Page 33 of Behind Frenemy Lines
Told her about the plan. Loretta and Hayley staying with me when they get back from Japan, but only till they’ve completed on the flat in Peckham they’ve offered on.
CG: “Do you own this place, or…?”
Kriya: “No, I’m renting. Tom and I wanted to buy a place together, but he wasn’t that happy at his job. He wanted to wait till he got a better role, something he could see himself doing long-term.” Her lips twisted. “Guess he’s got that now.”
She took a swig of her wine.
I’d had a few too many swigs myself. Knew I shouldn’t ask. Nonetheless found myself saying: “Do you miss him?”
Kriya didn’t seem offended. She thought about it.
Finally: “No. It’s funny. He was so important to me for so long.
But you know, I worked so hard to make him happy.
When it didn’t work, it felt like there was something wrong with me.
So not feeling that anymore, it’s a huge relief. Like a weight off my back.”
She gazed pensively at the TV. On the screen a preternaturally beautiful couple were walking through Seoul in the rain, shielding under the same umbrella. “No. I don’t miss Tom.
“I miss some things,” Kriya added. “I miss being with someone. Having someone to watch shows with. Someone to cook for—it’s so pointless cooking for yourself only. And I miss the sex.”
Luckily I was already flushed from the alcohol. Kriya glanced at me and smiled, as though she saw my embarrassment anyway. Somehow I didn’t mind.
After a couple of episodes, she stretched her arms over her head, sighing.
Kriya: “I should get out and let you sleep. Hold on, I’ll help you get the sofa bed out.” Paused. “Charles?”
Had been watching her, mouth dry. Took me a moment to register the silence. Kriya was waiting for a response.
CG: “I, uh, yes. Thanks. I mean, it’s OK, I can do it myself.”
Kriya eyeing me, speculative. She’d noticed me looking at her.
I’d give it a shot, if I were you. Zurina was her best friend. She should know. What was the worst that could happen?
Knew the answer to that. Worst wouldn’t be getting rejected, though that would sting. Worst would be if Kriya felt she’d been wrong to trust me.
Felt sick at the thought. I couldn’t risk it—
Kriya: “Did Zuri they all tell you, we’ve got a nickname for you?”
Blinked. “What, really?”
Kriya: “Kawan Baik. It means ‘good friend.’”
CG: “Oh. Is that why Zurina said that about any good friend of yours being a good friend of hers?”
Kriya: “Yeah, she was being a troll. We’ve been friends since age seven, you can’t impress somebody like that.” Shook her head. “I hope they weren’t too much for you.”
CG: “They seemed nice.” Decided not to mention May Yin’s attempt to get a fortune teller to curse Kriya’s ex-boyfriend.
Kriya: “It was kind of a joke, calling you my good friend. Because we kept running into each other after I bombed my training contract interview at Swithin Watkins. You probably don’t remember, but that was the first time we met, you know.”
CG: “When you fell on the steps.”
Kriya stared at me. “Wait, you remember that?”
CG: “It wasn’t my finest moment. I should have been more helpful.”
Kriya’s eyes softened. “You did help. You told me I was at the wrong building.”
CG: “Loretta and I have a name for you, too.”
Kriya: “Serious?”
CG: “It’s, um, ‘Hot Lawyer Who Hates You.’ ‘You,’ as in me. Loretta came up with it.”
Kriya started laughing. “Yeah, I would’ve guessed that. Did I really come off like I hated you?”
CG: “As I said, it was Loretta’s idea. She thought it likely, on the evidence. I wouldn’t have felt confident drawing any firm conclusions. Assessing people’s feelings isn’t one of my skills.”
Kriya: “I think you do fine. I don’t hate you, for the record.”
Said, stupidly: “OK. That’s good.”
Was acutely aware there wasn’t much distance between us. Kriya had switched off the ceiling lights when she turned on the TV. The only light was from a floor lamp next to the sofa, and the glow of the TV screen. We were talking in hushed voices, as though we might be overheard.
Kriya was looking at me as if I were a puzzle she wanted to solve. “It’s a flattering nickname, apart from the ‘hates you’ part.”
CG: “I agreed with the basic premise. It was hard to argue.”
Kriya drew closer. I could see every one of the ridiculous curling lashes shading her eyes. Her lips looked very soft.
She said, smiling: “Is it?”
A long moment passed.
Kriya: “Charles, I’m going to need you to make the first move here, because—”
I kissed her. Touch of her lips on mine went right through me, a full-body shock. Discovered I’d been waiting for this since Kriya kissed me outside the hotel at Loretta’s wedding. Wanting it to happen again.
Kriya’s lips were as soft as they’d looked. Wanted to burrow into her, her warmth and softness and smell. I put my hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair, then the back of her neck. Followed the curve of her spine down the slope of her back, before cupping the lush rise of her arse.
She bit my bottom lip gently. Licked it, soothing the sting. Then she pulled away.
It was cold everywhere where she wasn’t pressed against me. Wanted her back. I was so hard it hurt.
Kriya: “I’m sorry about, you know, that time.”
CG, blurrily: “What time?”
Kriya: “When I kissed you at the wedding. I was thinking later, I was lucky you didn’t report me.”
CG: “I didn’t mind.”
Only thing I minded was that she’d stopped kissing me. Drew her back down.
Had my hand up her top, having managed to get her bra off, and she was tracing my cock through my jeans lazily, when she pulled away again. This time she said:
“Do you want to move this to the bedroom?”
CG: “Yeah.”
Kriya took off her top. Great development. She said: “I should warn you, I’m not sure I’ve got condoms. It’s been a while since I’ve done this.” Without much hope: “You didn’t happen to bring any with you?”
To have done that would have required an optimism wholly foreign to my personality. I shook my head. “It’s also been a while. For me.”
Kriya: “I’ll have a look. We might have to be creative.” She grinned. “I’ve got some ideas for things we can do.”
CG: “Great.” Fully ready to do anything Kriya had in mind. I had a feeling this was about to be one of the nicest things that had ever happened to me.