Bound Together (60 page)
Authors: Marie Coulson
“
Mel!”
“
What? I’m kidding, I’m
kidding.” Walking beside me to the car she murmured in my ear. “We
both know where he’d like to stick his tongue, and it’s not that
far from your ass.”
I climbed into the
driver’s seat and smiled with just a twinge of embarrassment at
Ollie on the passenger side. “So, what are we going to
see?”
“
I was thinking a horror
flick.” Ollie grinned and held his fingers over his eyes mocking
me. I playfully batted them away from his face.
“
Dick.”
Laughing he kissed my
cheek as I backed out of the driveway. “Yeah, but you wouldn’t have
me any other way.”
I beamed back at him.
Damn, he was right.
landed and the whole house was buzzing with activity. Ollie and
Daddy were busy hooking up every Christmas light we owned and mom
was preparing all the food for Christmas lunch ready for the
refrigerator. Mel and I had taken our usual task of decorating the
tree. Hanging ornaments, lights and tinsels, I watched as my father
directed Ollie, who was currently hanging some lights over our
front door. Climbing up the ladder, his shirt lifted slightly and I
caught a glimpse of his rock hard abs. I swallowed hard as I
imagined running my hands all over those smooth perfect pieces of
male flesh.
“
For crying out loud
Layla, put yourself and that boy out of his misery and fuck him
already.”
I snapped my head around
at Mel who was staring at me with a raised eyebrow.
“
I can’t. I
won’t.”
“
Why the hell not? You
want him and he sure wants you. Why can’t you just go for it?” I
exhaled loudly. We’d been over this before and I’d had this
conversation with myself a thousand times already. “Because I can’t
Mel. I can’t get into a relationship right now. Things are fine as
they are and once we have sex, it will complicate everything.” She
chuckled. “Relationship? Honey I just wanted someone to flick your
bean.”
I screwed my face up at
her “Eww, you’re an animal you know that?”
Giggling, she shrugged.
“Why does sex have to complicate it? It’s just two good people
doing very bad things to each other.” Glaring at her, I pressed my
finger to my lip and glanced over at Ollie. Mercifully he was still
completely preoccupied with hanging the lights in a perfectly
symmetric design coordinated by my father.
“
All I’m saying is it
only has to get complicated if you let it. That’s all”
“
I’m not risking it
Melanie so just drop it!”
Using her full name had
always been my way of giving my friend her polite warning before I
got really pissed. Heeding, she moved her fingers over her lips in
a zipping gesture and resumed decorating the tree which at this
point, looked like a tacky greeting card. Staring up at the
disaster Mel and I had created by hanging every decoration in our
twenty year old box on it, I sighed contentedly. I loved Christmas
and for the first time in seven years I was spending it with both
of my parents. Wrapping his arms around my waist in a warm embrace
Ollie pressed his lips to my ear. “This is the best Christmas ever.
I’m putting up lights, there’s an actual tree, I’m surrounded by
great people and best of all, this year I have you.”
I smiled as he kissed a
spot just behind my ear. Placing my hands over his, I turned my
head and kissed him softly. The year was almost over and as I
thought back on everything that had happened, my chest tightened. I
wondered how Jared would be spending the holidays. Would he be with
Lucy and Lorraine? Would he be alone? But strangely the most
important question I had was, could he be thinking about me?
Because I was definitely thinking about him.
Layla, wake up. Come on
sleepy head, get up. I need to give you your gift.”
Slowly opening my eyes, I
stared at him. “Ollie, it’s like six in the morning.” Pulling my
pillow from beneath my head I turned over and shoved it over my
skull.
“
Come on baby girl. I
can’t wait for this. You have to get up.” Groaning, I swung my legs
out of my bed and stood up, stumbling to the bathroom. Ollie sat on
my bed grinning. Brushing my teeth, I questioned his early riser
routine.
“
Why exactly do I have to
get up at six in the morning to open my gift?”
