Taking the Risk Ch. 13

This is a slow, romantic build between two lovers who have found each other.

Character based, the story is about people who care and want to give pleasure to each other, in all aspects of their lives. Just like real life, they find that not all runs smoothly as people interfere, but the passion between them doesn't change.

If you like romantic stories please enjoy, and please give feedback, as the ending is not yet written! Just like in real life.

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Misha sat in the bed, waiting for Froo to come out of the bathroom, where she had been for the past twenty minutes. He had enjoyed the evening meeting her friends, but had sensed that she was slightly on edge the whole evening, and he wanted to know why.

Eventually he heard the bathroom door open and looked up just as she stepped in through the bedroom door, her hand reaching up to turn off the light.

In the semi darkness he watched as she removed her dressing gown and saw that she had on a long white cotton nightdress.

Misha's right eyebrow rose up high on his forehead, and a crooked smile broke out on his face. "If you think that is going to turn me off Froo, you don't understand the eroticism of concealment to a man!"

Kneeling on the edge of the bed, about to climb in, she stopped and looked at him sitting there, the white duvet covering his lap, his torso rising up from the bed, his arms resting on his bent knees. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that we are going to talk about whatever is upsetting you. Something spooked you tonight, and I would like to know what before I peel that thing you have on, off you, and have my wicked way with you."

Climbing in and laying down on her back, her face staring up into the dark gloom, "I'm not upset."

"Oh yes you are, and we do not go to sleep until we sort it out. I am a great believer that problems need to be solved, and you have a problem with something, and I want to know what it is."

Froo lay there in silence for five minutes, Misha just sitting there waiting, quiet and patient.

"When I was with Gary, we got invited everywhere, when I was without a partner they didn't want to know me, now you came along and suddenly I'm invited and your flavour of the month."

"Oh so that's what it is. A little bit of resentment bubbling up."

"I'm not resentful, just pissed off."

"Same thing babe. Look I know it must have been hard for you this last year. Lonely and feeling let down by those you thought were your friends, but people are people. The wives may have been a little scared of a single woman if their own marriages are a bit rocky and most people like things tied up in nice easy parcels of two."

"Martin was almost grovelling at your feet."

"Probably trying to find someone else to go play with, just so he could get away from Leslie. She's a bit of a sarcastic cow."

Froo looked up at him and laughed, "You should have heard her in the kitchen."

"What did she say?"

Flushing, Froo clammed up, realising that she had said too much.

"Come on babe, tell me what she said."

"No."

Leaning over her and kissing her nose, he repeated, "Tell me what she said."

"No."

"If you don't tell me, I'll have to tickle it out of you. You ticklish?" and moving his body very quickly he knelt over her, his knees holding her still as he started to tickle her sides and under her arms. Squirming around, laughing, she breathlessly begged him to stop.

"Not until you tell me what Leslie said."

"Please stop."

"No, tell me what she said."

Finally unable to take any more she said, "OK, but I'm only doing this under duress."

Misha stopped and laying down sideways facing her, his hand resting on her belly, his head propped up on his hand he whispered, "Tell me Froo, what was it that made you so wired up after you came out of the kitchen tonight?"

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and said, "That you only went on the blind date on a bet. Am I a bet Misha, are you slumming it with me? Are you with me out of some kind of pity for the poor single mum who can't get a date with anyone else, and even her old friends aren't that interested?"

"What do you think Froo? What was last night all about?"

"Sex!"

Misha lay back, staring up at the ceiling himself. "Do you really believe that?"

The two of them lay side by side, both hurt in their own way, the woman unsure and needing reassurance, the man angry and offended. After a while he turned his head towards her, "Is that who you think I am, a shallow, thoughtless bastard who gets his kicks by taking bets on manipulating lonely women, and fucking them just for the hell of it?" Turning on his side towards her continued, "If I wanted to just fuck someone, I wouldn't need to go on a blind date, nor my sweet little mixed up Froo would I spend the last two bloody weeks laying on my stomach every bloody night playing with their son, taking them out, laughing with them and telling them I love them." Lying back again to face the ceiling, his voice arose in male indignation. "Besides it works both ways, maybe you were just using my body for your own nefarious reasons, maybe you were just using me for sex! Men have feelings too Francesca."

The silence in the room was electric, two tense bodies lying side by side.

Eventually Misha sat up and as he did he saw Froo curl up in a protective move, her arms coming up to protect her face, her body curling away from him, making her body as small as possible for protection, as if he was going to hit her.

Shocked he lifted a shaking hand and gently touched her shoulder, "Froo....?"

Her body flinched, as if waiting for the blow to come, and Misha's heart broke, seeing the woman he loved, scared and shaking next to him.

Lying down behind her, he curled his body around hers, kissing the back of her shoulders where her head leant forward, and the back of her nightdress leaving a strip of skin exposed. "Froo, I'm not going to hurt you, please relax, I don't hit women, at least not unless they're into S and M, and they want me to." Stroking her as if she was a cat, along her side, trying to reassure her, he continued, "I guess we just had our first argument, please believe me babe, I won't hurt you, I'm sorry if you thought I came across a little too strong, but I was hurt to think you thought so little of me. I love you Froo, I'm not with you out of pity, nor was it just sex last night. At least not for me."

Feeling her relax a little, he scooped her towards him, settling her body spoon fashion, his body holding her in a protective hug.

"Want to tell me all about it?"

"No."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok, but I am going to tell you this. We will have arguments in the future; there will be times when we both get angry with each other, for what ever reason. It does not mean I love you less, or that I will hit you. It just means we're both human, and we don't agree on something."

In a quiet voice she said, "Ok."

"Froo, will you let me speak to Jane, my Lawyer friend, and we can get you protected from your ex. Also, will you let me find you someone who is an expert in the field of abused women to have a chat with, I think it would help you."

Then in a quieter voice, so he almost missed it, "Ok."

Settling, his arms cradling her, his legs wrapped around hers, they drifted off to sleep.

The first argument behind them, the fragile trust inside of Froo started to grow for the man curved comforting against her back.