Chapter 5

The early morning sun slanting across the bed awoke Nicole. Blearily she rubbed her tired eyes and tried to focus on her clock. It was just past 6.30 am and earlier than she normally woke up. A faint snoring reminded her of the events of the previous evening and she gingerly turned round.

Rob was laid on his back, fast asleep with his arm thrown out to one side. He looked peaceful as she watched him, his eyelids flickering as he dreamt about things she could only imagine. All she wanted to do was to lie back down and stretch out next to him. But that would be fatal. The chances were strong that she would fall asleep again.

No, he needed to leave before Angela was up and about. The last thing she wanted was for her landlady to see a strange man sneaking out at in the early morning. The poor woman would probably be horrified.

Nicole prodded him gently. He stirred but still didn't awaken. So she prodded him harder.

"Ouch," he grumbled eventually. "Do you do that to all your gentleman friends?"

Nicole grinned. "No, normally I kick then out straight after sex."

"I feel privileged then."

"Don't — you still owe me. Cash only please..." She pasted a stern expression on her face and Rob looked suitably outraged.

Moving fast, he grabbed her round the waist and pinned her beneath his body. "Will payment in kind do?" he asked with a lecherous smile.

They both began to giggle like silly teenagers as he tickled her mercilessly.

"Stop it!" Nicole gasped when her sides began to ache. "You'll wake up my landlady!"

"It's not ME who's making all the noise!" He relented and slid his hand down her hip, the amusement slowly fading only to be replaced with a darker look entirely.

Nicole felt her heart beat faster as her body reignited with familiar sparks of passion. When kissed her softly, she forgot what time it was and the fact he ought to be leaving. All she could think about was the way his body felt against hers.

She wished that real life was not there, lurking in the background, just waiting for an opportunity to slap her in the face like it usually did. Maybe Rob was not like Sean. Maybe he wouldn't hurt her in the way Sean had. But how could she really trust him? Maybe it was her fault. Maybe she had driven him into her sister's arms.

Maybe she had been lacking in some fundamental way.

The moment was lost and she broke the kiss. "We need to get you out of the house before Angela gets up..." she sighed with regret.

"Your timing is excellent," Rob said ruefully, mindful of a throbbing erection that was in no rush to disappear just yet. But the last thing he wanted was to upset her landlady, so he reluctantly rolled away. "Okay, I'll scuttle off like a one night stand ... I'm not offended, honestly..."

Nicole had to laugh. His hurt expression was comical. "Come on Wayne ... or was it Fred?"

"Oh now, that's really not funny! Do I look like a Wayne to you??"

She had to smother her giggles in the pillow for fear of being heard in the next street. Rob pulled himself out of bed and hunted around for his clothes strewn all over the floor. It took a while but eventually he was dressed again. Nicole continued to lie under the duvet, watching him but making no effort to get dressed.

"Hey, lazy, are you actually going to shift your carcass and show me the door?"

"I'm waiting for my money, John," she grinned cheekily.

"Right, you've done it now!" With one swift movement, he grabbed the edge of the duvet and yanked it off her body, leaving her naked and exposed. "Still staying there?" he asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Bastard!" she muttered crossly. Now she was forced to pull her dressing gown on and actually get up. It was way too early to be out of bed. "Okay, okay ... I'm moving."

She walked him quietly down the back stairs and out of the rear entrance door. The sky was still streaked pink from the rising sun and for a moment they admired the infusions of brilliant colour.

"Just think, you'd have missed this if it wasn't for me," remarked Rob.

"Yep — I'm extremely grateful for the sunrise — thanks!"

"Is that all you're grateful for?" he asked, taking her warm body in his arms as they stood on the threshold of the doorway.

"No..." she admitted. "Last night was lovely." She hadn't meant to say that — the words just fell out without warning and she dropped her gaze in sudden embarrassment. God, what would he think?

"I'm glad you feel that way. I was thinking pretty much the same thing too." Rob tilted her chin up and smiled. He kissed her again, all the time wishing they could have stayed in bed a little longer. He knew he was gong to be stuck with a hard on all damned day now...

"Was that a young man I saw leaving at the crack of dawn this morning?" Angela asked as she poured the tea.

Nicole turned bright red and frantically scrabbled around for a suitable explanation. "Err..." she waffled.

