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There’s a knock at the front door.
“Ignore it,” I gasp. “It’ll be Mrs Dunlop after milk. She can nip out to the shop and get some.”
Ryan, thankfully, doesn’t stop, and a few seconds later I come, one hand fisted in his T-shirt and the other still clinging to his penis. My cries are muffled against his chest.
“There,” he murmurs. He slips his hands out and wraps his arms around me, pulling me to him. “Now you can go and sell flowers wi’ a smile on your face, eh?”
I’m still trembling against him when there’s a scrape of a key in the lock.
I freeze. Because Mrs Dunlop doesn’t have a key. Only one other person does.
“Mum,” I whisper.
“Fuck.” Ryan bends to haul his boxers and jeans back up.
I don’t wait to watch him wrestle with his erection or try to force his zip up over it. “Stay here,” I hiss, then hurry out, shutting the bedroom door on him.
My face feels like it’s on fire and my legs are like jelly. Is Mum going to take one look at me and know I’ve just orgasmed? Oh, duckety duck.
Through in the hall, Mum is closing the door behind her while balancing a cardboard tray containing two takeaway coffees and telling Penny how delighted she is to see her. Penny bounces around her ankles, a lot more enthusiastic about the unexpected visitor than I am.
“Morning, darling.” Mum leans in to kiss my cheek. “I thought I’d surprise you with coffees and pastries. I’ve got an almond croissant and a pain au chocolat in my bag. Your pick, or we can halve them and have a bit of each.”
“Oh. Right. Great.”
“I hope you don’t mind me letting myself in. When you didn’t answer, I assumed you were in the shower.”
“Er…no. Not yet. Still in my PJs.”
“I can see that. Now, I won’t take much of your time because I know you have to get ready for work, but there’s always time for some breakfast. And I’ve been desperate for a quick face-to-face catch-up. Your dad, Innes, and I only got back late last night.”
“That’s right.” I take one of the coffees from her. “How was St Andrews?”
“Oh, lovely. We couldn’t have been luckier with the weather. I’ll fill you in properly another time. But let’s go through, take a seat, and have our pastries. And maybe we can have a wee chat about this Ryan lad.”
Duck, duck, duck. I can hardly talk with Mum about Ryan while he’s literally in the next room. But equally, I know Mum, and if she’s come round here to discuss something, there’s nothing I can say or do that’ll dissuade her.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Maybe that’s why, in a panic, I call out, “Ryan! Why don’t you come out here and say hello to my mum?”
Mum’s eyebrows shoot up. The bedroom door opens and Ryan strolls out, fully dressed. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gives my mother a roguish grin. “Mrs Sinclair. Pleased to meet you.”
In a moment of horror, I wonder: how long does it take for a man’s erection to go away? Fearing the worst, my eyes drop to his crotch, but—phew. Everything seems to be under control down there.
Still, there’s no disguising from my mum what we’ve been up to. Why else would a man be coming out of my bedroom at this time in the morning?
“Mum,” I say, trying to act calmer than I feel, “this is Ryan. Ryan, this is my mum, Kathy.”
Ryan inclines his head at Mum. She’s too busy taking in the neck tattoo, the skull on his forearm, and the bed-rumpled T-shirt to return the gesture.
Well, this is painfully awkward. Might as well toss in another bombshell.
“Ryan and I are seeing each other properly now, Mum. He’s my boyfriend.”
“I see.” Her lips thin. “Last I heard, you were taking things slowly.”
“It’s a very new development.”
“Right. Well.” She turns back to Ryan with a gracious smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Has Briony told you that we have a family dinner every Friday? You’ll have to join us this week so Neil and I can meet you properly.”
