He pulled his eyes from the ceiling to look at her. She was still beautiful. It had only been five years but she had given birth to twins in the intervening time. Of course, she was not the kind of woman he would normally take to his bed, but he could not help being drawn to her.
He wondered what she would say if he invited her to his bed now?
She suddenly glared at him, as if she could sense his thought, and he found himself smirking at her without really thinking and causing her to blush. With a sigh he stood up, this would never do, he was exhausted and we did not look forward to their parting tomorrow.
“Can you bring me some blankets?” she asked, stretching her arms out in front of her. “It’s been a long day, I think I should go to sleep.”
“Of course,” he mumbled, but the question kept running through his head. It hurt because he knew that there was harm he could do here, but he still wanted to try.
“England, you do not have to sleep on the couch if you do not wish. You are welcome in my bed.”
“Are you propositioning me?”
She looked straight into his eyes and he winced a little. Well, it was true that she was nothing if not to the point.
“I am offering whatever you would like to accept. If you would like to make love I would enjoy that, if you wish to sleep somewhere more comfortable then my old couch that is also fine. It is entirely up to you.”
She blinked, then stood up, letting her book fall to the couch. A look of absolute confusions and indecision clouded her face and he found himself regretting asking.
“England,” he said, sighing. “I do not...I am aware that this is complicated. Maybe it is best that you pretend I did not ask...”
“No,” she mumbled, then bites her lip in that adorable way of hers. “I mean...I guess...I don’t want to have sex tonight. I think...I think...I just don’t know Francis.”
“That is fine,” he said. His instincts were torn between teasing her and trying his upmost to seduce her. The way her brow crinkled when she was confused was quite adorable. Still, for now, best to reign those instinct to be in and be sensible. “Still, would you like to share the bed.”
“Yes,” she said, her frown clearing, and then she turned, picked up her bag and walked to the bathroom to change.
Waking up next to her was odd. It was especially odd to think that he had never done this before. They had children but he had never woken next to her before. The night that produced Matty and Al had been her last night in France before returning to England to continue with her work. They had fallen asleep in bed together but he had woken alone. She must have slipped away in the night.
He was oddly surprised to see she hadn’t now. She was lying on her side facing towards him, her hair down, her face oddly expressionless which made her massive eyebrows stand out more. He was deeply grateful that it seemed neither of their children had inherited that particular characteristic.
Still, today he would say goodbye to them all again. He hadn’t anticipated how hard it would be every time. Would it continue to get harder or would he, eventually, get used to it? Surely he was only finding it harder each time now as each time he saw his small family he learnt to love them a little more. All of them.
He did not know how he was going to cope at the airport when he said goodbye. He supposed he would do as he always did, pretend that it did not affect him. Still...
What would it be to board that plane with them and go to England? He could find a job, surely. He could be close to his children. Of course, this visit had been trying. He did not expect an easy time with his children. He expected them to be themselves, but it would be worth it to see them every day. He may even finally win Al completely over if he could do that.
And, well, if he saw England every day. Saw her, had a chance to work on her. If last night bizarre conversation was any indication he may stand a chance.
Still, he knew he could not. The work he did here was important. His research was nearing a vital point, by January he should be getting the results he had been working towards for nearly a year and a half now. They would finally be able to write up. He must be sensible, though it didn’t suit his temperament particularly.
Still, it would hurt to say goodbye to them. He wondered if the children understood. England did, of course. She was a scientist too; she understood that it was not an occupation where you could do as you pleased. Maybe when his funding ran out here he would be able to move closer, but it was just as likely that it would be demanded that he move further away. What should he do then?
She stirred beside him and he pushed the thoughts away. He could already feel the discomfort that came with a loved one leaving, it was best to simply get it over with. He would think later.
"Life can be difficult" 4.10/5
(Anonymous) 2010-02-13 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)He wondered what she would say if he invited her to his bed now?
She suddenly glared at him, as if she could sense his thought, and he found himself smirking at her without really thinking and causing her to blush. With a sigh he stood up, this would never do, he was exhausted and we did not look forward to their parting tomorrow.
“Can you bring me some blankets?” she asked, stretching her arms out in front of her. “It’s been a long day, I think I should go to sleep.”
“Of course,” he mumbled, but the question kept running through his head. It hurt because he knew that there was harm he could do here, but he still wanted to try.
“England, you do not have to sleep on the couch if you do not wish. You are welcome in my bed.”
“Are you propositioning me?”
She looked straight into his eyes and he winced a little. Well, it was true that she was nothing if not to the point.
“I am offering whatever you would like to accept. If you would like to make love I would enjoy that, if you wish to sleep somewhere more comfortable then my old couch that is also fine. It is entirely up to you.”
She blinked, then stood up, letting her book fall to the couch. A look of absolute confusions and indecision clouded her face and he found himself regretting asking.
“England,” he said, sighing. “I do not...I am aware that this is complicated. Maybe it is best that you pretend I did not ask...”
“No,” she mumbled, then bites her lip in that adorable way of hers. “I mean...I guess...I don’t want to have sex tonight. I think...I think...I just don’t know Francis.”
“That is fine,” he said. His instincts were torn between teasing her and trying his upmost to seduce her. The way her brow crinkled when she was confused was quite adorable. Still, for now, best to reign those instinct to be in and be sensible. “Still, would you like to share the bed.”
“Yes,” she said, her frown clearing, and then she turned, picked up her bag and walked to the bathroom to change.
~*~*~*~
"Life can be difficult" 4.11/5
(Anonymous) 2010-02-13 11:02 pm (UTC)(link)He was oddly surprised to see she hadn’t now. She was lying on her side facing towards him, her hair down, her face oddly expressionless which made her massive eyebrows stand out more. He was deeply grateful that it seemed neither of their children had inherited that particular characteristic.
Still, today he would say goodbye to them all again. He hadn’t anticipated how hard it would be every time. Would it continue to get harder or would he, eventually, get used to it? Surely he was only finding it harder each time now as each time he saw his small family he learnt to love them a little more. All of them.
He did not know how he was going to cope at the airport when he said goodbye. He supposed he would do as he always did, pretend that it did not affect him. Still...
What would it be to board that plane with them and go to England? He could find a job, surely. He could be close to his children. Of course, this visit had been trying. He did not expect an easy time with his children. He expected them to be themselves, but it would be worth it to see them every day. He may even finally win Al completely over if he could do that.
And, well, if he saw England every day. Saw her, had a chance to work on her. If last night bizarre conversation was any indication he may stand a chance.
Still, he knew he could not. The work he did here was important. His research was nearing a vital point, by January he should be getting the results he had been working towards for nearly a year and a half now. They would finally be able to write up. He must be sensible, though it didn’t suit his temperament particularly.
Still, it would hurt to say goodbye to them. He wondered if the children understood. England did, of course. She was a scientist too; she understood that it was not an occupation where you could do as you pleased. Maybe when his funding ran out here he would be able to move closer, but it was just as likely that it would be demanded that he move further away. What should he do then?
She stirred beside him and he pushed the thoughts away. He could already feel the discomfort that came with a loved one leaving, it was best to simply get it over with. He would think later.
End of the chapter. Hope you liked it!