Chapter Forty-Two
Tuesday 31st December – 11:59pm
Chloe glanced back at the clock that still read 11:59PM, before turning back to Elly with her decision, "Kiss me anyway."
"Are you sure?" Elly whispered.
Chloe grinned happily, "It's just one kiss at the stroke of midnight for New Years'…I think we can make an exception to our rules for one kiss."
"Definitely worth the exception…let's start 2020 how we want to spend the rest of the year as soon as we're free to," Elly decided.
Chloe made the first move, bringing her lips to Elly's on the stroke of midnight. Elly moaned softly at the contact, kissing Chloe back softly before easing her tongue gently into Chloe's mouth, tangling it with Chloe's for a moment, deepening the kiss.
Breaking apart after a minute, Chloe leant her forehead against Elly's, whispering, "Best New Years' kiss ever."
Elly felt her heart pounding in her chest, "Without question…and it was just the one kiss…"
Unable to resist and not feeling Chloe pulling away from her, Elly leant her lips back to Chloe's once more but just as they were about to kiss again, the two women jumped apart as the sound of Chloe's phone ringing loudly broke them apart.
Chloe sighed heavily as she rolled over to grab the phone from the bedside table, swallowing gently as she rolled back over to Elly, "It's Pierce."
Elly nodded gently, slipping her arm around Chloe's waist, "Answer it, Chlo."
"How can I…? I'm in bed with you having just had the most amazing kiss with you," Chloe pointed out as the phone continued to ring.
Elly rested her head on Chloe's shoulder, "I know that but Pierce won't. You've been ignoring Pierce for days, baby, it's New Years'…just answer it…let him have a moment with you at New Years'. I had my moment with you at midnight…I got the better end of the deal, kissing you instead of talking to you over the phone…answer it so Pierce can stop bothering us and we can…go back to sleep in each other's arms."
Chloe grimaced but knowing Pierce wasn't going to give up calling since it was midnight at New Years' and he was technically her boyfriend, took Elly's advice and answered the call, "Hey, Pierce."
"Chloe! I'm so glad I got hold of you. Did I get through in time, is it midnight on the cusp of 2020 yet?" Pierce smiled at the sound of Chloe's voice.
Chloe turned to the clock to see it was now 12:01AM, "You just missed it by a minute, Pierce."
Thanks for missing it or else I wouldn't have kissed Elly at midnight. That was some kiss…and now Elly is nibbling at me under my ear and gliding her fingers around my hip…is she trying to drive me crazy and blurt out to Pierce I'm in bed with her?
As Chloe glared at Elly before quickly falling into the feeling when Elly winked at her cheekily, Pierce was oblivious as he spoke to Chloe, "That's a pity, my clock must be wrong. How's 2020 treating you so far?"
"2020 is treating me…really well so far," Chloe answered as she found herself unable to resist lifting her neck to allow Elly to nibble at her neck even more.
Elly is driving me crazy and I'm letting her do so…how am I meant to wait another week to kiss Elly again?
"What have you managed to get up to, to celebrate New Years'?" Pierce questioned.
Cheated on you by kissing Elly passionately…and now I want to keep kissing Elly…I'm going to need all the willpower not to…I shouldn't say that to Pierce…
"Oh…y'know…nothing special," Chloe stumbled.
"Is that because I'm not there to celebrate it with you?" Pierce decidedly assumed.
Definitely not…oh my God…what is Elly doing?
Chloe swallowed deeply as Elly rolled on top of her, running her hands up and down Chloe's side, pressing her groin between Chloe's legs and trailing kisses up and down Chloe's neck.
Trying to keep her composure, Chloe held the phone closer to her, "Something like that. What are you…ah…doing for New Years'?"
"A couple of the guys' at the company here have a party in Hollywood so I'll be celebrating with them. I think I've nearly managed to save the company, had to let some people go, overhaul a few things, it's been tough but I think we're finally getting somewhere. I'll be home soon. I can't wait to see you," Pierce told Chloe.
"Sorry to hear that, that's awful," Chloe commented as she glared at the brunette for distracting her.
"Me not been able to wait to see you is awful?" Pierce frowned.
"Oh…I didn't mean that…I meant the letting people go, that it's been tough," Chloe fumbled.
Pierce sighed with relief, "I almost thought you didn't want to see me."
Chloe bit her lip as she felt Elly pull back from nibbling on her neck to lip sync Pierce's words Elly had heard through the phone, 'I almost thought you didn't want to see me,' in a teasing fashion that the billionaire didn't know she was straddling his girlfriend in her bed, "Don't be…ridiculous…Pierce. A few more days and you'll be back home."
