Free London Calling by Karen Booth, Karen Stivali Page A

muscles contracted around him and she watched as
a look of contentment washed over his face. He thrust slowly, pulsating within
her.
    Jenna collapsed onto Tim’s heaving chest. He wrapped his
arms around her, kissing her forehead, nose and cheeks. Her mouth found his and
they shared a tender kiss, his lips full and hot against hers. She curled into
him, feeling warm and protected.
    He caressed her hip. “I’m going to run to the loo. Need
anything?”
    “Seems to me like you took care of everything.”
    He laughed and returned moments later with two glasses of
water and an enormous bag of Pretzel M&M’s.
    “You weren’t kidding when you said you like those,” she
said, sitting up and pulling the sheet over her chest.
    “You’ve got me addicted.” He climbed in next to her and tore
open the bag. He took a single piece and held it to Jenna’s waiting lips. She
parted them, feeling lightheaded as he followed the candy with a kiss. Several
pieces tumbled into his hand and he gave her the bag. His fingers curled over
the top edge of the sheet. “You’re hiding from me.”
    She sat up further, allowing the sheet to fall from her
breasts. The brush of cool fabric made her nipples hard. “Better?”
    He stretched out on his side. “Perfect.”
    They stayed up much of the night, snuggling, talking and
laughing. Tim told stories from his childhood, about his mum, his sisters and Gavin.
Jenna soaked up every word, trying to imagine a younger version of Tim. She wished
she had such stories. Aside from the stretch every summer when she and her
brother stayed with their grandmother, there weren’t many happy memories.
    * * * * *
    The alarm on Jenna’s phone sounded at five. Tim’s breathing
remained steady and heavy, his arm draped over her waist. She wished the room
wasn’t so dark so she could see his face clearer as he slept.
    Lifting his arm gently, she inched out of his embrace. She
tiptoed to the bathroom and dressed, surprisingly energized from what couldn’t
have been more than two hours of sleep.
    “Tim,” she whispered, but there was no response. “Tim.” She
leaned down and kissed his cheek. She hated leaving, hated the thought of the
next several hours at work. All she really wanted to do was slide into bed and
give him a very pleasant and drawn-out wake-up call.
    It was chilly outside and Jenna decided to splurge on a cab
home so she could change before she headed to work. Watching as the eerily
quiet city streets zipped by, she thought about chance, about what she might be
doing if Tim had never stumbled across the café. It would be just another day. Instead,
she felt warm and tingly just thinking about him. She grinned and rested her
forehead against the window.
    Jenna’s fondness for Tim was undeniable. She knew her
feelings were foolish, just like her to go overboard. There had been only a few
dates and already she didn’t want to spend a minute without him. She’d probably
slept with him too soon. She went over it in her head, arguing that she could
have wasted an entire week playing hard-to-get when she didn’t have that kind
of time with him.
    She was nearly fifteen minutes late by the time she arrived
at the café. She whipped off her coat and hung it up before rushing to the sink
to wash her hands.
    “Nat, I’m so sorry.” She transferred pastries to a tray at
lightning speed.
    Natalie winked. “No problem. I hope he was worth it.”
    Her face flushed. She was glad this hadn’t come up when she
was trying to wait on customers. “He was.”
    The morning rush was hectic, as always, but Jenna couldn’t
get her mind off Tim. When the first wave subsided, Jenna took the opportunity
to froth some milk for the next influx. Natalie brought a tray of muffins from
the back.
    “What’s wrong?” Natalie asked. “You look worried.”
    “Do you think I messed up by sleeping with him so soon? What
if he bails?”
    The bell on the door jingled again and Jenna wiped her brow
with the back of