Caught by the Tide Ch. 04

"No!" I protested as he tried to rise, pushing him back down, climbing on top of him in a desperate attempt to make him stay. "I won't ask any more questions, I promise."

"You promise?" he said, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

I nodded fervently, lifting my right arm to give a three-fingered salute. But the moment the blood rushed to my hand I couldn't repress a yelp, searing pain shooting along my forearm beneath the bandages. "Oh God," I whimpered, grimacing at him as he started to laugh. "I think those endorphins have worn off already. How the hell am I supposed to get to sleep now?"

"Well.." Still grinning, Luke slowly opened his own hand to show me the contents of his palm. "Banana or chocolate?" he said solemnly. "Your choice this time."

And as I gazed back at him and then the condoms, he wrapped his arms around me, making me shriek with pleasure as he rolled me beneath him once more, smothering my face with kisses...

I awoke to find myself face down in the bed, the duvet tangled around my legs, the sheet rucked up beneath me, angry red lines across my breasts where the cotton had pressed into my skin.

"Luke?" I called, hoping he was in the bathroom. But when there was no reply, it became all too clear I was alone. He was gone. That was, if he'd ever been there at all, I thought, struck by the truly terrifying idea it could all have been a dream...

No, it definitely hadn't been a dream. As I pushed myself upright, I discovered I was aching in places I hadn't even knowncould ache... But it seemed strange that Luke would leave me without saying goodbye and as I padded across the bedroom floor I felt a relieved smile break across my face as I caught sight of the note he'd left me on the dressing table.

Back soon. I've gone to check that Tim survived the night. Julie will kill me if he's dead. Will bring back breakfast.

P.S. We seem to be all out of condoms...Will bring back more of those too.

P.P.S. You snore.

I laughed out loud, wondering first whether everyone who practised in the medical profession had to have astonishingly bad handwriting and secondly, how long he'd been gone. A glance at the alarm clock told me it was almost eleven o'clock. It could've been five minutes, it could've been an hour. I had no idea when we'd finally finished making love, only that I'd lost count of how many orgasms he'd given me. It was certainly a personal record--and one I doubted could easily be smashed.

Smiling at myself in the dressing table mirror, uncaring that my hair was a riot of curls--Luke hadn't seemed to care, so why should I?--I started moving towards the bathroom. But just as I took my third step I heard a loud rap at the door. "Coming!" I called, snatching up the duvet from the bed and wrapping it around me before racing across the room, feeling a huge grin plastering itself to my face as I wrenched open the door. "What took you so--?"

But the words died on my lips as I realised the man standing in front of me wasn't Luke. For a start, instead of seeing his face, I was looking at the upper part of this man's chest. Worse still, Iknew that chest...

As I slowly lifted my eyes higher--past his shoulders, past his neck--horror washed over me in an icy wave. And just as my heart began to thud painfully against my ribcage, the sound pounding in my ears, my gaze finally settled on the taller man's familiar blond head.

"Daniel," I managed at last, weak with shock. "What thehell are you doing here?"

Thank you so much for your patience with me! I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter out. I'm hoping to get the next one out by early in the New Year. I've really appreciated your emails and comments--they mean the world to me. My next exam is looming fast--yes, sorry--another one. But I've decided the holidays are mine this year--and I'll be writing as fast as I can, I promise!

Please take the time to vote or leave a comment--both are very gratefully received.

Happy Holidays! Lily -x-