The Reply.

Three times I started to write a reply, but deleted all three. I went for the easy option and typed "I'm good thanks, how are you?". Feeble I know, but I needed to sleep. I turned my phone onto silent and relaxed back into my pillow once again and drifted off.

11:30 am. Said my alarm clock. New Year's Day I thought to myself. Then my phone rang, it was my boyfriend. "You up?" He said enthusiastically. A kurt "no" was my answer. "Il be at yours in five minutes" he replied.

I got up, got half way down the stairs before I remembered I was naked, turned around and went back and got my dressing gown. I unlocked the door then went and put the kettle on.

Two minutes later the door knocked and opened at the same time my phone pinged. Straight away I knew it was a message from Martin Webster. I could feel my face burning up as I was stood there like a rabbit in headlights staring straight at my boyfriend. "Are you gonna read that?" He asked. "Maybe later, it's probably just some delayed new year message." I replied.

The terrible feeling of guilt I had could not be justified, I'd done nothing wrong, just replied politely to a stranger asking if I was ok. The clinking of cups being removed from the cupboard brought me out of my daydream, "tea or coffee?" He asked.

"Coffee, you know I always have coffee as soon as I get up". I replied.

"Hmmm, true" he replied, deep in thought he was, as he turned and brought my coffee to me. I was sat on the edge of the kitchen counter as he approached me. He stood in front of me and slipped the tie loose on my dressing gown and started to role my nipple between his thumb and finger, the whole time staring at me intensely. I felt like he already knew about my message and that he could sense I was on edge. I closed my eyes and kissed him, as his fingers slipped down my chest and danced lightly over my stomach and then they were inside me, gently massaging in and out as his thumb glided slowly over my clit. I started to get hot, my cheeks flushed and then the tightening in my lower stomach. I came. "Good girl" was his response.

"Good girl? What the fuck?" I replied, jumping down from my kitchen work top to go and take a shower. Leaving him to think about my reaction. Once in the bathroom I locked the door, not something I usually do, but I was pissed off with what he'd said. Good girl, what the actual fuck, who does he think he is some super stud. To be fair to him the sex and foreplay was always good, but it was the needy, clingy, possessive, trying to dominate behaviour that was really starting to annoy me, suffocate me, I needed some space but he could never accept that without it causing an argument. I dressed in my riding clothes still feeling somewhat irritated and ready for an argument.

"Where are you going?" He asked, surprised to see me in my riding gear. "To ride my horse!"

The look on his face was enough, he was not happy. "But I thought we could go get some lunch and then go for a drive and take the dog for a walk, I've made a flask of coffee."

The pining in his voice made me want to vomit. Take the dog for a walk, for fuck sake shes my fucking dog I thought to myself!

"I've made plans to ride and my dog is coming with me too."

"Oh, well do you want to take the flask with you?" He asked.

"Not really" I replied. Here is where I know he is genuinely trying to be nice, but there's only too much nice I could take, fed up of the over protective, molly coddling behaviour which was becoming unbearable lately, almost controlling, I snapped.

"I just want some space, I'm on holiday, I want to spend some quality time with my horse, I'm going for a very long hack!"

"Oh I see, and just how much space do you want, a couple of days, a week or a month?" He replied.

And there it was, mr bitter jealous guy popped out again.

"A year or two would be nice, now fuck off, I'm going out" and he left.

I rode my horse for a few hours, cleared my head and returned to the stables. Made myself a coffee and sat smoking a cigarette . I checked my phone and realised I'd completely forgot about my unread message. I opened it.

"What you up too?" It said.

" riding my horse" I replied. No sooner had I sent it I had received a reply back. He must be sat there waiting for me to message back.

"How about you get off your horse and come ride me?" He wrote.

Wow!! This guy doesn't beat around the bush. Then another message came through. "Meet me."

I didn't even know this guy.

"I don't even know you". I replied

"Well you won't if you don't meet me" was his answer

"True! But I think il pass on that thanks" I replied.

He sent a thumbs up emoji back.

I switched off my phone, lit another cigarette, put my feet up and sat there laughing to myself.