Morning all. I should be working, but your lovely reviews yesterday gave me so many warm fuzzies, I couldn't wait to get the next chapter up. I'm so glad that you're enjoying this, I find myself beaming from it, and this time around I think I'm enjoying it just as much along with you.

So, I'll be back again tomorrow. Happy Friday to you all... hope the week has left you with a smile on your face.

Love Bananagirl xxx

Chapter 13: In Tandem

SMS unknown: Hi, it's me!

SMS unknown: Hi me! Unknown number though? Care to give me more clues?

SMS Molly: Short, brown hair, green eyes. Woke up wrapped around you this morning. Currently in the bath…

SMS Charles: Rings a bell… ;-) Aren't you supposed to be applying for jobs?

SMS Molly: That's next on the to do list… wanted to text before your writing washed off.

SMS Charles: Very sensible. Do you have a bike?

SMS Molly: In the bath?

SMS Charles: Focus up Dawsey…

SMS Molly: No, don't have a bike. Can ride one though. What are you plotting?

SMS Charles: All will be revealed shortly… do you need help scrubbing your back?

SMS Molly: Now who needs to focus?

-OG-

Molly lay back and let the bubbles surround her, mind fizzing from the playful exchange she reflected on the last 24 hours and wondered what Charles had up his sleeve for the evening. Waking up in his arms that morning had been truly glorious and she idly wondered if she felt so refreshed this morning from sleeping so well, spending time with Charles, the fresh air or a combination of all of the above. Whatever the cause, she felt exhilarated and energised in a way she couldn't remember ever feeling before. It was as though Charles' attentions and interest in her had awoken something deep within her and she liked how it made her feel. She really liked it. Wanting to capitalise on her rush of energy she jumped out the bath and switched the computer on to warm up while she dressed.

Charles grinned as he placed his phone down and returned his concentration to the John Lewis website he was browsing, if Molly was keen to spend more time on the boat with him he wanted to add a few touches to make it a little more luxurious for them. Happy that they stocked what he needed he opened a new window to check the opening hours of one of the shops in town, hoping to call in there on his way to the department store. Seeing what he wanted he glanced at his watch and grabbed his keys to get on his way, only realising when he was still wearing yesterday's clothes once he was already half way to Chichester.

Molly applied a last sweep of lipstick and ran her fingers through her hair. Charles had called earlier to see if she'd like to go to the Duke of Cumberland pub for the evening, he'd heard about it from some mates in the rugby team and thought it sounded fun. They had arranged that he would collect her at 7pm and make their way over together, which was just as well as Molly had never heard of it so had no idea where it was or how to get there. Dead on seven Molly answered the door to a very handsome looking Charles. His jeans hung perfectly off his hips, the tips of his shirt poking out slightly under a thin navy V-necked jumper, she couldn't help but smile to herself as her mind ran to autopilot and she started to imagine running her hands under his jumper and along his back.

He stepped through the threshold towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her towards him and dropping a soft kiss onto her cheek, "You look beautiful"

"Thank you. You scrub up pretty well yourself."

He ran his hand down her arm and linked their fingers together, "Come, your chariot awaits." he said leading her outside.

Molly looked around for Charles' car but couldn't see it, then propped up against the wall she spotted a handlebar and two saddles. "A tandem?" Charles had a mischievous grin plastered across his face, "I take it this is what you were plotting earlier? Did you just happen to have one lying around? Do you take all your women out on it?" She was teasing him, but there was a hint of insecurity behind the question.

He lifted her back on to the wall, having enjoyed the feeling of standing between her legs earlier and wanting to recreate the moment. He stroked his hand through her soft curls before resting his hands on her face looking deeply into her eyes. "To answer your questions, yes a tandem. I thought it would be more fun than getting a taxi so I've hired it from the bike shop, so no not lying around." He paused before continuing, running his thumb along her lip wanting to be sure that she understood. "Molly there is only you, there hasn't been anybody else for a very long time. I don't want to scare you off with intense declarations, but I do want to be honest with you."

She brought her arms up to rest on his shoulders, and nibbled slightly on his thumb, "I'm not scared. There's only you too."

He kissed her then, a slow tender kiss that said there was no need to rush, they had forever. "Glad we got that sorted. Shall we go?"

