Reasons Why - 8

Chapter 8

"Where are we going?" she asked as Chris led her more slowly away from the bar.

Chris shrugged, "I don't know! We're not going back to mine, that's not on the agenda tonight...there's a cafe bar, in a hotel nearby, it'll be quieter than most places..." Hearing her chuckle, he stopped, "what is it?"

Chloe swung her arms around his neck, "have I scared you that much that you'll spend all evening trying to do the right thing?"

He took a deep breath, "Chloe!" 

It was a warning and she smiled. Kissing him briefly she added, "I love that you care that much! The hotel bar sounds great."

Lifting a hand he spread his fingers across her jaw, fanning them down to her neck, holding her in his gaze, "you sure are confusing me Miss Palmer!"

Running her thumb over his lips, loving being so close to his face, having the chance to study him, "I don't mean to confuse, you are trying so desperately to be a gentleman - and it's very appealing." She broke into an evil grin, "and it makes it very tempting to tease you!"

Still holding her close, he threw his head back for a moment, "shall I find my white flag now?"

Chloe placed her hands in the centre of his chest and pushed him away, "oh no. I like the fighting Chris not the passive Chris!"

He laughed, "and I definitely like the feisty Chloe. Come on!"

The hotel was tucked away in a sidestreet, and in the reception was a quiet bar. He led her to a secluded sofa in a corner then made for the bar, ordering them a couple of beers. Coming back to the table, he handed her the beer, and then a menu. "I'm starving, do you want anything to eat?"

She nodded, "you must be ravenous after all that running around!" 

"Oh yes, physical activity does that to a man!" Chris retorted with a grin, before burying his nose in the menu.

Chloe laughed as she opened her own menu.

They ate well, with Chris telling her all about an earlier conversation with his parents. They were planning to visit in the next few weeks. His groans at the thought spoke volumes. 

"I love them!" He assured her, "but my father has had the highest power job imaginable for years, and now he struggles to fill his days of retirement. My mother is a typical Greek woman, fussing and feeding! It can be like hell!"

"My parents are quite cool actually, my mother is like a friend, we shop together, go out for the day, you know? But then we don't have the huge distances to travel like you."

He nodded, as he accepted his huge hamburger from the waiter, "when I'm in New York in the winter I'll see them a lot. I know they miss me, but they fuss, you know?"

She nodded, "I bet your sisters do too!"

Groaning he looked at her, "you don't know the half, Eleni is the oldest, twenty three, six years younger than me, and she constantly tries to set me up with her friends. Then there's Rhea, she's twenty one and midway towards becoming a vet...she's cool. But Tiana...her name means Princess, and she lives up to it! She's nineteen and has chosen to do nothing. No work, no college...and my parents just give her an allowance to spend on herself.'' he grimaced, "we fight all the time because I'm sick of her disrespecting my parents."

"And they don't care about that?"

He nodded, "they defend her, we end up fighting...it's always ugly."

"Will she come with them when they visit?"

He held up a hand, "I'm hoping they don't come! But there's no way they'd leave her home alone, whilst they defend her, they don't trust her!"

Chloe loved this insight into the Petrakis family, "Owen was a bit similar to that. Everyone loved him. I spent so long putting things on hold to dig him out of holes, and no one ever criticised him..."

He could see her pain, still raw, "but he gave back, unlike Tiana, he worked, and wanted to spend time with you, and appreciated you...she does none of those things, so please don't compare your brother to her."

They ate in silence for a little while, both contemplating the other's revelations. They were sat either side of a low table on sofas and as Chloe finished her food, a few minutes after Chris, he tapped the seat next to him.  Nodding, she moved to sit beside him on the low brown leather sofa, half turned to face him. He had his arm slung along the back of the sofa, watching her intently. 

"So what are your plans for the rest of the week?" Chris' fingers slid forward to ensnare a short spike of hair behind her ear, and twirl it.

"I'm just looking after the kids. Part of the fun of coming here was not having to commit to friends, family. You know? Just a relaxing break."

He nodded, "we have a varied training schedule, some days, some evenings. But I want to see you whenever I can. Can we go out tomorrow night?"

"Phil has a work dinner, I'm babysitting the night too...you could come over? We could get a pizza?"

