A Beautiful Forever

chapter 13

Elliot

As we all walk towards the Hole, I decide to go bold this time by putting my arm around her. When she slips her arm around my

waist, I breathe a slow sigh of relief, I didn’t even realise I was holding my breath while I waited for a response.

When everyone else enters the pub, I hold her back and turn to her as she smiles up at me, her cheeks and nose pink from the cold

air, her long hair sitting over her shoulders in the thick glossy curls she created for work.

Looking up and smiling at me, those amber eyes of hers search my face as she waits for me to tell her why we stopped.

Hooking my finger under her chin, I tilt her head up to mine and lower my lips to hers, “Is this ok?” I ask quietly as my lips brush lightly

against her own. Nodding imperceptively, her eyes lock with mine as her tongue slips out of her mouth to wet her lips.

Watching her, I feel so turned on right now I can barely see straight. I want to crash my mouth into hers and carry her back to the flat

with me, but I restrain myself, slowly closing the last few millimetres of distance between us. As our lips touch, I tease her mouth with

mine, brushing over her but not fully kissing her, testing if she wants me as much as I want her.

When she moans and opens her mouth this surge of need for her floods through my body, and I slide my tongue inside the warmth of

her mouth. Responding with equal intensity her mouth and tongue move with mine as we take our time exploring all the crevices in

each other’s mouths.

All too quickly, she hums and places her hand on my chest, pushing me gently. I separate my mouth from hers and look at her

questioningly, all the while admiring the way her face appears right now. Her eyes soft, her cheeks even more flushed than they were

before, and her lips have progressed from the pink they were before to almost red.





Paige


Clearing the huskiness in my throat, my voice is still barely audible when I speak. “We’d better go inside,” I whisper, my head

swimming from the lust and desire that’s threatening to take over my body and make me do things I could get arrested for in a public

place.

Elliot looks at me intently and nods his head before he hugs me to his chest. I wish I could just fuse to him and stay there. This is now

my favourite place to be.

As we separate he holds my hand. “You ok?” he asks.

Nodding I smile, “I’m more than fine Elliot. I’m hungry though,” I reply pulling on the collar of his jacket, “for a lot of things.”

His eyes darken with arousal as he starts to kiss me again, I laugh into his mouth, enjoying myself immensely. “We can continue this

later,” I say pulling away. “Let’s eat first.” I’m not sure how or where we’re going to continue this with a flat full of housemates, but I’m

sure we’ll find a way.

“Later then,” say as he leads me inside to join in with the group.

The joining in part is fairly unsuccessful as we sit together, talking quietly and touching regularly, it’s been so long since I’ve let

someone in my body space that I feel this burning need to touch and be touched now.

There’s something about Elliot that makes me feel like I could have a life free from my past, that maybe he’d understand. Although,

deep down, I know I should stay away from him. I shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t be giving either of us hope. I should never have

even shaken his hand on the plane, I should never have agreed to cut his hair, I should never have agreed to live in the same flat.

There're so many ‘should nevers’ at play here, but I am trying to focus on what Naomi said about regrets a couple of weeks ago. I

don’t want to say good bye to Elliot in six weeks time and then spend the rest of my life wondering ‘what if’.





Elliot


“So what’s going on with you two?” Naomi prods from across the table as we watches the change in Paige’s and my interactions.

“Yeah, have you two finally hooked up?” asks Brian.

“Haven’t they been together for weeks?” adds Coral.

“No, they’ve been dancing around each other,” Naomi responds.

“Well?” we get asked, a host of expectant faces looking at us.

As we glance at each other, I notice that Paige’s face is bright red with embarrassment, so I answer for the both of us. “We’re just

moving forward. That's all for now,” I tell them.

“Well, forward is the right direction,” Naomi responds first as she smiles broadly and gives Paige a wink. “It’s about time you both

just got on with it already.”

We get a chorus of agreement from everyone, and dinner continues on normally after that.

As we all get up to leave, Brian informs us that he is heading off to his girlfriend’s house. Paige and I immediately exchange

glances, both knowing that means we can be alone tonight.

Once on the street, Gavin claps his hands together. “So who’s up for clubbing?”

Paige immediately shakes her head ‘no’, and I join in with her refusal. Naomi, Shane and Coral all agree to go, parting from us with

more than a few knowing glances.

“Well, that was fun,” I say as we start the short walk home trying to make small talk through my nerves.

