Free Gravitate by Jo Duchemin Page B

gracefully. I felt the slightest squeeze of a hug as he touched me and goose bumps, that had nothing to do with the chill i n the air, appeared on my skin. I couldn’t w ait to be behind closed doors. If he was only mine when nobody else could see, that would have to be enough. Nobody else could ever compare now.
    “Let’s get home, Marty.” My voice sounded huskier than usual, charged with the ener gy I seemed to absorb from him. We started walking again, with more urgency now, as rain pattered heavily on the umbrella and occasional flashes of lightning il luminated the deserted street. I searched in my handbag for my front door key, eager to get home as soon as possible. I thought my heart was louder than the th under roaring in the distance.
    We arrived at the door, slightly out of breath. I thrust the key into the lock and forced the door open, tripping over the doorstep in my haste to get into the house. Marty caught me round the waist to stop me falling over and simultaneously sl ammed the door shut behind him. I shivered at the th rill of his hands touching me. Despite my body being tiny, compared to his, I was able to push my body against his and force him towards the wall, pressing my chest to his, feeli ng the heat radiating from him. We kissed pas sionately, in the dark hallway. The pent up frustration from the day s eemed to be spilling out of me. I shook Marty’s jacket from my shoulders and left it lying on the floor. My hands were almost uncontrollable as they explored his chest, relishing the sensation of feeling his muscular torso covered with only a flimsy piece of fabric. His fingers ran through my hair, h is lips locked on mine. My body tingled and trembled. I started to pull up his jumper, de sperate to reveal more of him. At that moment, I didn’t ne ed to know anything about him. I just needed him.
    Strong hands clamped around my wrists and stopped the m in their tracks. His mouth pulled away from mine and I felt my body being gently, yet ins istently, forced away from his. I felt lost for words – I thought he’d wanted this as much as I did.
    “Claudia, stop. We can’t do this.” I could hear the longing in his throaty voice, his breathing was quickened and short, yet his hands held me in place, at a distance away from him.
    “Why can’t we? Don’t you want to?” I was glad the hallway was growing darker by the minute, as I felt embarrassed asking him these questions and now I was blushing fiercely.
    “Of course I do. I’ve never wanted anything more.” There was a blaze of lightning and for a moment his face was visible, with an array of mixed em otions laid bare for me to see. Desire, fear, passion, anger, frustration, attr action. “But we can’t do this. We just can’t.”
    “What’s wrong?” I knew he wouldn’t tell me, but I had to ask anyway.
    “Me. I’m what’s wrong.” And without another word, he walked straight out of the front d oor and into the stormy night. The slam of the do or echoed in the empty hallway. His coat and the umbre lla lay abandoned on the floor. I pressed my head against the wall, where his back had just been, trying to m ake sense of what had happened. I could still smell his heady scent in the air. I started to feel dizzy and sick, as though I was going to faint and I slid down to the fl oor to stop myself passing out. I lay on the hardwood floor, curled up, hugging my knees to my chest and cried. Great, uncontrollab le sobs reverberated around me.
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
    I don’t know how long I was asleep for. It was completely dark when the sound o f the door creaking roused me. I heard footsteps walk closer to me, steady breathing as someone bent down to look at me and then a deep sigh, filled with regret, as strong arms wrap ped around me and lifted me up. I moulded myself to his chest, drinking in his scent, his warmth, the touch of his skin as m y forehead rested on his neck. He brought the fresh smell of rain in with him and