When Love Knocks Twice (A Contemporary Love Story) Read Online Free PDF Page B

bedroom and climbed into the large
king size bed, and promptly fell asleep, the wine finally taking its
toll.

Tom
awoke, uncertain of his surroundings, the sun streaming in through
open curtains that somehow he knew was not his hotel room. As a vague
memory of the previous evening returned, he turned his head and his
gaze fell on the head on the pillow beside him, framed by dark hair
that swirled across the pillow. Gail slept on, a peaceful and serene
countenance that Tom would like to have captured, but could only make
a conscious memory to hold onto.
    A
motorbike went past the house, and Gail's eye's fluttered open. A
frown crossed her face for a second, followed by a shy smile.
    “ Good
morning,” she murmured. “Goodness, what must you think of
me? Did I really invite you into my bed last night?”
    “ You
insisted.” confirmed Tom. “In fact you wouldn't take no
for an answer.”
    “ Shameless
hussy,” accused Gail. She looked at the clock. “Oh, I
need a shower.” A thought seemed to flit through her mind.
    “ I
can't remember much about last night.” She paused. “When
we came into bed. I mean my bed......”
    “ We
both went straight to sleep,” reassured Tom.
    “ Right,”
said Gail thoughtfully, leaving Tom unsure as to whether she was
pleased by the news or not.

    Tom
stood in the shower, hot water sluicing over his body, his thoughts
all over the place. He could not believe what had happened the
previous night. That Gail had made the plea that she had, was bad
enough, but that he had acquiesced made his brain spin. This was so
unlike him, normally the safe dependable type, trusted to do the
'right thing'. Had it been the alcohol dulling his judgement or had
there been more? Was he being too hard on himself, after all no one
would know but them.
    He
hoped it hadn't spoiled anything. Anyway, they would go their
separate ways today and it would be consigned to the past. Why did
that seem to matter to him? It mattered, he confessed to himself,
because he still harboured an affection for Gail that surprised him
in its intensity. The temptation to reach out to her in bed had been
enormous and had taken huge effort to control.
    He
shook his head as if to free his brain from this train of thought and
concentrated on getting clean before the hot water ran out.

    Gail
sat in the kitchen and downed a couple of paracetamol. Was it the
alcohol from last night or was the headache a result of the turmoil
in her brain? The events of last night seemed like a parallel
universe. How could she have done what she did? What is just the
wine, or was there a subconscious rebellion against loneliness?
    And
yet, despite the nagging feeling that what she had done was extremely
foolish, there was a glimmer of a smile that for a while that
loneliness had been banished. She acknowledged to herself that waking
up next to somebody had been a joy, she had wanted to hug Tom, to
curl up in his arms, to enjoy the intimacy of his body, and she
suddenly realised just how much an enemy loneliness had become.

    When
Tom finally came down into the kitchen, he found Gail seated at the
refectory table, her head buried in her hands.
    “ Oh
God,” she groaned. “What must you think of me? First I
get you drunk, then I coax you into my bed. I can't believe it.”
    Tom
sat down opposite her and took her hands, lifting her face. “First
of all, you didn't get me drunk. I did the drinking. Secondly you did
not force me into your bed. I came willingly. And thirdly we did
nothing that we need be ashamed of.”
    Gail
managed a lop-sided grin. “You always were so sensible.”
    “ No,”
disagreed Tom. “If I was sensible I wouldn't have got drunk in
the first place.”
    They
set about coffee, eggs and toast, at the end of which, feeling
slightly more human, they managed to finish clearing the mess from
the previous night.
    “ I
need to go back to the hotel for a shave,” remarked Tom,
rubbing fingers over the stubble on his chin.
    “