Cross the Line - 16

Chapter 16

Naomi looked at the bowl of spicy potato and parsnip soup she’d managed to whizz up in forty minutes, she also had a thick slice of the rustic loaf she’d thought to get on the way home from work. She was exhausted and this was the prelude to an early night tucked up under her duvet in the comfort of her own bed. She’d never thought it would such a blissful scenario!

Just as she sat at the small kitchen table, a glass of water chosen over a glass of wine next to her hot soup, the doorbell rang. She was wearing her bath robe, but ignored that and rushed to the door, thinking about getting back to her food.

Dragging the door open she smiled, anticipating Sarah or Emma stood there hoping for the gossip. Instead she met the tired eyes of Conor. Her gasp was both audible and visible, and it caused a wry smile to cross Conor’s mouth. The fact that she didn’t expect him to arrive didn’t bode well.

                “Hi!” he offered. “I wanted to see you...”

She nodded, “ok...Here I am!”

Conor sighed, how did this suddenly get so awkward? “Naomi. I’m sorry if I’ve upset you or hurt you in some way. We should’ve discussed the implications of working together would have. It doesn’t have to be difficult.”

                “You were checking up on the Mackie case? I thought you trusted me with that...”

He looked bewildered, “what do you mean?”

Naomi was still a physical barrier to him entering the room. “You were checking the paperwork from the opposing council...don’t you think I can sort it?”

Now he really had no idea what she was talking about, he thought this animosity was linked to them, the difficulties that working together might bring, not some bloody minor business case! “Naomi! The Mackie case is cut and dried, I have one hundred percent confidence in you, no doubts that you can sort it out what so ever, I’ve not seen any paperwork...was it in the batch of stuff that came on Friday? I needed that today...urgently.” He reached out for her hand, “is that why you’re so angry?”

She stepped back, burned by his touch, “I...um...” Suddenly everything was confusing again. Him being cheerful at work as though nothing had happened, then having the file she needed, disappearing. She didn’t know where she stood, and she needed that more than anything.

With another softer sigh, he stepped in after her, “it’s awkward I’m sure, me being your boss...” he dropped the tone of his voice, “and your lover. But there really is only one role I’m interested in, I promise.” His hand lifted to run up her neck and under her damp hair, “but I agree we need to work out the rest.”

Naomi was annoyed to feel tears well in her eyes, she hated him seeing her so exposed and vulnerable, but she was so emotionally ravaged that she had no more resistance. As she tried to avert her eyes, he tilted her head, forced her to look at him, “I came here straight from the court house as I couldn’t bear the thought of a home without you. So can I come in? Can we talk?”

He knew sometime as he spoke that he’d won her over, but it was still a relief when she stepped back and gestured into her home.

                “I was just about to eat some soup, do you want some?”

He nodded, “that sounds like heaven, I don’t think my stomach could cope with anything more exotic than that!”

When he saw the smile split her face happily, he knew he’d said the right thing. Following her into the room he could smell something spicy, and suddenly his stomach growled. “That smells stunning!”

She shrugged, “I didn’t have much here, but it seemed to taste ok!”

Slipping out of his suit jacket, he hung it over a chair opposite the place she’d set for herself and gratefully accepted a meal in front of him.

                “Wow! This is amazing!” He offered between grateful spoons of the delicious soup. He’d never realised that something so simple could be so wonderful. Sitting back with his hands crossed over his full stomach, he watched her finish her meal in a decidedly more elegant and delicate fashion.

                “Coffee?” she asked as she made to gather up the dishes.

                “Let me,” he took the plates from her and headed to the sink, stopping to run some hot water to wash the dishes. Hearing her move, he turned and smiled to see her filling the coffee machine. “So you’ve found my vice?” He grinned, coffee was the one thing he could barely function without.

Smiling in a confident fashion, she turned to him, “your only vice?”

With coffee they sat in the lounge, Conor hating the physical distance between them, not even thinking of the emotional distance.

                “So what do I do now?” he asked looking over his mug at her.

Her heart began to race, not wanting to imagine what he meant, “What do you mean?”

His smile was lethal, “you know exactly what I mean. I told you how I felt, I tried to let you into my life, share things with you, but it seems that’s not enough that I’m not doing enough to tell you that I want to make this more than a fling.” He stood and started to walk across the room today, “I called Simon today.”

Naomi gulped, he was starting to invade her personal space and rather feeling threatened or angry, she found it exhilarating. “You did?”

He nodded as he continued to come at her, “I did, and he agreed with my proposition...” He knelt on the floor in front of her and reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

                “Prop...Proposition?” Now she was truly flummoxed.

The stammer and her uncertainty coupled with the raw desire in her eyes was driving him wild, but this was a game he wanted to win, “yes.” He left his hand at the side of his cheek, his thumb tracing her jaw in a maddeningly distracting way.

                “He asked me to become a partner months ago, when Martin died. I was never interested in stopping, settling down again. I’m not saying this to pressure you, but to let you know that I’m ready to settle, to grow up. I’m over my past, and I’m finally looking forward to a future, I want you to be a part of that, but if it’s not what you want...” a gulp was the only sign of his nervousness, how much he was putting into this. “Well then I’ll I understand and I’ll just thank you for making me realise that I need more in my life than to run from the past.”

He dropped back on to his heels and watched her, could almost see the confusion, the conflict in her eyes, then she smiled, “you mean that?”

Naomi’s heart sang as he nodded, “more than anything.” His arms were open to catch her before she’d thrown herself off the sofa at him. Conor grinning scooped her into his arms like a Victorian hero he kicked open the doors until he’d found her bedroom, then threw her onto the bed. “This, Miss Young, is going to blow your mind!”

