Free Touched by Malcolm Havard Page A

you take it?’
    There was no reply. Dan knew he was drifting into sleep, he fought it but he couldn’t stop himself. Vaguely he heard her footsteps as she walked over to him and in his dreams he was sure he heard someone softly say, ‘Your turn to leave me this time, Mr Jackson.’
    He couldn’t be sure but he thought something cold brushed his lips.
    Then it was gone.
     
    Saturday morning, 3 am
     
    Dan woke up stiff and cold and with a full bladder. He was still on the settee, fully clothed and the lights were still on.
    Having quietly limped his way to the toilet he came back into the kitchen and drank a large glass of water from the tap. He had a raging thirst and a thumping head and decided that water would really help so ran a second one too which he sipped more slowly. Turning off the kitchen and lounge lights he padded into the hall. The light here was on too.
    His bedroom door was ajar, the room in darkness. Cautiously he pushed the door open.
    The bed was empty.
    He stood in the hall for a full minute before he switched the bedroom light on and the one in the hall off. He took his suit and shirt off and tossed them uncaring onto a chair then got into bed.
    Although he still felt very rough he had an empty, lonely feeling. The hope that Tess might have been there had been dashed. The old demons came back, keeping him awake though for only a few minutes until his tiredness took over again.
    He had a dream. In it Tess came into the room and sat quietly on the end of the bed. He wanted her to get in with him, to feel the warmth of her body against his but it seemed his imagination wouldn't let that happen.
    It was a shame. It seemed so real.
     
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Saturday Morning
     
    Dan woke with at start at around 8am. He had jumped out of the bed and was in a panic that he was going to be late for work until he remembered that it was Saturday. He tried getting back into bed, tried to find sleep again but annoyingly it wouldn’t come, his mind filled with thoughts of Tess. Within half an hour he had given up. Throwing the duvet off he got out of bed.
    He was pleasantly surprised that his head wasn’t worse than it was. It was throbbing slightly but he had had some hangovers in his student days that had kept him out of daylight for the whole day they were so painful. He felt thankful that they had left the Indian when they had, thankful that he hadn’t gone onto a club and for waking up and having the water in the night.
    After a shower he felt even better. He spent a full 15 minutes just standing under the stream of hot water, letting it wash away the previous night.
    After that he knew there was only one last thing he needed to complete his recovery; towelling himself dry and slipping on his towelling robe he walked through to the kitchen. Coffee. A fresh one. Strong. Caffitaire or espresso? No contest; espresso it had to be.
    As he screwed the lid onto the charged espresso pot he suddenly felt the same prickly feeling that he was being watched that he had felt the previous night. It was so strong that he swung around, sure that there was someone in the lounge. The kitchen was just a galley one, really just an alcove off the lounge, part of the same room. There was no place for anyone to hide.
    The room was empty. He was all alone. Still he felt himself shiver.
    ‘Wishful thinking, Dan,’ he muttered to himself. Yes, waking up with Tess would have been a wonderful start to the weekend. He smiled at the thought but then the smile faded. Who was he kidding? Himself, that was who. He didn’t know her, he hadn’t kissed her, he hadn’t even touched her. He knew virtually nothing about her.
    ‘Bloody deluded idiot,’ he muttered angrily to himself, turning the ring on fully under the espresso pot.
    He did the washing up whilst he waited for it to boil. As he did a memory came to him. Something about last night. Lips on his. Cold lips, cold as the night.
    He shivered again.
    The coffee was perfect, let