Present

"We need to get out of this house," I say as Ollie holds me to his chest sucking onto the front of my neck causing another round of butterflies to flutter in my gut and travel downwards.

I want to stay in this bed with him but at the rate we're going and every time we find ourselves in a bout of kissing I find it harder and harder to not want to have sex with him.

"Are you sure, Murry?" He teases holding the backs of my thighs and gives them a tight squeeze.

"Yea. We need to go do something. Would you want to go to the village with me?" I ask coming up with the idea on the spot even though he is rocking me back and forth on his erection as I'm speaking.

"Go out in public?" His hands rocking me slow and slight worry etches between his dark brows.

"Come on. No one in this tiny village is going to care who you are. Just slap a hat on or wear glasses."

He looks to the window nearby and then back to me with a cocked brow, "It's too dark for sunglasses. But fine, only if I get to pick where we have drinks."

"Deal." I hop off and throw my suitcase onto the bed digging through finding a quick outfit and fresh underwear.

I decide on an old pair of flare jeans and a thin rosy pink sweater. I toss my new panties on top and dig through for a different bra. Ollie, sits up then reaches for the pink underwear and holds them up between his hands, "Cute, Murry."

"Shut up. Go on, I need to get ready." I snatch them quickly and grab my clothes going to the en suite bathroom glancing back over my shoulder at Ollie checking out my backside. "Go!"

He rolls his eyes and dramatically rolls off the bed in only his boxers and shuffles out across the hall.

🦋🦋

"Tell me why we are walking when I have a perfectly working car?" Ollie asks returning a look at his precious car parked in front of the manor. Meanwhile, a smile pulls at my lips and the cool air blows the smell from the surrounding wildflowers and strands of my loose hair in front of my face.

"Because it's nice," I say tucking the strands behind my hair. "And don't you miss walking? Can you even do it anymore, Mr. Hotshot?"

He fixes the black ball cap to his head and blows out a sigh giving me a knowing glance, "Sure, I can. It just stresses me out."

"Well," I feel a little brave so I grab his hand linking my fingers between his, "I don't think you have to worry about that here. If I'm wrong, which I'm never wrong, then I owe you a favor."

"A big favor. Of my choosing." He glances at my hand and just smiles continuing our slow meandering down the dirt driveway.

"Fine." I agree only because I'm not wrong.

I feel light and good. Who knew having an orgasm, or a few, would help bring peace of mind to my clouded one. I'm relieved that I don't feel any regret yet towards our quick movement from the friend zone. I remember never being this relaxed before despite the large black question mark my future holds.

"You said earlier you're going back on Monday?" Ollie asks interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes, Ty is coming home for a few days and I promised him I'd be there to spend time with him."

"I can drive you back if you'd like, instead of taking the train? I have to leave Tuesday to support a friend in Italy."

"Oh," I nod let down he wouldn't be around for much longer. "Yeah, thank you, a ride would be nice."

"Cool."

"Cool," I repeat unsure why I'm even feeling upset about this. Yes, it's been more than amazing to have him back but he has his career, and I need to respect it.

Reality begins to flood me. What did I expect to happen after this weekend? What do I even want to happen after this weekend? Both questions overwhelming me to the rim.

"What's going on, you're overthinking about something?" He asks looking at me through his dark lashes and squeezing my hand.

"I'm just stressed out. With school and stuff like that. I'm good."

"You're a shit liar." He grins, "Come on, you need a beer and those short legs are taking forever." He steps in front of me and places my hands on his shoulders.

I giggle and jump horribly onto his back, but some how he recovers my poor attempt at a jump and hooks his hands beneath my legs. Wrapping my arms around his chest I can't help but fill with butterflies again.

🦋🦋

"The White Lion?" I ask looking up at the old pub that's been here probably since the age of dinosaurs.

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Murry." He says still holding me on his back, although I know he's gone more than a mile with all my extra weight on his back.