Where I can break up with you at the first chance I get and then not feel bad about having Elly lying on top of me and…is Elly mouthing 'I love you' over and over to me?
"How's Hendrix been getting on? Hope you haven't minded staying at my place to look after him," Pierce assumed.
Yeah…I haven't minded staying where I am…to think if I'd have just given in completely and spent the week in Elly's bed…she'd probably be making love to me right now…whilst I'm on the phone to Pierce just to prove the point that I'm hers…or perhaps not since y'know peanut in the room. Elly would respect her son more than respecting Pierce, that's for sure.
"Hendrix is good. I had dinner with him at Aaron and David's tonight. He's celebrating New Years' with Harlow at Paul and Terese's with Yashvi, Ned, Roxy, McKenzie and…some others I forget. I think Hendrix has a crush on Harlow," Chloe told Pierce.
"Harlow's…not really Hendrix's type," Pierce replied, wondering why he was judging Paul's granddaughter from the suggestion his son could like her.
Chloe suppressed a moan when Elly pressed her hips against her own, "Anyway I should…"
Go…struggle to not let Elly kiss me again…strip me naked and make love to me if that's what she wants…cause right now aside from not wanting to do that with the peanut in the room…I am so in the mood to—bollocks!
Chloe's eyes widened as did Elly's at the sudden interruption of Elliot bursting into a fit of tears.
Fudge…speaking of the peanut been in the room stopping Elly and I…oh crap, Pierce!
"Is that Elly's baby?" Pierce asked as he overheard the infant crying in the background.
Chloe grimaced as Elly mouthed, 'I'm so sorry,' to her and then reluctantly disentangled herself from the blonde, hopping off her, dragging herself from under the covers to stumble over to Elliot's cot. Elly immediately scooped the infant up into her arms, putting him against her chest, trying to get her son to stop crying.
Chloe sat up in the bed, struggling with her thoughts to work out how to explain to Pierce why he was hearing Elliot crying in the background.
Do I tell Pierce the truth? How much of the truth? I can't tell him Elly was straddling me and for a genuine moment the only thing I wanted is…I mean was for Elly to strip me naked and make love to me… That'll cause some problems… Elly and I aren't even ready for that. Elly's not ready to let me make love to her and I…can and will be patient and will wait before we're both ready rather than take advantage of Elly wanting me without allowing me to reciprocate.
At Chloe's continued silence, Pierce broke it, "Are you with Elly and her baby? What are you doing spending New Years' Eve with Elly and her baby?"
Chloe stared at Elly, seeing the brunette glancing at her through the darkness looking apologetic, "Ah…yeah I am with Elly and her son…just y'know…hanging out like best friends do."
Best friends don't do what we did, Chlo! I can't believe I wasn't able to control myself with Chloe…one kiss and I was almost ready to jump Chloe! I shouldn't have done that…I want to be able to wait until I'm ready for Chloe and I to both…make love to one another. I should tell Chloe that…after I apologize for losing control and wanting her like I did.
"Is that why you said your New Years' Eve has been 'nothing special' because you're just with Elly? Are Aaron and David there? Why is Elly even up at this hour with her baby and you?" Pierce rattled off as he found himself perturbed at the thought of Chloe being around her ex-girlfriend at this hour let alone on an occasion of New Years' Eve.
"Ah I guess," Chloe lied that her New Years' had been anything but special, "No, the boys aren't with us. We're just…hanging out at Elly's…and y'know babies cry all hours of the night. Elly was sleeping…ah…before you called."
"You're not in Elly's bedroom, are you?" Pierce questioned.
I'm in Elly's bed and had her straddling me a minute ago.
Elly glanced over at Chloe awkwardly feeling like it was her fault Chloe was getting the third degree from Pierce since it had been her idea Chloe spent the night in her bed and she'd convinced Chloe to answer Pierce's call. Elly continued rocking Elliot as the infant refused to give up crying.
"Don't be ridiculous," Chloe lied, before pulling the sheets off of her and sitting on the edge of the bed, "Look, Pierce, Elly is struggling to get her son back to sleep. I'm just at her place…but I need to…get home after she gets the peanut off for a nap. I should…say goodbye."
"Chloe, you don't need to…I guess I just didn't expect to find out you were spending time with Elly and…her baby on New Years'. I felt like maybe you were trying to hide it from me," Pierce admitted, feeling hopeful by Chloe's use of the word 'home' thinking she was staying at his place whilst looking out for Hendrix but was still confused if Chloe being with Elly meant more than Chloe was letting on.
Amazing that you pick up on that, Pierce, cause I was…
"Don't be ridiculous," Chloe repeated to her boyfriend as she found herself staring over at Elly, "I'll see you soon on the weekend, okay?"