“
Will
you stop asking questions and just hurry your ass up and get
dressed. I’ll wait for you downstairs but be quiet; your folks are
still asleep.” I heard the bedroom door close and glanced at my bed
half tempted to crawl back into it and cocoon myself in my quilt.
But since he’d gone to
so
much trouble to get me up, I decided I might as
well humor him. Pulling on some sweat pants and a hoodie I walked
out of my room, creeping past my parent’s door on the
way.
Beaming at me from the
bottom of the stairs, Ollie held out his hand for me. Taking it, I
eyed him suspiciously. “How are you so chirpy for this time of day?
You could at least have the common decency to look a little rough.”
His perfect straight black hair and typical rock boy clothes were
pristine. He must have been up for an hour already at least.
Shaking his head clearly amused, he grabbed my sneakers and slid
them onto my feet as I stood gripping the banisters and yawning.
“Ready?”
“
For what?”
“
Your gift.”
He led me to the front
door and pulled it open.
“
I have to go outside for
this!?”
He chuckled and yanked my
arm, pulling me through the door. “Come on, trust me, you’ll love
this.”
I rolled my eyes and
followed him out into the cool morning air. The sun wasn’t up yet
and the sky blue of the early morning light instantly reminded me
of Jared’s piercing eyes. I could have kicked myself for thinking
of him, especially as I was currently walking hand in hand with
Ollie on Christmas morning. Looking up at his bright, fresh face I
smiled. “Where are we going?” He pressed a kiss to my forehead as
we walked and grinned at me. “It’s a surprise.”
As we walked further, I
glanced around sleepily at my surroundings and became aware of
where I was headed. “Why are we going to the park?”
“
God you ask so many
questions.”
“
But you won’t answer
them?”
He shook his head.
“Nope.”
Slipping behind me, he
held his hands over my eyes. “Ok, no peeking.”
I giggled at him as we
walked unsteadily forward. “Ok, open.” Taking his hands from my
face I gazed in awe at the scene he’d set up. A tartan blanket was
lying on the ground with a bottle of champagne, two glasses and a
picnic basket. I pressed my fingertips to my lips and grinned as I
turned to face him. “What is all this?”
Wrapping his arms around
my waist, he smiled. “It’s breakfast by sunrise. I wanted to start
today off the very best way possible, with you.”
I gazed up at him and
shook my head in amazement. “Ollie, I…I don’t know what to say.
It’s incredible.”
Taking my hand, he led me
over to a tree opposite our picnic and I stood with my mouth gaping
open as I saw our names carved into the bark. ‘Ollie & Layla
4Ever’ was the most beautiful engraving I’d ever seen. Flinging my
arms around his neck I kissed him deeply. “It’s the most romantic
thing anyone has ever done for me.”
He grinned back down at
me and brushed the tip of his nose over mine. “Well hold that
thought because I’m not done yet.” Leading me over to our cozy spot
and taking a seat, he pulled me down to sit in front of him. His
legs apart, I sat snuggly with my back to his chest and was also
aware of my ass pressed against his crotch. Leaning over me, he
opened the basket and kissed my cheek. “Take a look.”
I beamed as I discovered
two delicious, lightly toasted bagels with salmon, cream cheese and
poppy seeds. It was my favorite breakfast and Ollie knew it. I
turned my head and kissed his soft lips gently. I grabbed the cool
bottle of champagne and poured us each a glass. Holding his in the
air, he beamed at me. “Merry Christmas Layla.”
Clinking his glass with
my own, I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Merry Christmas
Ollie.”
His lip ring clanked
against the glass as he sipped the champagne. Holding it away from
himself he screwed up his nose, making me snort my laughter so
hard, bubbles ran up my nose. “Wow, I thought champagne was
supposed to be real good? This sucks. You like it?”
