"What the fuck, Brian?!" I screeched as I slammed the car door shut. "Are you out of your fucking mind?!"
"What? So it's ok for you to hit Natasha...?"
"Do not even finish that sentence, Brian. I swear to god." I interrupted. "I was drunk, for a start. And this is MY PLACE OF WORK! I could get into serious shit for this. And he is the type of prick that would go to the police just for the hell of it." I looked down and ran my hands over my face. As I did I noticed Brian's knuckles, red raw and bruised already. I sighed and took his hand in mine. "Jesus Brian...." I ran my thumb over his knuckles, grimacing when he winced.
"I'm sorry," he started. "I just saw red when I saw him."
"You know I'm going to have to talk to him now." Brian glared at me. "Don't look at me like that, this is your fault. I have to smooth things over."
Brian muttered under his breath but wisely stayed silent.
The drive home passed quickly, with Brian mostly complaining about his flight and how he was stuck beside a rather overweight woman who was so big she seeped into his seat. I couldn't help but laugh about how wound up he had got over it.
We were still talking as we walked into the house, so I didn't notice the figure sat at the kitchen table with Oli for a second.
"SAL?!" I squealed. He jumped up and gave me a huge hug.
"Hey girlie." He smiled.
"What are you doing here, ya big lump?" I hit him playfully.
He shrugged. "Family have gone away for Thanksgiving so it was either come here or go to Murray's."
I laughed out loud. "Wise choice, Vulcano." I turned to Brian and pointed at an empty chair. "Right first things first, sit." I opened the freezer and grabbed a bag of frozen peas, wrapped them in a tea towel and gently placed them on Brian's knuckles. I pulled up the chair beside him and held his other hand.
"What happened?" Oli asked, eyeing Brian's swollen fist.
"Tom." I said quietly, noting how Brian's fist clenched at the very mention of his name. "Stop it." I muttered to him.
"Shit." Oli muttered. I just nodded, and tried to ignore the now awkward silence in my kitchen.
"So what's for dinner?" Sal suddenly asked loudly to change the subject, causing Oli and I to burst into laughter. I smiled at him gratefully and he gave me a quick wink. I looked at Oli and we both shouted "Chinese!" Oli jumped up and grabbed the takeaway menus while I ushered Sal and Brian into the living room.
Brian held me back for a moment, wrapping his arms around me. "I really am sorry, Shae." He kissed the top of my head. "Ill make it up to you, I promise."
I looked up and him and grinned. "Oh really?" He nodded and leaned down to kiss me deeply.
"Am I gonna have to deal with this all week?" Oli complained as she walked into the hallway, hands full of menus.
"Fuck you." I laughed. "You don't have to watch. Besides..." I glanced towards the living room. "You could occupy yourself in other ways." Oli stuck her tongue out at me and stalked into the living room, leaving Brian giggling like a child.
"You know he's full of shit, right?" He whispered to me. "I know for a fact his family are at home this week. He just knows that Oli has been talking to Casey."
I shook my head, "And he wants to make her forget about him? Sly fucker. Does Casey know that he's come over?"
"Nope!" I groaned. This could get messy.
"CAN YOU TWO STOP CANOODLING OUT THERE PLEASE? WE'RE HUNGRY!!" I rolled my eyes at Oli's outburst and dragged Brian into the living room. We quickly ordered a shit load of food and spent the next half hour arguing over what film to watch. We eventually agreed on Star Wars, deciding that we could watch them all over the week that the guys were here.
Stuffed from eating, I curled up on the sofa and rested my head on Brian's shoulder to watch the film. Oli had taken the armchair and Sal was sat on the floor at her feet. Out of the corner of my eye I kept seeing Oli's phone light up, no doubt speaking to Casey. I frowned, I needed to talk to her about all of this before she got herself into a mess. I glanced up at Brian, he was completely engrossed in the film. I loved that he was as much of a nerd as me. He caught my eye and smiled as he wrapped his arm around my waist. His fingers grazed the skin above my jeans, causing me to shiver. He raised his eyebrows at me and grinned as he ran his fingers across my skin again. I elbowed him in the ribs and I chuckled.
He lowered his head down to my ear and whispered, his voice full of suggestion. "Shall we go to bed?"
I giggled silently. "I thought you were never going to ask! Come on." I jumped up, pulled him from the sofa and all but dragged him out of the room without so much as a word to Oli and Sal.
"Night then!" I heard Sal shout behind us, my laugh turning into a squeal as Brian chased me up the stairs.
