Seven-thirty that night.
Chris answered his door to Jess, as he let her in through the front door. "That's probably the nicestI've ever seen you look."
She smiled playfully. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Of course, she had a hard time taking her eyes off him as he closed the door behind them and then locked it.
"So what's on the cards tonight?"
"Anything you want." He smiled softly. "Within certain boundaries, of course."
She smiled as he took her jacket from her.
"I didn't know if you felt like eating anything just yet," he admitted loosely, "unless you're hungry now…"
Jess felt her breath get taken away as he grabbed her wrist.
The contact…so close. So intimate. "N-no, I could probably hang on…" Something else was on her mind.
A rumble at her stomach sounded, proving her wrong.
"You sure?" Chris smirked. "Sounds to me like you are hungry."
"Not if you aren't."
"I can go out and get us something if you want." He suggested. "If you were up for a chippie like you said you wanted to go for."
"If that's ok with you…"
"Sure it is." He removed his grip around her wrist. "You just stay there, relax and wait till I get back, ok?"
She curled up on the sofa, feeling herself drift off as she dimly heard the flat door open and then close.
The warmth was still there…almost as though he was still touching her.
****
Chris came back a few minutes later, and as he quietly came into the flat, he noticed Jess was curled up on the sofa, deeply asleep.
He positioned himself next to her, softly folding a stray, shiny scarlet wisp behind her ear from where it'd fallen. Perfect again, he thought to himself, taking in her still position.
"Chris…" She mumbled sleepily, as she felt something soft brush against her cheek. Her eyes heavily opened, fixing themselves on his soft, blue eyes. "Y-you've come back."
"Y-yeah…only just." He felt warm as she placed her hands on his wrists. "I-I should dish this out…"
"I guess." She agreed dimly, unable to take her eyes off him.
"We shouldn't." Chris stated quietly, knowing what she was planning on doing with him. "After last time…"
"I know we shouldn't." She admitted. "But after everything you'd done for me…"
He would've changed his mind right there and then as she cupped his face with one hand.
"I think I love you, Chris."
He swallowed hard. Maybe the quiet night in together wasn't going to work.
Quickly, he tore himself away before anything extreme happened between them.
Once they finished the takeout between themselves, they thought about watching a film together.
"I should have something both of us would like." He stated. "And there's nothing naughty in amongst all that, I'll have you know."
Jess shrugged playfully. "I didn't think there would be."
Once they decided on a film, they both sat, nestled up against each other. That sort of contact in itself was just askingfor trouble.
"I'm sorry I feel this way towards you." She apologised, liking the warmth of his soft body against hers. "But I just can't help it."
"I know but you have to stop these feelings." Chris explained. "I don't feel the same way and you know that I don't."
"I think you're wrong."
"Well, I'm not." He inched a little further away from her. "I'm not wrong and I know the way I feel. What I feel for you is not love, Jess. It never was."
She was shocked at what he was saying.
"Maybe the night in together wasn't such a good idea." He admitted faintly. "For all I know, we could end up kissing each other or…doing a lot more besides that."
"I'm sorry."
"I think you should go, Jess…" He spoke shakily. "I-I'll see you at school on Monday, ok?"
Jess stood outside; it was slightly cold and there was an icy breeze in the air. She whipped out her mobile, already thinking of calling one of the people she talked to on one of the dating sites.
She stopped. What was she getting herself into? And Chris had already warned her not to go into doing that ever again.
"Hi there, gorgeous." A voice came from behind her.
She sharply turned round, noticing a fairly older male come up to her. "What do you want?"
"You."
She cried out when he grabbed hold of her and went to pull her into the alleyway literally around the corner. "Stop that, let go of me!"
"What's going on out here?" A familiar voice spoke out from behind them, and the male's grip on her loosened slightly, but didn't completely let go of her. "Let go of her."
Jess was shaking slightly, almost sure that whoever was trying to help her was going to end up on the ground and she was going to be whisked back into the alleyway and subsequently…assaulted.
A scuffle between the three of them ensued, and eventually the offending male let go and fled.
She dropped to the floor, too overcome with fright to notice what had happened.
"It's ok now, he's gone." An arm wrapped around her from behind, pulling her up against the warmer, softer body. "Good job I chased after you."
"C-Chris, you didn't have to come out and do that…"
"I didn't know he was there, Jess." He rubbed her down her back with his other hand. "It wasn't as though I couldn't deal with it."
She smiled softly, as they remained pressed up against each other. "I'd better get going, I guess."
"You don't have to." Chris spoke bluntly. "You can stay for a bit if you want…"
"Not if we're liable to do anything with each other."
"Enough of that." He carefully helped her up, understanding that she was still shaken after that attack. "I don't think you're in any state to be going back on your own just yet."