I prepared myself a sandwich for dinner that night and went to my suite early. If he needed me, he would call me, but I truly hoped he didn’t.
I had a great week… with barely any nightmares disturbing my sleep, and I was hoping that didn’t change. However, for some reason, my restlessness and anxiety that night made it hard for me to believe I wouldn’t have nightmares if I tried to sleep.
9
The idea of disturbing Wells while he was with a woman was humiliating, and I would do all in my power to avoid that. Spending the night up was not a novelty for me, and with the books I had checked out from the library, I should be fine.
After a warm shower, I put on an extra-large t-shirt I used as a nightgown and curled up on the couch with one of Jane Austen’s novels. The writer had the power to transport me to the regency era in England and make me forget the real world for a while.
But tonight, it wasn’t working. I couldn’t focus my attention on the words written, my mind too busy imagining what could be happening in the master bedroom.
I gave up trying around one o’clock in the morning and decided to go to bed, hoping I was wrong and that I could get some sleep.
After tossing in bed for over an hour, I decided it was safe enough to go to the kitchen and have some warm milk. I had read somewhere; it helped to calm down your nerves, and I sure as hell needed that.
Without bothering to put on my slippers I went into the kitchen and as silently as possible, keeping the lights off, I opened the fridge, and I was pulling the milk out of it when I felt him standing right behind me.
“What are you doing here?” he murmured, his tone gruffer than usual.
I tried to turn around to look at him, but he stepped closer to stop me from doing it. He was so close I could feel his body’s warmth. I gasped, and my heart jumped into a frantic pace.
“I… I couldn’t sleep… I just came for some milk…” I tried to explain, closing my eyes for a moment, my nostrils flaring as they inhaled his sent, a shuddering warmth trickling down my spine.
“Don’t you own a robe? That t-shirt barely covers your ass,” he snarled through gritted teeth.
I trembled but not of fear. His harsh words had excited me. “I’m sorry… I wasn’t expecting to find you here…” I confessed, wishing he would step back.
The cool air coming out of the open fridge wasn’t doing anything to turn off the fire in my body ignited by his closeness. I had never felt like this, and the feeling scared me a little.
“This is my house…” he said, his lips so close to my ear I could feel the warmth of his breath tickling my skin, making it harder for me to breathe.
“I know… I should have stayed in my quarters… it won’t happen again…” I mumbled, making the mistake of pushing my body against his, to escape his closeness.
The moment our bodies touched, the room filled with jolts of energy, thick and dangerous, ready to explode.
Instead of backing off with me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pushed me closer to him.
So close, I could feel his hard manhood pressing against his jeans and the warmth of his naked chest. The only thing separating us was the thin fabric of my t-shirt.
“You’ve kept me awake for days…” he groused, nuzzling my neck, sniffing my scent.
“I… I have… no idea… why you are saying that…” I mumbled, finding it hard to believe.
He had been cold and distant to the point I was sure he regretted having hired me to stay in Susan’s place.
One of his hands slid down to my lower belly and pressed it back, so I could feel exactly what had been keeping him awake.
“Are you sure?” he asked, nibbling my earlobe, ripping a surprised moan from my lips as tiny waves of warmth rushed through me. “You promised me paradise… and then, shut the door in my face,” he protested, his lips and tongue drawing a trail of fire from my ear to I neck, arousing feelings I didn’t even know existed.
When his words managed to pass the fog of feelings and sensations clouding my judgment, the weight of shame fell hard on me.
He was right. I had offered him a night to fulfill his particular needs, and then, after he had saved me from certain death, I had backed down, pretending nothing had ever happened, taking back my word.
“I’m sorry… I never intended… to harm you in any way…” I tried to apologize.
“Are you sure?” he mocked me, finally letting me go and stepping back. “What would have you done if I had accepted your offer the minute you made it?” he asked, turning on the kitchen lights and leaning against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms over his chest, as if he wanted to see the expression on my face while I answered his question.
But how was I supposed to answer that? Desperation had taken me to that point. But I believe I would have chickened out at the last moment if he had said yes. Sex was probably the thing that scared me the most. It was painful, humiliating, and an abhorrent experience for all involved.
