I like being here, I really do. Okay, so it’s a bit wild and certainly not where I expected the night would lead, but it’s good. Lucie’s child is a sweet boy, he’s a lot of fun, I can tell that he has character. I like him. I’m trying my hardest to keep a bit of distance so I don’t screw things up, but I can’t seem to help myself. I seem to have a connection with this boy that just keeps on coming. We have a bond already. I hope that bodes well for the future. If he likes me, then maybe it’ll help Lucie to warm up to me more.

Lucie… I’m not quite sure what’s going on with her. She seems to be really struggling with this whole situation. I suppose if she hasn’t let any man into her or her child’s life in all these years then this must be odd. I need to relax as much as I can and make this easy for her. It’s all up to me.

Once dinner is finished, I pile up the dishes by the sink and guide Logan out of the kitchen. “Leave the dishes,” I insist to Lucie. “I will do them afterwards but for now I want to play some football with Logan.”

“Oh!” Her face lights up. “You do? It’s a bit dark out in our back garden though…”

“I was going to take him to mine, to use the big massive garden there,” I reply with a smile. “We can just climb over the bushes so no one even knows that we’re there… not that Mom will mind.”

We both laugh, remembering how we used to do that ourselves. We probably thought that we were being sneaky, but I’m sure our parents knew what we were up to the entire time. Yes, it was a different world back then and parents didn’t have to know where their kids were at every single moment, but I’m sure they did.

“Alright, we should all go,” Lucie replies with a shrug. “That’ll be fun, I haven’t played for ages.”

I watch in awe as Lucie shoves her feet into her trainers without hesitation. I suppose she was always a bit like one of the guys, someone to have fun with, maybe that’s why it took me so long to notice her. Then, once Logan is wrapped up in his coat with his own shoes on, I get ready and we hot foot it over to the bush where we can climb over. I go first, then I grab Logan from Lucie as she hands him over the fence. Then she leaps over too as if it doesn’t trouble her at all. It makes me chuckle. I remember all the people in college who thought that she was just a study hard, nerdy girl who didn’t know how to have a good time just because she didn’t get drunk all the time. None of them knew that she’s always been a tomboy as well.

Then, we go over to the biggest area of lawn that we have which is lit up well by the house and we start kicking the ball around. It’s good, I can see it tiring Logan out which I hope helps Lucie out tonight. He’s a hyper kid with lots of energy who needs something like this just before bed time. He enjoys himself anyway, and I do too. Logan makes me feel young all over again. I can see myself in him, I was like this as a child too, always running around and needing to be tired out before bed time. My poor parents…

“Oh, my goodness, Lucie, I think your competitiveness is coming out a bit now!” I yell as she tries her hardest to tackle me. “This game isn’t about me and you, don’t you forget that!”

She falls about laughing, looking absolutely adorable in her sweat pants and make up free face. I really love the natural look on Lucie, it suits her. She looks wonderful in whatever she’s wearing.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re just getting annoyed because I’ve had the ball more than you!”

She snatches the ball from me and kicks it to Logan who runs screaming across the garden. It’s only when he starts to look a little red faced and tired that Lucie makes the decision that we should all go back in.

“Right, Logey, I think it’s time for bed now, don’t you?” she asks while ruffling his hair.

“No!” he cries out in utter despair, just like I always used to do. There must be something that stops boys from ever wanting to go to bed. It’s like an unnecessary punishment for them. “I don’t want to.”

“I’ll come again, buddy,” I insist. “And we can play whenever you want. I had fun tonight.”

I really do mean that, and not just because I want to spend time with Lucie. I would like to play football with him again. It’s been good exercise, actually! I’m absolutely worn out.

In the end, he agrees to go inside and we all hop back over the fence. We pile back into the warmth of Lucie’s home to find her mother there smiling at us all. I can tell she likes us all together. “Oh, hey. I wondered where you all were. I could hear you laughing, but you weren’t in the back garden here…”

“We actually went into my back garden because there’s lots of room and it’s more lit up.”

“Oh, that’s lovely.” She wraps her arms around Logan. “Well, little man, let’s get you washed and to bed.”

Logan gives his mom a kiss and heads up the stairs with his grandmother. It’s a shame to see them go, but I also liked the idea of hanging out with Lucie again. I want to see how she feels about me now.

“Right, I’m going to get those dishes done,” I say while rubbing my hands together. I’m not ready to leave just yet. “Let me make you a coffee at the same time. Does that sound alright?”

