Chloe After Dark

Chapter 15

They didn't get a call from the creep, but Chloe still felt nervous when she was preparing to go home for the night. She watched her phone anxiously, waiting for Caspar's text to let her know he was on his way or waiting outside. Jack offered to take her himself, but she declined, thanking him. She needed to wait for the professional. Caspar finally sent her a message, nearly fifteen minutes later. She grabbed her things, waved to Blaire, and rushed outside. The black Mercedes sat parked right in front of the door, the passenger side open. Chloe hopped in and put on her seatbelt, leaning back as they sped off.
​"Sounded great tonight," Caspar said. "You're still on great form."
​"Did you get the email?" Chloe asked. "Did you see the guy tonight?"
​"Yes, to both," Caspar replied. "But the bastard lost us again. I don't know if he's got some training or what, but he's pretty good at evading us. This leads me to think he might even be an ex-cop or has worked in the military or something. Either way, this email should help to give us a lead."
​"Is that a good thing? Does it mean we're closer to getting him?"
​Caspar nodded. "Absolutely. We might not have him right away, but we'll know where he sent it from and might be able to get to him through his email server. I've got people who specialize in this sort of thing, though it might not hold up in court. Still, if we find him, we've got plenty for the cops to talk to him about. Once we know his real name, we can get that restraining order."
​"Which means, if he breaches it, he goes to jail."
​"Essentially, yes." Caspar drew a deep breath. "I'm sorry you got that email from him. It was pretty disgusting."
​"Yeah, I'm surprised he thinks anyone would go for what he's describing." Chloe scowled at the thought. "Seriously, why would I be like...'Yep! Tie me up and turn me into a prisoner. I'd love that!' He's got to be deranged to think any of that's going to happen. He'd have to..."
​"What?" Caspar prompted when she didn't continue.
​"Kidnap me..."
Caspar took her left hand with his right and squeezed it. "We're going to stop this long before it gets to that point."
​"I hope so." Chloe looked down at their entwined fingers. Some of her stress lifted, and she felt happy being with him in the car. Fear still clung to the back of her neck, but the closer to her apartment they got, the better she felt. Instead of worrying, she realized she simply didn't want to see Caspar leave. Chloe closed her eyes, trying to put all negative thoughts out of her mind. Worry and paranoia came from excessive thinking. She knew she needed to settle down and let the detective do his job. Trying to anticipate problems or consider what might happen wouldn't do her any good. At best, she'd lose sleep and get grumpier, but at worst, she might go out of her mind.
​Caspar switched off the engine, nudging Chloe on the leg. She turned to him, eyes wide. She hadn't been paying attention to where they were and found it surprising they'd already arrived at her apartment. Blushing, she got out with him, and they headed for the stairs in silence. The streets around them were empty, and her apartment block was quiet, seemingly every occupant asleep. Chloe's chest tingled as she opened the door and they headed up to her room. She wanted to look back at Caspar, to see his face and remind herself of his presence. It wasn't fear that was driving her but something else entirely, a thought she'd been harboring since she had acknowledged her attraction to him. Does he think the same way, or am I just another job? Part of her wanted to ask right now, but then the truth would be out in the open. Whichever way he answered, Chloe felt certain she'd be unhappy. If he reciprocated her interest, then things might become complicated. If he didn't, she'd feel like an idiot for asking and the situation would change into something uncomfortable. But will I be angry with myself for not speaking up? Chloe had always found this sort of thing hard when she was younger. Her friends seemed to be experts when it came to relationships, but she wasn't as good with the opposite sex. She made friends easily, but the tension of talking to men was something different entirely. She met Daniel at college, and she'd already left behind many of her social foibles. Unfortunately, they came right back when faced with a guy like Caspar. He'd been a cop, seen some dangerous things, and somehow that made him scary to consider as a partner. Even as she thought about her own fantasy, she struggled to visualize the reality with him.
​Caspar stepped inside first and checked the apartment room by room. He was thorough, heading into the bathroom and checking the shower, then going through each of the wardrobes as well. It took him nearly ten minutes, and during that time, Chloe leaned against the wall by the door, waiting anxiously for him to finish. When he did, he came back to the sitting room and stopped beside her, looking down. His proximity made her hold her breath, and she started trembling with anticipation. She wanted to take his hand, to squeeze his fingers and initiate...something. Maybe he struggled with the same apprehension, the same desire.
​"I..." Caspar lifted his eyes, meeting Chloe's gaze. She gasped and leaned harder against the wall. "Chloe..."
​"Yeah?" She tilted her head, pursing her lips. "What...what are you thinking about?"
