An oppertunity to stop

They fell asleep. Tom woke up an hour or so later, Tilly had got into bed and was soundly asleep. Tom tried to pull his arm out from under Sarah without disturbing her. He thought he had managed it but as he was about to sit up Sarah rolled over and said "Hey."

Tom whispered "I'm going to get a drink, do you want anything?"

"Put the kettle on, I'll come and join you."

Tom was pouring water onto tea bags when Sarah walked in wearing a little satin dressing gown. He had just pulled on some pyjama bottoms leaving his torso bare. She sat at the table and he put the tea in front of her. She checked him out as he did so and sat opposite her. "You look good" she said

Tom looked down at himself "I guess I do."

They sat in companionable silence for a moment "Sorry, I got carried away again" said Sarah after a moment.

"It wasn't great" he said quietly.

"I..." she paused "Look, if you wanted it to stop we can you know."

"Stop what exactly?" he asked. He thought he knew but he wanted her to be specific."

"Some of it, all of it. I don't know."

"What's made you say this? Is it just because I look hotter now?" he asked with a hint of bitterness at her possibly shallow reasoning.

"No" she insisted "I hurt you just now. I mean I've hurt you before but that was mental and there was always a sense that you enjoyed it. I physically hurt you and I ignored it until it was really bad. I need to know you want to keep going. I need your permission or I'm not sure I can do it." She looked at her tea unable to look directly at him at that moment.

Tom gave a mirthless chuckle "Permission, that's ironic seeing as this whole thing was about me losing any control over you, about you being too much for me. I understand though." A silence fell between them. It was tense but not awkward. Tom was thinking hard. Sarah looked at him now, waiting for the hammer to fall. She didn't know what his decision was going to be but she knew she would abide by it. She had decided that she would do whatever he wanted regardless over the draw Jim had to her, regardless of the playful fun she had with Tilly. She looked at him with a resolve.

Tom seemed to nod to himself then looked up fixing his eyes on Sarah's with a determined look on his face "Sarah I..."