Love Resisted (Entwined Hearts #2) Read online

  Pea: A-ha. Okay. Night hun.

  I shake my head at the phone. Bloody nutcase, always trying to pair me up with someone. I shut it off and roll over before sleep claims me.

  “Tink,” I say as I stand in the doorway and look across at a sleeping Soph. She looks so peaceful and I don’t really want to wake her, but I need to head out today. There are some things that require my attention and although I don’t mind her staying here and seeing herself out, there are two problems with that.

  Firstly, I don’t want her to wake up to an empty house. Secondly, my house is across London which means she will have to call a cab or walk to the bus stop, and I don’t want her walking. Not in the same outfit she came out of that shoot in yesterday. Skin tight leather trousers and this little tank that keeps riding up her stomach. Then topping it all off with a hot-as-fuck biker jacket, and fucking heels that make her legs look longer if that’s even possible. No. Waking her is definitely the best way.

  She hasn’t moved yet. “Tink,” I throw out again. She stirs for a second then it looks like she’s sinking back into a dream, so I raise my voice slightly. “Tink.” This time her eyes slam open and she jerks. Unfortunately, she must have been sleeping on the edge of the bed as she falls out onto the floor with a thud. She’s fallen to the other side of the bed, so I can’t see her. A few seconds later a pair of eyes pop over the edge of the mattress and a set of fingers grip onto the bed sheets. She’s cute as fuck and I suppress a smile watching her and knowing I have no idea what she’s going to do next. One thing I do know is that she’s so comical and she doesn’t even realise it.

  Her eyes dart around the room then look at me and widen. It’s like I can see her brain working behind her eyes, and then she seems to have a lightbulb moment and that’s when the rest of her face appears.

  “Dane…I…urm…sorry…I didn’t hear you come in,” she mumbles. Yeah, she’s funny as fuck, and cute, especially in the morning.

  “S’okay. Just need to get going, so I wondered whether you wanted a lift home?” She stares at me for a second. “You can stay here if you want, have a shower, breakfast, and catch a cab home or you could wait. I mean, I’ll be back later. I’m not gonna be out all day.” I don’t give her the option of the bus, not that I could stop her…well, that’s not strictly true, my teeth are clenched as I wait to see what she’ll say.

  “Oh, um…well, it would be good to have a shower and wake up. I’m not much of a morning person,” she says and her cheeks pink. I know why, it’s because in all the time we were fucking, never once did I stay the night. Stupid shit that I am.

  “That’s fine, take your time, relax. I’ll be back around four if you want to stay.”

  “Thanks but, I have some things to sort out at home, not to mention calling Sharon to see if any work has been booked in for me. Also, it would be good to change my clothes,” she says with a giggle.

  “Yeah, sure. If you want, would you like me to wait and take you home?” I can’t really wait. I should be at the office now meeting a client that would only talk with the owner. But fuck, if she wants me to wait, I will.

  “No, don’t worry, you’ve done enough. I had a really peaceful night’s sleep. When I’m ready, I’ll give Saul a call. I’m sure he won’t mind coming to get me.”

  “I’m sure he won’t,” I mumble.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. That sounds good, Tink. I’ll catch up with you later, yeah?” I reply, then without waiting for her to answer, I’m down the stairs and out the door. Breathing out only when my car pulls away from the house.

  I’ve known Soph for years. I was stupid to let her go the first time. Only realising my mistake when it was too late. I’m not sure she’ll ever want to give us another chance at a relationship. I think, maybe, she has always wanted just one person and I don’t think that person is me.

  Hearing the door slam I sit in a heap on the floor rubbing my eyes and then my bum. What the hell just happened?

  I’m still trying to wrap my head around it ten minutes later when my phone alerts me to a text. I look around the room unsure of where the noise came from, and when I can’t see my bag, I check under the bed. Noticing it’s the other side, I crawl under the bed to get to it. I’m not sure what makes me do that rather than getting up and walking around, other than my brain is mush. It’s morning, I haven’t had any coffee, and I hate being woken up because my body takes ages to function.

  I open the phone and the message from Pea.