​"Just...you're...I should probably go..."
​"Maybe. But...you don't have to."
Caspar touched her cheek, running his fingers down to her lips. She felt tension in the way he moved, saw his shoulders stiffen and the muscles in his jaw flex. The air between them felt like a tangible barrier, pressing against her as if to keep him away. If she leaned forward, barely six inches, they'd be in direct contact. Why don't I take this step? Why am I just standing here, trembling with desire? Chloe started to inch closer, eyes fixed on his. She knew they would kiss, that much was obvious, but what would happen afterward remained a mystery. If he gave in the way she wanted to, then they would most certainly sleep together. Half a second before her lips found his, Chloe closed her eyes and reveled in the warmth radiating from his body, the strength in his frame. She put her hands on his shoulders, and he gripped her about the waist. They started out softly and tentatively, as if they were treating their physical attraction like a delicate thing only recently come to life. Things escalated quickly. Tongues touched. Caspar's muscles flexed, and he started pulling at her dress. Chloe let her hands drift to his tie, loosening it before attacking the buttons. She got down to the middle of his chest before he backed away suddenly, gasping as he did so.
​"What's wrong?" Chloe asked. "Are you okay?"
​"We...should probably..." Caspar smiled, but he didn't look her in the face. "We should probably slow down a bit. This is crazy, and I don't-I don't want..."
​"Oh." Chloe swallowed hard. "I get it."
​"You do?" Caspar's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
​"I wondered if we were just getting excited, and you're...you know...just not that into me."
​"My God, that's not what I was going to say." Caspar put his hand back on her cheek. "No, I don't want you to think I was trying to take advantage of you, given the circumstances. That would be wrong of me. Seriously, I just felt like we were going way too fast. We haven't even known each other very long."
​"I totally agree." Chloe took his hand from her face and squeezed it. "Thank you for being a gentleman, Caspar. I appreciate it."
​"I'll probably regret it later," Caspar replied. "But I'd rather risk that than losing your trust." He looked at his watch. "Um...it's getting late."
​"I'll lock up after you leave." Chloe leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for checking the apartment again."
​"Think nothing of it, and I'll see you tomorrow." Caspar opened the door. "Have a good night, Chloe."
​"You too." Chloe watched him go and locked the door. She headed into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, then took her makeup off. The routine was automatic, her thoughts still running on their little episode. Part of her wished she'd insisted he should stay, but obviously, he wasn't the kind of guy to do so. Another part was glad he'd gone. She could have created a gap between them.
​Flopping on her bed, Chloe felt wide awake. She was anxious and horny, her mind stuck on the idea of Caspar hovering over her. A fantasy formed in her mind, a vision of what could've been. She'd become practiced at imagining such scenes, and as she closed her eyes, she began to touch herself. The thought of Caspar's silhouette above her made her heart race and her fingers move in quick circles, hunting for just the right spot to fulfill this particular vision. She imagined his cock pressing against her, seeking entrance and meeting a brief resistance before sliding deep inside her. Caspar could only be a big man, and she gasped at the notion of him filling her up, sliding back and then pressing in again. The rhythm increased, and he kissed her hard on the mouth, tongues entwining. Chloe arched her back and whimpered. A tremor began in her stomach first and expanded out until her shoulders began to shake. When the orgasm overtook her, she imagined Caspar crying out. He emptied himself inside her, plunging hard into her three more times just for good measure. It pushed her way over the edge, and she squirmed through multiple erotic shocks, tickling her nerves and making her head swim.
​Chloe's body slumped, and she panted as she recovered from her moment of rapture. No misery or self-loathing engulfed her this time. This was all positive, relief from overpowering sexual tension and a forerunner of things to come. She fell asleep; the last thought drifting through her mind was that she could be happy with another man. She might have met him in Caspar, but only time would tell. She very much looked forward to finding out.

​​​​​***
Chloe decided to move forward her trip to visit her mother and take the train to see her on Saturday, instead of the following weekend. She sent an email to Blaire and Caspar, letting them both know where she was going, and set off early. Getting out of the city for the day seemed like a great idea, especially with everything happening in her life at the moment. The job, the stalker, and her physical attraction to Caspar all contributed to a level of chaos in her head that she wanted to get away from. Unfortunately, visiting her mother wasn't a sure-fire way to relax, but Chloe hadn't been home for quite a while. Even if she had to endure a thousand questions and some more nagging about Daniel, the atmosphere of being back in her hometown would be pleasant.
