Finally some peace and quiet! Here in my flat we're secretly stowed away from the band, the demanding modelling agencies, the vicious fan girls and those bullying reporters. In fact, this is the first time we've actually been blessed with the rare luxury of relishing our relationship free of prying onlookers; our previous meetings had been chaperoned by Brian Epstein, and George had been too self-conscious to reveal his feelings for me in front of an audience. So now we're curled up together on my bed, like two anxious children seeking comfort from the dark…the same way I would lay with my brother Colin when our stepfather had so cruelly mistreated us. With warm fingers softly intertwined, we lose ourselves in the welcomed silence that envelopes us and I gaze captivatedly into his meditative eyes. The only sound that washes over us is that of our own shallow breathing and quick, nervous heartbeats. The room is getting stuffy from the heat of our adoration, yet the comforting pillows feel icy cold beneath the itchy heat of my blushing cheek.
After a while, George's stern face gradually breaks into a nervous smile, and an awkward chuckle escapes his toothy grin. Why is he laughing? We haven't uttered a word since we soundlessly crawled onto my bed…so what has made him giggle like this? I feel my already warm cheeks burn to the extent that watery tears of embarrassment are filling my wide eyes, and I pray he isn't laughing at me.
"What's so amusing?" I pout sensitively, trying my hardest to conceal the niggling concerns that he's not genuinely in love with me.
"Nothing," George reassures me in hushed tones but the boyish grin remains on his handsome young face, "it's just…I think you're so beautiful, Pattie."
"Oh!" I'm quite taken aback. Sure, he's professed his love and admired my looks dozens of times on the set of A Hard Day's Night…but that was before things began to get serious between us. He'd just been horsing around then with the lads, and had been sexually involved with so many other women on set; I had understandably doubted the sincerity of his comments. But now, here…alone together…his words seem to ignite a fire deep within my soul.
"Pattie?" he quietly presses me for a response, and I bite my lip thoughtfully (I'm terribly inelegant coping with these situations!).
"Thank you, George." is all I manage to reply, my voice being little more than a frivolous whisper and we're plunged back into protracted silence.
The fabric of my Mary Quant dress creases as I ineptly draw my knees up to my chest and George's trademark Beatle suit is equally as rumpled; he had snuck here straight after a television appearance with the band, and the poor soul had had no time at all to change into clean clothes. I'd even offered him my shower as he wearily entered the flat, but instead he had one simple request for me to fulfil: for us to lie together without a care in the world. He squeezes my tingling hand tighter, and before I know how to react, he's already leant over to my pillowed place to plant a heartfelt kiss on my lips. I sigh blissfully, losing myself to the surprisingly sweet sensation of his velvety lips pressed against mine as his calloused hands dance their way up to my neck. He gradually draws back from the innocent kiss with a lopsided smirk, and I surprise myself by hungrily returning his amorous act. I had always been the shy one in relationships, too timid and afraid to make any physical moves on my part…but with George, I feel we are equals. Breathing shakily, he draws me closer into his heaving chest with his warm arms shielding me from the outside world and our hectic vocations. Another heated kiss and his teeth linger upon my quivering bottom lip as he holds back the desire to make love to me right now. I think he knows I'm not like other girls, and that he respects my reservations of engaging in a physical relationship only two weeks into our courting; I'd been reluctant to lose my virginity to my previous lover and had hoped to remain a virgin until wedded. But I find myself struggling to clutch onto these morals as I feel the heat of his body searing through his shirt, beckoning me to remove the item of clothing and explore the bare skin below.
"Oh my!" we hear a small voice squeak, and we promptly tear apart from our passionate embrace.
Mary Bee (my flatmate) stands in the doorway of our shared bedroom, a comb in one hand and Wee-Wee (our gorgeous black kitten) bundled under her other arm. She's frozen to the spot, her blue eyes darting from me to George; goodness knows how ridiculous we all must look gawping foolishly at each other! I sit up quickly, and apologise for startling her; she's only just getting used to the fact her friend is dating a Beatle! I desperately smooth out the unsightly folds in my dress and try to fix my messy hair (still ruffled from kissing George!). All the time she never takes her large eyes off us and I'm getting incredibly flustered. She's only just learnt of my intimacy with George last week when I thought it was only polite to introduce them both…though I'm not entirely sure how she's taking this.
"Goodness! Mary I'm very sorry about this!" I cry out, my cheeks red hot and eyes wild with shock…but her pretty little mouth has curled into an amused smile and I hear George chuckling beside me, "I didn't expect you to be home from your modelling shoot so early!"
"The photographer had to dash off, don't be sorry! You've done nothing wrong, Dearie!" she giggles tenderly and places little Wee-Wee on the carpeted floor by her dainty feet. I can't help but burst into fits of relieved laughter and I roll into George's warm side. Thank God I'm sharing a flat with lovely Mary!
"Hullo, Mary!" George cheerily calls out in his thick Liverpudlian accent as he drapes his arm around my shoulders.
"Hello again George!" she smiles sweetly at the Beatle before turning back to me, "I'm sorry I startled you, I just didn't expect you to be here with the other half."
"I didn't expect him here either!" I giggle girlishly, and playfully bat a pillow into his face, "He just turned up!"
"I thought I'd surprise you." He snickers and his hands is wrapped around mine affectionately, "I'm not a nasty surprise, am I?"
"No, a very pleasant one!" I grin and he leans in to peck me delicately on the cheek.
"Well, I'm gonna leave you two lovebirds…" Mary begins but I feel guilty for making my flatmate feel uncomfortable in her own home.
"No Mary," I protest flushed, "don't feel you have to leave on our account! We could all go out for a meal together perhaps?"
"It's fine, Pattie!" Mary coos soothingly, "I was going out with some of the girls from the shoot earlier anyway. I'll see you later, dearie…and you too Georgie!"
"Bye, Mary!" George and I call out in unison as she gently closes the bedroom door behind her. Alone again, I lay back down beside my lover and our noses touch. His breath is hot on my lips and I silently watch his deep eyes trace the roundish outline of my face. I gingerly reach up and allow my fingertips to caress his high prominent cheek bones; this is perfection.
"Pattie?" his calm voice is soft music to my ears.
"Yes, George?" I reply, my eyes locking with his in the fading evening light.
"I love you." He responds tenderly and this time our kiss grows into so much more…
All that is but a bittersweet memory now…