Page 38 of Always Beth
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For the past half hour I’ve listened to the Spice Girls’ back catalogue thundering from the gym. It’s never a ride you’d catch me on, but hey, there’s something for everyone and nineties pop is clearly Beth’s thing. I lean against the door frame and hold my breath as she stretches out against the bike. I grin as she turns and catches me staring.
‘What?’ She peers up at me coyly through her thick lashes.
‘Which Spice Girl did you want to be growing up?’
She thinks for a moment. ‘Baby.’
‘You’d look cute in pigtails.’ Pulling her into my arms, I brush her hair back from her heated forehead.
‘Which Spice Girl did you fancy growing up?’
‘Ginger,’ I say without hesitation.
‘And what was it about Ginger that did it for you?’
‘Her personality of course.’
Arching her brow, she rolls her eyes. I follow her towards the bathroom, hoping now’s the shower time she promised me.
‘Nothing to do with a tiny Union Jack dress then?’ she says over her shoulder.
I tip my head back and smile at the fond memories. ‘Ah, that dress. Me, my hand and that dress. What a time to have been alive.’
She swats me playfully, and I can’t help but smile at the easiness between us. ‘So, you promised me a shower?’
The room falls silent and an uneasiness slowly creeps across her face.
‘Well?’ I step back and motion towards the en-suite.
‘I, erm, I’m not exactly versed in shower sex etiquette,’ she mumbles.
‘You sounded very confident before.’
‘I know, I don’t know what came over me.’
I wrap my hand around her middle and pull her back flush against me. She immediately relaxes into my arms as the heat radiates from her workout. ‘Would you like me to show you?’
Beth
I’m all mouth.
Shower sex may be second nature for some, but to me it’s a fantasy. My sex life with Stephen was completely unadventurous. Not for the want of trying on my part, but eventually I gave up. It was missionary or nothing and towards the end, nothing was his preference. Now I know why.
If you’re lucky, I might let you join me in the shower.Who the hell am I?
It’s like my slate has been wiped clean and I can say what I want without the fear of embarrassment or rejection. Perhaps it’s because I know this is casual. Right now, he’s still my annoying neighbour, but he talks a good game and each time he opens his mouth, his words travel straight to every single one of my nerve endings, and I’m blinded, consumed by the thought of his touch.
He runs the shower, checking the water temperature every so often with his arm. ‘It’s ready.’ His brow furrows as he looks me up and down. This isn’t the sexually charged shower time he was expecting.
‘Getting in like that, are you?’ He points towards my sweat-covered workout gear as he peels his t-shirt over his head and drops his trousers to the floor.
‘Can you not watch me get undressed?’ I plead.
‘Beth, I’ve been inside your body.’
His words make my heart flutter. Never before has anyone been so forthright with me and deep down, I know this is what I’ve always craved. I peel my clothes from my body as quickly as possible and take his hand, which is outstretched from the cubicle. As the water cascades around us, he pulls me in close to his firm muscular torso and as I rest my head against his chest, the beat of his heart calms me.
