Chapter 20
“CHERYL! CHERYL! OVER HERE CHERYL!”
Grasping Kimberley’s hand tightly in her own, Cheryl donned her ‘work face’ and smiled brightly as she lead them both down the long, red capet, lined top to bottom with eager photographers.
“Christ!” Kimberley muttered to herself, but not so low that Cheryl couldn’t hear her.
“You alright pet?” she asked, a look of concern replacing her professional facade as she stopped and turned to check on her girlfriend, the paparazzi scrambling for a still shot of the two lovers as she did so.
Kimberely nodded nervously. “I’m fine” she assurred Cheryl as she glanced around her, wincing almost as each flash temporarily blinded her. “There’s just so many of them”
“I know hun” Cheryl smiled giving her hand a reassurring squeeze. “I felt like that back at the start but you get used to it”
“I honestly don’t know how you ever get used to this”
Even though she was fully aware of her girlfriend’s anxiousness, Cheryl couldn’t surpress a soft chuckle at this comment. “I seem to remember you thinking it was exciting on our first date” she teased causing Kimberley to smile as she remembered.
“It was exciting” she confirmed. “It still is. It’s just a bit mad tonight that’s all”
“Well don’t worry babe” Cheryl comforted her as she moved closer and wrapped her arms around her waist before whispering “I’ll take of you” onto her waiting lips.
As Cheryl pulled Kimberley into a soft kiss, tender and reassurring but passionate still, the shouts of the paparazzi hit fever pitch and, it seemed, a thousand flashes went off at once. Pulling away reluctantly, Cheryl laughed half heartedly. “I know what picture wil be on the front pages tomorrow”
“Come on babe” she said taking her hand again. “Let’s get inside. Even Simon will be an improvement on this lot!”
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“Glad you could make it girls” Simon smiled as he politely grabbed two glasses of complimentary champagne from a passing waiter’s tray and handed them to Cheryl and Kimberley. “You’re both looking fantastic tonight”.
“Thanks Si” Cheryl smiled pulling Kim close to her, proud as punch of the beautiful woman accompanying her. “You’re not lookin too bad yourself”
Simon, who was wearing a dark suit and white shirt, looked, to be frank, the very same as he looked on the judging panel every Saturday night but even Cheryl knew it best to massage his ego once in a while. You know, keep him sweet. It seemed to work as he ran a hand through his bristly hair and grinned like a Cheshire Cat. “Well, it’s easy to polish a diamond” he informed the couple before taking his leave to go and chat to his own protege, Leona.
“He won’t fit out the door if his head gets any bigger” Kim laughed when she was sure he was out of earshot.
“Ah he’s no so bad” Cheryl defended as she sipped her bubbly beverage. “And, he’s good as far a bosses go” she added before discretely wondering how he would react when she informed him that she didn’t intend to take him up on his business propositon. She just hoped her place at the X factor would be safe. He didn’t seem like the type to hold a grudge but he would stand to make a lot of money through her in the states. She could only tell him the truth and hope for the best.
The feeling of Kimberley’s hand on her cheek pulled her gently from her reverie.
“You okay honey?” Kimberley questioned lovingly. “You were miles away there”
“I’m fine pet” she said truthfully, clasping her hand over Kim’s and bringing it to her lips. “I was just thinking that I love this song”
“Yeah?” Kim smiled as her girlfriend placed a soft kiss on her wrist. “Dance with me?”
Gazing at her beautiful girlfriend, she felt her heart squeeze, a feeling she was fast becoming used to. Unwilling to fight the urge, she placed a sweet kiss on Kimberley’s lips before taking her into her arms.
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be”
