failegaidin

The third time he kissed her was while he was on the run. He had been legally “dead” for almost a year, and he had to change identities again. Too many coincidences and too many close calls forced him to pick up and move – and for that he had to call her. She was the only one who could help him, who could keep him safe. So he had picked a small hotel in the middle of nowhere and checked in under a fake name. And then he sat on the bed and waited, his stomach growing more and more twisted with each passing minute.

The knock on the door made him jump and he cursed himself for his anxiety. They had done this several times – she knew what she was doing and she made sure that she was never followed. Trying to calm himself, he walked slowly to the door, checking the peephole before letting her in.

“Hey Jack,” she whispered as he closed the door behind her.

“Hi Chloe,” he responded, leading her over to sit on the bed.

Their business was done quickly. Chloe was efficient and had covered all the bases, handing him his new identification and a new cell phone. When she had finished, she sat there awkwardly, looking down at her hands as she wrung them in her lap. Jack stared at her hands too, not wanting her to leave, but unable to make himself say anything. Slowly, he reached out his hand, his fingers gently entwining with hers. They both just stared, reveling in how good the smallest touch could feel.

And then his lips were brushing against hers. She kissed him back, tilting her head to deepen the kiss, her hand tightening its squeeze on his. Jack groaned as her tongue invaded his mouth, his other hand coming up to tangle in her hair. He pushed her back onto the bed gently, his body covering hers. Her fingers skimmed up his sides under his shirt, causing him to groan again and kiss her even harder. Leaving her mouth, Jack trailed his lips down her neck, stopping at her pulse point and sucking on the skin.

“Oh God, Jack,” she moaned, writhing under him and causing him to grow harder as he moved his lips down to her chest. Pulling the neck of her shirt down, he kissed the tops of her breasts as her hands locked in his hair and held him closer.

Jack suddenly found himself on his back as Chloe straddled him, kissing and nipping at his earlobe. His hands moved to the buttons of her shirt, struggling to undo them, frantic in his haste to be closer to her. Chloe pushed his shirt up his chest, kissing the exposed flesh and making Jack moan her name.

The sudden phone ringing brought them up short. For a moment they just stared at each other, both aroused and breathing hard. Frowning, Chloe climbed off of him, digging in her purse and then answering her phone.

“I have to go,” she said quietly after hanging up.

“Don’t,” he whispered, his voice strangled.

She bit her lip and looked down. “We both know this was a bad idea Jack.”

His head sank into his hands as he sat on the edge of the bed. “When are you going to believe that I have feelings for you, Chloe?” he asked in an anguished tone.

She walked to the door, her hand on the knob. “You don’t love me, Jack,” she said quietly, not facing him. “You can’t.”

And with that she was gone.