Chapter Thirty-six.
Lauren and Joey watched three of the Harry Potter films and even though Joey knew she had eaten the majority of the popcorn and chocolate that he had opened, Lauren claimed she was hungry and fancied a burger in the Vic. So that was where they were currently waiting for their lunch.
Lauren was teasing him about the films and Joey admitted, albeit reluctantly (helped by Lauren tickling him) that he was enjoying the Harry Potter films and couldn't wait to see the next one and yes, he was sulking because Lauren wanted to go out for a pub lunch. She smiled and whispered in his ear how she'd make it worth his while causing him to blush slightly.
'Lauren Branning!' he exclaimed pretending to be shocked 'Will there be chocolate mousse involved?' he inquired causing Lauren to blush, her face now matching his.
'I think that could be arranged if you're a very, very good boy' she said her eyes twinkling as she smiled at him.
'Oh? Well I think you'll find I am always a very, very good boy' his voice was low, sexy as hell and he leant towards her for a kiss. Lauren smiled, closing the distance between them, kissing him in return. His tongue traced her lips and she opened to him. He deepened the kiss and she sighed into his mouth.
Michael walked in and glanced over at them. 'Michael, what can I get you?' Roxy asked him, catching his attention.
'I was going to ask for a sandwich but seeing that has just put me off my lunch' he nodded his head towards Lauren and Joey.
'What?' Roxy said and she followed his gaze. 'I think it's romantic. Look at them, they're clearly head over heels for each other, and after what Lauren's been through the last 6 months, she deserves a little happiness doesn't she?'
'And where was he, hey? When she really needed him?' he asked her 'When she was at rock bottom? Where were all her friends?' he frowned 'They dropped her, he dumped her' he said and pointed at Joey whilst looking at Roxy 'Instead of helping her, he made her worse' he snarled at her 'She deserves better than Monkey Boy' he said.
'Well, he's making up for it now isn't he hey?' Roxy said.
'Maybe it isn't enough' Michael said to her 'too little too late, I say'
'Isn't that Lauren's decision to make?' she asked him.
Michael sighed and looked at Roxy 'Scotch' he told her.
Roxy got him a scotch, he put the money on the bar, picked the glass up and drank it down in one and turned walking out of the pub.
Roxy shook her head as she picked the glass up and put it in the glass washer. She glanced over at Joey and Lauren and watched as he stroked her cheek and stole another kiss. It was definitely romantic.
After they'd eaten, Lauren and Joey went back to the house and Joey started the next film, eager to watch. Lauren laughed and snuggled up against him, he turned and he kissed the top of her head.
Lauren's mind wandered again as she thought once more about her conversations with Michael. Distracted, she got up and went into the kitchen to make a coffee. After 15 minutes Joey realised she hadn't come back and he frowned, pausing the DVD and getting up to find her. She was standing near the sink, looking out of the window.
'Something interesting going on out there?' he asked her.
She turned and she looked at him 'Mmm? No… not really, I was just thinking' she said, frowning as she chewed on her bottom lip. 'I need to ask you something, Joey' she said to him.
'Okay' he said, pushing his hands into his pockets and leaning against the fridge.
Lauren lowered her gaze to the floor briefly and then let out a breath 'the girls you slept with…..were you … were you careful?' she asked him 'I mean you did use something?'
Joey blinked at her, a little stunned by the question, 'Yes' he nodded his head, answering without hesitation 'of course' he looked at her.
'Even with Lucy?'
'Yes' he said, again without hesitation. He looked at her with a curious look on his face 'Why are asking me this now?' he asked her.
'I just… I was just wondering' she said to him.
'No, it's more than that' he said looking at her 'I know you, Lauren…. You ask me if I remember the first time we had sex, if I used protection with the girls I slept with while you were gone…..sounds me to as though someone's been putting doubts in your head'
'It was just something Michael said' she shrugged 'I didn't really think much about it at the time because I knew he was just trying to annoy me, but I couldn't stop thinking about what he said and...'
'You have doubts about me' he said.