I nodded and took another
sip. He shrugged, grabbed a bagel and held it to my mouth. I
immediately took a bite and moaned with pleasure at the delicious
taste of fresh salmon. I was starving and the early morning wakeup
call had left me no time to think about food but I was certainly in
the mood for it.
The bagels devoured and
the champagne discarded I leaned back against him with my knees to
my chest. His arms wrapped around me, we watched the sun come up.
The beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red were intensely
romantic and as the warmth of the first sunlight hit my face, I
sighed. Resting my head against his shoulder, I thought about how
Ollie must have spent every Christmas previously. Alone, hungry,
frightened and unloved I imagined. There was nothing worse than the
thought of someone I loved being abandoned at the holidays and I
was once again flooded with thoughts of Jared. My heart gave an
almighty thud as I thought about what he would be doing today.
Working, watching TV in his sweats or maybe spending time with his
new family. The family he felt he couldn’t tell me about, that he
couldn’t trust me to keep a secret. It was still as painful as it
had been those few weeks ago and I mentally chastised myself for
letting my mind wander. I wasn’t willing to allow thoughts of Jared
to ruin my holiday and Ollie’s beautiful gift. Leaning to my ear,
Ollie whispered gently. “I have another gift for you. Wait
here.”
I watched him curiously
as he disappeared behind a tree and when he re-emerged I grinned.
In his hand he held an acoustic guitar and strumming it he walked
back to me and sat,
cross-legged on the
blanket. I sat staring as he began to sing, low, husky and
deliciously the way he always did.
Every time I look at
you
There’s something that I
have to do
And I don’t know what I
should say
Baby I get
speechless
I’m just a complete
mess
You take my breath clean
away
I’ve never loved anyone
like this before
Never felt so
sure
I can’t understand
it
But you’re all I
need
You everything I’ve ever
dreamed about
I could never work it
out
You just make me
breathless
You’re beautiful and I
want you to know
There’s nowhere I won’t
go
If it means I am with
you
No matter where you are or
what you do
Layla I’m in love with
you
Tears pooled in my eyes
as the beautiful melody and emotionally charged lyrics fluttered
around me like feathers being carried on the breeze. I’d never
experienced anything so powerfully romantic. Not even with
Jared.
Damn, Jared
again
. The setting, the picnic, the song,
it was overwhelming and my heart was so crazy confused it had
stopped it’s rocking and was now running around in circles stark
naked
while my mind danced around happily
like a free spirited hippie at a love-in. My emotions were all over
the place and were changing so rapidly it gave me
whiplash.
Placing his guitar beside
him he gazed at me anxiously. Shaking my head and finally regaining
consciousness from my reverie, I leaned in and kissed him
passionately and meaningfully; trying to express how I felt through
my act of affection. If only I could figure out what that was
exactly. Ollie’s wonderfully sweet gift was entirely
amorous and very thoughtful. Yet hearing those
three little words didn’t have the effect on me that I desired. My
heart didn’t race, my pulse never leapt and my own deep emotions
remained buried inside me, suppressed by the ever present dull ache
of my heart. He still had a hold over me and no matter how hard I
tried to shake him off, Jared was the one my heart desired and it
was not willing to let him go yet.
Resting his forehead
against mine, he brushed the tip of his nose back and forth over
mine. “What are you thinking?”
I gave him a smile. “How
wonderful you are and how lucky I am to have you.”
I lied. I wasn’t about to
tell him that I was thinking of Jared. That would have gone down
like a lead balloon.
Thanks for the song
Ollie but I’m just going to sit here and think over how much I
still pine for Jared
. He smiled back at me
and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips. “We’d better get back before
your parents wake up and worry where you are.” Clambering to his
feet, he held out his hand for mine and hauled me off of the
ground. We packed away our breakfast picnic and with his arm around
my waist we walked back to the house, to parents, to Christmas
morning and to the secure company of others. Time alone with Ollie
was not just giving me ideas; it was playing horrible games with my
frail emotions.