The old lady snorted softly. "I was young once, my dear!" she laughed. "It's nice to have some happiness in the house again. Seems a long time since my family were around." Her voice trailed off and once again, Nicole felt sad that Angela seemed so lonely.

"I'm sorry," she apologised. "I guess I should have asked you if it was okay."

"I don't mind dear," Angela replied. She passed Nicole a cup of tea and sat down at the table, wincing slightly. "You bring your young man round for tea one night and introduce him properly. I'd like some male company." She winked and Nicole giggled.

"Okay!" she grinned. "It's a deal!"

They sat companionably drinking tea and eating toast while the sun filtered through the tall oak trees towards the end of the long garden. It was a garden meant to be filled with children, thought Nicole wistfully. It was just the kind of place she envisaged her children's nursery to be.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and cursed under her breath. "Hell, I'm gonna be so late!"

Angela chuckled. "Leave these pots and get yourself off, dear. I don't want Sue complaining that you're late. She's a stickler for punctuality."

Nicole nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Angela. I'll see you later." Snatching a last slice of toast she dashed out of the kitchen door like a whirlwind.

The old lady watched her leave. Yes, she thought with pleasure, Sue had been right. The girl was like a breath of fresh air around the old place. It was just what she needed; she was not ready to sit and gather cobwebs just yet.

"Hello?" Danni said sarcastically when Nicole failed to respond for the zillionth time that day.

"Err ... sorry," Nicole grinned ruefully and sipped her coffee. "I was listening — honest!"

"Jesus, what's the matter with you these days? It's like you're on another fucking planet half of the time! Between you and my annoying brother, I'm beginning to think we have body snatchers at large!"

Nicole ignored the reference to Rob. They still hadn't gotten round to telling Danni about their relationship and the longer it went on, the harder it seemed to be. It was becoming ridiculous — there was no real reason why she shouldn't know. It was just awkward. As much as Nicole liked Danni, she and Rob were at each other's throats all the time and Nicole was loath to be piggy in the middle. It seemed easier to just continue as they were and hide themselves away from the rest of the world.

Besides, if Danni knew how things were, there was every possibility Lizzie would find out too since they all knew each other. So far, Lizzie had remained unaware of the fact Rob was seeing someone else. She continued to text and 'phone him regularly, mainly to tell him about all the other men she was seeing. Nicole found it all deeply irritating, but she was determined to not fall into the trap of paranoia. It was damned hard though.

"How's it going in the new place anyway?" Danni lit another cigarette and stared at Nicole curiously. She had a sixth sense that Nicole was not telling her something, but she wasn't sure why. As much as her curiosity was eating her away, she felt it better not to pry.

Nicole had seemed much happier in the last week and the way she kept smiling whenever she thought nobody was watching Danni felt sure a man was involved. She just hoped it was a decent bloke this time. Unfortunately they were few and far between.

"Good thanks. Angela is a sweetheart." Nicole smiled. "I think she's just lonely. It must be hard having no family left nearby."

"Speaking of family — have you been in touch with yours yet?"

Nicole frowned darkly. "No - and I have no intention of doing either."

"Come on Nicole, you can't cut them off forever. I know what your sister did was awful, but maybe you can try and forgive her?"

"Just drop it okay?"

Danni sighed in exasperation. She really felt Nicole should try and mend some bridges. Family were family and she couldn't stay away from them indefinitely. It just wasn't right. She stubbed her cigarette out on the floor and tossed it into the wheelie bin.

"Okay — I give up," she said resignedly. "You do what you think is best." She stomped back inside the café, her short skirt barely covering her backside and her long plaits bouncing up and down defiantly. Nicole watched her leave and felt even guiltier. They needed to tell her soon.

"Danni's getting suspicious," said Rob as they sat in a secluded corner of a pub.

"I know," Nicole agreed. She sipped her cider thoughtfully. "She's your sister, so you need to tell her."

"Yeah I know that — I'll have a chat with her later. She'll be fine about it." Rob's phone blipped to indicate a text message and he pulled it out of his jeans pocket. It was Lizzie again. God, he thought crossly, would she never get the message?

