Off the Cretan Track chapter 44

A Chapter by Repgreece

Sal's bedroom

Nick woke with a start, wondering for a moment where he was. Then he saw Sal’s shiny auburn hair below him and glanced around himself. Now all the events of the previous evening came back to him. What time was it? The room was completely light. How long had they been asleep? He inched forward slightly to release his watch arm, which was stuck under a cushion. Seven o clock. He was pushing it now; Jen would probably already be back. Okay, don’t panic. He’d just say that he couldn’t sleep and went for a walk. He really shouldn’t stay there any longer though or he’d seriously be asking for trouble; someone would see him leaving Sal’s apartment. Word was bound to spread. He’d have to sneak out of there pretty sharpish.

He glanced down at Sal again and felt slightly guilty for having not left her earlier so that she could get some proper sleep in bed. Still, she had most of the day free until she’d have to get ready for work.

“Sal,” he whispered.

She didn’t respond.

“Sal,” he repeated, touching her arm.

She groaned but only nuzzled into him more.

Damn, he wished he could stay there with her longer.

Right, she really needed to get to bed, and he really needed to leave.

He moved decisively then, tightening his grip around her middle whilst sliding his other arm under her legs. As he lifter her, he was amazed that she didn’t wake up completely, but instead, she simply readjusted her head against him and fell back to sleep.

Carrying her into the hallway of her apartment, he was aware that he’d never been in Sal’s bedroom before, and now he felt quite intrigued to see what it was like.

As soon as he opened the door however, before even having the time to take a proper look around, he realized that it was going to be exactly as he’d expected. The floor and walls were plain white, as with most of the apartments there that were rented out, but Sal had truly made the room hers, with deep maroon colours in the bedding, cushions, curtains and rugs, and differing textures of silks, velvets and furs. Everything was warm, soft and indulgent, like the woman herself. Above the bed, breaking up the expanse of white wall, was hanging a painting of a pair of Latin American dancers, dressed in the same deep maroons, who had abandoned their dancing for a steamy embrace. It was all so Sal, and just looking around the room made Nick want her all the more. He burned to throw her down on that bed and make crazy passionate love to her, in the way she so desperately longed for. The room was her. It, and she, were passion itself, they embodied it.

Nick was drawn to the bed, where he pulled the sheets back and gently lowered Sal into the pillows and cushions. She sighed and rolled over, holding one of the cushions against her and resting her cheek against the fur of the bed throw. She looked so cozy and contented. He smiled down at her.

It was then that the object on her bedside table caught his attention. At first, he’d thought it was just a book that she had been reading, but then he saw the gold writing on the cover, reading, ‘Journal, notebook diary’. His eyes widened; his heart thumped. No…he couldn’t. But what had she written in it? More importantly, how detailed was it? Then his pulse began to race as he realized that it probably was detailed and very truthful, knowing Sal. Oh God, he had to take a quick look; it was way too much temptation for him to resist.

Reaching down, whilst keeping an eye on Sal at the same time, he flipped open the cover. It made a sharp sound as the hard cover hit the table and Nick froze, waiting to see if Sal would stir. She lay still though, her breathing steady. She couldn’t have registered the noise. Still considerably nervous about doing so, he caught hold of the empty first page and turned it.

24th March �" First Day In Crete.

Good God, this diary went back to last year!

Now there was only one thing that Nick was interested in finding: diary entries for all the times they had been together. He began to flick through the pages, scanning the writing for his name. Damn, there were so many pages though; he’d been right, it was detailed. The first day they’d met, when had that been? Not long after she’d moved out to Crete. He turned back to the pages closer to the beginning.

Apartment hunting with Fay, what a nightmare!

Big night out with Pat = Big headache!

Found new apartment and got a job too, fantabulous!

That was it! That was the day they had met. He remembered her mentioning her new apartment.

He frantically scanned the page, and the next one. Not one mention! Not once had she mentioned his name!

Nick’s heart sank. Now the only thing he could do was to search in desperation for a time when she had mentioned him, hoping to hell that she had!

Then there was a section entitled ‘transfers’. Finally, he found the first mention of his name.

Nick saved the day. He’s not so bad after all.

Gee, thanks Sal!

Next page. Now that caught his eye.

Today it’s official. I am so incredibly horny, I think I’m going to explode!

He chuckled to himself.

Can’t believe I’m stuck here at the airport! Maybe I’ll just grab a guy, any guy, and find an empty office upstairs or something. Grrrrr, I NEED SEX!!!!

Oh God, if only he’d known! He had most probably been there at the time too!

Damn, he wished he had more time with this diary, but it was so long.

Okay, he’d scan once more for another mention of his name, and then he’d have to go. What a bloody shame though. If he thought he could get away with it, he’d ‘borrow’ the diary and sneak it back, but maybe that was going a bit too far. God, he was acting like a bloody stalker!

Ooh, what was that?

He turned back one page where he saw his name again.

Nick is so very naughty, lol. He thinks I don’t know that he hid the towel because he wanted to see me naked…so tempted to just shock him and walk around the apartment with nothing on, just to see his face! Hehehe Naughty boy!

His heart skittered with excitement as he read the diary entry. He stood, smiling at it. She’d known! Oh God, she’d known! He read it again…and again. He wanted more. He had to read more like that.

Keeping that page with one finger, he began to flip and scan again. Damn, it was impossible though. He needed hours to really do this properly. Damn! He was forced to resign himself to the fact that he wasn’t going to be able to read more that day. Still, as long as the diary existed, there was the possibility of him taking another look at it again sometime. Okay, he was completely wrong to even think such a thing, and he knew it, but… Sal had a diary!

Okay, he really had to go now.

He turned his attention to her sleeping form. She always looked so sweet when she was asleep. Kissing his fingers, he reached out to touch her cheek.

“Goodnight, I love you, crazy women,” he whispered softly. Then he stood silent and still for a moment, realizing what he’d just said. He’d never told anyone in his life before that he loved them, not even his parents. He had just never known love before, and so he’d never felt it. He hadn’t thought he could. But what he’d just said, it was true; he did love her. And it didn’t feel odd, or scary, or uncertain or anything. It just felt so natural, as if he’d loved her forever.

There was only one thing he needed to do now, and it had to be done that day: he needed to talk with Jen. He wasn’t taking no for an answer; they were finished.

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