She pushed open the door and gratefully stepped inside, slipping off her shoes and allowing her feet a second to breath. The pile of folders in her arms were abandoned on the stairs as she took her coat off and hung it up, placing her shoes by the side of the door. The house looked tidy, the hall smelt of fresh polish and by the feel of it the carpet had been cleaned - still a faint sense of the dampness beneath her toes. But there was another smell, a much more welcoming one, cooking. She crept down the hall towards the kitchen, doing her best to remain anonymous for as long as possible. Jim was hunched over the stove stirring something, humming to himself � the picture of domestic bliss. Quite obviously his day had been better than hers and he was still on a high from the night before. She tip toed forward and gently slipped her arms around his waist, closing her eyes and resting her head against his back.
�Hello.� The smile was evident in his voice as one of his hands reached down to rest against hers. �How was your day?�
�Lousy, absolutely lousy��
�Did you go to the hospital?�
For a second she had forgotten she�d called him to let him now she�d be late back, something altogether strange about having to do these type of things. To consider the other person in your life and include them in everything. �Yes,� Her voice may have cracked a little too much as his grip on her hand became tighter, but she continued. �She wasn�t good, she looked terrible, really messed up and I feel so guilty. It was me who forced her to go through with it, pushing her to take me further than she felt comfortable to.�
Now he was rubbing her fingers reassuringly. �Shhh. We�ll sort it all out in the end.�
�Maybe, Gina seems pretty intent on making everything I do difficult.� She let go of him and wandered over to the fridge, taking out a bottle of wine she knew he was watching as she filled a glass and replaced the cork. He�d told her time and time again it didn�t bother him that she had the odd glass with dinner but occasionally she felt decisively uncomfortable drinking in front of him � something a little selfish about it. But she needed it tonight, after the day� the image of Cathy and Brandon�s snide faces resurfaced again, for about the fiftieth time that day. She swallowed a large amount of wine in one gulp and saw Jim turn back to the stove out of the corner of her eye.
She bit her lip as she lifted herself up onto one of the stools by the table. �I�m sorry.�
�What for?�
�I�ve not had a good day.�
�I know, all because of last night�s revelations, I would have come in you know, if you�d wanted.�
�No it�s not that, it was your day off, I didn�t mind facing it alone I just didn�t realise I�d be � well laughed at quite so much.�
He put the lid back on the pot and finally she had all his attention, his lined face and worried expression settled on her, those searching eyes.
�I mean why do they think, or why would they think that I wouldn�t be just the same as everybody else in the world and actually enjoy making love. Some kind of sick joke that June Ackland must be some frozen ice maiden who doesn�t enjoy sex.�
�I don�t think it�s that, I think it�s the fact it�s with me, and we have known each other for a long time��
She waved her hand and cut him off. �No, it�s not you they�re worried about, it�s me, I�m older than you, I don�t flaunt myself around, I�m not � well they obviously find it amusing to think of us.�
�Well let them, they�ll get over it when they realise it�s more than a passing thing.� He moved closer to her and kissed her forehead. �Now do you wanna eat?�
She smiled. �You waited to eat with me, how sweet.�
�Don�t get over excited, I had a late lunch, in the future you get in at 8.30 I�m eating at 7.�
�Well thanks very much� I�ll go set the table, we can eat in the dining room for a change.�
As she set the table she thought of Tony, wasn�t that strange, imagining him alone watching television or something. She didn�t know why he�d appeared in her mind, but he was there. His apology this morning, so embarrassing, so cringe worthy, and the fear that she might have told Jim how he�d made a move on her. Why would he be afraid? Afraid that Jim would lose it, as she knew he would, and probably want to kick the living daylights out of Tony, or possibly the thought of losing him as a friend. She wasn�t even sure if they were still friends anyway. Tony had treated him so badly, caused this rift that seemed impossible for Jim to bridge. And Jim, well he was so wrapped up in her he didn�t seem to feel the need to pay attention to anyone but her. A warmth ran through her body at this thought, to be loved, to know you�re loved was such an inspiring feeling for anybody � but after being on her own for so many years it was quite glorious. She knew he felt the same because of course six months ago he was just like Tony, sitting alone watching television, and so was she, so if they could find each other, find this, then surely he could too. And then perhaps things would be better. As angry as she was with Tony, and as distant as she felt from the man she�d known for so many years there was still affection, friendship, a need for him to be as happy as she was.
