible over the phone line. She rarely swears. The fact she dropped the F-bomb shows how serious the situation is.
‘We need to tell him.’ My voice is final. There’s no arguing with it.
‘He will kill you, and me. It won’t end well.’ A desperation rings in her tone.
‘This thing between us is real, Amy, I need to make him see that before the damage is irreparable and I lose him forever.’
‘Before you losehimforever?’
‘Yeah. It looks terrible, sneaking around, fucking my friend’s sister.’
‘I see.’ Her voice is low, suddenly cold.
‘I’m going to tell him.’
‘Don’t. All Stuart has is a hazy flirtation.’ She pauses before adding, ‘And that’s all he’s going to have.’ Her detached tone pricks at every hair on my neck.
‘Don’t be like that, Amy.’
‘Look, it’s been fun. A lot of fun.’ She exhales a loaded sigh. ‘I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. But maybe we should quit while we’re ahead?’ Her blasé disregard for our future winds me.
‘Amy, you don’t mean that…’ My throat is tight, my chest constricts as if my swollen heart’s shattering against my ribcage. Nausea chokes my chest.
‘I do, Ollie. This talk of eloping, it was only ever a fantasy. These past few months holed up in each other’s beds have been amazing. I’m just beginning to think that out in the real world, we might not work quite so well.’ She disconnects the call.