-OG-

"Strike!" Molly raised her arms above her head and wiggled back towards Charles performing what had now become her victory dance. She was just as competitive as he had imagined and was relishing every point scored over him in the pub's old-fashioned skittles alley taking great pleasure in chalking up her score on the white board next to their table. He couldn't take his eyes of her as she collected the battered looking ball and took aim. "Are you checking out my backside again Charles?" she said giving it a playful wiggle in his direction, "I can feel you watching me!"

"I can't help it if you have an extremely distracting bottom, in fact I blame my abysmal score entirely on your delightful derrière. She took her shot and he took great delight in pulling her towards him and running his fingers over the pockets of her jeans. "Just committing every contour to memory Dawsey" he explained, "might help me to focus up and regain some sense of dignity from the game."

"I think you're long passed that mate!" She laughed and kissed him briefly before pulling back to look at him once again. "Your turn."

-OG-

It was long past midnight as the headlamp on the handlebars lit their journey along the country lanes home. Molly had laughed when Charles had pulled Quayside Primary School reflective waistcoats out his backpack for the journey home, but she had also been impressed by his organisation and thoughtfulness. It had been a perfect evening, the skittles had been the perfect way to break up their endless looking at each other. Her hormones were going crazy with desire for him, his physical attractiveness driving her wild but she found his gentle but authoritative personality very appealing too. He was so attentive to her, and seemed to always want to be in some form of physical contact with her. Prior to this weekend she would have guessed that to be stifling, but now sat close behind him but unable to take her hands off the handle bars to touch him, she found she longed for the feel of his hand in hers or his arm resting around her shoulders again. "Dawsey are you still peddling?"

She wasn't but quickly started again, "Of course I am, road must just be going slightly uphill or something."

"Yeah, that'll be it... You know the more you pedal the sooner we get back."

"Hmm, what if I don't want to get back?"

The question hung in the air for a second longer than normal as he weighed up how to answer.

"I would have thought you'd be dying to hit your pit after roughing it on the boat last night." He knew what he wanted her to say but he didn't want to push his luck. He always struggled to sleep normally, his mind racing from the thousands of jobs he had to attend to at school but last night he had slept like the dead, even with Molly wrapped around him. Suddenly a thought pushed its way to the front of his brain that it was because he'd had Molly wrapped around him that he'd slept so well as she answered seemingly echoing his thoughts.

"I loved last night. Sleeping on the boat was lovely."

"Just the boat that was lovely?"

"Stop fishing for compliments. But I will admit that you do seem to be very good for helping me sleep."

They rounded a corner and pulled up outside Charles' house. He wheeled the bike through the side gate and locked it up before coming back to Molly and taking her hand. "Let's walk the long way around the pond home."

"I really want to ask you to stay Charles, I've had such a lovely evening and I love being held by you. But I don't want you to think I'm offering something I'm not."

"I'm in no hurry Molly." He stopped and turned her to look at him, wanting her to be sure that he meant what he was saying. "I like you and these last 24 hours have been magical, but it has only been 24 hours. I'm not looking to rush things,"

"It's probably more like 30 hours..." She looked at him wondering if he had any flaws, he seemed to be the perfect man. "Thank you."

All too quickly they were at Molly's house. He lifted her into the wall and resumed his now favourite position between her legs to kiss her goodnight. "So, I'll meet you here at 9:30? I've got everything sorted for food and stuff on board so you just need to pack some layers in case it cools off later."

She paused for a second wondering whether or not to say what she wanted to ask, fear of giving mixed messages holding her back before deciding to go for it anyway. "Should I pack my toothbrush?"

He smiled, "I do have history for getting us stranded."

"You do." She agreed.

"Then I think that would be a very good idea." He answered before leaving her once again with a heart stopping goodnight kiss and heading back around the pond.

-OG-

SMS Charles: Are you asleep?

SMS Molly: No. Brain whirling. Had a lovely night.

SMS Charles: Me too. Can't sleep either.

SMS Molly: We have to be up soon, Captain's orders. Trying to imagine I'm on the boat.

SMS Charles: Want to make it more lifelike?

SMS Molly: Are you going to throw water over me?

SMS Charles: That's an idea, but I was thinking more like a cuddle. Having you wrapped around me seems to help me sleep.

SMS Molly: How quickly can you be here?

SMS Charles: I'm on my way.

-OG-