I'm frozen with panic, and he sees the expression on my face as his brows knit in confusion.

His cock is pressed right against my pussy, and any moment now, he will thrust inside me.

I want it. I want it so badly, but I can’t.

I push myself away, further up the bed, panicking even more about what I was about to do.

He lifts himself off me, letting me move away.

“I …um…I—"

He rolls away from me, not saying a word. I jump off the bed and run to the bathroom, dying from embarrassment. I can't tell if he was upset. It’s weird, because he seemed disappointed, but not angry with me.

I hide in the bathroom for a long time, showering, drying my hair, not wanting to come out until I’m sure he isn’t in the room anymore.

I can’t face him after what happened this morning.

My body is still begging to finish what we started, but luckily my head is stronger. I don’t want to be with a man like that. Someone who tortures people, kidnaps them and causes them pain.

***

When I feel the coast is clear, I peek my head out of the bathroom and breathe a sigh of relief to find that no one else is here. I get even bolder and head down to the kitchen, but I continue to peek around corners and keep my ears open in case I hear him. Honestly, right now, I would literally bolt away and hide in the room again if I heard him.

In the kitchen, Penny is busy cleaning his breakfast dishes, and I head over to the coffee machine to make some coffee.

“Morning,” I say as cheerfully as I can.

“Good morning. Can I make you some breakfast?”

“Oh, no thanks. I’m just going to have a coffee for now.”

Pulling the mug out of the cupboard, I ask, “Do you know where Leon is?”

“He left about thirty minutes ago. I’m not sure where he went.”

“Thanks.”

That means I can relax. Thank goodness. I don’t have to tiptoe around all day.

At some point, I am going to have to talk to him—probably at dinner tonight—but for now I can just try and clear my head and get over what happened.

I carry my coffee out to the patio. It’s a little chilly today, and the clouds are grey and heavy in the sky above me. It’s quite beautiful, so I curl up on the daybed outside and watch them.

“Good morning, sunshine,” a voice comes from behind me.

Just as I am about to take a sip of my coffee, I jump with fright, almost spilling it all over myself. I spin around and breathe a sigh of relief, my hand on my heart to try and steady it.

Chiara chuckles. “Did I catch you deep in thought or something?”

“Yes, kind of.” I laugh.

“Hang on, I am going to grab some coffee, then I’ll come out and sit with you.”

Right on cue, Penny arrives and says, “Don’t be silly, I’ll get your coffee. It’s one sugar and a dash of milk, isn’t it?”

“Yes, thanks so much,” Chiara says, smiling and taking a seat next to me. She pulls her feet under her body just like I have.

“This really is the kind of weather you just want to get cozy in, isn’t it?” She pulls her chunky grey cardigan tighter around her body.