Matthew's POV
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Shrill, her voice is utterly shrill as she eyes the art in the apartment and tells us that England and the countryside is boring. Blue eyes searching the picture and seeing nothing, not the strokes of watercolours and how they melt together to depict the colours of a beautiful landscape. Not the artists intention to create an idyllic peaceful shot of the countryside. Just boredom, as her eyes move away from the art and continue to sweep over the leather couch and Ross. Her blonde hair pushed back as she takes a seat next to him.
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"Man I can't believe we managed to score weed" he laughs and I sigh as he grinds it up and prepares to roll.
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"I can! In London!" Katherine laughs sitting next to him and stroking his hair back.
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"It's rife with the stuff" Aimee says softly taking a seat in the single leather chair by the bookcase. Swinging her legs over one another as she leans forward watching Ross roll.
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"I'm going to get some drinks" I announce to the others as Ross looks up briefly. I've not seen this side to him before, a guy on the pull. It's unusual behaviour considering he has never pulled a girl before other than Taylor. Not through lack of looks or charm, but because his intentions have always been to marry the first girl he falls for, and that had been Taylor.
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"Bring the bottle in man" he tells me and I nod walking up to the first floor of the apartment. Flicking on the light switch as the kitchen illuminates before me, black shiny marble worktops teamed with contrasting white gloss cupboards. It practically screams bachelor pad and I laugh to myself as I pull out the paper bag of alcohol that we purchased from the store. British people call them corner shops Katherine informed me as we walked on foot over the pavements back to the apartment. Passing lamp posts with flowers adorning them and postboxes. The city still very much awake and alive despite the time of night.
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Pulling my phone out before I face the strangers in the living room, I message Taylor telling her that I miss her. Sending it as I think about her laying next to me in bed, thinking about the night time feeds and Henry. I pocket my phone and sigh rubbing my face slightly before I head back towards the steps with the bottles.
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Laughter and music fills the downstairs living space as I descend the steps. Katherine glaring at Aimee pointedly and then myself, as she makes continuous moves on Ross. I set the bottles down on the glass coffee table and think briefly about all of the sketches I need to start instead of sitting here with these women who I'm sure mean well, but are unfortunately rather boring and taxing to my brain.
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"Have you lived in London all of your life" Ross asks Katherine and she beams, enjoying the attention as I pass him a glass of brandy and take the opposite leather chair.
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"Well when I was born we lived in York. Then I grew up in Cambridge. And now I study at the London college of fashion" she explains taking the joint off him and inhaling as he laughs.
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"What about you Aimee" I ask softly keeping my distance for now, but equally trying to make her feel less uncomfortable watching the two of them flirt as we sit in silence.
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"I'm studying too at the same university. We are kind of in the same classes. But I was born in France, in Lyon. London and Britain is new to me" she smiles weakly and I smile genuinely.
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"I hadn't noticed your accent before" I say softly and she laughs.
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"Non? Ce n'est pas si fort, mais bien sur je parle Francais" Aimee says fluently and I laugh.
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"I didn't catch a word unfortunately, but that sounds impressive" I smirk and she laughs.
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"Shes always confusing words up" Katherine smirks as if it's such an inconvenience.
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"I think in French and English. Sometimes more in French than English and the words that I say sometimes I only know the French word" she explains and I marvel at the notion of having two languages.
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"Hey that's so cool" I say genuinely crossing one leg over the other as she smiles sitting back in the chair.
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"Here" Katherine says passing me the joint and standing up briefly as she pours herself a glass of brandy before taking a seat back down next to Ross.
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I inhale the smoke taking deep breaths as I do. Closing my eyes as the burn hits the back of my throat and my mind relaxes. Almost like a sedative.
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"So you're an artist" Katherine asks as I open my eyes, taking in the room before me and standing briefly to hand Aimee the joint, she takes it delicately.
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"I am" I say and Katherine scoffs as I head up the stairs to retrieve a sketch pad and some pencils. I pull the London one out with my sketches of Ross and the coffee mug from the airport before walking back down to the others.
Falling back into my chair I open up to a fresh page and begin my sketch. Something smaller to begin with, something iconic and a symbol of London. The postboxes and telephone boxes will be my starting point for this London scene, I think to myself as I begin drawing outlines pushing my hair back as I do. Grasping my knife to sharpen the pencil, to gain the best point on the end of the led in order to precisely mark out my work.
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The room is lost to me as I sketch out the landscape, including the outlines of buildings from memory. The texture of the sidewalk and even the inflection of rain shimmering off of the tarmac. The small dachshund I saw earlier, makes an appearance on my page as I continue to draw, lightly rubbing on the lines to add depth and dimension. Bringing the pup to life as I sketch him waltzing through my London scene.
