AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chloe
We spend the rest of the day in bed making love. Loved is what I am feeling right now. It’s quite surreal, a feeling I am not accustomed to. Once we are both completely worn out and hungry, we shower and get dressed for dinner. Josh takes me to a seafood restaurant on the harbour. We’ve held hands the whole way here, even now while seated opposite each other Josh won’t let go of my hand. Something has changed between us today.
Josh orders for us both as I’m not sure what to get. I like fish but I’ve never been to a seafood restaurant.
The waiter fills our table with of all sorts of fish and shellfish. Most of them I have never even heard of before. Josh teaches me how to season and eat oysters and how to get muscles out of their shell buy using another shell, it’s quite a skill. Josh finds my lack of talent amusing. We are having a wonderful evening, laughing passing looks of longing to each other. I feel incredibly special.
“I almost forgot. I got something for you.” Josh stands and reaches into his jeans pocket. He takes out a navy velvet box and hands it to me. I look at him in confusion. So many questions run through my head. When has he had chance to buy me a gift? Did he bring it with him? Isn’t it a bit soon to be buying each other gifts? Maybe it’s a small listening or tracking device he wants me to wear, that sounds more like it. With curious hands, I open it.
I’m shocked into silence by its contents. Tears stream from my eyes before I have chance to wipe them away. “Josh, you didn’t have to do this.”
“I did. I saw the happiness on your face when held the brooch in your hand. I want to always make you happy Clo.” I take it out of the box and again I’m instantly brought images of my grandma full of smiles wearing the brooch with pride. “When did you even get it? You’ve not left my side?”
“While you were looking at the bracelet. I got one of the other shop assistants to serve me. I don’t know how accurate she is, but she said that it is one of a kind, that it was a custom-made bespoke design. So, this could actually be your grandmas.”
“Oh wow, I hope so Josh. Wouldn’t that be amazing.” I twist one side of my hair at the front and clip the brooch in my hair. I’m not a brooch wearing type of girl, but I love things in my hair. I look at my reflection in the window at the side of me, and for a second, I get a glimpse of my grandma.
After our meal, we walk along the beach and watch the sunset. This has been the best day of my life. “Thank you Josh. For bringing me here, for the brooch, for everything. I know I’m not the easiest of people. Thank you for sticking with me.”
“You’ve got it all wrong. You’re the one stuck with me Clo” Wrapping his arm around me and pulling me into him, he kisses me on top of my head.
When we arrive back at the cottage there’s a guy on a ladder messing with something above the door. “Just in time mate. I’m all done here. If you check the app on your phone now it should be all up and running.”
“New security system, cameras, and alarms.” Josh explains to me. I nod and go inside to put the kettle on letting Josh finish speaking to the security guy.
We snuggle on the sofa for an hour watching the end of some action movie. I’m not at all interested in the film, I’m enjoying every second of breathing in this beautiful man.
We both start to yawn and agree it’s bedtime. I’m looking forward to another love making session like we had earlier today. Surprisingly though, Josh leaves me at my bedroom door with a peck on the cheek, a good night, and his door locked behind him. What the hell?! I go into my room and slam the door. I stomp about getting undressed. We’ve had the most amazing day together and this is how he ends it?
Josh
I can hear Chloe stomping about in her room. I probably just dealt with that situation all wrong, but I know I’m in for a bad night tonight. It’s been a while since I slept and I’m feeling exhausted, especially after today. That girl has ruined me. It was so hard leaving her tonight. All I want to do is have her in my arms but if I did that tonight, I’d hurt her. My nightmares have been an issue since my father was killed, but now they are even more of an inconvenience.
I should have explained this to Chloe, but I know she would have said it would be ok and persuaded me to sleep with her. And at this moment in time, I don’t have the strength to resist. She will just have to have a strop tonight and I’ll sort her out tomorrow, in more ways than one hopefully.
I give Damien a call. We’ve got radio phones which bounce the signal throughout the UK so they can’t be traced. Damien informs me that he has found out who the gunman after Chloe is. It’s only a matter of time now until we catch the bast**d.
As I expect I have a bad night. It takes me a few hours to actually get my body and mind to relax but when it does, I’m out for about 5 hours. I wake up on the floor with the contents of my bedside table around me. My whole body is sore, and I have a lump in the back of my head. I let myself come round for a few minutes on the floor, before I get up and tidy the mess I’ve made in the night. I quickly shower and go downstairs to find Chloe in the kitchen dancing to ‘Un holy by Sam Smith’.
I stand in the doorway watching her jerk her hips to the music while sucking on a spoon covered in Nutella. I smile to myself remembering the little fantasy she told Bella about. That reminds me, I need a trip to the shops later. Proving to me once again how oblivious she is, I enjoy the view for a good couple of minutes.
When Chloe finally realises I’m standing here watching her, her face fills with a scowl and she stops dancing and starts stomping about making a brew.
“The kettles just boiled, you want one?” Well at least she’s still talking to me, all be it grumpily.
“Yes please.” I take a seat at the kitchen table. I decided to explain to Chloe about my sleeping habits. I briefly tell her what happened to my father, it haunts me that I still haven’t been able to find out who killed him.
“I was 18. I woke in the night to the sound of men’s voices. It was my dad and someone I didn’t recognise. I went downstairs to investigate. As I reached the bottom step, I heard the gunshot I have never been able to get out of my mind. I ran to the kitchen where I found my dad lay on the tiled floor. In the corner of my eye, I saw a man leave through the back door. At the time my thoughts were only on my dad. In hindsight now I wish I had followed the man. My father was already dead. There was nothing I could do for him. The next day I decided I would never let anyone hurt my family again. I trained in every tactical and survival skill ever invented. Damien and I created King security and I have been searching for my dad’s murderer ever since. One day I will find him, and I will put a bullet in his head.”
Having never had this conversation with anyone before, it is remarkably easy. Chloe is extremely understanding and is surprisingly apologetic for taking the ‘huff’ with me, as she put it. She’s been doing some research regarding her own nightmares and has some interesting suggestions that might help us both. “It’s worth a try.” She insists.
After breakfast, I drive us to the supermarket. Chloe talks non-stop the whole way around about the different ways we can help our night terrors. Some I’m on board with, others, like talking to a shrink, I’m definitely not up for.
Walking around the store I become infuriated. Men stop and stare as Chloe walks passed them. Even men with their partners take a second look. Jealousy rips through me. Chloe is oblivious to the attention she receives. The idea of insisting Chloe wears another style of clothing comes to mind. Maybe baggy trousers and a big jumper with a beanie hat? Huh! I laugh to myself, imagining Chloe’s reaction if I was to suggest this. It probably wouldn’t make much difference anyway. Her beauty would still shine through. I will just have to get used to it I suppose.
When we get home, I unpack the shopping looking forward to her reaction.
Chloe
