Compulsion

Compulsion part 12

Georgia nearly had palpitations. For what appeared to be several long, time-frozen, seconds Georgia and Elias just looked at each other. Their gazes locked. And time literally stood still. Everything froze.

"I said she'd wait up for me!" Jacinto's slightly merry voice cut through the stupor that had enveloped both Georgia and Elias.

Jacinto remained by the door and kept it ajar as he beckoned Elias to come further into the room. Jacinto's voice brought Elias back to the moment. He wasn't here alone with Georgia. Her father was in the room too! But still Elias couldn't help the fact his gaze remained on her. She looked relaxed, content. And sexy.

Hearing her father's voice roused Georgia into activity and her cheeks flamed with colour when she realised that Elias was still staring at her. Why? Why was he just looking at her? Like that?

Elias couldn't bring himself to stop staring. In his entire life he could not remember seeing Georgia anything other than neat and elegant. The one exception had been that school ball date. But as an adult she was always immaculately turned out, not a hair out of place, wearing fairly conservative but ultimately chic clothes and usually immaculate. She was always trim and neat, organised to within an inch of every aspect of her appearance. She usually wore her hair in a knot, with it scraped off her face and constrained by pins and clips.

But now, here she was, with that curtain of ebony dark hair loose and messy and sending signals to his head and heart that had him wanting to run his fingers through her hair. He swallowed slowly, and his gaze travelled from the tips of her red painted toe nails on feet that were currently propped on the couch, over what should have been pajamas that brought him to his senses, but did anything but that, through to her curtain of hair that now lay in a halo around her head. If her father wasn't in the room, Elias was pretty sure he would be lying alongside Georgia making slow and gentle love to her.

Georgia frowned. Why was he still staring at her? So her pajamas were a touch ancient. They were soft and comfortable. Obviously the man was more used to seeing his women in some sleek silk or satin and lace number. If they were wearing anything at all. He had probably never seen a girlfriend in a cotton flannel pair of male pajamas. But she wasn't a girlfriend. So it didn't matter. Not much a small voice echoed in the back of her mind.

Georgia was tempted to scowl at Elias, but then she saw her father's smile was starting to waiver. Jacinto, like Georgia, was probably starting to register the fact that there was something going on here that he did not understand! Join the club she was tempted to say. Instead she kept her thoughts to herself.

Georgia dropped her feet and legs from the couch and scrambled without any show of her usual brand of elegance to her feet. She felt awkward. And Elias watched as the relaxed, casual, sexy woman became tense, guarded and defensive. Which was a real shame.

"Dad." Georgia tugged at her pajamas to straighten the shirt and to tug up the loose elastic pants that had a tendency to sag and slide toward her hips. She flicked her father a reprimanding look.

He just smiled and shrugged. Shaking her head at him, Georgia decided there was no point making a big deal about this. So Georgia took a quick breath and silently told herself that it didn't matter anyway. So what if Elias saw her in her ragged old pajamas? It wasn't as if she was trying to seduce him, or as if he would be interested. With that instantly clarifying thought, Georgia bent down and picked up her mug of hot chocolate. With her back to Elias as she bought herself some time, she placed the mug on the side table by the couch.

Jacinto came forward. Well, at least that awkward moment had passed, he thought as he glanced over at Elias and then his daughter. He was starting to understand why she might feel a touch aggrieved: she wasn't exactly dressed for company! While he and Elias were still in their evening attire, Georgia was dressed for bed.