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Sleeping Arrangements


Guest Louise_2983

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Story Title: Sleeping Arrangements

Type of story: Medium fic

Main Characters: Aden and Belle

Features: Matilda Hunter, Ric Dalby, Joey Collins

BTTB rating: A

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fluff

Does story include spoilers: No. Fic is AU

Any warnings: Sexual content, mild language, other warnings as necessary

Summary: Belle moves back to Australia after a year abroad and finds herself staying with an old friend.

Chapter 1/?

She scanned the crowd of people as she pulled her cases down the ramp, searching frantically for the face she had only seen over a webcam for the past year, the face she had missed so much. Those bright blue eyes, that heart stopping smile. She had missed him more than anything. And now here she was, seconds away from being reunited with him and it suddenly filled her with fear. An unnerved fluttering whirled around her tummy and her heart throbbed a little faster against her chest.

Her sudden anxiety occupying her mind she failed to pay any attention to what her feet were doing, the act of putting one foot in front of the other in turn becoming more complex than she could remember. Stumbling over her own red heels she tripped forward, only just managing to stop herself hitting the ground, the thin handle of her wheeled suitcase fell from her grasp and headed for the floor. A strong, familiar hand reached out to grab it just before it made contact with the hard surface below and she felt her heart leap.

Straightening herself up, she raised her head slowly, his broad chest swathed in a fitted black t-shirt meeting her gaze first before her eyes rose higher and there was that smile and those eyes, both sparkling as he gazed back at her.

“Hey stranger” he smiled wryly before winking teasingly.

“Still not managed to iron out that clumsy streak I see”

She bit her lip nervously, draining it of all colour as she struggled to find the words to respond, his close proximity leaving her breathless after so long apart.

“I’m not clumsy!” she objected in mock offence as she finally found the words to respond.

“No, course not” he grinned, taking her hand luggage from her and slinging it over her shoulder.

“It’s just my mesmerising effect, women fall at my feet every day”

“That’s just because your shoes are more interesting than your face” she told him sourly but the giggle she struggled to retain betrayed her as her red lips twitched in amusement,

“Right” he nodded, his lips pursed in mock offence at her blow but the glint in his eyes was a stark contrast to the gesture.

“So that’s what I’ve been doing wrong! To get a girlfriend I need to get a shoe tattooed on each cheek”

“Or a lobotomy, either option’s good” she quipped as he chuckled before he allowed his piercing blue eyes to flutter over her appearance.

He had missed her.

The small, grainy picture the webcam projected onto his computer screen did not do her beauty justice at all.

She looked happy and content. He might even go as far as to say that she was glowing. Her dark hair was silky and shiny and her smile could have lit up every home in Australia for a month.

“So what do I have to do to get a hug?” he murmured softly, standing her case upright and letting it go so his arms were free to embrace her if she would allow it.

“Well” she smiled teasingly.

“I think I can just about handle that without you needing surgery first, just don’t hug me too tight”

Ignoring her instructions he wrapped his arms around her shoulders gently, pulling her close as her arms slipped hesitantly around her waist. She rested her temple on his shoulder as he breathed in her

oh so familiar scent, the scent that always made him glance around when it wafted by even though, until now he had known there was no way it would be her. Just another woman with the same taste in

perfume.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his body pressed against hers once more, his hands resting on the tips of her dark tresses, his full lips a fraction of a centimetre from her smooth

cheek.

But all too soon he pulled away, suddenly nervous and hesitant himself.

“So, how was London?”

“Cold and wet!” she moaned as he began to usher her towards the exit, his hand hovering over her lower back.

“And it’s like they speak a foreign language over there! They call doonas quilts and footie is rugby and soccer is footie and undies are called thongs! It all got way too confusing after a while!”

“And who exactly were you discussing your undies with over there?” he raised his eyebrows suspiciously at her. He laughed as he spoke but in reality his heart plummeted to the depths of his stomach at

the thought of her with another guy,

“Well all of my clients of course!” she grinned cheekily as they reached the revolving doors.

“I told you I was going over there for work!”

Before he had the opportunity to think up a witty retort she had bounded out into the midday sun, flinging her arms out and dancing around excitedly like a small child.

“Hello sunshine! Oh how I missed you!” she cried as she basked in the warm rays before turning to look at him once more.

“You know, it even snowed at Christmas! And people look at you real funny when you wear a bikini to dinner!”

“Did you like anything about London?” he laughed as they headed for his car.

“Sorry. Don’t get me wrong” she sighed as she fell into step beside him.

“It was great and I know being over there for a year was an amazing opportunity. It’s buzzing all the time and there’s so much culture and so much to see but I just missed home”

“Don’t apologise” he smiled as they reached the black Toyota Supra he drove these days and Belle let out a low wolf whistle in appreciation of the car’s beauty.

