Alison Found

This wasn't the time for a glib answer. "I remember being in love with the girl next door, but I know nothing about the woman sitting here," I recalled the way she'd gestured to me in the bar. "I'm comfortable with the way my life is at the moment, and I don't fancy trading that in to become some movie star's lapdog."

She looked at me with a mix of surprise and shock. "I want that boy from next door, the boy who made me feel safe. I don't know the new you, but I know that the Jos I love is still in here," and she tapped my chest. "If I'd wanted a lapdog I could have said yes to Simon and the others; I didn't!"

I took a leap of faith and asked her, "Have you got a room or did you want to stay with me tonight?"

She grinned and indicated what she was wearing in answer to my question.

I gave her a brief smile, "Yes I know you're beautiful, even when you are wearing my bathrobe, but can we take it slowly, I'm not sure how I feel, can we just hold each other?"

For a second I thought Ali looked disappointed, then she smiled. "I'd like that, a reprise of our camping holiday."

"Well, I could ask housekeeping if they've got any camp beds."

"Idiot," she snorted, then raised her head and gave me a brief gentle kiss on my lips.

I followed her lead and used the bathroom to get ready for bed. I hadn't expected to have company on this trip, so I changed into a fresh pair of boxers after a quick shower. I smiled when I saw her blue dress hanging on the back of the door with a pair of stockings and a strapless bra. She'd only been wearing her panties under the robe.

The bedroom was dark, only one dim light by the bed casting any illumination. Alison lay under the covers, her eyes reflecting the dim light as she watched me. I slid under the covers, and she curled up next to me, soft, warm skin pressing against me.

"Shouldn't you be wearing your Tigger pajamas if we are supposed to be camping?"

She snorted, "Good lord, you remember those."

"It's not easy to forget the first time I slept with a girl."

She gave a big smile, "I think Mum's still got that photo she took of us when we were asleep. We'd pushed the beds together and were holding hands."

She shuffled closer and rested her head on my chest. I breathed in her heavenly scent, gave her a kiss on the top of her head and wrapped an arm around her. She moved one leg, so it rested on my thigh and draped her arm across my chest, her soft breasts pressing against me.

"Goodnight, Jos," she whispered.

"Night, Ali."

I felt the tension slowly ebb from her body, and soon her steady breath indicated she was asleep. I lay there listening to her, trying to get my head around the events of the evening. Six hours previously, I hadn't a care in the world. Now I had one of the world's most recognizable women in my bed, and I have no idea what she wanted or where we were going. My eyes closed and the muted sounds of late night London was the last thing I heard.

The shrill sound of the room phone woke us in the morning. Ali tightened her grip on me as I reached for the phone.

"Mr. Thomas, its Lauren from the front desk. I have a gentleman who'd like to talk to you. Can I put him through?"

"Sure," I said sleepily. I put my hand over the mouthpiece and said to Ali. "I'm guessing this is going to be for you."

She lifted her head off my shoulder, "Can you check who it is first, and my security should call my phone."

He must have heard her, as the voice on the phone said, "Could you tell her it's David and her phone is switched off."

I passed on the message and then handed her the phone before wriggling out of bed and into the bathroom to relieve the pressure on my bladder.

When I returned, Ali had the handset tucked into her shoulder as she retrieved her phone from the table.

"The battery is dead," she was saying. "If Jos has one I'll put it on charge. Can you get Lucy to bring me some clean clothes? All I've got is what I was wearing last night."

She listened and then said, "An hour will be fine, thank you."

She passed me back the phone, and I replaced it.

Like me, she had an iPhone, so I plugged hers into my charger, and then I kissed her as she hugged me.

"Hungry?" I asked.

"Very, I never finished my dinner last night; something came up." She said with a little giggle at the end.

I called room service and ordered breakfast for us.

"We've got 30 minutes, do you want a shower or something? There's a spare toothbrush in my wash bag you can use."

"You are a lifesaver. I'd love a shower," she hesitated and then shyly asked, "Will you join me?"

