Page 31

Ellie

One year later.

I can’t remember the last time I got so nervous that I could hardly speak. Maybe when I was eleven and I tried to talk to a cute boy for the first time.

It hasn’t happened since.

Well, it hasn’t happened until now, because I just met Jonny Wilkinson. The Jonny Wilkinson, England’s greatest flyhalf ever, and all I could do was stand there and grin at him like some deranged idiot.

When my boyfriend told me that we’d be going to his dad’s 45 th birthday party, it never occurred to me that there would be any famous people in attendance. His dad is a famous retired, World Cup-winning rugby player. His mother is a famous ballerina turned ballet company owner and dance instructor. Both of his brothers are famous . Everyone in his freaking family is famous – including him, so I’m not sure how that possibility could’ve slipped my notice. Now I’m literally surrounded by a sea of famous people and, not only that, but I’m also failing miserably to act like I belong here or that I’m handling it well.

Clearly, I’m not .

I’ll have to learn quickly though, because I have a sneaky suspicion that parties like these are going to be a big part of my life going forward.

“Breathe,” Colin smiles against my ear, his fingers pressing into my hipbone and squeezing comfortingly, “You’re doing just fine, love.”

I scoff.

“No, I’m not. I just made a complete and utter fool out of myself in front of one of the greatest rugby players of all time.” I grumble, still mortified that I couldn’t even muster up a simple ‘hello’.

Definitely not my finest hour.

My boyfriend chuckles softly, moving his lips to my temple and kissing me there. “I almost fainted the first time I met him so you’re doing a lot better than I did.”

Despite my internal pity party, a grin stretches over my lips and I find myself leaning into him a little more. I adore it when he says stuff like that.

He wraps an arm around my waist loosely, splaying his large hand over my stomach. “Have I told you how exquisite you look tonight?” He asks, his tone low and husky.

I nod my head, my core pulsing and my cheeks heating at the compliment. He’s told me about a dozen times already actually, pretty much from the moment he first laid eyes on me, but I don’t mind hearing him say it again.

“It’s the dress.” I remind him.

A simple black cocktail number that reaches the middle of my thigh s with a crew neckline and puffy lace sleeves that go down to my wrists. It cost a fortune, more than I was willing to pay at least, but Lorna insisted that I let her buy it for me after we went shopping together in London last week. I tried it on just for fun, but as soon as she saw me in it, she said I looked absolutely stunning and that nothing else I tried on that day would compare. I honestly felt bad about letting her pay for it, I even offered to pay her back, but she wouldn’t hear any of it. I don’t typically wear things like this, but even I can see this particular dress does look fantastic on me. Which explains why Colin hasn’t been able to hands off me all evening.

“It’s not just the dress though,” He murmurs, “It’s you.”

Warm tingles spread over the expanse of my skin and my stomach flutters.

“Col…” I start, my voice breathy and soft as well now, but he brushes my loose hair back and lowers his head, pressing his lips to the spot where my neck and shoulder meet, close to the silver chain of my cherished necklace. He inhales sharply, but quietly and I shiver in his arms, closing my eyes and tilting my head slightly to the side.

“Yes, the dress is lovely.” Colin agrees, gently fingering the flimsy material, “But you know I love seeing you in anything. You could be wearing old ripped jeans and my Knights jersey right now and you’d still be the most beautiful woman in this room.”

I scoff under my breath again, because there are literal models here who look like they just walked off the pages of the latest issue of Vogue, but that doesn’t stop my heart from squeezing with delight or beating just a little bit faster. Especially when I recall the heated look that always flashes in his eyes whenever he sees me wearing a Craigavon Knights jersey.

It’s amazing how much everything has changed over the last year. Bryce was right. After winning the final against Bancroft nearly every team in the Premiership wanted Colin. He received several cont acts, all of them promising different things like better sponsorship deals or more money, but it didn’t take him long to make his decision. Colin told me once, a long time ago, that he always planned on playing for The Craigavon Knights, the team where both of his brothers currently are and where his dad’s career started too, so it wasn’t a surprise when he announced that he’d chosen to go with them over all the others. I was especially thrilled because it meant I’d still be able to see him every day if he wasn’t travelling.

So far, his professional career has been highly successful.

Once the injuries he sustained during the final against Bancroft had healed, he became a near-unstoppable force on the rugby field and is already considered to be one of the best players in the league with his impressive kicking and playing stats only increasing with every game. He’s even being strongly considered for England’s Six Nations squad next year. He may even be selected for their World Cup squad in the near future.

