Chapter 1
The rain hit the London streets hard, firing like bullets from a machine gun. She walked her usual route along the South Bank eventually crossing Waterloo Bridge heading towards the city. Everyone was on a mission to get to their destinations in the least possible time as she cursed herself for keeping to her routine of walking to work despite the weather. The rain lashed relentlessly in the opposite direction to the way she was walking as she battled to keep the red polka dot umbrella above her head, holding the handle with both hands, grim faced. A sudden gust of wind wrapped itself around her like a vortex enveloping the flimsy cheap device and turning it inside out, the frame now bent, altered its state from the brightest, simplistic invention to protect oneself from getting wet, to a redundant, useless tool that was only good for one thing.
She marched along the bridge and looked at St Paul’s Cathedral as its magnificent dome stood against the dark, oppressive sky. A lightening streak dramatically zigg zagged its way across the distant vista but with no shelter she had no choice but to carry on. Reaching the end of the bridge, a crack of thunder imploded as she threw the umbrella into a bin and ran to the nearby bus stop. Her short blonde hair hung limply, its wispy strands now forming loose curls framing her face already so wet that she had given up trying to wipe the rain away.
Ten minutes after nine and already late for work, the day had not started well for someone who was only four weeks into her first job. Shivering, she looked at her watch for the second time in less than a minute. Water had managed to seep into the large, square faced dial as condensation began to obscure the smiley sun face that was now irritating the hell out of her. She pursed her lips and shook her wrist in an effort to move the water droplets down to check if the watch was still working.
‘’It’s still ten after nine’’ A young man shouted above the deafening thunder and London traffic. His collar turned up to reveal a dark wet patch covering the length of the kaki rain coat he was wearing. Water dripped from his hair as a droplet clung from the tip of his nose refusing to move.
She looked up to see him watching her intently, as a slight smirk spread across his face. A bus rumbled passed, its steamy windows creating a false sense of coziness for the passengers in the overcrowded vehicle. The windscreen wipers moved furiously from side to side as it lurched towards the bus stop plunging through a deep puddle comfortably settled in a dip in the tarmac. In a momentary flash of decisiveness created by the albescent mist ahead, the bus shuddered to a halt, temporarily spraying a torrent of water that could not have been more accurately targeted at the two individuals cowering together.
The water hit them with such force they gasped unbelievingly at what had just happened looking round to see the bus pulling away to continue its journey. He looked up at the girl as a twitch formed from his mouth growing into a broad smile. She looked down at her dripping suit and feet that were now squelching in her newly bought heels not knowing if she wanted to laugh or cry as her shoulders heaved up and down.
‘’Are you okay?’’ he shouted concerned, only to see her look up laughing uncontrollably. The infectious laugh spread between them as they locked eyes and clung to each other for support. Each time one tried to speak, the all consuming laughter took over and they carried on until exhausted from the intensity of the morning.
‘’Coffee?’’ he suggested glancing across the road to the tiny Italian coffee house opposite.
Half past nine and still no let up. ‘’Yes, why not?’’ She said, the fight going out of her – work would have to wait.
They crossed the road and ran into the steamy interior, smelling the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans. Red and white chequered table cloths covered the small wooden tables that left little room for manoeuvre. Squeezing past couples and workers, she found a corner and sat down grateful to be out of the relentless storm that was creating chaos in the Capital.
He flopped down on the small wooden chair facing her and placed two cappuccinos down heaving a sigh of relief as he remembered the bus engulphing them with water and smiled. They talked about the incident, the weather and the UK and laughed all over again. The attraction between them was obvious as she found herself not wanting the morning to end. He reached for a napkin from the centre of the table and accidently brushed the hand that casually lay touching her cup. An electrical current transcended through her as she abruptly moved it away and sat back in her seat.
‘’Look, would you believe, the sun is coming out?! I don’t suppose you have time for a walk?’’ he said looking at her as they finished the last drop of coffee in their cups.
The voice of reason and Miss Sensibility was telling her to phone work and get on her way but instead the words did not reflect the thoughts inside ‘’Yes, why not’’ she found herself saying as she gathered up her things and stood up pushing the chair back. He stepped back politely and allowed her to go ahead as he opened the door and she walked out into the fresh air and sunshine that was finally emerging through the clouds.
They walked along the narrow street towards one of London’s hidden gems – an oasis of green in the centre of London. Town houses stood proudly protecting the secret location which was known to a few lucky residents who wanted to keep it to themselves and just a handful of office workers. They strolled together laughing and joking, carefully avoiding conversation that might mar their impression of each other. Each one preferring to avoid details that would infiltrate the outside world and hinder them from what they really wanted to do.
‘’I really should get going’’ she said turning to him as they reached the black gated exit.
‘’That’s a shame’’ he said looking at her and standing so close his coat almost brushing her. ‘’One more coffee? It’s only ten thirty?’’
‘’I guess, one more coffee would be okay’’ she said allowing herself to be persuaded as her internal clock wavered between ‘time to go’ and ‘what am I doing?’
Coffee was a brief affair. The modern hotel suite exuded chic bohemian style as they sat together sipping the second cappuccino of the morning. She finished the drink and stood up smoothing her skirt and looked around the stylish decor. ‘’I’d better go’’
‘’Sure, I’m so sorry – yes of course’’. They walked to the door as he opened it and smiled. ‘’Thanks for making my day! You’re pretty special you know’’.
He bent towards her to kiss her cheek lightly as her face turned upwards and their lips brushed, the smoothest, slightest touch. He hesitated for a moment unsure, as she moved nearer and they kissed again, the sweetest and gentlest of kisses that had lingered above them from the moment they met. They closed the door as she leaned against it and allowed him to undress her slowly unbuttoning the crisp white shirt she wore for work.
‘’Wait! We don’t even know each other’s name’’ he said as he nuzzled her neck.
‘’No names! No details okay?’’ she said gasping. Today was a day she wanted to keep out of the real world. Things like this didn’t happen to girls like her and she just wasn’t ‘that’ kind of girl. If she was going to go through with this then she couldn’t do names or any other information for that matter.
‘’I don’t usually do this kind of thing’’ she said as he kissed her eyes, her nose, her neck, her mouth.
‘’Nor do I’’ he said and she believed him. This was more than sexual chemistry, something else, something deeper, something different.
