She's a sensitive flower. Strange because Emily Fitch is way tougher than I'll ever be.
I'm all mouth and no trousers. I'm obviously the bloke in this relationship.

Yes, Naomi. Relationship.

"No ... Em." I held out my arm and beckoned her back. "Sorry. Look, you know I'm going to miss you. Loads."

Emily smiled and just like that, my mood dissolved. She's like an angel. An adorable, red-haired angel.
I wanted to hold onto her and never let go.

"I love you, Emily," I said, stroking her stomach. I kneeled down and kissed it. Smelled her. Emily
stroked my hair and we just stayed like that for a few minutes. I didn't ever want to stop being with her. Ever.

See, this is precisely what I totally fcking hate about relationships. Attachment. You don't belong to yourself
any more. You're sharing with someone else. So when they're not there, a part of you fades out with them.

I stood at the bar and rewound my phone conversation with Em. It had all been a misunderstanding with
the phone calls. She wouldn't lie to me. I was pretty sure of that. And I couldn't wait till I could see her.
Hold her and kiss her. So why had I been so cold to her?

Was it me that was going to fck this up?

If only we could just stay frozen in this summer. Not have to move forward.

I pulled her up off the chair. "Let's go to bed," I said, kissing the side of her head. "All I'm interested in
tonight is getting you naked."

Emily smiled. "Well, if you put it like that," she said. "I'll skip the coffee and liqueurs. Just for you."

"I love you, Emily," I said.

She beamed at me. "I love you too. Always."

I'd got softer again. She has that affect on me.

"I love you," I said, at the same time as Naomi. "I love you so much."

Back at the hotel I pulled off my clothes and climbed into bed without bothering to brush my teeth or take off
my make-up. But I couldn't sleep. I lay staring at the ceiling, watching the shadow reflections of the street
outside. I thought of Naomi. My Naomi. Her blonde hair, her pink lips, the funny squeaking noises she made
when she slept.

I held my arm up at a right angle to my head and let it find its own balance. I suddenly felt lonely. I wanted
my girlfriend in bed with me.

I opened the door before she could knock, and for a second we just stood and looked at each other.

"Hey," she said, seriously. "How's it going?"

"Much better now," I said, my lips longing to kiss the look off her face. 'Now that you're standing in front of me."

"Really?" Naomi raised an eyebrow. "I suppose it's good to see you too."

"Bitch," I said, laughing, and reached and grabbed her by her T-shirt. "You're gonna have to do better than
that." I pulled her inside and shut the front door. I took off my dress, and stood in my bra and knickers. "Use
your imagination," I told her. "You're good at that."

"I'll see what I can do," she said softly now, pulling me towards her and leaning in to kiss me.

"I love you, girl," I said.

She kissed the top of my head. "I missed you like hell," she whispered into my hair.

"I don't ever want to be apart for that long again," I said.

"Second thoughts," she said. "Do we really need to go to the shops now?" She stroked up to the bottom of
my spine. "It seems such a fcking waste."

"Just one circuit round Topshop?" I pleased. "And then I'm all yours."

Naomi smacked my bottom a little harder than necessary.

"Oh, I like Dominatrix Naomi," I said, wriggling. "I'll make it a very quick circuit."

"I just want us to be together," I said. "That's the most important thing for me."