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"That's truly magnificent" Katherine exclaims peering over my shoulder, she almost makes me jump as she hands me the cigarette that we're all sharing.
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"Merveilleux" Aimee gasps standing next to me as I place the sketch book down on the coffee table.
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"Hey you know you could draw for designers too" Katherine smiles and I chuckle inhaling the smoke.
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"I'm not great at people" I lie as she flicks over to the image of Ross, looking up at him instantly and gasping in wonder.
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"I know I'm a great model right" he snickers as she walks over to him, straddling him rather forwardly. Pushing her hair back as she kisses him.
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"A very good model" she sighs and giggles. I let the music fill my ears as I face the page again working out what else it needs.
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"It needs a person" Aimee remarks and I smile.
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"A person to walk the dog" she explains nodding.
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"That's not a bad idea, but who to draw" I say before I even think, just knowing that she will ask me to feature her in this piece.
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"Well what kind of person owns a dachshund" she laughs and it takes me by surprise.
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"I'm not sure, entirely. What do you think?" I ask her, as she perches on the edge of the chair looking over my shoulder. I pass her the last of the cigarette whilst peering at the sketch.
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"I think somebody that owns a dachshund would be pretty pretentious, wearing athlesiure garments.." she laughs watching my confused expression.
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"Fancy gym leggings, walks around in her sports bra with just a jacket strewn over her shoulders. Dances like a pro" she smiles and I hide my expression, instantly the image of Taylor filling my mind.
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Sketching long slender legs, and hips that curve. An outstretched hand holding onto the leash of the dog as she strides confidently through London. I glance up at Aimee briefly as she watches in amazement at me marking in Taylor's cool brunette hair. Telling myself that this could be any brunette woman and that this is not necessarily a direct replica of my ex fiancée. I'm utterly in denial of course, but Aimee doesn't have to know that.
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"Hey, you wanna go somewhere else" I say finally looking up at her, as I finish my sketch of the woman that is not Taylor.
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"There's a balcony, that wasn't me trying to coerce you into anything. It's just they will most likely end up you know" I say softly and she chuckles, somehow it sounds French even though it's just her laugh.
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"A balcony? That sounds great" she smiles and I stand taking the book with me as we leave walking up the stairs to the first floor. The parquet flooring upstairs leading over to the glass doors. Opening them up, I feel the cold September air run through me.
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"Let me just grab a blanket" I chuckle and she beams at me before I disappear briefly, walking over to the room I've claimed as my bedroom. Wondering where the extra blankets may reside, before my eyes settle on an ottoman at the end of the bed.
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A velvet upholstered ottoman which upon opening I realise it holds thick fluffy throws. Taking two of them and placing them on the bed as I open up my phone briefly deciding that now I'm actively checking for contact from Taylor in a totally unhealthy and obsessive manner. No new messages leaves me frustrated as I check up the time difference between Italy and London, realising that she is an hour ahead of us. It figures, that with it being past midnight perhaps she's asleep or about to be awoken up by the baby, at any moment for a night-time feed. Imagining Jay holding her angers me, more than it should considering the amount of time I've had to acclimatise to the fact that they are a married couple.
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"Here" I say to Aimee once I reach the balcony, her short cropped hair flicking around her chin in different directions, as she lights up a normal cigarette and blows the smoke out into the murky air.
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"Thankyou Matthew" she smiles and I chuckle.
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"Just Matty is fine" I say almost like a broken record. I consider my intentions for this situation briefly as I take my seat and gaze out at the night sky, blanket over me as I rest the sketch book on top of the small round table between us.
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"Matty" she whispers breaking me from my thoughts.
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"I understand you're not you know into me, but you can..." she begins almost reading my mind.
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"Lord Aimee, Jesus." I say shocked and she laughs.
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"I don't get hit on much okay, and my radar is all off. I just know that you're not into me. But hey it's what the very early hours of a Friday morning" she says glancing at her watch before eyeing me.
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"We're in London, at the same time so why the hell not" she laughs and my mind hazily wonders around the implications of a situation such as this one. A casual one, a female offering me a casual one night stand is new to me. Entirely.
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"You can stay here no problem" I say to her lighting up my own cigarette and blowing the smoke out into the cold air.
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"It's just that I kind of have a habit of treating people especially nice woman like yourself terribly. And I don't intend on making that mistake again here, tonight" I tell her and she sighs. Inhaling her cigarette as she looks out into the distance assessing her next move.
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"Oh you shouldn't have said that" she laughs and I put my hands up in mock humour.
