Love is in the Air.

Love is in the air. There are people kissing every flippin’ where. I can’t walk down the street without seeing some public form of affection and it is driving me nuts.

I broke up with Phil last week. We had been really good together and then, well then Janine happened and we split up. I’ve been an inconsolable mess since. Not that anyone would know because I keep a cool, calm exterior at work and with friends. It looks to the world like I’ve got it together but I really haven’t. I sit in my flat, eat ice cream and chocolate and cry. I mean, I don’t just cry. I’ve rented just about every sad movie ever made and I just sob until I can’t take the ache in my chest any longer. Then I go to bed.

It’s not a fulfilling life but I’m not going to have one of those. I dumped the love of my life because of a stupid so called friend who just turns up in my life out of the blue every few years. Janine and I have known each other since birth or so my mum tells me. We were mates through School and university then she went off to travel the world and I went to University. That was ten years ago. She’s still hopping from country to country and I’m in a sensible job earning sensible money with a hot boyfriend and happiness.

Or at least that’s what I had. Until blonde, bubbly Janine told me she was sure that Phil, my perfect boyfriend, was in fact cheating on me. You might think that I’d have got some evidence before dumping him but no, I just went on her word and the fact that one night he came back late from the office without telling me beforehand.

“But I was in a meeting, it went on and on but they were important clients I couldn’t just –”

But I wouldn’t let him explain further and thirty minutes later he was out of my life. And the next day, my ‘best’ mate who I thought was going to stay in the country, who I’d gotten an interview with my boss for at great personal expense and who’d promised to stay and look after me and my broken heart buggered off to Australia. I’d write a novel but no one would believe me. So, you ask, why didn’t I just go and tell Phil all about Janine, apologise and take him back?

Well yeah, I thought of that. Went round to his place, took two sirloin steaks and a bottle of his favourite cider, knocked on the door, opened it and found him there with his lips all over Janine. I told you, my life is stranger than fiction.

“Claire,” I didn’t turn around. I’d imagined his voice calling my name so much I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me. The spring sun is strong after all.

“Claire, wait, please, stop.”

I stop but I don’t look around. I don’t dare.

“Claire,” His hand lands on my shoulder, he spins me around and no sooner have I registered his eager blue eyes and the unruly curl of hair draped over his brow than his plump, juicy lips are on mine. And I kiss back. I kiss back with passion and force. I remember how bad the last week has been and I just grip hold of him so tightly, I don’t want him to disappear again.

“You kissed Janine,” I gasp when he stops kissing me for a moment to breathe.

“Bloody woman threw herself at me. I tried to fight her off but she’s deceptively strong and I’ve been taught not to hit women.”

“That was days ago, though.”

“I know. I’ve been trying to pluck up the courage to face you. I was scared you’d reject me, that you wouldn’t believe me.”

“You shouldn’t have left it so long.” I sigh as he strokes my cheek gently.

“No, you shouldn’t have, either.”

And I found the joy of public signs of affection then. The spring sunshine heating my back, my perfect boyfriend heating my blood.

Excerpt: He’d only been gone for twenty minutes. Harry pulled up in front of the main gate and used his key pass to enter the grounds. As a bonded and insured pool worker, he had access to his client’s property, especially when they weren’t home. He was hoping to quickly retrieve his equipment and make a hasty retreat. He tried to keep a low profile by sneaking behind some bushes that surrounded the pool area; he knew he should let the couple know he’d returned. Sound of splashing. Harry though that the lovers hadn’t wasted any time using their newly cleaned pool. He parted the bushes to take a peek.

“Yeah, baby, you’re so beautiful.”

Jonathan was swimming from one end of the pool towards Leif. The tall blond wore tight-fitting green swim trunks.

“Come on, Leif, join me, the water’s fine.” Jonathan laughed.

“You naughty boy, are you trying to seduce me?”

“And what if I am?” Jonathan slowly walked up the concrete steps. Harry’s mouth dropped open as he watched the hunk’s body revealed. Jonathan was totally naked; he had one of those heart-shaped butts you could bounce a quarter off.

“Oh, gawd,” Harry exclaimed. Jonathan’s body wasn’t the only tight thing. Harry’s cock was about to break out of his pants.