Cul de Sac

Chloe unlocked the door and they stepped inside. She flipped on the kitchen light and hung her purse on one of the barstools.

“How long have you been here?” Moulton asked.

“Six months or so, I guess. I don’t really have much company.”

Moulton stepped to her and placed a hand at her waist. When they leaned in and kissed, it was slow and purposeful. It only took a few moments before he gently pressed her against the bar and their kiss deepened. Chloe felt herself growing breathless again, feeling a level of desire she had not felt since becoming intimate with a boy for the first time in high school.

She broke the kiss long enough to lead him to the couch, where they sat next to one another and immediately continued. It felt good to simply be with a man in such a way, especially one who made her feel like this. If she included the portion of her relationship with Steven where physical intimacy had practically gone cold, she had not been kissed and touched by a man like this in about a year and a half.

Eventually, after what felt like mere seconds but was in reality more like five minutes, she was leaning into him and he had no choice but to lie down. Chloe lay on top of him and when she did, one of his hands found its way up the back of her shirt. That small skin-on-skin touch pushed Chloe to an edge she did not see coming. She sighed against him and he responded by slipping his hand further up her back and running it along the side of her bra.

She sat up, straddling him, and smiled down at him. Her head felt like it was swimming and every muscle in her body was begging for more.

“I meant what I said,” she said almost apologetically. “I can’t sleep with you. Not so soon. I know it might seem old-fashioned…”

“Chloe, it’s fine. You tell me when it’s enough and we’re good. Tell me when I’ve worn out my welcome.”

She smiled down at him. The response was almost enough to make her change her mind. But she felt strongly that they should not be rushing this. Sitting on top of him on her couch was already pushing her limits.

“The welcome won’t be worn out,” she said. “Would I sound like too much of a headcase if I asked you to stay? No sex, but like…actually sleeping together?”

The offer seemed to surprise him. She supposed it was rather strange.

And do you know why you’re asking such a thing? It was Danielle’s voice in her head, always mocking but also helpful at the same time. It’s because Dad showed up today and screwed your world up. You want Moulton here so you won’t be alone tonight.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “That seems conflicting and dumb and—”

“No, it’s okay,” Moulton said. “That sounds nice. I do have one thing to ask, though.”

“What’s that?”

“More kissing, please,” he said with a smile.

She returned the smile and happily obliged.

***

She stirred awake some time later to Moulton getting off of the couch. She lifted herself up on one elbow. Her shirt had come off during their make-out session but that had been it. It had been weird to fall asleep on her couch with her pants on but she was oddly proud of their restraint. She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was 5:10 in the morning.

“You okay?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “I just…I felt weird sleeping over. I didn’t want it to be weird in the morning. I thought it might be best if I left. But at least there’s not the added awkwardness of sex.”

“Maybe that was my plan all along,” she joked.

“Should I rush out and we pretend this didn’t happen?” Moulton asked.

“I think I’d like you to stay. I’ll put some coffee on.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I think I’d really like that, actually.”

She slipped her shirt back on and made her way into the kitchen. She went about setting the coffee up while Moulton slid his own shirt back on.

“So it’s Thursday,” he said. “I don’t know why, but it feels like Saturday.”

“Is it because what we did last night is usually reserved for Friday nights? A way to kick off the weekend?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I haven’t done something like that for a while.”

“Get out of here,” she said as she set the coffee maker to brew.

“Seriously. Junior year of high school, I think. That was good year for me in terms of make-out sessions without the sex.”

“Well, you apparently didn’t miss a beat. Last night was…well, it was much more than I was expecting when you picked me up.”

“Same here.”

“But I’m glad it happened,” she added quickly. “All of it.”

“Good. Maybe we can do it again. This weekend, maybe?”

“Maybe,” she said. “But my restraint is already feeling weakened.”

“Maybe that was my plan after all,” he said with a sultry smile.

She blushed and looked away quickly. She was a little taken aback by how much she enjoyed seeing him in such a flirty state.

“Look,” she said. “I need to grab a shower. You’re welcome to anything in the fridge if you want breakfast. There’s not much there, though.”

“Thanks,” he said, seemingly unable to take his eyes away from her.

She left him in the kitchen and went into the bedroom, which the larger bathroom was connected to. She stripped down, turned on the water, and stepped into the shower. She almost felt like giggling over how the night had gone. It had made her feel like a teenager, enjoying the feeling of him there with her and feeling comfortable enough with him to know that he wasn’t going to pester her for sex. It had been romantic in an odd way and there had been two moments where she had nearly gone back on her claim of not sleeping with him. With a glee she was not used to, she secretly hoped he might decide to summon up the nerve to come join her under the water.

If he does, all restraint is going out the window, she thought.

She was just about done with her shower when she did indeed hear him enter the bathroom.

Better late than never, she thought. Her entire body tensed up with excitement and she found herself instantly eager for him to join her.

“Hey, Chloe?”

“Yes?” she asked, a bit provocatively.

“Your phone just rang. Maybe I was being nosy…but I looked. It was from the bureau line.”

“Really? I wonder if something has come up…”