sleep,’ Jacob whispered, holding Max in one hand and in the other his raggedy bear.
‘Would you like Uncle Cross to tell you a bedtime story?’ Cross suggested, re-entering the room, and sat on the sofa beckoning for Jake and Max to join him.
‘Yay, Uncle Cross’s stories are always the best,’ Jake shouted, sitting next to his clearly favourite narrator, ready to start. I excused myself and went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, and noting the window seat, pushed open the window and breathed in the moonlit air. The earlier rain had long gone and the autumn leaves were starting to fall off the nearby oak tree, clinging on until they could no longer take the gravitational pull downwards, scattering themselves on the ground, bewildered and dejected, exactly how I was feeling right now. There was a knock on the bathroom door, Nicholi entered, joining me on the window seat and taking my hand in his, kissed my fingers.
‘My mom is coming to visit tomorrow and if you would do me the honour of accepting my invitation, I would like to take you out for the evening,’ Nicholi explained, looking slightly apprehensive of the reaction he would be receiving.
‘Like a date?’ I questioned, still feeling very unsure of him and myself.
‘A date, yes. Would you like to?’ He was stroking my hand with his fingers and instead of answering him I reached across, brushing my lips over his when he pulled me onto him and I forgot everything other than his arms wrapped around me, my legs around him and he groaned briefly, pulling away.
‘Is that a yes then?’ he asked, his voice husky and breathless.
‘Yes,’ I confirmed, untangling myself and headed back to the living room, re-joining the children and eyeing Cross suspiciously as I sat down to listen to the end of the story. All three of them were duelling pirates using plastic golf clubs for swords and ended with a raucous crescendo, walking the plank across the sofa.
I managed to settle the kids back to bed easily, considering how hyperactive Cross had gotten them and decided to go take a shower to reap the healing properties of water. We had not formally discussed the sleeping arrangement, so I just searched for the room Nicholi had left my belongings in and noted that alongside my suitcase lay his travel bag. I smiled to myself, heading to the bathroom and as soon as the water touched my skin I felt instantly revived. I had changed into my pyjamas and was just brushing my hair when I heard movement outside the door.
‘Hey, it’s just me,’ Nicholi confirmed. ‘I took the liberty of leaving your stuff in here with mine when I was hauling everything from the car earlier, but I can move mine or yours to another room if you prefer?’ He was trying to be cool in his tone, but failing miserably.
‘This room is fine,’ I began. ‘For all our things,’ opening the door and finding Nicholi perched on the end of the bed, arms reached out to greet me. I padded over and climbed into his arms and he announced it was his turn to shower. I flopped back onto the bed, surveying the room.
There was the standard wooden king size bed in the middle of the room, a large open fire as the focal point with an exquisite print above of the lake house and the surrounding wilderness.
‘That picture is beautiful,’ I began. ‘Who is the artist?’ raising my voice a little as Nicholi had left the bathroom door open.
‘That’s my mom, she is an amazing artist,’ he confirmed proudly. ‘I can’t wait for you to meet her tomorrow.’ I suddenly felt nervous, meeting the parent.
‘Hey, Nic, you mind if I switch the TV on?’ I asked, looking somewhat perplexed as the usual standard was plasma screens and here there was no TV to be seen.
‘Sure.’ I heard the electric razor shut off, its motor ceasing abruptly and Nicholi walked back into the room. ‘Find it yet?’ he asked, grinning at my failed investigation into the drinks cabinet. ‘Sit back on the bed
‘Would you like Uncle Cross to tell you a bedtime story?’ Cross suggested, re-entering the room, and sat on the sofa beckoning for Jake and Max to join him.
‘Yay, Uncle Cross’s stories are always the best,’ Jake shouted, sitting next to his clearly favourite narrator, ready to start. I excused myself and went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, and noting the window seat, pushed open the window and breathed in the moonlit air. The earlier rain had long gone and the autumn leaves were starting to fall off the nearby oak tree, clinging on until they could no longer take the gravitational pull downwards, scattering themselves on the ground, bewildered and dejected, exactly how I was feeling right now. There was a knock on the bathroom door, Nicholi entered, joining me on the window seat and taking my hand in his, kissed my fingers.
‘My mom is coming to visit tomorrow and if you would do me the honour of accepting my invitation, I would like to take you out for the evening,’ Nicholi explained, looking slightly apprehensive of the reaction he would be receiving.
‘Like a date?’ I questioned, still feeling very unsure of him and myself.
‘A date, yes. Would you like to?’ He was stroking my hand with his fingers and instead of answering him I reached across, brushing my lips over his when he pulled me onto him and I forgot everything other than his arms wrapped around me, my legs around him and he groaned briefly, pulling away.
‘Is that a yes then?’ he asked, his voice husky and breathless.
‘Yes,’ I confirmed, untangling myself and headed back to the living room, re-joining the children and eyeing Cross suspiciously as I sat down to listen to the end of the story. All three of them were duelling pirates using plastic golf clubs for swords and ended with a raucous crescendo, walking the plank across the sofa.
I managed to settle the kids back to bed easily, considering how hyperactive Cross had gotten them and decided to go take a shower to reap the healing properties of water. We had not formally discussed the sleeping arrangement, so I just searched for the room Nicholi had left my belongings in and noted that alongside my suitcase lay his travel bag. I smiled to myself, heading to the bathroom and as soon as the water touched my skin I felt instantly revived. I had changed into my pyjamas and was just brushing my hair when I heard movement outside the door.
‘Hey, it’s just me,’ Nicholi confirmed. ‘I took the liberty of leaving your stuff in here with mine when I was hauling everything from the car earlier, but I can move mine or yours to another room if you prefer?’ He was trying to be cool in his tone, but failing miserably.
‘This room is fine,’ I began. ‘For all our things,’ opening the door and finding Nicholi perched on the end of the bed, arms reached out to greet me. I padded over and climbed into his arms and he announced it was his turn to shower. I flopped back onto the bed, surveying the room.
There was the standard wooden king size bed in the middle of the room, a large open fire as the focal point with an exquisite print above of the lake house and the surrounding wilderness.
‘That picture is beautiful,’ I began. ‘Who is the artist?’ raising my voice a little as Nicholi had left the bathroom door open.
‘That’s my mom, she is an amazing artist,’ he confirmed proudly. ‘I can’t wait for you to meet her tomorrow.’ I suddenly felt nervous, meeting the parent.
‘Hey, Nic, you mind if I switch the TV on?’ I asked, looking somewhat perplexed as the usual standard was plasma screens and here there was no TV to be seen.
‘Sure.’ I heard the electric razor shut off, its motor ceasing abruptly and Nicholi walked back into the room. ‘Find it yet?’ he asked, grinning at my failed investigation into the drinks cabinet. ‘Sit back on the bed
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