Read FATED for Free Online Page A

about how comfortable he had made me feel, our similar taste in music. But I saved the wonderfully low-slung, grey shorts until last.
    ‘Here.’ I reached out to take the very large glass of wine she was passing my way. Listening to her as she started to sing along with Pink’s U and UR hand , I had playing.
    ‘Can I smell beef stew? I do hope I wasn’t imagining it.  I have had a shit day at work, only made better by the fact I was coming home to you. Beef stew would erase the bloody day completely,’ she expelled a deep sigh, kicked off her heels and sank down onto the raspberry coloured, floral armchair, placed in the corner of my bathroom.
    ‘So tell me, do you fancy the lovely Nathan? If you do, we so need a plan... I know how long it’s been since Luke.’
    ‘I don’t know Bella, he’s gorgeous, but I’m not like you... as you know I have only ever been with Luke and I don’t find this whole relationship thing very easy at all.’
    ‘Bloody hell! That’s the problem right there,’ she sat up quick, as if to emphasise what she was saying, ‘who was talking about a relationship, Frankie. You just need to be screwed by a man who knows what he’s doing. Unlike the excuse for a man, Puke.’
    Laughing at her nickname for Luke, I started to fidget in the bath, realising that the temperature of the water was dropping, or was it because the temperature of my body had risen with the embarrassment of being told I needed to be screwed?  Bella passed me my bathrobe, leant down and retrieved her heels, ‘How long until dinner?’
    ‘Oh give me fifteen minutes,’ I answered.

    I spent ten minutes drying and creaming my body. My long hair, I brushed through and left to dry naturally. It would mean it would be wavy, but I could tame it tomorrow before I went to Nathan’s next appointment. I quickly put on my very comfortable fleecy PJs. Walking to the kitchen, humming and feeling the under floor heating beneath my bare feet. I proceeded to fill two big bowls of stew; cut up some crusty bread and took my offerings out to the sitting area. ‘Here you go,’ I took a look around the room unable to find Bella. Sitting down I picked up the TV remote and switched it on, looking for a chick flick to share. Filling my mouth with the delicious goodness and smacking my lips together for effect, I suddenly heard a deep baritone voice behind me.
    ‘Mmmm... smells damn good, do you have another bowl you could share with your poor neighbour?’ the resonating voice came from behind me.
    I closed my eyes instinctively. ‘I’m not really dressed for company.’
    ‘Get over yourself!’ shouted Bella.
    ‘Help the guy out, his overbearing brother got rid of the very lovely Candy today,’ well that came out subtly sarcastic, but that thankfully only I would recognise, ‘and she was going to make him dinner, too. As she was got rid of, so not to embarrass you, I think we owe him some English stew.’ 
    I checked out the masculine presence in the room, he was wearing old, faded jeans and an even older T-shirt, stretched out magnificently across his chest, but surprisingly nothing on his feet.
    ‘Of course, I’ll get you some, sorry I was just a bit concerned about my rather scruffy attire,’ I smiled at him then, and slowly he hobbled around to sit down. 
    ‘Ignore her, Nathan, what she really means is, she doesn’t want you to see her in what she normally wears to bed.’ I narrowed my eyes at Bella as she sat down next to Nathan and laughed, openly checking out the magnificent specimen that was Nathan Blackmore.
    ‘But, Bella, I sleep naked,’ I retorted, thinking two could play at this game.
    ‘Ladies, lovely as the conversation is, I am a red blooded male and I really need... some food, pretty please. Now what are we watching tonight then?’ Shaking my head, I left for the kitchen to fill another bowl, for the rather gorgeous male sitting in my new apartment in New York.
    I should pinch myself.
    The three of us