“Mmm hmm,” Paige responds, leaning her head against my shoulder as we walk arms entwined and hands interlaced, falling into an

easy quiet as we continue on our way.





Paige


There’s an entire zoo enclosure full of butterflies flying about in my stomach right now. I know my time with Elliot is fleeting, so I want

to make the most of what time we have now. I want to give him what I can of myself, while I can, I don’t want to fight this anymore.

As he closes the front door to the flat behind us, he takes my hand and leads me through the kitchen, towards the couch. I plant my

feet, halting my movement as we reach the hallway leading to the bedrooms, and shake my head when he looks at me before I

brazenly lead him to his room.

Shutting the door behind him, he looks at me with raised eyebrows, his fingers on the lock. I nod my head, shivering, as a skitter of

anticipation flits through my body when he spins it, giving us all the privacy we need.

I take a nervous step back as he moves toward me, sliding his hands around my waist as he pulls me against him. My head

swimming with my attraction, I breathe him in, luxuriating in the scent of him so close to me. I glide my hands up over his well-

muscled arms following them with my gaze until I reach his shoulders, there I meet his eyes. The blue pools of perfect ocean water

look down upon me with such intensity that I feel lost in them.

“Are you sure this isn’t too fast?” he asks, his voice thick and low, caressing my ears, sending shivers down my body.

“Well, we did meet on the plane,” I joke smiling as I rise up on the tips of my toes to kiss him. As our mouths welcome each other, my

world explodes. His arms circle me tightly as I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing myself against the hard planes of his body.

As our kisses become more frantic, he walks me towards the bed, my knees collapsing as I fall backwards onto it. When he pauses

to remove his shirt, I watch in awe, gasping at the sight of him.

Pushing up on my elbows, I sit in front of him and reach out, running my hands over his chest that I can only describe as amazing. My

mouth waters as my fingertips rise and fall, exploring each hard muscular bump. Leaning forward, I press a kiss in the space

between his abs and his pecs, delighting as he slides his fingers into my hair and tips my head back to lean down, kissing me once

more.

He supports his weight as he joins me on the bed, his hands roaming underneath my clothes and setting my skin ablaze. Completely

lost in his mouth and touch, I wish for this moment to never end and pray silently that this isn’t some dream that will be over the

moment I wake up.

Oh god, how could I have denied myself this? I have never done this with anyone I had strong feelings for before. It’s glorious.

Cupping my breast in his hand, he kisses my neck, causing me to moan as pleasure flows like waves inside me, crashing with each

kiss against my skin. Sliding down my body, he lifts my shirt, hisfingertips brushing my already heated skin and setting it ablaze

once more. When he starts to kiss his way towards my bust, I gasp and moan, becoming completely undone as he releases my

breasts, swirling his tongue around each nipple until they are so hard I feel as though I’ll explode with each suck.

Gasping as each sensation shoots straight down between my legs, I writhe, oh god do I writhe as I urge him forward, wanting him to

touch me more.

“Can we take it off?” he asks breathlessly, holding the shirt that is now bunched up to my armpits. I hesitate momentarily, realising

suddenly that this will be the first time anyone has seen me naked in a very long time. I’m talking years long.

Reaching up I touch his face, his eyes close as he turns his head to kiss my hand and my heart soars. Taking a deep, steadying

breath, I nod my head, trusting him as I sit up and remove the shirt myself.





Elliot


I practically hold my breath as I watch her remove her shirt along with her bra. She's so beautiful as her hair falls down over her

shoulders and rests like silken curtains just above the two most perfect breasts I've ever seen. Round and firm, they’re just the right

size to fill my hands.

As my eyes travel over her upper body, I notice that her tattoo curls over her shoulders and her sides.

“Will you let me see it?” I ask her, knowing that I’m risking ending this moment between us if she clams up, but I can’t help myself. I

want to drink in every inch of her with my eyes.

A look of hesitation flits across her face before she nods and turns her body to show me. My eyes grow wide as I see it for the first

time - her back is like one big canvas for the most remarkable tattoo I have ever seen. Flames start at her waist as the Phoenix

rises, its beak open as it calls out over her right shoulder with its wings outstretched, reaching up over her left shoulder and down

around to her ribs on her right side as if it’s hugging itself around her. The Phoenix's tail feathers fan out near the flames, curving

around her body until they reach her hip bone in swirls of yellow, orange and red.

