A/N – I was stuck at the apartment today without an adapter for computer and decided to spend my time with a pad and paper and happened to write a chapter for this story. I can't really think of a better way to spend an afternoon..

Marsupial1974 – out of all the things that could kill me down here, you tell me to watch out for kangaroos? :)

Chapter 14

Naomi's POV

It had seemed like the longest four days of my life. Every day, I had driven Katie to Bristol after finishing up at the site in order for her to visit her sister. Obviously, I didn't exactly mind the chance of seeing Emily myself but having to spend one-and-a-half hours, each way, alone in a car with her bitch of a sister was enough to really test my patience.

Katie had spent most of Tuesday's drive complaining about not being included in Emily's emergency on Sunday night and she was really playing the part of the worried older sister, emphasizing that it would have meant the world to Emily if we had only had the decency to wake her up. Little did she know that she was the very last person Emily had wanted to include in her fever-induced crisis and it was increasingly hard for me to keep my mouth shut as Katie continued to make my blood boil. Wednesday was spent elaborately explaining to me why this entire thing was essentially my fault and posed yet another reason she thought it best that I stay as far away from Emily as humanly possible while living under the same roof. There was of course no way of her knowing that it most definitely was my fault and I still felt so guilty that I had no rebuttal for Katie's accusations and simply let her get it all out of her system without argument.

By Thursday, Katie had dropped her worried act and was practically interrogating me for information on Cook. She asked me about anything and everything from his favorite food to which team he supported and what he liked in a girl. I was honestly quite surprised that she thought I would give her any information that would help her entrance my best mate further. It's not like she needed my help anyway, seeing as he was already completely smitten with her.

I had noticed Cook being uncharacteristically attentive towards her and they had spent every evening together in his shed. One morning, they both entered the kitchen through the backdoor, Katie still wearing the previous evening's clothes. They were not exactly discrete about their little fling and I suppose they shouldn't have to be either but it was pissing me off and I didn't have to ponder long and hard to come up with reasons as to why.

First of all, Cook had spent little or no time with me this week and with Emily being in hospital, I felt like I needed a friend. Finding him busy with Katie had resulted in my resorting to leaning on poor Effy in order to ventilate my concern and I couldn't exactly lay my heart bare to her, so it did me little good. Secondly, I was furious because Katie was a conceded, inconsiderate horror and the thought of having to spend even more time with her if the two of them ever decided to turn their little affair into a real relationship made me nauseous – literally. Lastly, and perhaps foremost, she still had not apologized for beating me to a bloody pulp last week and had in fact been acting like it had never happened.

Regardless, I was ecstatic that I had seen Emily every day, even though we had never had the chance to be alone. Katie was naturally always by her side and her parents and James were there more often than not. Today, however, I was alone in the car on the way to Bristol. The dig usually shut down early on Fridays and I was expecting Katie to join me in Mum's car but Kieran had insisted on taking the group back to the museum for an extensive tour. Naturally, Katie had protested, claiming that Emily had asked for her specifically to come and pick her up. Much to my surprise, Cook had stepped in and effectively shut down her protesting with a smile and a slight squeeze before leading her away. He had looked back at me once, sporting a wide grin on his face and throwing me a knowing wink before jumping in the van next to the evil twin. Despite not having spent much time with me during the week, it was no secret to him that I desperately wanted to spend some time alone with our favorite redhead.

Too eager for my own good, I hadn't bother going home for a shower and instead jumped in the car with muddy boots and generally looking quite filthy. I arrived at the hospital and had the sense to check my reflection in the rearview mirror before deciding that nothing short of a shower would fix my appearance, and leapt out of the car.

It was weird really but spending time apart had actually brought Emily and me closer. Instead of spending our time flirting, engaging in stolen glances across the excavation site or losing ourselves in hot make-out sessions, we had had actual conversations, or at least as much conversation as text-messaging would allow. She had revealed details about her family that made it easier for me to understand their dynamic as well as help me bite my tongue around Jenna. Most of all, I found it terribly amusing seeing Katie turn into a silent child around her mother and I regrettably had to admit that seeing Katie interact with the rest of her family made her slightly more likeable.

Emily often spoke affectionately about her father and it was clear as day to me that Rob kept his 'Emsy' as close to his heart as she did him. James proved not to be the shy little boy I had thought and he had spoken to me on several occasions and even called me 'babe' once and tried to, but failing miserably, wink suggestively at me. Emily had punched him when she saw it, making Rob and I burst out in laughter as James rubbed his sore shoulder while pouting and muttering to himself.

