Crazy connection

London

Chapter 4

London

I head back into the lobby, as I’m walking in, I can see him standing at the bar. Doesn’t look like the years have been too bad to him. I remember him being tall, but I forgot how exhilaratingly intimidating his height was. Still slim with broad shoulders, his arms built well, bulging slightly under his sweater. Makes me wish I had tried harder at the gym lately.

“I guess it’s just the two of us”, I say sheepishly, “I’m sorry that Mags can’t join us. I don’t know London very well, let’s hope I don’t get us lost.”

He spins round, “that’s okay I don’t mind either way. Just glad you’re still able to stick around”. He turns toward the bar, “ I hope you don’t mind, I’ve ordered us some drinks”.

Now he has the sheepish look, “pink gin and tonic okay?”

“Pink gin sounds good, thanks” I say with an awkward side smile.

I do actually like pink gin, but not too keen on tonic. I prefer my pink gin with lemonade. Browny points for trying though.

“So, you having a Jacks and coke?” I ask with my eyebrow tilted upwards.

“No, I don’t drink. I mean I do but I just prefer not to. You know, only a glass of champers on special occasions, that kind of thing.” “I like to keep a clear head, stay in control.”

I didn’t dwell too much on what he had just said. He looked a bit uncomfortable talking about it. I decided now is probably not the place or time to dig any further.

“So” I reply, “I really don’t know much about London. And I’m also rubbish at navigating, I get lost in the supermarket, so I presume between the two of us we’re going to get horribly lost”, I let out a little nervous giggle. To be honest that’s why I hate the city. I prefer my little town where I live in Somerset. Not too much city, and not too much country, just a nice balance between the two.” I tell myself to stop jabbering!

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we will be able to explore the city together and find our way around. The only thing I don’t know how to navigate is the underground. It’s confusing as hell!” He puts his head in his hands and shakes it in despair.

I tip my head backward and laugh, “yep it took me a while once we got to the U.K. to figure it out, but luckily I’ve been to London enough times to know how it works. I’ll teach you.”

“Besides it’s probably our safest bet for getting around this evening. We can come back tomorrow during the day for some proper sightseeing. Do the whole, museums, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. For tonight as time is passing us pretty quickly, we should finish our drinks and head towards the restaurant. We can see, what we can see along the way?”

“Sounds good to me.” He looks up at me with his green-blue eyes from a half tilted head. A smile across the whole of his face. I focus on his huge smile and full lips for longer then I should have. While he drinks his coke, I stare, wondering how those lips would feel caressing my neck or even more exciting, how they would feel caressing my inner thigh, up to my v****a. I can feel my own lips down there becoming wet with anticipation. I realise he is looking at me with a rather naughty glint in his eyes, as if he can read my thoughts, he licks his lips and I snap out of my trance. I feel my cheeks blush with the rush of heat through my face.

He smiles a little knowing smile, and says, “should we get out of here and see if we can find that restaurant? I’m suddenly ravenous!”

The tone to his voice was more then suggestive, but I was thankful that he broke the silence first.

I reply with a stammer, “o..okay let’s go”

My mind working overdrive, I tell myself, “come on Carmel, get a grip on yourself would you girl! He’s not even that good looking, I try to lie to myself. The only thing he has going for him is that great body, and that damn smouldering darkness to him that drives you crazy. Oh man, this is not good, I’m already falling for him again. And I have no idea if he’s still that broken person, the one who comes across as if he might become some kind of weird serial killer and murder me in a crime of passion because I looked at some guy walking by me in the wrong way......

On the other hand, he does seem really level headed and calm, maybe he’s just a normal guy now. All grown up, no more weird teenage hormones directing his feelings anymore. I don’t know... stop, just stop! I will just have to see how things go tonight. For goodness sake woman, he might not even be into you in that way anyway. Maybe he’s moved on! Who knows! I mean... it has been 20years. And it’s not like I’m any younger or prettier.

Urg! Stop it now. Stop overthinking it.. make some conversation. What should I say? Think think!”

As we’re walking and talking I hear a little chatter in his teeth when he speaks. I look at him and notice he’s only wearing a jumper over his long sleeved shirt and is shivering like mad. I only have my Next coatigan on, not the warmest of coats, but I don’t feel cold at all. Although, he has just come over from a warm and sunny South African Spring. He hasn’t acclimatised to the colder weather yet.

“Do you want to turn back to the hotel and grab a warmer coat?”

