My City, My Love

 

“Hey babydoll” Liam’s soothing voice greeted over the phone

“Hey. Where are you?” I asked, rubbing my tiered eyes.

“Just went by the castle apparently. There are loads of shops on my right and a load more rain” he said allowing my mind map his position through the busy Edinburgh streets.

“You’re like 5 minutes away from the bus station. Can you do me a favour and just grab a cab to mine? I got a call at lunch from my boss, she’s gone into labour and asked me to come into work and cover a shift. I’m only just leaving now…”

“Don’t worry about it beautiful. I’m getting good with cabbies over here. I’ll see you at yours and then take you out for some food” his voice full of tenderness, a hint of a smile teasing it’s way through the earpiece. We’d been planning this for months but of course, it wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be. Visa’s had proved a problem for the gentle 6ft3 American trying to make a run for a new life with a British brunette. Flights had been delayed, airports had been changed and passports had been challenged, but finally we were going to be together. I couldn’t help smiling at that thought. We were going to be together, in less than an hour. My heart gave a little skip and I grabbed my stuff with a free hand.

“I’ll see you in a little bit babe” I said excited, pressing the end call button.

I pulled my university hoodie over my head, flicking the hood up as some sort of protection against the Scottish rain. The gloves I pulled on after locking the shop door were already sodden before they made it up to my wrists. I didn’t care about the rain though; in fact I loved rain, especially in this majestic city, full of gothic buildings which almost pleaded for rain to bring each of their characters to life. The heavy water droplets seemed to be the lifeline for this city. I looked up to the gargoyle turrets imagining them spreading out their dry, rock wings to capture the heavens, springing to life at the first tender touch. I walked as quickly as I could the two blocks to my flat, my clothes clinging to my petite frame, making me shudder with cold. I jogged up the stone steps which lead between two shops to take tenants up to their flats above the busy deli and the, now dark, art shop. My fingers protested at the metal of the keys and not having the protection of the gloves against the paralysing rain. I fumbled with the lock, shouldering the door open, smelling the familiar damp smell of the heavy wood’s sodden frame. The door swung closed at my gentle kick as I walked up the inner stairs to reach my door on the top floor.

My whole body was shaking with cold and wetness when I let myself into my warm flat. Dropping my bag on the sagging sofa I pulled my hoodie off and started to get undressed stopping only to fill the kettle, turning it on with a flick of the switch. Every item of clothing was drenched, my skin cold and bumpy. My hair hung in wet ringlets, framing my red cheeks and vivid eyes.

My bedroom glowed with a comforting warmth as I switched on my lamp next to the bed. I’d set the thermostat to come on half an hour before I got home from work, ensuring that my evenings would be warm against the winters fury. I looked at my clothes wondering what to wear. My eyes rested on a huge hooded sweater which was my ultimate comfort. I pulled it on as my phone started to ring from where I’d dropped it on the kitchen counter. I grabbed my jogging bottoms off my bed and hopped, pulling them on to answer it.

“Your top floor right?” Liam’s voice asked. I could hear the rain hitting the mouth piece as he spoke, I looked out of my windows and peered past the streams of water thrashing down the glass to the street below.

“Yep, give me a sec and I’ll be down” I answered seeing the outline of a hunched taxi with the boot open. My feet clad only in thick bed socks and leaving my door open I ran down the spiral stairs to the main door swinging it open with a grin as wide as the ocean spread across my face. The driver was standing there with a big bag, water running off his grey hair. He smiled good naturedly and gave me a once over, taking me in from my wet hair to fidgeting toes. I stepped aside letting him in “oh so you’re the missus” he said as he brushed past me, an amused look in his grey eyes “top floor right?” he stated as he made his way up the stairs.

“Yep, the doors open just dump it in … thanks” I replied somewhat bemused then turned back to the door. Liam stood there looking down at me water running down his face, bags in hand and backpack on his shoulder. Silently I took one of the bags and lead the way up the stairs, excitement fizzing through me. I controlled the urge to throw my arms around him until we got everything up the stairs and into the front room. The cabbie was standing at the door waiting for us, he handed me a card with his name and number on it.

“You ever need a ride anywhere give me a buzz. I hope you two have a wonderful time together” he winked at Liam as he made his way back down the steps.

I closed the door behind him and as I turned round Liam’s arms wrapped around me hugging me tight. I grinned, ignoring the fact he was dripping on me. We stood, holding each other silently, my head resting on his chest.

“Want a drink? The kettle just boiled” I asked looking up, my eyes meeting his for the first time. My breath caught in my throat and my heart beat harder. I couldn’t imagine anyone else’s eyes I’d rather look into, a blue which stormed into his soul, revealing his gentle heart.

“Coffee?” he asked. I laughed and walked to the kitchen which was open to the living room. I opened a cupboard and let him see the packets of coffee which filled it.

“What kind you want?”

 

Her laugh was beautiful. It took my breath away. Her smile, which glowed from deep within her, shone through her sparkling eyes. Her addiction to coffee made me laugh. I felt self conscious standing so close to such an attractive young creature, my clothes wet from the torrents of rain which had been pouring from the unending heavens since the coach had reached the Scottish boarder. I took off my sweater dropping it on top of one of my bags and watched Zoë’s hands expertly make the coffee. We’d talked about getting a proper coffee maker when we got some money together to quench the constant desire for the black medicine which burned deep within both of us. Her hair was falling in ringlets from where she had it tied up into her smooth face, breaking up the soft milky colour of her skin.

“Your boss have the baby yet?” I asked, breaking the silence which rested over us as she handed me a mug of my only addiction.