  Pea: Con and I are going to the hospital for the scan today, but I want you all over tonight. 7PM. Then we’re going out.

  Me: Yeah, ok Pea, but where else do you think I’m gonna be? I live there.

  Pea: Blanket text silly! Don’t be needy!

  This makes me chuckle. Whenever we moan at each other we try to lighten it, and we usually do this by saying, ‘Don't be needy.’

  I pick myself up from the floor and debate what to do. I really want to have a nosy around Dane’s house. I know he wouldn’t stop me. If he were worried, then he wouldn’t have left me here alone. But I also don’t want to be cheeky and although that wouldn’t usually stop me, I’m un-caffeinated so I’m still not quite myself.

  I tiptoe down the stairs to make coffee. I have no idea why I tiptoe. After all, nobody is here, but somehow it just feels appropriate. Finally managing to make coffee after searching almost every cupboard to locate the items needed, I sit at his big wooden table sipping, immediately feeling life seep back into me.

  Deciding to stick to just one coffee as I really need a shower and I want to get home, I text Saul.

  Me: Would you be able to pick me up in an hour?

  Saul: Sure. Where are you?

  Me: At Danes

  Saul: See you then.

  Me: Wait, you know where he lives?

  Saul: Yep.

  I don’t reply to that, figuring I’ll find out more when he picks me up.

  I go back up to the bedroom to get dressed, luckily my bag always has an emergency overnight kit. It’s not something I’ve had to use in the last few months, but I haven’t removed it from my everyday handbag. I go in search of the bathroom and get the right door on the second attempt. Pulling out my old faithful, I’m glad to see there’s still enough travel shower gel, although I’ve run out of shampoo and conditioner. But as I’ll be having another shower before we all go out tonight, I’ll wash my hair then. I pull out my toothbrush and travel toothpaste and clean my teeth. I like this sink. That’s probably a strange thing to think, but at my old place and at Pea’s, the sink is against a wall with a mirror over it. This sink is under the window and the mirror is to the right. It means I can brush my teeth without looking in a mirror and therefore tearing myself to shreds before my day has even started. When finished, I jump into the shower and I’m thankful when I get out and realise there is a stack of towels on the side.

  Squeezing into yesterday’s clothes is never fun, but it’s not like it’s the first time I’ve done it. Anyway, these clothes are pretty tame considering some of the things I’ve had to put back on when staying somewhere unexpectedly. Not to mention, some of the situations I’ve gotten myself into.

  There was the time I went home with goat throat. Now that was the loving name we eventually gave to a bartender at The Grove, which was an up and coming scene a few years back. His name was Terry and as Pea, Con, Saul and me, would go to the bar every week we all got to know him really well.

  He was hot. I mean smoking hot. He must have spent a lot of free time at the gym. He was at least six feet and had short dark hair and brown eyes, he had a cheeky grin too. He was always chatting up Pea and me, and he had good banter. I tried not to be taken in because if I dated him and it ended – which it inevitably would – we would have to find somewhere else to drink. Saul and Con used to get on my case about not believing every line that any guy gave me. And I didn’t. I wasn’t as stupid as they thought. I was just needy.

  This particular night I’d d
ecided that I was going to hell anyway, so I might as well find a new place to drink on the way. All evening there was the usual chemistry between us, but on this occasion I gave off the vibes letting him know that tonight was going to play out differently. Pea and Con left together, and Saul had some woman attached to his hip and his lips, so I could see where that was going.

  I was chatting to Terry all night and in the end he invited me back to his for coffee. Of course, when we got to his house we only just made it inside and up to his bedroom before we were ripping at each other’s clothes. It was hot and heavy and I was ready for a release.

  When it happened.

  He threw me on the bed, pushed my skirt up, slipping my panties to the side he dived in with his fingers almost scissoring me. It was like he was going to win an award for the most pumps in and out within thirty seconds. When he realised that wasn’t getting anywhere, even if he was trying to burrow to the other side, he instead dove over me lapping at my sex. That wasn’t bad and I’d just started to get back into it when out of nowhere comes this weird, deep noise. It scared the shit out of me at first until I realised it was coming from him…somehow his throat was making a goat sound. If you have ever heard those songs where certain words are replaced with a goat noise…yeah…that didn’t come from a goat…that came from Goat Throat Terry! So, I’m lying there alternating between trying to get into it and thinking of a way to escape.