By the time he’d joined her, she was laughing hysterically. And in true Conor fashion, he did.

Over the next few weeks things went well, both at work and at home. Initially Naomi found her need to hide her relationship with him, from everyone, friends, colleagues. They travelled to work separately, saw friends separately, but spent most nights together. Tonight was a big deal, they were being taken out by Simon’s for a thank you dinner, and at her insistence, her friend knew nothing about the evolving nature of their liaison. Conor had spent most of the last three weeks trying to convince her that there was no shame, nothing to hide. But she wasn’t comfortable. He’d respected that until tonight, but he’d now told her that tonight they WOULD reveal that they were lovers, it wasn’t an option it was a necessity.

Knocking at the door to collect her, he was riddled with anxiety, in fact he’d never felt this awful before. He felt like he did before his first interview to be a senior lawyer, the start and the end of life as he knew it, only ten times more serious.

Naomi was smiling and happy when she pulled back the door, which to Conor was a great start. He loved Naomi, there was no think about it now, but the problem was she liked things in her own way, safe and segregated, and tonight was definitely a merging of boundaries. But smiles were good, as was the sexy dress she was wearing. He knew her body more intimately than he’d thought possible, but this peacock blue dress, strapless and fitted, ruched snugly around her body was more exotic and erotic than the skimpiest underwear, it left very little, yet everything to the imagination, and he was going to struggle for the duration of the meal to concentrate on conversation. Seeing her smile at his visible appreciation, he suddenly spotted her tactics. Pulling her into his arms, he thrust lips on to her hers, his tongue into her mouth, and his hands cupped her buttocks dragging her towards his already raging erection.

                “Don’t think that you can use your sexy arse to distract me tonight!” He finally offered as he pulled his head from hers.

Smiling sweetly, she thrust out her chest, “are you sure about that?” As she applied lip gloss in the hallway mirror, it was all he could do to keep his hands off her, and they almost didn’t make the taxi.

Steph waved as they entered the small intimate Italian restaurant, it was the first time they’d been out like this since Simon’s accident, but he really wanted to show off how well he was doing, and thank the two people who had ensured his livelihood had survived such a catastrophic blow.  He was walking with a stick, and having daily therapy, but for the first time since his wedding, Naomi was pleased to see he looked well. Like the Simon she’d known most of her life. Her relief was almost palpable.  She’d have felt exquisite happiness if it hadn’t been for Conor’s knowing hand splayed across her lower spine. The touch of his hand still had the ability to turn her to mush, but tonight was too important, too stressful to let that happen. Naomi didn’t want to acknowledge Conor, not as more than a friend and colleague, for her keeping it all separate was vital. But she knew that to Conor it was important to be open, honest. Sighing, she allowed him to guide her into the restaurant and tried to manage her anxiety.

Simon hugged her so tightly that she could barely breathe, but she hugged him back equally as hard, he was so important to her. Aware but uncaring that the hand still attached to her spine was tightening.

                “You look so well!” she offered before hugging Steph, stepping across Conor so that he had to drop his controlling hand, then she deliberately sat next to Steph, leaving the seat beside Simon as the only one free. “So do you Steph, finally! Has he been a nightmare to live with?”

They broke into an easy chat about everything and anything in a way that only women could, leaving Conor and Simon to talk about the business and the various cases that he’d started and his friend was now completing. Conor was disturbed more than angry by Naomi, he saw her behaviour as a challenge, and whilst it annoyed him he was determined to play this coolly, there was something vulnerable about her, and he didn’t want her running, turning him away. So like a lion, he bided his time watching...and waiting!

After ordering, Naomi excused herself to the bathroom; it was all a bit more pressured than she was happy with. She wanted her and Conor to remain a private thing, nothing more nothing less. But she knew that he wanted to tell Simon, no scratch that, was GOING to tell Simon, she wasn’t sure why that haunted her, but it did. But not enough to lose Conor over, she knew that. After freshening up, cooling down, taking a few deep breaths, she opened the door to see Conor lounging against the wall that separated the bathrooms from the main dining room.

                “Conor!” she exclaimed as he pulled he close for a quick, but VERY passionate kiss.

He merely shrugged, “what? We’re both adults, we’re not doing anything wrong...” his intense gaze made her realise that he was talking about a lot more than the chaste kiss. “Either you say, or I will...before the main course. Simple!” Then with a dazzling smile he entered the men’s bathroom.

Simon raised an eyebrow as she rejoined the table, “what are you two, joined at the hip?”

She felt the blood drain from her face, her heart race, beads of sweat gather on her brow. Steph reached out and put a hand over her arm, “we’re only joking Naomi, that you went to the bathroom together!”

                “Yep just a joke!” A voice exclaimed from behind. Turning slowly she met Conor’s eyes, caring, warm but determined.

She took a deep breath and with a croaky voice replied, “a very timely one though!”

Now it was both Steph and Simon’s turn to look stunned, “really?” Steph was amazed, “You two?”

“Am I that bad that you can’t see it?” Conor asked with a smile, slipping into the seat opposite Naomi and reaching for her cold hand.

“Not at all!” Simon laughed, “but I’d given up on anyone meeting her standards!” Turning to Conor he clapped him on the back, “if anything, I think you deserve a medal!”

And with that the conversation carried on and the whole thing was forgotten, the damp squib that Conor knew it would be, but what puzzled him, was why was she so determined to keep him a secret? He hoped there were no skeletons waiting to burst out of her closet, he was too old for surprises.