LITMIR.BIZ

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Tears began to well in her eyes such was her disappointment in having to say no to this precious man.

      ‘OK, OK. You just don’t know how hard it’s been for me to keep my hands off you since the moment we first met in the pub.’

      ‘So far you haven’t!’ She lifted her hand, still being squeezed by his, to prove her point and lighten the mood.

      ‘Well, other parts of you.’ He chuckled in an attempt to cover his own disappointment.

      ‘I would love for us to be more than friends, Noah, I’ve never felt like this before either. It’s just that for the next eighteen months … well, the commitment I’ve made needs to take precedence …’

      ‘But I shouldn’t give up, I should just wait a while?’

      ‘Quite a while, but yes, I’d be devastated if you gave up on me.’

      ‘Then I won’t – ever!’ He rolled her over and playfully slapped her butt. ‘Let’s go for a run.’

      ‘I hear you.’

      With sexual tension still oozing but knowing the air was clear between them, Eloise was more than happy to join him for a jog and release some of the pent-up frustration between her legs.

       Chaste

      There was only one bed on the narrow boat, and each night they shared it, but only for sleeping. Most evenings they talked way into the night, eventually falling asleep holding hands, their bodies barely touching – thwarted but still preferring to be close. Eloise was continually torn between admiring Noah’s chivalry and heroic restraint at her insistence on not taking their relationship further, and desperately wishing he’d have his wild way with her – were it not for Caesar. Her feelings could fluctuate between the two in any given moment, but in the end she was grateful that he respected her wishes with fortitude, even though they were both denying themselves the sexual release they fervently desired.

      Lying on the bed in her summer pyjamas – a singlet and boxer shorts – Eloise would enjoy watching Noah as he stripped off his shirt before settling in next to her. She still got a thrill from having him so near her each night, and took every opportunity to gaze at his sculpted torso, knowing anything more than that was strictly forbidden. Though she’d had sex a few times before, this small degree of intimacy she shared with Noah felt so much more meaningful – albeit physically infuriating.

      ‘Your eyes are glazing over, Elle, you look a million miles away,’ he said to her one night.

      ‘I was distracted by you,’ she replied as he jumped in beside her.

      ‘I’m more than happy to distract you a bit more; just say when.’ His hand slid over to her knee.

      ‘Noah, you know how hard this is for me already!’ She grudgingly removed his hand and instead gently touched the tattoo on his shoulder, a four-sided shape that looked a bit like a knot. ‘Have you had that for long?’ she asked.

      ‘About five years, I suppose. I got it when I was nineteen.’

      ‘I like its symmetry. Does it have any specific meaning?’

      ‘It’s called Mpatapo, a West African symbol of peacemaking and reconciliation.’ He grinned at her curious eyes as she lightly touched it once more. ‘I had it done after my parents got over themselves and became friends again. I’d always wanted a tattoo and it’s a useful reminder to them whenever they start squabbling like kids; all I do is flash my shoulder and they stop. Having them both on the same side has had a huge impact on my tennis, so now they behave – for the greater good.’

      ‘It’s weird, I’ve never had parents but I always imagined the fairytale kind. You know – a mother and father who will love each other until the day they die. Never ones who hate each other.’

      ‘Well, I’d rather have my mum and dad than not, that’s for sure. It must be so hard for you …’

      ‘It’s difficult to explain, but you don’t know what you’re missing if you’ve never experienced it. Sometimes I just feel really alone and empty; other times I don’t think about it until something triggers the feeling of never really belonging to anyone or anything. The ballet is the closest thing I’ve ever had to family, and I walked away from it. But then again, if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you …’ She smiled, then yawned, resting her head near his chest so she could fall asleep to the beat of his heart.

      He smiled a heartfelt smile, twisting her long, voluminous hair between his fingers, and marvelling at her beauty inside and out as she drifted off to sleep beside him. He wondered just how long they would have to wait before they could be together. But of one thing he was sure: it would be when, not if they were together. For he knew deep down that he had found his soulmate.

      This thought provided him with great comfort, as the warmth of her body and the canal boat’s ever so gentle rhythm eventually lulled him into slumber.

      On their last stop before returning to London they visited Oxford, and Noah surprised Eloise with the gift of a snow dome. Ensconced within the glass was a canal boat, featuring a boy and a girl and a dog sitting on the rooftop.

      ‘Just like us!’

      ‘I know, that’s why I couldn’t resist.’

      ‘Now all we need is a dog.’

      ‘One day … Who knows?’

      ‘Thank you, Noah. I’ll treasure it always.’

      ‘As I do you.’

      Eloise was so touched by the unexpected gift from Noah that she couldn’t prevent a stray tear from escaping her eye. She flung her arms around his strong neck and buried her face in his chest, never wanting to let go. Gifts had been few and far between in Eloise’s life; each passing birthday had only reinforced how alone she was in the world.

      Though slightly taken aback by the strength of her reaction, Noah held her tight against the warmth of his body. Their hug was long-lasting and meaningful, as their time together touring the canals came to an end.

      Eloise had felt happier than she had ever been over this past week, and the vision in the snow dome gave her hope for the future – one they might share together. She knew that every time she looked at it, she would remember how precious her relationship with Noah was. He brought sunshine to her life. That night, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep, grateful for the good fortune of having had this time with him.

      She had always wondered what it might be like to feel cherished, and with Noah she felt more special and accepted than she ever had before. It was a feeling she hoped would live with her for a long time.

      At the end of their chaste yet flirtatious time together, both of them knew that, had circumstances been different, they could have become so much more than friends. Having to be content with their shared camaraderie – for the time being at least – they said their goodbyes, knowing their paths would indeed cross again on the other side of the Atlantic, sooner rather than later.

      During their long and meaningful conversations throughout the course of the week, Noah had detected a strange undercurrent in relation to Eloise’s arrangement with Ivan and her involvement in tennis, but he’d respected her need for privacy and hadn’t pressed her too hard for details. Instead, he’d encouraged her to be true to her passions and to pursue her dreams as soon as she was ready. Something he promised himself to help her achieve.

      Even though she had never had a best friend before, Eloise knew that there were some secrets that shouldn’t be shared until the time was right, and sensed that giving away any more details about her relationship with Ivan fell into that category.

      What she hadn’t sensed during her perfect week with Noah was the photographer who had been discreetly tracking and photographing their every move together.

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