I hesitated; was this what I wanted? Ali had hurt me once before, and for the life of me, I couldn't see where she was going with this. It had taken me years to get over her and did I honestly want to open that can of worms again. She took my hand and looked so eager that I lost my resolve, nodded and she led me into the bathroom. I turned on the shower, and while we waited for the water to run hot, we both cleaned our teeth. We kissed, just to check on the effectiveness of my toothpaste, you understand; it passed the kiss test!

Ali slipped off her panties, and my boxers joined them in the corner of the room. The water was just the right temperature. I looked at her beautiful body, reflecting on the differences between her now and the memory of her teenage body.

Her long wavy blonde hair piled up on top of her head. She wasn't tall, the top of her head would rest on my cheek, but I am six foot one. She was slim and elegant; her breasts were slightly too large for her body, slightly larger than I remembered, now a generous C cup tipped with a prominent pink nipple. She'd trimmed her pussy, so all that was left was a thin blonde almost translucent landing strip that highlighted her slit.

Ali moved under the stream of water, and I stepped behind her. She passed me a sponge and rested back against me as I began to wash her.

She sighed in contentment as the soapy sponge ran over her breasts. "I remember you doing this for me before Sally's 17th birthday party. I was going to give you my cherry that night, but I chickened out," she whispered as she looked up at me for a kiss. "I wish I hadn't," slipped out as our lips met.

We showered, carefully cleaning each other, unconsciously mirroring the actions of the shower as teenagers. I shivered as she soaped my unruly cock.

"Down boy," she said as he twitched under her fingers. "I'm hungry, and if we get started, I'm not going to finish before room service arrives."

I shook my head; this was going faster than I wished or was comfortable with. I pulled away and said, "We can't have that, and I don't want you to fade away."

I got out, leaving her to finish. I dried off, trying to relax and after a few moments, so did my cock. I slipped on a pair of boxers, then a comfy pair of jeans and a soft cotton shirt. Dressed, I sat on the end of the bed to watch her through the open door. She picked up her dirty pair of panties and grimacing at them, tossed them back down. She gave me a grin and raided the drawers, stealing a pair of my boxers to wear, then slipped on the robe. She brushed her long hair and used the hairdryer to dry it.

When the doorbell rang, she stepped into the bathroom and closed the door before I let the waiter in. He set up the breakfast on the table by the window and left after I signed the bill.

"He's gone," I called out.

Still wrapped in the white robe, Ali came and sat down across from me. I poured the coffee, and we started eating.

Ali paused with a fork halfway to her mouth. "I am serious about wanting to stay on your boat, I want to learn all about you, and I need tell you what has been happening to me. When did you intend to go?"

When she'd mentioned it earlier, I had assumed she'd been thinking about some time in the future, and then only in an abstract kind of way. I'd hoped that I'd go back to the boat and have time to digest everything that was happening.

"I'm going back the day after tomorrow," I admitted. "She's moored at the marina in Valencia harbor."

"Crap, I'm here for the premiere of my new film on Saturday. Would you stay an extra couple of days, so I could fly with you? You could come with me to the premiere."

I'd seen a few of those red-carpet premieres on the television, and also, I'd been to a couple of minor literary award ceremonies. I'd always felt a bit sorry for the poor partners that got dragged along, standing in the shadows being ignored by their important (at least in their minds) other halves. That wasn't my idea of a fun evening.

So I shook my head, "I don't think you want me there, I'm not in the mood to play the dutiful boyfriend."

"I don't want you to play the role; I want you to be it." She smiled and slid down to her knees in front of me. She gave me a coy glance, "As far as I am concerned, you are still my boyfriend; I don't recall ever breaking up with you, so officially we are still in a relationship. I'd like you to come as my boyfriend."

I almost had to laugh at the intensity of her statement. She got up and sat on my lap, helping herself to my bacon.

"Hmm, stolen boyfriend bacon tastes so much better," she mumbled through a full mouth. She wriggled around so that she faced me and taking my hand, slid it through the gap in the robe and placed it on her firm breast. Her nipple was hard and pressed against my palm.

She fixed her gaze on me and said after a moment's thought. "Twelve years ago I told you that you were the only person I would ever love, and apart from a few stupid blips along the way, I've kept my promise. I love you as much as I ever did and now that I've found you again I'm never letting you go."

