‘Hey, don’t worry. We’ll still have a laugh. I’ll keep you entertained.’
She tried to smile but was so disappointed she was on the verge of tears.
He nudged her. ‘Look, we’ll have drinks at the pub and then take a bucket barbie onto the beach and I’ll cook a steak, eh?’ He was being very kind, but it just wasn’t going to be the same.
She nodded. ‘Yes, thanks, Greg, I appreciate it.’
‘My pleasure, you’re only thirty once, eh? I’ll expect the same, mind you, for my fortieth.’
*
Saturday, June thirteenth came around very quickly. And as Stella had insisted she take the day off work for her birthday, Mallory had a lazy day. She had received cards through the post from friends in Yorkshire including Josie and Brad, from her ‘family’ in Canada and from some of her local friends. She had felt a little depressed and had got the photo album out of her last birthday when Sam had taken her to Edinburgh as a surprise.
They had stayed in the four-poster suite in the stunning Dunstane House Hotel just minutes away from the shops at Princes Street. They’d had the most wonderful time. They visited the Dungeon and had a silly photo taken of Mallory pretending to chop off Sam’s head. The museums were fascinating and the architecture superb. They’d shopped in Jenner’s department store and Sam had bought her the most beautiful dress to wear for dinner on her birthday. It was a deep purple fabric with a chiffon overlay. The bodice fitted her perfectly and made the most of her curves. Sam had been undressing her with his eyes, desperate to get her out of it the whole evening. She loved it. She sighed as she remembered…
*
June 2014
‘My God, you’re just so sexy in that dress, Miss Yorkshire.’ Sam kissed her hand as they sat side by side in the cab on the way back to the hotel.
‘Why thank you, Mr Canada,’ she giggled. She loved the way he looked at her.
He leaned towards her. ‘I’ve been imagining you naked all night,’ he whispered.
Mallory checked to make sure the driver couldn’t hear their conversation. ‘I’ve been imagining you getting me naked all night too,’ she whispered back.
They arrived back at the hotel and, having no patience to wait for the elevator, they almost ran up the stairs to their suite.
Once inside the door, Sam grabbed Mallory by the waist and removed the clip which pulled some of her hair back from her face. He devoured her mouth with his own and explored with his tongue. He set her body on fire with his passionate kisses and she grabbed at his hair pressing her tongue into his mouth.
He stopped kissing her and turned her around to slide the zipper down to where it finished just above her bottom. She had dressed in the bathroom and so he had no idea what lay beneath the jewel-coloured fabric. He slid the dress down over her hips and gasped when he saw the basque and stockings. He turned her round and gently caressed the flesh at the top of her breasts where the basque had pushed them up into creamy white mounds. Then he kissed where he had just touched.
She loosened his tie and unfastened his shirt, sliding it off at the same time as his jacket. They gazed longingly at each other and were unable to wait any longer. Sam kicked off his shoes, tugged off his socks and unfastened his trousers, sliding them off quickly. She loved the heat in his eyes as they tumbled on to the four-poster bed, and within seconds he was making love to her.
*
June 2015
Mallory was snapped back to the present by a knock on the door. She answered to a rather giddy-looking Greg who stood holding a bunch of helium balloons with ‘Thirty Today!’ emblazoned on them. She giggled when he began to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ purposefully out of tune and far too loudly.
She grabbed the front of his jacket and yanked him into the house. ‘Come in, you nutter.’ She felt she ought to save the poor neighbours’ ears.
He had a little gift bag which he handed over when she had shut the door. She opened the bag to find a wrapped parcel inside.
‘Oh, I get it, it gets smaller the more layers I take off it, eh?’ she teased.
‘Na. That’s it. Last layer,’ he assured her.
She ripped off the paper and took out the box. It was a set of new craft pens. ‘Oh, Greg, that’s lovely. Thanks ever so much.’
His cheeks flushed. ‘There’s something else in there too.’ He pointed at the bag so she delved back inside.
She took out a little black velvet box. ‘Oh.’ Her voice was almost a whisper as she held on to the box. Her eyes darted nervously between it and Greg who had a small smile curving at the corners of his mouth. She opened it and gasped. Inside was a silver chain with a silver pendant hanging from it.
‘It’s a Celtic knot,’ Greg informed her. ‘It’s the symbol for friendship.’ He smiled.
Her eyes welled up with tears. ‘Oh, Greg, it’s beautiful.’ She threw her arms around him and hugged him. A sudden unwelcomed heat surged through her body at the contact and she gulped, pulling away and stepping back immediately.
