Questions of Trust A Medical Romance - By Sam Archer Page 0,30

might have been followed home, any suspicious goings on outside the cottage, but couldn’t.

‘I doubt she’d really follow you, or put you in any danger,’ Tom said. ‘She’s not the stalker type. But she can be… unpredictable. She’s like a child sometimes, or an adolescent. She’ll fly off the handle, do things on impulse that she later regrets. And she doesn’t like being thwarted. Never has done.’

‘Do you think she’ll take the custody issue down the legal route?’

Tom rocked his palm. ‘Perhaps, perhaps not. She’s in town at the moment to try to persuade me to give up custody without recourse to that. It suggests she doesn’t want to get the lawyers involved. My hope is that she’ll give up and retreat.’

‘And if she doesn’t?’

‘If she doesn’t, I’m prepared to fight my corner.’ Tom had been gazing into his tea mug but now he raised his eyes to Chloe’s. ‘I don’t pretend to be the perfect father, Chloe. There are a thousand things I could be doing better with Kelly. I never feel I’m spending enough time with her. I worry she’s not eating enough, or not the right things. I have this nagging fear that her mum and I have harmed her by separating as we did. So, I’m no saint. But I think I do a fair job. And I believe Kelly’s better off with me, that she’ll have a more stable, normal life here in Pemberham than she’d have jetsetting off around the world with Rebecca and her man.’

Chloe smiled. ‘I’ve no doubt about it. And those worries you have, about not spending enough time with your daughter? All parents have them. All good ones, anyway.’

He nodded his thanks, sipped his tea.

After a pause he said: ‘Anyhow, the reason I wanted to tell you about Rebecca in person was that I didn’t want to alarm you. A phone call might have sounded like I thought you were in imminent danger or something. I just think it’s best that you be on the lookout, that’s all. Probably just for a few days, while she’s in town. And if you’re worried about her at all, if she approaches you or anything, please let me know immediately, okay?’

Chloe said gently, ‘Thanks, Tom. But I’m sure I can take care of myself.’

He ran a hand through his hair. ‘See, there I go again. Sounding patronising. Of course you can take care of yourself. I didn’t mean to suggest you needed me to come riding to the rescue.’

‘I know what you meant. And thanks again. Advice noted.’

The conversation seemed to come to a natural end there. Chloe finished her coffee and stood.

‘Long day. You for one look like you could do with some rest.’

He rose with her and came round the table. ‘Chloe, I really appreciate what you’ve done today. Both picking Kelly up and… well, and being there to listen.’ He reached out a hand, and Chloe took it.

Whether Tom drew her towards him or whether it was Chloe herself who stepped nearer, she couldn’t for the life of her remember afterwards. But in the next instant she was at him, up close, their torsos not quite touching, her hand gripping his elbow and his on her upper arm. She stared up at his eyes, their blue in contrast to his unruly hair, and was fascinated to see that his pupils were dilated, crowding out the irises. Between them she felt the tingle of near contact.

They said nothing, studying one another’s faces. Her gaze slipped to his mouth, the faintest ghost of a smile settled there in what she’d come to recognise as his resting expression. His cheeks, his neck, were lightly shadowed with stubble. She noticed that his nostrils flared slightly, as if his breathing were quickening.

Once again it was uncertain who moved first, but she found herself pressed against him, the heat of their chests combining into something more intense than the sum of its parts. Her arms twined around Tom’s neck as his slipped about her waist and tightened deliciously, drawing her hips closer so that her loins pushed against his. His mouth descended on hers as she raised her face to meet his and their lips joined, their tongues probing. The heat between them flooded through her, and she felt the pressure of his chest against her breasts tease her nipples into hardness through the fabric of her bra and sweater. And against her lower belly she sensed the nudging of his own arousal through his trousers.

Tom