He crosses his arms across his chest and rubs the tops of his arms in a, trying to warm himself embrace. “This is all I have at the moment, I think I will definitely need a warmer coat though brrrr!” “Aren’t you cold, your coat doesn’t look very thick” he asks with a scrunched up face.

I hear the words he is speaking, but am in a strange trance, I find myself checking his now muscular arms as he hugs himself for warmth and I find myself thinking how lovely it would be to be in that embrace now. He always gives the warmest hugs and his long, warm arms that wrap effortlessly around me. Back then, we would snuggle and chat for hours in that warm, comfy embrace.

I snap back to reality. “I’m used to the weather, this is quite mild for the time of year to be honest”.

I check my watch, “What is the time? Come on, I bet we could still get a*****e open on Oxford street. Let’s see if we can get you a coat. You’ll turn into an ice-block otherwise.”

Trying to be harder then he is he replies, “that’s okay, I’ll be fine, I don’t want to make us late for our restaurant bo... okkking”, he says through chattering teeth.

“We can get something to eat somewhere else. We don’t want to be wasting time tomorrow looking for a coat, besides you’re cold now”.

“Let’s focus on dressing you appropriately.”

Oh man, just the thought of him clothed, then sends thoughts of him unclothed which sends funny flutters through me again. I think he notices my embarrassed little smile and I try to look the other way, drawing his attention to where we need to go to get to the nearest tube station.

Luckily we only had three short stops on the underground before reaching Oxford street. Daniel found the underground trip eye opening. On trying to board the train three teens boomed past him. Daniel attempted to apologise to them and they started laughing. They were drinking cider and being obnoxious. He looked at one of them, the guy had black hair and a nose ring. He didn’t like that Daniel was looking at him and started shouting and swearing. I grabbed Daniel’s hand and pulled him to the other side of the train. Luckily it wasn’t too busy and we found some standing seats near the door that we could lean on.

Once we were walking through the streets of Oxford I explained that people on the underground generally kept to themselves and usually avoided eye contact. It was best to stay neutral and that he didn’t have to say sorry. Funny thing about South Africans is that we do apologise far too much. Something he would have to stop doing if he didn’t want to get eaten alive in this place.

There are a few stores open, I ask, “What kind of budget do you have? Are you wanting something designer? Or would practical and warm do?”.

He replies with, “ wwwhhatevver is nnnearest”.

“Okay, Topman it is then”, I take his arm and head for the store straight across the road.

Once we’re inside, he seems to thaw a little and straitens his posture. I like having him next to me, so tall, I can feel his presence next to my smaller frame, it’s a safe, cosy feeling that gives me little warm flutters in my belly.

We head for the coat section. After a few try-on’s he decides to go for a black parka with fluff on the inside and a hood.

“This one feels so warm and comfy. Think I’ll go for this one”.

I look it over and and ask, “is it waterproof?” If not you will need an umbrella as well.”

He checks the label, “it says weatherproof and rain resistant”.

“Okay, that will do for now” I reply.

We head to the checkout and he pays with cash.

“Wow, you carry a lot of cash around with you!” I exclaim quizzically.

“I wanted to pay for dinner for the three of us, I wasn’t sure how much money I would need and didn’t want to pay extra charges. South African banks charge an arm and a leg for overseas card transactions.”

“I changed a good chunk of money when I was at the airport. £5000. I have it stored in a safe at the hotel. I need to get a U.K. bank account opened but they need me to have a place of residence and because I haven’t been placed in an actual job yet it’s not possible.”

A little worried, I reply, “be carful. You might not be in SA now but there are a lot of ‘skellems’ around in London too.” (a ‘skellem’ is a South African term for a person who steals or robs).

He turns and looks at me with a little smile, “I know, and I’m able to knock someone’s block off if they were stupid enough to try and rob me”, he brags.

I look at him sceptically, “well, you wouldn’t get a chance if it was a pick pocket and you didn’t even realise you were robbed.” I raise my eyebrow with a little smirk on my face.

He looks at me through slanted eyes and a frown, then smiles a big smile and softens his expression, “still the little cheeky one you are, aren’t you?”

I check my watch and realise we’re an hour and a half too late for our restaurant booking. I forgot how long it takes to get around London.

“Ten pm, damn it’s late, not sure where we would get something to eat and still get back to the train station on time to get the last train back by eleven. I still need to get back to Mags in Greenwich tonight.”