You Can't Hurry Love

Chapter Forty-Five

DECEMBER 22nd

We'd talked long into the early hours of the morning, holding on to each other tightly (which I think was more due to Lincoln being afraid of falling out of my tiny single bed rather than the fact that he couldn't bear to keep his hands off of me) but after fighting it for as long as we could, we'd both finally succumbed to our exhaustion and fallen asleep and before I knew it the morning had crept up on us and I was close to having to wake him.

I didn't want to, though. I wanted to phone in sick at the office and snuggle back down under the duvet with him, but I knew Diane would kill me if I didn't show up. It was a super important day for the magazine, the last one of the year and when I spoke to her yesterday she told me Lauren wanted to go over all the details for the party this Wednesday. So it's safe to say my mood took a significant dip after that little conversation. From looking forward to heading back in and seeing everyone, I was now absolutely dreading it. I just wish Lizzie hadn't lied about me bringing a hunky plus one because I know I was going to get questioned about it and I'm terrible under pressure.

In the heat of the moment (and a bit full of post-sex lust) I'd asked Lincoln to come as my plus one, knowing fully well he was going to have to turn me down, and I was right. Not because he didn't want to, he'd assured me. But because without Henry being there, he couldn't leave the restaurant on one of the busiest nights of the year so for the last hour, whilst he's still been asleep, I've been obsessing over whether I could get away with sneaking a picture of us cuddled up in bed together to "accidentally" flash everyone in the office. (And by everyone, I mean Lauren.) And I'd just talked myself into doing it when my alarm clock rings with my 8am wake-up call and I have to leap over him to turn it off.

I nudge him on his torso, whispering his name so as not to wake old eagle ears in the next room but he just rolls onto his side and tucks his head under the pillow.

'Lincoln, we need to get up.'

'I don't want to,' he grumbles, and I laugh, opening up my wardrobe door and picking out my outfit for the day.

'Me either but I have to go to work. I can leave you here if you want to but then you'll have to face Ben on your own. That's entirely up to you.'

He emerges from beneath the pillow, looking thoroughly disgruntled as I ease my dress over my hair.

'Yeah, that's a hard pass from me.'

He slides himself off the edge of the bed, reaching for his own clothes and in no time at all we were both dressed and I was ushering him into the living room with a finger over my lips, indicating for him to keep the noise down as I lead him past the boy's room towards the front door.

Lincoln seemed to have other ideas however, as he veers off course in the direction of the bathroom and I pause with my hand on my coat, gaping at him in dismay.

'What are you doing?' I hiss, wincing as the hinge on the bathroom door squeaks when he pulls it open.

'I have to pee,' he replies with a shrug, catching sight of my tormented expression and laughing. 'Look, I'll be two seconds, it'll be fine.'

I nod begrudgingly, turning with bated breath to peer around the room as he disappears, wondering why he couldn't have just gone at his.

The act of sneaking Lincoln out after spending the night made me feel like a teenager all over again, albeit with Ben playing the overbearing parent instead of my mum this time, and it made me uneasy. Not because I was ashamed, far from it. But because I knew with Ben's giant mouth, it'd be all over the group chat that Dottie had finally seen some action and I don't think I could deal with the attention. Not until my meeting today was over with at least.