Page 62 of It Was Always You

His nostrils flared. ‘Don’t try to deny it. I know you. I know your fecking game.’

Humph, don’t know me that well then, do you? ‘Oooh, you got me, Adam. Ooh, you must let me pick out the girl of your dreams because I’ve got nothing better going on in my life.’ She turned away from him. ‘And for an English teacher, you do seem to have a limited vocabulary,’ she muttered.

He growled out, ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘All that effing this and effing that. It’s not attractive, Adam.’

He scowled angrily. ‘Good job I’m not trying to attract you then, eh?’

Ouch. She didn’t outwardly respond. How could she? He had no idea how much his words had hurt her.

A taxi pulled up and she took off Adam’s jacket and threw it at him. ‘Go back and find Gina, Adam. I’m going home,’ she said, feeling defeated and hurt.

Clambering into the taxi, she tried to slam the door, but Adam grabbed it and climbed in after her.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Can’t you just piss off? I can’t be bothered now. I’m tired and I’ve got a headache. I just want to go home.’

He folded his arms over his chest. ‘Yeah, well, we may as well share a taxi ’cause I’m going home too.’ There was a silent pause. ‘Ten fecking eighty for two beers.’ He shook his head.

She sighed and leaned her head on the window.

TRACK 26

‘WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU’ (FOREIGNER)

The next morning, Lily came downstairs to find Adam asleep on the couch. He had followed her out of the taxi and tried to talk to her, but she had just walked up the stairs, slammed her bedroom door, and gone to bed. Instead of sleeping in her spare room as he usually did, he had crashed on the sofa. She had no clue why.

Rubbing her eyes and yawning, she began to make a pot of fresh coffee. When she turned around, he was leaning against the doorframe in his T-shirt and boxers. His arms were folded across his broad chest, his hair was all over the place, and he had fresh stubble around his jaw line. She paused for a moment and wondered what the stubble would feel like grazing against her skin, what it would be like to see him like this every morning. She shook her head and turned away when she realised she was staring.

‘Morning,’ he croaked.

‘Morning,’ she replied, carrying on with the coffee preparation.

‘Look, I’ve been thinking, Lil⁠—’

She turned towards him and mirrored his stance. Her arms crossed over her chest. ‘Oh?’

‘Yeah… look… I know why you didn’t want me hooking up with that Nina woman.’

‘Gina.’

He threw his arms up. ‘Shit… Gina… God, what’s wrong with me?’

A wry smile pulled at her lips. ‘You were saying?’

‘Right, yes… I think that maybe you thought I shouldn’t go for the type of woman who picks up men in bars. Am I right?’ He cringed.

Her heart squeezed, he looked so adorable. She wanted to throw her arms around him and declare her undying love. Luckily she managed to restrain the urge.

She cleared her throat as she saw her get-out. ‘Yes, yes, that’s exactly it, Adders. She was obviously on the lookout for a one-night shag and you’re worth more than that. You deserve the real thing. Not some desperate tart out for a quick fondle.’

He walked over and encased her in his arms. ‘I’m sorry for being an arse. I knew it… I lay awake for ages last night just trying to figure out why you were so pissed off and then it dawned on me. I’m sorry for upsetting you. You’ve done a lot to try and help me, and I do appreciate it. I just feel a bit like a fish out of water, you know?’

He smelled all manly and his body was hard and warm against her softness. She blinked up at him. His nose was an inch away from hers… all it would take was…

She snapped herself back to earth and pulled away. ‘Yeah, well, that’s what friends are for, eh?’ she said as jovially as she could.

‘Aye, Lil. And you’re the best.’