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The hint of body spray, lightly applied. Beneath that, clean flesh. On the edge of her senses, something she’d missed. A real man. She wanted so many things—to breathe him in, to press him to her, to remove the layers of clothing between them, to devour him. Her breath sped up, her brain fogged. Her body wanted one thing; to be closer to him. Her mouth wanted to touch that skin.
The months without him stretched behind and in front of her.
The thud of the headboard made them pause. They wriggled down the bed. The last thing they wanted was for anyone to know what they were doing or leave a permanent reminder on the wall. The movement started up again no-one-can-know, no-one-can-know. It doesn’t matter what her head is saying because the rest of her is singing; she is close to reaching crescendo.
The ringing phone woke Alison.
She groped for her trousers and pulled them towards her. She retrieved the phone from a pocket, pressed the screen and put it to her ear in one motion.
“Hello?”
“Ali, where are you?” the voice on the other end demanded.
She sat up on the edge of the bed and swore silently. She should have checked who it was before answering.
“Oh. Hi, Will,” she tried to sound normal. The last thing she wanted was for Will to know where she was, what she’d been doing.
“Are you OK?” concern coloured his voice.
“Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I just...woke up,” she finished. “Is Mary-Anne OK?” Had they fought, was that why he was calling her? To explain why Mary-Anne had hidden herself away.
“No, she's fine,” he replied.
“Really? She’s been a bit weird this last week. Did something happen?”
“No—no. Everything’s fine. Um, you do realise that you’re late, right? For Katherine.”
Oh god. This had nothing to do with her sister's love life. She was meant to be meeting her formidable old manager, Will’s grandmother.
“I was looking for that scarf she got me and I guess I got tired and I just...” Alison clamped down on her babbling. “Is she mad?”
“Surprisingly no. I was just worried when you didn't turn up. She wanted me to see you too.” Katherine probably knew that they hadn’t talked in some time, she knew everything. “But I guess you needed that sleep, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess I needed it.”
There was a noise behind her which sounded suspiciously like a laugh, she resolutely ignored it.
“I didn’t realise you were going to be there too. It’s been ages since I saw you.” She kept her eyes straight ahead as she fumbled for her things.
“I actually have to leave now so you won’t get to see me. When do you think you’ll get here?”
She picked up her father’s watch from the nightstand and examined it. She calculated how quickly she could get there if she didn’t get held up again.
“About half an hour?” She slid the watch over her hand. “Please apologise to Katherine for me.”
“I will. Talk soon?”
“Yes.” She nodded although he couldn't see her. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
Alison pressed the screen of her phone and dropped her hand into her lap.
She couldn't avoid him anymore. She turned to face the other occupant of the bed.
George reclined like a model, head resting on his hand, sheet around his hips revealing excellent abs that could have been chiselled from marble.
“I guess you needed it,” he said with a smirk.
“Nope, nope, no.” She fumbled with her clothes, trying to regain some composure. “This did not happen. It didn't happen if I don’t talk to you about it.”
“Alison, thank you for coming. Tea?” If Katherine was irritated at her being late she masked it well.
“Yes. Please.” Alison took the seat Katherine indicated and sat ramrod straight. She tried to slow her breathing and remember what else she was meant to say. “Thank you for inviting me.” That was it. She smiled.
“You are most welcome. I do hope we’ll stay in touch now we aren’t working together. How is your friend Charlotte?”
Was this a trap? Katherine had never made small talk. “She’s good. Thank you for asking.” Alison tried to remove the sound of suspicion from her voice. “She’ll return next week from the UK. She’s been making a tour of churches.”
“How wonderful.” Katherine acted as though this were a surprise. Alison kicked herself realising that she’d been there when Charlotte left, she already knew this. “I’m certain you’re looking forward to her return.” She smiled and turned to prepare the tea.
Without a focus Alison’s mind drifted back. Had it only been that afternoon? She’d gone back to the flat she’d once shared with George to find a scarf Katherine had given her.
She’d jumped at a sound behind her. “Jesus!”
“Nope, just me.”
She turned. “George what are you doing here? Sorry, what I meant to say was ‘what the hell are you doing here!?’”
“Well, it's good to see you too.” Oh god it was good to see him. “I live here. But you moved out, remember?” He accompanied this with what in other circumstances would be referred to as a charming smile. Damn, he was right.
“Yes, oh I forgot something.” What the hell was it? “I just need um...”
“Need?” he moved towards her.
“Something...” she trailed off breathless.
“I know what you need.”
The rattle of a teacup on a saucer snapped Alison back to the present. Katherine didn’t appear to have noticed her lapse.
Katherine was rhapsodizing about her early days “at the helm” of Burke, illustrating how she had “blazed the trail” for her “younger successor.”
“I held board meetings every week for the first month. I had to get them on my side and keep them on their toes. Has Susan met with them yet?” Katherine paused, for the first time expecting an answer. Now Alison knew what role to play she proceeded to fill Katherine in about her replacement.
As Katherine had many other questions to ask attention was necessary, which Alison thought was lucky; with her mind so occupied, she might have forgotten where she was.