Chapter 39: The unexpected closeness
Theodore watched Malcolm’s silhouette shrink into the distance through the opaque glass of the floor-to-ceiling window. Relief washed over him, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Thank goodness, I noticed him while entering," Theodore said. Turning back to Bella, he found her still nestled in his arms. Heat flared in his cheeks as he awkwardly withdrew his hand, stepping back a touch. He cleared his throat.
"That was a close one," he mumbled, nervously rubbing the back of his head.
"Yes... um..." Bella’s eyes darted towards the plush bed. The memory of their closeness sent a blush creeping up her neck. She couldn’t think of sharing the bed with him again. "So," she stammered, "who gets the bed?"
Theodore frowned. The question seemed loaded, a rejection veiled in politeness. Why was she hesitating to share the bed with him? There was no way he was relinquishing the comfort of the bed.
"This is my room, my bed," he asserted. "Naturally, I’ll sleep here."
"Then I’ll take the sofa."
Disappointment flickered across his face. Theodore saw the resistance in her posture. "The bed is large enough for both of us," he offered. "There is no need for either of us to sleep uncomfortably on the sofa."
"No, I’ll be fine on the sofa," she insisted, hanging her head down. "I don’t want to repeat the same mistake." Her cheeks burned a deeper shade of red as she thought of sleeping beside him.
Theodore chuckled, amusement flashing in his eyes. His eyes, alight with a teasing glint, met hers. "Don’t fret," he soothed, "taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state isn’t my style. Nothing has happened between us." He finally revealed the truth. "You sobered up after the cold shower and changed yourself. Nothing inappropriate happened."
Bella’s jaw clenched as she shot him a stern glare. A red flush crept up her neck as the truth washed over her. "You lied!" she grunted out, her voice tight with anger. "How could you?" She raised her fist and slammed at him.
Theodore caught her wrist reflexively before her fist could connect him and pulled her close, the warmth of his body enveloping hers. His voice dipped to a husky whisper near her ear, "Disappointed, are you?" A suggestive pause followed. "If you are, I can satisfy you."