Chris thought he'd died and gone to heaven, she was inviting him into her family, into her life. It was a liberating thought and activity. "I'd love to. It sounds perfect."

"Don't get too cocky at the thought, I'm watching the Wedding Singer and Never Been Kissed," his eyes widened in horror, and she grinned. "I LOVE Drew Barrymore, and Didi has THE biggest chick-flick DVD collection!" Running a finger along his jaw, loving the gruffness of his stubble, she grinned, "so if you can cope with that, then you're welcome!"

"I'm sure I can manage!"

They had a few more beers, then Chris insisted on walking her home, the same route along the boardwalk. As they crossed the bridge out of the centre to join the path, he held her back, turning her to look at him, "can we get this over and done with now?"

As a questioning look swept over her face, he pulled her close and planted his lips on hers. There was no time to process things, she was overwhelmed by his smell, his body and the touch of those beautiful lips on hers. Those expert lips. He teased her, drawing her into his arms, and when he snatched at her bottom lip with his teeth she gasped. His response was a groan as he dipped his tongue into her mouth, unable to hide his desire from her body, every inch of him wanted to merge with every inch of her. 

Finally lifting his head, in a moment of clarity, he didn't know what decision he rued more, kissing her, but he'd had to, the thought of it had been with him all day, or that he'd stopped. Looking down at her in that second, her eyes still closed, face still serene in her passion, his heart swelled, not to mention other parts of his anatomy. 

Her lips lonely, Chloe opened her eyes and met Chris' gaze. 

"Ok?" he asked hoarsely.

She nodded, "I'm glad you got that over with too!"

He loved that she lightened the mood so easily, that she was so playful. "Good. Shall we walk?"

Pressing her hips against his she smiled, "can you?"

"You relish my discomfort?" 

When she chuckled, he grabbed her around the waist and tossed her over his shoulder, starting towards Phil's in long strides. She squealed with every step, but he just laughed, this was a little less intense on his libido. But as he rounded the corner to run parallel with the harbour, she was wriggling, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage her.

"I'm putting you down...only because I don't want to drop you. You deserve to be dragged home like that for your cheek!"

Chloe was still chuckling as he took her hand and led her along the path.

At Phil's house she smiled at him, "coffee?"

He glanced behind her, the house was in darkness, the last thing he wanted was to wake up her brother and family. Then there was the fact that he didn't trust himself. He burned for this girl like he never had before. 

"I don't think that's the best idea." He spotted the slight downturn of her lips, disappointment,  and added, "only because I'm like a coiled spring. Last think I need is to get caught inflagrante with you by your brother!"

She beamed at him, "really? You'd want to?"

He laughed at that hint of insecurity and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "my little problem that you joked about affecting my walking earlier is unchanged. Because of you!"

She gave a knowing nod, "really? So what happens if I do this?" She leaned forward to place her lips just below his earlobe, and as she flicked out a tongue to taste it, she pressed her breasts against him. 

The breath left his lungs with a hiss and he grabbed her, pinning her against the wall of the house, "playing games? Are you sure?" As his lips flew to hers  in a uncontrollable bout of passion, she purred like a contented cat.  His hands found the warm soft skin of her spine at the same moment his tongue found hers, and as they battled for supremacy a million fireworks seemed to ignite then explode under her skin.  

"Shit Chloe," he gasped his mouth dropping to her neck, "If you don't stop teasing me this is going to get pretty desperate!" She was gyrating against him, two very libidinous pelvises sandwiched together and he was at the point of losing control. 

"I want..."

He managed to tear his mouth from her skin and look down at her drugged eyes, "this is not the time...and definitely not the place...anyone could find us..."

Chloe dropped her head back against the wall and sighed, and despite his claims and protests, he found the sight of her long neck too tempting, leaning forward he dropped his lips to her skin.

"No biting!" she snipped, managing to regain some of her composure. Chris' chuckle was a warm breath against her neck, and then he nuzzled with his nose, pushing back her shirt until he could see the purple mark. Planting his lips on it, he lifted his head and pushed himself away from her. 

"I didn't intend that."

"I know. But it annoyed me!"

He grinned, "but I'm forgiven now?"

Nodding she straightened her clothes, "getting there Petrakis, you're getting there."

He took her hand and kissed her finger tips, "until tomorrow?"

After a brief nod, she watched him jog off into the distance.