"I usually sleep holding Clair. It's hard to fall asleep alone."

So he held my sister every night.

I bit my lip. "Well... you could pretend I'm her. You can hold me instead."

"Nobody would know. Just between us."

My heart was racing. I'd basically just given him an open invitation.

Another silence filled the room, broken only by our breathing - his getting heavier. "Can I hold you from behind?" asked Tom.

I nodded, turning over and pushing back slightly.

He gripped my waist, inching closer.

Finally, our bodies pressed together.

In that moment, I felt like I was floating, my last shred of resistance crumbling...

Suddenly, a phone rang, piercing through the silence like a fire alarm.

The sound yanked me back to reality, making my whole body jolt.

Tom jumped too, clearly startled.

I frantically turned on the bedside lamp, chasing away the darkness.

Tom avoided my eyes, automatically putting space between us once the light hit.

Seeing his expression, my common sense came flooding back, warning bells going off in my head.

I'd almost made a terrible mistake!

I fumbled for my phone under the pillow, my guilt intensifying when I saw who was calling.

"Are you guys there? Still awake?"

My heart was pounding like crazy, shame and regret washing over me.

How could I even think about betraying Clair like this?

Clenching my fist, I managed to sound casual, "Yeah, we're here. Just about to sleep. Don't worry."

Clair kept checking on us, asking if everything was okay. Each caring word made me feel worse.

Thank God she called when she did - who knows what might have happened.

After hanging up, I ran my fingers through my hair with a heavy sigh, completely drained.

Just when I thought it was over, Tom moved closer again, clearly wanting to continue where we left off.

This time, my mind was crystal clear. I jumped back like I'd been shocked. "Tom, I was out of line earlier. Let's just forget everything that happened."