Chapter 36
We were walking through the field just past the lake, everyone was having the picnic on the fields away from the golf court but wasn't far. Still Lea's feet started to hurt. I bent down and slowly took her shoes off for her lingering on her soft ankles. Was it weird that I thought her feet were even beautiful?
We carried on walking hand in hand past the trees and embraced the nature around us. I looked over at Lea and she had her eyes closed and was taking in a large breath, enjoying the sun in her face. She looked so beautiful I couldn't take my eyes off her, which in effect coursed me to trip over a tree root. I stumbled fallowed but managed not to fall, Lea just burst out laughing at me.
“Oh you think that was funny ya?” I asked pulling her closer to me but she pulled around and stepped back a couple of steps. I stood still staring at her while she smiled and laughed. 'What you are doing?' I asked just as she started running through the field and hiding behind a tree. I laughed at what she was doing. I was past thirty and I was playing hide and seek. I couldn't see her anymore but I could hear her laughing around me.
“Lea I'm not playing come on” I said half laughing. She stepped away from behind a tree leaning on it, smirking.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because I'm too old for hide and seek” I laughed at her.
“Oh... ok. I thought we were playing kiss chase but never mind” she said just as I started running toward her. She let out a little squeal before starting to run away. She was pretty slow if I have to be honest but I liked the chase watching her bum in that dress was far too much fun.
I was close on her tail when I decided to end it, I grabbed her waist and gently pulled her to the floor with me on top. I could feel her chest rising and lowing from running.
I lent down and brushed my lips against hers. It wasn't that I just wanted to kiss her anymore. I needed to kiss her, needed it like I needed air and water. My entire body was trembled just from the barest touch of her lips.
She threw her arms around my neck and returned the kiss with equal excitement. The warm pleasure of her body under my own felt so right! Like she was meant to be there and stay there forever. I pushed closer to hers, pulling her on top of my body covering mine feeling all the mussel and heat coming from her. She was everything I dreamed she'd be.
“I want you” I murmured “I want you now, in every way” I said kissing my way down her neck. My hands were moving up and down her body trembling more than ever. She did this to me. She made me feel that everything with her was like the first time.
When I was kissing her I felt like... this kiss was a kiss. Not like all the others, the others weren't real.
“Tell me... tell me what you want” I whispered in her ear.
I look down at her looking up at me with lust in my eyes. Her lips had parted in surprise. I can't help but make a little groan sound in the back of my throat. My eyes went down to look at her lips which had turned wet and red pink from the kissing.
She tasted sweet just like a woman ought to; I was so overcome with excitement I completely forgot about the question. When my lips left hers I could hear her whispering something. I moved my ear to her mouth and I heard her say “You, I want you” them words were my undoing.
“What you doing Uncle Chris?” A little boy's voice came from above us. We both looked up to see Simon and David standing next to us.
“Is she your girlfriend Uncle C?” David asked. I laughed a little and looked down at Lea as she put her face in my chest out of embarrassment.
“Yes boys, now go play with your Dad” I said as they run away. I brought myself up from the ground and helped Lea up too. I looked around to see we were only a little away from the picnic party. Lucky I didn't go much farther.
“That was close” I said turning back to Lea.
“You're telling me” she laughed walking back over to me as we met my family. There were white tents patched across the fields with different families setting themselves up to play games and others drinking and eating on the tables and chairs placed under it. They had gonna all out on each table was a platter of different cakes and sandwiches and my belly started rumbling.
“Really? You had breakfast for like a dozen back there” Lea laughed as we walked closer to the table where my family where.
“Yes well with this morning events, I find myself in lack of energy” I said making her blush. I loved that I could still do that. Lots of women these days are past blushing. I'm glad Lea isn't one of them.
We went to the table where Mum, Sally and Mark, Jakes Dad where sitting drinking what looked like Pimms. I graded a hand full of the cakes before even saying hello to anyone. I couldn't help it they looked so good.
“Mum don't you think it's a little early for that” I said smirking at her as she drank her drink.
“Don't you think you had enough food this morning for that” she said pointing to the cake in my hand. 'If you keep on eating like that you'll have nothing to impress the ladies' she said making us all laugh. I turned around to look at Lea giving her a look that made her blush again.
“You're my mother! Aren't you meant to tell me that my charming personality is enough for the ladies” I said kissing her cheek. “Lea this is Sally's husband Mark, Jakes Dad” I introduced them. I liked Mark he was a good man, funny as hell too.
“Rupert's Granddaughter right?” he smiled at her.
“Yes Sir” she said smiling and moving closer.
“Call me Mark please” he said. “You have a pretty one here Christian. Too pretty actually for you old boy, hey if you get bored with him I've got three great sons free” he lent closer to Lea laughing.
“Thanks Mark” I joked with him.
“Well I can't help it, the Howards are beating us four too nil in the Grandchildren. The quicker I get them matched up the quicker we can start beating them again”. There was always this funny competition with my Mum and Dad and Sally and Mark. When I was born, Sally, in my Mums words got jealous and then soon had Jake. When Sally was pregnant with Jay, Mum got jealous and had Gemma. Then it so happened that Ben and Paul where born in the same week but then Sally and Mark beat them by having Lilly. It was funny, I knew it was all a joke but they sometimes loved to bicker about them having four kids and Mum only having three. But Mum got to gloat about having four Grandchildren already. It drive Sally and Mark mantel sometimes and they always pushed their kids to settle down.
“Oh really and who would you be matching me up with I wonder” Lea said in a humours tone.
“Well we tried with Jake but he failed us and Jay's with that Kate girl...” Sally said but got interrupted by Mother.
“Oh how is she? I haven't really had a chance to talk to her yet” she asked.