Pierce held back an audible sigh, "Okay…I'll give you a call once I'm on my way home. I'll speak to you then, Chloe. Happy New Years'!"
"Happy New Years'!" Chloe replied back to Pierce before hanging up the phone.
Chloe placed her phone on the bedside table before standing up and walking over to Elly, "How's the peanut?"
Elly smiled at the fact Chloe was more interested in seeing how her infant son was than talking about Pierce then grinned even more as Chloe wrapped her arms around her waist, "He's good, I think he might need a cuddle from his…Chloe to get him off to sleep," Elly chuckled as Elliot immediately stopped crying but continued fussing in her arms, "Or maybe he knew his mum needed a cuddle from you too."
"I'm always here for that," Chloe smiled at the infant against Elly's chest.
Elly leant her forehead against Chloe's, "I'm sorry you got caught out with us."
Chloe shrugged, "Not your fault…or the peanut's. Should've seen that coming."
Elly continued trying to rock her son back to sleep as she turned her face to Chloe, "I'm sorry about…taking things a step too far in bed with you."
Chloe smirked, "I don't know what you could be talking about."
Elly pressed her lips to Chloe's cheek, "I got a bit of a power trip knowing Pierce was on the phone to you…thinking that you're his when you're not. I know you're not mine yet…not that you should ever feel like I or anyone else owns you. I took it too far with the straddling you and kissing up and down your neck…and the pressing my body into yours. I just got this power trip knowing I was driving you crazy and Pierce had no clue."
Chloe kissed her lips up and down Elly's neck for a moment, "I liked your power trip moment…as much as I didn't want to be caught out by Pierce with what we were doing. Not gonna lie, for a second I thought you might strip me naked and make love to me just because you could."
"Oh God no, not in front of the peanut!" Elly exclaimed, "I love you, Chloe, and may have lost a bit of self-control but I can't make love to you with my son in the room with us. That's a line I can't cross."
Chloe chuckled in response, "Me either. But you'd cross that line with Pierce on the phone to me had Elliot not being with us?"
"Entirely," Elly decided before shrugging, "Okay…probably not. As much as a part of me is desperate to be with you…would it be okay if we wait for me to make love to you until I'm ready for you to make love to me…and we can do it…together?"
Chloe pressed her lips to Elly's shoulder, "I was going to ask you the same thing. I want us to wait until you're ready and we can do it together…preferably without the peanut in the room or me on the phone to Pierce…or just not have Pierce be anywhere in the vicinity of us. Or anyone. Just you and I alone together…when you're ready."
"Sounds perfect, it'll be worth the wait," Elly agreed before smiling down at Elliot who had fallen asleep in her arms, then shuffling forwards to put him back down in his cot, Elly then turned to Chloe, "Do you regret our kiss we shared at midnight?"
"Not even for a second," Chloe insisted but when Elly leant in to her, Chloe hesitated, "But it was just the one kiss for New Years' Eve…to spend the moment how we plan to spend the rest of our year together which we will…as soon as Pierce gets back on the weekend."
Elly nodded, "Right…it's what we agreed…one kiss. We can wait until the weekend to kiss again. So…has our little kiss or getting caught by Pierce spending New Years' made you change your mind…about sleeping in my bed with me tonight?"
Chloe glanced over at the bed, "It has y'know…" then when Elly hung her head at the thought of Chloe returning to the couch, Chloe whispered, "Who was I kidding when I said we needed to keep our distance in bed together and we couldn't snuggle? I want to fall asleep in your arms and get woken up a couple dozen times in them throughout the night."
Elly glanced at Chloe hopefully, "Really?"
Chloe led Elly back to the bed where they both slipped under the covers and Elly immediately spooned Chloe from behind. Chloe entangled their hands against her chest, "Now this is how it should've been earlier."
"Best New Years' ever," Elly whispered in Chloe's ear before resting her head back on her pillow.
"Best New Years' ever," Chloe concurred as she closed her eyes and the pair were asleep within moments.
Back in New York City, Pierce sat staring at his laptop, having hung up the phone from Chloe. To say he was bewildered and worried that Chloe had spent her New Years' Eve with her ex-girlfriend and her infant son instead of with Aaron and David was an understatement. Chloe answering his phone call had surprised him greatly but he didn't want to admit that despite Chloe seemingly keeping him at a distance and lying to him over her kidnapping ordeal.
Pierce started typing on the laptop to bring up the flights website, determined to book his flight home before anything else could go wrong at his company and hold him back.
Typing into the website's search engine flights from New York City to Melbourne, Pierce hovered the mouse over the travel date he needed to select before making his decision...
