You are Definitely Going to Hell Ch. 05

"Weren't you meant to take next door's dog for a walk or something?" Maria asks as she opens her book back up.

"Nah, Kath across the road has taken over. She moved in over the summer and has her dog, so it makes sense. I do try to join her when I can, though. It's sometimes good to get out.

"Have I got to worry about this, Kath?"

"We get on well, and there is a little sexual tension, but there's nothing romantic there. She's just getting over a humiliating divorce after her husband tried sleeping with a prostitute. I also went to school with her twin daughters, Denise and Cheryl. Before you ask, no, you don't have to worry about those either."

"We'll see. Can we go for a walk tomorrow evening with her?"

"Sure, it's not like you to get possessive, though."

Maria's quiet for a moment. "No, it's not," she then says. She gives her next sentence a little thought. "With the girls in Uni, I have much more control and can see what's happening. Here, you could be doing anything." She pauses again. "Have you ever wondered why I let you have sex with so many girls?"

"Yes, constantly. If I'm honest, your behavior confuses me a little."

"Why didn't you ask?"

"Afraid, I suppose...afraid that I would scare you away. You always said you didn't want to get attached. When Liz met you, she told me to be careful with you because if I pushed, you would run a mile. She also said you weren't ready but would come looking for me when you were. After getting to know you more, and our midnight chats, I concluded you didn't want to fall for someone when there was a good chance you would only be in Edinburgh a year." My heart is thumping in my chest; this is the first time I have ever laid so much of myself open.

Maria looks at me, and she's taken aback by my openness. "Christ Rob, that is......I don't even know. You are the closest I have ever got to someone, boy or girl. I don't know how to answer or even express what I feel about what you said. I will tell you that I value what relationship we have more than any other person on this planet. You are my best friend and only lover; I guess time will tell the rest." She leans in and delicately kisses my lips and then smiles. "I can feel how difficult it was for you to tell me that. I can feel your heart beating."

She kisses me again and then leans her head to mine. I close my eyes and feel our closeness. Maria yawns, a long, deep one. "Do you want to call it a night, baby?" I ask.

"Yeah, I guess," Maria says reluctantly. "What's the time?"

"Ten past ten," I say, looking at my watch.

"Wow, where did that go," she says, getting up. "Come on," Maria says, holding her hand out to help me up.

I put my folder down and accepted her help. I get off the bed, grab my toothbrush, and we make our way downstairs.

"Night, Maria," my mother calls from her room as we get to the top of the stairs.

"Goodnight, Doreene," Maria calls back.

"Night, mum," I say, but get nothing back.

As we get to the bottom of the stairs, we meet my dad coming in the opposite direction. "Goodnight, you two," he says as we pass.

"Goodnight, Mr. Johnson," Maria says.

He pauses, "I'm sure you can call me Phillip," and then continues without waiting for an answer.

Maria and I have got ready for bed together many times, and being at home is no different. We move around each other as we clean our teeth and get into bed together.

Maria doesn't wait and slides on top of me. Tonight she wants to take it slow and steady. We don't even have to say a word. The first kiss is the only clue to what we are about to do. Our bodies respond to each other and seem to know what is coming before we do. As the kiss deepens and we get lost in each other. Maria pushes herself subconsciously against my rapidly hardening cock, with only two thin layers of cotton between our sexes.

At some point, with a hidden prompt, one of us will disrobe the other and vice versa. We will become naked without effort and any true realization. Even penetration is a beautifully synchronized movement as we both let out a soft moan at full depth. The movement is similar to the way we waltz.

We slowly make love, moving and grinding in unison with our lips delicately massaging each other. We often climax together, and this time is no different other than it is Marias' third orgasm. We hold each other tight as we ride our mutual highs and caress as we come back down.

After cleaning up and getting back into our nightwear, Maria settles down with her head on my chest. I know this means she wants to talk, so I wait patiently for her to start, but it's only a short time until I hear that tell tail sound she makes when she falls asleep. She has had a long day, so I close my eyes and fall asleep contentedly, listening to her breathe.

We spend all of the next morning with me working and Maria reading. I'm always surprised that she hangs around and doesn't get bored.

It's two o'clock, and I've had enough of staring at this mess they want me to fix. It looks like they haven't even tried. The program writer came up with a concept and now expects me to make it work.

