In the Interlude

Chapter 40 - The Summer Party

Aïcha stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, wiping up the steam. She ran her hand over the faint blue mark just over her left breast, the result of a heated kiss. Last night had been nothing but casual. It had been profoundly intimate and passionate. The few words they had said to each other, that he wanted her more than he had ever wanted another woman, that she wanted all of him, carried a new promise.

The promise of tomorrows.

She wasn't sure when it had happened or when it had started. She was incapable of pinpointing the exact moment. But she knew she was falling for him.

She hadn't been prepared for him to sneak himself into her life and lodge his way into her heart. Yet he had.

She knew that all the walls she had built around her were starting to tumble down. He had managed to blast his way through them.

Slowly.

Steadily.

But she still had no clue how to make this all work.

Aïcha pressed her fingers to her eyelids, trying to get some clarity. There was a more urgent matter at hand.

Moments later, Tom found her sitting on the bed wearing nothing but a towel, clothes scattered on the floor. She seemed upset.

"Are you alright, love?"

"I should have never said yes, Tom.'' Aïcha abruptly stood up picking up some of the clothes on the floor. "I don't know what to wear to this party of yours. This or this or should I go and buy something more fancy? Gosh!" she groaned, her accent coming out stronger than usual. "It's a conundrum!"

Tom tried to keep a straight face but failed miserably breaking into a big laugh. She looked at him furrowing her brows. "Tom, I'm so not in the mood right now."

"Are you sure this is what's bothering you?" he said stepping forward.

She threw the clothes on the bed. "What if I panic and get really drunk and start embarrassing myself?"

"You don't drink."

"Exactly."

"Come here." He opened his arms and she nestled close as he gently rubbed her back. "I know we're going to have a massively good time but -" He pushed her to arms' length so that he could look into her eyes and added, "you don't need to go if you don't feel like it."

Aïcha stood there, taking a couple of seconds before putting her arms over his shoulders. "No, let's do this. I want to go."

Tom pulled her back to him, pressing her warm body into his and kissed her on the lips, a kiss they held for a long time until they both gasped for air. He kissed her again, urging her lips apart while pushing her to the wall.

She inhaled sharply into his mouth from the contact with the cold wall and her nipples tightened involuntarily. As he slipped his tongue into her mouth, his big hand came resting on one of her breasts. Her towel had slipped to her waist.

Her hands landed on his arms feeling the strained muscles. Aïcha loved touching Tom, feeling the heat radiating from his warm skin, leaving her wanting for more.

Sucking on her lips, kissing them, he quickly unfastened his belt, unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down just below his arse. She shuddered as she felt his erection through the towel she was still wearing, desire balling in her belly. She wanted him. A sound came out of her mouth, and for the life of her, she didn't know what it was.

Tom smiled a wicked smile and reached for her thigh, lodging it over his waist. The towel that separated them fell on the floor and Aïcha arched her back pushing her upper body into him. His hand on her thigh felt like a burn on her skin.