"Alright, we had a deal I guess."

"Too right." He finally puts me down and enters the pub first. A few patrons are perched at the bar and they look like dinosaurs themselves. They spare the two of us one look then return to their pints under the dark lights of the pub.

Ollie has to duck his head stepping in through the door while he slips his hand on the curve of my back and bends his head to whisper into my ear, "grab a seat I'll get the drinks."

I smell the woodsy smell and peppermint from his breath and instantly become nervous. I fiddle with my phone in my back pocket and quickly cross the intimate dark room grabbing a small two-top table near the back.

My eyes take in the quaint pub and how stereotypical it is and I can't help but love it. I love hole in the fall places like this, I much prefer it over some club or restaurant.

Two shots and two beers are placed on the center of the table while Ollie takes a seat across from me looking slightly more relaxed than when we first entered.

"I'm not drinking this," I say sliding the shot glass across the table at him.

"Yes, you are. A deal is a deal. You forced me out of the house so now you have to drink." His long fingers slide the shot glass back towards while a mischievous glint in his eye gives me pause.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Oliver?"

"Perhaps. Now, drink." He says lifting his own and holding it out towards me, "To not giving a flying fuck."

I sigh in defeat and clink my glass against his then drink it down. Goosebumps rise down my arms while the gross taste assaults my tongue and throat.

"Ugh, that's so bad."

"Drink your pint, lass. It'll help it go down." He instructs so I do as he says but cringe again at the taste of the dark beer.

"Ugh! That's even worse!"

Ollie chokes a laugh and sets the beer back down, "I can see if they have vodka and juice or something? Or jack and coke?"

"It's fine, I'll just suffer with this," I say sipping another minuscule sip from the rim of the glass.

"It's no trouble, Murry. I won't have you vomiting. Hold on I'll see if they have anything...fruity." He stands and strides back to the bar. Im slightly embarrassed and feel guilty for being so high maintenance but find myself appreciating the lovely backside of Oliver while he orders another drink from the bartender.

Has his butt always been so...nice?

My cheeks feel fuzzy and I realize the shot must already be kicking in.

"Okay, give this one a go." He appears setting a bright blue drink before me topped with an umbrella that holds a layer of dust.

"Gross? Is that dust?"

"It'll add to the flavor." He smiles plucking the umbrella from the glass.

I check the drink to make sure there aren't any floating dust particles and then a sip. The coconut flavor is good and if there is any alcohol in it I can't taste it, so that makes it all the better. "Is it any better?"

"Yes, thank you. I can pay for it-"

"Nonsense." He waves me off and takes a haul from the frothy dark beer.

Another patron enters the pub and the two at the bar make a pirate 'Arrg' sound when he enters and takes a seat joining the other men. I giggle and return my attention to Ollie who is studying me playfully. "Do you know how beautiful you are?"

"Stop," I feel my face heat but my stomach flutter.

"I reckon you need another shot."

"No, I am not getting drunk ever again. That was the worst."

"Well, you also had a smoke as well, so that didn't help none."

"Oh my Gosh! I had forgotten. I'm a total idiot."

He laughs and another man enters the pub, "You're just a lightweight. There's nothing wrong with that, Murry. Besides you deserve to let loose."

I turn when a small group of three enter at once, each of them carrying cases of instruments. Instantly I beam at the thought of live music. Looking back to Ollie smiling wide while he chuckles and fits a cigarette to his lips.

"I love live music."

He lights the cigarette and removes it from his mouth raising his brows, "Do you? I didn't know that?"

"A lot of the villages I would work in would have live music. Sometimes it's the only form of entertainment, I love it. Here," I say unable I stop my excitement from removing my phone and placing it on the table so he can see as I scroll through my photos.

"Hold on! What was that!" He pushes my finger from the screen and scrolls back up tapping the image, "Muriel Reazpoe? I can not believe my eyes are you smoking marijuana?"