"Hey baby, how do you fancy a trip into town?" I say, looking at Maria. Her face lights up, and she gets to her feet. As she disappears out the door, I say, "I'll take that as a yes, then."

Maria insists I get my hair cut while we are out, so we go into the hairdresser that Bec took me to. I see the guy looking at Maria with a frown. "It's a different girl," I say.

"Pardon, sir?"

"I can see you are looking at my girlfriend, wondering why she looks different."

"Sorry," he says. "It's just the last lady you were in here with looked a lot like Lisa Lovegood."

"She does, very much," I say.

"Oh, stop teasing the guy," Maria says. "The lady he came in last time was Lisa Lovegood. They are very good friends."

The guy's eyes double in size. I smile, "next time she visits, I'll bring her in to meet you. How does that sound?"

"Really?" He says, almost in shock. I smile, and he finishes my hair with a constant smile.

As we walk down towards the shopping center, I hear my name called, "Rob?" I turn to see Jill walking up the road with a double buggy.

"Hey Jill, good to see you." I turn to Maria. "This is Jill, who used to live across the road where Kath is living now. She was also my teacher at school."

"I thought it was you. How have you been?" She says as she catches us up.

"Good. Jill, this is my girlfriend, Maria...Maria, this is Jill."

"Nice to meet you, Jill," Maria says.

"So, how have these two been behaving?" I ask.

"Oh, Aaron is as good as gold. This little missy has her moments. So you are Maria; I've heard a lot about you." We are all looking at the kids. Aaron is smiling and trying to get me to pick him up, but Ruby is fast asleep.

Maria looks at me. "Don't look at me," I say, holding my hands up.

"Oh god no; I don't hear from this one much. We were friends for years, and he just disappeared to University, leaving me without a babysitter. No, Liz told me when she got back."

"Oh, right. How is her new relationship going?" Maria asks.

"Oh great, they are so loved up," Jill says as she eyes me for a reaction. "So, what are you two getting up to?"

"We're off to get something to eat in the shopping center. Would you like to join us?" Maria says, looking at me for my approval.

Jill again looks at me. "Well, I am waiting for Jack to finish."

"That's settled then," Maria says happily.

We make our way to the shopping center and find a coffee shop after Jill dashes back to tell Jack where we will be. We order and find a table that will accommodate us. "So, Maria. What are your plans for University?" Jill asks.

"I am looking to become a doctor, but I wasn't allowed to do Physics A Level at my last school, so I have crammed it up to Christmas, hoping to get into Cambridge. They couldn't fit me in January, but I have been accepted for next year. I'm doing some extra courses to give me a head start."

"Wow, Cambridge," Jill says.

Maria smiles and then leans toward me. "Rob, where is the lady's room?" I point, and she disappears.

"Does she know anything about you know?" Jill asks when Maria is out of earshot.

"No, but if she asks me the question outright, I will not lie to her," I answer.

"That's fine; I trust your judgment." Jill leans in. "So, what do you think about this little miracle we made?"

"She's beautiful, just like her mother.....And how are you? Are you truly alright?" I ask, looking at her with a concerned look.

"Do you know, I thought I would hate being at home. It's been incredible, though. Don't get me wrong, it has its days, but on the whole, it's great," Jill says, taking a sip of coffee. "Liz tells me that you have found a real contender for your heart with Maria."

"Yeah, I set the bar very high, as you know, but she surpasses that and some."

"What are you going to do when she goes to Cambridge?"

"Not sure. I don't think either of us is ready to settle down, plus it looks like I will be doing a lot of traveling in the future. I believe I should let her live her dream and see where I fit it."

"Traveling?"

"Yeah, with the way my coding and programming is going. I will be traveling far and wide."

"Who's traveling somewhere?" Maria asks as she sits back down.

"I was just saying to Jill, while you are living your dream, it looks like I will be doing a lot of traveling."

"Yeah, I guess. You have the US at Easter and Japan in the summer, and that's before you finish University." Maria looks at me proudly.

"It's going to be a case of time will tell," I say. I look at Maria, and we smile at each other. We have always been on the same page and hide very little from each other.

"Hello Rob, hey darling, sorry it took so long," Jack says as he sits next to Jill giving her a loving kiss.

"Hi, Jack," I say. "Jack, this is my girlfriend, Maria...Maria, this is Jill's husband, Jack."

