Love Drunk: Chapter Ten

Lainie and David were growing closer but something...or someone was getting in the way of her accepting David as her boyfriend! Dexter is never too far from her thoughts and now he has asked her to pose for him, things are beginning to get even more complicated! Why does Lainie feel she has to hide it from David? Will Dexter ever be free from her mind?

"So what do you want me to wear for this painting?" Lainie reached out to open her wardrobe, but Dexter's reply stopped her in her tracks,

"Well...nothing! I would like to paint you...um au natural!" Lainie spun around and let out a little squeak at the same time as Dexter sat lazily on her bed with a goofy grin on his pretty face. 

 "You...are you serious?" her voice was shrill and a little more panicked than she liked.

 "Yeah, why?" Dexter gave her a confused look and his grin began to fade, "Is that a problem freckles?"

 "I'll say!" she spluttered, "Dexter, I'm just not comfortable about posing naked for you, I hope you can understand that!" Lainie's heart felt heavy when she saw the surprised expression on Dexter's face, which turned to hurt, and then to an understanding smile as she sighed with relief.

The goofy grin returned and after a long silence he said,

"Let's have a look through your underwear!"

Lainie laughed nervously and said softly, "You're kidding...right?"

"Erin, I have to go! Will you please gimme my jeans so I can get dressed? Huh?" Erin smiled impishly, ignoring Ashton's pleas. She loved to tease him, and this time she'd stolen his jeans and put them on to annoy him! After all he was messing her around! He wouldn't sleep with her, he wouldn't tell his friends and family about her, and he wouldn't admit that they were actually an item! He deserved to be teased!

 Ashton kept his eyes focused on hers as he asked her again, "You gonna give me my jeans back or what?"

"Or what!" she giggled and pretended to draw on the ceiling with her finger. Ash sighed in frustration, refusing to release his grip on her until she did what he asked.

"Erin! Am I gonna have to take 'em off of you? I mean physically take 'em off of you???" he raised an eyebrow at her, leaned in and brushed his lips gently against hers making her giggle again, tickling his mouth with her breath. 

"Looks that way my big tough fireman!" she purred, "But I'll make a deal with you, you tell your friends about me and I'll take off your jeans...deal?" Ash rolled his eyes and replied impatiently,

"You know it's not that easy!" Erin's eyes began to tear up as she squeezed them shut.

"You said yourself that Drew suspects, so why not just come clean?" she whined and wiped her eyes roughly.

"I will, in my own time! I promise! Now...gimme back my jeans you little minx or I'll strip ya!" he let her go, sat up on the edge of the bed and squeezed her hand affectionately as she finally did as he asked. She sat up on the bed, pretending to undo a button but instead stuck out her tongue and laughed.

 Ash couldn't help himself, he leaned over and pulled her in for a kiss! How could he ever be mad at her? She was so patient with him despite threatening to dump him if he didn't come clean about their...relationship...or whatever this was!

 "Erin...I..." he had to stop himself, he almost said it! And she knew it, pulling away from him she mumbled,

"Tell them Ash! I don't like hiding!"

"I will, I already told you baby! I'll do it soon!"

Temperance Kennedy had made herself at home in her daughter's flat. Paid for by her ex-husband of course, which made her feel all the more entitled to be there, spreading her things about like a disease. Charlotte was on the verge of screaming as her mother's things still sat where she'd dumped them the day before! 

Turning on Charlotte's television and wriggling around on the couch until she got comfy, Temperance let out a long and satisfied sigh. Charlotte could take no more and finally came out with what was on her mind. "So...the cases mother!"

"What about them?" Temperance replied flatly, still fixed on the television screen.

"Well are you going to move them? Or are you not staying for long? You see the cats are a bit...disorientated! You've altered their habitat!"

Temperance frowned and gave her daughter a piece of her mind, "Lottie, I've owned a cattery for over 30 years! And you're trying to tell me about their habitat? What about that shaggy boy you keep around the place when I'm not looking? Does he not alter their habitat?"

