Finding My Way (33 page)

After dinner, I wash
the dishes while Seth dries.
 
I can’t
help but be thrilled at how comfortable I feel doing such a mundane thing with
him, again.  I could get used to this, being with Seth.  The last of
the dishes is Mum’s casserole dish that housed the lasagne.  I pick it up
with my soap-
sudded
hand and it slips from my grasp
and into the sink causing a large splash of soapy water to flick up my arm and
onto my chest.  I immediately look down hoping that I have not just
repeated Saturday’s lemonade soaked t-shirt episode.  I sigh with relief
that I have not embarrassed myself again.  I barely register Seth’s gasp
but when he starts laughing I look over to him to find that this time he’s the
one that’s soaked.  Bubbles sit on top of his head with a line of water
going across his face and down his white business shirt.  I stare at him
in horror for a second before I burst out laughing.  Without even
thinking, my hands leave the sink full of water and I accidentally flick him
again while I try to control my laughter.

“Oh you think that’s
funny do you?”  Seth teases as a look of mischief plays across his
face.  I immediately recognise that look and know that I’m about to cop
it.

“No… no, no,” I
murmur in between giggles as I put my hands up in surrender and back
away.  But he’s too quick and plunges one hand into the water and with a
bubble-covered
hand,
he flicks me across the
face.  I stand in shock and try to look angrily at him.  It must
work, because for a moment he looks regretful, as if he wishes he could take it
back.
 
So that’s when I get him, by
wiping my still wet hands on his chest.  I laugh and take a step back to
admire at my handiwork.  His shirt is soaked right through.  This
time Seth places both of his hands back in the sink.  I try to make a run
for it, but barely make two steps before he grabs me from behind.

“You’re in for it
now,” he laughs as he quickly grabs hold of my waist, the wetness of his hands
instantly soaking through my clothes.  I struggle from his grasp and get
away from him again.  Standing on the opposite side of the island bench, I
eye him suspiciously, not knowing which way to go.  I step to the left and
he steps to his right, I step to my right and he steps to his left.  Then
I realise that I can actually reach the sink from this side of the bench so I
quickly put my hands in the sink and splash him before he gets a chance to
move.

He roars with
laughter and I squeal with delight as he rounds the bench and lunges for
me.  I head towards the opposite wall and somehow he catches me right near
the glass sliding door to the balcony.  Seth’s wet hands capture my face
and we stand there staring at each other as we try to catch our breath. 
We continue to look into each other’s eyes for a moment and somehow my arms
move of their own accord to his waist.

An instant later our
mouths are connected.  Before I can even register what is going on I feel
the cool glass against my back as our bodies are pulled tighter together and
pressed against the sliding door.  Seth kisses with such gentleness and
passion that I feel like I am melting into him.  My whole body relaxes and
I feel weak with want.  The cold hard glass against my back only increases
my need.  But all too soon Seth pulls his mouth away from mine.  We
both look down at each other’s chests and laugh.  Seth’s white shirt is
transparent and my cream blouse isn’t far off either.

“Ever get the feeling
of déjà vu?”  Seth asks seductively, while looking at my breasts.  I
suddenly feel self-conscious and cross my arms over my chest.  Seth
awkwardly clears his throat and looks away.  “I’ll just ah…” he trails off
as he turns away and walks back to the kitchen.

I watch him for a
moment, as he begins to tidy up the mess we just made, and then I go into my
bedroom and find an old t-shirt to change into.  Why did I do that? 
Why did I cover myself up?  Effectively ending whatever that was. 
Why did I put my hands in the way, when I would much prefer
his
hands on
my
chest.
  Why did I just ruin the moment?

“Here you go,” I say
to Seth as I reluctantly hand him back his Editor’s t-shirt from the other
night.  “Sorry I didn’t have a chance to wash it.”

