We dressed, the girls still debating my body in a way that if it hadn't been somewhat embarrassing would have been majorly complimentary. I pulled on a pair of leggings and one of my over-sized sweaters, this one with the Calvin Klein logo emblazed on the chest.
'Look at that booty!' April said, playfully hitting my rear; as I reached into my case to retrieve my Converse.
As I stood and smirked at her there was a knock on the door, and to be honest I knew before they even opened the door who it was- it was like I was already attuned to him.
'You lucky bastard.' April sighed in greeting as she opened the door, to a very bepuzzled Arthur.
'Do I want to know?' He said raising an eyebrow at me from the door.
'Probably not.' I laughed, shaking my head at April playfully; as Arthur wandered in and sat at the end of the double bed I was sharing with April; and in that moment despite the inappropriateness of the moment and the fact it was totally not like me something in me just growled and if I'm honest I'd missed him…not that I hadn't enjoyed the day with the girls but something me yearned to be near him…I should of realised it then.
'You know I think I'd like to know.' He smirked, which only heightened the blush in my cheeks.
'Dude you don't, especially when we have to leave for tea in a few minutes!' Fran laughed playfully.
'Oh my god…' I whispered, into my hands as my face flooded red.
'Yeah it would be hard to disguise.' April smirked, emphasising the word hard with uncalled for pleasure.
'Now I need to know!' He laughed, lying back on the bed; making himself comfortable.
'Well we just had a girly old time.' Annie giggled, sitting down on her bunk.
'Panties galore…' Fran sighed.
'What the hell did you's do?' He exclaimed, resting up on arms; staring at me with a hooded look in his eyes that did weird things to my insides.
'We got changed.' I said, with obviously faked nonchalance.
'Got changed?' He repeated, raising his eyebrows.
'Yes.' I mouthed at him, an obvious warning for him to shut the hell up but by the grin on his face I knew he was having too much fun to stop.
'Well that's nothing.' He smirked. 'But I think your lying?' his tone, made the statement a question.
'Oh, we got changed but we got changed…together.' April smiled, her best and most innocent looking smile. A smile appeared on his face, that barely hid his surprise.
'And so, we know you're a lucky bastard.' April concluded; looking me up and down with a smirk on her lips.
'Well…' Arthur sighed, smirking at me as he ran a hand through his hair.
'You are one bitch.' I playfully hissed at April, though a part of me was not happy with what she had disclosed to Arthur it felt weird for him know…
'I know.' April smiled, as the other girls laughed.
'I have honestly forgotten what I came for.' Arthur said somewhat bemused.
'Oh, I know what you came for…' Fran murmured into her suitcase, amid the girls' giggles. In that moment, I wanted the floor to swallow me whole as even though I was no prude that kinda stuff still made me feel awkward, and blush red to my roots.
'Oh definitely for that.' He said sitting up, which only made me turn the colour of a cherry tomato and made the girls laugh profoundly.
'I hate you all.' I said, turning and checking my make-up in the mirror.
'Not me baby.' He said wandering over, and wrapping his arms around my waist.
'No you started it.' I murmured, unwinding myself from his arms, smirking at the look of shock on his face- which rivalled that of when I won him at paintballing.
'See two can play at that game baby.' I added as pulled my braids over my shoulders.
'Holy shit your hot.' Annie laughed, from the bed where her and the girls sat.
'Thanks…' I sighed, as I looked up through my lashes at Arthur.
'Catherine.' He breathed.
'Now see…' I said, standing toe to toe with him but not reaching out to touch him. 'I could be mad at you, or I could ignore you or I could make you leave…' I breathed the words so they were as soft as a caress but had the bite of a python. His eyes watched me like I was the only thing in the room, but I didn't let my awareness of that show; I kept my eyes fixed on his with the same hooded expression- not letting myself falter an inch.
'But?' He breathed, letting his hot breath radiate over my face.
'But I think that would be counter-productive.'
'How the hell do you make that word sexy?'
'So instead…' I whispered raising my hand and running a finger down his face. 'I just thought…'
'Thought what?' He said as he went to mirror my action and run his own finger down my face; I raised my other hand and stopped him.
'Thought that maybe as punishment…I'd make you realise exactly how lucky you are.'
'And how would you do that?' He said rather huskily.
'Well I was thinking that…just so you appreciate it all the more…it would start with a no touching me ban.' I smirked.
'A what?' He said trying to bring his hand to my face again, but like before I batted it away.
'That's right A, don't even think of touching me tonight.' I smiled brightly at him, and saw him clip his lip between his teeth and shake his head.
'Not even your hand?'
'Nope.' And as I moved around him I purposely made sure my rear pressed against him at every possibly moment; I heard him groan deep in his throat. I knew for sure the girls were watching then, because it was like his groan had broken our little bubble and I was hyper aware that we weren't the only ones in the room; something had come over me in those moments prior and I'd embraced it fully but as our moment broke I came crashing back to reality.
'Since when have I been dating Aphrodite?' Arthur murmured looking at the girls.
'I don't know but I think I've just almost orgasmed.' April said straight faced; which only made me crack up. I couldn't stop the laughter that seemed to be expelling itself from my very pores, it was so random and so outrageously wrong to say but something in me just found the whole situation hilarious because if I hadn't of moved to Newcastle and if I hadn't of been myself I would never have found these people who made me feel as alive and so intrinsically accepted.
'We've broke her.' Fran said after a few too many seconds of my laughter.
'Hey earth to Kate…Catherine.' Annie said, herself giggling.
'What?' I said through a bout of yet more laughter.
'What's so funny?'
'Nothing.' I giggled, looking around myself; the girls looked perplexed and Arthur well…if I'm honest he was looking at me in the same way a painter would look at his finished art work- it was as if he was trying to take in every last piece of me in one look.
'She's broken.' Fran said again.
'Nah.' Arthur said, reaching out for me before I could stop him. 'She's perfect.'
And then -in front of the girls- he wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips to mine; soft at first but then the world melted away and again we were in our bubble…
Bubble…we were always in our bubble.