I was lost in thought and practically kicked a young man standing at the nurse's station on Emily's floor. "Christ, sorry about that!", I exclaimed as he jumped around on one leg, the other clamped in his hands, a pained expression across his face. He looked up at me and smiled as he let go of his leg and stood like a normal person.

"I'll survive", he said, smiling broadly now and I recognized him as the young doctor who had assisted when Emily was first brought in. "Although, just to satisfy my curiosity, what do you have in those boots? Iron or something?", he joked, obviously not very knowledgeable of safety issues when working with large machines.

"Yes, actually", I laughed, "they're safety boots, I have to wear them while working." He smiled warmly at me and nodded to himself.

"Well, I look like quite the ignorant fool at the moment, don't I?" He cleared his throat in mock embarrassment and held out his hand. "I'm Chris, by the way."

"Naomi", I answered and shook his outstretched hand.

"Emily's friend, right?" I nodded and eyed him curiously. Impressive memory… "She's being discharged as we speak, her parents are talking to my supervisor."

A sense of panic struck me. Her parents weren't supposed to be here today and I was terrified that Jenna had asserted her will and would be taking Emily home instead of letting her go with me to the B'n'B. Chris must have noticed my pained expression, even if he did read it slightly wrong.

"Don't worry, you haven't driven all the way here for nothing. They are only here to see her off safely." I let out a small sigh of relief and he smiled again. "Ah, here they come!"

I turned and was met by Emily's dark eyes, once again full of energy and when she smiled slyly at me, I felt my body respond as my stomach fluttered. I swallowed hard, collecting myself before putting on the guarded, professional smile I had grown accustomed to using around Jenna Fitch.

"Emily! Great to see you walking about", I exclaimed with so much enthusiasm I almost cringed at the sound of my own voice. I smiled warmly at both Rob and Jenna before returning my gaze to the beautiful redhead in front of me. "All set?"

She smiled and nodded eagerly before giving both her parents a hug, Rob holding on a little longer than his wife had. Emily ruffled James' hair and turned her back to me in order to allow Jenna to exchange a few final words of wisdom with her.

"She's quite terrifying, isn't she?" I felt Chris whisper behind me. "I'm thanking my lucky stars that Emily got better – I personally wouldn't want to be responsible for unleashing the wrath of Mrs. Fitch…"

Even though it was probably terribly inappropriate of the young doctor to vent such thoughts, it was nevertheless accurate and I couldn't stop a giggle from escaping me. Emily turned and frowned at me and I quickly suppressed the urge and put on a somber look and patiently waited for the Jenna to finish her final reprimand.

The Fitches followed us all the way to the car and Rob embraced Emily one last time before handing her a little care-package for the road. We finally drove away, Emily waving back at her family up until they disappeared behind a tall hospital building. She reclined the front seat a little, let out a loud sigh and turned to look at me.

Emily's POV

I don't know how Naomi managed to ditch Katie but I also couldn't care less. It was nice that Katie had cared enough to spend three hours in a car in order to spend one with me and I suppose it's true what they say about a crisis bringing people together. I certainly felt more loved and appreciated after this past week than I had at any other time in my life. I turned to study the features of the gorgeous girl currently occupied with getting us safely out of Bristol. Her blonde hair was braided in the usual style she wore while working but single strands had gotten loose and were whisking across her cheek and neck. It was a warm day and she was only wearing a worn top and shorts, both of them stained with mud and dirt from four days of digging.

I was very aware that things between us were moving at a rapid pace. The fact that I had known her for less than a week before ending up in bed with her, or as it were, in the ocean with her, didn't really differ from my previous sexual encounters with boys. Well, aside from having sex in the ocean - that was a first for me. No, what was moving rapidly was the way we acted around each other. Usually, I would never have had the confidence or audacity to assume that Naomi wanted me to caress her naked and surprisingly filthy arm while she drove but I nevertheless reached out and did it. Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have even thought of leaning over and placing a kiss on her exposed neck, and I most certainly would not have used every red light to pull her in for a passionate kiss that left me breathless every single time.

"You have to stop doing that", Naomi said all of a sudden, her stunning face forming a frown.

"Doing what?", I asked innocently as my fingertips brushed along her shoulder and collarbone.

"That! Distracting me", she exclaimed but didn't pull away from my caress. We had left Bristol behind us about half an hour ago and there were fewer red lights for me to take advantage of. I smirked and moved closer in order to replace my fingertips with my lips and felt her shiver slightly as my hand caressed her waistline.

