For future reference, is there an app that could do that for me?
Apps. Fuck. She’s not ready to be exposed to the online dating world. To men whose lies fall easily, their sole focus the end of the date and whether or not there will be fucking. I know it’s not that black and white—I’ve had both Tinder and E-Volve on my phone. They’re like takeaway for relationships. A quick and unsatisfying fix. Something to fill the whole, pardon the pun.
But that’s not to say it only works one way because there are plenty of women out there in search of the same kind of connection. Women interested in nothing but an uncomplicated fuck. And more power to them. That’s where these apps have their use; joining people whose wants and desires intersect.
That’s not Heather.
Heather’s plan is barely sane.
And yeah, so I’m offering to protect her. But not out of the goodness of my heart.
I’m not going to be passive. I’ll be pulling out all the stops because I’ll be fucked if I’m going to let her walk off at the end of this. Walk off into the sunset holding someone else’s hand.
Someone who doesn’t deserve her.
Someone who hadn’t worked hard to be seen by her—truly seen.
Someone she’s chosen because she thinks he’s a safe bet.
Because I can tell her something for nothing, something I’ve learned recently, and that’s none of us are safe from love. And she’s not safe from mine.
28
Heather
I’d imagined datingArcher on a semipermanent basis would be awkward, at least to begin with. I hadn’t expected it to be anywhere as easy as it is. There are no forced conversations, no awkward pauses with gaps to be filled, and we spend much of our time laughing or arguing. Or laughing while arguing. And in the process of this, I’ve come to know so many of his smiles. The languid and lazy ones that are nothing but sin and seduction. His cheeky smiles and his boyish ones and my absolute favourite, the entirely spontaneous one that take ups half of his face.
That phrase,joie de vivre?It could’ve been created for him. He has a joy for life that’s infectious, and lives life at such a frenetic pace. And he seems to be invited to everything! Trips to the pub, house and dinner parties, and events and openings of things. There are client functions to attend where he insists I come along as his plus one, as his partner in life, crime, and career.Even if it is just temporary.
Last week,we were at a business function when I told a PR bitch that, not only was Archer gay, but he liked twinks. I told her, as a (gorgeously) full figured individual, and a woman no less, she’d be last on his list of easy fucks.
She deserved it. She should’ve been more discreet. Because I overheard her telling her friend she wasgonna hit that.
Not on my watch, bitch.
Weird, but when I told Archer all this, he seemed highly entertained.
He has such a full and varied social life that I sometimes find it hard to believe he has space on his calendar for work. He really is the proverbial life of the party. People just seem to flock to him. Of course, he’s not the one working two jobs. So in order to spend “quality” time together, we’d planned to spend Saturday mornings together. Maybe a brisk walk with Elvis, followed by a little breakfast in a dog friendly café somewhere, allowing me to head off to work in the afternoon. In reality, it hasn’t quite gone according to plan and I’ve begun to pass more and more of my responsibilities onto Daisy, who thankfully needs the money, and makes a fabulous swashbuckling pirate as well as a beautiful fairy.
However, this Saturday morning is a very rare day because neither Daisy nor I are required this afternoon. I feel like I’ve been neglecting my friends so suggest the three of us meet for brunch.
‘Where did his sexiness take you last night?’ Daisy asks over eggs benny.
‘How do you know we went anywhere?’
‘Because you’ve barely had a night in since you started to date him.’
This is true. Even on the rare occasion we don’t have plans, we seem to end up together.
‘She means fake-date him,’ Vee interjects.
‘We went to a diner in Spitalfields,’ I respond, ignoring that. We’re not fake dating. Everything about our relationship is real, except the bit where we intend it to last. Also in the way where I can’t really be sure how Archer feels. I mean, I know he feelssomethings and insomeways. I know when he’s unhappy because he gets all pensive, like last night, for instance.
‘A diner? That doesn’t sound very exciting for a Friday night outing.’ Vivi spears a lump of halloumi on her fork, examining it critically before popping it into her mouth.
‘At first glance, that’s what I thought. Although pancakes and maple syrup for dinner sounded pretty good.’ Especially as we’d gone straight to his place from work, bypassing dinner in favour of tumbling into bed.No food was had, just lots of devouring.Sex with Archer is always pretty special and I’m finding that with each day that passes, I become more and more comfortable in my own skin. Maybe because I spend so much time in it when I’m with him.
Yep, I mean naked.