​Chloe walked the mile from the station to the house in Willowdale, a suburb on the outskirts of Toronto in North York District. Luckily, it was a nice day, with the sun beaming down through scattered clouds. The temperature had gotten up to about twenty-five degrees, and she took off her jacket as she strolled around the familiar streets of her youth. Growing up in the neighborhood had been fantastic, and she sometimes missed the simple tranquility of the outer suburbs. Her phone buzzed with a text from Blaire, but expecting it to be just an acknowledgement of hers from earlier, she ignored it to avoid being disturbed. Her mother's house came into view, and even though she had a key, she knocked on the door as she arrived. When it opened, her mother's expression almost made her laugh. Her mom looked totally taken aback and put her hand over her mouth, looking up and down the street.
​"Oh, my God, Chloe!" Her mother still hadn't let her in. "Did I...is it already time for you to visit? I thought that was next week! Was it next week? Or is it already next week? That would make it THIS week."
​Chloe chuckled. "Mom, settle down. I came early."
​"Lord! You mustn't do that to me!" Her mom stepped aside and let Chloe in. "I thought I was going senile early. You know, the man down the street is showing signs. He thought it was 1948 the other day, which is frightening because he was born in 1962."
​"That sounds like early signs of dementia." Chloe put her bag down in the hall and hugged her mother. "How've you been? Are you doing well? Aside from spontaneously thinking you've lost your mind, I mean."
​"I'm doing well. But I didn't have time to prepare anything! I was going to bake something for you, at the very least. Well, more for me, since you never eat anything-so now, it seems, I'm not even going to get any pie." Her mother scowled in thought. "Why don't we do it now? You can help like you used to."
​"I don't remember doing much when you were in the kitchen," Chloe said, "but I'll happily keep you company in there."
​"When do you have to go back?"
​"I'm taking the second-to-last train this evening. I think it's about eight."
​"Perfect! So we can have dinner together, right?"
Chloe nodded. "Yes, Momma, we can. And I look forward to it, providing you don't decide to order pizza at the last minute. I want some real food."
​"Don't worry, I have plenty of that." Her mother moved around the kitchen, getting things ready to bake her pie. She handed Chloe a glass of her homemade lemonade. "I've been meaning to ask you something. Do you know someone named Scarlett?"
Chloe froze, her entire body feeling cold at the question. She cleared her throat. "Why...why do you ask?"
​"Because Miss Trina said she heard someone on the radio the other night who sounded exactly like you, but her name was Scarlett."
​Thank God I stopped doing the a.k.a. thing! "Um..." Chloe swallowed hard, trying to decide how to answer. "What did she say about her?"
​"That she's very racy and witty!" Her mom shook her head. "Apparently, it's one of those...you know...fantasy shows. They talk about sexy stuff. I couldn't believe Miss Trina knew about it. I always thought she was such a prude! Ever since she decided her left leg is wooden, she's been a bit strange, I reckon."
​"Wait, what?" The last comment threw Chloe off balance, and she stopped worrying about her own problem for a moment. "Did you say she thinks she has a wooden leg? But doesn't?"
​"Exactly." Her mom nodded again. "One day, she dropped a pan on her foot and said it didn't hurt on account of her having a wooden leg. No matter what we said, we couldn't convince her, and then she said she'd show us. She was going to put a knife right into her knee! We decided it was better to let her think that than have to take her to the hospital for stitches."
​"You know that's just crazy, right?" Chloe said. "I mean, people don't decide they have false limbs because they don't feel pain in them. Seriously, she probably needs help, before she goes out and actually injures herself."
​"Oh, she'll be fine as long as she doesn't try to use the leg to assault anyone." Her mother gave her another glass of lemonade. "Anyway, back to this saucy show. Do you know this Scarlett person? Or the show that Miss Trina was talking about?"
​Chloe sipped her drink to buy some time. Part of her wanted to come clean, but her cheeks were already burning at the prospect. Telling her mother she was on an erotic radio program must have been the single most embarrassing concept she'd ever considered. All the other stress suddenly paled in comparison to what her mother might say. On the other hand, her mother was also crazy enough to think it was amazing that her daughter was becoming a celebrity. Providing she didn't spread the word to the rest of the family and her other friends, things would probably work out fine. However, talking to her parent about Fantasy FM was not why Chloe had come to visit. I wanted to get away from worrying about this kind of stuff, not dive straight back into it. How did I get into this? Why the hell is Miss Trina listening to the radio so late? Of course, she might've caught it online. Older people were using the internet more and more, and they found some pretty strange material on it. Locating Red Light Confessions wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility, but at the same time, it seemed a little coincidental. Of all the things to stumble across, how did her mother's friend find that show?
​Chloe made up her mind. "Okay, Mom. Try not to freak out. Remember when I told you I got a job with my friend Blaire?"
