A Dangerous Affair

Stephanie woke an hour before her alarm clock went off so she cancelled the alarm and lay there for some time before throwing the covers back and getting out of bed. She went straight to the spare room where the door was ajar. Pushing the door slightly more open she stood, watching Tom sleeping and wondering what she was going to say to him. She tiptoed into the room but when she reached his bedside he stirred so she stood still and waited until he settled. She hadn’t yet worked out what she was going to say. He looked tired and tense even though he was sleeping and his hair was even more ruffled than usual. How had she got this man involved in all of this? It didn’t seem fair to her that he should be putting his life in danger because of some story she was chasing, and although she still desperately wanted to write the story and she was afraid for herself, she had to find a way to put him off continuing with this because if he ended up dead... well it didn’t bear thinking about.

She gently sat down on the bed next to him and reached out to wake him up. She intended to touch him on the shoulder but of its own accord her hand changed direction and she ended up stroking his hair back off his face. He jumped, moved his head back and blinked his eyes in confusion, trying to focus. She smiled.

“It’s a bit earlier than we need to be up but we have to talk Tom,” she said, looking more serious. He ran a hand through his hair and struggled to a sitting position. “First of all I want to apologise for last night.” She sighed and closed her eyes momentarily. “What can I say? I was a crazy woman. I’m really sorry for that Tom, you didn’t deserve me turning on you like that.”

“Well it’s like I said, you went through a hell of a lot,” he shrugged.

“What, and you didn’t?”

“Yeah well, I’m used to stuff like that,” he said, making light of her comment.

“So you keep saying, although I’m not sure why you would be. The point is Tom that we can’t go on like this or one of us is going to end up dead and if it’s you, because of me chasing after this story, then how on earth am I ever going to live with myself?”

He hitched his leg up so that the covers fell back from him and rested his arm on his knee casually. Even then when she was trying to focus on something so important the sight of him sat up in bed, undressed from the waist up, made her want to say to hell with everything and throw caution to the wind.

“The problem is Steph that we are involved now whether we like it or not. Our biggest concern now should be to stick by each other until this whole thing is resolved because you can bet that either Henry or Hugh will come after us at some point.”

She shivered suddenly. “What have I done?”

“Come here,” he said, lifting up the covers and holding out a hand to her. She eyed it with uncertainty. “You’re cold, come here,” he repeated.

She hesitated for a moment before moving across the bed and lifting up her feet, slipping them underneath the covers. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her next to him whilst tucking the covers around them both. She felt cocooned against his chest, warm and wonderfully safe. It was heaven being close to a man like that, having his attention on her and feeling his warm skin and strong arms around her.

“There, better?” he asked, looking down at her.

It was so very much better that she didn’t trust herself to speak. She nodded, looking up at him briefly but then looking away.

“Listen,” he began, combing her hair back from her face with his fingers, letting the silvery gold strands slip through them before reaching out again and repeating the process, “you didn’t ask me to turn up at the bar that night and you have tried to put me off enough times now but ultimately it has always been my decision to get involved so don’t go feeling all guilty on me Steph. Besides,” he said, moving his head sideways to take a look at her, “I’m not planning on dying just yet, at least not until I have tested out that kissing theory of yours,” he grinned. He laughed as he watched her expression change from confusion to sudden realisation of what he was referring to. She bit her lip.

“Yes, well, like I said, I was a bit crazy last night.” She looked sideways at him sheepishly and he smiled slowly, whispering into her ear,

“Yeah, the ‘wild and wonderful’ Steph was back for a bit.” He chuckled and bent his head to kiss her on the neck before leaning back against the headboard and pulling her with him. She turned sideways and leant her head against his chest, indulging herself more than she really should have. He put his hand on top of her head and began the stroking and combing process again.

“I’m so tired, god knows what either of us will be like at work today,” she said. “You can’t have had much sleep either, what with me screaming out loud in the middle of the night.”

“You know what, I think that Brick owes us at least the morning off. I can’t ever remember a time when you took time off work so I think that we should lie in and turn up to work later.”

She looked up at him, surprised and unsure. “Don’t you think that Brick might have something to say about that?”

He shrugged. “I’ll deal with Brick. We’ll be fine. Now sleep eh.”

She sighed and relaxed against him, closing her eyes.

“One thing’s for sure, no one’s going to come near you this morning. They’ll have to prise you out of my arms and I’m not letting go that easily!”

She smiled and reached for his hand. He laced his fingers through hers and placed their hands together on his chest in front of her face. She kissed his knuckles.

“Thank you Tom.”