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Later that night, Olly and Amelia were seated on the swing on the front porch, the air cool and comfortable as crickets chirped and the stars shined down on them. Amelia had her head nestled against Olly's shoulder and he has his arm around her. They sat there for a while in silence, simply enjoying each others company.

Suddenly, though, Amelia remembered something she had been thinking about a lot lately, but something they had not really taken the time to discuss. Olly's job, the one he had applied and taken pictures of her for, turned out to be a full-time deal in New York. If he were to get it, he would have to move there.

Leaving Amelia alone in London.

She hadn't brought it up for two reasons. Number one was that she really, really didn't want him to leave and she found that that made her really, really selfish. She was just so happy and comfortable with him, she didn't want to let him go just yet, if ever. The second reason was that she was afraid their new relationship would make more of an impact on his decision making than she would have liked.

So she had kept silent.

He had submitted his portfolio over four weeks ago, though, and they were due back to hear from the agency at any time now, so it was now or never. She had to bring it up.

"Um, Olly?" she said quietly. She really hated ruining their peace. "Have you heard anything about the job?"

Olly shook his head, rubbing his thumb over her arm. "No. Why?"

"I was just...just wondering," she said just as quietly as before. She pressed a soft kiss to his clothed chest. "Have you given any thought to what your decision might be? You know, if you get the job?"

"I am taking you into consideration, if that's what you're asking," Olly said, kissing her on the forehead. "I hope you know that."

"I do know that," Amelia said, drawing circles on his chest with her finger. "But I wish you wouldn't."

Olly stiffened. "Why?"

She sighed. "Because you shouldn't. Had I not come into your life, if you were to receive the job offer you would take it right away, no questions asked. I don't want to hold you back or complicate things."

"Amelia," Olly said, stilling her movements and lifting her chin to look up at him. "I want to take you into consideration. If it's between you and some job, I'm going to pick you, no questions asked."

"So I would be holding you back," she said quietly and he sighed.

"No, not at all!" Olly insisted. "There's just a difference in my priorities now." He nipped at her lips gently with his own. "And I am more than happy it about it. I like this change in priorities."

He paused, looking bashful for a moment. "Remember that day that we asked you to come stay with us, you said I was miserable?"

Amelia flinched, recalling the events in her head. "Yes. Why?"

"You were right," Olly responded, "I was miserable. Here I was, this self-employed smuck hopelessly in love with his best friend's fiancee. It was so hard seeing you with him, Amelia, especially since any time we talked it was less than civil. Work was all I had to distract me, so back then, of course I'd take it."

He ducked his head, then, suddenly even more shy. "But now? Now I have you. You're my girlfriend," he pecked her on the forehead. "And my girlfriend takes precedence over any stupid job any day."

"But, Olly, I-"

"Amelia, I love you," he interjected and her eyes grew wide. He didn't say it much, partly because it held too much meaning and partly because he didn't want to scare her. She hadn't said it back, after all. But right now called for it. "I love you and I'm not going to lose you. Not for anything."

He leaned down and kissed her softly and she responded back. Pulling away, she glided her fingers over his face, feeling the stubble on his chin.

"I want to say it back, Olly," she said, swallowing, "I want to say it back more than anything but I can't just yet. I want to be sure that...that it's absolutely and positively true." He nodded in understanding, leaning down to kissing her once more, but she pushed her hand to his chest, stopping him.

"But know this," she said, looking deep into his eyes. "I'm falling in love with you more and more each second I spend with you," she paused seeing his shocked look and letting it sink in, "and one day, I will say it back to you and I will mean it with every single part of my being."

He kissed her then, gently and fully and she felt her heart burst. His warm hands rested against her waist and hers remained on his face, memorizing his features. The kiss was different from every other one they shared, this one seeming heavier, deeper and neither wanted it to end. But eventually, they had to, and they broke apart, their foreheads leaning against one another.

Amelia opened her eyes slowly to see him staring back at her, his own gleaming. She smiled.

"So I'm your girlfriend now, am I?" she asked coyly and Olly laughed.

"Well, I kind of thought it was obvious," he said, pulling her against him.

She smiled. "It is. I just like hearing you say it." She giggled. "Say it again."

Olly rolled his eyes, but complied. "You, Amelia Miller, are my girlfriend." He was surprised at the giddy feeling the words gave him. "Does this make me your boyfriend?"

Amelia pretended to think for a moment. "Hm. I don't know. Maybe."

"Hey," he said, burying his face in her neck and peppering the skin with kisses. "Say it!"

"Alright, alright!" she said between giggles. "You're my boyfriend! Gosh, you make me feel like such a teenager!"

Olly kissed his way up her neck to her lips. "That's hardly a bad thing," he said against her mouth.

Suddenly, the porch light went out and Jeff poked his head out the balcony window above them. "You two have five minutes to come inside before Adam comes down to get you!" he called. "He says the neighborhood has had enough PDA from you guys for one day!"

Olly and Amelia pulled back and exchanged a surprised glance, before Amelia crossed her arms and Olly rolled his eyes.

"We're being treated like teenagers, too," Amelia said, not ashamed to admit that she was pouting slightly.

"Well, I was a rebellious one as a teen, so," Olly said, before pushing her back against the wood of the bench so he was hovering over top of her. "Fuck them."

As he kissed her zealously and she kissed back, giggling, the light over them began flickering on and off obnoxiously, but they ignored it. To them, the rest of the world had simply faded away.

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love came calling, twice // olly mursWhere stories live. Discover now