A year in people #78(2) – A

Continued from Part One…

We’d started messaging each other while I was away abroad for a year. At first it was just general chit chat about work (we used to work together) and where I’d been, then gradually it got deeper and more personal. He was having relationship issues and I became someone for him to talk to. He’d keep me entertained while I was away with jokes and stories and made me feel like I wasn’t so far away.

When I got back we started to hang out, enjoying our newly discovered friendship that’d been cultivated over many months without actually spending any time together.

He’d split up with his girlfriend and his mates were all coupled up or had kids, and I was newly back in town yet to start work so we both had time on our hands.

I was staying with my parents and they’d headed away on holiday for a couple of weeks, so I suggested we chill there one weekend. We’d been mountain biking during the day then I cooked us dinner. We fancied a pub pint but the rentals lived in the middle of nowhere, so we jumped on the bikes and headed to the local village a couple of miles away and had great fun sinking a few pints with T, a mutual friend/work colleague.

When the time came to leave, we all jumped on our bikes and headed back to the house, riding back giggling, laughing, shrieking and pedalling along like a bunch of kids.

I watched A as he freewheeled down the hill with his legs stuck out, laughing out loud. I followed, the wind in my hair, pedalling furiously to keep up. I pulled alongside and looked at him, both of us with the biggest grins you’d seen.

“This is so much funnnnnnnnnnn.” he shouted over the wind.

“I know right? Woooohoooooo. ” I shouted back.

We were still giggling about it later, when we were sat next to each other on one sofa while T was on the other. I was sat with my feet up when I stretched out and my toe  touched his leg – I swear a jolt of electricity shot through me. I think it shot through him too, because he turned to look at me, his gaze intense and hot. We were just friends, right?

T was oblivious, still chattering away, neither of us really hearing him. I wiggled my toe under his leg more and left it there, and he put his hand down and stroked my foot, out of sight of T.

After what felt like forever, T went to the bathroom. We both watched him go out the door, then A turned to me. I sat up and looked at him. He leaned in. I leaned in.

“I thought he was never going to move.” he said.

“I know right?” I replied, my face so close to his. Kiss me, dammit.

He put his hand on my cheek and I closed my eyes, my skin tingling where his fingers rested.

Finally, I felt his lips on mine.

To be continued…