The Freefall Trilogy (Complete Collection) (10 page)

'So glad you approve Miss
Simkins,' Josh grinned, sinking into the sofa beside her.  He sat closer this time.  Lucy felt a tug and watched him pull the bottle from her fingers, cheekily taking a swig and clunking it down on the coffee table.  Her stomach fluttered as he pulled her into his lap. 

'I know I went overboard today,' Josh blinked up at her. 

She hesitantly placed her hands on his chest to steady herself.

'And I know that
Froggy's tried to explain why.'

Lucy took a tiny, sharp intake of breath.

'Your girlfriend?' she breathed.

Josh stared at her for a moment, then closed his eyes. 

'Her name was Jessica,' he sighed, shaking his head. 

That didn't help. 

'Lucy...  You're my girlfriend now.' 

She
blinked and her eyes glazed over.

'You know, I really wish he hadn't said anything,' said Josh.  'I could see you were upset in the pub.'

'He told me you were still angry at me,' Lucy murmured.

She frowned.  Was
Froggy lying?  Was he making it up?

'I was,' Josh smirked.  'I still am, a little bit... 

'But other than that little incident, you did brilliantly today.  You deserved a few beers.  Let your hair down, celebrate...  Then you walk in, looking like... ... ...  Well... like
this
.'

He glanced up at her and sighed, running his hand through his hair.

'I don't deserve sympathy,' Josh told her flatly, dipping his head, green eyes fixing her hard.  'I could see it in the way you looked at me when you sat down.  I don't need you to mother me. 

'I don't want you to be here out of pity, Lucy.  I want you to be here because
you
want to be.'

His hand smoothed her back, the other catching her chin and tilting it upwards; making her look at him. 

'I do!' she blinked, frowning hard. 

'Good!' Josh frowned back playfully and smiled.

She had to admit though, he did have a point.  Her first instinct was to
make it all better
.

'Your face was a picture when I touched your bum,' Joshua grinned. 

Lucy stared at him.

That's because you've never done it before...

Her eyes flickered.  She felt his hand on the back of her thigh.  His palm slid up, squeezing her hard. 

Lucy gave a ragged sigh, her eyes drawing shut.  She heard his breath hitch, his hands gripping her backside.  Her legs slid around him, knees sinking into the sofa either side of his hips.  She felt him push against her.  Lucy's head fell back. 

'Lucy, you can tell me to stop anytime you want to,' he whispered.

When she opened her eyes, she found his dark.  He pushed again, green eyes watching her.  She caught the whimper in her throat, swallowing it back.  Thick black lashes fluttered shut over crystal blue.  She was breathless; her cheeks were flushed.  She felt his fingers on her chin, drawing her head back.  She felt his lips on her throat. 

Her hands slid across his chest, gripping his taught upper arms, holding on for dear life.  She felt his fingers at the hem of her t-shirt: one at the front, one at the back.  Her breath hitched; her heart started to pound.  One hand slid up, warm and rough, pressed in the small of her back.  The fingers of his other hand stroked her stomach in a feather-light glance.  His lips worked their way along her jaw in a string of breathless kisses.  She grabbed at the shoulders of t-shirt, almost ripping it as his hips flexed again.  The whimper she'd been fighting back burst from her lips.

'Lucy...'

David Gray was singing
Sail Away. 
She blinked down.  Joshua's stare was scorching.  Suddenly, his hands were in her hair, pulling her mouth down on his.  Lucy's arms wove around his neck, their lips meeting.  Josh stroked the nape of her neck, fingers slipping through her short hair as he started to deepen the kiss.

Lucy froze, her eyes shooting open, the smell of stale sweat rising up.  She broke away quickly, elbows clamping against her ribs, pulling out of his arms, flipping back onto the sofa beside him.

Josh blinked at her.

'Are you OK?'

She scanned the room, saw the beer on the coffee table; leant forward and grabbed it, elbows still clamped to her sides.  She took a swig, attempting nonchalance. 

'Me?  Yeah, course!' she croaked.  'I'm fine!'

He watched her for a moment, before his gaze fell to his lap.  Josh started chewing his fingers.

'Do you think...  Would it be all right if I took a shower?' Lucy ventured.

He stared back at her, drawing his hand from his mouth.  He nodded back quickly.

'Sure.  No problem.'

Josh sat on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling; listening to the hum of hot water.  He'd switched David Gray off (useless git).  He was chewing his fingers again; he'd already finished his beer.  And hers.  And another one too.

Five feet above him stood a little naked girl he was dying to get his hands on.  Joshua sighed, running his hands down his
stubbled cheeks.

