Love Is a Losing Game

Enjoying a rare morning off together, Angie and Stuart were curled up on the sofa watching Anchor Man. They were both led across the length of the sofa, Stuart’s arm wrapped lightly around her waist pulling her gently against his chest.

On the arm rest next to them, Angie’s phone vibrated indicating a text message had been received. With a disgruntled sigh, she felt Stuart reach across and pick it up.

“It’s Brian. Do you want a coffee? I’m assuming he means next door with him.” he replied with a smirk.

“Tell him yeah if he comes over here.” She replied not taking her eyes off the screen. A few moments later there was another buzz and again Stuart relayed the message to Angie.

“Tell him that I’m not moving so it’s either he comes over here or he drinks coffee on his own.” She replied with a smile. Again Stuart typed a reply and went back to watching the movie. A few minutes passed before there was a light knock at the door.

“It’s open!” Angie called loudly without moving her eyes off the screen. The door opened and shut again and footsteps were heard making their way across towards the sofa.

“Hey.” Brian’s voice finally brought Angie’s eyes away from the screen to look up at him, a shy smile immediately working its way across her lips.

“Hey.” she replied simply.

“So if you’re not moving from the sofa, I guess I’m making the coffee?” he asked with a small smirk.

“You know how we like it.” Stuart replied quickly with a suggestive tone and a wink. Brian rolled his eyes, turning and heading into kitchen.

A few minutes later Brian reappeared in the living room carrying a round tray with three mugs of coffee and placed it on the coffee table, lifting one of the mugs off as he sat down in the armchair opposite them.

“Hun, you do realise we’re going to have to move to drink our coffee without risk of scalding ourselves.” Stuart said, removing his arm from her waist as he sat up. Angie grumbled quietly as she too sat up and took the mug of coffee Stuart was offering her.

As she took a cautious sip of her hot beverage her eyes met Brian’s and they exchanged smiles.

“So Angie tells me you both had a nice time last night.” Stuart said drawing their eyes away from each other’s gaze.

“Yeah, it was and I’m hoping I’m going to be able to take her out again soon.” He replied glancing over at Angie as he spoke.

“I think she’ll like that too. I certainly knows how much she likes you.” Stuart responded with a smile. Angie nervously nibbled at her lower lip as she watched the two men talk about her as if she wasn’t in the room.

“I like her a lot too Stu.” Brian replied stealing another glance at Angie. She smiled back at him, not noticing the way Stuart rolled his eyes.

“When you two have stopped talking about me as if I’m not here.” She said mockingly “What are you up to today Brian?” she asked as she once again found Brian’s gaze.

“Nothing much this afternoon but I’ve got to sort some work stuff out later this evening. How about you two?” he asked only briefly drawing his gaze away from Angie.

“Day off.” Angie said with a widening smile.

“And not that you’re really bothered with what I’m doing but I’m working this afternoon.” Stuart replied sarcastically.

Brian nodded, relaxing slightly back in his seat with a large smile on his face, turning to face the TV as he brought his mug up to his lips.

“Ugh! One date!” Stuart exclaimed waving his arm in the air as he stood up, drawing Brian and Angie’s attention to him. “One date and you’re already making gooey eyes at each other over coffee!” he concluded walking backwards out of the living room.

Both Angie and Brian laughed as they watched him turn and walk towards his bedroom.
“And you two better not be fucking on the sofa when I get back out there!” he yelled causing them both to laugh loudly with a hint of embarrassment.

“Have we really been that bad?” Brian asked with a slightly nervous chuckle.

“Unfortunately yeah I think we were.” She replied with a smile and a nod.

“Unfortunately?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s not the way I meant it. I guess it’s been a long time since I’ve been in the ‘gooey eyed’ phase with a guy, and to be fair it didn’t end too great then.” She replied.

“Yeah I get what you mean. So what are your plans for your day off?” he replied.

“Nothing much really, I was just going to veg out and watch movies and stuff.” She replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked with a gleam in his brown eyes.

“Not at all, so long as you put another film on for me.” she replied with a smile pointing towards the TV when the end credits were appearing on the screen.

“What do you want on?” he said as he got up and scanned the DVD collection in the corner.

“Something funny.” She replied as she placed her coffee mug back on the coffee table and stretched out along the sofa again.

“Knocked up?” he asked glancing at her over his shoulder.

“Nah I watched that a few weeks back.” She replied scrunching her nose up at the suggestion.

“How about 40 Year Old Virgin?” he asked holding up the case with.

“Sounds good to me.” she said cheerfully watching as Brian took the disk out of the case and swapping it for the one in the machine.

As the movie started Angie glanced over at Brian. “You know, you can see the TV better from over here.” She said casually.

“Is that your way of asking me to join you on the sofa?” Brian asked with a smirk.

“Are you joining me or not?” she retorted with a smirk of her own. Without another word Brian moved from the chair and settled himself on the sofa in the same position as Stuart had been earlier.

“Right, I’m going to head off to work. I’ll see you guys later.” Stuart announced as he walked back into the room a short while later. “And I meant what I said earlier, no fucking on that sofa!” he warned.

