The Art of Loving

[7] Such a Tease

Right so ... I'm not entirely happy with the next few chapters if I'm honest. But I've gone over them again and again and somehow it doesn't really get any better so if there is anything that sounds weird or doesn't make sense forgive me. I hope you enjoy this anyway! :)

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The pub was only a few minutes walk away, and soon the entire group entered the pub. They were about twelve people so they attracted the attention of the people sitting close to the entrance. Brian and Ellie were the last two to enter the pub, and Ellie did her best to stay hidden from the view of the bar, at least until they determined whether or not the bartender she slept with was working that evening.

Brian held the door open for Ellie and kept his hand on her back, guiding her inside. "We'll figure it out, don't worry. I'll kick his butt if he tries something," Brian told her quietly, keeping her close to him.

"Brian, no, don't get into trouble. Seriously. I can kick his butt too. It's your birthday in a few hours and I don't want to spend that in the hospital with you. Please. I still have plans for us, you know?" She asked and looked at him with a small smile.

Brian sighed and nodded, softly kissing her forehead. "Okay. I don't have a problem with your plans. Not at all. I'll let you kick his butt if necessary." He smiled at her.

Ellie smiled back and nodded. "Good.. I think we're moving along.." The two of them followed the rest of the group to a corner of the pub where Roger had managed to get them a booth and some chairs and now they were all trying to squeeze in there. Because Ellie and Brian were the last ones of the group the ended up having to sit on the chairs, but since that meant Ellie was sitting with the back to the bar, she didn't really mind.

"Right, Ellie, what did the guy look like again?" Brian asked, scooting closer to her with his chair.

"Uhm.. a little shorter than you, short black curls, he had a beard..." Ellie tried to remember her one night stand as accurately as possible so that Brian could have a look if Ellie was in danger of being discovered. Brian nodded, but before he could go to the bar to check, Ellie reached for his hand. "Brian? Thank you. Really. You're amazing."

Brian smiled and leaned down to kiss her quickly. "Of course. I'm on your side, remember?"

Ellie nodded and smiled at him. "Yeah... you're so great."

"Thank you.. now, should I go check? You can kiss me all you want when I get back," he told her with a smile and winked at her.

Chuckling, Ellie nodded again. "Alright, I will. Go on." She let go of his hand and watched him disappear into the crowd.

"You're cute together," one of the girls that had been introduced as Karen told Ellie.

Ellie smiled widely and looked at her hands for a moment. "Oh, thank you.." She looked back at her and smiled. "He's really great.."

"How long have you been together?"

"Oh... well... a couple of weeks? It's a bit complicated, but something like that." Ellie smiled at Karen. "And you're the other Mike's girlfriend, right?"

Karen nodded. "Yeah, the other Mike, not the bassist. He's an old friend of Freddie, and that's how I got dragged into this whole group," she explained. "What about you? How did you meet Brian?"

"Uhm..." Ellie crossed her legs. "Well, Mike, bassist-Mike, has a girlfriend called Lynn and I did the same degree as her, we actually lived together. I've known Mike and her for quite a while actually, and then.. when Mike joined these guys Lynn took me and Mary along to one of those get togethers at Freddie and Roger's place and that's where I met him. Long story, sorry." She smiled apologetically at Karen who chuckled.