Through the Glass by Lisa J. Hobman Page B

into him and kissed her again. “Goodnight beautiful and talented, Flick,” he whispered placing one last kiss on her nose.
    “Goodnight…handsome and sweet, Jim.” The heat in her cheeks rose again. She closed her door after him and then collapsed on her bed with a huge sigh of contentment and a smile as wide as the Thames on her face. She had a pretty good idea what she was going to dream of that night.
     
    ~~~~~
     
    As Jim walked, he couldn’t help grinning like the Cheshire cat. Checking that no one was watching, he did a little happy dance in the middle of the road, only to be caught by a group of Fresher’s walking around the corner. He covered his eyes with his hands. Great . They whistled and cheered as they passed him.
    “Oh, fuckity shit! I’ll never live that one down.” He sniggered aloud to himself.
     
    ~~~~~
     
    Work at university was harder than she had imagined, but for the next few weeks after that initial date they spent every possible minute together. Their friendship had deepened and their relationship was secure and special but not yet intimate. They were part of a large group of friends and all socialised together (mostly when they were supposed to be studying).
    Matthew caught up with Flick and Jim as they walked back to halls. “You guys up for a club on Friday night? We’re thinking of heading into Oxford to the tastefully named Razzles !” He sniggered. Jim walked along with his arm loosely draped around Flick’s shoulders. He looked for her acquiescence and she nodded.
    “Sounds like good craic, Matty. Aye. Reckon we could make one in!” Jim kissed the top of Flick’s head.
    Flick smiled at Jim’s loving gesture. He had been the perfect gentleman since that first kiss. Never expecting too much of her. They spent a lot of time alone but things never progressed beyond kissing, albeit passionate. He had only touched her breast once, but she had recoiled at the sensation and he had apologised profusely for pushing her too quickly. He hadn’t done it since. She regretted that incident so much. She’d never been touched in that way before and it had taken her breath away, but she had liked it and mentally kicked herself for her immature reaction. She was an adult now, for goodness sake, but thanks to the beady eye of her mother she had never got past first base with a guy. And by definition even first base was a little iffy. She was ready to change all that now. She just needed to find a way to convince Jim.
     
    ~~~~~
     
    Friday night came around, and Flick and Polly were getting ready in Flick’s room. Polly was Flick’s best female friend at University, Jim being the obvious male candidate in that department. Polly was really sweet and quite shy too. Her long, fiery red curls cascaded down her back. She used them as a veil, too, hiding behind them most of the time.
    “Flick, can I tell you a secret?” Polly took a swig from the bottle of wine she had been glugging for Dutch courage. Flick pulled on a long tie-dyed skirt, camisole, and lace top as she listened to her friend.
    “Of course you can, Pol. I won’t tell.” Flick grabbed the bottle and took her own gulp of courage. She needed it for what she had planned.
    “Ahem…erm…I have a massive crush on someone.” She blushed beetroot red at the admission and slapped her hand over her mouth.
    “ Really ?” Flick was intrigued now and dropped to her knees before her friend. “Who? Tellmetellmetellmeeeee!” Flick patted her leg as if trying to slap the info out of her.
    “Matty,” she blurted. “He is so gorgeous. I love the way he swipes his hair back off his face and pushes his glasses up his nose with his finger… And his hands…oh what I’d like him to do with those hands.”
    “ Polly! ” Flick burst out laughing at her friend’s brazen wantonness. The two girls fell about in fits of almost hysterical laughter. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and they froze. Their laughter ceased.
    “Oh shit!