Lainie Robertson has had her ups and downs as far as her love life is concerned. Her dates with Charlotte's brother were rather disastrous, the delivery guy she took a shine to moved away and her latest boyfriend turned out to be a dirty cheater! Dexter Maloney wanted to cheer her up by taking her out and drinking the pain away but...getting stuck in the lift at the end of the night was NOT part of the plan...
Dexter had no clue what time it was, whether it was still evening or the early morning! All he did know was that he could feel Lainie pressed up against his back, breathing heavily and holding on tightly. It was the best feeling he'd ever experienced, the closeness, it was cold and it smelled of damp in that cramped lift...but it was bliss! He could hear voices on the other side of the door as the elevator slowly descended and the lights flickered on...
"Good Lord!!" Dexter heard his brother's surprised voice as the doors slid open.
"It was just the gears!" he heard another voice mutter awkwardly.
"What time is it?" Dex yawned and rubbed Lainie's arm to wake her.
"Aw man!" Ash replied and walked away in mock disgust, struggling to conceal a slight chuckle.
"So little brother, what were you two doing in there huh?" Ash winked as the smell of freshly brewed coffee hit Dexter's nostrils and he headed straight towards the machine.
"Is that fresh coffee there Andrew?" he cleared his throat and changed the subject.
Drew looked up from his mug and gave Ash a confused look, "He called me Andrew, what's going on?" Ash had an amused grin on his face as he once again fought back a laugh.
"Oh Dexter and Lainie spent the night in the lift together and..." Dex cut in,
"Ashton it was an experience I would like to forget, and never repeat so let me go enjoy my coffee so I can have a shower and most importantly...pee!"
"They were all snuggled together, very cosy!" Ash continued, paying very little attention to his brother's squirming.
"Ashton drop it! The lift jammed and we were stuck, end of!"
"Says you!" Ash laughed loudly, "I think..." Drew laughed out loud too all of a sudden and butted in,
"How long were they in there?"
"Oh about eight hours Jimmy said!"
"Who's Jimmy?" Drew raised his mug to his lips, and an eyebrow.
"Maintenance guy! He said the gears had jammed because they needed oiled! And there were the little lovebirds all snuggly wuggly!"
Dex was growing impatient, "Ashton I am serious, let's change the subject!"
"Why would we do that when it's making you so mad?" still laughing he sat down and continued to give Drew a blow by blow account of what he saw when the elevator doors opened.
"...and he asked me what time it was, she was still spark out with her arms draped all over him and he..."
"ASHTON! Jeez! Get over it!" Dex snapped and threw himself down on the chair between them.
Unperturbed by Dexter's interruption Ash finished his sentence, "...had his zipper down! There! HA!"
"You're such a child Ash, you do know that?"
"Says the guy who had his flies down in a lift, with a GIRL!"
"So what? Is it a crime to have malfunctioning trousers all of a sudden?" Drew giggled childishly,
"Malfunctioning trousers hehehehe!"
Ash grew serious for a moment, "No no Andrew let us give him the benefit of the doubt here! Maybe they just lay down and fell asleep waiting for the cavalry, it could happen!"
"Psht, like never, he snogged her!" Drew replied nodding his head and winking.
Dex finished his coffee and kept a blank expression on his face, "I appreciate that you both like to speculate to keep your boring lives interesting but I assure you...getting stuck in a lift, be it with Lainie or Angelina Jolie...it is not a pleasant experience believe me! So if you wouldn't mind I am going to the bathroom and I will be having a shower for at least TWENTY MINUTES!!!"
"He snogged her!" Drew nodded again, pleased with himself.
"Andrew Mitchell you have an unhealthy obsession with other people french kissing, it's gross!" was all Dex could say back.
"Come on baby bro, what DID happen in there? You can tell us, it'll go no further, promise!" Dexter let out a very tired sigh and shook his head in annoyance.
"Ashton dear brother, I seriously doubt that! And I wouldn't trust either of you now after you plastered my strip-a-gram video all around the building!!!" Drew gasped in surprise, "Yes Andrew, Lainie showed me, she told me all about your carbon copy email!"
"So did you show her a little bit of your moves in return then?" Ash winked.
"For the last time, oh what's the point!" Dex muttered and got up to leave them to it.
As Dex headed for the bathroom, he heard his brother and best friend STILL discussing the elevator incident, "I'm telling you Andrew, zipper DOWN!" and he smiled to himself, yeah nothing happened, nothing at all...
Lainie and Roxy sat with some tea in their living room. Roxy was all dressed and ready to get to work, but after Lainie's ordeal she wondered whether or not to open up at all today! Having been filled in by Ash about how he found them, and just as curious as he was, Roxy decided to probe her friend for details!
"So, you and Dexter were quite cosy according to Ash!"
"Oh for the love of...so what? I'm single, he's single..."
"Relax! Wow, defensive much?" Roxy was taken aback by Lainie's snapping.
"Come on sweetie, it's me you're talking to!" she smiled at her best friend and patted her arm. Lainie relaxed and nodded.
"It was...we were in a situation where emotions kinda took over and...we were rather drunk too..." Roxy groaned and cut in,
"Spill girl!"
"We kissed! I don't remember much but I do remember that!" Lainie sighed dreamily.
"Ohhhhh...emmmmm...geeeee!" Roxy squealed, "Stupid question but is he a good kisser?"
"Oh yes! I've kissed him before, only that was to say thanks for helping me with the diner! This time it was a joint effort and...oh Roxanne, isn't he gorgeous?"
