Chapter 51

They took a taxi back to the campus and went straight to Adam’s room.

“Fancy a nightcap?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. I’m already feeling a more than a little drunk.” She stood in the centre of the room and looked around. “I’d forgotten how small this room is.”

“Yeah, well, we never really spent much time here, did we?”

“No. We were always at my place.” She paused. “Didn’t you say you had a poster of me somewhere but didn’t put it up when you found out we’d be on the same course?”

“Yeah. It’s at home somewhere.”

“Oh.”

“Why’d you ask?”

“I dunno. I guess I thought ... I don’t know.” Chloë was still standing in the centre of the room. Adam’s overcoat, which he’d given her as they walked through town to find a taxi because she’d said she was cold in the night air, was still draped over her shoulders.

He stepped behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Mind if I hang this up?” He lifted the black coat from her and hung it on a hook on the back of his door. “You can sit down you know,” he said.

“Sorry. I just ... You’ll think I’m stupid.”

“No, I won’t. Tell me.”

“I feel nervous. Like it’s our first time or something.” She threw her hands up. “I know, that sounds stupid after all the things we’ve done, but...”

When she didn’t finish, Adam said, “It’s like we’re starting all over again. I know. I felt the same earlier when I was waiting for you to come downstairs.”

“You did?”

He nodded. “I did. But do you know what?”

“What?

“I really enjoyed tonight.”

Chloë looked into his eyes and smiled. “Me too.”

They embraced. She wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her lips to his. Mouths opened and tongues entwined. Adam slipped his hands down to her hips. They moved awkwardly towards the bed, breaking their kiss for a moment as they sat on the edge. He ran a hand along her leg. The slit in the side of her gown allowed him to feel her sheer silk stockings. Chloë moaned and leaned into him.

She put her hand on the back of his head and pulled him closer, mashing her lips harder against his. With her other hand, she groped for the clasp that held his bow-tie in place and undid it. Then, starting with his collar, she unbuttoned his shirt until she could slip her hand inside. She teased his nipple with her long scarlet nail.

He shivered.

He slid his hand further up her leg, under her gown to her lacy stocking-top and beyond to the soft, tanned flesh. Urgently, she pulled his hand higher still, so that he caressed her backside. She lifted one leg over his to give him better access. Then she returned to his shirt buttons until they were all open and then pushed the shirt from his shoulders. Finally she straddled him and kissed his face, neck and shoulders.

Suddenly, he leant away from her and held his hands up to stop her. “Wait.”

“What?”

“This isn’t just about ... I mean ... Towards the end, it was all about sex. I don’t want to start off on the same foot.”

“This isn’t sex.”

“Seems that way to me.”

“It’s making love.”

“And the difference is?”

She thought for a moment. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

“I don’t know.”

“You think I’ll get carried away again and run off back to Hollywood the first time they come calling?”

“Well, given ... I don’t know.”

“I’m won’t. I promise.”

“You promised that before.”

“I mean it this time. You have to know that. I was stupid, Adam. Too stupid to see that what I had was exactly what I needed, and what I’d told myself I wanted wasn’t really what I wanted or what I needed. I needed you. I need you. It feels right when I’m with you. Don’t ask me to explain. I feel ... I don’t know. Normal, I guess. Wanted, certainly. But above all—loved. And I love you back. With all my heart. You have to believe that.”

“I do. I just—”

“Just nothing.” She smiled and pulled his hands onto her breasts. “Make love to me. Be tender, be passionate and make me come. Show me you love me too.”

She undid the halter-neck clasp sitting on the back of her neck and pulled the gown down so that only his hands on her breasts held it up. He lifted his hands so the gown fell to her waist and then caressed her bosom. He squeezed gently and toyed with her nipples, which stuck out, dark red and hard. He bent his head and sucked on one and then the other. He bit gently and rolled it between his teeth. She gasped and pulled his head tighter into her chest.

He moved his hands down her torso, gathered up her gown and lifted it up and over her head. He made to throw it on the floor, but she held out a hand to stop him. “Jacques would kill me.”