"I'm serious Emily…" I could tell that she was, even if her breathing was shallow and her voice barely audible. I moved my hand from her waist and ran my fingertips along her inner thigh, starting at the knee and slowly moving my way up toward the rim of her shorts. I felt her tense up before she grabbed my hand and moved it away. I giggled and wanted nothing more than to kiss away the stern look currently glued to her face.

"I've already put you in the hospital once, I'm not doing it again by driving off the road."

I pulled away, slightly shocked at her words. Surely she wasn't being serious? "Naomi, it wasn't your fault, you know that, right?"

She looked at me briefly before turning her attention back on the road. "Of course not", she said and waved a hand at me before continuing, "I only lifted you up onto dirty, sharp rocks and pressed you against them, ripping your skin open for all the bacteria in the world to enter", she said sarcastically, obviously angry with herself.

I took her hand and was thankful that Gina's poor driving skills had caused her to buy an automatic, leaving Naomi's fingers free to intertwine with mine.

"You really do feel responsible, don't you?" She nodded and bit her lip. It was unbelievably adorable and oddly sexy.

"You were fucking septic, Emily, you could have died!" She was clearly upset and I felt her squeeze my hand tighter. I was fully aware of how sick I had been and honestly, I was still weak and had to continue the antibiotics for at least another seven days and go back to the hospital for a check-up next week.

I pulled her hand up to my lips and kissed it softly in an attempt at reassuring her. "Naomi, no one forced me to join you in the water and no one held a gun to my head and coerced me into biting my lip at the pain when the rocks tore into my skin. I could have cried out and let you know I was hurt but I didn't." I smiled at her, "I was enjoying myself too much and neither of it could have been prevented. I don't regret any of it."

I saw my words sink in and the guilty frown on her beautiful face was replaced by a look of relief. As if on cue, we reached an intersection that forced Naomi to come to a full stop. There were no other cars in sight and right as she was about to pull out, I unhooked my seatbelt and moved so close, I was practically in her lap. It was another highly uncharacteristic move on my part and a perfect example of just how confident and comfortable I was around her. This was the effect she had on me and I liked myself a whole lot better this way.

I kissed her with as much passion as I could muster from the somewhat uncomfortable and highly impractical position I was in and for the first time since Sunday, Naomi responded fully by taking hold of my face and pulling me impossibly close. Her hand moved around my waist and slipped under my top at the small of my back, effectively sending burst of electricity coursing through me.

A car had appeared out of nowhere and was honking aggressively at us. We pulled away, flustered and panting, and Naomi quickly pulled out and put some distance between ourselves and the intersection. Once we had caught our breaths, we giggled a little and I let out a blissful sigh as I put my seatbelt back on.

I did as Naomi had requested and stopped distracting her. Instead, I reclined my seat a little more and enjoyed the beautiful view on both sides; the coastline bathed in dazzling sunlight to the left and the stunning blonde on my right. The roads we were on kept getting more and more narrow and we had been driving for about an hour when I noticed the first sign mentioning Ogmore-by-Sea. We had another ten miles to go and even though I was looking forward to getting back to the B'n'B and seeing everyone again, it unfortunately also meant that my time with Naomi was coming to an end – for now at least.

Before I had the chance to contemplate whether or not I should spend the last ten miles 'distracting' Naomi, I felt her left hand brush along my thigh. She must have come to the same conclusion and was trying to spend the remaining time trying to 'distract' me from enjoying the view.

I was wearing a pair of old, worn slacks my parents had brought so her fingers were nowhere near my skin and yet, her touch made my breath hitch and my pulse race. Thank God I'm not hooked up to that heart monitor anymore. I was lying more than actually sitting in my seat and Naomi didn't waste any time. She surprised me by swiftly sliding a hand down the worn, loose elastic band of my slacks, brushing along the top of my inner thigh before resting her hand between my thighs. I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw as her fingers started moving slowly up and down, making my head spin and my toes tingle. She wasn't doing much and the fabric of my knickers was quenching the sensation slightly and still, it was more than enough. Her touch and her mere presence yielded such power over my mind and body and I couldn't take much more without having it all.

Without allowing her to move her hand, I moved close and breathlessly whispered, "Naomi, pull over."

Emily is one happy camper today! Can't say I blame her though.. I am working on the next chapter already, so it probably won't take too long before I update. For those of you following my other story as well, I'm tweaking the next chapter and will update soon!

Thanks for reading and for giving me a reason to sit with a pad and paper, making my wrist sore and loving every minute of it! Sound off in a review - they are always appreciated and a source of inspiration :)