He hesitated, torn between giving in to his feelings for her once again or them staying as they were. Chloe put her hand on his chest and gave him a gentle push. Confusion flashed across his face for a moment as she backed him away. The lift stopped at their floor and the doors opened, she stepped out taking a deep breath with Seb behind her. Walking to the door of their room she waited for him to unlock it. Once they were inside he closed the door, looking at her as she leant against the wall kicking off her shoes. "Didn't you want me to kiss you?" He broke the silence.
"More than anything." She stayed leaning against the wall. "But I couldn't let you."
"What? Why?"
"Because, it was only last night that you wanted to take a step back, remember?"
"Of course I remember, but I find it hard being around you and not being able to touch you or kiss you." He stepped closer to her again, but she put her hand out to stop him. "I made a mistake, I want you back." He admitted.
"I can't." She shook her head.
"What are you saying? That it's over?"
"I can't let you back in again until I've told you about Stephen."
"And we're back to that again." He looked annoyed. "Then why won't you tell me?" He watched as she walked over to the coffee table and picked up her book, pulling a piece of folded up paper from it. She went to his rucksack on the sofa and got out a pen. She said nothing as she returned to him and handed them both to him. "What's this?" He looked confused.
"Open it and see." She walked away and sat on the sofa, waiting for him to go ballistic at the fact he was being made to sign a confidentiality agreement.
"What the fuck is this Chloe?" He walked over to her, waving the piece of paper at her.
"It's something I had to do, and keep doing to protect the reputation of the sport and the team I love!"
"A fucking gagging order?!" He yelled. "What kind of fucked up shit went on?!" He threw the pen and paper at her, she flinched as he did so as if she was bracing herself for more. "Shit." His stomach dropped as she got up quickly, running to the door. "Chloe! I'm sorry!" He went to go to her but he was too late as she opened the door and ran out of the room with bare feet. She hadn't even stopped to put her shoes on. She ran down the corridor and down a flight of stairs, coming to a stop as she realised she didn't know where to go. She left so quick she had no phone and no money on her, and no shoes on her feet.
"Are you alright?" Max Verstappen had been coming up the stairs and had seen her looking very distressed. "You're Seb's girlfriend aren't you?" He reached the landing area she was stood on and stopped in front of her.
"Was Seb's girlfriend. I've just majorly fucked up." She sat down on a step.
"Want to talk about it?" He looked down at her, noticing she had no shoes on.
"We've had a row, I legged it from the room. I can't go back in there." She shook her head.
"Come with me." He offered. "At least give yourselves time to both calm down. You can't sit out here all night."
"Ok, thanks Max."
"I'm sorry I don't know you're name." He suddenly realised he'd invited her back to his room and didn't quite know who she was.
"I'm Chloe." She walked back up the stairs and was relieved that Max"s room was in the opposite direction to Seb's.
"I'm Max, though you know that already." He smiled. "You're Seb's PA too aren't you?" They reached his door and he opened it, letting her step inside.
"Not for much longer, the way it's going at the moment." She said sadly. He opened the mini bar and got out two cans of Coke and two small bottles of vodka. He poured the vodka in to a glass and handed it to her with the can of Coke. "Thanks." She gave him a small smile. He sat down on the sofa and patted the space next to him. She sat down next to him. She noticed the Play Station on the floor in front of the tv, she'd heard he was a keen gamer. He watched as she poured a small amount of Coke in to her glass before taking a sip.
"It wasn't that bad was it, the row?" He asked.
"We've not been getting on well for a few days, apart from today, but then it kicked off tonight. Big time." She swirled the drink around in her glass.
"Want to tell me about it?"
"I wish I could." She took another sip. She felt like downing the drink in one go. "It's complicated and involves stuff with my past that I can't go in to. Thanks anyway."
"If there's any other way I can help,, just say." He watched as she downed the drink and set the empty glass on the table before flopping back in to the seat.
"Thanks Max." She gave a sigh, she wished she could tell him or anyone for that matter. It was hard having no one to talk to about it. Max was being very sweet, he seemed a lot more mature than people gave him credit for. He put the tv on and they sat and talked for a while before deciding on a late night game of FIFA football on his Play Station. As Chloe hadn't used a games console like this for so long she was useless at the game, causing them sit there in hysterics, tears were rolling down her cheeks from laughing. It felt good to properly laugh like that.
~*~
Seb lay in bed, staring up the ceiling. She'd been gone for over two hours now. He'd taken a walk around the hotel an hour ago, looking for her. He was worried. He had tried ringing her mobile only to find she'd left it here with her bag. She was out there somewhere, with no money and no phone if she needed help. He got out of bed. He'd only been in it for ten minutes but he knew he wouldn't sleep very well until she was back. He walked back in to the lounge. The confidentiality agreement caught his attention on the table. He picked it up and read it again. He still hadn't signed it. Why couldn't she trust him? Why make him sign this? What had happened with Stephen that she felt the need to protect it so strongly from getting out in to world? Had Michael made her draw this thing up? He knew the only way to find all this out was to sign it. She had finally plucked up the courage to tell him what had happened to her, to share this awful secret that she carried around with her and he had reacted badly to the agreement, pushing her further away from him in the process. He had barely given her the time to explain. He knew he was wrong to have put pressure on her to tell him what had happened to her, but this connection she seemed to have to Michael made him feel insecure. He walked to the window and looked out, wondering if she was out there. His stomach churned with worry.
~*~
Max looked over at Chloe as she slept next to him on the sofa. After a few games of FIFA she"d had another drink, they'd sat back giggling away like a couple of kids, then she'd gone quiet and he noticed she'd fallen asleep. She had looked exhausted. He got up and went to his bedroom, pulling a blanket down from the top of the wardrobe. He walked back out to where she was still sleeping. He carefully draped the blanket over her, taking a final look at her before turning to leave the room. He turned the light off and went back to his bedroom, closing the door quietly.
~*~
Chloe awoke with a start. Where the fuck was she? She sat up, noticing that it was starting to get light outside. She remembered where she was, in Max's room, after he'd found her on the stairs after that bloody awful moment with Seb. She ran her hand through her hair as she thought of him. He must be worried sick. She'd left the room with nothing and hadn't returned. He didn't deserve that. She got up from the sofa, feeling a bit sore from sleeping in a sitting up position. She felt in the pocket of her trousers and felt relieved that her room card was in her pocket still. She tip toed her way to the door and let herself out, hoping and praying that she wouldn't see anyone on her way back to Seb's room. She didn't want to have explain why she was seen coming out of Max's room even though it was all innocent and nothing had happened. She quietly let herself in to Seb's room. He wasn't about but the bedroom door was open. She crept in to the room, he was laying in bed asleep only half covered by the duvet. His beautiful sculpted, toned body on full display for her. Her heart ached with the amount of love she had for this man. She quickly undressed down to her underwear and slowly got in next to him. She was desperate to shuffle closer to him and just be held by him but she had no idea if was he was still mad at her not. She felt him stir and then turn over to face her. He said nothing as he looked at her, he could see she was awake and wondered where she'd been. That wasn't important now though, she was back and that's all that mattered to him.