Jeff laughed. ‘Yes, we did.’
‘I’m starving,’ said Violetta suddenly. ‘I haven’t eaten today.’
She rifled through the shopping bags. ‘Cheese, bacon, eggs, bread, butter, tomatoes, mayonnaise. I can make us a grilled cheese on toast. That’s about all I am able to create, I’m afraid.’
‘Me too. I am sadly lacking in the cooking department. Cheese on toast sounds great,’ he said and sat down.
Violetta stood in the kitchen. ‘I am so fucking tired now.’
‘Emotional tiredness,’ said Jeff, as he moved into the kitchen and took over her tasks.
‘Go and sit down. I’ll do it,’ he said gently.
Violetta sat on the sofa and thought about Grace’s confession in the bedroom. Was it true? Why would she make it up? Could she be imagining things?
‘Jeff,’ she called.
He popped his head out and looked at her.
‘Do you think that when people are drunk they say things that aren’t true, they might make things up? Like they believe it?’
Jeff looked down at the floor and then at Violetta. ‘Are you talking about Grace and the man claiming to be your brother?’
‘Did she tell you?’ asked Violetta, shocked.
Jeff nodded.
‘I don’t know what to believe,’ said Violetta, getting up and walking into the kitchen.
Jeff went back to the kitchen bench. ‘I guess it comes down to whether you want to believe it. If she hasn’t lied to you before, the story adds up. Her reaction was extreme, but that is due to the alcohol and built up stress over the past weeks. Do you think it could have happened?’
Violetta nodded.
‘Then get her help. I can recommend a few doctors I work with who can help her with this trauma.’
Violetta stood, looking at Jeff in his sister’s kitchen. In his casual jeans and his white T-shirt and blue sweat top, unzipped, looking so capable and kind, she felt overwhelmed with emotion.
‘What?’ he asked as he saw her staring at him.
She walked over and took the bread from his hands and put it down on the bench.
‘What I am about to do will break every rule so just humour me until it’s over and then you can tell me it’s wrong and you feel nothing but I just want to.’ And she reached up and put her arms around him and looked into his eyes, which looked confused, and then she kissed him.
She felt his body stiffen with surprise and his mouth freeze and her heart sank. Just as she was about to pull away she felt his tongue in her mouth and then they started to kiss passionately, frenzied and he lifted her easily onto the bench. She wrapped her legs around him and he pushed himself against her. She felt his hard-on through his jeans and it turned her on even more. His hands were everywhere and she thought she was going to faint with desire. She pulled at his sweat-shirt and he pulled away quickly.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, breathing quickly.
‘Why did you stop?’ she asked, worried.
‘Because we can’t do this, we agreed, ’ he said, pulling on his top.
‘Yes we can.’
‘Why?’ asked Jeff.
‘Because I’m attracted to you.’
‘You would never even look at a man like me usually,’ said Jeff, feeling foolish.
