something. I just think it’s best that you be on the lookout, that’s all. Probably just for a few days, while she’s in town. And if you’re worried about her at all, if she approaches you or anything, please let me know immediately, okay?’
Chloe said gently, ‘Thanks, Tom. But I’m sure I can take care of myself.’
He ran a hand through his hair. ‘See, there I go again. Sounding patronising. Of course you can take care of yourself. I didn’t mean to suggest you needed me to come riding to the rescue.’
‘I know what you meant. And thanks again. Advice noted.’
The conversation seemed to come to a natural end there. Chloe finished her coffee and stood.
‘Long day. You for one look like you could do with some rest.’
He rose with her and came round the table. ‘Chloe, I really appreciate what you’ve done today. Both picking Kelly up and… well, and being there to listen.’ He reached out a hand, and Chloe took it.
Whether Tom drew her towards him or whether it was Chloe herself who stepped nearer, she couldn’t for the life of her remember afterwards. But in the next instant she was at him, up close, their torsos not quite touching, her hand gripping his elbow and his on her upper arm. She stared up at his eyes, their blue in contrast to his unruly hair, and was fascinated to see that his pupils were dilated, crowding out the irises. Between them she felt the tingle of near contact.
They said nothing, studying one another’s faces. Her gaze slipped to his mouth, the faintest ghost of a smile settled there in what she’d come to recognise as his resting expression. His cheeks, his neck, were lightly shadowed with stubble. She noticed that his nostrils flared slightly, as if his breathing were quickening.
Once again it was uncertain who moved first, but she found herself pressed against him, the heat of their chests combining into something more intense than the sum of its parts. Her arms twined around Tom’s neck as his slipped about her waist and tightened deliciously, drawing her hips closer so that her loins pushed against his. His mouth descended on hers as she raised her face to meet his and their lips joined, their tongues probing. The heat between them flooded through her, and she felt the pressure of his chest against her breasts tease her nipples into hardness through the fabric of her bra and sweater. And against her lower belly she sensed the nudging of his own arousal through his trousers.
Tom broke free from the kiss and she felt his breath hot against her hair, her ear, before his teeth nipped at her earlobe and his tongue teased it exquisitely. She titled her pelvis so that it pressed even more tightly against his groin and he groaned, low and guttural, in her ear. Chloe became aware that her own breath was coming in little gasps as she buried her mouth against his neck.
And, from a distant part of her that retained a semblance of control, she heard a small voice saying: No. Stop .
‘No,’ she murmured out loud, surprising herself.
Tom drew back, still holding her, looking into her face. He was flushed, his eyelids heavy. ‘Why?’
‘No,’ she said again, more clearly this time.
‘Don’t you want to?’
‘It’s just –’ Her words came thickly, as if she’d lost the power of speech and was having to relearn it.
‘If you’re worried Kelly will walk in, we can go in the –’
‘No, Tom. I can’t.’
‘Can’t, or won’t?’ His tone was soft.
Flustered, Chloe stepped away from him, ran her hands over her face, straightened her clothes. She felt dizzy, disorientated. Her heart was hammering and for a moment she didn’t trust her legs to support her.
Somehow she managed to look Tom in the face. The desire was still there in his eyes, but it was dwindling under the fog of resignation.
‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered. ‘I have to go.’
‘Chloe –’
She held up a vague hand, didn’t look back but walked quickly to the door and let herself out.
Chloe said gently, ‘Thanks, Tom. But I’m sure I can take care of myself.’
He ran a hand through his hair. ‘See, there I go again. Sounding patronising. Of course you can take care of yourself. I didn’t mean to suggest you needed me to come riding to the rescue.’
‘I know what you meant. And thanks again. Advice noted.’
The conversation seemed to come to a natural end there. Chloe finished her coffee and stood.
‘Long day. You for one look like you could do with some rest.’
He rose with her and came round the table. ‘Chloe, I really appreciate what you’ve done today. Both picking Kelly up and… well, and being there to listen.’ He reached out a hand, and Chloe took it.
Whether Tom drew her towards him or whether it was Chloe herself who stepped nearer, she couldn’t for the life of her remember afterwards. But in the next instant she was at him, up close, their torsos not quite touching, her hand gripping his elbow and his on her upper arm. She stared up at his eyes, their blue in contrast to his unruly hair, and was fascinated to see that his pupils were dilated, crowding out the irises. Between them she felt the tingle of near contact.
They said nothing, studying one another’s faces. Her gaze slipped to his mouth, the faintest ghost of a smile settled there in what she’d come to recognise as his resting expression. His cheeks, his neck, were lightly shadowed with stubble. She noticed that his nostrils flared slightly, as if his breathing were quickening.
Once again it was uncertain who moved first, but she found herself pressed against him, the heat of their chests combining into something more intense than the sum of its parts. Her arms twined around Tom’s neck as his slipped about her waist and tightened deliciously, drawing her hips closer so that her loins pushed against his. His mouth descended on hers as she raised her face to meet his and their lips joined, their tongues probing. The heat between them flooded through her, and she felt the pressure of his chest against her breasts tease her nipples into hardness through the fabric of her bra and sweater. And against her lower belly she sensed the nudging of his own arousal through his trousers.
Tom broke free from the kiss and she felt his breath hot against her hair, her ear, before his teeth nipped at her earlobe and his tongue teased it exquisitely. She titled her pelvis so that it pressed even more tightly against his groin and he groaned, low and guttural, in her ear. Chloe became aware that her own breath was coming in little gasps as she buried her mouth against his neck.
And, from a distant part of her that retained a semblance of control, she heard a small voice saying: No. Stop .
‘No,’ she murmured out loud, surprising herself.
Tom drew back, still holding her, looking into her face. He was flushed, his eyelids heavy. ‘Why?’
‘No,’ she said again, more clearly this time.
‘Don’t you want to?’
‘It’s just –’ Her words came thickly, as if she’d lost the power of speech and was having to relearn it.
‘If you’re worried Kelly will walk in, we can go in the –’
‘No, Tom. I can’t.’
‘Can’t, or won’t?’ His tone was soft.
Flustered, Chloe stepped away from him, ran her hands over her face, straightened her clothes. She felt dizzy, disorientated. Her heart was hammering and for a moment she didn’t trust her legs to support her.
Somehow she managed to look Tom in the face. The desire was still there in his eyes, but it was dwindling under the fog of resignation.
‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered. ‘I have to go.’
‘Chloe –’
She held up a vague hand, didn’t look back but walked quickly to the door and let herself out.
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