She kissed his chin. ‘Anything.’
He took a deep breath and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘If you have second thoughts about us, or if I’m taking things at the wrong speed, even if I’m going too slowly, please talk to me. Don’t shut me out. I couldn’t cope with that, Mallory. I’m afraid I’m in love with you…deeplyin love with you. I’m not sure how you feel about me right now and I’m not asking you to tell me. I just hope that we have a chance at a future.’
Mallory looked up at this gorgeous, rugged man and her heart melted. But she felt a tinge of sadness. Could she say she was in love with him? Maybe not right now. She knew she cared deeply for him but she wasn’t prepared to say more just yet.
‘I… Can you give me some time? I have so many feelings whizzing around my head right now that I just can’t make sense of them. But please know that Idohave feelings for you.’
‘That will tide me over.’ He smiled and bent to kiss her again.
They spent the rest of the evening cuddling, chatting, kissing and listening to music. Mallory joked that his ‘old-school’ music tastes needed bringing into the twenty-first century. She played him some Hozier and Ed Sheeran which he enjoyed. And he joked that she needed educating by the musical masters he loved, like Pearl Jam, Whitesnake and Tool. They agreed to give each other’s music a chance and enjoyed a fun, relaxed and sensual evening.
Greg glanced at the clock on the mantle and cringed. Mallory realised only then that it was almost midnight.
Greg put his empty wine glass on the floor. ‘I really should go,’ he exhaled.
She cupped his cheek in her palm. ‘You could stay.’
He smiled sheepishly. ‘Believe me, I’d love to, but we agreed to take things slow. And… well… I’m not sure I could keep my hands off you if I stayed.’
‘We could just hold each other,’ she suggested, desperate for him to stay.
He thought for a few moments and then sighed. ‘I’ll stay, but why don’t I sleep in the spare room?’ It was clear that he was determined to give her the time she needed even if she was pushing things right now.
Feeling a little desperate, she grasped his hands. ‘Look, I don’t want to be alone. Today… in fact this last month has been a whirlwind. I don’t want you to go. Why don’t we just sleep in the same bed and stay clothed?’ she insisted.
He eventually gave in.
Mallory took his hand as they went up the stairs to her room. She wanted to undress in front of him seductively and have him do the same. She wanted to kiss and explore his body. But she was still unsure as to the nature of her feelings and his honesty had meant she ran the risk of hurting him. So, instead, she retreated to the en-suite where she changed into a pair of white cotton pyjamas. She brushed her teeth and returned to the bedroom. Greg stood there, waiting, in just his jeans. His chest looked magnificent as she dragged her eyes over his body and her heart rate increased. She had the urge again to touch him there, right where the tattoo scarred him.
She pulled the duvet back, not taking her eyes from Greg, and he climbed in bedside her. He held out his arm so that she could snuggle into him and they rolled to face each other. He stroked her cheek with his free hand; his gaze so loving; so tender.
‘I love you,’ he whispered, closing his eyes.
Hearing those words fall so unabashedly from the lips of a man other than Sam seemed alien. But at the same time she welcomed the feeling of being loved again. She just needed to get her head around the fact that this was all happening so fast and so soon. She was quite dwarfed by his size in her bed. He was no taller than Sam, but he was wider and something about him made her feel tiny and vulnerable, but safe at the same time.
She traced the tattoo on his chest with her fingertips and then kissed it. She had been longing to do that ever since she had first seen it. Close up the smell of him was intoxicating to her. Desire rose in her again. But she fought it. She had to be certain that this wasn’t just lust. She found him incredibly attractive; he had an irresistible magnetism that exuded sex and resisting was hard.
These feelings had only just become clear to her. She hadn’t been allowing herself to access them until now. She needed to be sure for his sake and for her own that there was more to it. Once they made love she knew that, for him, there would be no turning back. She knew, therefore, that she must fight her urges to clamber on top of him and make him take her.
‘Can I kiss you one last time before you go to sleep?’ he asked her.
The question made her smile. She didn’t answer; she just pulled him towards her and took his mouth with her own. One thing was certain. She could kiss him forever.
There was something very contradictory in his kisses. He wanted to go slow for her sake yet his kisses were raw and sexual. She broke away when she felt herself getting carried away and her breathing was shallow. She nuzzled into him and after a while they fell asleep.
When Mallory awoke the next morning, she stretched out to find him, but Greg had gone. Feeling a little panicked at his absence, she tiptoed downstairs to find him seated at the kitchen table, clutching a coffee cup. He sat there in his T-shirt and jeans, his feet were bare, but she couldn’t help thinking he was ready to leave.
She tentatively took steps towards him as if approaching a horse about to bolt.
‘Hey you.’ She smiled as she entered the room.
He looked up at her with sad eyes. ‘Hey yourself, sleep well?’
She slid her arms around his neck. ‘Wonderfully well, you?’
He smiled. ‘I did too.’
Kissing his cheek, she asked, ‘Greg, what’s wrong? You seem down this morning.’
