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CHAPTER SEVEN

Viral Sex

“ I t hurts!” I complained to Joel. His eyes pierced me and I knew that I wasn’t getting out of this so easily.

“Just five more laps and then you’re done!” he called from the shallow end of the pool where he was waiting for me. “If you swim back to me, I’ll do the last four with you.”

I grunted and kicked off, gritting my teeth against the tenderness in my ankle.

The early morning sun glistened over Sydney Harbour, the temperature promising to zoom up into the forties before lunch. Joel waited for me at the shallow end leaning against the edge, his tanned pecs glowing.

I made it back to him and lifted my leg out of the water, sticking my ankle in Joel’s face.

“Are you sure we’re not making it worse?” I asked. I watched as his gaze slid along the length of my calf before settling on my ankle, his fingers probing gently around the joint.

“It’s still a bit swollen, but it’s not getting worse,” he reassured me. “Nice pins by the way, Stink.”

I grimaced. “I’m serious, Joel. Are you sure we’re not jumping into this too soon?”

He rolled his eyes. “Believe me, it’s not too soon, Mel. And if you think this is hard, you’re going to hate me tomorrow! ”

He sounded altogether too satisfied with himself about that.

“And I thought your father was a hard-arse,” I muttered. Joel froze.

I swallowed. “Listen, Joel, I didn’t … I’m sorry.”

Joel shook his head, refusing to meet my eyes. “No, don’t worry about it. It’s all good.”

It clearly wasn’t. My stomach churned with guilt. It just still felt so surreal. A few days ago, I would have made the same comment and Joel would’ve laughed and agreed with me.

Joel swam away and I followed, my complaining silenced.

We finished the last four laps and Joel immediately got out of the pool and dried himself, not even trying to show his gorgeous body off.

I knew then that I’d really upset him. I followed him out of the pool, careful not to put too much weight on my ankle.

I wasn’t allowed to use the crutches anymore, but I still needed to be tentative.

I towelled off and slipped a singlet on over my swimmers.

“Joel, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

Joel glanced away as he collapsed into a chair on the deck. I followed. Sandra had laid out some cereal and fruit for us.

“I’ve been waking up screaming in the middle of the night,” Joel muttered as he poured cereal. I turned to stare at him. He usually wouldn’t open up to me about stuff like this.

“Me too,” I replied. “The nightmares are … intense.”

Joel nodded as he topped his cereal with banana. “It freaks Mum out. She has no idea just how bad it was, really. I mean, she knows what happened, but … the blood, Mel. And the look on his face.” Joel’s shudder matched my own. I remembered those parts all too clearly.

He cleared his throat, his expression calmer, although his eyes remained dark. “Maybe you should come and stay here, Stink, until your ankle’s better. Then I won’t have to come and pick you up for training at the crack of dawn every morning.”

I paused, considering the offer. Living alone wasn’t ideal at a time like this. Waking up after a nightmare to no one. No tangible reminder that I wasn’t the last human left alive on Earth.

“What about Connor?” I asked .

“Your cat can come stay too, I guess. If he doesn’t claw the furniture or take a shit on the carpet.”

I sneered at him. “My cat is perfectly house trained!” I replied. “Are you sure Sandra won’t mind us coming to stay?”

Joel shook his head immediately. “I think Mum would be as happy as I would be to know that …” His words trailed off. I found myself blushing, although I wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Okay, Joel. Just until my ankle’s better though.” Only until I can sleep through the night again , I added silently to myself. I wondered if Joel hadn’t been angling for me to stay for that same reason. No, his mum had probably put him up to it.

We ate in peaceful quiet, watching Sydney Harbour become bluer as the sun rose. My hair had dried into beachy waves by the time I finished my cereal.

“So boss, what’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?” I asked. He put down his own bowl and stood, stretching. His skin rippled over his stomach muscles mesmerisingly. I bit my lip, but he heard my sharp inhale.

“It must be hard, having something you want so badly right in front of you and not being able to admit to yourself that you want it.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” I said, standing up and limping my way back inside.

“Okay, Stink, let’s get you moved in with me.” He said into my ear, walking beside me as I hobbled up the stairs towards the front door.

“Let’s get one thing straight here – I’m not moving in with you .

I’m staying in your mother’s house for a while so that I can get myself back in shape,” I snapped as I opened the front door and made my painstaking way towards Joel’s car – a blue BMW M4.

Joel thought it was hot. I told him it was super wanky.

I secretly loved riding in it, but I’d never admit that to him.