She snuggled against me, and then sat bolt upright. "Hell, you're not married or in a relationship are you; I never thought to ask."

"No, I'm not," I said, and added with a hint of bitterness. "It took me a long time to get over you disappearing. I've had a few casual relationships over the years, but nothing serious."

She gave me a guilty look and then settled back down with a contented sigh. I sat there, trying desperately to understand what was happening to me. Was Ali serious about still being in love with me? Did I want to open myself to the possibility, and then find that this was just a passing fancy and as soon as she got bored she'd move on again?

We were still sat like that when there was a knock on the door and a female voice called out in an American accent, "Ash, its Lucy."

"Can you let her in please," Ali said as she stood up and moved out of view from the door.

The open door revealed a large man in a suit and a small dark-haired woman in her late twenties. By her side was a medium suitcase which she pulled behind her as she entered the room. The man stayed where he was, but I got the impression I'd just been accessed by a professional, and I'd no idea how I'd scored.

"I guess you're David; are you coming in?"

He gave a quick shake of his head and didn't acknowledge his name. "No, I'll stay outside the door. I'll be just there if she needs me." He pointed at an alcove a few yards along the corridor, where a couple of chairs and a table were placed. There were a couple of empty coffee cups.

I closed the door and found Ali hugging the woman. The suitcase was open on the bed and appeared to be full of clothes and a large makeup bag. The woman turned, gave me a quick glance and then seemed to dismiss me, leaving me feeling like the interloper in my own room.

Ali saw me stiffen and taking Lucy's hand she turned her to face me.

"Lucy," she said. "I want you to meet Josh; I've known him most of my life. He was my best friend since I was five and my first boyfriend. We haven't seen each other in years, and we bumped into each other last night at the restaurant."

"But weren't you there with Simon?" Lucy asked.

"You know I was; dickhead wasn't impressed when I left him to chase after Josh."

I notice that she was intentionally calling me Josh, keeping Jos for herself, in the same way, I only use Ali in private.

"Chased after him?" Lucy's voice was tinged with surprise.

"I had to; I'd hurt him years ago, Josh didn't want to talk to me. He left the restaurant as soon as he saw me and I had to follow him here.

While they were talking, Lucy had been laying out a selection of lingerie; now she looked at Ali expecting her to make a choice.

Ali looked at me, and asked in a soft pleading tone, "Will you choose for me please?" Lucy gave her a surprised look. There were three sets, and my eyes were drawn to a lacy set in blue, the color was a close match to the blue of Ali's eyes.

"That one," I indicated, and she smiled at me.

"That very pretty and now it's one of my favorites." She dropped the robe.

Lucy hissed in further surprise. "Ash, I don't think."

Ahi hushed her and then slipped off my boxers. Plucking the panties off the bed, she stepped into them and pulled them up over her hips.

"Lucy, you are more than twelve years too late to worry about Josh seeing me naked. How old were we, love?"

I had to think for a moment, "Six, we were six, and we were in the paddling pool in your garden."

"And many times after that," she added. "You are going to have to get used to seeing Josh around me because if I'm very lucky, he's going to forgive me and let me be his girlfriend again."

Lucy gave me a long appraising look, and I was sure I'd fallen short in her opinion of me.

Ali did that thing that women do when they put a bra on. Doing the clasp up around her waist then rotating it and sliding her arms through the straps. A final shimmy to settle her breasts in the cups. She had been the first woman I'd ever seen do it, and it was just as fascinating to watch now as it was then.

Lucy had her put the dressing gown back on and then sit down at the desk. She opened the makeup kit. Ali had a beautiful face, but after Lucy had finished, she was stunning.

"Is this your normal morning schedule?" I asked.

Ali laughed, "God, no, I have a live TV interview at noon; can you come with me? It would be so nice to know you're there."

"I'm sorry, Alison, I can't," I admitted, using her real name to re-enforce to Lucy that I wasn't a stranger that Ali had picked up. "I'm busy, I've got a lunch meeting with my agent today. This is the first time I've been in London for a couple of years, and she wants to me to meet up with my publisher."

Ali looked disappointed and a little guilty, "I never asked you what you do, and all I know is that you live on a boat."