After dinner she had gone back to work, but after an hour she found herself simply staring at the computer screen. She could hear Jim laughing downstairs watching some show he loved. And she laughed too, thinking of the look on Gina�s face, god did she really say that? Now that wasn�t saint June at all. That was some other woman, some woman she was just discovering, but she liked her very much already. The stairs creaked and in a second Jim was standing by the door watching her giggle.
�What�s so funny?�
�Me, just me.� She leant back in her chair stretching her tired body out.
�I thought you were working.�
�I�m trying to, my mind�s not on it. Such a screwed up day.�
�Why don�t you come and sit downstairs with me? Try and relax for tonight at least.� He knelt down next to her.
�I was relaxed yesterday night.�
�Hmm, I�m still not sure what came over you, I didn�t even see you drink.� His hand was running up her leg, beneath her dressing gown.
�I didn�t, not really. Perhaps someone dropped something into it.� She held onto his hand and stopped him from squeezing her thigh. �I should finish this.�
�You should.� His mouth pressed against hers, in that demanding way he had. So many ways his kisses varied, that shy boy who gradually leaned in closer until their lips met, that man who completely adored her and was intent on making her share in the feeling and return it. And right now trying to convince her to give up and spend the rest of the evening with him. He pulled back, her hands resting on her shoulders. She smiled slowly. �Now I thought you would have got enough of that last night.�
He grinned, reddened and looked down at the floor. �Well the entire station thinks I did, won�t I be popular when I get back there.�
She laughed and hugged him. �I�m sorry, I didn�t think about it, just responded to the woman� arrogant bloody woman.�
�Ah, now June, don�t forget, �lonely� arrogant woman.�
She let go of his shoulders and returned her gaze to the notes in front of her. �You�re far too easy going at times Jim.�
He got up and left the room, returning a second later with a pillow and a small white pot in his hand. He settled himself down onto the floor next to her, reached up for the remote control from the desk next to her and switched the small television on. �That TV has never worked very well you know.� She said replacing her glasses.
�I know, but I want to talk to you� and indulge you for a while.�
�Indulge me?� She looked down at him over the top of her glasses and he held up the pot of cream. �Guess your feet are tired.�
�And my legs��
�So, here we go.� He reached over and slipped the dressing gown off her legs, she shifted round in her chair, the work forgotten yet again. His hand slid up her calf, bringing her leg closer to him. She stretched her toes, lifted her leg slightly and rested her foot on the corner of the low cabinet next to the desk. The cream was cool but his hand was so warm and soft as he rubbed her foot, between her toes and around her ankle. Instinctively she closed her eyes, the heady feeling of his closeness and the feel of him rubbing her leg in such a way, although not overtly sexual something altogether erotic about it.
�So I went to the bank today.�
His voice was steady, yet she could tell he was enjoying this as much as she was.
�Mmm.�
�Changed all my details, thought it was about time. So my mail should come here now too, and��
�And sounds ominous.� She opened her eyes and looked down at him, engaged in the process of satisfying her he looked so very content. Her body had relaxed to the point where she was almost lying down in the chair. Completely undignified, her legs sprawled around him, her dressing gown slipping from her bare shoulders, only a small night gown beneath. Barely worth wearing it, as Jim had said a week or so ago as he slipped it off. Her hand reached down and caught his shoulders and her fingers grasped his t-shirt.
�I erm, well I�m getting rid of my flat. Seemed sensible, and with me paying half the bills now it�s about time I made a decision over it, and we can use the money.� Despite his conviction over his decision, he still seemed a little nervous as he told her.
�Seems very sensible indeed, as I told Tony today you�re my partner now, we should be sharing these type of things.� Both hands were on him now, one in his hair.
�You told Tony that � why?�
�We were just talking, come here� it would seem even more sensible if you finished this��
She was already kissing him before he could respond. Kneeling up in front of the chair, her legs wrapped around his waist and her hand was pushing his trousers down. He could feel the throbbing, the pulsing in his brain and the scent of her skin, her body aroused and longing for him. Quite an exhilarating mixture. �Do you think we�ll get past this constant need?� He whispered against her ear.
�I do hope not, besides I only want it because of how I feel. As I said earlier they think I�m some ice maiden, I�m not, I just don�t have sex purely for the thrill of having sex. This is more, this is about sharing it with you��
�I know.� Her kisses adorned his face, blissful, intoxicating kisses. �God June I�m so in love with you.�
The sincerity of his voice made her stop and look at him, those eyes almost glazed over with longing. �I know, I love you too. For the first time in my life I know how it�s really meant to be.