The Bank Job 03

"I'm going to blindfold you now, until we get to a main road. That should take ten or fifteen minutes." His tone of voice was brisk, almost cold.

She frowned "I'm not going to tell them anything!"

He softened "I know angel, but I don't want to even put you in a position where you need to lie for me any more than you have to. Its better that you just don't know."

He led her out of the room and down the stairs. She didn't feel like anyone was watching them leave and she couldn't hear anyone. There was a small gap in the blindfold this time and she could see grey carpet and white skirting boards if she looked down. As they left the house she could feel the crunch of the gravel beneath her feet and then he was gently steering her into a car and doing up her seat belt.

"I'm going to put the seat back as far as it will go, it will make you less visible. You can put it back up again when I tell you to take the blindfold off."

He leant over her, clipping her into her seatbelt, she breathed in enjoying his scent.

"There." He said, "All strapped in."

Unexpectedly, he kissed her on the mouth. She felt herself lean in towards the kiss, searching for his lips, wanting more but then he was gone. She heard him walking round the car, opening the drivers side door and climbing in. The engine started and she heard the crunch of gravel as they pulled away.

When he told he told her she could take the blindfold off she blinked a few times and looked around. They were driving into town on the A12. Surprisingly, she hadn't felt nauseous so far.

He looked over and smiled at her "How you doing, angel?"

"I'm Okay," she replied. "do you mind if I open my window?"

"Of course not."

She gazed out, watching as the lights of London flew by and enjoying the breeze on her face.

Soon, the surrounding streets began to look familiar. As they pulled into her road the first thing he noticed was how suburban it looked. He was hit again by how different their lives were, how little he really knew of her.

"It's over there," she said. "near the corner, with the red door."

He carried on past her house, parking around the corner. He jumped out and quickly walked around to open her door. Being outside with him felt strange after always being so confined.

As she stepped out of the car he pulled her into a smouldering kiss and then for a long time they leaned against the car and he held her, trying to commit her feel and smell to memory.

"I wish things could have been different between us." his voice was quiet and strained.

He pulled away and lifting her face towards his with both his hands and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. He gazed solemnly into her eyes.

"Go now angel, before I change my mind."

Then he was gone. She watched as he climbed back into his car, pulling the door closed behind him and putting on his seatbelt. Following his lead, slowly, apprehensively she began to walk home. Back towards her life, to her family. When she reached the corner she heard the engine start, saw him drive past. She stopped and watched as the car pulled away, but he didn't look back. She stood rooted to the spot as he drove up the road, finally disappearing from view.

Her eyes filled with tears, blurring her vision. Her heart was beating so hard it was physically painful. There was a coil of tension wound so tight in her stomach that for a minute she couldn't breath. Clutching her stomach, she finally managed to stumble forward, taking great shuddering gulps of air.

She was never going to see him again.