Page 89 of Barging In

Clem responded with unexpected urgency, squeezing her tight, kissing her with a raw, hungry passion that made Victoria’s knees tremble. Her soft, wet lips and roaming tongue sent lightning bolts through her, awakening nerve endings Victoria had thought long dead. Never before had she felt so desired by someone.

Hands caressed her, squeezing, kneading, pressing her body so flush against her that she could feel Clem’s breasts against her own. The sensation made Victoria dizzy. Or maybe it was Clem’s fervent tongue exploring her own, as eager and as desperate. Whatever it was, it was happening, and she didn’t want it to stop.

But then a little voice crept into the back of her mind, unwelcome but quiet and insistent.You shouldn’t be doing this.Regardless of how good it felt or how much she wanted it, she couldn’t silence the voice. She was married. She’d given in. She was weak. Nothing but weak.This isn’t you; you have rules.

She took a step back.

“Are you okay?” Clem asked, eyes full of concern as Victoria stepped away from her.

“I can’t believe I did that. I’m no better than him now, am I?” Victoria said, pacing the room.

“What? Hardly! It was only a kiss.”

“It wasn’t, though, was it?” Victoria said, striking her fist against her heart.

“No,” Clem murmured. “But it’s not like we’ve slept together or anything.”

Victoria stopped pacing and approached her. “But Iwantto, Clem. That’s the point. I want you, and that makes me just like him.”

“You are nothing like him,” Clem urged, placing her hands gently on Victoria’s upper arms.

Victoria brushed her off. “I broke my own rules.”

“Rules? For yourself?”

Victoria began pacing again. “Yes. To not be like him. I promised myself I would never break my vow. It didn’t matter what he did, that was his choice, but I made a vow, and I was sticking to it.”

“But he forfeited his right to that vow,” Clem said, trying to follow her. “You made that promise to a different man, someone you thought loved you beyond everything else. He’s not that man anymore. He doesn’t deserve you or your fidelity.”

Victoria turned so fast that Clem had to pull back. “And you do?”

Clem took a moment to reclaim her footing. “That’s not the point, Victoria,” she murmured softly in response. “I don’t want to complicate things.”

“It’s a bit late for that,” Victoria snapped. “It’s all you’ve done since you got here.”

“I meant that you need to make decisions for yourself, not because of feelings you might have for me.”

Might have?Victoria was drowning in them.

“I should go,” Clem said. “But before I do, can I ask you something?”

Victoria nodded silently.

“Why did you cry at the flowers?”

Victoria blew out a breath. Trust Clem to notice that. “I like flowers,” she demurred.

Clem scoffed.

Victoria took a breath, realising it wasn’t going to be enough. “I like being given flowers. I liked it whenyougave them to me. It means someone cares enough to think of me, to choose something beautiful for me. When someone stops buying you flowers, you notice. You stop feeling cared for. Wanted. That’s what they mean to me: that I matter to someone. That I’m not… invisible.”

“You matter tome,” Clem said softly. “I told you before: I see you.Allof you. You’re intelligent, kind, resilient, loyal… and so very bewitching.”

Clem leaned toward her unexpectedly. Victoria thought she was going to kiss her again. She tensed, ready to step back, but Clem pressed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you for dinner,” she murmured.

Victoria had to summon every ounce of strength not to pull her in. Not to feel her warm, eager lips on hers again. Her heart ached for it, urged her forward, but her brain dug in its heels.