  All while attempting not to laugh, when I hear another shout, “Tel, are you in…Tel?”

  Goat Throat comes up for air. “I’m busy, Mum. What do you need?”

  At this point, I think I snorted and I’m not sure if it was with laughter or the complete ridiculousness of the situation. As his mother shouted some more, I pushed him off me adjusted my knickers and pulled my skirt down. I got out of there as quickly as I could. Of course, I called Saul and he came to get me.

  He made goat noises all the way home.

  I’m just finishing getting ready when I hear Saul pull up outside. I let myself out of the house and slide into his car.

  “So Dane?...Really?” are his first words, as he pulls away.

  “That’s what you really think?” I reply back to him, knowing exactly what he thinks without even saying it. He’s right though, it’s not like I haven’t been with Dane before. But not again. The fact that he thinks I could be with Dane, and knowingly upset the relationship between me and Pea when it went wrong – which it would – is hurtful.

  He puffs out a breath. “No,” he says and shakes his head. “That’s not really what I think, Soph. Sorry, I’m just being an arse.”

  “No harm done, Saul. So any idea what we have been summoned to attend tonight?” I ask half joking and trying to change the conversation.

  “Nah, when you manage to work those two out, let me know,” he says and gives me a sideways glance and a grin.

  And Boom! I’m back ten years.

  “Okay class, this is what I want you to work on for the next hour,” Mr. Bateman said as he passed out cards. We were in drama. I loved this class. It was where I felt free from all the bullshit, that I could be someone else, even if it were only for an hour.

  Pea and I regularly went in for the talent contests that our school seemed to hold once a term. Me dancing or singing backup as she sang up front. I don’t think the school had any other ideas on what to do with us, so they pitted us against each other like racehorses. But hey…it meant the school got more money that was all they cared about.

  One of my friends went to a school across town. They had some kind of disco every term. The students paid to attend. I guess this was similar, we did have a disco after the talent contest. But it was usually one where the twat twins, Stacey and Ellie, got up and sang badly to the latest Brittney song, and we’d all groan and put our fingers in our ears.

  Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t born to be a singer, but I could dance. Five years of dance school helped, of course. Those two though…they would’ve sent you home at 6:00 p.m. on a Saturday when it was your birthday, and you had a hot date lined up – that’s how bad they were. Anyway, any kind of drama class, even if it was at school meant I could be someone else for a few minutes and that made me happy.

  I turned my card over and it must’ve been my lucky day as it said – DANCER – the choice was made for me. I looked over at Pea, who was practically bouncing in her seat and she sneaked me a quick glance at her card which said – SINGER. This was the first time all term that we’d gotten even close to something that we could indeed work with. So far, in this class I’d been given, PARENT, TEACHER, FIREMAN and PIRATE…yeah pirate. The fact that Pea had singer was even more surprising.

  “Pair up and be ready in twenty minutes,” Mr. Bateman said and went to sit behind his desk. He would open his drawer and constantly look into it for the next twenty minutes. I’m pretty sure he had a porn magazine in that drawer. Dirty bastard!

  Pea and I automatically start walking to each other, but Pea was only a couple of steps in when Con grabbed her around the waist. I frowned, but she smiled and shrugged her shoulders – sell out. I was about to move toward Saul when I saw Stacy grabbing him by his hands and he couldn’t pull away. Or maybe he didn’t want to. I shrugged as he caught my eye. He glanced over to Con and looked back at me and frowned. It looked like he was about to disconnect his hands from Stacy to come and rescue me.

  I didn’t need his pity.

  Fuck that.

  I walked over to Mr. Bateman, who momentarily jerked in his seat when he saw me coming, and he almost banged his crotch on the desk. Eww!

  “Mr. Bateman, I want to work on my own.”

  He scrunched his eyebrows together and coughed a couple of times. “Erm…okay, Sophie, that’ll be okay. Any particular reason why?” he asked and I shook my head no. He nodded. “Okay, well then, you better practice,” he replied.