“Oh, you know what? I don’t actually know, I should give her a call” Zoë realised “have a seat, just chuck my stuff on the floor. What you think of Scotland so far?” Her voice was steady, with an accent which swung between her Southern English education and Scottish heart.

“It’s really amazing! Even with the rain it’s still so green and open. Edinburgh is beautiful. The buildings are so full of character! I can’t wait ‘til I get to explore it” I said thinking about the drive through this magnificent city. I could understand why Zoë loved it so much. I’d found the statues on the buildings fascinating, the crouched gargoyles and unmoving women figures up high on the buildings faces. We sat silently drinking, watching each other over the rims of the mugs, hands clamping the heat to us.

“What you want to do this evening?” Zoë asked her eyes resting on the windows, gauging to see if the rain was any closer to stopping than it had been earlier. My own eyes followed her gaze and judged that if anything it had grown heavier and I was sure that I’d heard the distant growl of approaching thunder, prowling, ready to pounce on the street light lit city.

“Where’s your nearest ‘local’?” I asked smiling as I used the British idiom. Her eyes burned with amusement at my phrase.

“Just a few doors down actually. But the place is a dive!” She answered, then seeing confusion sweep past my eyes at the word ‘dive’ she translated with a laugh “it isn’t that nice a place” I looked away from her. Her beauty filled eyes too much for me to take in. I felt her body move closer to me and she touched my hand tenderly, sending sparks through my body. My eyes leapt to hers, her lips gentle with a smile so full of tenderness I couldn’t help but wonder what I did to deserve such a woman.

“I’m really glad you came” her voice was as soft as her touch which still rested on my hand. I held her hand in mine, hers dwarfed by mine. I suddenly realised how much bigger than her I was, how petit her frame was next to mine, truly doll like. The desire to protect her and hold her close overtook me. Putting down my empty mug I pulled her to me, my arms encompassing her, letting my lips meet the top of her head. Her head rested on my chest and she took a deep breath in, closing her eyes, her body relaxing against mine.

 

I’ve never thought of anyone as a smell before but there, my head resting on Liam’s chest I breathed him in. I knew I would always recognise him from his deep, warm smell which seemed to be a reflection of himself. My mind drew a blank to comparisons, to everything in fact. There in his arms I forgot all about myself and could only think of him. I lifted my head and my eyes met his understanding something past the blue eyes, a true devotion far deeper than anything I’d ever felt. His eyes sent a wave of peace over me and I knew there was nowhere else I’d rather be than right there with him. Just then the thunder which had been prowling towards the city pounced and the walls echoed with the sound of the thunderous roar. My eyes darted to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the wonderful storm beast through the flash of lighting as the creature of darkness slashed the skies with it’s claws, ripping the fabric of the sky letting the light of the world beyond shine through before closing again in an instant. Liam’s fingers where playing with the ringlets of hair which were tumbling down my neck, bringing my mind back to him.

“I have beer in the fridge if you want to order a pizza or curry or something. Let someone else get wet bringing us food” I suggested, my voice coming out more gentle than I’d meant to.

“Sounds good to me” he replied through a smile mirroring his eyes.

I was reluctant to pull away from him to get the stack of take away menus I’d accumulated over the months but I did, somehow, my heart beating heavily as my skin grew cold where his warmth had been. I scolded myself in my mind, telling my head to pull itself together, to stop being so ‘school girl’ like. I had an urge to giggle but kept my lips clamped together automatically turning the kettle on again, a stack of menus clutched tight in my hand. I sensed him behind me before I felt him. He took the menus out of my hand and turned me round lifting me up to sit on the kitchen counter, his arms around me again, lips meeting mine gently, testing my touch. Unconsciously I kissed him encouraging his lips to stay with mine, my mind resting on his hands, his lips, his heartbeat. My fingers pulled him closer to me, holding him, trying to learn his every move, every touch, taking every part of him that I could in.

We pulled apart and smiled at each other. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long!” the smile spreading to a boyish grin. My whole body was buzzing with sensory messages which I struggled to order and control.

 

My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to break through my skin. The kiss had spun me out of the room and into another universe. I’d been waiting for so long to feel Zoë’s gentle touch against mine, waiting to feel her skins warmth close to me. Her lips had tattooed her name on my heart, each beat seeming to drum it deeper into me. She was still holding me between her legs, fingers laced behind my neck, my hands resting on her curved hips fidgeting with the desire to learn her body’s every line.

Reviews

[Imperfection]

I loved everything about this piece...the descriptions, the presentation, and of course, the way the reader is kept wanting more...
It was interesting to read both Liam's and Zoe's side of the story and the fact that both of them experienced such similar feelings about each other.
Your style is such that I felt I was watching the story unfold before my eyes.

'I couldn't imagine anyone else's eyes I'd rather look into'

- is such a beautiful thought.

Gentle, beautiful...
Well done.

[Dustin Chang]

You are very good at capturing the feeling of great intimacy. I love the details you put in, very visual and sensory as if I am there in Edinburgh. I also like your narrators switching a lot. Very nice touch. Only problem with that I notice is Zoe's narrative in the beginning is too descriptive about herself. I know it ties in with the narrator switch later on. But I wouldn't describe myself in details such as "my petite frame" or "vivid eyes". That should be his job to describe Zoe not hers. But you've got something really beautiful and I love the warmth you create being in love with someone.

[Kelsey]

I love the way this story is written. There are quite a few spelling/punctuation errors you need to go back and fix though. Also, you should go through and write more about them! I wanna know what happens to them next. You should write more short stories. Great work.