“I don't know. She was too much of a mystery, we have never heard about her before. I don't know what she does or where she's from. Something doesn't seem right about her” she said seriously. I looked at Lea who looked a bit sad at what was just said. I could tell that she had grown close to Kate over this week and didn't like things being said about her.
“Well I've managed to talk to her and I think she's a lovely girl. Just... shy. Imagine having to meet the whole family for the first time for a week and especially with your crazy family I feel for the poor girl I really do but she's nice and sweet. Just need to get to know her” I said. I looked back at Lea and she was smiling at me. I took this moment to leave before Mark tries to sell Lea to Paul! God forbid.
“Come on Lea lets go sit with the young people” I joked to her pulling her towards the others just a little away on the grass. I heard them laughing behind us saying things like 'Cheek' and 'Don't they make a good couple' I think that was my mother. I turned to Lea but she was looking down at her feet blushing. She heard.
“Uncle Chris!” a little voice screamed from the side, I turned round to see Paige running towards us. She ran into my arms and I picked her up over my head, carrying her over to the others.
“Hello Princess” I kissed her cheek.
“Uncle Chris, Simon nicked my ball” she said looking sad. I smiled at her cute face and then faced Lea.
“No! Let me teach these boys a lesson! Stay with Lea this could get messy” I said putting Paige into Leas arms and then started running over to the boys. Giving her a large smirk.
________________________
Chris put Paige in my hands which shocked me a little. I loved kids but I had no experience with them really, other when I was put of Nanny Duty at parties in the past.
“I remember you” the little girl said as she put my hair in her hands.
“Do you want to know a something?” I said as she smiled and nodded. “I remember you too” I said making her laugh a little.
“What's your name?”
“Lea” I answered
“Is Uncle Chris you boyfriend?” she asked. I laughed nervously at her and then changed the subject.
“So they nicked your ball, that's not nice. You watch Uncle Chris will save the day” I turned us both around so she could see as Chris lifted both boys in the air with his strong arms. “Come on lets go get your ball back” I said putting her back on the floor and holding her hand in mine.
We both ran over to the boys and the twins had Chris pinned to the floor. Chris saw me and through the ball over. It wasn't a hard ball, thank god so I managed to catch it and then through it back to Paige.
“Get her!” The boys shouted.
“Run!” I turned to Paige as we ran around the field laughing until there Mum shouted lunch time and the boys and Paige all ran towards her. I walked over and saw that everyone was there.
Gemma was giving the kids sandwiches and Karl was holding baby Connor in his arms. Kate was sitting next to Jay on the blanket. They both looked serious at each other and were sitting a little bit back from the others in deep conversation.
Across the field were Ben, Paul, Jake and Connor playing catch with a rugby ball... I think. Lilly was lying down on the grass.
They all welcomed us and I sat down on a blanket that would be big enough for Chris to who was over with the guys.
“Lea would you like something to eat?” Gemma asked. I said thank you and took one of the rolls she past me. I was sitting there enjoying my roll when it was snatched out of my hands.
“Hey!” I said turning around just as Chris put it in his mouth. Oh no, he didn't! I thought to myself. I turned my head back at him. I wasn't going to talk to him. He came down and lay across the floor with his legs behind me and my back was pressed on his lower stomach as he was leaning on his elbow. I could feel him laughing behind me.
“I'm sorry…” he laughed but I hit him in the stomach with my hand.
“I was enjoying that” I snapped half joking. He brought his hand up rubbing up and down my arm and I couldn't act angry anymore. God I was weak! I think everyone around was a little shock at the way we were behaving because there was total silence.
I was surprised no one said anything; these guys weren't ones to keep quite but loved knowing each other’s business. I liked that everyone was so open with each other and they were all true friends and family.
“Hey we going to play or what” Ben said coming over to us with the guys.
“Busy” Lilly said from sunbathing, Connor laughed and then walked over to her lifting her up over his shoulder. “Aahh Connor!” she screamed
“I'll try and go easy on you” Chris whispered in my ear sending shivers down my back. I laughed at him as he got up from behind me and ran over to the guys. We all jumped off the grass and walked over where the guys had set up a small playing field. The guys thought the game would be too much for the kids and Jay said he didn't want to play so he would go sit with his Dad and talk about work so he took the kids, holding Connor over to the tent.
I saw how the girls where on one side and the guys on the other.
“Wait its Girls Vs Boys?” I asked the girls, it was Gemma, Kate and Lilly when Connor dropped her over. “But I don't know how to play” I said to them all but it looked like they had no idea either.
“Girls… and Paul, here is the ball and you need to get it past us, simple right” Jake said putting the rugby ball in Kate's hands. Wait there was only four of us girls and six of the guys that wasn't fair. “Paul you go on the girl's team where you belong so it's an even number” He pushed him towards us making everyone laugh.
“Me and four beautiful women, with pleasure don't blame me if they all full in love with me” Paul said running over.
“Gemma, what do you think you’re doing? You can't play” he called out to her. I wondered why he said that, why couldn't she play if the rest of the girls ours.
“…and why not?” she said with her head held high.
“Well... you know why don't play games with me!”
“No... no I don't you’re going to have to tell me” she shook her head and put her hands on her hips.
He turned to the guys telling them all something as they all nodded their heads smiling and Ben patting his back. That was weird. I wonder what he told them. Gemma sighed but just waved over to them.
“Who’s going to look after the kids?” he asked.
“Mum, now shut up Karl I'll be careful” she said looking at him with love in her eyes. For years I've wished to know how that feels, for someone else to look out to you and to show so much love that you could burst. And now every time I look at Chris and see him looking at me I get that feeling of butterflies and my heart just jumps.
Just then I turned to see him looking at me smirking from across the field. I laughed at the thought that it's no longer just a dream but reality. The butterflies are real.
So the game was on.