“That’s okay,” he
says as he places it on the back of the couch and proceeds to unbutton his wet
shirt.  My eyes trail his hands as they make their way down.  He
pulls the shirt free from his pants and I notice the V of his hips and
gulp.  I don’t even try to hide the fact that I am staring as my eyes make
their way back up his naked chest.  He’s even better looking underneath
his clothes than I had imagined.  Defined, tanned…
dripping wet
. 
Seth uses the shirt to wipe off the excess moisture before turning to place it
on the kitchen bench, giving me a good view of the muscles on his back as they
flex in the process.  I feel a twinge between my legs as he turns back and
faces me.  He pauses for a moment and I blush when I meet his eyes. 
But he quickly looks away grabbing his t-shirt and unfortunately covers up his
beautiful torso way too rapidly.

I feel her eyes on me
as I get changed.  It feels like she is eating me up with those green orbs
of hers.  That electricity is in the air again.  But as much as I am
drawn to her, as much as I want her, I don’t want to rush things.  I am
falling way too fast as it is without taking that next step.  I know that
she has recently come out of a long relationship so I don’t want to rush her
and if I’m perfectly honest, I’m protecting myself too.  The depth of
feeling I already have for this girl is so powerful that it would be hard to
walk away now, but even harder if we threw sex into the mix.  I need to
make sure she is ready, that we both are…

I walk over to her
couch and she follows.  We sit together our legs aligning.  Sinking
further into the cushions, I can’t keep my eyes off her.  I can still feel
her on my lips, her body against mine.  My body’s abuzz; I am so drawn to
her.  The smell of her perfume that lingers in the
air,
is even stronger on my, now returned, t-shirt, definitely doesn’t help
matters.

“This is a very comfy
couch,” I say for no particular reason.

“
Mhmm
,”
is her only reply.  She is looking at me again, in
that
way. 
Oh
what the hell!

I lunge at her,
sliding my body closer to hers, placing one hand on the side of her throat I
pull her to me.  I caress her cheek with my other hand and hold her head
to mine.  Our lips meet and I can’t hold back this time.  I kiss her
more forcefully than before.  My tongue finds hers and her hands wrap
around my neck.  A small moan escapes her mouth, intensifying our
kiss.  Her hands move up the back of my neck and she plays with my hair,
it sends electricity through me.

She turns her body
towards me, getting up on her knees; I lift myself up so that our lips are
continually joined.  Once she is repositioned, she pulls herself
closer.  I gently push her down onto her back, covering her with my
body.  I kick off my shoes as I reposition myself between her legs, her
lips never leaving mine.  Her hands roam down my back and then I’m moaning
against her mouth too.

Our kisses become
more frantic as our bodies start to move against each other.  I move one
hand down her neck, across her chest and then I cup her breast.  I trail
kisses along following the path behind my hand.  She moans again as she
thrusts her hips up to mine.  Both of her hands move back up to my head
and she fingers my hair again.  I pull up just short of the top of her
t-shirt.

“What are you
wearing?”  I ask huskily as I look down.

“What?”  She
looks down too, pulling her t-shirt away from her body so she can see it from
her current position, “oh.”  She blushes with embarrassment and covers her
face with her hand.  She has her t-shirt on inside out.  I lift her hand
from her face.  “I guess I was a little distracted…” she explains.

“You
and me both.”
  The shaking of our bodies as we giggle against each
other reminds us of what we were doing before.  Our fingers entwine as I
lean down to kiss her again, less frantic, more restrained and gentle this
time.

We lie on the couch
and make out like a couple of teenagers and it’s incredible.  Time stands
still and time speeds up.  I have no idea how long we are like that
together but I don’t think I could ever get enough of those lips.

“We made out like
teenagers for what seemed like hours, but was probably more like fifteen or
twenty minutes.
 
Then I drove him home
and dropped him off in front of his house.”

“Well that sounds
like fun,” Kat says enthusiastically as she folds another box opposite me at
her parent’s dining room table.  “And he didn’t even try to take it
further?”

“Nope.”
I reply with a smile.  “It was nice.”

“Nice?”  She
asks, one eyebrow
raised
.

“Okay it was
hot. 
Really
hot!”

