Feels Like the First Time

Chapter Twelve - Another Sleepless Night

Ootori-san,

I appreciate your help finding the appropriate businesses to deal with the wedding. I have confirmed with the venue about my questions and been in touch with the businesses so everything is moving along smoothly. At the moment, there is nothing else I need your help with. You have already done more than was asked and it is deeply appreciated. Please let me know if there is anything else you would like me to do and I will do my best to be of service,

Brown Hannah.

I finished the email to Kyoya and sent it, rubbing my dry eyes with the heel of my hand. I looked at the time and saw that it was too late, or too early, to try to go to bed as I had several meetings in the morning, or in a few hours. Sighing, I stood and stretched then made my way to get a shower. As the warm water streamed down me, I was reminded of Mei and Ritsu's party. I sighed wistfully at the thought that there would be no Takashi in the kitchen today. I tilted my head back so my hair hung free and an image of butterfly kisses on my neck shot through my mind making my head shoot up. After a moment of catching my breath I smiled and leant my head back again allowing the images to continue.

I lathered up my hair with shampoo as I remembered Takashi's grip on my hips, imagined how that grip would feel from other angles and a shiver ran through my body instinctively. From the pressure and attentiveness of his kisses I got the impression he would be an exciting lover and that thought made my breath catch on a soft groan. I slapped the tiled wall in frustration and shook my head; these thoughts wouldn't help anybody, least of all me. As if to taunt me further an image of my hand in a similar position shot through my mind and I recognised the tiles in the memory as those in the flat I had shared with Nick. My body jolted at the sudden reminder of Nick's hands on my hips, their grip slippery with soap and water. Before I could consciously analyse this image, however, my body recognised that these were no longer Nick's hands. They were larger, rougher, their grip firmer and more sure. They moved from my hips, whispering over my waist as his chest grazed mine.

I gasped as I was suddenly pelted with ice cold water and I automatically leaped out of the water flow, effectively knocked out of my far too inappropriate thoughts. The water went back to its normal temperature and I quickly finished my shower with a smile.

                                                                                                 * * *

At midday I returned to my flat with a sigh after three meetings; one with my tutor that was annoyingly done in ten minutes, and two with businesses who would be handling Mei's wedding. The florist had been a bit short but amiable enough when he realised I knew what I was talking about. The baker had been overly friendly, bowing regularly and demanding that I test all of the samples of cakes even after I informed her for the fifth time that I was not the one who would be making the decision about flavours. The plans for Mei's wedding were moving a lot better than I'd originally expected and my tutor had earlier informed me that my next deadline would not be until the new year; so when Mei text to ask if I wanted to meet for dinner I was more than happy to accept even with no sleep.

Mei had wanted to meet at four and I knew that, after last night, I would sleep for at least ten hours tonight meaning that I shouldn't take a nap. So, after making a tea, I made myself comfortable on my sofa, planning to catch up on some TV until I had to get ready.

Three hours later, I dragged my eyes away from the small screen on my laptop and forced myself to go to the bathroom where I wiped away my now smudged make up from earlier so that at dinner I didn't look like a zombie even if I felt like one. I continued to watch my programme as I carefully applied fresh make up which meant that I was running late by the time the episode had finished and I had to get dressed. As I searched through my draws to find underwear I came across a matching set that I'd bought a long time ago but had no need to wear. I took a moment, pondering the red silk and black lace, and realised that as soon as I saw them, my body had decided for me. Apparently I didn't care that I was only having dinner with a girlfriend, today my body was not going to let me forget its needs. I shimmied into the set, taking a moment to adjust the bra so it had its desired effect then pulled on a simple blood red wrap-around dress and matching strappy heels.