I run my fingers lightly over it, tracing the span of this mythical creature’s body. “It’s beautiful Paige,” I whisper, caught up in

admiration, not only for the art but for the time and pain, she would have invested in getting it.

“Really?” she asks turning back to face me.

“Yes, really.” I reach up and thread my fingers through her hair, pulling her face towards mine, kissing her with everything I have in

me. Her arms circle around me, her fingers press firmly into my back, compacting our bare chests closer together, until there is no

more space. We are merged almost as one, her skin so soft against my own, melding to me, beckoning me forward.





Paige


Pressed together, our tongues slide against each other in a lavish dance of passion, our teeth clashing as our urgency increases,

and we fall back on the bed. Traveling down my neck and across my chest, his kisses leave a searing trail of fire in their wake,

causing my head to swim and the rest of my skin to feel chill in comparison. My mind swirls, as I pull desperately at his body,

drawing him closer wth my overwhelming need to feel him inside me.

Reaching down I unbutton his jeans, urging him to move forward. “Take them off,” I pant out.

He breaks away momentarily and finishes removing his pants, stepping out of them and sweeping them to the side of the room.

With my eyes glued to him, I unbutton my own jeans and start to wriggle out of them. Swiftly reaching out, he grabs them for me,

pulling them off my legs and flinging them over his shoulder, grinning wickedly as he climbs back over me, planting gentle kisses

over my body until we’re once again face to face.

As the silken feel of his body slides on top of mine, I’m overcome with wanting, rocking my hips upwards, urging him to push inside

of me. Moaning, he shifts slightly to the side and captures my mouth in his, kissing me, sliding his hand down the length of my chest

and over my mound as erotic sounds escape his throat and ripple through me causing my insides to contract.

Finding its way between my legs, his touch is exquisite as his fingers slide through the slickness of my arousal. Gasping upon

contact, I reflexively rock my hips against his hand, moaning as I feel his fingers enter me, curling forwards and working my tender

insides already desperate to burst. As we moan into each other mouths, he works his fingers in rhythm to my rocking, circling his

thumb around my swollen nub and causing a flood of glorious warmth that spreads out quickly and explodes from my body as I call

out, thrusting my hips and clamping my thighs around his hand.

Gasping out, I clutch his hand, crying, “Please, I want you inside me so badly, I need you inside me!”

A guttural moan comes from deep in his chest and fills my tingling body with an urgency more intense than before. Poised over me,

he slams his length into me, both of us gasping and moaning as he moves inside my body, gliding in and out with forceful perfection,

filling me to my core, his rhythm heating me from within once again, radiating outward until I burst yet again.

“Shit! Condom!” I cry out as my body is wracked with an orgasm so powerful I can’t stop myself from convulsing as I clench myself

around him.

Stopping suddenly, he holds himself on straight arms, dropping his head until his forehead rests on my shoulder. “I’m sorry Paige.

It's too late,” he whispers through laboured breaths.

The glory of our love making ends abruptly as I realise what we’ve done. Annoyed with myself for getting carried away, I push at his

shoulder to get him to roll off me.

Lying on his back, he presses his hands to his forehead, sighing heavily. As I sit up, I reach out, grabbing the sheet from his bed,

wrapping it around myself as I rise off the mattress to visit the bathroom. I need to clean up.

“Paige – ” Elliot pleads as he quickly sits and reaches for my arm.

A painful ache forms in the pit of my belly as I pause and turn towards him, touching his face and brushing my hand over his course

stubble. “I’m just going to take a shower ok?” I speak, my voice barely above a whisper as I try to appear unaffected.

“Are you alright? Paige! Listen - you need to know I’m clean ok?” he tells me looking genuinely worried as he rests his hands firmly

on my hips and pulls me towards him.

“I’m fine Elliot…, and I’m clean too – I just need a shower. I'll come back afterwards alright? Don’t worry, we’re all good…I just want

us to use one in future ok?”

“We will Paige, I just got carried away. I'm sorry I –”

Leaning forward quickly, pressing my lips against his, I silence him. I’m the one that urged him inside me. I’m the one that wasn’t

thinking. “It wasn’t your fault. Don’t be sorry,” I whisper before stepping towards the door, the sheet trailing along the floor behind me.

“I’ll bring a clean sheet with me when I come back,” I tell him before I exit the room and make my way to the shower to clean it all

away.