Easy As Falling Off A Bike,
by Angharad,
part 9.

Eventually the shenanigans on the floor stopped, Stella helped me to my knees and then to my feet. I felt extremely stupid and embarrassed and was blushing like a stop light. Simon still lay on the floor convulsed with laughter, Stella was also chuckling. She looked at me seriously for a moment and said, "Now you've lain with him you'll have to marry him." This brought a further fit of guffaws from the floor and she dissolved into giggles at her own joke.

Sadly, I didn't find it very funny just managing another pulse of blushing. I was so embarrassed, I didn't know where to look, certainly not at Simon, who was still prone and laughing. He was wiping his eyes where the tears of laughter had flowed. I had tears in my eyes too, but not of laughter. I wished I had a car, I could have gone home, but a broken bike and high heeled boots - no way, nor could I afford a taxi. I was therefore stuck with my two hosts until one or other took me home.

I walked away and sat down, I'd helped myself to a couple of tissues from Stella's bedroom and I dabbed at my eyes and wiped my nose. Simon stood up at last, he noticed me weeping and came over too me.

"Hey beautiful, don't cry," he said holding on to both my wrists.

"I feel so stuuuuuuuuuuupid," I wailed, I could cry as well as any natural woman.

"It was an accident, nobody's hurt and no damage has been done." He patted me on the shoulder, "Come on, dry those tears."

"I feel such a foooooooool!" I said before blowing my nose. I expected the mascara to be all down my face by now.

"Honestly, you're not. Well you can't be, you're doing a master's, so dry those eyes and tidy yourself up, I'll go and shower and change and we'll all go out for dinner."

"I can't go out for dinner," I wailed, the tears flowing again, "I haven't got any money with me."

"You're my guest, my treat," he smiled at me, "Come on girl, calm down before you get hiccups." How did he know that?

He rose and went to shower, Stella came over to me, "I'm sorry we laughed, but it was so funny. we weren't laughing at you, just the silliness of the situation."

"I found it embarrassing, not at all funny."

"You certainly made an impact on Simon," she said smiling.

"Yes quite literally," I said almost absent-mindedly, thinking, she'll be wanting to kill me messing about with her fiance. "It was an accident, I wouldn't want you to get the wrong idea," I said trying to avoid any jealous reaction.

"Wrong idea?" she looked puzzled.

"Well he is your fiance," I said expressing my surmise.

"Fiance?" she said loudly, "Good Lord no, he's my brother."

"Oh! But I thought you said about a fiance and I thought it must be him and now I've made an even bigger fool of myself and wish I was dead..."

"Cathy, stop!" she said loudly enough to halt my monologue.

"What?" I looked at her in surprise.

"You don't have to make apologies or justify anything, okay? Nobody thinks you're stupid, it was an accident, we had a laugh and now it's finished, okay?"

"But I..."

"No, stop, stop right there. It's finished now let's get your make up sorted and I'll lend you a coat or jacket and we'll go for something to eat, after which Simon can take you home."

"What about my bike?"

"We can put that in the boot, he's got a big Volvo thing."

"But I don't have any money with me," I protested.

"He's already answered that, he's taking us out for dinner and don't worry he's not short of a bob or two."

"But I like to pay my own way," I protested and it was true. I didn't want to be indebted to anyone, least of all strangers.

"You're too emancipated girl, you've got to learn how to make use of your looks. Men are all putty in the hands of a pretty girl."

"But I'm not, am I?" I felt embarrassed by the charade I was being almost forced to play.

"He doesn't know that and what his eyes don't see his heart won't grieve over."

"But I'm deceiving him," I complained.

"Only with the bit between your legs, otherwise you're all girl."

"I don't know if I can do this?" I said feeling very frightened.

"If you don't then he'll want to know why."

"Maybe I should tell him."

"Why? Why spoil his evening? Once we sort out the damage to your bike.."

"But you said you weren't insured," I was more confused than ever.

"I am, but not on my own policy, it's all done through Simon, it's his car. That's why I couldn't do anything until he came in, he's got all the paperwork."

"Oh!" I leant back in the chair and the relief felt palpable, at least it looked as if my bike would be sorted.

"Better now?" Stella stood beside me, her head crooked at an angle.

"A bit," I confessed, "but I'm terrified about going out in public like this."

"No worries, once we get your face cleaned up, no one will know anything other than you're a pretty young thing."

"But what if they do?"

"How will they, unless you go in the gents loo or something."

"But I've never been out in public like this before." It wasn't strictly true, but Stella didn't know it.

"Well it's about bloody time you did then, so get upstairs and I'll help you sort your face."

Stella was not going to brook any dissent from me and she practically frog-marched me up the stairs and redid my make up. Then while I was sat on the chair in her bedroom, she began stripping off. I felt my eyes widen and my mouth open. "Do you want me to leave?" I offered, although I didn't want to go.

"Don't be silly, girls watch each other change all the time. No you can stay and talk to me."

I watched as she disrobed to her bra and panties, she sorted through her wardrobe and pulled out a navy blue dress which fitted her like a glove. She had a splendid figure, especially compared to mine. "You look lovely," I told her.

"Why thank you Cathy, you look pretty good yourself."

"Only because of your skills," I threw back.

"Nuh uh," she protested, "I only enhanced what was there, the raw material is good. Here have a squirt," she handed me a bottle of Opium eau de toilette.

"Oh, I like that," I said smelling my wrists.

"And a bit down your cleavage," she said pointing at my chest, "It'll get Simon going, he loves it."

"Oh," I blushed, not sure if I wanted to get him going or anybody else for that matter,

"You two ready yet?" called Simon from downstairs.

"Nearly," replied Stella, "Come on, let's find you a jacket and a bag," with that she scoured her wardrobe for the required items.