"No!" I laugh looking at the photo of me sitting on a log by the firepit dressed in a sports bra, cacky pants with almost dreadlocks in my hair pulled up messily to the top of my head, "That was just Tobacco. It was part of the experience of drinking the ayahuasca."

"The bloody hell is that?"

"A ceremonial psychedelic."

"No shit! You rebel! Oh, I'm saving this as evidence." He grabs the phone from the table while I laugh and drink from my cup. He sends the photo and places it back between us while I hear the small band start to set up behind us. "Mum and dad are never going to believe this, so tell me what was it like?"

"Um, it was strange actually." I giggle, "It was part of their spiritual ceremony that I was honored to be apart of so I of course didn't turn down the chance. Everything was very vibrant, the plants and flames and all the insects were huge."

"Bloody brilliant." He chuckles and taps another image, "I want this one, can I have it?"

I take a glance at my phone and see it's from the same night. I'm laughing, probably still high from the ayahuasca, hands dirty, as well as my face and my hair a mess. I don't know why he wants it but I nod.

I take the phone back and scroll down to my old photos and tap the image of the hand-crafted buffalo skin drums I got as a gift from a village woman after I saved the life of her son.

I've kept the fact I've saved someone's life to myself because I'm rather protective over the memory. Regardless, these small drums are my most prized possessions. The wood case is all hand-painted in a forest detail while the fur of the buffalo decorating the drum.

"Drums? They look African?"

"Yeah, I got them on my first trip to Africa. Remember I had told you about it that Christmas...oh..."

"That Christmas. I was a twat that holiday, sorry for that."

He drinks from his pint and adjusts the hat on his head.

"Why did you...why were you so distant that Christmas? I was excited to see you." I'm not sure why I'm so blunt, surely it's the mixed drink or perhaps he's rubbing off on me again.

"I was a jealous wanker that's why." He pins me with his eyes, not at all backing down from my question.

Oh

"I'm so-"

"Murry, don't even go there. You were allowed to be with whoever you wanted, I just needed to put my big boy panties on and deal with it."

I chew on my cheek digesting what he's said, "You've...how long have you liked me more than just a friend?"

He returns the cigarette to his lips keeping his eyes on me the intensity forces me to look away and watch him take a drag and blow it out to the side of his lips, "Do you want that answer? Cause' I'll give it." He says.

I take a long haul from my blue drink and nod, licking my lips, greedily.

"To be honest I'm not sure when it started, by eleven I reckon. Definitely by twelve." He mashes the end of the cigarette into a blacked dish and chuckles when I don't speak.

Twelve? How have I not noticed? Surely there had to be signs right? A memory of a night when I was seventeen sparks in my mind and the old heated feelings floods back into my veins. Even the smell of the cherry Vodka from my ruined shirt fills my nose, "When we all snuck out that night, did you, were you going to kiss me?"

The corner of his lips turns up into an impish smile, knowing exactly what I'm referring to.

"Did you want me to kiss you?"

Yes.

I jolt slightly when a fiddle begins to play jubilantly then the sound of soles of shoes acts as the beat against the old wood floors. The interruption welcomes a break to the sudden tension I'm feeling wafting between Ollie and me regarding that memory.

I turn in my chair watching the small band of two fiddles and an acoustic guitar play a song that belongs in an Irish pub. They appreciate my attention and one man even tips his hat quickly at me causing me to look back at Ollie smiling ear-to-ear.

"Are you going to dance with me?" He asks.

"I am not nearly drunk enough for that." I chirp back.

Ollie bites into his lip and leaves me at the table and returns to the bar motioning two fingers. He starts chatting to the nearly filled bar top shaking the hands of a few of the old men. He returns to me carrying four shots among his long fingers.

"No, uh-oh, Oliver."

"Come on, don't make me do all these by myself. Then you'll be carrying me back home, can't have that can we, Muriel?"

