Page 66 of Right Place, Right Time
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Later that evening, I’m lying in my bed gazing at the ceiling and feeling extremely naked underneath the duvet, and, for the first time in a very long time, there’s a man lying next to me, equally bereft of clothing.
But surprisingly, to me at least, I don’t feel worried or regretful. I just feel… happy.
‘Well, that was a surprising turn of events this evening.’ Adam is turned towards me, his bent arm supporting his head while his elbow rests on the pillow.
I glance up at him and see a kind and concerned face looking down at me. I smile at him. ‘It certainly was. A rather nice surprise, though, don’t you think?’
‘Absolutely! How do you feel about it?’ he asks a little hesitantly. ‘Honestly?’
‘Honestly… I feel completely fine.’
‘No regrets?’
‘No, none at all. Why, do you?’
‘Of course not. I just didn’t think you were that into me, that’s why I ask. It all came as a bit of a shock when you kissed me.’
‘It was a bit of a shock for me too. I don’t usually behave like that.’
Adam smiles. ‘I’ll take that as a huge compliment, then. So, what changed?’ He slides down onto the pillow so he’s level with me.
‘I really don’t know. Something just came over me, and, well, you saw what happened next.’
‘I sure did.’ Adam grins. ‘I had a ringside seat!’
‘Aw… stop. You’re embarrassing me.’
‘You’re so cute.’
‘Am I?’
‘Yeah, I love that you’re all coy now and I adore it when you blush. You go pink just here.’ He leans forward and lightly kisses my cheek. I close my eyes at the touch of his lips. ‘And here…’ he says in a whisper, about to kiss my other cheek. But something makes me pull away before he does.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asks, as I try to do that thing they do in movies when the woman elegantly pulls a sheet around her as she leaves the bed to hide her modesty. Except I have an extra-thick, king-sized duvet, half of which is over Adam right now. So instead I simply end up naked at the side of the bed, while the duvet remains firmly covering Adam’s modesty instead. I quickly reach for the blanket that hangs over the back of my dressing-table chair and wrap that around me instead.
‘Nothing is wrong. I just need the loo, that’s all.’
I hurry to the en-suite bathroom, drop the blanket and sit down on the toilet seat to think. A wave of uncertainty has suddenly washed over me.
Oh God, what have I done? Has sleeping with Adam messed everything up?I bury my face in my hands. But it isn’t like Adam is doing his best to leave immediately, is it? He seems quite happy about the situation. In fact, he seemsverykeen to stay…
A vision of Adam lying naked under the duvet floats back into my mind. His muscular chest covered in just the right amount of hair. His kind blue eyes that twinkled like sapphires when he was enjoying himself. His dishevelled dark hair that he has a habit of running his fingers through, making my stomach do silly things when he did. The stubble on his square jaw that I felt gently brush against my face and my body when he kissed me with his incredibly soft lips…
I shake my head.Right, stop that right now! You’re getting distracted. You need to think clearly about this.
It feels like there’s a little white angel on one shoulder and a little red devil on the other having a rather heated argument.
The angel speaks now.Getting into a relationship with Adam is asking for trouble. He works next door to you. If you break up, it will be really awkward, not just for you, but for everyone else on Clockmaker Court too.
The devil pipes up.You aren’t even in a relationship. You’ve just had a one-night stand – a little bit of fun. And it was really good fun, wasn’t it? Why don’t you go back through that door for some more… It’s been a while, Eve, and he is really handsome…
‘Enough!’ I hear myself saying out loud this time and I immediately clap my hand over my mouth.
‘Are you all right in there, Eve?’ Adam calls from the bedroom.
‘Yes, yes, I’m fine.’