Charlotte screwed up her face as her mother dared to insult Drew! "His name is Andrew mother and he's my neighbour! They're used to him!" Temperance laughed loudly and shook her head,
"He is your NEIGHBOUR? Are you sure that's all he is Lottie? Because he sure does sniff around a lot!"
"Mother!" Charlotte groaned.
"I don't like him Lottie...he needs a haircut!" Charlotte contemplated suffocating Temperance with the cat blanket that was draped behind her on the couch...but she really didn't think she was cut out for prison! However, it really hurt when she talked about Drew like that! It hurt quite a bit!

 Dexter had picked out a rather fetching outfit for his muse. Lainie was a bit self conscious as she had issues with the way she looked, she wasn't skinny like the girls she imagined Dexter usually had in his room, but for some reason he was grinning at her like a kid in a sweet shop! "I just..." he whispered and reached out to touch her face.

 "Dexter?" Lainie jumped and raised her hands up, why she didn't know but that shrill tone had returned to her voice.

"I just wanna..."

Lainie's voice echoed in front of him! Completely inaudible, so distant...so far away...he was daydreaming again! He could just imagine the vacant stare he was giving Lainie at that moment, and how confused and frightened she would be, standing there in her pretty bra and pants. That alone made him want to stay in the fantasy forever as the "him" in his head was kissing her so passionately, holding her body close to his, never ever wanting to let go! Back to reality...

 ...he held his hand up to her cheek and lightly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "...that's better!" he smiled, and she began to relax. Why was she so jumpy around him? Because the last boy she was half naked around was..."So let's talk positions!" Dexter's little announcement made her eyes widen.

 Seeing the look of shock on her face, he re-phrased what he was trying to say, "I mean...how I want you...uh no! Ha, what I mean to say is how you should pose?" Dexter's words became tangled around what he was thinking in that naughty mind of his!

 "What you mean to say is, the way you want me to sit!" Lainie gave him a disapproving look.

"Yeah! Sure! So can I er...show you?" Lainie nodded as Dexter guided her to the edge of the bed and sat her down.

 "Yeah that's...well it's perfect freckles!" Dex beamed as he lifted a large canvas onto his easel.

Almost two hours had passed and they had chatted about the weather, the band and the gigs that were coming up, Dexter's favourite music, his favourite paint brush called Artie...and lots of other things in between! But what Lainie really wanted to talk about was Dexter's ex-girlfriend! 

"So, tell me about Rosalie!" Lainie causally piped up.

"Rosalie? Um okay! What do you wanna know freckles?"

"What happened? How did you two meet? Why couldn't you...give her what she wanted?" There was a short silence, Lainie gulped and added quietly, "Or am I being too...pushy?" she heard a small chuckle coming from behind the canvas as Dexter replied cheerily,

"No no! I guess...she just wasn't the one, you know? I thought I was in love but...well...now I know I wasn't because..." another silence engulfed the room as Lainie twitched on the edge of the bed uncomfortably.

 "Because what?" she tried to get him to finish the sentence.

"Because I've fallen in love for real this time and...she pales in comparison to this girl who's...well she's somethin' special and I just...I can't get her out of my mind! She's all I think about every moment of every day and...I wanna tell her I really do but..." before he could complete his declaration Lainie let out a little squeal and clapped her hands excitedly then she remembered why she was there and swiftly moved back into position.

 "Oh Dexy! You soooo need to tell her!"

 "You think? Well I..." she butted in again,

"Because we need to go on a date, you and this girl, and me and David! Oh double dates, they're just so awesome!" Dexter's heart stopped for a second then started up again, very unenthusiastically as it obviously felt the same way as Dex...it wanted to die!

 Taking a deep breath and admiring what he'd done so far, Dexter decided to call it a night. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey! It was something his mother used to say when he and Ash were kids, it meant that if you took your time and thought things out properly, you'd achieve what you'd set out to do! Or at least that's what Dex thought it meant. "Well I think that'll do for tonight freckles, we can do some more tomorrow night or something!"

