“I can see that now.I’m an idiot. I had a man who loved me and I ruined it.”
“You still have a manwho loves you, Chloe. That hasn’t changed.” Todd paused to let thatinformation sink in. “There is still a chance for us, if you let ithappen and stop running from your past. I will be here to help you.All the way.”
Chloe had no witty comeback, orindeed any comeback for that matter, so she ended the conversationwith the promise that lunch would be waiting when he arrived. Hiswords kept going round and around in her head while she had ashower to freshen up, and while she tidied up the kitchen andfamily room.
She cleared a space onthe dining room table for Todd’s laptop and whatever else hedecided to bring over. The cold meat, cheese and salad platter sheprepared looked very appetising, if she did say so herself. Shepulled wholemeal rolls from the freezer to complete the lunchpreparations. Her fingers shook slightly as she stored the platterin the fridge. It’s nerves.Why did I say yes to him coming overtoday?
No doubt a heart-to-heart talkwould be on the menu. She didn’t know if she could ever allowanyone to get as close again without feeling as if she were givingup control of her life.
Todd pulled open thepassenger door, swung his laptop bag over his shoulder, and pickedup the box of files from the front seat. He scanned the road butthe cars parked along the kerb looked unoccupied. Not that anunoccupied car meant Chloe’s ex had decided to back off. His friendin the Melbourne Police Force was currently making discreetinquiries about a certain male entertainer working at the casino.Hopefully they would have a little more information on hiswhereabouts by the end of the day. Then avisit from Melbourne’s finest might be in order.I’ll be damned if he’s going to get away withscaring Chloe.
Before she unlocked her frontdoor, she checked the porch through the spy hole.
“Good girl.” He bentto kiss her cheek as she closed the door quickly behind him. “I’mglad you’re taking precautions and keeping the doorlocked.”
“I’m a little nervous.He’s made me afraid of my own shadow, and I hate that.”
“I almost hope he doesshow up this afternoon, so I can make him afraid of my shadow.”Todd followed her down the hall to the kitchen.
Chloe called over her shoulder.“I just want him gone. Back to the States, if that’s where he camefrom. I don’t care where, just not here.” Chloe pulled a bottle ofwine from the fridge, poured two glasses and arranged them on thebench next to the platters of food. “Pull up a stool and pleasehelp yourself. I’m not that hungry.”
“Come on. You don’texpect me to eat all this by myself, do you? Come sit by me andI’ll prepare you a roll that will make your mouth water.” He pickedup a glass and handed one to her. “Cheers.” He sampled the chilledchablis.
“Cheers. Alright, youcan make me a roll, but only a small one.” Chloe sat alongside himbut facing the garden, with her back against the kitchen bench, andsipped her wine. Her sad gaze lingered on the green oasisoutside.
Todd reached out, cupped hercheek and pulled her over to him, placing a very gentle kiss on herlips. Her eyes fluttered closed and she kissed him back, just asgently. He revelled in the fragrance of spring flowers which nowsuffused his senses. The lack of resistance and the softness of herlips against his pleased and surprised him. He didn’t deepen thekiss, but enjoyed the tender moment which passed betweenthem.
She opened her eyes and gazedinto his. “That was unexpected.”
“I’ve waited so longto kiss you again, and you looked so sad. There was nothing else Icould do, nothing else I wanted to do but kiss you.”
“I’ve missed you.Missed your company, missed this … this closeness, thistenderness.” Chloe reached out and placed her palm against hischeek, cupping it lovingly.
She slid off the stool to standbetween his legs, wrapping her arms around him, her head cradled inthe crook of his neck. She pulled back and placed her hands on hischest, to look him in the eye. “I’m sorry, Todd. Sorry for notexplaining. Sorry for running away to Paris, and not facing up tomy fear of losing control of my life again.”
“I won’t lie and tellyou it doesn’t matter, because it does. It shook me more than youcan possibly imagine when the woman I loved would have nothing todo with me. Then acted as if having an argument was the worst thingin the world. But what it did was make me even more determined toprove to you how much I love you, and how much we belongtogether.”
“You really do believethat, don’t you?
“I believe thatanything is possible if you put your mind to it. Now I’ll do mybest to make you believe it.”
He lowered his lips to hers andthis time did not hold back. His arms encircled her and he pouredall of his pent-up longing and desire into that kiss. She returnedthe kiss with equal passion, and happiness soared through him. Heslid from the stool, hooked his hand behind her knees and liftedher into his arms. She continued to kiss his face, dotting hischeeks with soft kisses, nibbling on his ear until he sat on thecouch and eased her back into the cushions.
“You are so beautiful,and I have missed you so much,” he whispered into herear.
He kissed her neck and along herchin before he finally covered her mouth with his. Heat surgedthrough him, and all the blood in his system seem to head south, ashis hands reacquainted themselves with the familiar hills andvalleys of her reclining figure.
Her eager response only fuelledthe fire within him. All restraint he had built up over the pastfew weeks threatened to disappear when she moved closer. Now therewas no doubt in his mind that she wanted him just as much as hewanted her, which made this moment so much sweeter. He peeled awayher layers of clothing, kissing each portion of exposed skin as heunbuttoned and eased the shirt from her shoulders. She moanedsoftly as his
