Free Wishful Thinking by Lynette Sofras Page B

crossly. Only a superstar would think what he was asking was so simple. And then she felt selfish. But it was out of the question, he must realise that.
     
    “It’s kind of you, but, it’s just not possible.”
     
    Christian sighed and shook his head. “I was afraid you might object, which is why I brought a bit of the party to you, just in case.” He handed her the champagne and flowers. She led him into the tiny sitting room, quickly clearing away Ben’s mug from the coffee table and glancing nervously around her as she indicated for him to take a seat. He looked so out of place in her humble surroundings that she wanted to apologise, but stopped herself.
     
    “I’ll just tuck Ben up and be back with you in a moment.”
     
    She put the flowers in the kitchen and rushed into her own bedroom next to Ben’s to brush her hair before hurriedly adjusting her make up. Fortunately she’d at least put some on that afternoon as they had been to a small tea party at one of the neighbours’ flats where one of Ben’s little friends lived. What a completely different kind of party there must be at Christian’s house, she thought, applying a few careful sprays of her favourite Dior perfume - a Christmas present from her father. To think of her at such a party! If only he could have given her some notice to find something glamorous to wear and a babysitter for Ben - although on New Year’s Eve, how likely was that, she wondered.
     
    When she returned to the sitting room, carrying the roses now crammed into a rather smaller vase than their elegant stems deserved, Christian was standing looking at a poster on her wall. He turned towards her as she re-entered the room, thanking him for the flowers.
     
    “I really am sorry for just turning up like this. I literally only discovered where you lived an hour ago and just got into the car and drove here. I thought if I phoned first, you might have tried to put me off coming. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to see me.”
     
    “Not want to see you?” She shook her head in surprise as she placed the vase on the table. She’d thought of nothing else but seeing him again, though she had hardly dared allow herself to admit that, or to expect it to happen. And here he was now, looking absolutely magnificent and leaving her feeling tongue-tied and awkward.
     
    He moved towards her, their gazes locked together. Their lips were so close that she felt hers begin to tremble. She could smell his cologne or aftershave which smelled heavenly to her, citrusy with exotic spicy undertones, deeply sexy and very expensive. The tremor in her lips spread to her whole body and when his lips finally touched hers, she released a soft moan of longing and utter capitulation. His touch was gentle; their lips barely making contact at first as if they themselves were hesitant and shy about getting to know each other and this fired her desire almost to fever pitch. He deposited a few exploratory little butterfly kisses on her, as if begging permission to take her completely, before claiming her mouth in a deep and passionate kiss.
     
    How long the kiss lasted, Jess couldn’t tell. She lost herself in the ecstasy of the moment, the sheer bliss of the exquisitely romantic touch of his lips, soft yet firm against her own. I’ve wanted this not just since that night in the snow; this is something I’ve wanted forever. She felt her body melting in his arms and the sensation she might disappear altogether as she no longer had any sense of control over herself. She was just there, in his arms, responding to his kiss and it was the most perfectly right experience of her whole life so far.
     
    Eventually he pulled away, but continued to look deep into her eyes, his own luminous and large. “That was unfinished business. It had to be done,” he whispered softly.
     
    She licked her lower lip as if to taste and savour his delicious presence there a moment longer before giving him a shy and teasing smile.