Page 31 of Indie

“I’m so sorry you’ve been through all that, Spuggy. You’re free of him now. I promise.”

“Mmmm,” was all she answered, and I could see the disbelief on her face.

Nothing I could say would make her believe that. But he’d been warned not to come anywhere near her again. And after the kicking Demon had given him, he would have to be suicidal to even try.

“Now, about that age-gap you were talking about,” her voice almost sang in the atmosphere, and I knew this conversation hadn’t finished. I knew there was more. But was happy to end it for now. Because if I heard any more this morning, I might just finish what we’d started on Gaz the other night. Only this time I wouldn’t leave him with just a broken nose and some sore ribs.

Chapter Fifteen

Indie’s expression was as stoic as usual, even if his eyes hinted at something else. He’d listened intently, the vein in his neck becoming more and more prominent. I could have gone on all night, telling him the whole story. But I didn’t want to talk anymore. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to make me forget. Because when I was with him, I forgot, even for a moment, but it was enough.

He’d wriggled between my legs now, his thighs gently pushed inside of mine. His hand cupped around the back of my head. And now I willed him to kiss me again, to sate this feeling inside of me, of burning pressure. My eyes searched his, the deeprich brown, engulfed in kindness, even when his face was hard and serious.

“Spuggy,” he whispered, his fingers grazing the back of my head, a shiver erupting from the spot.

“Why do you call me that, Indie?”

“Spuggy?”

I nodded.

“It means sparrow. A little bird.”

“I know.”

“You remind me of a sparrow.”

“How?”

“The first day I saw you, watching you peck at your food. You were like a little bird. But you weren’t fragile, you were resilient and tenacious. I could see that by watching you. Like a sparrow. So now, you’re my Spuggy.”

I smiled, the warmth creeping over my skin, penetrating my layers and jolting me straight into my heart.

Indy grazed the back of my head with his fingers, the movement sending a shiver down my spine and an urge to close my eyes and just enjoy the closeness. The moment lasted just for a few seconds before it was washed away with that continual loneliness.

“I’m older, Emmie,” he said, suddenly disturbing the gentle silence. “Much older.”

The last sentence was a whisper, strained and reluctant.

“It’s not a big deal. Not to me.”

“But it is to me, little sparrow.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“And how would you do that?” My voice was breathy, betraying the intention behind my words.

His eyes focused on mine just for a moment. Intense brown eyes. Indie’s jaw clenched, a fleeting moment that he lost his usual control, before it was firmly replaced.

“I really could find many ways to take advantage of you.”

Those words hit me like a steam train, sending my stomach clenching before spiralling out of control, and dropping deep down inside my body. He spread that pressurised tingle, morphing into a deep ache, and a deep need. The spark of pain at my lip distracted me for a moment, but that moment was gone too quickly and the heat in my stomach intensified. I needed to get off this bench.

Indie dropped his hand from my head, and I felt suddenly exposed, the chill of the autumn morning rushing to invade the space. I wanted to take it and put it back, my fingers brushing the back of his hand as it moved away from me. The tone of his eyes changed, and even though I stared into them, I couldn’t work out exactly what I had just seen. Then his eyes dropped to the floor, hidden from my gaze.

“I should go,” he said, his voice strained.