"You didn't, did you? I'm a writer; mostly I write travel articles for magazines and the Sunday supplements. I've also written a few novels, some of which have sold enough to keep the wolf from the door."

Ali gave me a quizzical look, "Have you written anything I would have read?"

"I doubt it," I answered. Just in case I checked out the magazines on the desk, the usual pile of pretentious glossy travel tomes. I was lucky; the third one was a Yachting World that included an article I'd written on cruising the coastal waters of Sardinia. I showed it to her, and she sat reading while Lucy fussed with her hair.

"Is that your boat?" She showed me the photograph of me at the wheel of a catamaran under full sail on the second page of the article.

I nodded, "She is, I've been living on her for the past five years."

"It's a pretty yacht."

"She," I corrected her, "yachts are she, not it."

She grinned at me and then reminded me that I'd promised to take her out to dinner this evening.

That made me pause; I was beginning to understand that my usual approach of walking down a promising street until I found an interesting place to eat wasn't going to be an option with Ali. I had a few favorites, traditional restaurants that let me indulge in my Britishness on my rare visits back to my homeland, but I doubted that they were suitable for the woman who was Ashley Bell.

I wavered, took the easy option and immediately regretted it. "Where would you like to go?"

"I wouldn't mind finishing a meal at last night's restaurant. The meal looked nice, but there'd only just bought the starters when I saw you."

I gave her a dubious look; I wasn't sure I could get a reservation. Paul had told me the place was extremely popular and we'd only got in last night because of the last minute cancellation, and he knew the girl at the desk. To be honest, given it was where her ex had taken her, it was the last place I wanted to take her.

"I'll try, but are you ..." I started to say, but Ali interrupted me and told Lucy to organize a table for two at eight.

Lucy nodded and said she'd get it sorted. She gave me a condescending look and then smirked.

I shrugged, biting back the sharp retort I'd considered and said, "I'll see you there, then."

"No, I'll come back here, Lucy can arrange a car."

I felt like I was being steamrollered and the annoyance must have shown on my face because Ali stopped what she was doing, pulled me into the bathroom and closed the door behind us.

She drew me into a hug and kissed me "I'm sorry Jos, I know I'm pushing you faster than your comfortable with. It's just that now I've found you again, I want to do everything with you. I keep forgetting that this is all so different for you. If I want a table at any restaurant, one phone call and it's mine, I never have to queue for exclusive clubs, and... oh, you get the idea."

"Oh, I understand; you're a superstar, I'm just a guy with a boat," I said with a hint of bitterness. I rocked back on my heels as she pushed me back against the wall.

"Don't ever think that," she snapped. "I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. I made the mistake of not standing up to Mum all those years ago. I should have written to you or even phoned, and I have no idea why I never got your email. I can't believe I allowed myself to forget you. I was in a spin after seeing you, everything I'd ever felt about you came rushing back. Why do you think I came running after you?"

The emotions I'd been bottling up all morning, came surging up from the pit of my stomach. "You hurt me; I couldn't understand why you didn't get in touch. For the next few months, I only ever left the house to go to school as I was so scared I'd miss your phone call. I would make the postman check his bag every day in case he'd misplaced a letter from you."

My voice dropped to a whisper, "I don't know if I can love you that much again."

She clung to me, tears running down her face. She whispered, "You were my best friend. I was in love with you when I was ten. I broke your heart, and now I know I've never stopped loving you. Please give me another chance."

"Then you need to stop trying to organize me. I invited you to dinner, and now I feel like a bit player in one of your films. The last fucking place I want to eat at is that pretentious place again." I swallowed and then sat down on the edge of the tub.

She gave me an anguished look. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take over." She tried to sit down beside me, but I caught her arm and pulled her onto my lap. She struggled for a moment before relaxing and wrapping her arm around my neck. She said in a soft voice, "I'd like to come back here after the interview if you want me to?"

I said yes, and she continued. "When you get back you can decide what we are going to do. I don't care what it as long as I get to do it with you."

She gave a shiver and stood up. She smiled at me and trailed the back of her fingers along the curve of my neck. "Now, I need to get Lucy to repair the damage to my makeup and choose a suitable dress for my interview. She'll be getting antsy; she hates it when I interfere with her planning."