Never Forget (Memories #1)(20)
Author: Emma Hart

Oh, about how you’re my boy and we’re in love, apparently. She needs a bucket of cold water over her head.

You could do worse ?

”She is right, you know, Lexy,” Mum agrees. ”He’s good looking, polite, and rather charming if I might say so.”

Oh, Mum, you have no idea.

Funny, that’s what she said.

So we’re in love, huh?

According to my Grandmother, yes. It’s news to me. Sort of. Maybe.

In that case, I’ll see you at half nine.

He signs off before I can dispute it. I sigh.

”Lover boy has signed off,” Gram announces.

”Do you have a tap on my Facebook account or something?” I ask her sarcastically.

”Why would I need that? Your emotions are as easy to read as Fifty Shades of Grey was.”

”Oh, Gram. No!” I shake my head. ”You’re in your sixties! Why would you read that?”

”For the love story,” she says. ”But that’s not the point, girl. That boy’s getting to you something chronic, believe me. You might not realise it yet, but he is.”

”Okay, can we change the subject?” I look at Mum. ”She’s getting carried away again.”

”Deny it all you like, Lexy girl,” Gram continues.

”Gram! Please!”

”So he’s coming over, then?” Mum smiles at me.

I hold my hands out in defeat. ”He’s coming over at half nine. He likes TOWIE. Who knew, huh?”

”It’s not all he likes,” Gram snickers and gets up. I throw the nearest object at her – a magazine – and she laughs harder. ”I fancy that Alec wants more than a bit of you, Lexy.”

”Uh, okay, mother.” Mum takes her by the shoulders and directs her to the door. ”Cold shower for you.”

Gram winks at me and shuffles out of the room.

”I’ll make sure your father is out of the way tonight.” Mum smiles and follows Gram out.

Was I born into Cupid’s family or something? Because I think someone forgot to give me that memo.

Sheesh.

CHAPTER NINE

ALEXIS

Alec rings the bell at half nine. I let him in kitted out in my Snoopy pyjamas and fluffy slippers.

”Nice pyjamas,” he chuckles.

I give him a playful shove into the front room and flick on the TV.

”There’s still half an hour until TOWIE,” I say.

”I know. I want half an hour of your attention before you start drooling over Joey Essex or Ricky.”

I roll my eyes. ”I don’t drool.”

”Huh.” He scratches his chin and I sit down next to him. ”You could of fooled me. You looked like you were drooling the first time you saw these babies.” He pats his stomach and a small laugh bubbles out of me.

”I think you need to go to Specsavers.”

”Really? So you weren’t drooling?” He raises his eyebrows.

I shake my head firmly. ”Nope, no drooling.”

”Then it’s you that needs to go to Specsavers.” He grins.

I bring my legs up and kick him playfully. He grabs them, setting them on his lap. He examines my slippers.

”Bunny slippers?”

”Hey, they’re comfy, don’t judge.” I glare at him and he holds his hands up.

”No judging, Princess. They’re cute, a bit like you.”

”Cute? Alec, I don’t think I’ve ever been called cute in my whole life.”

”Bet no one called you Princess till you met me either, did they?”

”No…”

”Then I’m the first.” He winks.

The first for more than you know, it appears.

He gives me a look like he knows what I’m thinking and turns his attention to the TV.

”So..” I say in an attempt to break the silence.

”So your Gram is pretty set on the idea of me and you.”

His comment takes me by surprise.

”Yeah, seems that way.”

”She ain’t the only one,” I think he mutters, but I can’t be sure.

I think it’s best to drop that subject before we reach uncharted territory. I’m so not ready for that conversation when I’m not even sure how I feel.

Sure, he makes my body go crazy, my heart goes into overdrive whenever he’s around but I need more. I need to know with every part of me that what I feel is more than attraction.

But, if he keeps rubbing my leg that way, the attraction might just take over and jump on him.

The opening credits for TOWIE come on and pull me from my thoughts. Good.

I don’t like the direction they’re heading.

We watch it in a comfortable silence, my legs still sitting in his lap, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my thigh.

”I better head home,” he says softly and looks into my eyes. I’m almost asleep, my head resting against the back of the sofa, close to his shoulder. I nod sleepily.

”Did you come here just to watch TOWIE with me?” I ask.

”No.” He picks up a piece of my hair and fingers it. ”I came here just to see you.”

My lips curl upwards before I can stop them, and something inside my chest blooms. I yawn.

”Go to bed, Princess.” He runs a finger down my cheek. ”You need to get some sleep.”

I nod again and smile at him. He sighs and wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. My head rests on his shoulder and his other arm snakes around me. I’m encased in his arms, and I don’t care.

Fighting it seems futile in my half-sleeping state. One of my arms stretches across his body and he presses his face into the crook of my neck.

”What are you doing to me, Princess?” he whispers softly and kisses my neck.

I shiver and close my eyes.

A part of me could stay here in his arms, forever. A part of me that’s steadily growing.

”Driving you crazy?” I offer lazily.

”Mmm,” he agrees. ”Something like that.”

I smile against his skin and he holds me tighter for a second.

”Am I doing well with proving to you I’m not what you think?”

”Not bad,” I whisper in a rare moment of softness. ”You’re getting there.”

”You’re hard to understand, you know that?” He whispers back. ”I never seem to know what you’re thinking, and it drives me mad.”

”Keeps you coming back for more, though.” I yawn again.

”You don’t need to do that to keep me coming back. You really do need to go to bed. Come here.” He moves and helps me stand. I rub at my eyes and open the front door.

”I had a nice evening.” I smile up at him.

”Me too,” he whispers and stops right in front of me.

My breath catches as his eyes meet mine. He raises a hand to my face and strokes my cheek with his thumb. It’s like I’m frozen in place.

I want him to kiss me.

No, I don’t.

Yes, I do.

”Get your hands off my sister, boy,” Bing jokes and slaps Alec’s shoulder. ”She bites, ya know.”

Alec drops his hand and laughs. I punch my brother’s arm as he passes me. He runs backwards up the stairs and pokes his tongue out. I smirk at him. He’s such an idiot.

”I want you in bed in two minutes, young lady,” Bing imitates Dad’s voice from the top of the stairs.

”Get lost,” I shout through my laughter at him.