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"What!?" I laugh finishing off my brandy.
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"Was that like reverse psychology because it sure works on me. The whole don't make a move at me, I'm unavailable. Then boom I'm sitting here like I must make this happen" she laughs and somehow even though she explains things in a convoluted way, I get her.
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"Actually it wasn't" I smirk and she laughs as I grasp the book and begin a new sketch. The skyline, the way the stars shine visibly over the tops of the many buildings.
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"Not at all" I say looking up over the page and concentrating.
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"I would like to try" she says smirking and I full on laugh turning to face her.
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"Try what?! How old are you Aimee?" I ask her softly as I sketch.
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"You know what! Don't make me spell it out. I'm twenty four" she explains and I nod.
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"Look I'm not going to ask you to marry me tomorrow morning, I only ask you treat me nicely and perhaps cheekily make me a coffee in the morning as a parting gift" she laughs and I've never had this conversation before with the roles reversed. Standing up silently I stretch out, taking the book in with me as she follows me down the hall and over to my temporary London bedroom.
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Carefully placing the stuff on the side I smile over at her as she stands awkwardly by my double bed holding onto the blanket that she had draped around her on the balcony.
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"You will not be needing that anymore" I say softly taking the blanket before rubbing my hands up her arms, her skin cool as she relaxes under my touch.
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"Or" I whisper softly unbuttoning her shirt which is a dark green colour, like the pines in the picture in the living room. Deep dark forest green with light pearlescent buttons. One by one I undo them and watch her lips curve into a smile. Removing the shirt entirely to expose her light pink bra, a pale baby pink that somehow manages to look nice against her equally pale skin.
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My lips seize the opportunity to kiss her neck and travel down her chest, long drawn out kisses that make her breathe deeply holding onto my hips.
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“I always treat women nicely” I whisper in her ear as she gasps. Nibbling her ear slightly before moving my lips down her shoulders. When I reach her waist line I bend and kneel before her, as I undo her Levi’s looking up and into eyes that are actually grey. The more I look at them the more I see the lust behind her stare.
“Always Aimee” I say standing up again waiting for her to play the next move. She stares at me as her fingers work over my button up shirt, it’s a blue one that Taylor bought a very long time ago. She slips it over my shoulders and I feel her eyes widen at my chest.
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I’ve decided as she kisses me again that foreplay is no longer an option and so I lift her up in my strong arms and settle her back down onto the bed which I haven’t even had a nights sleep in yet. She smiles looking up at me, as I work my jeans off and eventually my Calvin Kleins. Pulling on a condom is totally necessary and I notice that she appreciates me not even asking about safe sex but just merely practicing it.
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Aimee gasps and moans as I pleasure her, and I smirk as she tells me it’s the best lay shes had in London. I flip her over so that she lays on her front and pull her arms behind her back as I pleasure her. It drives her wild and I find myself gripping onto her hand tightly. So tightly as my eyes rake over her back and down to her hips.
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“Is that okay Aimee?” I whisper releasing her arms as she lays with her face in the pillows.
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“Magnifique” she moans in her accent and I smile slightly.
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“Mmm” I say and she gasps as I thrust into her a little harder. Pulling away from her entirely as she moans and flips over on the bed to face me, I wait patiently to see what she might want next.
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Noticing how her eyes drink in my muscular frame, I decide that she is taking far too long to decide and so as she giggles slightly I hook my arms over her legs and pull her into my mouth. She writhes in the sheets underneath me as I look up at her body.
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“Fuck Matty, incroyable” she exclaims as I kneel up again before thrusting into her, my body close to hers as I harness her hands above her head.
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“Incroyable” I say mimicking her French accent and she laughs.
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“Incredible unbelievable” she gasps and I sigh reaching my orgasm.
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Extricating myself from her embrace quickly afterwards, almost as if I’m trying to make it clear that physical contact is over between us. That hugging and kissing ceases now that we’re no longer having intercourse. Grasping a new pair of boxers from my bag, I chuck her a shirt which she slips over her head before rolling over and laying in my bed.
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“That was intense” she smirks as I climb into the Egyptian cotton covers and rest my head back in my hands. Really, this is the part of casual sex I hate, you’ve been close to somebody and shared that level of intimacy. Yet talking to them afterwards is stilted and awkward.
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“Mhmm” I say softly closing my eyes to the dark room. The distant sound of footsteps pacing around the hall allows me to surmise that Ross and the annoying blonde girl have gone to bed. Finally.
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“Coffee in the morning yeah?” I murmur as she laughs and I fall asleep, soundly and peacefully. Just knowing who I will be seeing in my dreams.
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