Mel!”
“
What? I’m kidding, I’m
kidding.” Walking beside me to the car she murmured in my ear. “We
both know where he’d like to stick his tongue, and it’s not that
far from your ass.”
I climbed into the
driver’s seat and smiled with just a twinge of embarrassment at
Ollie on the passenger side. “So, what are we going to
see?”
“
I was thinking a horror
flick.” Ollie grinned and held his fingers over his eyes mocking
me. I playfully batted them away from his face.
“
Dick.”
Laughing he kissed my
cheek as I backed out of the driveway. “Yeah, but you wouldn’t have
me any other way.”
I beamed back at him.
Damn, he was right.
* * *
landed and the whole house was buzzing with activity. Ollie and
Daddy were busy hooking up every Christmas light we owned and mom
was preparing all the food for Christmas lunch ready for the
refrigerator. Mel and I had taken our usual task of decorating the
tree. Hanging ornaments, lights and tinsels, I watched as my father
directed Ollie, who was currently hanging some lights over our
front door. Climbing up the ladder, his shirt lifted slightly and I
caught a glimpse of his rock hard abs. I swallowed hard as I
imagined running my hands all over those smooth perfect pieces of
male flesh.
“
For crying out loud
Layla, put yourself and that boy out of his misery and fuck him
already.”
I snapped my head around
at Mel who was staring at me with a raised eyebrow.
“
I can’t. I
won’t.”
“
Why the hell not? You
want him and he sure wants you. Why can’t you just go for it?” I
exhaled loudly. We’d been over this before and I’d had this
conversation with myself a thousand times already. “Because I can’t
Mel. I can’t get into a relationship right now. Things are fine as
they are and once we have sex, it will complicate everything.” She
chuckled. “Relationship? Honey I just wanted someone to flick your
bean.”
I screwed my face up at
her “Eww, you’re an animal you know that?”
Giggling, she shrugged.
“Why does sex have to complicate it? It’s just two good people
doing very bad things to each other.” Glaring at her, I pressed my
finger to my lip and glanced over at Ollie. Mercifully he was still
completely preoccupied with hanging the lights in a perfectly
symmetric design coordinated by my father.
“
All I’m saying is it
only has to get complicated if you let it. That’s all”
“
I’m not risking it
Melanie so just drop it!”
Using her full name had
always been my way of giving my friend her polite warning before I
got really pissed. Heeding, she moved her fingers over her lips in
a zipping gesture and resumed decorating the tree which at this
point, looked like a tacky greeting card. Staring up at the
disaster Mel and I had created by hanging every decoration in our
twenty year old box on it, I sighed contentedly. I loved Christmas
and for the first time in seven years I was spending it with both
of my parents. Wrapping his arms around my waist in a warm embrace
Ollie pressed his lips to my ear. “This is the best Christmas ever.
I’m putting up lights, there’s an actual tree, I’m surrounded by
great people and best of all, this year I have you.”
I smiled as he kissed a
spot just behind my ear. Placing my hands over his, I turned my
head and kissed him softly. The year was almost over and as I
thought back on everything that had happened, my chest tightened. I
wondered how Jared would be spending the holidays. Would he be with
Lucy and Lorraine? Would he be alone? But strangely the most
important question I had was, could he be thinking about me?
Because I was definitely thinking about him.
* * *
Layla, wake up. Come on
sleepy head, get up. I need to give you your gift.”
Slowly opening my eyes, I
stared at him. “Ollie, it’s like six in the morning.” Pulling my
pillow from beneath my head I turned over and shoved it over my
skull.
“
Come on baby girl. I
can’t wait for this. You have to get up.” Groaning, I swung my legs
out of my bed and stood up, stumbling to the bathroom. Ollie sat on
my bed grinning. Brushing my teeth, I questioned his early riser
routine.
“
Why exactly do I have to
get up at six in the morning to open my gift?”