I laugh and take a shot with an overly dramatic eye roll, we both cheers and shoot them back, this time it goes down so much better and if it weren't for the horrendous recent morning from hell I'd reach for the second.

"Please, don't even play like you're not going to take it." He grabs the third and shoves the fourth over to me.

"If I'm hungover tomorrow I'm going to be so mad at you." I take the shot and then quickly wash it down with my blue drink and turn back to watch the band who has moved onto a different song.

"I'd like a picture, Murry." He says calling my attention. I hustle over as he pulls out his phone and holds it out with his long arm, "A proper picture." He scolds me and plants me on his knee hooking his free arm around my waist. Butterflies shoot off and I giggle again like an idiot but lean in resting a hand on his thigh and the other holding the side of his face against my own.

He snaps the picture and I do nothing to return to my seat, he's got a better view of the band anyways.

"Now that I've got you drunk, I've got a question for you Murry?"

Oh God

He laughs at my sudden panic but quickly asks, "So what is it you want to do with your life? Why did you quit school? I understand the Jeremy thing cause he's an absolute arse, but you've been dead-set on being a Doctor since you came out of the womb?"

The tips of my fingers play with the short hair beneath the hat at the nape of his neck as I consider the answer I already know.

"What I want to do and what I should do are two different things."

"How so?"

"I want to be a humanitarian worker. But there's hardly any money in it and I'll always be traveling."

He furrows his brows not understanding, "You and Gemma both have plenty in your trust fund? And so what if you'll be traveling, I don't see the problem?"

I'm not surprised he knows about the trust fund and I'm not at all surprised he sees no problem with traveling for work. His career requires him to travel as well.

"I want to make my own money, Ollie. I don't want to rely on my dad or any man for that matter, especially after everything that's happened."

"Then do it, you've never been into all the materialistic things. If you want to do it I say do it."

I smirk and drink again from his lap leaving my hand at the back of his neck, suddenly aware of his resting around my hips.

I'm positive we look like a couple however all these old men probably don't care about our displays of cuddling. Jeremy and I hardly ever showed affection in public, the most we would do is hold hands, and walking down fifth Avenue trying to hold hands was a chore, so most of the time we skipped it.

"What the hell?" I ponder aloud, trying to think back to a single moment where I'd done something with Jeremy because I got pleasure out of it versus it being a chore. Even playing with his hair on the tips of my fingers, as I'm doing now with Ollie, I can't recall one moment.

"What?" Ollie asks looking around slightly concerned.

I shake my head giving him a lazy smile so he doesn't worry.

We chat about everything falling into easy conversation like the separated time between us never happened. I'd forgotten how happy he made me feel, always relaxed and partially giddy. It is a feeling I've only felt with him. The constant urge to second guess what I have to say or how I say it is gone and replaced with genuine conversation and immediate reactions. If I do fall back into my head, he's quick to prompt me to speak my thoughts out loud or even give me time to sort through them.

When we decide to leave it's nearly midnight, the night sky has darkened with a thick blanket of potential storm clouds, but we leave The White Lion and risk the rain to head back to the Manor.

I know I would love it if it decided to rain on our walk back, but I'm not so sure if Ollie would feel the same, most of the time others find rain an inconvenience, but I rather like it.

It's not until the Manor comes into view with its lights eluding from the windows do I realize I'm suddenly anxious about being back in that house with him. It was nice being in public because I was forced to behave myself, but now being back I knew the want to not behave like I should is drawing closer with each step.

The walk and the thoughts sober me, so when we reach the gate I begin to slow my steps, stalling the inevitable. "Why are you walking so slow?" Ollie turns but keeps his long strides as he walks back to the house.

I laugh nervously and maintain my slow steps. What will happen if he goes to my room tonight? What if he doesn't? Would I go to his, then? What if by now he's tired and is ready to sleep by himself in his bed? Or what if he sleeps in my bed? We've never slept in the same bed-.

