She thought him an honourable man! She kept surprising him even after all of this time.
They inched closer, breath mingling, almost inclining heads just as aunt Prudence (damn her) had rushed in, fussing about the baby, that infernal mewler. She stopped short at the sight of some very close relations she wasn't altogether approving of.
'It's a bit late Inspector' she said frostily.
They crept apart, still aching to connect but not daring to in full view of this gorgon.
'Am I keeping you up?' Muttered Jack peevishly. Phryne snorted in an unladylike fashion. Prudence glared at her, then turned it full force onto Jack. He was being uncharacteristically ungentlemanly.
'I beg your pardon?' Her look could have frozen absinthe.
He didn't quail under her force, he very rarely did. Cheeky bastard.
'You're right Mrs Stanley, I should be going. Goodnight.'
Phryne said nothing but her heart rebelled. She was close to disappointment, most unlike her.
Satisfied, Prudence stomped towards the source of the annoyance.
'I'm coming little man' she cooed. Jack turned as he left and caught sight of Phryne rolling her eyes in a fit of nausea. He laughed unguardedly at the sight then stopped as she snapped her stare back to him. Too much? He nodded and closed the door, striding out into the night.
Torn between thinking about it all night and confronting it right now, she hesitated no more than a few seconds before she wrenched the door open and ran out.
'Jack wait!'
She flew out to plant herself in front of him by the nearest hedge. He wasn't entirely sure where to go from here. She had just claimed him to be an honourable man but he wasn't so sure he felt like he was at times when he thought about her. Did she want an honourable man? Her excursions hadn't shown that to be the case. She was a puzzle, Miss Fisher.
He noticed her shivering in the cruel air.
'Are you cold Miss Fisher?' He was back to being a gentleman. She said nothing. Just stared at him with eyes of jade. It was unnerving. He removed his coat and draped it over her, noting the thin black garments she wore. Fashionable ladies must be in a state of perpetual chilliness he noted. Must have developed a tolerance for the cold or something. He put his hands on her shoulders and steered her the other way around, the face the house.
'I don't need it.'
Her tone was flat, jolting him out of his musing. She sounded displeased and bored. He was on the alert right away. He knew of this manner although it was discomforting to hear it from her. This was Rosie's tone of voice in the last few years of their marriage. He knew what that meant from her. But not from Phryne. He was used to her warmth and vivacity, things that Rosie hadn't been towards him for a very long time. He could hear Aunt Prudence from behind the hedge stridently calling for her errant niece to get back in the house before she caught a chill. Very likely in her current state of dress. Distracted, the reluctant niece looked behind and Jack, wavering on indecision, knew he had to strike fast. Now was the time to do something to get them off this parallel path and send them colliding onto the same track with each other. They might crash and burn but he needed to take the chance.
Slipping a finger over the soft skin of her jaw and turning it, he neatly brought her back to him with such speed, she practically fell into his arms. His lips pressed down onto hers, hoping she would respond. After a gasp and a stunned second, she did.
They melted into each other, warmth seeping through their skin and thawing their bones. Time stilled as they gave in to the spark that had been smouldering for an achingly long time. When they drew breath, all of a sudden Jack felt reality crash back and reverted to his usual form.
'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that.'
He withdrew slightly, realising that her hand was on his shirt collar as usual but this time her grip was a lot tighter than he had anticipated. Not uncomfortably so but intensely enough. She looked at him with an expression he couldn't fathom, still breathing as heavily as he was. That had been thrilling. Electric. Nothing else had mattered in that moment.
'Are you intent on disappointing me Jack?'
Her tone was low and somewhat weary. He had meant it, of course he had but blundered into denying it. He stuttered, not quite sure how to handle this. He was seized with panic that he had ruined everything, almost being angry at her.
'I didn't mean to take advantage of you!'
She understood where the miscommunication lay. She drew away and slipped off his coat. Folded it and laid it on his shoulder, his hand automatically taking hold of hers to steady it. Their fingers edged towards being entwined, his stroked hers in a rush of heat but she broke it off, gaze still unforgiving. She turned away and walked to the house. Jack wanted to slap himself. He wanted her to slap him for being such an idiot.
'Phryne wait!'
He was shocked he had used her first name so cavalierly out here on the street, shouting like a cad. He prided himself on his professionality. And he had rarely used her name, feeling like it was too personal and feeling recently, like it was too precious to use on a regular basis. It was so intimate for him. He wasn't used to it.
She turned, reframed in the golden light of the doorway.
'Come after me Jack' she whispered.
With a sinking heart, he realised that she was disappointed. She had wanted him to be a little less of a gentleman on occasion and this was certainly an occasion to be so. He made up his mind and damn aunt Prudence. He slowly walked up to the door that she'd left open for him and shut it behind him, hung his coat and hat as usual. She was leaning against the wall by the green hanging curtain. He opened his mouth to speak but no words materialised. The baby was still crying.
She twitched open the curtain to reveal an alcove. He was unaware that there was anything behind there. Surely it was just for show? But as he inched closer, he could see that there was room for two, already housing a table and an unlit lantern. This was a secret she hadn't revealed to many people. His breath hitched as she caught hold of his lapels and drew him in. They didn't need to waste any more words justifying it.
The curtain closed behind them and she let go to light up the glow that they wanted. He watched those slender white fingers do the job and couldn't help thinking that they looked damn good against his collar. She crushed it with surprising strength as she launched herself at him seconds later, taking hold of his mouth and possessing it with devilish might. She very soon found out that he gave as good as he got.
Baby settled, Prudence strode into the hallway and saw that the door was shut. Finally her niece had come to her senses. She must be tucked up in bed by now. She bolted and chained it and strode on, settling down for the night unaware of the goings on behind the curtain.