 He really was pleased with his work, but when Lainie stood up from the bottom of his bed, partially dressed, he began to blush and his skin felt tight, palms sweating and his tongue growing dry. "Um...you can...get dressed now, I won't...I won't er look!" he stammered.

 Lainie was puzzled by his sudden change of character. Pulling on a t-shirt and joggy bottoms was nothing, why was he turning his back while she put clothes on? She'd been sitting in her best bra and knickers for over two hours, now was really not the time for being bashful! However she played along and called to him softly, "You can turn around Dexy!"

 Dexter couldn't control the shyness that was overpowering him! The reality of the situation hitting him, he'd been alone with Lainie, for over two hours and she was in her underwear!!! He cleared his throat as she turned to head for the door... 

 "Wait freckles, don't go!!!"

"What is it Dexy?"

"Dexy???" he was doing it again! He wanted to grab hold of her and snog the face off of her! Declare that he loved her, she was the girl he wanted, claim her as his own, tell her "You're mine freckles!" and she would say "Yes I am!" and they would live happily ever after. David would understand, Lainie would be very kind when she let him down, and then they would be together! Nights in front of the television watching horror and sci-fi movies together. Dexter singing his heart out at packed out arenas while she cheered him on in the front row! All it took was the truth...

...but instead he went with "Lemme walk you out!"
"Okay!" she smiled. Yeah he'd bottled it again! What a loser!

"So I'll come by at the same time tomorrow then?" Lainie asked him quietly as she could hear one of the other boys snoring loudly in their room.

"Yeah, couple more sittings should do it!" Dexter smiled shyly.

 "Okay well...I'll see you then!" why was there such an awkwardness between them? Was it because she'd been sitting in her underwear in front of him? Was it just her that felt awkward? Now she knew there was a woman in his heart, not to mention she had David, was it appropriate for them to be doing this? It was only posing for a portrait, not exactly mad steamy passion on his bedroom floor behind their significant others' backs! So why did she feel the need to keep this a secret from David and Roxy?

"Yeah!" his face turned red as his hand lightly brushed against hers, "See you then freckles!" the touch of her skin sent shivers down his spine as he jumped sideways to make a space between them. Did she feel that too? She was rubbing her hand as she left the flat...she felt it, he hoped!

 Dexter threw himself onto the bed where the girl of his dreams had just been sitting only ten minutes ago. His head began to pound and his heart ached over yet another missed opportunity!

 "Come on Dexter get a grip! Just tell her!" he scolded himself as he rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. That simple brush of their hands, there was a connection, he felt it! Was it just wishful thinking? Was he just making a big deal of it because she had trusted him enough to sit in his bedroom with hardly any clothing on and let him paint her? His head was buzzing even more and his temples throbbed.

"I need to get outta here!" it was late, his brother and best friend were both in bed, the cold and dark didn't even put him off! He needed to clear his head!

 Dexter always found that sketching helped clear his mind of everything, except what he was drawing! He was busy scribbling down his latest masterpiece when a voice called to him from the bottom of the stairs, "Hi Dexter!"

 It was David, Lainie's boyfriend...or was he? Were they just friends or...

 ...as Dexter looked up and frowned at the blonde man looking down at him with a friendly smile on his face, he could no longer be annoyed with him. This guy, he was making Lainie happy! He just couldn't hate him no matter how hard he tried, was he beginning to...accept things?

 "Hello David!" he replied in the friendliest way he could, then continued his sketch.

 "What are you doing out here so late?" he chuckled. Dexter answered him without even looking up,

"I couldn't sleep after...watching a scary movie so...here I am! What about you? You been with Lainie?" he knew full well that he hadn't, Lainie had been with him all night!

"Oh no, she was doing paperwork at the diner tonight so I just left a note in her letter box. Listen Dexter, can I have a word with you please?" Uh-oh! Dexter still refused to look up but calmly nodded,

"Sure David, what's up?"

 "I like Lainie a lot, but I want you to know that...I'd never intentionally hurt her in any way!"

 Dexter felt a protective rage build up inside his chest, what was this guy getting at??? "I know, what's your point David?"