“That sounds great, I’ll go and tidy up the living room at the same time. Thank you.”

I do the dishes as quickly as I can while the kettle boils, and excitement builds in my chest the entire time. I have a feeling that I might get more of an in tonight and I’m looking forward to it. I even find myself humming along to whatever happy tune is playing in my head. I’m a bit of a romantic sap.

Once I have the coffee’s made, I head back into the living room just to see Lucie tidying up the last of Logan’s things. She looks much calmer and less stressed than the version of her I found when I first arrived. She had a million things to do all at once then, but with just a little help she’s turned out okay.

“Oh, thank you so much.” She takes the drink from me and sips it. Her eyes fall closed in ecstasy for just a moment. The blissful expression on her face is beautiful. “That is delicious, thank you so much.”

“You are more than welcome. I’m just glad I made it as you like it!”

She falls onto the couch so I take my seat beside her. It isn’t a big chair so her skin continually brushes up against mine which sends a fizzle of electricity racing all over my body. There’s only Lucie who can ever have me feeling this way, I absolutely love it. And it’s a feeling that I’m sure will last forever because we’ve known each other for years and it’s only gotten stronger with time. I can’t see it dulling ever now.

“Thank you so much for cooking and playing with Logan. I just know that he had the best time.”

“Don’t worry about it, he’s awesome!” I chuckle. “I was just like that as a kid, A bit of a mental case.”

She sucks in a breath and holds in, almost as if she’s nervous, but then she soon lets it out again. “Yeah., he’s hyper alright, but he’s a great kid. I think he’s pretty much ready for school though, he needs that stimulation. I don’t know how well he’ll do in school, but I’m sure he’ll love it.”

“Oh, well you know me, I can’t make any comment about the education system, I didn’t do well with it!”

Yeah, I feel like I can laugh about it now. Or at least make jokes, the time where it upset me has long passed. It makes Lucie laugh anyway, which is all I care about. Seeing her happy inspires me.

“Well I think it was more successful with me anyway, but then you’re doing more than me.”

All of a sudden, a thick silence clings to the air. I turn to face Lucie and see that her eyes have become hooded with desire. My pulse rate kicks up about ten notches and I realize that this is the moment that I’ve been waiting for. Lucie has relaxed enough to let me in just that little bit more. I sling my arm over her shoulder and tug her just a little bit closer to me. As her body slides into mine, I can’t keep the grin off my face.

“What is it about you?” she murmurs quietly. “You make me break all of my rules.”

“Well I have to say that you do too…” I rub my nose against hers, fizzling with the burning lust that flickers all over my body. “I don’t think you’re ever supposed to fall in love with your best friend, the girl next door.”

“Love?” Lucie gasps, pulling back. “What do you mean, love?”

Have I not told her this before? I’m sure I’ve said the L word to her before. I’ve felt it for so long that I’m sure I should’ve said it a million times. “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought I said it before…”

She pushes back and stands. Then she tugs her hand through her hair and she paces the room. “What do you mean, love? Are you just saying that, or is it something that you actually mean?”

“I…” Oh God, this isn’t me taking things slowly is it? This is me diving right in head first! Still, I’ve opened the door now, I need to be brave and step right through. “I love you, Lucie.”

Tears fill her eyes as she stares at me. I don’t know what emotion flies behind her eyes, it’s mostly confusion. Somehow, I need to find a way to make this all better now…

“I don’t expect you to say it to me, or anything like that. I know that I’m the one who continually screwed up, I just… yeah, I feel that way. I think I’ve felt that way forever. That’s why I’ve waited for you.”

“Oh my…” She claps her hands across her mouth in shock. “I don’t know what to say to that…”

Then, she seems to make the decision to say nothing, because the next thing I know, she’s on my lap and her lips are against mine. She’s kissing me, loving me with her physical being rather than her words which is just fine by me. I can tell that her feelings are strong, I can feel them flowing from her, and it sparks up a desire inside of me that I haven’t ever had before. It’s utterly incredible.

“Come with me,” she begs in a whisper while standing up. She reaches out her hand for me to take, which I do instantly. “Come to my bedroom where we can… talk properly.”

I don’t know what we’ll end up doing in her room, but I have a feeling that it isn’t going to involve a lot of words. I can see in her eyes that she wants me to send her to heaven and back, and my goodness that’s what I want myself.