"Yes honey he is, he's pretty hot! But you already knew that considering you've been crazy about him since we moved here!" Roxy elbowed her playfully.
"Yes I have." her face fell and she looked rather sad.
"Okay what's going on Lain?" Roxy was concerned for her friend, there was just something not quite right.
"Nothing I..."
"Are you sure? You don't remember anything other than the kiss? How did you two end up on the floor all wrapped up in each other if..."
Lainie stopped her friend suddenly and gave her a rather serious look, "Roxanne? Under normal, everyday circumstances Dexter Maloney wouldn't even look twice at me the way I want him to. Last night in the lift, he was drunk and so was I! We kissed, we were very drunk and the rest is a forgettable blur in history! Can we just move on now? Hopefully Dexy won't be too embarrassed and still wants to be friends! I don't want this to be awkward and ruin what we have, because what we have is all we're ever going to get!" Roxy wanted to shake her friend, even slap her to make her come to her senses!
How could she ever make Lainie see that Dexter was crazy about her??? She knew that something went on in that elevator, other than a kiss, something that perhaps had turned their friendship awkward! Lainie's words not hers! Had there been a rebuff? Unrequited confessions? Knowing Lainie the way she did, Roxy knew not to push. So the subject was dropped and they got ready to open up.
Alex was waiting in the back for Lainie to come down, but instead he got a very unforgiving Roxy! "What the heck are you doing here Wilder?" she demanded as Alex pleaded with her to let him see Lainie.
"Rox, I have to explain! I need her!"
"Shame you never thought of that when you were bonking another girl in HER bed!" Roxy found it difficult to conceal her anger.
"I know, and I made a mistake! That Selena, she was all over me! You know how it is!"
"No Alex, I don't! Now get out!" As she tried to push past him, he growled...
"She'll have me back you know! Always does! Just you wait!" Wasn't that what Kev had said to Lainie about HER? Wow they'd BOTH been blind!!!
Roxy stood face to face with him and smiled with determination,
"Not as long as Dexter Maloney lives and breathes! I will make sure those two get their act together if it kills me! You're history Alex!"
Roxy didn't tell Lainie about Alex's visit. She didn't want to upset her any more with the mention of that creep's name! And when young Dexter Maloney came into the diner that afternoon, she remembered her vow to Alex, get these two together no matter what!
Dexter was all showered and changed when he decided to visit the girls at the diner. Roxy was standing behind the counter smiling at him, "Hey there handsome!"
"Hi, Lainie here?" he stammered, feeling rather uncomfortable.
"In the kitchen of course, she's testing out her new toy!" Roxy winked and smiled cheekily at him.
Dex went into the kitchen, his heart racing and his skin growing tight and hot. He couldn't forget that look, the way she whispered his name, the kiss and...he'd thought about it in the shower at length and how he was going to deal with it, this was his chance! Finally!
"Hi freckles!" he called to her as she was testing out her new device.
"Hey Dexy!" she replied cheerily not looking up.
"So, last night huh?" he blurted out as she still remained at her work.
"Yeah, pretty awful. I am NEVER taking the lift again! So you want some salad?" Dexter felt hurt that she was acting so...normal! Like nothing happened! Did last night really mean NOTHING?
"Lainie..." he started, but he had no idea how to approach things, not after that serious let-down!
"Mmm?" she mumbled.
"I wanted...to...do you remember what happened?"
She wouldn't even turn around and LOOK at him!!! "Uh not really, unlike you pretty boy I can't hold my liquor!" she laughed softly.
"So you don't remember...a...kiss?"
"Ohhh that! Sorry about that, I was feeling kinda low after Alex and...well I'm sorry Dexy! I hope this doesn't affect our friendship..." she finally turned around and looked him straight in the eyes...
"...because you mean the world to me!"
"Ditto!" He felt this was not a good time to bring up the small detail of their...closeness when Ash found them. How she was huddled so tightly next to him, he remembered, he wasn't THAT drunk, he remembered everything! He wanted that feeling back, he wanted it all the time! Friendship?
It made him angry and determined and he was talking, "I love you freckles!" Where did that come from? He'd...had he just...
"Aww Dexy, you're adorable! I love you too!" she gushed and rushed over to hug him, "I'm so glad this hasn't changed anything, oh Dexy! What a relief!" Although she was so close to him at that moment, in his arms, she felt so far away...she was slipping from his grasp!
After what they'd just been through, it should have been the start of something beautiful, and eternal! But nothing had changed! She was relieved that this was the case...
...and he was devastated!
When he got back to his flat, Ash had just returned from his afternoon run. He felt he'd been a bit hard on him that day when he tried to tell him about a girl he liked. So he decided to make amends. "Hey Ash, don't take any notice of me okay?"
"I don't usually!" Ash retorted.
"I'm trying to say..." Dex sighed, "...just be happy with whatever...or WHOever you want. Right?" Ash smiled and nodded.
"Same to you kiddo!"
When he sat down on his bed, his brother's words were no comfort. He knew he had to just play along with this platonic thing or he would lose Lainie forever! So he would be her friend, he would be there for her! He would secretly love her with all of his heart and his soul, and she would never know!
If this was the price he had to pay to be in her life? So be it!
Lainie found herself reliving the night before in her head, how close she was to Dexter, how they had kissed! It would never be repeated, and that made her sad! But on the other hand, he was still her friend. He was still her protector and her hero!
If this was the price she had to pay to be in his life? So be it!
Friendship wasn't that bad...
...yeah it wasn't that bad...was it?
Well, what a shame that they just can't come clean! Next chapter? Squee! Is all I will say! ;)
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