Gloria stabbed a piece of chicken and pastry onto her fork. “Actually, it was the best time. You, your brother, your sister, all running around like hooligans down by the river. Me and your dad would sit in deckchairs and have bets on which one of you would fall in first.”
“Lionel,” Sloan said, smiling at the memory.
“Usually,” Gloria continued. Matty stayed quiet, enjoying the story and the way one simple question had changed the whole shape of the table. “And then you’d go charging in to fish him out.”
“It was barely two feet deep—he was a big baby,” Sloan added.
“He still is. Typical man, leaving it all to the only one of you competent enough to sort anything.”
Sloan swallowed the mouthful and reached for the wine.Was that a compliment? Without the backhand?
“Is he older or younger?” Matty asked, sliding her hand beneath the table to settle gently on Sloan’s leg.
“Lionel is the oldest,” Gloria said. “Then it’s the two girls. Janet is the baby.”
“Sounds like you and Mr S built a beautiful family,” Matty said softly.
Gloria reached for her wine, her gaze settling on Sloan. “We did.”
***
When lunch was over, Matty walked back to the car with Sloan and Gloria. She waited as Gloria got settled into the front seat. Sloan leaned in to help with the seatbelt and got swatted away.
“I can do it,” Gloria said.
Sloan backed up and straightened, exhaling hard. “Fine.”
Matty reached for her, taking her hand and pulling her a few feet away from the car. “She can do it.”
“I know, I just…” Sloan ran a hand through her hair. “I wanted to help, that’s all.”
“I know, and she knows, but still…she has to learn.” Matty touched Sloan’s cheek. “And so do you.”
Sloan leaned into the touch. “Do you need a lift?”
Shaking her head, Matty said, “Wrong direction, but I’ll be fine. It’s only a ten-minute walk.”
“I wish you didn’t have to work.”
Matty grinned. “Trust me, I wish that too.” She stepped forward. “I can still almost feel you between my legs.”
Sloan blushed. She glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then said, “What time do you finish work?”
“Late. Three, usually.”
“I’ll book you an Uber. Come to me. I’ll wait up.” Her lips ghosted across Matty’s. “And I’ll take care of that ache for you…”
“Fuck. Sloan…” Matty whispered. “Do you know what you do to me? How wet you make me?”
“Apparently, yes.”
“I’m in. Are we sitting here all day?” Gloria shouted.
Sloan kissed her hard but quick. “I’ll leave a key under the mat. Let yourself in and—”
“Don’t worry, I can find my way into your bed.” Matty grinned. “Go on, take Her Majesty home.”
She watched as Sloan climbed into the driver’s seat, pulled her seatbelt across, and started the engine. When it roared into life, the window came down and Sloan’s arm slid out, waving as she pulled away.
