Page 37 of Hit For Six (Balls and Banter #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Monty

‘I would love to meet your parents. When the time feels right.’

Monty couldn’t believe what he was saying.

But it wasn’t just the afterglow of last night and the memory of the most exquisite eyes in the world (and, equally, the most exquisite tits jiggling erotically) as he’d climaxed.

He truly meant it. He hoped it wasn’t his imagination and he definitely didn’t want to come on too strong but the past few hours’ intimacy (and very little sleep) had changed everything.

He was head over heels in love. There were no other words for it.

The passion he and Lola had shared was beyond his wildest imagination.

He couldn’t say it aloud yet but the heart knew.

It had known since the moment he’d first looked into Lola’s eyes.

Now he understood why it was said that they were the gateway to the soul.

‘Normally a statement like that would have me running a mile.’ A cute grin spread across Lola’s face.

She walked her fingers down the line of golden hair that led to Monty’s perennially hard dick.

‘But… maybe it shouldn’t any more. Like, we’re not old but we’re not Romeo and Juliet-style young either.

Surely in our late twenties we can do things at whatever speed feels right? ’

‘Of course we can! There are no rules and even if there were, they’re there to be broken.’

Lola propped herself up on one elbow, her eyes adjusting to the morning sun trickling through the gap in the curtains. Monty felt instantly bereft of her touch but she only had to look at him and he was ablaze with yearning. When she did both he was a lost cause.

‘As it happens, I go to visit my parents most weekends. My mum needs a bit of help with the chores. My dad is… of a certain generation and, well, until mum’s better, it’s just easier if I muck in.’

Monty was distraught to learn of Lola’s mother’s hip condition and the crazy long waiting time for an NHS operation. On the rare occasion that he or his family had needed medical assistance, they were whisked into a private doctors or hospital. Job done.

‘I would be more than happy to lend a hand whenever you think it’s a good time to join you. And if you want to ease them in gently, we can always pretend we’re friends.’

‘Very good friends.’

Lola smiled provocatively.

‘What would you like us to be? You already know the way I feel.’

Monty brushed Lola’s fringe aside so he could look into her eyes as she replied.

‘You totally know the answer to that yourself after my slightly public declaration next to Pulteney Bridge last night.’

Her cheeks lit up pink. It was the sweetest thing. She had no idea how horny she made him. All the innocence after the saucy things she’d done to him last night. The contrast was mind blowing.

‘My girlfriend and lover. I very much like the sound of that.’

Monty stole a kiss from Lola, closing his eyes, unable to believe his luck.

He wanted her so badly again. His groin throbbed at the thought of being deep inside her, of taking her to the edge, of running his hands all over her beautiful body and watching her response to every touch, each movement.

But they had to get up. They both had stuff to be getting on with this fine sunny morning.

That said, they could multitask along the way.

‘Fancy joining me in the shower?’

Lola looked strangely hesitant at this request.

‘I-I don’t think we’ve got time for that, Monty!’

‘Just five minutes? Of pure pleasure? I will do all of the work and I’ll throw in a back massage.’

Lola bit her lip and he knew that he’d won.

***

Afterwards they lay in each other’s arms. Monty sensed that she wanted to tell him something but, as was becoming habit, he didn’t want to take the sparkle out of the moment. Let this honeymoon period last. For eternity, preferably.

Once he’d walked Lola home to her flat and they’d shared a deep, hot kiss in the doorway, his conscience prickled that he’d not checked in on Beefy.

It was a terrible excuse to say that he’d been busy, but he really had been overwhelmed with life; the good and the bad.

And now he had to be truly honest with himself and type out the ugly: aka the scariest resignation letter in the world.

But when he returned to the Crescent to do just that, ambling along to Beefy’s spot at the other end of its curve, there was no trace of him.

It really was as if he’d never been there.

Beefy’s sleeping bag had vanished, as had the cardboard boxes that he’d used as a layer to absorb some of the cold from the hard surface of the ground.

Monty could have cried. He’d wanted to do something more for the guy.

He felt instantly guilty for forgetting about his situation whilst he’d been having the time of his life.

He shuffled back to his apartment, made a strong coffee, sat at his laptop and pinched the bridge of his nose, willing his fingers to move to the keyboard and find the right words to express himself.

