Chapter 1 - that old spark

“Hey Adam!” Holly smiled slouching against the wall and giving her typically beautiful smile. “Long time no see!”

Adam inhaled sharply. Of all the people he had expected to see at this house-warming party, his ex-girlfriend from college was certainly not one of them. “Holly!” he smiled, trying to mask the spectrum of emotions he felt at this reunion. “How are you doing?” he asked, leaning in for a hug.

“I’m doing great, thanks,” Holly smiled, sweeping her long blonde hair off her shoulder. She seemed to puff up her chest and stand with a slightly improved posture, reminding Adam of just how attractive she was.

“Are you still playing tennis?” Adam asked with interest. It was all Holly used to talk about when they were dating. Her family had believed that Holly was going to go on to be the next great sports star.

“No,” Holly replied, shaking her head. “Too much competition for that,” she stated with resignation in her voice. “In the end, you just have to accept that, playing professionally, it’s never going to happen.”

Adam wished he hadn’t brought it up. It had been well over four years since they had seen each other, and already he had stuck his big foot in it. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he offered awkwardly.

“Don’t be,” Holly smiled. “It was more my mom’s dream than it ever was mine. I’m sure you can imagine what she said when I told her I was giving up and getting a regular job instead,” she chuckled.

Adam winced and inhaled sharply. Holly’s mother had been rather intense when they had dated, and she definitely hadn’t liked her girl being distracted from training by having a boyfriend. “I can imagine that it was a pretty tough conversation!” Adam nodded, deliberately understating the point. He looked at his ex with a familiar smile, remembering the good times they had had. Holly was petite and toned; 5’2 and sturdy with athletic muscle. Now that she wasn’t distracted by her family’s ambitions, she probably had a new guy in her bed each and every night. Or, at least, she could have done that if she wanted.

“So what about you?” Holly smiled, walking out into the garden and getting Adam to follow her so that they could talk more privately. “How are things with you?"

Adam opened his mouth, unsure how he was going to respond. He’d done plenty of things in the time since they had been together, but he doubted that Holly would want to hear about any of it. “Um, well…” he mumbled, desperately trying to piece together some sort of sentence that would sum up his life since they had broken up.

“You look amazing by the way…” Holly jumped in, grinning flirtatiously. “I just thought that you should know that.”

Butterflies filled Adam’s stomach. It was as if he had suddenly been transported back five years into the past when they had first got together. “Thanks…” he smiled, raising his beer. “You’re not looking too bad yourself…”

“I may have stalked your internet profile a little bit in the last few years,” Holly smiled, with a little embarrassment. “I can’t say I haven’t had regrets over the years,” she whispered sheepishly.

Adam laughed, surprised that Holly was bringing up this ancient history. “You mean the fact that you dumped me?” he laughed. It had hurt like hell at the time, but he had had so many great sexual experiences since then, it really had been for the best. Plus it had meant that he hadn’t had to put up with Holly’s overbearing mother. “Trust me,” he laughed again. “It all worked out well.”

“Maybe I could make it up to you some time?” Holly smiled, lifting her hand and brushing Adam’s arm flirtatiously.

“Maybe you could…” Adam grinned back, surprised at how aroused he felt from his ex-girlfriend’s touch.