melody_richey-has-a-fall

RICHEY HAS A FALL by Melody

Melissa yawned, stretched out her arms and was surprised and not a little unnerved to feel another warm body beside her. Nervously she took a little peek, opening her eyes just a smidgen to make out the contours of the slumbering form beside her. She heaved a sigh of relief and gradually the memory of the previous night returned to her. Clutching her head she winced, it was pounding like a drum, and it had nothing to do with too much booze – she hadn't slept for a couple of nights because of one set of her neighbours having violent arguments, to the point that the police were called out; more than once.

Bless him, he was so peaceful whilst asleep; his mouth and eyes twitching as he dreamt of something nice, (he was much too relaxed to be awake). Gradually she began recalling the night's events with more and more clarity, but it was all still too hazy to make sense. Little snippets appeared to her here and there, and she attempted to fill in the gaps. The more she tried to do that, the more frustrating it became, fact merging with fiction until she couldn't believe a thing.

Richey...she recalled something vague about James turning up at her door with Richey, but that didn't explain why...well...why was he still there and why was he in her bed...and naked? Oh goodness, he was, he was naked, completely. Mel pulled her left hand back, shaking it as it trying to rid it of some contamination, in her sleep addled state she had held him, stroked him, touched him. Richey would be as mortified as she was.

Piece by piece the jigsaw of her memory became whole; Richey had had a tumble on the way back from Sean's house, after attempting, in his very drunken state, to use a pogo stick. Now anyone who has ever attempted a pogo stick will know that they are a liability at the best of times; if you have had a drink or more, they verge on suicidal.

He had been covered in cuts and bruises, nothing worse. Poor Richey had sobered up quickly, his aches and pains making him wince and screw his eyes up in in pain. The nearest bed was the one in Mel's room and that is where James put him. Mel vaguely remembered that she had threatened to castigate James when she saw him again on discovering the sleeping Richey, however her sleep deprived brain was only managing to recall sketchy details.

It was a hot summer night and although it was only 3.27 am, daylight was steadily breaking through and casting out the murky, close, muggy night. Mel realised that she was naked, her side of the bedding having been kicked down the bed because of the heat; Richey's side was the same. His pale skin hid his scars well, they were barely visible unless you knew precisely were to check. His skin had no hint of a tan; he preferred to keep covered and to blather on a high factor sun cream to stave off a tan. Feeling self conscious, Mel began to slowly inch the top sheet over her body, to give her a modicum of decorum.

“Hey,” came a whine from a soft, gentle voice. “It is too hot Mel.”
“Oh, you're awake,” she managed to utter quietly.
She heard Richey moving about on the bed, then felt him behind her.
“Now leave that bedding exactly were it is, its too hot Mel, you know it is,” he said tenderly whilst his hands wrested the sheet out of her hands and flung them to the bottom of the bed.
“I was trying to cover up,” she protested, her face blushing an unfetching shade of puce.

“I think it may be a tad late for you to be modest Mel,” he chuckled. “Besides, you've seen me naked so what's the problem?”
“I do not make a habit of being seen naked by friends,” said Mel in a huff, using her hands to cover herself.
“Personally I think that it's only right and fair,” whispered Richey, remaining close to her. “You've seen me naked often enough when you've put me to bed.”
“Actually it was James that put you to bed and I have no bloody idea why he chose mine!”
Richey's right hand began to play with her red hair and his left arm curled around her stomach, his fingers gently playing with her soft skin. “I think you know only too well.”

Melissa coyly dipped er head, hiding her embarrassment from him. His really wasn't the time to be discussing this, Richey probably wouldn't recall a thing when he woke up and the booze was out of his system.
“Come on Mel, stop being so bashful.”
“Richey...”
“I'll let you into a little secret shall I?” he whispered seductively. “I didn't have too much to drink, it was all a ruse to get me here tonight. Thought up by James, I might add. He decided that he had to engineer something because if it was left to us we'd never do anything; being the shy gits that we are.”

“James?” In her surprise at what Richey had told her, she turned to face him, not thinking that she was now showing her her entire naked body. “I told him in confidence.”
“When?” Richey bestowed a little kiss on the tip of her nose, his arms continuing to embrace her warmly against his body.
“A month or so ago. It was after that party when you hooked up with that groupie, went off for a quick shag and came back in a foul mood. I was upset and James demanded to know why, he wouldn't leave me alone until I told him.”
“What upset you the most?”
“That you could go off for a meaningless fuck with a woman you didn't know, not knowing what disease she might have.”

Richey bowed his head down. “I was in a foul mood after because I'd had a blazing with her. I got to the alleyway with her and realised that if I fucked her, I'd never have a chance with you. Needless to say she wasn't very impressed with me. That had been the first time I'd been tempted to go with a groupie since I met you and it was because I was too nervous to approach you and ask you to dance with me.”
Mel placed an arm around his waist, her other resting above his head on the pillow. “All I wanted was a dance,” she smiled shyly. “I was walking over to ask you when you disappeared with her. I was gobsmacked, James and Nicky had both assured me that you didn't go with groupies any more.”

“I saw you talking with James, and when she approached me I thought why not? I thought that James had been taking the piss out of me and that it was you two having a fling.”
“But you know that James would never set you up like that Richey.”
“At the time I didn't. I thought that you were both having a joke at my expense.”
“Oh Richey,” she sighed heavily, “we'd never do anything like that to you. I was poring my heart out to him, telling him how much I loved you but that it was all a bit futile.”
“Why futile?” he asked, stroking her face and kissing her lips briefly.
“Because you were always saying that you were scared of relationships and that you had trust issues. It seemed doomed before it ever got off the ground, in fact, I was convinced that it wouldn't get off the ground.”

“What do you think now? I'm here because I agreed with James, it was stupid that we keep dancing round and avoiding the issue, although it isn't very subtle, at least this way we get to talk about it, and we have a chance.”
“James may have gone a strange way about things but I do see where he's coming from. My problem, however, is still you. I don't want to be your guinea pig, the big test to see if you've got your jealousy and trust issues licked. That is too much to ask of me.”
“I'm as certain as I can be,” said Richey. “What are you saying, that you want me to test it out by going out with someone else first?”
She shook her head. “I honestly don't know. It just seems like a hell of a risk when...”
“When you love me?”
“Yes. I don't know what to do for the best here Richey. If I agree to go out with you and you can't hack it, it will make things very difficult, and certainly I'll finding it hard being around you. Of course if I don't and you start seeing another woman I'll be as jealous as hell and won't want to see you.”

“There is another option,” he mused, a soft smile forming on his lips. “That we work out and live happily ever after. I completely understand your concerns and you're totally right to have them, all I ask is that we try and take it one day at a time.”
Melissa stared into Richey's large brown eyes, they shone with love and respect for her; it was obvious that he adored her and wanted to be with her. How could she deny herself what she had been longing for, for so long? Perhaps now was the time to take a risk, and, if they didn't do it now, with both of them being notoriously shy, would either of them find the courage to make the move again? That was probably the biggest question that she needed to ask, and the answer was obvious, it would be an eternity until one of them plucked up the courage, or it would be left to James or another friend to manipulate the situation, to get them to discuss it and come up with some solution.

She smiled and cupped his face in her hands. “My mind is made up.” She lowered her lips onto his, and the exchanged the first of many passionate kisses, that they would enjoy in their years together.

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