But every attempt felt too cold or too comprehensive.

And there was no way his folks could enjoy their holiday if he sent his resignation before their Provence trip.

Best to wait until they returned tanned, relaxed, tanked up on the bold tannins of Bandol Rouge, and better able to handle the rejection.

Monty wanted to ease Lola into the end of summer party gently too. He knew just the way. He could take her with him to water the plants. Not the orchids, the plants. Maybe, just maybe they could stay over. Then things wouldn’t seem so daunting when she met everybody in a formal setting.

Later that day, having both agreed to spend until the early afternoon apart, Lola catching up on sleep– blimming heck, as she would say– she deserved it, and Monty getting to grips with his upcoming fixtures and training schedule, Monty rang Lola’s doorbell in Daniel Street.

‘The withdrawal symptoms have been hell. Sorry I’m a bit early.’

Lola, looking sexier than ever in a scruffy bun and an oversized lounging T-shirt, pulled him into the hallway, kicked the door shut with her foot and pressed him against the wall for an explicit kiss.

‘You don’t mind too much, then?’

They both laughed as they caught their breaths.

‘I might have missed you a little bit too,’ she replied.

‘Right,’ said Monty. ‘Are you sure that you’re sure about this? I don’t want you to feel pressured into the whole meet and greet thing just because you’ve been accosted by my parents.’

‘I am. They’ll love you. And, well, I’d just rather get the intro over with because if by doing so you think that we’ll never be a decent long-term match, at least I can bounce back a bit quicker.’

‘Lola. Lola! ’ Monty stood back, his arms on both of her shoulders as he surveyed her, at which point, one of the upstairs neighbours interrupted them with the jangle of keys at the building’s front door.

They parted like the Red Sea to let him pass and the grungy thirty-something scurried up the stairs with a grunt.

Once he’d slammed his apartment door shut, Monty’s brow furrowed before he continued.

‘What have I got to do to prove to you that none of this matters? You are the one I want to be with… and vice versa, I hope. Neither of us are dating each other’s parents! ’

‘Look.’ Lola glanced at her fluffy socks before fixing her gaze earnestly on Monty. ‘I didn’t want to say anything but… the thing is… I’ve dated someone upper crust in the past. Someone who completely snubbed my parents.

‘Oh, I see. I didn’t realise that we needed a blow-by-blow account of one another’s previous relationships.’

If that didn’t come across as jealousy. Pull yourself together, mate!

‘We don’t. This is not you, it’s me.’

‘That old chestnut.’

Monty let out a sigh.

‘Please let me explain.’ Lola took a deep breath. ‘Once we’ve got this little hurdle over with, I’ll be able to properly relax. Maybe that’s selfish of me, but I’d rather be honest with you. It’s something I need to do for my peace of mind.’

Monty closed his eyes, willing the hurt to dissipate.

‘I can’t pretend that I’m not mildly offended after trying to convince you that I’m not a cookie cutter snob. But I want to be understanding and if this is what it takes, then so be it.’

He tenderly kissed the back of Lola’s hand, holding her palm against his heart.

Hopefully she wouldn’t think he was being soppy at such an early stage in their relationship, but it was an action that conveyed how he felt right now.

Never mind him potentially not taking to Lola’s mother and father, they might have a prejudice against him after the way her ex had treated them.

All of a sudden, Monty was no longer looking forward to today’s trip.

***

Gail and Greg Smith lived on the outskirts of southern Bath, an area that Monty was mostly familiar with by car since one of the A roads leading out of the city sliced through it.

‘You’re quiet,’ said Lola as they walked hand in hand and he felt his palm grow sweatier, the nerves kicking in.

‘Hmm, me? Well, I am a tad zonked,’ replied Monty. ‘We did get a lot of exercise last night! I should have factored in a Squiffy nap like you, but I had to try to appease my father ref his parting shot. Let’s just say it didn’t exactly happen. I’ll have to try again tomorrow.’

‘Argh, I see. Well, if you want to talk about it? We never did get onto the subject last night.’

They kind of had when Monty had hit on the subject of legacies. But there was so much backstory to wade through. They’d find a better time.

‘Too much distraction.’

Monty pulled Lola into him and squeezed her. It felt so good. He vowed never to take what they had for granted.