Always Fraser by A. Steel (electronic reader .txt) 📕

Who am I around him? A girl who stares up at her high school crush. Batting her eyelashes and playing with her hair trying to be all cute. It's kinda sickening. I have to laugh at the image of myself.

His eyes sparkle with delight now. “So, you want a date with me? When are you free?” he asks, closing the gap between us again.

“Saturday, I guess.” I'm looking up at him, talking in almost a whisper, trying to get the words out before I'm consumed by his presence, his sexy smile, the way he smells so masculine.

“Saturday it is. Meet me at my place, say 3, so we still have time to do something before it gets dark, and I’ll take you on a date. Better tell your parents you're staying the night at Indie’s or something, because you're not coming home.” He cups my face in his hands.

"Is that right? What if I'm bored by the end of the night and want to come home?" I tease.

"You won't be." He bites my bottom lip and I groan. Then he smashes his lips into mine.

I'm done, all coherent thoughts gone. This man, the magnetic pull he has on me, so much more than when we were younger. I already know it's going to destroy me if we fall apart, but the pull is too strong, and I have to see what this is.

Chapter Ten

Fraser

I quickly jump out of the shower. I didn’t mean to be running this late, but our footy match went into overtime with a massive brawl just before half-time, so I only just got home. I quickly chuck on a T-shirt and my boardies. Elly must’ve arrived while I was in the shower. I can hear her talking to her best buddy Blake. I don’t know what the go is with the two of them, but they seem like they have known each other for years, not weeks. I better get out there before he takes her out again instead of me.

I walk into the living room to see her sitting on the lounge cross-legged. She flicks some of her hair out of her eyes as she talks to Blake. She looks gorgeous, as always, with her long hair down framing her pretty features.

She jumps up as soon as she sees me, like she has been caught doing the wrong thing, twisting her hands in front of her. If I didn't know better, I’d say she looks nervous. Not like the normal Elly I know, the one who’s always so confident and in control. She’s wearing little short shorts and an expensive-looking white singlet top. She always has the fanciest clothes. Some designer labels, for sure. I remember in high school, she would be working every shift she could at the café so she could save up enough to get the latest designer bag or shoes that she just had to have. Everything had to be a designer. I’m not sure why she bothers because she's stunning and would look good in a paper bag. I hope she remembered her bikini. It would be a shame to get her little designer outfit wet, and I intend to go for a swim once we get to our destination.

“Are you ready to go, Elly?” I’m not sure why, but this feels so awkward, like a real first date. Maybe that's why she looks nervous, she feels weird about it too.

“Yeah, I’m good to go. See you later, Blake. Don’t have too much fun tonight without us.”

“Ha, not likely. You know me, just probably watching Netflix or something. See you guys when you get back later.”

 We walk down to my car, keeping our distance from each other as we jump in. Why is this feeling so weird?

“Where are you taking me?” she asks, looking over to me. Her eyes are hypnotising. The blue-green pools of the irises, like the ocean on a warm summer's day. They call my name. I have to pull my gaze away from her so I can concentrate on driving or we're going to have an accident.

“It's a surprise. You’ll just have to wait and see,” I tease. “Did you bring your swimmers like I asked you to?”

“Sure did. Are we going to the beach or something?”

I just shrug my shoulders at her, keeping my eyes on the road.

“Just tell me, Fraser! You know I don’t like surprises.” She glares at me over her sunnies.

“Yeah, I remember, learned that one the hard way. But you’ll like this, I promise.” I probably shouldn't be surprising her after last time. It was her 16th birthday and I had spent the whole day with Drew, but I wanted to make sure she knew I hadn't forgotten about her as well. So that night when I heard her and her mum come home, I waited in her room for her with her present. Leaving the light off was probably my first mistake. Saying surprise before she had turned on the light, my second.

She must have been carrying her Doc Martins in her hands, because as soon as I said it, she hurled them at me, whacking me straight in the face. I ended up with a bleeding nose and a black eye. You think that would deter me today, but it doesn't. I know she will like this surprise.

“Okay, fine, I’ll wait, but it better be good,” she huffs.

“You’ll like it, so stop being such a cry baby. How did you go with the styling set-up yesterday? The photos you sent through looked great. The furniture you chose reflected the look we’re going for exactly. You make a perfect addition to our team.”

“Thanks. I had a bit of trouble getting some of the items I wanted in time, but once I build up my inventory with my own styling props, it’ll be easier.”

“Where did you get the art from? I haven’t seen any of those paintings before. Is it an artist I would know?”

She laughs at me. “They were