Jack stands and reaches across the table to shake Maria's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Maria.....Will there be any chance of getting you to babysit one night over Christmas, Rob?" Jack asks.

"Jack," Jill says, but then turns to me. "It would be good if you could, Rob," she says.

"I'll give you a ring when I get back from Brighton," I say. "We're going down for a wedding."

"Meeting the family, aye," Jack says. "You two are serious," he adds. "Anyway, love, if we're going to get out in time, we better leave."

"Oh Christ, is that the time," Jill says. "Sorry, Rob, got to dash. Don't forget to ring," Jill says as she gets up. Jill walks disappears with her family, and Maria and I make our way home.

It's seven o'clock, and we make our way out to accompany Kath on her walk. We saw her leave and go next door.

"Hello, Rob; I'm surprised to see you tonight," Kath says as she spots us at the end of Mrs. Kean's drive.

"Hi, Kath. Yeah, we thought we should get out for some fresh air. This is my girlfriend, Maria. Maria, this is Kath."

"Hello, Maria. Come out to see if there's anything to worry about when you're not around?"

Maria laughs. "Yeah, no flies on you," she replies.

As we walk up the road, Maria loops her arm through mine with a contented smile. We get through the gate and let both dogs off their leads. As we start walking up the hill, Kath loops her arm through my other arm.

"So Maria, did you get the third degree from Doreene about your sex life?"

"No, Rob did warn me, but she hasn't had a chance." Maria replies, then asks, "Rob here says there was a little sexual tension between you two but nothing romantic. Would you say that was an accurate assumption of your friendship?"

"Direct, how refreshing. Yeah, I guess. Rob has been a great person to talk to and is the only man I've met who hasn't hit on the twins. Which has pissed them off no end, I must add."

"What's wrong with the twins, Rob," Maria asks rhetorically. "He had sex with the two Tracys at the same time at Uni," she adds.

"So, how many women has he shagged since I've seen him?" Kath asks.

"Hang on a minute," I say. "What happened to the Maria that doesn't gossip?"

"Oh, she's on holiday. I'm enjoying feeling you squirm, baby." Both women laugh. "And to answer your question ten, I think."

"Ten? Rob, you are a tart," Kath says, taken aback.

"Ten?" I say.

"Yeah, would you like me to list them?" Maria says as a matter of fact.

"No," I say.

"I would," Kath says.

"Sorry Kath, Rob's right. I'm not one to tell tales." I breathe out a sigh of relief. We get to the bench and sit down, looking out over the town. "Wow, I can see why you come up here now," Maria says.

"Yeah, Rob brought me up here on our first dog walk. I come here for the peace and quiet if I'm honest."

"How many girls have you brought up here, Rob?" Maria asks.

"Excluding you two, just Charlie and Jin," I say.

"So you two are off to Brighton tomorrow. Where are you staying?" Kath asks, changing the subject.

"A little B&B just off the front," I say.

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Maria says, looking a little shocked.

I smile, and Kath says, "Ah, looks like you got a little payback, Maria."

I can't help it and laugh. "Sorry baby, I have booked us in The Grand."

"Better bloody well have. I'd never live it down staying somewhere else." Maria blows out a breath of relief.

Archie comes over with his best friend, Freddy, and they sit looking at us, waiting. We all get up at the same time and walk down the hill the same way we walked up.

"Kath, if you need to scratch that itch and feel you don't want to start a relationship, I'm sure Rob will be more than happy to help," Maria says. Then she realizes her mistake. "Sorry, Rob, I'm just saying that I don't mind one new face, but it will always be your decision," she adds, giving me an apologetic smile.

"The offer is very tempting, but we've already had this conversation. We are reluctant to ruin our friendship. I'm waiting for the girls to become more independent before I commit to someone new. It would be easy to take what is on offer and not bother with anything else," Kath says with a sigh. "I'm not one to do things casually, although he does give a wicked hug."

"Oh god, after-sex cuddles are soooo good. Many nights I stay over just to be held."

"He almost sounds too good to be true," Kath says dreamily.

We get to the gate and call the dogs, who have yet to reappear. Once they are on their leads, we walk through the wooden gate closing it behind us.

"That's what everyone says, but every girl that has been with Rob has said the same. They all feel valued and desired. He has a natural gift. What more can I say?"

We stop outside Kath's driveway. "This is me," she says. "I'll see you when you get back, Rob.....It's so nice to meet you, Maria." They hug, and we walk off toward Mrs. Kean's house.

