Battered

Chapter 31

"We were supposed to be unpacking" I mumble in-between kisses, attempting to get up from the sofa.

"I know" Cheryl answers, pulling me back down, "but this a far better use of our time. Unpacking is boring."

We'd arrived home about thirty minutes ago and while I was focused on sorting out the laundry and helping Cheryl put her things away, it seemed she had other ideas.

"You won't be saying that when you don't have any clothes to wear"

"I don't care" she says stubbornly, throwing her leg over mine to prevent me from getting up, "I'll just wear yours."

Before I have time to think up a witty response, Cheryl leans forward, claiming my lips in another tender kiss. Her hands trace up and down my back a few times before slowly slipping underneath my top as the kiss becomes passionate.

The sudden feeling of Cheryl's cold hands on my skin makes me gasp and I break away from the kiss to catch my breath. One of her hands comes up to trace my lips and she smiles at me before tilting her head to the side and fluttering her eyelashes against my cheek, giving me butterfly kisses.

The tickling sensation makes me giggle and Cheryl laughs along with me; then untangling her legs from mine, she kisses my forehead and climbs over me to get off the sofa.

"Wait here" she instructs me.

I sit up and watch as she leaves the room and goes out into the hallway, "Chez?" I call, hearing the sound of her suitcase being unzipped, "What are you doing?"

Cheryl comes back into the room a few moments later. She walks towards me with one hand behind her back and climbs onto my lap before handing me a small, pink gift bag, "I got you something" she says, "while I was out shopping with my mum."

"What is it?" I ask curiously, holding the bag up to my ear and shaking it, listening to the noise it makes.

"Open it" she smiles.

Carefully peeling away the sellotape that has been used to keep the bag closed, I look inside and find a small jewellery box. Taking it out of the bag, I lift the lid off the box and smile when I see the delicate angel wing pendant that's inside.

"Babe you shouldn't have" I say, looking up at Cheryl, "but thank you, it's gorgeous."

Cheryl takes the pendant from the box and I lean forward so that she can fasten it around my neck, "Perfect" she says once it's in place.

Taking advantage of the fact that our lips are only centimetres apart, Cheryl cups my face in her hands and slowly kisses me, her tongue finding its way into my mouth as we get lost in the contact.

"Let's go upstairs" I say when we eventually part for air, "I want to show you something"

Cheryl raises an eyebrow and I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment as I stumble to correct myself before she gets the wrong idea, "I didn't mean that how it sounded" I explain hastily, "I sort of redecorated our room while you were away - that's what I wanted to show you."

"You redecorated?" she sounds taken aback by my spontaneity and admittedly, it is a little out of character for me to do something like this on the spur of the moment.

"Yeah" I nod, "It's nothing special really, just a lick of paint and some new furniture. Nadine helped me do it." I quickly decide that if this whole thing backfires and Cheryl hates it, I'm taking my Irish friend down with me as my accomplice.

"Oh" Cheryl says, "I never had you down as the DIY type. What made you do that?"

I shrug, "Well there wasn't enough room for all your stuff in there before and I was kind of bored while you were gone; I needed something to do to keep me busy. I wanted it to be a surprise for when you got back but if you don't like it, or you want to move your stuff back into the spare room its fine. I probably should have asked you before moving all your things around-"

Cheryl halts my rambling by leaning forward and quickly kissing me, "You're so cute when you do that" she says adoringly.

Climbing off my lap, Cheryl extends her hand and pulls me to my feet, "So...shall we go upstairs then?" she winks playfully.

Her words, although completely innocent, send tingles down my spine and I give myself a mental shake to clear the unexpected wave of desire that washes over me.

Keeping hold of my hand, Cheryl leads me out of the room and upstairs. Our bedroom door is closed and Cheryl pauses in front of it, looking over her shoulder to smile at me before eagerly reaching for the handle. She pushes the door open and steps inside the room; letting go of my hand and spinning around in a slow circle to take in all the changes to the decor.

"Babe, it's lovely" she says, going over to her new wardrobe and opening the doors.

I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder, "I'm glad you like it."

*************************************

Later that evening the doorbell sounds, signalling that dinner has arrived. Cheryl grabs the money from the kitchen counter and goes to answer the front door, "I'll get it"

"Ok" I answer, picking up the plates and heading into the living room.

After unpacking her suitcase and putting everything away we decided to order a pizza for dinner and just chill out in front of the TV to watch the Sex and The City re-runs that are showing all evening.

"Food's here" Cheryl says, walking into the living room carrying a large pizza box. She places the box down on the coffee table and lifts the lid, revealing the steaming hot pizza inside. We each take a plate and settle down on the sofa, watching the TV while we eat our food.

When the pizza is all gone I take the empty box and plates out into the kitchen and then return to the living room to cuddle up on the sofa with Cheryl.

I sit back down and she shoots me one of her gorgeous smiles before moving closer and putting her arm around my waist. She lays her head on my shoulder and I automatically rest mine on top of hers, taking hold of the hand that she has resting on my stomach.

"Kimba?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Which girl do you think is the most like you?" she asks, gesturing towards the TV screen.

"Hmm, I don't know" I study the four female characters having brunch in a posh Manhattan restaurant, "Maybe a cross between Carrie and Charlotte." I answer.

"And a little bit of Samantha too 'coz you're both kind of bossy." Cheryl adds cheekily.

"Oh, really?" My hands move to Cheryl's sides and I begin to tickle her.

"Kimberley, stop it!" she squeals with laughter and tries to bat my hands away, "Please"

I carry on tickling her, ignoring her pleas, "Not until you take it back."

Cheryl bites her lip in an effort to stop herself from laughing; her body writhing under my touch as she tries unsuccessfully to catch hold of my wrists.

I pause for a second, letting Cheryl catch her breath, "Well?" I ask, "Are you going to take it back?"

Cheryl shakes her head defiantly but when I move to tickle her again she throws her hands up in defeat, "Ok" she cries, "I take it back."

Smiling at my victory, I gently push Cheryl down into the sofa and move to lie next to her. I lean in to kiss her but she playfully evades my lips. Her fingers reach out for the angel pendant around my neck and she fiddles with it for a few seconds before pulling me closer and pressing her lips against mine.

"It's so good to be home"