Hearts pounding, legs tremblingthey held each other for a moment, unable to move, each waiting tocatch their breath. Exhausted, but happily sated, their mouths metin a tender and grateful kiss. When they finally made their waytowards the bedroom hand in hand, they were more connected than atany time before.
CHAPTERTWELVE
Reality beckoned.Chloe couldn’t put it off any longer. She had a house to renovateand nothing would happen if she didn’t pick up the reins again. Inall honesty, the inactivity had begun to niggle at her and wouldeventually drive her to despair. Since Todd had returned to normalhours at the office over a week ago, her days dragged on long andlonely. Time to move forwards and finishwhat I started.
An image of Todd popped into hermind, and she sighed, her body automatically responding with adelicious little shiver. However, fantasising about her loverdidn’t help her finish her house. She gave herself a mentalshake.
The wound on her scalphad healed remarkably well, and the headache was just that. A dullache, no sharp pains. She wondered how Truffle had settled into thecattery. He was her dad’s cat, not accustomed to anyone other thanJoe being around over the last few years. Better to leave him there for now.Time with other cats had to be a good thing. It would be a verywell-run establishment if Todd had arranged it.
She rang Samantha’s office phoneagain. She had tried to reach her all morning without success, asthe calls reverted to voicemail. Eager to start, she called Patrickto ask for their sub-contractor’s phone number, and madeappointments to meet them at the house at noon. All heavy workwould be left to the contractors. She looked forward to putting onher supervisors’ hat.
The taxi dropped Chloeoff at her house at midday. The first day out of Todd’s apartmenton her own. She paused at the gate and took a deep, cleansingbreath. Lifting her face to the sun, she allowed the warmth to soakinto her bones to steady her nerves.. Myfirst few hours of freedom. She hadn’tinformed him of her plans. She wanted to surprise him with herprogress.
Her head started tothrob as she searched for her house keys, deep in the bowels of hervoluminous handbag. Breathe, justbreathe. A familiar HiLux ute pulled up atthe kerb. Patrick got out and sauntered towards her. She hugged himenthusiastically, relieved she wouldn’t have to go inside on herown. She dropped her arms, and took a step back, a littleembarrassed.
“Hey. Good to see youout and about. How are you Chloe? I don’t think you need to answerthough, you look great.” He pulled back another step to look her upand down.
“Hey Patrick. I’m finethanks. More than fine, actually.”
“Yes. I heard on thegrapevine that love is in the air. Congratulations.”
“I’m sorry, Patrick. Iknow you and I … went out … but with Todd … well, it kind of snuckup on me.”
“You’re happy, Chloe,don’t stress. And I’m happy for both of you. Todd is a differentguy. More relaxed. Not looking over my shoulder every day, so itworks for me.”
She could tell that he meantevery word, and he appeared to be trying to reassure her. Relaxinga little more in his company, she gave him a shy smile. Thecontractor’s truck pulled up at the kerb, effectively ending theirconversation. Anxious to get started, they all headed inside toscope out the work required to renovate the groundfloor.
At five o’clock Patrick leftBeach Road to return to the office. The contractors packed up theirtools and Chloe closed the door gratefully behind them. Theafternoon had been tiring, but totally worthwhile. When sheretrieved her handbag from the sitting room and dug out her phone,she noticed several missed calls from Todd. She returned acall.
“Hi Todd, I’m sorry,it was noisy in here and I only just saw the missed calls…”
“Where the hell areyou?” Todd demanded.
“I’m at the house. Icame down here to meet the contractors. We started the work on thekitchen relocation.” Chloe said excitedly.
“Why? What’s therush?”
“It’s not about therush. I need to get back into renovating my house. I want to havesomething to do instead of sitting twiddling my thumbs every day.”Chloe’s excitement faded as Todd’s angry tone escalated.
“You’re kidding me,right? Why would you want to bother with the house renovations now?Surely that can be left to someone else. It can be your littlehobby, now that you are living with me
“I’m what? It wassupposed to be temporary until I got back on my feet. Why has thisnever come up in conversation? Did you think I was just going toforget about finishing the renovations on my home.”
“I presumed you werehappy living with me.”
. “You always have to be in control. Youalways make the decisions. But I should have been prepared forthat, if the past is anything to go by, instead of thinking youwould be pleased to see me working again.”
Chloe couldn’t keep the sarcastictone out of her voice. Telling her what she could and could not dohad done wonders for her determination.
However, Todd ploughed on,unaware he was digging a deeper hole for himself.
“I’m coming to getyou.” Todd disconnected the call.
“You have got to bekidding me!” Chloe yelled … but no one was listening.
Her hand shook as shestared at the phone. Unbelievable! Howrude! Arrogant bastard.It was happening again. A man dictating her life.This time things would be different. She had learned from the past.No one would be allowed to put her needs and opinions last everagain.
Chloe sat rigidly on her frontstep, waiting for Todd. As he got out of the car, she stood up butdid not make a move towards him. The few seconds it took for him topass through the gate and stride down the path seemed like forever.He launched straight into his tirade before he had even reached thesteps.
“Have you any idea howworried I was when I couldn’t find any signs of you? Not even anote to say where you had gone.” Todd fired the angry words like aspear, the hurt lodging in her chest.
“Hello to you too,Todd. I see we are
