He took her hand within his own and led her into the bedroom, closing the door swiftly behind them with the kick of his left heel. He flicked the light off and pulled her into his chest, kissing her pale lips passionately and cupping her face in his hands. The feeling felt overpowering as he moved her body back towards the bed stop stop stop but the desire was too great and she was allowing him to go further. Somewhere in their time apart she had managed to grow more beautiful. Her skin was glowing with a radiance and he wasn't sure if it had always been this velvety or that he was just noticing it now for the first time. She felt smaller in his arms and he wondered if breaking her heart had forced her to lose her appetite. Alison pulled his body on top of her own as the two of them fought with their mouths and tongues to kiss more passionately than the other. Mark loved this new found confidence in Alison and the hurried nature of her yearning, something he had never experienced when they were together. He was use to their sex being fun yet mundane and almost routine, clicking the light switch off at night, lying next to one another for a few minutes before one of their hands strayed southwards. This new Alison was more dominating and more active; Mark didn't know if it was because she had missed him or because she had not had sex in a very long time, either way, he was loving it. She forced his body upright and pulled his shirt up over his head as he attempted to take her blouse off at the same time. Neither their bodies or minds could work fast enough as they tried to shorten the time before he would be inside her. Mark pulled away and undid his own pants as Alison hastily pulled her underwear down. They both had at least one item of clothing on when they finally got to the stage of intercourse. Mark had almost forgotten the sensation and excitement that can only be generated by sex, and he wondered if the sexual revolution of Alison was due to her having more conquests in his absence. He kissed the rivett of her neck as she grabbed for the back of his head, pulling his hair between her fingers and letting an audible moan sound out in his ear. The sound made his head spin and within five more seconds, the act was over. The two of them lay on top of one another panting and breathing heavily. Alison kept her hand on Mark's head but had released his hair from her grasp. Both of them thought that this was the single most satisfying sexual encounter they had ever had with the other person. In the throes of passion they had failed to remember the importance of contraception as this realisation made itself known to Alison. She could feel the wet and sticky substance inside her and the almost instant bloatey feeling it gave.
"Whoops." Was all Mark could manage to say.
The two of them lay there for a few moments before Mark rolled off to the side and lied next to Alison. With their eyes fixated on the ceiling, both reluctant to look the other in the eye, the wave of emotion that had overpowered them moments ago began to subside. A million thoughts raced through Alison's head as she struggled to decipher what had happened, a typical female response, she thought. Why did he want to see her? Does this mean he wants her back? But knowing Mark like she did she assumed he had just in fact missed her, the scent of her skin and the touch of her warm body, not necessarily missing what he had with her. Mark grabbed a tissue from the nearby bedside table and began wiping himself down, a little embarrassed to do this in front Alison despite the fact he had done so hundreds of times in their past. He pulled his tangled jeans up around his waist as Alison took the cue to start cleaning herself, also.
"Do you regret it?" Mark asked wearily.
"Only the fact that I'm going to have to take the morning after pill."
"Hmm."
Mark jumped out of the bed and pulled Alison up towards him. Both leaned in for a kiss but Mark stopped suddenly on the path towards her lips, looking shyly away, not wanting to give her any more hope about their situation. In Mark's mind, what they had done was purely in a moment of passion, it didn't mean anything in terms of their relationship, it was only a bit of fun. Alison could feel Mark pull away from her but she shrugged it off as nothing more than mundane. He had never been much of a kisser in their relationship, she had probably touched his penis before she touched his lips, and the kissing she experienced moments ago was purely sexual. A kiss after the fact would mean something else.
"Tea?" Mark asked, hoping Alison would shrug away their almost near kiss.
"Sure."
"English Breakfast?"