I slid into the leather seat. Joel put a towel down on his seat and sat down.

“Lift your butt, Mel!” he commanded. I grimaced as I lifted my swimmers-clad behind off the seat so Joel could put a towel down to protect his precious vehicle.

Somehow, he managed to trail a couple of fingertips over my butt as he straightened.

I shivered, pursing my lips so I didn’t squawk at him.

He wanted my reaction – he always wanted my reaction, and I had to stop giving him the satisfaction.

We were slipping into our usual habits: him teasing me, me trying not to bite.

It was easier than being serious. Being serious brought Steve to the forefront of my mind, and that made me feel sick and dizzy and on the verge of tears all at the same time.

I wondered if it made Joel feel the same way, but I was too afraid to ask.

The road outside was thankfully clear of people – Sandra had engaged some private security who were very good at intimidating loiterers. Joel gave a salute to the two large men posted outside the gates as he pulled onto the road.

“Now I know how celebrities feel,” I muttered. Joel chuckled humourlessly, turning down the music.

“So, how come Braddles hasn’t been sleeping over? I thought he’d be all about the night-time comfort.”

“I … need to be able to cope with this on my own,” I mumbled.

The nightmares had plagued me again last night. Blood. Gaping mouth. Bulging eyes. Screams. I shuddered. Joel noticed.

“People want to help, you know, Stink,” Joel replied. “None of us should have to do this on our own. You can always call me, I’ll come and keep you warm.” And we were right back to teasing.

“Connor keeps me plenty warm, thanks. Besides, you should be with your family, not with me.”

Joel huffed out a breath. “You are family, Stink. Pretty sure Mum likes you better than me.”

“It kind of didn’t feel like it, when I asked if you wanted me to come in the other night. I …” I trailed off, reluctant to tell Joel about my pang of loneliness that night.

Joel didn’t respond straight away.

“I assumed you were just being polite,” he eventually said. “Besides, I figured you and Lover Boy needed some alone time. Sex is great for taking your mind off things. I almost invited a ‘friend’ over myself. I would have if Aunty Dianne and the kids weren’t over.”

I grunted. “For starters, Brad’s not my lover boy – we’re just friends. And secondly, too much information, Joel. I really have zero interest in your sex life.”

Joel sniffed. “Brad’s got it bad for you, Stink.”

I gaped at him. “Brad so has not ‘got it bad’ for me! He’s just a friend!”

“Uh-huh. A friend who wants to marry you and have babies with you.”

“Ugh,” I grumbled.

Joel pulled into my building’s car park. I looked up and sighed when I saw who was waiting in one of the visitor parks.

Joel followed my gaze, and his lips pressed together into a thin line. He knew what my mother was like. He pulled into a parking space and slid out of the car. I reluctantly followed suit.

“Hi, Mum.” I tried to sound happy to see her.

Mum approached me, her expensive dye-job brown hair swinging around her shoulders. She pressed her hands with their French-polished nails to my cheeks.

“Melanie! You’re looking too thin! You’re not eating right. Did you go to confession? Father Shannon said he was looking forward to chatting with you.”

I shrugged out of her grasp, unlocking the building door and holding it open for her. Joel brought up the rear, his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, his expression unreadable.

“I’m eating fine, I haven’t had time to go to confession, and unless Father Shannon needs to tell me that Christ’s second coming is upon us, he can wait.”

Mum turned and gave Joel an unimpressed once-over before turning back to me. “What’s he doing here?” she whispered sourly.

“Mum, his name is Joel, you’ve known him for years, and he can hear everything you’re saying.” I leaned closer to her. “Maybe you might want to express your sympathy?”

Mum threw a glance at Joel. “He’s in the Lord’s arms now,” she said. Joel nodded once, lips still tight. Sometimes it was best not to speak to my mother. I wished I didn’t have to.

“Mum, I have a lot to do today. I’ve got to get my stuff over to Sandra’s. I’ll see you later.”

I thought she might argue, but she just sniffed and stormed back down the stairs, slamming the door behind her.

“Sorry about that,” I muttered, turning to Joel.

A tear tracked its way from under his sunglasses, down his cheek until it came to a stop at the corner of his lip.

Oh shit. My eyes started prickling too. I reached a hand up, brushing that tear away with two fingers. Joel huffed out a big breath, turning away and taking the stairs two at a time. I followed more tentatively, blinking furiously so my own tears subsided.

“What do you need me to do?” Joel asked brusquely as I unlocked the apartment door. He was all business now.