A Dangerous Affair

An hour later, after having spent at least twenty minutes trying to find out where Stephanie lived, Tom stood by her front door. He held onto her whilst trying to work out where she had put the house keys. Reaching for her handbag he searched through the contents and fished them out, letting them both into her house. She stumbled through the hallway, into the lounge and over to the cream leather sofa where she flung herself down. He hesitated then but after a few moments he walked over and stared down at her. Her eyes were soft and dreamy as she stared back at him and he stood there for a while, his eyes locked with hers. Then his glance began to move over her as she lay on the sofa in that clingy, satin dress. He allowed himself the luxury of being able to look openly at her without her disapproval.

“Are you looking at me Tom?” she asked, gazing up at him flirtatiously.

“You bet I am…because come tomorrow, I have the distinct feeling that you’ll be back to the same old prudish Stephanie White. I’m rather liking Miss Wild and Wonderful Stephie so I’m making the most of it.”

He sat down then on the sofa at her side and she struggled to a sitting position, tucking her feet under her again. He watched her, mulling something over in his mind before breaking the silence.

“Stephie, if I asked you something now would you tell me the truth?”

“Of course,” she said, shrugging a shoulder at him.

He paused for a moment. “Okay, I want to know once and for all, for the record, are you at all attracted to me or am I wasting my time?” He stared into those stunning eyes of hers and waited for a reaction. She smiled a slow lazy smile and leant closer to him, making his heart jolt with excitement.

“Well you know the…what did you say? Ah yes, the prudish Stephanie White would say that she was most definitely not.”

He leant towards her, closing the gap further so that their faces were inches apart.

“And the wild and wonderful Stephie, what would she say?”

Her eyes moved over his face for a second before she answered. “She might have to admit to being secretly attracted to him all along.” And with that she turned around and slid off the sofa, crawling away from him on her hands and knees, mumbling, “God I’m thirsty now, where’s that water?”

He watched her struggle across the hardwood floor, her bottom wriggling enticingly in front of him before the full realisation of her words sunk in.

“Whoa, wait a minute tiger. What did you say?” He suddenly made after her, grabbing her around the waist and turning her around to face him. She looked down in surprise at his hands around her waist.

He repeated, “What did you say Stephie?”

“I said I’m thirsty, I need some water.”

He frowned. “No not that bit, what did you say before that?” She stared blankly back at him. Was she toying with him? Damn it, the one woman he was completely crazy about, the woman who’d been constantly in his head for months, had just admitted that she was attracted to him but she was completely spaced out! It could only happen to him. He reluctantly came to the conclusion that he would have to leave her to get over the effects of the pill. He’d like nothing more than to stay there longer with her but he’d actually rather have her back to normal before things went any further. He had a sneaking suspicion however that once she was the usual Stephanie again their relationship would be back on ice. But who knows, maybe she’d appreciate him being a gentleman and at least they’d be spending some time together now that they were both working on the story. “Come on, I’d better be going,” he sighed.

He found the bottle of water that she’d dropped on the way in and pushed it into her hand as he pulled her up off the floor. She swayed alarmingly and he eyed the stairs through the hallway. He didn’t relish getting her up there and decided against carrying her up in favour of laying her back on the sofa. He’d wait for a while until she fell asleep, just to check that she was okay. He got her back onto the sofa, holding her head up for her to drink some of the water and he was relieved to see her drink most of the bottle. She lay back down and he went into the kitchen to refill the bottle. When he came back she had her eyes closed, her head to one side and her arms flung above her head. He looked at her again, unable to resist. Her face was extremely flushed and her hair was fanned out on the sofa cushion. She turned her head slowly, moaning,

“It’s too hot Tom.” She twisted her head again on the cushion. “Tom, I’m burning up.”

“So am I sweetheart,” he said under his breath. He pictured himself reaching down, taking hold of her wrists and pressing his body hard against hers. It took all his self-control to stop himself from doing just that. With a shake of his head he lifted her up instead to give her more water.

“Come on Stephie, you’ve got to get some sleep now honey.” He lay her back and she said nothing, closing her eyes.

He sat in her armchair watching over her until his own eyes eventually shut.