“You have so little faith in me.” Angie stated, rolling her eyes up to look at him.

“Oh come on, with the looks you two have been giving each other all morning, I’m surprised you haven’t started fucking him already!” he replied smirking as both Angie and Brian blushed.

“You’re going to be late Bishop!” Angie scolded as Stuart turned, placing his shades over his blue eyes as he walked out of the front door.

“I really hate him sometimes.” She muttered as she settled back in Brian’s embrace and turned her attention back to the movie. A small sigh escaped past her lips as she felt Brian’s lips lightly brush the edge of her ear, his fingers gently playing with the hem of her Ramones t-shirt. Slowly she felt his hand reach under her shirt, his long calloused index finger tracing light circles around her belly button. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the feeling, her eyes closing as he also placed feather light kisses to the nape of her neck.

Unhurriedly her hand reached out behind her, finding the button of his jeans. Brian gasped slightly as her hand slowly reached into his boxers. “Wow.” She muttered quietly as she wrapped her hand lightly around his shaft.

“Fuck.” Brian gasped as she slowly slipped her hand up and down his hardening shaft.

“Fuck!” Angie repeated quickly withdrawing her hand from his pants and making to get of the sofa. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t –“

“Hey, it’s okay, come here.” Brian replied gently, holding onto her wrist and gently pulling her back to the sofa, this time so that she was facing him.

“I’m sorry I can’t. I shouldn’t have.” She repeated shakily, tears brimming her eyes.

“Hey it’s okay. I understand.” He replied quietly, holding her against him.

“No you don’t.” she retorted almost silently.

“It’s David right?” he said hesitantly. Slowly she lifted her head for her eyes to meet his.

“Okay so maybe you do understand.” She replied with a small chuckle.

“Angie it’s okay. After what he done to you I can totally understand why you have problems with….intimacy and stuff.” He replied lifting his hand to gently stroke her cheek.

“I thought I was ready, but apparently not. I’m just going to need some more time.” She replied in a whisper.

“I’m in no rush.” He replied with a small smile tugging at his thin lips. She smiled and he pecked her lips softly. “Now why don’t we get back to watching the film?”

Angie nodded, still smiling and slowly turned in his arms again, allowing him to pull her closer, his arm wrapped around her waist as the other reached above her head to lace his fingers with the hand she’d placed under her cheek.

A comfortable silence fell over them as they both turned their attention back to the film.
“You know, we could always take a leaf out of their book.” Brian said, breaking the silence.

“What remain a virgin until we’re forty?” she asked with a chuckle. “I don’t think I could do that.”

“No, the twenty dates thing.” He replied with an air of seriousness in his voice. Once again Angie turned in his arms and looked at him quizzically.

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Yeah, I could do that. And if you needed more then that’s what we’ll do.” He replied.

“Okay then. No sexual activity until we’ve been on at least twenty dates.” She replied with a smile and a nod. “Kissing’s good though right?”

Brian nodded with a grin, “yeah, kissing’s good.” He said before softly kissing her lips, a small moan passing his lips as she kissed back, prolonging the kiss.

“Kissing’s always good.” He muttered before kissing her again.

“So last night was the first date. Does this count as the second date?” she asked.

“That’s up to you.” he replied.

“Yeah, I think so. I mean you invited me for coffee. That’s a date.” She replied thoughtfully.

“So that’s two down, only eighteen to go.” He replied. “Um, it’s not going to be a date, but do you wanna come with me to sort out that work stuff I’ve got to do later?”

“On my day off? What’s in it for me?” she asked with a smirk tugging at her lips.

“Well apart from spending some more time with me…not that much really.” He replied honestly.

“Hmm, so what exactly have you got to sort out?” she asked.

“In one word Cam.” He replied with a sigh.

“What’s he done now? Please don’t tell me he’s got into another fight.” She said with a sigh of disappointment.

“Not exactly, but it’s on the cards. I’ve found out that he’s been fucking the head waitress at Marlin…”

“But isn’t she with the manager of that place?” Angie queried before he could go any further.

“Yeah, and that’s where the problem lies. If he finds out the shit is really going to hit the fan and we may end up loosing our contract with them as well. So I want to talk to all the guys, try and get someone to swap with Cam, so that he doesn’t get to work there anymore, hopefully get him to stay away from her.” he explained.

“He can come and work at Beach Front if you want. I’ll have a go at keeping on the straight and narrow.” She said.

“Straight and narrow? I doubt it. But that’s an idea. So are you going to come with?” he replied.

“Yeah, why not.” She replied with a nod.

“Good, cos to be honest, I could do with some moral support as well.” He replied with a blush creeping across his cheeks.

“For what?” Angie asked quizzically.

“Well the guys know we went out last night and I know that they want to quiz me about it, and I’m hoping it’ll be less painful if you’re there with me.” he explained, his cheeks reddening.

“You’re not totally the hard man you try and have people believe are you?” she asked with a chuckle.

“I try.” Brian replied simply, pecking her lips softly.