  “I know what I’m going to do, it’s something I just thought of,” I lied so easily to him. The truth was that I’d been practicing this dance piece for weeks. Pea and I had been going through a phase. Listening to a lot of En Vogue, and we’d been practicing to a different song for the next talent show. But this particular one on their album had caught my attention, and I’d been dancing to it in my bedroom at night when Mother had been out. I felt it down to my bones, feeling free when I performed it, only wishing I could sing it too. Pea could sing it amazingly, but I could dance to it, really dance. So that’s what I’d do.

  I heard a snort and looked over at Ellie.

  “This should be good,” she said.

  I just nodded. I’d already seen her card. She was supposed to be a doctor.

  When the performances started, my legs jiggled waiting for my turn. When it was Pea and Con’s turn, the whole class was in stitches while Pea sang ‘Tears of a Clown’ and Con acted like a clown. Crazy. Both of them. Then it was Saul and Stacy’s turn. He was apparently a lawyer and she was supposed to be a baker, but it seemed to be more like he was a lawyer and she was the bunny-boiling secretary. Still, it made me giggle internally seeing him so uncomfortable.

  There was only Ellie and Sasha left and I assumed Mr. Bateman was leaving me until last as it was just me on my own.

  When Ellie got up to do her skit with Sasha, I knew immediately she wasn’t going to be a doctor. Apparently she was going to be a Beyoncé impersonator. She put on ‘Crazy In Love’ and started flinging herself around the classroom like a monkey flings shit. Everyone was silent watching the cringy scene as it unfolded. The ‘oh, oh’s’ were the worst. She put her hands on her hips and thrust her pelvis forward then back while trying to tap her foot out and spin herself around. She looked like she’d been hypnotised to be a dancing chicken on drugs. It was so funny. The whole time Sasha stood there doing nothing.

  At the end of the show Ellie stopped and looked at Sasha and her cheeks pinked, and she said, “Ten out of ten. You are the winner.”

  Apparently Sasha was a judge…she took that to mean ‘of talen
t.’ It was comical and although there were snickers toward the back of the room from some of the guys, and Con, Pea and Saul, all had smirks on their faces, the other girls wouldn’t ever have said anything due to the possibility of backlash. I did notice that Stacy had a frown and was obviously not happy with Ellie’s performance.

  “Lovely, Ellie and Sasha,” Mr. Bateman said in a very sceptical tone. “Now the last performance is from Sophie.”

  While getting up, I could hear Ellie say to Stacy, “Time for a nap.” And they high fived each other. I closed my eyes and took a breath then I put En Vogue ‘Don’t Let Go (Love)’ into the CD player. As it started, I spun around and let the music run through my veins. I moved left, then right, I reached and stretched and rotated. I moved slow when the music needed it and used a lot of contemporary dance, then when the chorus came in I had just enough space to add a little flavour with some smaller street moves. The music slowed down again and I pranced like a stripper using my body at its best. Slithering from side to side and picking one of the boys – Simon – to dance around making him feel special.

  I almost didn’t notice when the music stopped. Everyone was silent for a moment then a couple of the guys at the back whooped and that started the class clapping. I looked over at Stacy and Ellie who were sitting there with faces like slapped arses and then I noticed Saul. He had a shit-eating grin on his face, proud of the schooling I’d just given the tramps. But to me it just said, I’m everything you’ll ever want and yet you’ll never have me.

  “Soph, I assume I’m taking you home?” Saul asks jogging me out of the memory.

  “Yeah Saul, I want a nap before getting ready for tonight,” he nods at my words and I add, “Saul, thanks, you know…for coming to get me.”

  “Always babe. Always.”

  Ugh! The beeping won’t stop. It’s relentless. I know what it is. It’s the alarm I set two hours ago, so I’d get up and be ready for Pea. I don’t want her to come in here and hose me down, and at the moment with those fucking pregnancy hormones bouncing around and attacking you unexpectedly, I wouldn’t put it past her. My bright idea, of course, when I got into bed was to set the alarm on my phone. Then leave the phone on the other side of the room, so I’d have no choice but to get my backside out of bed.