I have no doubt he will be.

I try to go to as many games as possible in person, but given that I’m currently halfway through my second year at Armitage, and doing extremely well I might add, Colin understands that I can’t always make it. I do watch every game live though. Whether I’m in the stands cheering him on or sitting on the sofa with Liv and Natalie watching it on TV, I haven’t missed a single one so far. The Armitage Spotlight article was a huge success as well and it ended up being featured in not just one or two major newspapers across the United Kingdom, but in several, which led to Professor Garrick offering me a permanent spot as a writer on the Armitage Press’ studen t staff. It’s still not the kind of writing I want to do, but it doesn’t hurt to get my name out there and, besides, it's excellent practice as well. I also finished the first draft of my book not too long ago and have been slowly working on the other drafts of it since then, taking my time and making sure I’m happy with everything before I consider the possibility of trying to publish it.

Colin’s no help when it comes to that.

He tells me everything I write is amazing, which admittedly, does warm my insides and makes me giddy, but it doesn’t necessarily soothe the mini meltdowns I have sometimes about whether I’m a good enough writer or not. Usually, he tries to find a way to distract me when that happens, preferably with something that involves us getting a little hot and heavy which, admittedly, does help in its own way.

I turn around to face him, looping my arms around his neck while his hands move to my lower back, holding me there.

“Have I told you that you look incredibly handsome tonight as well?” I ask him.

He really does. In his charcoal black suit and dark grey dress shirt with the buttons undone at the collar, he looks ridiculously hot. He’s grown his closely cropped hair out again, just the way I like it, and he’s also sporting a slightly heavier stubble than he had when I first met him. His bright blue eyes haven’t changed though. They still look like mesmerising pools of water and ice and the way they twinkle sometimes, especially when he looks at me, never fails to make my heart flutter.

“I don’t believe you have, actually.” He teases .

I punch him in the chest playfully and he lets out a low chuckle, pulling us back together again, knowing full well that I’ve told him several times how amazing he looks.

“You sure it isn’t just the suit as well, Simpkins?”

I shake my head, grinning at him before I reach up and connect my lips with his softly.

It’s partially true. I do love seeing him in a smart suit, but my knees literally go weak whenever he wears his rugby uniform or something simple like plain jeans and a t-shirt. He’d even look amazing in old sweats with holes in them and a ratty, beer-stained vest.

It’s all him.

I’d love him in anything he wears too.

His hand moves to the back of my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair as he tilts my head back a little. I fist the lapels of his jacket, sinking my mouth into his and deepening the kiss. Over the last year, we’ve kissed more times than I can count, but I never get tired of it. The feel of him. His taste and smell. Everything about him drives me to the point of insanity.

“Keep kissing me like that, love and I might just pull you off into that bathroom again.” He whispers.

My cheeks flush at the memory.

Not even half an hour ago he had me seated on the bathroom counter with his hand under my dress and my panties bunched to one side, fingering me as I held on to him for dear life. I can still feel his digits moving inside me, scissoring me as his thumb rubbed tight circles against my clit. I had to bury my face into his shoulder and bite down hard on the material of his suit just to stop myself from moaning too loudly and making a fool out of myself in front of the whole party.

As risky as that was, I wouldn’t mind doing it again .

“Promises, promises,” I tell him, mumbling the words against his lips.

Colin grins, his hand settling over my ass and pulling me closer. “So insatiable. What am I going to do with you, Simpkins?”

“Whatever you want, Hunt.”

He chuckles quietly, kissing my jaw and then the spot beneath my ear that makes me throb. “That’s my girl.” He whispers, kissing me again.

I never imagined I’d be one of those girls who can’t keep her hands off her boyfriend in public or that I would enjoy having sex so much that I’d risk getting caught by someone just to so I can feel him touch me or be inside me, but I stop thinking rationally whenever I’m around Colin. I’m completely and utterly addicted to him.

“Whoa, whoa, break it up you two. This is a family affair.”

We pull part, albeit reluctantly, and Colin’s eyes narrow into thin slits, aiming a death glare over my head at Bryce. He keeps his arm wrapped around me almost protectively, even when I turn around to face his brothers, wishing I could hide my cheeks which are undoubtedly blood red by now. Graeme hovers just behind Bryce, an easy smile on his lips.

