I realised after I posted Flowers. Anyway, here with go with GTN - there's a fair bit of artistic licence going on but a girl's gotta have her fun, right?
6 weeks later?
The thirty-first of December dawned bright, cold and clear. The modern glass high rises and the centuries old architecture of London looked as though they had been sprinkled with diamond dust as the early morning sun highlighted the frosty streets and rooftops.
Guy dragged himself, naked, from a fitful nights sleep and hauled his weary body into the shower. As the hot, soapy water cascaded down his body the adrenaline began pumping through his veins. Today was the day he?d been waiting for ? but would Cassie feel the same way?
Guy shaved and dressed carefully, choosing a black suit and deep blue shirt, left open at the neck. He threw on his winter coat and black, leather gloves and headed out into the already bustling streets.
By the time he arrived at Claridges, Guy had managed to pull himself together, but as he entered the Reading Room, his composure almost fell apart completely.
Sitting in the farthest corner of the room, engrossed in the day?s broadsheets, was Cassie. Guy stopped in his tracks and took in her caramel coloured curls, and the leather kilt she was wearing; complete with knee high stiletto boots and a fitted cashmere jumper. He wanted to assume that as she had turned up, it was a good sign, but he knew better than to take her for granted. Just then she looked up, saw him across the room, smiled and waved.
In a couple of strides he arrived at the table. They looked at one another, neither of them quite sure how to break the ice, until they both spoke simultaneously.
?You?re here??
?You came??
They laughed, then Guy reached out and tenderly stroked an errant curl off of Cassie?s cheek and tucked it behind her ear, ?You didn?t really think I wouldn?t turn up, did you,? he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion as his thumb trailed across her soft, flushed cheek.
Cassie shrugged, ?I didn?t exactly make it easy for you, did I?? she replied, ?You might not have been the kind of man who liked a challenge.?
?You?re worth it,? he grinned. Then his expression clouded over, ?Although?? he paused. Cassie would either be impressed with his honesty, or horrified that he?d taken her at her word. He took a deep breath, he knew their relationship could no more move forward now if he didn?t tell her, than it could have done while she was away.
?Remember, before you left, you told me you?d heard I had a ?reputation? and to get anything I needed to out of my system before we saw each other again??
Cassie nodded silently.
?I?there were a few occasions when I?did,? Guy couldn?t meet her eye as he spoke.
Cassie sat down silently and poured a cup of coffee from the cafetiere on the table. Guy knew she normally took her coffee white and without sugar, and as he watched her spooning sugar into the cup and beginning to drink it?s contents black, he had a horrible feeling he?d just made the biggest mistake of his life.