Lauren looked at him and swallowed 'Not doubts….just niggles….' She gave him an apologetic look.
'I get it… I do' he nodded 'I know I screwed up' he told her 'my only defence is, I really thought I'd never see you again. I thought I'd lost you and it was too late for me to do anything about it. I never dared imagine or hope you'd come back here, that you'd still want to be with me, especially after everything I knew I had to tell you' he told her.
'But you didn't tell me, did you?' she asked him 'I found out from someone else' she told him.
'If you'd come to see me first I would've told you before anyone else could' he told her truthfully 'Babe. You know how I feel about you, and you feel the same way or you wouldn't have given me a second chance, would you, hey?' he asked her 'Lucy… the other girls… meant nothing to me, it was just sex' he said 'and yes, I used condoms with all of them'
'You don't use them with me' she looked up at him.
Joey swallowed and he nodded his head. 'I know' he licked his lips 'I don't like using condoms with you, I want to feel everything…..all of you…' he frowned as a sudden thought came into his head 'you're still on the pill, aren't you?' he asked her. She nodded her head 'do you want us to use condoms? Because I can go out and get some, right now' he said, moving closer to her.
'No' she said softly, looking down feeling her chees grow hot as she blushed 'I like feeling all of you too' she whispered.
He took a deep breath 'do you want to know what I remember from the day we slept together for the first time?' he asked her. She nodded raising her head to look at him. He reached out with his hand and smiled at her as he tucked her hair behind her ear. 'I remember feeling more than a little disappointed that Uncle Max was kicking me out. I liked having breakfast with you, just the two of us, I liked living in the same house as you. I used to lie awake in my room, Oscar's room really, I guess, and on the times I would hear you go into the bathroom in the middle of the night I used to wish you'd cross the hall and come into my room. That you'd tell me you couldn't fight the way you felt anymore and then you'd strip off and get into bed with me and we would finally make love' he told her.
'You really thought that?' she asked him.
'Yes' he nodded 'I did. I fancied you and wanted you, it's as simple as that' he told her 'I remember how nervous I felt' he told her as he pulled his hands out of his pockets, walking over to the table and pulling out a chair, taking a seat. 'When I realised what we were both about to do….I mean, one minute we were kissing and ripping each other's clothes off and the next, we were naked and I was lying above you on the sofa. We broke the kiss and I looked down at you, wondering if you were going to realise what we were about to do and change your mind, but you pulled me down into a kiss and then I was inside you' he told her, he smiled at her 'and it felt like nothing I'd ever felt before' he said trailing off. He stared past Lauren as he remembered 'I've no idea how I managed to actually to bring you to orgasm before I reached my own, because once I was inside you I thought I was going to come there and then' he said. Lauren walked over to him, touching his shoulder. He looked up at her, pulling her onto his lap. She curled her arms around his neck. 'The way I felt being with you… it threw me, I'd never felt like that before. And that's why it was special' he said to her 'made you special…I mean I already knew you were special….. And I knew you felt it too' he said to her 'Afterwards when we were getting dressed….I knew you regretted it and I didn't like the way it made me feel, and then when you called me a scumbag later…'
'You know I didn't mean that' she said
'I know' he said 'but at the time I didn't. I thought you hated me for what I did, what we did'
'I didn't' she said, shaking her head 'I was just confused Joey, that's all' she looked at him and stroked his cheek with her hand 'I love you so much' she told him softly.
Joey swallowed, moving forward and kissing her gently 'me too' he replied 'So much more than you'll ever know' he murmured softly.
She moved forward and kissed him again. 'We should finish off watching the films so you know who kills Cedric' she grinned as she got off his lap.
'What? Cedric gets killed!?' Joey exclaimed as he followed a giggling Lauren back to the lounge.
AN: So Joey does remember the first time he and Lauren had sex. In every single tiny minute detail, how romantic is that? And Lauren's still telling him what's happening in the films before they are about to happen! I hope you are all enjoying Revelry. Let me know what you think by sending me a review. R&R as always