Suddenly there's a rumble from the clouds above and within an instant, it begins to pour large, loud raindrops.

"Oh shit! Come on!" He laughs and turns to jog inside.

My lashes sag with collecting raindrops and my sweater sticks to my shoulders drenched by the rain. I turn and leave him to the complications of going inside and decide to just stand there in the rain for a minute.

The raindrops are large, signs of a nearby thunderstorm. I let my head fall back allowing the rain to fill the low parts of my face and spillover.

"This place always has the best thunderstorms," Ollie says close behind me. I drop my face wiping my wet eyes and look over my shoulder at him watching me.

"I see that."

"Why do you like the rain so much?" He asks coming up beside me squinting through the falling drops of water.

I shrug, never intending to give that secret away, and return to let my head fall back to feel the fat drops against my face.

Hands yank me down to the gravel driveway. I yelp and start laughing but lay flat on my back glancing over to Ollie doing the same. "I haven't done this since that time back in London." He says over the loud sounds of rain.

I smile and jump when a loud cracking sound of thunder sounds like it's ripping a hole in the sky right above us.

"If I get struck by lightning Mum will never forgive you." He says.

I refrain from smiling and can't resist the temptation to ask, "What would have happened if you kissed me that night after we snuck out?"

I hadn't kissed anyone yet at seventeen and I knew he had. I was afraid I was going to do it wrong or maybe the want to kiss him was only felt by my side.

Ollie remains silent so I backtrack, "You didn't want to kiss me?"

His mouth twitches into a smile but it doesn't linger, "Murry, I've wanted to kiss you a thousand times, that was just one time you may have been open to it. But kissing you that night would have ruined everything between you and me."

"Why?" That one moment would have changed everything. That night for me was monumental. I knew at the moment it had changed me slightly, but looking back now I didn't realize the potential that night could have had I Dxf I wasn't so scared to take a chance.

"Because it wasn't the right time. Neither of us, especially me, would have been capable of caring for our friendship afterward."

I can't help but laugh at his mature words, "And you think I'm capable now? Is it not obvious I'm in a downward spiral?"

"No, you're not. You've finally taken control of your life."

I laugh again astonished we've somehow flipped roles and the boy that couldn't be serious to save his life has changed. Half of me is sad that I've missed the time of watching him evolve into this same but new person, but the other half is happy for him.

"So are we going to sleep out here getting pummeled by this shit? Or would you rather cuddle in a warm bed?"

🦋🦋

"Shirt and pants," I instruct from the en suite bathroom holding out a hand for his soaked clothes. I'm sure a trail of our wet footprints has been left all through the house. Ollie grabs the hem of the black shirt and pulls it up and off handing it to me inside out. I fix it and hang it over the shower curtain rod so it can dry. He removes his dark jeans leaving one leg inside out. I giggle happy some things haven't changed and fix the pant leg then toss them to join his shirt over the rod.

"My turn?" Ollie comes up behind me slipping his cold wet hands up under my soaked sweater. I lift my arms to allow it and suck my bottom lip to keep from gasping. "And...these as well." His fingers hook into the backs of my jeans waiting for my okay.

"Mmhmm." My flushed chest darkens with different shades of red while his hands come around the front undoing my pants. Ollie grips my hips and turns me dropping to a knee to peel my soaked Jeans from my legs. I balance myself on his shoulders pulling my feet from my wet pants and laugh when he throws the dripping Jeans into the bathtub, leaving them in a heap.

"I want to kiss you...down here." He says looking up at me from his knee.

"Ohmygosh," I mutter feeling my skin prickle to goosebumps and the space between my thighs throb.
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Oops, this chapter was not supposed to be this long! Sorry!

I can't wait for you to read about the night they all snuck out and the almost kiss happened.

Do we think Murry and Ollie are going to go all the way by the end of this weekend? 😝😝

And have we figured out what Ollie does for a living?