Chapter 54

He regretted the decision almost immediately, as they both made their way to the bedroom he could feel himself racing out of control already. Suddenly all he wanted was to grab her and throw her down on the bed, but he knew that he couldn’t. Taking a deep breath he headed into the ensuite bathroom and splashed his face with cold water.

“You OK in there?” Mel called.

He took a deep breath and opened the door, a cheery grin fixed onto his face, ready to play the innocent. But then there she was, standing right in front of him in the most amazing underwear that he had ever seen. It was a beautiful shade of baby pink and the lacy edges clung to her skin, all wanted to do was run his fingers over the soft looking material.

“OK?”she asked.

He pulled his eyes away from her underwear and travelled his eyes up her body to meet her gaze. She had an amazing figure, she was slim, yet all her womanly curves were still in the right place, she was gorgeous.

“I’m fine,” he finally managed to choke out, wondering if it would be inappropriate to comment on how amazing she looked. At the end of the day she was voluntarily parading around his bedroom in her underwear.

“You look fabulous,” he finally uttered.

She turned a slight shade of pink yet the smile on her face confirmed that she had liked the compliment. He smiled at her in return and taking his trousers off climbed into the bed in just his T-shirt.

“I get this side then do I?” she asked, pulling back the covers and climbing in beside him.

“Yep, which side do you usually sleep on?”

“This one,” she confirmed.

“That was a bit of luck.”

They sat there in silence, mainly because he was feeling so awkward he really didn’t know what to say next. He wasn’t used to sitting in bed with a woman and not doing anything, even in the days of Ella they used to either get straight down to it, or just go to sleep, there was none of this sitting in silence.

“You look so tense,” she noted, studying him.

“Do I?”

She looked at the way he was sat up – rigid against the headboard, his eyes fixed on to the wall opposite.

“Why are you so tense?”

“Dunno,” he grunted, shuffling his way down the bed and laying down, pulling the covers right up to his chin.

“Oooh, I bet you’re a duvet hogger,” she giggled.

“Am not,” he replied indignantly, I’m very generous with my duvet.

She gave it a playful tug and wrapped herself up in it, leaving his side short by a few centimetres.

“Oi” he pulled it back and before she knew it they were having a full scale tug of war, pulling the duvet strongly back and forward across the bed, Christian winning because he was so much stronger.

“You give in yet?” he asked in triumph as he pulled on the duvet and it slipped out of Mel’s grasp.

“Never!” she exclaimed, taking hold of her duvet she pulled it stronger, prompting him to pull it even more, grinning quietly to herself she gave it one last tug and then let go, the sudden lack of tension causing Christina to topple right out of the bed and on to the floor.

Trying to fight the human reaction of laughing at inappropriate things Mel peeped over the side of the bed.

“You OK?”

She was thankful to see him lying on the floor chortling to himself, and she was finally able to let herself go until she was laughing so much it was hurting her stomach. Eventually he clambered back into the bed and underneath the duvet.

“That’s quite enough of that thank you,” he said, taking his share of duvet and snuggling right into the warmth.

“Sorry,” she replied meekly, shifting over more to his side.

“What are you doing?” he asked, aware that at any moment he would feel something unwanted stir below.

“Am just cold,” she said.

He put an awkward arm around her to keep her warm, trying desperately hard to keep his body away from her, although just the smell of her was already filling his senses and calling out to him.

She snuggled up against his arm and rolled right over so that she was right next to him, wrapped up in his body.

He waited for it to happen, but for some reason it never did, instead he was filled with a warm feeling of joy, he felt totally relaxed and at peace. Thankful he wrapped his arms tightly around her and squeezed her closer to him. This was perfection, he had never realised what he’d been missing out on all this time. Maybe it was wrong to be doing this, she obviously had strong feelings for him, and he was probably leading her on, but it felt so wonderful – maybe this feeling in itself was love.

She gave a little yawn and rubbed her head up and down his skin, before settling into the crook of his arm. She closed her eyes and almost immediately was breathing deeply, her head moving up and down on his arm with each breath. She looked so peaceful, a smile was fixed on her mouth, and he found himself mimicking it, not being able to resist its infection. He became transfixed at looking at her face, it was so fresh, she looked beautiful without make up, her long eye lashes touching down on her skin and her red lips standing out against her pale complexion. Reaching down he gently kissed her on the lips, moving them gently against hers, she moved slightly in her sleep and let out a sigh, before rolling over away from him.

Suddenly he felt cold, he wanted her back where she was before, things didn’t feel quite so right when she wasn’t against him. He reached his arms out and gently dragged her across the bed so she was lying near him, her back facing him. Curling his legs up slightly he pulled her right into the curve of his body and rested his head on her shoulders.

That was better – now he would be able to sleep.