“Please, let me drive you?” He gently stroked her cheek.
“Jim...I...”
“Please, I want to.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
“But...”
“Please, baby,” he whispered against her ear as kissed her neck.
“Jim...”
“Oh honey, say yes,” he pleaded as his free hand twirled her hair while his mouth found hers, welcoming him in.
“Yes,” she gasped in his mouth.
“Good. I like that you come around to things my way,” he said, leaving her breathless as he went to dress.
She was downstairs in the kitchen with Sandra when Jim appeared dressed in deck shoes, black trousers and a white linen shirt.
“Nice shirt.”
“Yes, a recent gift.” He grinned.
“It’s very nice.” She grinned back.
“Very expensive,” he replied. “In more ways than one,” he added as he brushed against her and rubbed her behind gently causing her to flush.
She laughed, recalling the sting in it when he’d been annoyed that she’d paid for it and not charged it to him. The night in his office. She could feel everything tensing inside and wondered whether there was time for one last private moment. Although, they had already had about a dozen last moments since six o’clock that morning.
“We should go if you don’t want to miss your flight, Tasha.”
She turned to find Sandra preparing to hug her.
“Have a good trip and we’ll see you soon.”
Tasha felt strangely emotional to be leaving. Not just Jim, but the other people here and the house itself, the safety if it and knew it would take just one word and she’d be staying, but she couldn’t allow herself to do that. She had to go home and make things right for Dan and Pippa.
“You’re very quiet, baby,” said Jim as they approached the airport.
“I’m a bit tired, no more,” she lied.
“You were the one who said you didn’t need to sleep last night.” He squeezed her knee with a concerned smile in her direction.
“So I did.” The smile she returned was just slightly too forced to be genuine.
“You don’t have to go—” he started.
Tasha quickly cut him off. She couldn’t and wouldn’t do this to herself. “Yes, I do, but it doesn’t mean I want to or that I won’t miss you.”
Tasha looked startled as the car slowed, quickly realising Jim was parking the car in departures.
“Shall I come in with you?” He was already preparing to leave the car.
“No. That would be a public scene.” She felt relieved when he didn’t open his door to get out.
“Then we should say goodbye here.”
Stretching over, Tasha placed a gentle kiss on his lips but rather than deepen or extend it Jim simply laced a hand through her hair, holding her against his lips for a few extra seconds.
