You Got It Wrong - Part Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Three

Pressed against the work surface, jammed between the unforgiving ridge of smooth granite and the equally unforgiving hardness of Theo Peterson, Nina had never felt so trapped. The fact that the only thing that separated the rigidity of him from the bare softness of her stomach was the cotton of his boxer shorts only seemed to enhance the feelings of illicitness, the forbidden nature of their unplanned liaison. She’d never been kissed like that, not that she could remember the last time she’d kissed a man. Other than her boyfriend aged eighteen, she hadn’t had a formal relationship with anyone, a few drunken encounters that she could barely remember didn’t really count.

She knew in that moment that if she’d had this kiss when she was as drunk as she’d ever been she’d remember it. He was invading her, slowly, steadily, but she knew that she was claiming him back in equal measure. His lips were so strong, so controlling, but she didn’t feel dominated or overwhelmed. His hands scorched her skin, branding the strip of skin between her knickers and the vest she’d worn to bed.

Her hands, idle until that moment, slid up his bare arms, and she almost groaned when her fingers encountered the sleeves of his t-shirt, hating that she couldn’t touch his chest, his back, his shoulders.

Theo took advantage of the moan escaping her lips, as his tongue slid into her mouth, challenging, teasing. Nina was struggling to hold on the last vestige of her composure, it was easy to pretend that it wasn’t the middle of the night, this wasn’t her kitchen, and Theo’s daughter wasn’t upstairs sleeping.  With a moan, his lips left hers, gliding erotically over her cheek to her ear lobe. As he nipped at it, she felt her legs weaken and was grateful for the constant pressure of his body holding her up. Grinning against her skin as she dropped her head back, exposing her neck in rapture, he lowered his hands to grip her hips, fingers spanning across her bare flesh, cupping her buttocks.

Nina’s nails were cutting small moon shapes into his upper arms, and when she realised how hard she was gripping, she slipped her hands over his chest to grab the hem of his t-shirt. It was Theo’s turn to moan as he pulled his lips from his torturous trip over her shoulder to allow her to slide the fabric over his head. 

Nina was in heaven, the roughness of Theo’s stubble at her neck, the softness of his tongue on her collarbone was a stark contrast to the smooth sparsely hair covered contours of his chest under her hands. She had carte blanche to touch and feel his body, and when his lips returned to hers, she was as ravenous as he was. Their kiss was almost feral, teeth clashed, tongues duelled, and their hands grasped at flesh, trying to claw each other, a desire to turn the other inside out.

Theo’s hands were on her ribs, spanned out, sliding slowly up as she devoured his lips. But as his thumbs found the underside of her breasts, she couldn’t help but gasp, his response was a smile against her lips, a nibble of her bottom lip, and his two hands moving to cover her breasts, her nipples hard against his palms.

Nina slid her hands into his hair, securing his head and his hungry lips to her neck, pushing her desperate body into his hands, rubbing her pelvis into the hardness of his own arousal.

                “Dad?” the voice was soft, quiet, but came from the hallway.

Theo’s head shot up and he muttered, “shit!” under his breath. “I don’t...”

He stared at Nina, her eyes flashing with passion, her cheek pink from the ministrations of his stubble, her parted lips bruised, full. God he wanted to kiss her again.

                “It’s ok,” she finally managed, licking her dry lips. “She needs you; she doesn’t know where she is.”

He nodded, “but...”

She grinned, he was stood there in just a pair of boxers, his huge erection so visible through the soft material, but she was equally as exposed. “Saved by the bell again. We’ll be glad of that tomorrow.”

He was shaking his head in disagreement when Melody called out again.

Theo reached out, cupped her cheek for a moment, drinking in the nuances of her face, then reluctantly turned to rush out of the room.

Nina was always up early; Lilah was getting an early train, so she got up when she heard her moving around and started making coffee. She was filling the pot when the door opened behind her.

                “What’s this?”

Nina hadn’t really had time to digest what happened the night before, and when she turned to see Lilah holding Theo’s t-shirt between two fingers a look of disgust on her face. She tried to hide the blush, but she was useless at that, she was no actress, so instead she shrugged and turned back to the coffee machine, vivid memories and images of that kiss flashed into her mind and she felt as though her internal temperature and risen by two degrees.

Placing her hands onto the work surface, she took a few deep breaths, trying to control herself, then reached for some mugs from the cupboard, the thought of Theo’s hands on her body, the kisses that caused such stubble rash...were things she had to get out of her mind. She’d been emotional, she’d had a few drinks...she needed time and space.

The door had just closed behind Lilah, excited at the thought of getting back into the modelling world, when Nina heard voices on the stairs. Looking up she saw Melody beaming at her as she clutched the banister and came down the steps.

                “You ok little lady?”

Melody grinned, “we had a sleep over!”

Laughing she led the little girl into the kitchen, “of course we did. And it was fun, wasn’t it?”