He read the short text and without replying, placed it back in his pocket. Here was someone else he needed to have a word with — she was doing his head in. Now he was uninterested in her, she was doing everything in her power to try and get him back again. It was too late though; she had had her chance and she'd blown it. He was with Nicole now and he was happy. Lizzie could go and fuck herself as far as he was concerned.

He returned his attention to Nicole. "I'm working until eight, but wanna do something after?"

"Yeah, okay. What did you have in mind?"

"There's a band called Requiem playing at the Blue Parrott. They are meant to be pretty good and Chris reckons he can get me some tickets. Fancy it?"

"Sure, sounds cool."

"Great! I'll meet you outside at nine."

The club was dark, smoky and heaving with sweaty bodies. It was a struggle to reach the bar, but eventually they made it, Nicole's hand tightly wrapped in Rob's. He seemed loath to release her for even a minute and she was enjoying the feeling of being cared for.

"What are you drinking tonight?" he yelled in her ear, trying to make himself heard above the din of the support act.

"Cider, please" she yelled back. She had developed a taste for the drink since she'd moved here. It was relatively cheap and providing she didn't drink too much, it didn't give her hangovers.

When the scruffy bar man had taken some cash in return for their drinks, they headed back into the fray. The main act, Requiem, was due on stage in half an hour, so they slowly moved towards the side of the room where some tables and seats were haphazardly arranged. Luckily someone stood to leave just as they were passing and they dived into a corner booth.

"I must be getting old," commented Rob. "I never used to be bothered about finding a seat; now I actively look for one!"

"Hey there's no way I was standing up all night! Not in these boots!" Nicole looked down at the instruments of torture on her feet. The black stiletto boots looked great, but they were not easy to walk in as she had found out the hard way. No pain, no gain, she thought philosophically.

"Oh yeah, those boots..." Rob looked down at them too and grinned appreciatively. "Are you gonna keep them on later?"

Nicole laughed at his hopeful expression. "In your dreams! I'll be in need of a foot rub by the end of tonight. My feet are already killing me."

"Shame..." He pouted in disappointment. "I had great plans for those boots."

"Well feel free to wear them — I'll not say a word..." She sniggered at the idea of him wearing her boots.

"Oh very funny, I—"

"Rob!" A sharp feminine voice caused them both to look up in surprise.

Rob's heart fell a mile when he saw who was standing there with her hands on her hips.

"Hello, Lizzie," he said flatly.

Nicole couldn't help but stare at the woman she'd heard so much about. Her peroxide blonde hair hung down her back and her lean body was squeezed into skin tight lycra that left nothing to the imagination. She looked very sexy in a sluttish kind of way and Nicole could see why Rob had been attracted to her.

"Hello darling, long time no see." There was a definite edge to the woman's voice and Nicole could feel the tension between her and Rob.

Rob didn't reply. He slowly picked up his pint glass and took a slug of beer.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Rob?" Lizzie asked with a disdainful glance in Nicole's direction. If Nicole had been a flower, she'd have withered up and died. Lizzie's expression was positively poisonous.

"No," replied Rob with a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes.

The sound of amplifiers screaming made them all look towards the stage. The support band had left and Requiem were shortly due to begin their set. Lizzie was about to say something when a huge hulk of a man appeared at her side. He put his arm proprietarily around her slim waist and said, "Is everything okay, babe?"

"Yeah, fine — I just saying hello to an old friend. Let's go, Mikey." She tossed her hair and walked away with a wiggle of her hips. Both Rob and Nicole breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry about that," Rob said quietly as he watched Lizzie disappear into the throngs of people lining around the edge of the small stage.

He felt really bad that Nicole had to meet Lizzie in such a fashion. He knew how much of a bitch Lizzie was. Fortunately she hadn't said anything too nasty — which was unusual for her. He had half expected some poisonous barbed comments, but surprisingly she had said nothing. Maybe she wasn't as bothered about them splitting up as he had thought.

"Hey, that's okay. She seemed okay about us?"

Rob squeezed her thigh. "Yep she was quite restrained, I thought. Which is good — I really didn't want a scene!"

"You worry too much!" Nicole chided affectionately, before dropping a kiss on his mouth gently.

Rob immediately pulled her close and deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth with little regard for the fact they were in a crowded club. A few people standing nearby glanced over and smiled. Lucky bloke, they thought admiringly.