Tonight's not over

Chapter 15

Mia's POV

That night I went to bed exhausted but happy. It seemed strange that this time yesterday I'd been so upset I'd felt like my life was in tatters. But now I was not just happy, I was excited about my week rehearsing with Chris and then the gigs to follow.

When I woke it was still dark. I looked at the clock, it was hours before I had to get up for work. I lay for a while trying to get back to sleep but I was thirsty and in the end I decided to head to the kitchen and get a drink of water. I knew Chris wouldn't mind.

I crept down the hallway not wanting to disturb him and sat for a while in the kitchen with my drink. I felt so at home here that I wasn't looking forward to going back to my apartment at the end of the week. I knew it would feel so empty. When I was feeling sleepy again I put my glass in the sink and started to creep back to my room. As I turned the corner I was met by a warm body in front of me. I breathed in the scent of Chris' bare chest and enjoyed the feel of his hands on my arms before I came to my senses and realised what I was doing.

"Oh God I'm so sorry." I blurted out.

"It's fine. No harm done. Are you OK?"

"Yes fine. I just needed a drink of water."

For a moment there was silence between us, a sort of nervous tension filled the air and I felt a little breathless. As my eyes adjusted to dim light in the hallway I found myself taking in the lines of his body, his fit body. I saw for the first time the tattoos on the tops of his strong arms. I liked a man with tattoos. I could see he had some words on his stomach but it was too dark for me to read them. As my eyes travelled up his chest to his face I noticed just how much his beard had grown again. Oh how I wanted to feel that beard beneath my fingers, pull him towards me and taste his lips. Taste his lips...? What am I thinking? But the thought of his lips on mine was already stuck in my head and small butterflies flies around in my body. My eyes continued to move upwards and as I met his gaze my heart stopped. For the first time I noticed just how intense his blue eyes were and I couldn't tear myself away from them.

Christine's words went through my mind "Haven't you ever noticed the way he looks at you?" I was noticing now, The intense blue, it was so much more than just friendship in his eyes right now and all I wanted was to float away in those eyes.

"Well I'll let you get back to bed." he said suddenly and my heart sank as his hands left my arms.

"Goodnight Mia" he said as he walked past me towards the kitchen.
He walked with long steps, like he was in a hurry, and he didnt look back.

"Goodnight." I muttered, not knowing if he even heard me.
My heart ached as I walked back into my room. Why had I let myself believe Christine's words? Why had I hoped that he might be interested in me?

Chris' POV

I woke up and my mouth was uncomfortably dry. I walked out of my room and bumped into Mia. My hands went to her arms to steady us both and I could feel the warmth of her skin. It had been so long since I'd had a woman in my home like this and I wished this week could last forever. She was so close to me I could feel her breath against my chest and it made my skin tingle. I wanted so much to pull her into my embrace and hold her tight but I knew I couldn't.

"Oh God I'm so sorry" I heard her say but she had nothing to be sorry for. Having her this close to me was everything I wanted.

"It's fine. No harm done. Are you OK?" I muttered trying to hide what I was feeling.

"Yes fine. I just needed a drink of water."

My heart beat faster at the thought of her being so at home with me. My mouth went dry and I tried desperately to think of something to say, anything just to keep her this close to me for a little while longer. I watched as she raised her head slowly until out eyes met. I couldn't breathe.

I managed a shaky breath as I held her gaze, not wanting to break the electricity I could feel between us. I wanted to lean forward, close the gap between our lips and kiss her. Suddenly it came to me how foolish I was being. She'd only just broken up with Taylor. This was all in my head, it had to be.

"Well I'll let you get back to bed." I said as I let my hands fall by my sides. I missed the warmth of her skin immediately. "Goodnight Mia" I walked past her towards the kitchen desperate for her not to notice how I was feeling. I knew if she realised she would leave, she would go home believing I was trying to take advantage of the situation and I couldn't bear for that to happen.

"Goodnight." I heard her say as I walked away. My heart ached with the thought of what was so close to me but still so far out of reach. I wanted to turn around and run to her but I didn't dare. I held my breath and hurried into the safety of the kitchen. Once inside I leaned against the table to steady myself and tried to get a hold of my emotions. I wanted to be there to support her. I loved having her here with me but not showing my feelings was going to be harder than I thought.