“Less you liked it, less chance of you going back anytime soon”

“Well I’m stuck here for a year, I signed a contract so even if I wanted to run away from you I’d get my ass sued” she smiled back at him as he loaded her cases into the car, a warm glow burning in

her tummy at the thought that he wanted her to stick around.

“Nice car by the way”

“Thanks”

“Is it an extension of your –“

“Belle!” he interrupted with a loud chuckle, loading the last of the luggage and opening the passenger door for her.

“I was going to say ego!”

“Sure you were!” he laughed, gesturing for her to get in.

“Well you know what they say about men with big, flashy cars” she grinned cheekily as she climbed in and shut the door behind her.

“Babe” he smirked suggestively, leaning against the open window so his mouth was so close to her ear his warm breath tickled her skin.

“You know that no extension is required”

“Well definitely not of your ego!” she laughed pushing a flat palm through the window and pushing him backwards.

“I’m surprised you even fit in this little car, your head’s so big!”

“It is a tight fit” he laughed as he got in the driver’s seat and did up his seatbelt.

“I should text Mattie, let her know I’m here”

“No need” he shook his head as he started up his prize possession and headed towards home.

“She called me a few hours ago to find out when your flight was arriving, I invited her and Ric over for dinner”

“Pasta?” she smirked cheekily.

“Hey!” he cried in objection.

“I can cook more than pasta!”

“Aden” she sighed in mock disappointment.

“Lasagne, ravioli and spaghetti are all pasta!”

“Fine! Then you cook!”

“So we are having pasta!” she chuckled loudly.

“You like my lasagne!” he protested, slightly offended.

“Or at least you used to”

“I did” she nodded with a grin, reaching across to ruffle his hair patronisingly.

“I was just teasing, sorry. It was very thoughtful of you to invite Mattie and Ric over”

“Well, she sounded like she might combust if she didn’t see you tonight and well, I want to see you too so it was selfish rather than thoughtful really”

“Well I want to see all of you so selfish or thoughtful, I don’t really care”

“I’m really glad you’re here” he grinned sideways at her as he kept his gaze on the road ahead but glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

“Me too” she smiled,

“When work told me they wanted to send me to Perth I knew there was no way I could say no”

“Just desperate to see me huh?”

“Nah” she shook her head playfully.

“I just want you to introduce me to Josh Williams” she smirked referring to one of Aden’s teammates.

“Now he is one fine figure of a man!”

“And gay” Aden laughed softly.

“No way!”

“Yes way!”

“Damn it!” she sighed before a grin spread across her face.

“How gay exactly? Do you think I could turn him?”

“Belle!” he laughed loudly in disbelief.

“Well I’ve got a year going spare now, a year I had all planned out, getting married to him and making babies”

“Shut up” he laughed as he pulled into his driveway and turned off the ignition.

“I missed you” she sighed suddenly solemn.

“We talked all the time”

“Yeah, I know” she shrugged slightly wounded that he didn’t say he’d missed her. The emails and webcam hadn’t been enough for her but clearly he hadn’t had a problem with it.

“Thanks for letting me stay by the way”

“No problem” he smiled sincerely as he held her door open for her and began to unload her bags.

“I promise I’ll get on to a real estate agent first thing tomorrow, I’ll be out of your hair before you know it”

“Seriously, it’s not a problem. Stay as long as you like” he told her genuinely, If anything he wanted her to stay as long as possible. As soon as she got started at work and found her own place who

knew how often he would see her? It wasn’t like they were together, she’d have no reason to involve him in her life really.

“You’ll regret saying that when I’ve taken over your house with shoes and camera equipment and all my other clutter”

“I’ve lived with you before remember, in that cramped little flat” he reminded her of the tiny space which had been all they had been able to afford when they’d first decided to take the leap and move in

together a few years back.

“If I could handle that I’m sure we can manage now I’ve got two whole storeys for you to take over!”

“Isn’t Nicole staying too though?” she asked hesitantly.

“Surely she takes up a whole storey by herself”

“She moved out last week” he alleviated her fears of having to fight over the bathroom, and Aden, with the blonde.

“Gone on tour with Liam”

“You’re kidding me!”

“Nope, those two are really going strong from what I saw”

“Hmm” she sighed in slight annoyance.

“He didn’t mention that at all the last time we spoke”

“That’s probably because he knows you don’t like her”

“It’s not that I don’t like her” she replied defensively.

“It’s just...”

“Clash of personalities?” he offered helpfully.

“Yeah, exactly” she nodded before hurriedly changing the subject as she glanced at her watch and realised it was still set to Greenwich Mean Time.

“So what time is dinner?” she questioned as she rotated the dial to set it to the correct time.

“Seven” he told her as he carted her luggage towards the door.

“And just so you know, I won’t be complaining if you want to wear a bikini to dinner!”

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Brilliant!

Awwwwww, i loved how they still care about each other and stayed in contact. Plus the banter is still there :D

Really good idea to write about!

Looking forward to seeing what happens if there's a few chapters to come?!

Great start, love it already

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