                “Oh yes, it definitely was.”

Nina froze at the deep timbre of the voice behind her, she had wanted to avoid this confrontation, and know she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her.  Taking a deep breath and looking at the small girl smiling up at her, she mumbled, “good fun. Now do you want some breakfast or are you rushing off to London?”

He was silent, and Nina didn’t want to turn, didn’t want to look him in the eye, but the silence was palpable. Finally she turned an eyebrow lifted in question to see him lounging against the doorframe fortunately a shirt covered his broad chest.

                “Don’t do this Nina.”

Nina’s eyes widened and she looked down at Melody then back to him, she had no intention of discussing what did...or rather didn’t happen the previous night in front of his daughter. If it was up to her she’d pretend that nothing happened at all, and it seemed he was wise to that.

                “Are you eating?”

He sighed, “we’ll grab a piece of toast or something if we can.”

                “I can do better than that, you like cereal Melody?”

She nodded, “Cocopops?”

Grinning Nina reached for the box, then got her a bowl.

Theo slithered into a seat beside Melody and watched Nina busy herself around the kitchen. He KNEW she’d pretend in hadn’t happened, knew she’d retreat into her shell once again, but he had no intention of letting it go. The thought of the kiss they’d shared heated his veins like nothing else ever had. He couldn’t walk away from that. But the one thing that the previous evening had highlighted was the fact that Melody was going to make things difficult. He knew that he couldn’t display his feelings towards Nina in front of his daughter, but he had to find a way to juggle them both, keep them both happy, and treat them both in the way they deserved. That wasn’t going to be easy.

For the moment he was happy to let Nina cluck around being the hostess, but before he left, he was going to plan their next encounter. That was the plan B.

                “We need to get going Melody.” He disturbed the two females who had been deep in conversation since he’d entered the kitchen. She gave a groan and he chuckled, “I’ve got to go to work, and you young lady have a day with Day Care.”

                “But it’s fun here Daddy, can’t I stay?”

He laughed suddenly seeing an in, “no sorry sweetheart, but I’m sure that Nina will come for tea, maybe tomorrow?”

He heard Nina groan before he looked up at her with the same pleading eyes as his daughter.

                “Will you Nina? That’s great. We can make cakes!”

As the little girl skipped across the kitchen he watched her shake her head, “that is SUCH a low blow Mr Peterson.”

Shrugging he jumped to his feet, “I’ll use any tactic I can. Tomorrow? Four?” He mentally hoped that he could finish work in time; he was neglecting that part of his life hugely at the moment. “I live in Pimlico, if you can get to the tube station by four, I’ll pick you up. You know what car is mine?”

It was a statement not a question and he didn’t give her time to answer, instead with a beaming smile, he scooped up Melody and strode out into the early morning.

               

                “You kissed him!”  Lilah leaned back in her chair and gasped. “YOU. Nina Willoughby had a hot passionate session in the kitchen? I’ve heard of midnight feasts, but that takes the biscuit.”

Nina blushed glancing around hoping that none of the other diners at the posh restaurant could hear her friend’s exclamations. “It wasn’t like that.” She hissed, but the smile those memories caused and the deepening blush revealed more than she denied.

                “You look guilty, despite your remonstrations.”

Nina leaned back in her chair and sighed, “before we went to bed, we almost kissed. Melody woke...so he had to sort her out.” She looked to the ceiling for a moment then grabbed her wine and slugged a mouthful of wine. So obviously I couldn’t sleep.”

                “So he followed you downstairs?”

She blushed, “I was wearing a vest and my knickers, that’s all. But I didn’t have time to be embarrassed about that, because he pounced on me.”

                “The bastard!” She announced though there was no venom in her words. “Taking advantage of you again?”

Nina sighed, “well if he took advantage I didn’t complain. In fact, I got more than I gave, so to speak.”

Lilah’s eyes were wide, “was it good?”

Nodding, her voice was a whisper when she replied, “the best.”  Glancing up to the ceiling again she tried to compose herself then added, “then Melody woke again and it was like a douse of cold water for us both.”

Lilah giggled, “saved by the bell, so to speak.”

Again she blushed, “well there are more appropriate things than a quick jump in the kitchen.”

                “Don’t play it down Nina, you seem happy, it’s good to see you enthusiastic. Go with it.”

She nodded, “I’m going to his tomorrow afternoon. I don’t know how I feel about that.”

As if on some sort of telepathic link, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

                “What the hell does that as because just when I thought you couldn’t blush any more you’ve turned scarlet?”

Nina sighed then dropped the phone onto the table between them.

                “In case you’re thinking of crying off tomorrow, I’ll come to your home if you don’t come to mine. Melody will be going to bed after dinner, and that’s our chance to talk. Because Nina Willoughby, I want to get to know ALL of you, not just how hot you look in your sleep attire. Four. Pimlico station. Theo.”