As Mark made his way into the kitchen, Alison continued to tidy herself up and regroup her thoughts. She moved into the ensuite bathroom and was thankful that she still looked half decent despite the bedroom hair and smudge lines of her makeup. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail she could hear Mark beginning to make tea in the kitchen, the familiar sound that had once been so everyday to her now seemed like a hurried motion, eager to get the after effect over, done with, and out. She placed her hands on the basin of the sink and greeted the eyes of the person staring back at her in the reflection. What the fuck did you do that for you stupid, stupid cow. Alison shook her head and took a large gulp of water under the tap, wary not to splash the water on her made up face or straightened hair. In the early days of their relationships, probably the first year, she had always made the effort to look presentable in Mark's presence. She hated it when he saw her without makeup or without her hair done, even after a shower when she looked painstakingly plain. Since the breakup she had wanted, amongst many other things, to look her best in every way possible, in the hope that Mark might see her and wish her back. This hadn't happened, he had only sent an sms, but the look he gave her when he had opened the door to her, a mere twenty minutes ago, she knew he was gobsmacked by what he saw. She had lost about ten kilos of weight and it gave her body a whole new demeanour, she even walked differently from the new found slimness in her thighs, and her cheekbones had become more prominent and defining, making her face seem almost striking. These physical changes were nothing compared to the changes she had made to her wardrobe, makeup and hair. She had probably spent two grand since the breakup on new clothes, the best brand of makeup and the best quality hair straightener, curler and blow dryer. She had, for the first time in her life, understood what it meant to really make an effort. She had always managed to look good before, but never this good. This look put her in a whole other league. This look made her almost unattainable. As she exited the bathroom to join Mark in the kitchen, her heart started to race a little and she could feel herself blush when he looked up and handed her a cup of tea. His pet dog, Wally, was lingering at her feet and she wondered if the mutt had remembered her. She seemed to smell familiar, at least, he was wagging his tail as he snuffed around her ankles.
"Shall we sit down?"
Mark gestured and the two of them found their way to opposing chairs on his mother's kitchen table. Alison had never liked the table, she always thought it was too big for the space it was held, and the seats of the chairs were incredibly narrow, feeling the pinch on either side of your thigh as you sat there, discomforted, trying to eat a wonderfully cooked meal.
"I was surprised you'd come." Mark didn't look her in the eye as he spoke. Instead, his attention had turned to drinking his tea and patting his dog. Such simple distractions, Alison thought. She wished he'd look up and notice the effort she had gone to, just to come to his house and get fucked within the space of two minutes.
"I was surprised you messaged."
"Hmm. I guess I missed you."
Alison looked at Mark, the former love of her life, and she began analysing the way he looked. There was not much difference in his appearance at all. It was obvious that he had recently got a haircut and recently shaved, but he still had his oval and plump face, a belly that stuck out further than it should, eyes that always seemed to be too close together, not that he could change that. The clothes he was wearing were new, looked more expensive, and she knew it was his sister that had probably picked them out for him. She looked at him and wondered, is this really the most attractive man I've ever laid eyes on? The immediate answer was a deafening no, but it was something she had always thought about them when they were together. She loved his brown hair and blue eyes, but she loved that look on all men, not just Mark. She liked his smile but on closer inspection, luckily he was smiling down at Wally who was just sat there looking gormless, his smile seemed to point downwards. It was strange, he smiled upside down. Why had she never noticed this before? He had smiled a million times in her presence, how could she not notice that instead of pulling his cheeks upwards he pulled his bottom lip upwards. Extraordinary.
"I've just realised, you smile up-side-down."
Mark looked up and gave her a puzzled look before laughing and smiling, in his natural upside-down way.
"There it is again." Alison laughed with him as he sheepishly, yet every so coyly and cutely, covered his mouth with his left hand and continued to giggle.
"Someone at school once told me that. No one else has really said anything."
"I can't believe I never noticed! How bad is that? Did I never make you smile?"
Although the question was meant in a playful manner, in line with their conversation, the question became a real one, almost relationship based, and she regretted asking it as soon as it fell from her lips. Mark's hand dropped suddenly and his face was stern, borderline cold, as he looked at her.
"Don't be silly. Of course you made me smile." Mark rose and rinsed his cup out in the kitchen sink. Alison had not touched her tea at all and the cup felt cool to the touch. She knew on some level she was delaying the moment when she would be out the door, when she would be back in her car and driving home, via the chemist, regretting being Mark's root and boot.
"I had fun tonight." Alison was sincere in her comment, she loved the passion that had enthralled them, it was something that never happened when they were together, but something she had hoped would happen. That he'd take her in his arms, push her into the door, furiously kiss her and fuck her hard. Not that all of this had happened tonight, but it was the closest she had ever gotten to the fantasy.
"Me too. I haven't had sex in a long time."
"Oh yeah?"
"Hmm."
There was an awkward silence, Alison knew what question was on his lips, but he was too much of a coward to ask her. She reluctantly gave the answer he was seeking.
"It kind of hurt. But I guess it's because I haven't slept with anyone since you."
Mark's eyes lit up and he smiled, momentarily, before trying to force a straight look on his face, she had somehow managed to make himself conscience of his smile.