“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Nothing. Cramp.” He continued up until he got to the room next to him. Opening the door, he let her inside.
“Wow. This is amazing. It’s almost as big as my apartment,” she said. He stared at her, watching the way she rubbed her hands down her legs. Everything about her pulled him in. He wanted her.
“I’ll leave you to rest.”
“Stephen?” He turned to her. “Thank you.”
He went to her, cupping her cheek in his palm. “I would never let anything happen to you.”
“You didn’t have to come for me. Thank you for coming.”
There was a different type of coming that was on his mind. Smiling, he brushed his lips against hers. “Get some rest.”
Chapter Five
Ursula watched him leave her room. Her hand went to her lips touching where he’d kissed. She wished he hadn’t left. When he’d come to her rescue, she’d never been so happy to see anyone. Not just because he’d come to help her but she knew Paul wouldn’t be around much longer. For the last six months she’d avoided ha**ng s*x with him. The last time she’d had sex with him could have been longer. She hated the thought of being with him. Turning away from the door Stephen exited, she went in search of the bathroom. He’d told her each room had their own bathroom for guests. The first door opened to a large walk-in wardrobe. She gazed at all the space imagining how pathetic her clothing would look in such a large space. The next door she found the bathroom. She took a quick shower. When she got out, she brushed her teeth then grabbed a robe. There were brushes in the top drawer. She couldn’t find a nightshirt. Removing the robe, she got under the covers and closed her eyes.
Sleep wouldn’t come as she was worked up over the night’s events. She didn’t feel traumatised by Paul’s treatment. If anything, she felt annoyed with herself for staying with him for so long. How could she have let herself be used by him? Her family had seen the way he was, and she hadn’t believed them. Shaking her head, she rolled over staring at the ceiling. She would need to call her family. Getting out of bed, she grabbed her mobile from the pocket of her jeans, then got back into bed. She liked the way the sheets felt against her na**d body. It had been so long since she’d been comfortable enough to sleep naked. Flipping open her phone, she saw it was only ten. Most of her family stayed up late talking. A warm feeling filled her as she thought about her family.
She dialled her parents’ home phone. The dial tone rang in her ear, once, twice, and on the third ring her mother answered.
“Hello,” Ruby said.
“Hi, mom.”
“Ursula, is that you?”
“Yep. The very one.” She smiled as she heard her mother shout to the others. “Oi, you lot, Ursula’s on the phone. Get your butts here.” The sound was dull, and then she heard the phone moving. “Your brothers are visiting and are spending the night in their old rooms. Your sister moved out.”
“I bet she’s causing all kinds of trouble.”
“I bet. Here’s your father. Wait. Hold on, we can put her on speaker phone.” Ursula started laughing as they put the phone to speaker.
“Can you all hear me?” she asked.
They all talked to her at once.
“How are you, honey?” her father asked.
“I’m great.”
She told them all about Paul.
“I knew he was a slime-ball,” her father said.
“The biggest slime-ball. I’m so sorry I didn’t see it.”
“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. When are you coming home?” her mother asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve got college to finish.” She avoided talking about Stephen. After twenty minutes she ended the call feeling happier for talking to her family.
She’d missed them and wished she’d listened to them before. When sleep refused to come, she grabbed her robe and left her room. She walked down the stairs and saw the light through the crack in the door of the living room.
Moving closer she saw Stephen sitting on the couch. He was drinking what looked like a glass of milk. An action flick was playing on the screen. She walked in.
“Couldn’t you sleep?” he asked, turning to her.
“I thought I was being quiet.” She smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“I knew the moment you were at the door.” He frowned but didn’t elaborate. “Have a seat.”
She sat next to him, her feet tucking under her. She covered her exposed leg with the robe. They sat together watching the movie.
“Do you like this film?” he asked.
Ursula shrugged her shoulders. “I’m so busy with college I never get time to watch television. Paul always had a p**n flick on.” She wrinkled her nose.
“You don’t like p**n flicks?”
“What’s to like? Their actions are mechanical, and the women look bone dry. I never knew a man had to spit on a woman so much to get her wet.” She blushed when she realised what she was saying.
Stephen laughed. “I know what you mean. I’d consider it an insult to myself if I had to spit on a woman to get her wet.” He tucked more of her hair behind her ear.
“Do you have a woman in your life?”
“No.”
She settled down, watching the movie. The storyline wasn’t gripping, and she found herself zoning out and being more conscious of the man at her side. He moved his hand to the back of the sofa. She felt the heat radiating off his arm through the robe she wore. At some point, she’d laid her head on his chest, and the hand across the couch went ‘round her, stroking her hair. The time passed. She rested a hand on his knee to help support her.
When the credits rolled she was struggling to breathe. Her pu**y was dripping wet from his closeness.
Neither spoke for the longest time, their breathing the only sound that could be heard. Ursula moved first, looking up from his chest, up into his eyes. He stared down at her. His gaze went from her eyes to her lips then back again.
She licked her lips. The action was made with the intention of seeing his reaction.
Staring down at his lips, she knew she wanted him to kiss her. Her wants had nothing to do with what had happened with Paul. She knew the chemistry had been building between them for some time. She was tired of denying it.
Stephen cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking her lips. “You’re incredibly beautiful.”