"I like her," Maria says quietly.

"Yeah, she's a nice lady," I reply.

"So would you? If you had the chance."

"Probably, but...I don't know...I guess the old saying, 'don't shit on your own doorstep,' comes to mind."

Maria laughs and then waits for me to drop Archie off before we head in.

******

The taxi pulls up outside The Grand Hotel, and the porter opens the door for Maria to get out.

"Thank you," she says, making the guy blush. I get out the other side and go to the boot with the driver.

"Can I help you with that, sir?" The porter asks. I hand him both Maria's and my cases. I grab the special bag carrying two suits I've brought and a dress for Maria.

We walk up the steps and through the revolving doors. I walk up to the desk and wait for the young lady to finish what she's doing. She looks up at me. "Can I help you, sir?"

"Yes, I have a reservation for four nights under the names Robert Johnson and Maria Hunter," I say.

She looks at the computer screen and taps a couple of keys. She then rolls her eyes. "I am sorry, the computer is playing up. Just give me a moment." She stands and goes over to a large book. "Ah, here we are, room 512." She smiles at me and then turns and picks two keys from a pigeonhole behind her. "If you don't mind filling this out a moment?" She asks, pushing a form in front of me. I fill in my name, address, and contact number before handing it back. "There are your keys. The restaurant is open from five until nine. It would be wise to book a table." she says, smiling and hands the keys to the porter.

"Yes, a table for two, please," I say, smiling back.

Her face straightens when she sees Maria. "Everything alright, baby?" Maria asks over my shoulder.

"Yeah, all good, honey," I reply.

I turn, and the porter turns towards the lifts to take us to our room. We stop on the fifth floor, and Maria looks at me with surprise because she knows where we are going. I indicate for her to leave first, and we follow the porter to room 512. The porter opens the door and allows us to enter. He shows us where everything is and then waits for a tip. I hand him a tenner, and he leaves.

All this time, Maria is looking at me. As the porter closes the door, Maria turns to me. "Oh, Rob. Why are we in one of the suites? You can't afford four nights here. Baby, there's no need to impress my parents like this. They will like you for you; just be yourself."

I walk up to her and loop my arms around her neck. "Maria, relax. No double rooms were available, and they gave me this at a good rate. Plus, I had a Christmas bonus from the company I work for, so relax." I lean and kiss her. "Are we good?"

"Are you sure it's okay?" I nod. Maria breathes out heavily. "Okay, but only because I trust what comes out of your mouth."

We have a look around the suite and then go for a walk along the front to the east pier. We spend a while in the arcades and the bar at the end. We even do a little Karaoke. Most fairground rides are closed due to the weather that's meant to turn bad later, so once five o'clock hits, we walk back along the front to the hotel.

We make our way up to our room and put some smarter clothes on for dinner, and just past six, we make our way back down. The restaurant is busy, but we have made a reservation for tonight.

We sit eating and chatting. We are the first to arrive for the wedding, so it's a little more relaxed. Once we have eaten, the waiter recommends we walk through to the ballroom. There's a large orchestra playing classical music, but nobody seems to be dancing. We find a table quite easily and sit. We order drinks, and I turn to Maria. "Would you like to dance?"

"Nobody is dancing," she says.

"Mmmm yeah, but that means there's no one to bump into," I reply.

There are several people dotted around, and more people are coming in as they finish their meals.

I stand and hold my hand out to Maria. She sighs and shakes her head, "I don't believe I'm doing this," she says as she stands.

The band conductor smiles at us and nods as we move onto the dance floor. We set in the first position, and I look into Maria's eyes. "Ready?" I ask. She nods, and we start to move. Maria is a little stiff from nerves to start, but she's relaxed and flowing with me after less than ten steps. We make the most of the room with a clear dance floor and glide effortlessly. As the band comes to the end of the piece, we slow down and stop at the dead center of the dancefloor.

As we stop and relax, there's a sound of clapping from the other guests. We are both surprised, but we graciously accept and nod in response.

The orchestra starts playing a slower waltz, and I pull Maria in a little closer. As we begin to move, Maria places her head on my shoulder as we get into the piece's rhythm. The music seems to take over, and we again glide around the dancefloor as one. Maria lifts her head at one stage, and we look lovingly into each other's eyes, still lost in our own world.