Liar

28

"I'm not joking. He's wearing a Dunce hat." I gave out a weak laugh as Ash continued talking, a welcome distraction from my brain that was still close to shutting down. I'd just kept walking along the edge of the Thames, following the path around slowly. I went far enough I'd be home in about an hour. I'd like to make that walk someday. I bet it's super pretty on a night and in reality an hour's walk wasn't that bad. "Okay stop walking."

"What?"

"Stop walking. Right now." I stopped. "Raise your left hand and wave it."

"What? No! There's people around. They probably already think they're crazy."

"Well, I don't want to hug the wrong girl." I scowled, looking around and listening to him giggle down the phone.

"Where the -ASH." I couldn't even get my sentence out when I was being pulled into his chest. I knew it was him. I knew how he felt against me, I knew his smell and his heartbeat against my face. It wasn't often Ash wore a suit to work, only when he had an important meeting or he was meeting with a new client which he'd told me he was today. I dropped my bag to the floor between our feet, bringing my arms up and smothering myself in him. "You weren't supposed to come. I just needed-"

"You needed a hug."

"I needed you." He hugged me tighter, suddenly everything that had been swamping my brain 10 minutes ago faded to nothing. It wasn't important. Quitting working with my dad, being shit on for spending time with Ash, how I was going to afford to pay my bills now. None of it mattered. I was fine right here. When Ash tried to pull back, I shook my head, wrapping my arms around him tighter. His body shook, quiet laugh breaking into my hair.

"Not letting go?"

"No."

"Bad day?"

"The worst."

"Want to talk about it?"

"I think I quit working for Dad."

"You thi- wait. You quit?"

"I told him to stick his job up his arse and that I didn't need it." He pulled back, looking around quickly before grabbing my hands in his. "He was screaming at me about taking tomorrow afternoon off."

"Again? I thought he dropped it?"

"Apparently not." He pulled me into his side grabbing my bag and refusing to let me carry it as he started moving us away from the water. No idea where we were going but I didn't really care. "He started talking shit about you and your dad again." I scowled as Emmett's name flashed on my screen, turning my phone off and stuffing it into Ash's jacket pocket so I didn't lose it. "So, I snapped."

"You quit because your dad was talking shit about me?"

"Not just that. He keeps dropping hints about me and Leon still, he keeps showing up at the office and dad will find a reason for us to sit together for a one-on-one meeting. He'll make up some crap about Leon needing some advice on something only I can give stupid stuff like that. And then when I'm being adamant I don't want Leon, dad gets all pissy and gives me a load of crap like some psychotic punishment. I'm not marrying someone just for the sake of marrying them." I saw Ash smile in the corner of my eye, making me turn my head to see him clearer. That smile of his had been one of the things that caught my attention on the tube back in March. Now we were nearing the end of September and I could confirm, seeing him smile still gave me one of the best feelings I'd ever felt in my entire life. That and the way he kisses me.

God it's been a while since I felt that.

I hadn't had sex since Asher in the bathroom of his dad's office. Nearly 5 months ago. It was record breaking for me. I genuinely didn't know it was possible for me to go this long without spontaneously combusting. I guess with everything else going on I hadn't really thought about it. But that look on his face was making it damn hard not to.

"What are you smiling at Ace?" I got bigger, dimples on full display with those squishy cheeks I just wanted to pinch. No Tori. Calm yourself down.

"You know, like 6 months ago we were sat in Starbucks and you told me you would get married eventually just for convenience because love didn't exist."

"I never said right now that I think it does."

"No but you said you won't marry Leon just because it's convenient to. It would save you a lot of trouble to marry him, get it over with. So, if you only want to marry for convenience, why do you keep saying no?" I stopped in my tracks, letting Ash pull me to the side of the pavement out of the way of people rushing around. "Could it be that little miss 'doesn't believe love is a necessary part of life' is starting to think it might be good?" I crumpled my nose at him. Another question I didn't have an answer for.

"I'm not marrying someone I don't like."

"But you don't want to marry someone just because it's convenient?"

"I guess not." He smiled again. "What?"

"Only took you 6 months."

"You know when you think things, if they don't come out of your mouth, other people don't know you're thinking them right? Because right now you're not making an inch of sense Ace."

"I'll break it down for you Victoria Kennedy." He pulled on my hand, raising it above my head and spinning me in a circle, before backing me up against a concrete wall. He wrapped one hand behind my back, pulling sharply until my hips were pressed into his. "You may not be willing to admit it yet. But you are starting to believe in the concept of being in love and I am going to be the lucky guy that gets to give that to you."

"Are you ever going to let that ego of yours deflate? You really should save some hot air for the rest of the world you know." I grabbed a hold of his lapels gently, letting my thumb trace the fabric. "What if I say no?"

"Not how it works beautiful. You don't get to decide if you do or don't fall in love."

"Oh, brilliant. I'll go find someone else this weekend then." I went to move out from under him, shifting in his grasp and giggling when he pulled me back to my original spot.

"Let's go out on Saturday."

"What?"

"In fact. I'm not giving you an option. I'm taking you out on Saturday. On a date."

"A d- a date?"

"Yes Tori. I am taking you out on a date on Saturday. You've been on dates before. We've had a date before."

"We have not."

"Babe, the coffee shop was a date."

"It was not."

"Yes, it was."