She flinched as she came out of the bathroom, clutching onto that crunchy little towel for dear life.  A swathe of steam followed her.  Her skin was pink from the hot water.  She had perfectly pedicured feet.  He stared at a little freckle on her ankle; watched a rivulet of water engorge it; following the train up to the hem of the towel.  Her legs were lovely.  He could imagine them... 
No, no. 
Josh turned back to the linen cupboard again.

He yanked out a pillow and blanket, rising up with a smile.

'Did you find everything you needed?'

Lucy nodded at him.

'Good.  Well, the bedroom's this way.'

He led her down the creaky corridor, rubbing his head with one hand, holding the bundle of bedding with the other.  He pushed open his bedroom door, glad he'd had the foresight to tidy ahead, flicking on the light.

'Here we are.'

'
Uhm....  Thanks.'

'If you want anything give me a shout,' he said huskily, studying the floorboards.  He scowled.

Is that a sock under the bed?

'I think I'm OK.'

He glanced up at her briefly.

'Well, all right then.  Night night.'

A quick peck on the lips and he scampered downstairs.

Lucy sat in the window seat with the lights off.  It could have been minutes; it could have been hours.  There were two owls out there; a twit and a
twoo.  She wanted to see them.  She'd only seen a real one at Paignton Zoo.

And she thought she did.  She sat squinting down at the back garden for an age before the security light came on.  Lucy's owl turned out to be a plant pot.  She watched a fox's brushy tail disappearing into the thicket.  She looked out across the blackened hills; up into a sky that went on forever, staring at the stars.

It was chilly sitting there.  The windows were draughty.  Her hair clung to her head; thick, cold and wet.  She shuddered as the occasional rivulet ran down the back of her neck, drawing the towel tighter around her shoulders.

Lucy heard the house creaking and groaning beneath her.  She wondered how old it was.  It seemed a bit creepy.  The window panes were warped, distorting the moon.  They must have been ancient; hand blown.  She heard another creak.  Lucy's eyes bulged in the darkness, her senses heightened.  She almost jumped out of her skin as she head a tap at the door.

'Lucy?  Are you still up?'

The dim light from downstairs cast his shadow across the room, growing ever larger as the door creaked open.  He walked towards her.  She sniffed, wiping her face with the back of her hands. 

Josh froze, standing over her.

'What's wrong?  Why are you crying?'

'I'm not!' she lied, pulling the towel from her neck, wiping her face with it.  'I'm just wet from the shower.'

'That was over an hour ago,' he said suspiciously.

'My hair's still damp.'

She watched him put his hands on his hips.  He didn't have his t-shirt on; she traced a swathe of downy hair down to his abdomen.  She'd never seen it before.

'Lucy...  Why aren't you in bed?'

'I couldn't sleep.'

'That's because you've got the curtains open.'

'I always have the curtains open,' she shrugged back at him.  'I like to look at the stars.'

Josh sighed, running his hand through his hair.

'Budge up,' he said to her.

Lucy blinked up at him for a moment, then did as she was told,
scooching down the soft window seat cushion; holding the t-shirt by the hem so it wouldn't ride up.   Josh slid behind her, back against the wall, legs splayed either side of her.  He was still wearing his jeans, one knee crooked against the window, the other foot resting on the floor, pulling her back between his legs so that they could look at the sky together.

'Your hair's soaking,' he said disapprovingly.  She leant forward.  His hands clamped on her shoulders pulling her back onto his warm stomach.  She felt his fingers gently massaging her neck.  Lucy relaxed into him, closing her eyes.  She heard a twit-twit
twoo.  A smile creased her lips.

That feels nice.

'Do you still think of him?' he asked quietly. 

Lucy's eyes blinked open.  She frowned.

'Think of who?'

His fingers stilled.

'The banker.'

She stared up at him.  She saw his jaw flex in the blue light.

'No.'

'It's OK if you do,' he said, smoothing threads of wet hair back from her forehead. 

She could tell by his face that it wasn't.

'I don't!'

Not like that; not in a romantic sense.  Why on earth would she?

'I always thought you'd go back to him,' he said quietly, massaging her neck once more. 

Lucy stiffened, gaping at him.

'What would I do that for?'

Josh shrugged.

'Because he's got prospects.'

'He's been living with his parents since he moved out,' she mumbled, closing her eyes.

'I bet he's got a flash car.'

Lucy snorted.

'He drives a Peugeot.  It came with the job.  And when he loses it, as he has several others, then it will go back again.'

'He must have been able to afford some nice holidays.'

She grinned, eyes rolling up to his.

'Are you kidding me?  He spent most of his days off playing on his X-Box!'

Josh stared down at her, fingers stilling again.

'I don't want to be the rebound guy.'

Lucy blinked back, reaching up, wrapping her fingers around his.

'You're not,' she breathed.  'Why would you think that?'

He shrugged, looking out of the window, stroking the backs of her knuckles with his thumbs agitatedly.