Really,
really hot.
  After lying on the couch, kissing and feeling each
other, Seth came to a slow stop, hopped up off the couch and said it was time
for him to go.  I kissed him once more when I parked my car in front of
his dark house.  When he reached his front door, he turned and waved goodbye. 
I was left wanting, again, but this time when I got home, I didn’t find relief
with my BOB.  I couldn’t.  Vibrators have their time and place but
they only offer a hollow victory.  After getting a taste of the real thing
last night, I would prefer to wait for more.  It’s killing me though.

“That’s more like
it!  What was it like facing him at work today?”

“Good.”  I say
with a shrug.  How else do I describe it?  The looks that we gave
each other all over the office today were so sexually charged that they made me
blush.  But other than Sophie, I don’t think anybody noticed. 
Unfortunately we didn’t synchronise our times and caught separate trains to
work in the morning.  We didn’t actually make any physical contact until
after work when we walked to the train station together and held hands. 
Once we got on the train however, things got physical alright.  Seth’s
tongue was down my throat as soon as my bum hit the seat.  Everyone on the
train disappeared as we again made out like teenagers.  I pulled up for
air just in time for Seth’s stop.  I had already told him I was having
dinner at my parents and then helping Kat afterwards, so we just said quick
goodbyes.

“You didn’t make
plans for another date?”  Kat asks interrupting my thoughts.

“Yes, tomorrow night,
he’s taking me to dinner.”

Both of our mothers
enter the room then so Kat quickly changes the subject.  “I’m so glad
these are nearly finished.”  I eye Kat to let her know that I am grateful
she didn’t say anything about Seth in front of Mum.  I’m just not ready to
answer the hundred questions that would come my way.  She gives me a
subtle nod in return.

“Here you go
darling,” Mum says as she places a glass of water in front of me.

“Thanks Mum.”  I
pause to take a sip before grabbing another white box to fold and fill with
heart shaped chocolates, finishing it off with a gold bow.

“So we’re almost done
here, is there any other wedding stuff you need help with?”  Mum asks as
she finishes off another box.  She continues to look back and forth between
Erin and Kat.

“No this is the last
thing to do.”  Erin replies as she continues to work.

“Thanks though
Anna.”  Kat replies with a big smile, giving Mum’s hand a squeeze. 
“You’ve been a great help these past few months.”

“You’re
welcome,
you’re like my other daughter you know.  Boy
it’s gone fast.  Before you know it you’ll be old and wrinkly watching
your own children getting married.”  Mum jokes but then quickly turns to
Erin to put a hand on her shoulder.  “Sorry.”

“I can’t believe my
baby’s getting married.”  Erin sobs and we all laugh.

I fill them all in on
my meeting with Julia and my sort-of promotion as we continue to work on
getting all the party favours finished.

“New
ringtone?”
  Kat asks out of the blue.

“Huh?”

“Are you
gonna
get that?”  She asks nodding towards my
bag.  It takes me a moment to realise that ‘Sexy and I Know It’ is playing
softly, which means my phone is ringing, buried inside my handbag.  I
quickly retrieve it and answer the call.

“Hello.”

“Hey
gorgeous, you avoiding me?”
  Nick’s deep sexy voice replies sending
a thrill through me.

“No of course I’m not
avoiding you,” I answer, blushing when I realise that three sets of eyes
are looking at me questioningly.  I stand and move away from Mum, Kat and
Erin.

“I missed your face
these past two mornings.”  I see Jake and Chris watching TV in the lounge
room so I continue walking out the front door, shutting it behind me.

“I was running late
both days, I did wave but you were busy.”

“Fair
enough.
  What
ya
up to now?”

“Um,
helping a friend.”

“So you’re not home?”

“No,
why?”

“I was just walking
by your place and thought I would say g’day.”

“Oh.” 
Bugger!

“Never
mind.
  Another time,” he replies and I hope that it is
disappointment in his voice that I am detecting.

“Okay.”

“Well try not to be
late tomorrow, come say hello before you hop on that train.  Okay?”