“
Will
you stop asking questions and just hurry your ass up and get
dressed. I’ll wait for you downstairs but be quiet; your folks are
still asleep.” I heard the bedroom door close and glanced at my bed
half tempted to crawl back into it and cocoon myself in my quilt.
But since he’d gone to
so
much trouble to get me up, I decided I might as
well humor him. Pulling on some sweat pants and a hoodie I walked
out of my room, creeping past my parent’s door on the
way.
Beaming at me from the
bottom of the stairs, Ollie held out his hand for me. Taking it, I
eyed him suspiciously. “How are you so chirpy for this time of day?
You could at least have the common decency to look a little rough.”
His perfect straight black hair and typical rock boy clothes were
pristine. He must have been up for an hour already at least.
Shaking his head clearly amused, he grabbed my sneakers and slid
them onto my feet as I stood gripping the banisters and yawning.
“Ready?”
“
For what?”
“
Your gift.”
He led me to the front
door and pulled it open.
“
I have to go outside for
this!?”
He chuckled and yanked my
arm, pulling me through the door. “Come on, trust me, you’ll love
this.”
I rolled my eyes and
followed him out into the cool morning air. The sun wasn’t up yet
and the sky blue of the early morning light instantly reminded me
of Jared’s piercing eyes. I could have kicked myself for thinking
of him, especially as I was currently walking hand in hand with
Ollie on Christmas morning. Looking up at his bright, fresh face I
smiled. “Where are we going?” He pressed a kiss to my forehead as
we walked and grinned at me. “It’s a surprise.”
As we walked further, I
glanced around sleepily at my surroundings and became aware of
where I was headed. “Why are we going to the park?”
“
God you ask so many
questions.”
“
But you won’t answer
them?”
He shook his head.
“Nope.”
Slipping behind me, he
held his hands over my eyes. “Ok, no peeking.”
I giggled at him as we
walked unsteadily forward. “Ok, open.” Taking his hands from my
face I gazed in awe at the scene he’d set up. A tartan blanket was
lying on the ground with a bottle of champagne, two glasses and a
picnic basket. I pressed my fingertips to my lips and grinned as I
turned to face him. “What is all this?”
Wrapping his arms around
my waist, he smiled. “It’s breakfast by sunrise. I wanted to start
today off the very best way possible, with you.”
I gazed up at him and
shook my head in amazement. “Ollie, I…I don’t know what to say.
It’s incredible.”
Taking my hand, he led me
over to a tree opposite our picnic and I stood with my mouth gaping
open as I saw our names carved into the bark. ‘Ollie & Layla
4Ever’ was the most beautiful engraving I’d ever seen. Flinging my
arms around his neck I kissed him deeply. “It’s the most romantic
thing anyone has ever done for me.”
He grinned back down at
me and brushed the tip of his nose over mine. “Well hold that
thought because I’m not done yet.” Leading me over to our cozy spot
and taking a seat, he pulled me down to sit in front of him. His
legs apart, I sat snuggly with my back to his chest and was also
aware of my ass pressed against his crotch. Leaning over me, he
opened the basket and kissed my cheek. “Take a look.”
I beamed as I discovered
two delicious, lightly toasted bagels with salmon, cream cheese and
poppy seeds. It was my favorite breakfast and Ollie knew it. I
turned my head and kissed his soft lips gently. I grabbed the cool
bottle of champagne and poured us each a glass. Holding his in the
air, he beamed at me. “Merry Christmas Layla.”
Clinking his glass with
my own, I gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Merry Christmas
Ollie.”
His lip ring clanked
against the glass as he sipped the champagne. Holding it away from
himself he screwed up his nose, making me snort my laughter so
hard, bubbles ran up my nose. “Wow, I thought champagne was
supposed to be real good? This sucks. You like it?”