 "I just...I know you and Lainie are close, I know you're fond of her. I know...man to man...I know that you're in love with her! I saw it the first day we met, the way you looked at her." Dexter's rage changed to panic, as David continued, "But that's fine, I'm cool with it. What I'm asking is...if anything...changes...I need to know you'll be there for her! You'll look after her won't you Dexter?"

 "Of course! I'm always there for her! It's kinda programmed into me, not a lot of control over it dude, I protect her! It's what I do!"

"Good! Thanks, for putting my mind at ease! Goodnight Dexter!"

As David wandered off into the night, Dexter felt confused. What was that all about? And man, was it THAT obvious he was in love with Lainie? If so, then why didn't Lainie see it? A part of him was scared that David was going to break her heart...and a part of him was hoping he would. Scolding himself, he muttered "That's an awful thing to think Dexter!" and continued to draw with a guilty conscience.

Lainie had popped down to the diner after leaving Dexter's flat. She wanted to check on some ingredients, she felt like making a cheesecake in the morning. When she arrived back at her own home, Roxy wasn't best pleased. "Where the hell have you been???"

"Um...I..." Roxy didn't let her finish,

"And don't try to tell me you were with David because he just left, and don't try and lie about being in the diner either!!!"

"You wanna know the truth?" Lainie hung her head as her friend scowled at her.

"Well it would be nice Lain!"

"I was with Dexter!"

Roxy's eyes widened and an amused smile crept over her face, "You were WHAT? Oh Lainie! You bad girl!" she giggled.

"No, it's not like that! As if Roxanne! We've been through this already, he's...." Roxy rolled her eyes and at the same time as Lainie said "...way outta my league!" she also said,

"...way outta your league! I know you said! But it's not true!"

"Oh come on Roxanne! Look at him! He's like...a potential superstar and I'm a cook in a diner! He's the most beautiful boy I've ever laid eyes on and I'm...a frump!"

"I'm getting deja vu here girl! But nevermind that, why were you with Dexter Maloney in the first place?"

"He wants to paint me, naked!" Roxy gasped, "But I said no, so he's now painting me in those undies you know who got me for my 21st birthday!" Roxy gasped again.

"Lain? Does David know?"
"No, and I'd like to keep it that way!" Lainie replied rather bitterly as her friend gave her a very concerned look. Roxy thought it was just as wrong as Lainie did, but she couldn't tell him now! "Please Rox, tell NO ONE!"

It was so late, but Charlotte couldn't take any more! Excusing herself to water the plants would only work a couple more times and then she would need another story to escape her mother! Temperance was forbidding Charlotte to see Drew again and wouldn't stop harping on about Rob's absence! He was wise, he'd not been to visit since he found out their mother was in town! As Charlotte made the most of the peace, someone else in the building couldn't settle either...

...Drew had been to see Charlotte that morning but her mother was getting in the way. Charlotte wouldn't allow him to meet her, she said she was scared that Temperance would embarrass her but Drew didn't care. Nothing could ever stop him from...

...that was it! Sending a text to Charlotte he typed "Hey, if you're still up then meet me in my lab! It's really important, Drew x" he always put a kiss at the end, just something he liked to do! Hoping she wasn't in bed, he headed for the lab.

Charlotte's phone beeped, it was a text from Drew asking her to meet him in his special room that he liked to call "a lab", silly scientist boy! She replied "I am up, I'll be there soon!"

A huge grin spread across her face as she thought about seeing him. She had missed him very much, even if her mother had only kept them apart for 24 hours maximum. She could hear her calling from the flat, she also remembered how against Drew she was...so she headed for the stairs to meet him!

He knew what he wanted to say! He knew it had to be done, but he just didn't know how! As there was a soft knock on the door and Charlotte's face peered round it, his heart skipped and he struggled to breathe...

"Hello Andrew!" she greeted him cheerily, "I'm so glad to see you my mother is driving me insane!"

"Char?" Drew gave her an apprehensive look...

"...we need to talk!"

Oooh, what does Drew want to say to her? O.o And what is David's deal? Chapter eleven is ALL about Drew and Charlotte, sooooon! ;)