Short Stack - Lily Morton Page 0,81

to untangle my jeans. “What?” I ask.

He smiles affectionately. “If I forget to tell you later how happy you make me, will you remind me?”

I swallow hard. “I’ll remember.”

He nods simply and bends to find his shirt amongst the heap of clothing. I’ve learnt that about my Oz. He can level you with the simplicity and honesty of his love, but he never drags it out. He tells you plainly and moves on. It’s a fresh and open way of loving that I’ve never experienced before.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to fuck, though,” he says mournfully. “Especially as you came home early for it.”

“I didn’t come home early for that,” I start to say and then jerk as the fire alarm shrills seemingly from beside my fucking ear.

“Oh, my God,” Oz exclaims. “The house is on fire.”

Worry seizes me. The fucking house. Then I look at Oz’s face and breathe in.

“Don’t panic,” I say and then pause. “But maybe get dressed quickly.”

He nods and flings his shirt on, rooting around for his shoes. I’ve just put one leg in my jeans when there’s the sound of running footsteps and someone bangs loudly on the door.

“Get fucking dressed, you pair of degenerates,” comes Niall’s voice. It startles me, and I miss putting my foot in the other leg. Caught off balance, I teeter and crash to the floor. My head rebounds off a table and sparks ping across my vision.

“Fuck!” I groan.

Oz drops to his knees beside me. “Oh, my God. A ghrá geal. Are you okay, sweetheart?”

I shake my head, regretting it as pain crashes through my skull. “Oh, God, that hurts.”

He looks wildly around. “Come on,” he urges. “We need to get outside. Let me help you.”

I obey his urging and bring myself to my feet, adrenaline making me move. I zip my jeans and stamp into my shoes as he buttons my shirt for me. When I’m done, he grabs my hand and pulls me out through the French windows.

I look around anxiously now that Oz is safe. “Come on,” I urge. “We need to go round to the assembly point and make sure Boris and Chewwy are out.”

Holding tight to his hand, I pull him along, shepherding some stragglers who have paused in the knot garden to admire the lavender. All the while, I’m frantically checking the house for any sign of smoke. I can’t bear the idea of my home being damaged.

We round the corner and Niall comes rushing up. “Where are the dogs?” I ask anxiously but before he can speak a huge shape bangs into Oz, nearly knocking him over.

“Chewwy,” he exclaims, bending so the dog can give him wet kisses.

I put out my hand to Boris, who is dancing around me. “What’s happening?” I demand.

Niall puts his hand up. “It’s all fine,” he says quickly.

“Where’s the fire?” I say wildly.

He grabs my shoulders. “There is no fire. An old lady lit a cigarette in the toilet, and it set off the alarm.”

Relief makes me sag slightly, and Oz slides his arm around my back. Then he stiffens.

“Wait. Did you ring the fire brigade and tell them that it’s okay?”

Niall looks bewildered. “No. Why?”

Oz shakes his head. “Shit. You weren’t at the staff meeting when they rang and announced that the emergency link was up. If a fire alarm goes off, the fire engine and an ambulance will be here in—” An ambulance and a fire engine screech into the forecourt. Oz grimaces. “Five minutes,” he finishes lamely. “Shit!”

Niall nods. “Okay, I’ll go and tell them they’re not needed, if you can get the people organised.”

I nod and then grunt as the pain spreads down the back of my skull.

“On second thoughts,” Oz says sharply. “Tell the ambulance to stay. Silas hit his head really hard. I want him checked out.”

“Oh, no,” I protest. “God, that’s so embarrassing.”

“It’s either here or Casualty later on,” Oz says sternly. “Don’t fuck with me, Silas. Your head made a terrible sound.”

“Must have been his brains rattling around,” Niall says. “What with all that stripping off and fucking in a public area.”

“Who told you?” I groan.

“June,” he says cheerfully. “I must say, Silas. I wouldn’t want to be you when you have your little chat with her later on.” He laughs and strides off to intercept the fire engine.

Oz leans in. “Put it this way,” he whispers conspiratorially. “If you go and get in the ambulance, June can’t talk to you there.”

I brighten. “Really?”

He nods. “As a gesture