That Friday Read Online Free Page A

Charlie said, setting his case down.
He was surprised by how nervous he felt; though he knew it wasn't quite the
case he couldn't help feeling as if they were there for a dirty weekend and the
young man knew it.
    "Of course, what name is it
under?" the young man asked looking down at the computer screen in front
of him.
    "Lloyd, Charlie Lloyd,"
Charlie answered.
    It didn't take long to finish the
booking in process and then they made their way upstairs to their room,
following the directions the receptionist had given them. The room was only on
the third floor and they reached it in just a minute or so; the moment they
were through the door they dropped their bags and stood, their eyes locked,
both too shy and nervous to do anything else just then.
    Being the braver of the two, Tess
was the first to break their immobility; with fumbling fingers she unbuttoned
her bright red coat, bought years before for a trip she was sure would never
happen, and slipped it off so she could hang it on one of the hooks a short
distance away. In doing so she revealed that she was not naked beneath it, a
small disappoint for Charlie, though he knew it had only been a fantasy that
she might be. Her hat, still covered in a dusting of
snow, scarf and gloves followed; her eyes never left his as she removed her
outerwear and hung it all up out of the way.
     Encouraged by her, Charlie
followed suit, removing his jacket so he could hang it up, then, slowly,
uncertainly, he stepped forward, closing the distance that separated them as
Tess did the same.
    Once again Tess was the brave one;
she took the final step and closed the distance between them completely by
reaching out to brush the backs of her fingers across his smooth cheek. Their
passionate kisses in the station were forgotten, everything seemed new once
again.
    At her touch he felt both his
confidence and his nervousness grow and he found them fighting within him for
control. Shyly, reached out to wrap his arms around her, bringing her closer
still as his lips sought her, his kiss soft;  he wanted to kiss her with
all the passion he felt for her but just then he held back, afraid he would
scare her if he did as he wished.
    Tess moved her hand from his cheek,
sliding it up until her fingers were entwined in his hair while her other arm
wrapped around his waist, squeezing him so tight she was sure he would have cut
off her breath if he had done the same to her as she returned his kiss. His
goatee was coarse, in contrast to the softness of his lips, and as their kiss
deepened it scratched at her mouth; she paid it no mind however, it was of no
consequence, all that mattered just then was the feel
of his lips on hers.
    Time stood still as they kissed, it
had no meaning for them; still locked together they collapsed onto the bed, a
tangle of limbs and a mass of giggles. Their giggles subsided after a minute or
and they untangled themselves to lay and stare into one another's eyes, as they
had during their many silent nights on Skype while they waited for That Weekend
to arrive.
    They wanted each other so very
much, but each was afraid of moving too fast and scaring the other. After long
moments, during which they each did their best to
express their love for the other with nothing more than their eyes, they moved
toward one another again, entwining their bodies in an embrace that brought
them so close they could have been one person.
    Charlie's arms slid around Tess,
pulling her against him until he could feel her heart beating against his
chest. At the same time Tess wrapped her arms tightly around him, her head on
his shoulder, as she wormed her legs between his, plaiting them together.
    "I love you," she whispered in his ear, her eyes closed tight; her voice
was so quiet it was barely audible to her own ears and she wasn't sure she had
been heard until she felt a shiver run through his body.
    His heart drummed a tattoo against
his chest, so loud he was sure it could have been heard in the