of this. You
can’t begin to imagine how grateful we both are. I want to thank you. ‘
He slid his hand across the table and placed it on
top of mine.
‘My mum really likes you,’ he said. ‘And she’s tough
to please.’
‘I really like her too.’
I was conscious of his hand still on mine. And,
almost imperceptibly, I felt his thumb stroke the back of my hand. Did I really
feel it? Or did I imagine it? But there it was again, I could definitely feel
his thumb move across my skin, gently caressing it. My pulse quickened, and I
was afraid to move in case he stopped.
We sat in silence a little longer; he continued
stroking my hand, and I sat there, blissfully enjoying the sensations of
pleasure it sent shooting right through my body.
‘We should get to bed.’
He stood up, suddenly, and I felt like I was in a
daze. I hauled myself to my feet, and followed him inside. We climbed the
stairs, and stood outside my door.
‘Thanks again, Alice.’
He bent down. I turned my head, delighted I would be
getting another kiss on the cheek, but suddenly, his hand took my face gently
and turned it to face him. His lips touched mine, their soft warmth gentle but
firm against me. I relaxed into his kiss, and felt the tip of his tongue trace
my lips lazily. The intensity deepened, he pulled me closer to him, and I could
feel his body reacting to me. Mine was reacting to him, too. Suddenly he pulled
away.
‘God I’m sorry, Alice. That was really
inappropriate.’
He was breathing hard.
‘It’s ok,’ I said, out of breath myself.
‘No, it’s not. I’m your boss and that was…’ He ran
his fingers through his hair. ‘It was amazing,’ he admitted, ‘but we can’t.
It’s not right. We can’t go any further. This was a mistake.’
He stepped back and I felt cold. I didn’t know what
to say. I felt as if a huge wave of disappointment had washed over me, leaving
me soaked to the skin.
‘Goodnight, Matt.’ I said, and closed the door in
his face.
Chapter sixteen
I booked my flight home the next day. There was no
reason for me to stay anymore, I reasoned. The funeral was over and I’d done
what I’d come here to do. I couldn’t face seeing Matt after what had happened
the night before, and knowing that it meant nothing and would go no further.
Annie begged me to stay for a few days longer, saying
I should enjoy the weather and maybe Matt could take me on some day trips. I
insisted politely but firmly that I couldn’t possibly and I had to get back.
Matt avoided the topic, saying only he would drive
me to the airport. I declined, saying I would get a taxi. Annie was horrified,
but she seemed to sense that something had shifted in the relationship between
myself and her son and, to my relief, she didn’t push it.
She hugged me when I left and said she hoped she
would see me again. I doubted it. Especially not when she found out who I really
was. I felt sad at that – despite my sadness at Matt’s rejection of me, I still
didn’t feel like I could hurt him. And now hurting him felt like hurting Annie.
How could I do that when she’d been so kind and suffered so much?
I arrived back home late in the evening, exhausted
and still feeling upset.
I checked my phone and found another barrage of
texts from Jen, as well as several ranting emails from Barry, but I couldn’t
face dealing with them. They would keep. In Barry’s case, I wished they would keep
forever.
I climbed into bed fully clothed and fell asleep
with the light still on.
I was back at Westwall IT Solutions the next day,
after picking up my car from Matt’s driveway. I had a job to do. Well, I had
two jobs to do, actually, but even the crushing blow of Spain hadn’t made me any
more determined to do what I had set out to do. I reflected that Jen had been
right, I had let my feelings get in the way of my career, and they weren’t even
reciprocated feelings. And now I had met his mum and I didn’t think I could
face writing
can’t begin to imagine how grateful we both are. I want to thank you. ‘
He slid his hand across the table and placed it on
top of mine.
‘My mum really likes you,’ he said. ‘And she’s tough
to please.’
‘I really like her too.’
I was conscious of his hand still on mine. And,
almost imperceptibly, I felt his thumb stroke the back of my hand. Did I really
feel it? Or did I imagine it? But there it was again, I could definitely feel
his thumb move across my skin, gently caressing it. My pulse quickened, and I
was afraid to move in case he stopped.
We sat in silence a little longer; he continued
stroking my hand, and I sat there, blissfully enjoying the sensations of
pleasure it sent shooting right through my body.
‘We should get to bed.’
He stood up, suddenly, and I felt like I was in a
daze. I hauled myself to my feet, and followed him inside. We climbed the
stairs, and stood outside my door.
‘Thanks again, Alice.’
He bent down. I turned my head, delighted I would be
getting another kiss on the cheek, but suddenly, his hand took my face gently
and turned it to face him. His lips touched mine, their soft warmth gentle but
firm against me. I relaxed into his kiss, and felt the tip of his tongue trace
my lips lazily. The intensity deepened, he pulled me closer to him, and I could
feel his body reacting to me. Mine was reacting to him, too. Suddenly he pulled
away.
‘God I’m sorry, Alice. That was really
inappropriate.’
He was breathing hard.
‘It’s ok,’ I said, out of breath myself.
‘No, it’s not. I’m your boss and that was…’ He ran
his fingers through his hair. ‘It was amazing,’ he admitted, ‘but we can’t.
It’s not right. We can’t go any further. This was a mistake.’
He stepped back and I felt cold. I didn’t know what
to say. I felt as if a huge wave of disappointment had washed over me, leaving
me soaked to the skin.
‘Goodnight, Matt.’ I said, and closed the door in
his face.
Chapter sixteen
I booked my flight home the next day. There was no
reason for me to stay anymore, I reasoned. The funeral was over and I’d done
what I’d come here to do. I couldn’t face seeing Matt after what had happened
the night before, and knowing that it meant nothing and would go no further.
Annie begged me to stay for a few days longer, saying
I should enjoy the weather and maybe Matt could take me on some day trips. I
insisted politely but firmly that I couldn’t possibly and I had to get back.
Matt avoided the topic, saying only he would drive
me to the airport. I declined, saying I would get a taxi. Annie was horrified,
but she seemed to sense that something had shifted in the relationship between
myself and her son and, to my relief, she didn’t push it.
She hugged me when I left and said she hoped she
would see me again. I doubted it. Especially not when she found out who I really
was. I felt sad at that – despite my sadness at Matt’s rejection of me, I still
didn’t feel like I could hurt him. And now hurting him felt like hurting Annie.
How could I do that when she’d been so kind and suffered so much?
I arrived back home late in the evening, exhausted
and still feeling upset.
I checked my phone and found another barrage of
texts from Jen, as well as several ranting emails from Barry, but I couldn’t
face dealing with them. They would keep. In Barry’s case, I wished they would keep
forever.
I climbed into bed fully clothed and fell asleep
with the light still on.
I was back at Westwall IT Solutions the next day,
after picking up my car from Matt’s driveway. I had a job to do. Well, I had
two jobs to do, actually, but even the crushing blow of Spain hadn’t made me any
more determined to do what I had set out to do. I reflected that Jen had been
right, I had let my feelings get in the way of my career, and they weren’t even
reciprocated feelings. And now I had met his mum and I didn’t think I could
face writing
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