“Funny, I don’t seem to recall you remembering that rule when you brought those two girls home during Christmas that one year and made out with them in front of us for hours, pretending we weren’t even there.” Colin gripes.

A soft snort escapes Graeme and he tries to mask it behind a sip of his beer. “He’s got you there, Brycie.”

“Or when I walked into my room once and found you shagging Sarah Connors in my fucking bed! ”

I giggle quietly, unable to help myself, and I see Graeme’s shoulders shake with silent laughter as well. Wow. I would’ve paid big money to see how horrified Colin must’ve looked when that happened.

“Yeah, but those don’t count anymore.” Bryce tosses back. “I was a teenager. Besides, I’m a changed man now and I’ve put my philandering ways behind me.”

Colin and Graeme let out a collectively loud scoff, both of them saying at the same time.

“What utter bullshit!”

“You’re joking right?”

A mini-argument breaks out among the three of them and I roll my eyes, instinctively tuning them out like I always do whenever this happens.

Brothers.

Despite the little mishap that happened between Colin and Graeme during our time apart, his relationship with his brothers has never been stronger. Things were a little uneasy for a time, but once Graeme apologised to me for getting involved and I explained to Colin that I understood his brother’s perspective and that I would’ve done the same thing if it meant protecting Luke, that discomfort between them evaporated. The truth is; while those three weeks Colin and I spent apart are still some of the worst days of my life, they also helped us realise the true value of our connection and how much we mean to each other. So, while I have absolutely no desire to repeat that anytime soon, I don’t hate that period of my life entirely either.

If anything, it helped bring us closer.

Leaning my back against the warm, wide expanse of Colin’s chest, I touch the silver Celtic knot pendant he gave me absentmindedly and le t my eyes drift around the snazzy venue, taking in the elegant lights and tasteful birthday decorations that Lorna, my mum and I spent hours arranging together. Groups of people are gathered in small and large circles, the low hum of their conversations mixing with the live jazz music flittering through the air. Flutes of expensive champagne float around on silver trays being carried by waiters. The party feels incredibly fancy yet also strangely intimate. It still blows my mind that someone as vivacious and happy as Lorna is married to a walking wall of stone like Kenneth Hunt. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve warmed up to my boyfriend’s father quite a bit over the last year and he definitely likes me a lot more than he did when we first met, but the man brings a whole new meaning to the word ‘brooding’. Even when he’s happy he hardly ever smiles. Unlike his wife who seems to have a constant smile on her lips. I suppose it’s true what people say; opposites do attract.

I spot the two of them on the opposite end of the room, occupying the seats around one of the large circular tables where we ate dinner earlier. Colin’s dad has his arm slung over his wife’s shoulders while she talks animatedly with my mother. I’m not surprised the two of them became instant best friends the second they met given how similar they are. Kenneth’s attention isn’t focused on them though. It’s aimed at Luke, proudly displaying his rugby ball which is now littered with signatures from famous rugby players thanks to a favour Colin called in a couple of months back to have them attend one of Luke’s rugby games in Heathton. I still have no clue how he managed to pull that off, but I do know that my little brother was ecstatic and that it made me happy to see him like that. Luke tosses the ball up in the air before passing it to Colin’s dad who catche s it one-handed. He grins, standing and passing it right back.

A soft smile pulls on my lips, watching them play together.

It’s funny how people who aren’t related to you can end up feeling a lot like a family sometimes.

Both of Colin’s parents treat me like the daughter they never had. Kenneth watches over Luke, guiding him like he’s another one of his sons while Lorna showers him with love and attention. My mum adores Colin and his brothers with her whole heart and they love her and spoil her like they would their own mother. They protect my brother like he’s one of them and they protect me as well because being with Colin makes all of us a family. No matter what happens to any of us in the future, we’ll always have each other.

“What are you smiling about, love?”

My skin prickles with warmth as Colin’s smooth voice washes over me. I move my head to the side and tilt it back against his chest, peering up at him, my face softening and glowing with happiness. The arm he has around me tightens and I lay mine on top of it, knitting our fingers together.

“Everything,” I whisper.

The here and the now.

Our future together.

I can’t wait to see what we have waiting for us.

The corner of his mouth tugs upwards and those blue eyes I love so much spark with adoration before he cups my cheek and kisses me, parting my lips and sinking into me like he has all the time in the world.

Bryce starts to complain again, but we smile and ignore him, kissing again and again.

My heart explodes.

I’ve never felt more at home than I do when I’m with him.