I nodded and took another
sip. He shrugged, grabbed a bagel and held it to my mouth. I
immediately took a bite and moaned with pleasure at the delicious
taste of fresh salmon. I was starving and the early morning wakeup
call had left me no time to think about food but I was certainly in
the mood for it.
The bagels devoured and
the champagne discarded I leaned back against him with my knees to
my chest. His arms wrapped around me, we watched the sun come up.
The beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red were intensely
romantic and as the warmth of the first sunlight hit my face, I
sighed. Resting my head against his shoulder, I thought about how
Ollie must have spent every Christmas previously. Alone, hungry,
frightened and unloved I imagined. There was nothing worse than the
thought of someone I loved being abandoned at the holidays and I
was once again flooded with thoughts of Jared. My heart gave an
almighty thud as I thought about what he would be doing today.
Working, watching TV in his sweats or maybe spending time with his
new family. The family he felt he couldn’t tell me about, that he
couldn’t trust me to keep a secret. It was still as painful as it
had been those few weeks ago and I mentally chastised myself for
letting my mind wander. I wasn’t willing to allow thoughts of Jared
to ruin my holiday and Ollie’s beautiful gift. Leaning to my ear,
Ollie whispered gently. “I have another gift for you. Wait
here.”
I watched him curiously
as he disappeared behind a tree and when he re-emerged I grinned.
In his hand he held an acoustic guitar and strumming it he walked
back to me and sat,
cross-legged on the
blanket. I sat staring as he began to sing, low, husky and
deliciously the way he always did.
Every time I look at
you
There’s something that I
have to do
And I don’t know what I
should say
Baby I get
speechless
I’m just a complete
mess
You take my breath clean
away
I’ve never loved anyone
like this before
Never felt so
sure
I can’t understand
it
But you’re all I
need
You everything I’ve ever
dreamed about
I could never work it
out
You just make me
breathless
You’re beautiful and I
want you to know
There’s nowhere I won’t
go
If it means I am with
you
No matter where you are or
what you do
Layla I’m in love with
you
Tears pooled in my eyes
as the beautiful melody and emotionally charged lyrics fluttered
around me like feathers being carried on the breeze. I’d never
experienced anything so powerfully romantic. Not even with
Jared.
Damn, Jared
again
. The setting, the picnic, the song,
it was overwhelming and my heart was so crazy confused it had
stopped it’s rocking and was now running around in circles stark
naked
while my mind danced around happily
like a free spirited hippie at a love-in. My emotions were all over
the place and were changing so rapidly it gave me
whiplash.
Placing his guitar beside
him he gazed at me anxiously. Shaking my head and finally regaining
consciousness from my reverie, I leaned in and kissed him
passionately and meaningfully; trying to express how I felt through
my act of affection. If only I could figure out what that was
exactly. Ollie’s wonderfully sweet gift was entirely
amorous and very thoughtful. Yet hearing those
three little words didn’t have the effect on me that I desired. My
heart didn’t race, my pulse never leapt and my own deep emotions
remained buried inside me, suppressed by the ever present dull ache
of my heart. He still had a hold over me and no matter how hard I
tried to shake him off, Jared was the one my heart desired and it
was not willing to let him go yet.
Resting his forehead
against mine, he brushed the tip of his nose back and forth over
mine. “What are you thinking?”
I gave him a smile. “How
wonderful you are and how lucky I am to have you.”
I lied. I wasn’t about to
tell him that I was thinking of Jared. That would have gone down
like a lead balloon.
Thanks for the song
Ollie but I’m just going to sit here and think over how much I
still pine for Jared
. He smiled back at me
and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips. “We’d better get back before
your parents wake up and worry where you are.” Clambering to his
feet, he held out his hand for mine and hauled me off of the
ground. We packed away our breakfast picnic and with his arm around
my waist we walked back to the house, to parents, to Christmas
morning and to the secure company of others. Time alone with Ollie
was not just giving me ideas; it was playing horrible games with my
frail emotions.
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