​"Yes, I know you're Scarlett, dear."
Chloe felt like someone had punched her in the stomach and followed up with a slap to the face. She would have been less surprised if a goblin had run through the house and done both before leaping out of the window and spontaneously catching fire. The casual way her mother delivered the comment made Chloe wonder if she was dreaming...or had gone insane herself! "I don't think I heard you right, Mom."
​"Miss Trina looked into it. I just wanted to ask to see if you'd tell me the truth, and I guess you were going to. Thank you!"
​"You knew...Did you-have you-did she...say...what it's about?" Chloe felt like she might start hyperventilating. She took a long drink of the lemonade and immediately regretted the sharpness. "Wow...that's...something else! Anyway...I...did she hear it? Did you?"
​"She told me that you're giving relationship advice and occasionally talking about sexy things. I haven't heard it yet, but I thought I might tune in next week."
​"No!" Chloe said quickly. "I...just think that it's on pretty late, and you probably shouldn't stay up to hear it. I mean, the topics are...not really...appropriate. Oh, God!"
​"She said it does get a little racy. How crazy is it? On a scale of one to ten, with one being kittens playing in the backyard and ten being ten naked people in a sauna having hot sex, where would you rate this show?"
​"Wow!? Where did that comparison from?" Chloe rubbed her eyes. "Maybe you should host the show, with a vivid imagination like that. Seriously! You're out of control! And to answer your question, it's probably a five on your scale...though I'd hate to work out what seven, eight, and nine might be."
​"Seven, eight, and nine would involve foreplay." Her mom sat down at the table with her, looking like a burden had been lifted. "I know you're probably embarrassed that I found out about this-"
​"You can say that again!"
​"-but don't worry. I mean, if this is how you're going to meet a man, I can't criticize."
​"There you go again! Unbelievable!" Chloe gave a long sigh, letting her shoulders sag. "Mom, I can't meet people on the radio, for God's sake. They're total strangers! Think of them like...like customers at the supermarket. The girl at the checkout isn't taking numbers from all the people whose goods she's scanning."
​"I don't know about that," her mom said. "Peggy's son works at that small grocery store down the road, and he's hitting on women all the time."
​"Jesus, pick any other place than that then! Most people would be fired for doing that sort of thing at their job. It's not professional. And anyway, it's against company policy to get involved with someone who calls in to the show. They have some pretty incredible desires. The things I hear are wild."
​"Yes, you might need some excitement in your life. Especially if Daniel isn't around anymore." Her mom took a pie dish out of the cupboard. "Would you like me to find you a suitable suitor? I know several ladies with single sons."
​"No, thanks, I have someone I have my eye on."
​"Really? You must tell me everything!"
​"He's a detective." Chloe didn't want to tell her how she met Caspar, at least not yet. Worrying her mother about a stalker would create a new kind of drama she wasn't quite ready for. "His name's Caspar Hudson."
​"What kind of detective?"
​"He's a private detective."
​"How fascinating! Is he handsome?"
​Chloe nodded. "Very."
​"And rugged, I bet." She sighed. "Ah, those types of men can be so much fun, Chloe. I'm proud of you for branching out...even if I expected you to be with Daniel forever."
​"Sheesh, Mom. How long will it take you to get over Daniel?"
​"I don't know. You were together for such a long time."
​"Okay, fair point."
​"Are you dating this man?"
Chloe smirked. "No, we're not dating yet. I'm just interested. He's a super-nice guy, though. I think you'd like him."
​"I wonder if it'll take me a decade to meet him."
​"You met Daniel after only a few months, so don't try that one with me."
​"Okay, okay." Her mother put her pie into the oven. "Shall we make a bit of lunch and then go into the living room? I was about to watch a recording of The Young and the Restless before you arrived. We could sit through it together like we used to."
Chloe smiled, finally finding some peace. "I'd like that." The thought of hanging out with her mom without any more interrogation sounded fabulous. If she had any hope of reducing her stress for a while, this would definitely do it. Those cheesy prime-time dramas always managed to make her laugh.
​They made a couple of sandwiches and sat together on the sofa, with Chloe asking questions to catch up on the events of the show. It didn't take long. Despite the fact it was on every single day, not much ever really happened. She couldn't imagine keeping up with the drama when they strung viewers along so slowly. Oh well, it's just brain candy, and none the worse for being that. I feel sorry for the actors, though. It's always so much doom and gloom. Must be exhausting. And their fans...they're probably just as wild as the ones writing to me about Scarlett. Huh! I guess I am an entertainer now. Interesting moment to realize and accept such a notion.