A Safe Pair of Hands (13 page)

“
Witch!” he muttered under his breath.

He heard her little giggle as she placed the warm plates on
the table, and felt a rush of affection for her, in spite of all
the things that she had been through, she still held on to her own
often playful nature. And the more that he got to know her, the
deeper he fell in love with her.

He took the heavy pan off the stove and carefully tipped some
out onto the plates.

It looked bright and colourful, and it smelled divine. His
stomach suddenly grumbled as though in agreement, and he realised
how hungry he was.

They sat down across from each other, and Sadie lifted her
glass and took another sip of the wine. She gave a little sigh of
happiness and then prepared to tuck into the meal.

The food was good wholesome food, with nothing particularly
special about it.

As far as Nick was concerned it was the best food that he had
ever tasted.

Once they had finished eating, the two of them washed the
dishes, and then Nick filled their glasses again – finishing the
bottle of wine, and then carried them through to her living
room.

The sat together on her sofa drinking slowly and talking
easily together; they talked about work, and the people there,
about his home, and her home.

“
Oh by the way,” he suddenly said. “Nancy has invited us to her
house on Friday for dinner. I am to collect you and take you
there.”

“
Well that is very nice of her,” Sadie said sarcastically.
“Volunteering your services like that!”

Nick laughed lightly. “Honestly I don't mind.”

He finished his drink and placed his glass carefully on her
coffee table.

“
And I really don't want to talk about that any more... in fact
I really don't want to talk about anything anymore.”

“
Oh?” she drank the last bit of her wine, and Nick took her
glass from her, to put it beside his on the table.

He turned back to her and his eyes were dark with desire, as
he reached for her.

“
I think that we have waited long enough.”

“
Oh I quite agree!” Sadie smiled as she moved closer so that he
could wrap his arms around her, and give her a proper
kiss.

It was a kiss that lasted for quite a while, as it went from a
gentle meeting of lips to open mouths and tongues, and his hands
were all over her, slow and light at first, touching and caressing;
but he seemed intent, in exploring every last part of her, and the
more he touched the more fevered his touches became.

Finally though, the cramped space of the living room sofa was
not enough, as he pulled back and looked at her with lust filled
eyes.

“
I want to undress you, and kiss every part of your body, I
want to know every inch of you,” he told her.

Sadie was so caught up in his desires that all she could do
was to nod in agreement, as she stood up, and held out her hand to
him.

“
Upstairs?”

*

He turned her around and she gave a little shiver as she felt
the faint tug, and then the zip of her dress slowly glided down her
back.

Nick's hands touched her shoulders, stroking across slowly,
and then sliding down the tops of her arms as he encouraged the
dress to fall away.

Because the dress had been off the shoulders, Sadie had
decided not to bother with a bra, and so as the dress fell to the
floor, she was pretty much naked; apart from a lacy pair of
panties, and her satin shoes.

Nick lifted her out of the garment on the floor, and she was
thrilled at how effortlessly he seemed to achieve that, not even a
grunt or a pant - it made her feel as light as a feather and as
feminine as she had ever felt in her life.

Nick placed her gently on the bed, and then followed her down,
without even bothering to undress. This next hour he wanted it to
be all about her, about her pleasure, and he thought that he would
be able to control his own needs better if he kept his clothes
on.

He knew that the first time he felt his flesh again hers then
he would lose all sense of noble intentions and get swallowed up in
the burning need to be joined with her again.

He kissed her throat and her shoulders and moved across her
collar bone.

Sadie whimpered and gasped and shivered in response to his
kisses and she thought that she would never be able to get enough
of his touch.

“
Oh yes, Nick,” she sighed as she felt him trailing kisses down
over her navel, and down over her thighs, and in as he moved her
legs apart, so that he could taste her properly.

It was an evening of pure pleasure, and intense orgasms, first
for Sadie - and then later when she returned Nick's attentions, and
sent him into pure mindless pleasures as well.

*

She wrapped her dressing gown tight around her, as they sat at
the kitchen table sipping a last cup of coffee.

It was not the best thing to send her to sleep, but she wanted
Nick to drink one before he left her, before he drove his car back
to his place.

“
The wine that we drank earlier is well out of my system by
now,” he protested lightly; but he was more than happy to spend a
little bit more time with her, even though he was tired and she
looked half asleep.

She walked him to the front door, where he turned to kiss her
lightly on the tip of her nose.

“
It's freezing out there,” he said seriously, “So don't wave me
off, just lock up as soon as I am out of the door, and go and get
some sleep – I want to see you come into work tomorrow bright eyed
and refreshed!”

He smiled down at her, and then allowed his gaze to sweep over
her. Her hair was tousled from all of their love making, and her
grey eyes were large in her tired face, but she radiated
contentment and happiness, giving her a soft rosy glow.

Her dressing gown was a dusky pink affair, thick and warm, but
not traditionally glamorous.

On Sadie though, it looked warm and cosy and as sexy as
hell.

His eyes travelled down over her smooth silky legs, down to
her little feet, which were housed in a pair of battered and
beaten, definitely seen better days – shabby looking
slippers.

He scowled at those offensive shoes. How could they ever
protect the feet of this perfect creature?

“
Good night then, Nick,” Sadie suddenly yawned, breaking his
spell of discontent.

“
He pulled her gently to him, to enjoy one last kiss from her
sweet lips, and then pulled open the front door.

Sadie shivered violently at the blast of freezing air that hit
her.

Nick looked back one last time and then stepped out. “Sweet
dreams, Sadie,” he murmured as he pulled the door too with
him.

Sadie did not hang about. She dropped the catch and slid the
bolt into place, and then turned and ran up the stairs.

Nick was just reaching his car when she peered out of the
bedroom window, and almost as though he sensed her scrutiny he
turned and looked up.

She could not see his smile, but something told her that he
was smiling, as she leaned closer to the glass, and lifted her hand
to wave him off.

“
I love you, Nick,” she whispered as he climbed into his car,
and drove away.

She moved to her bed in a happy daze; Christmas would be upon
them soon, but first there would be the work's party, and this year
Sadie was really looking forward to dressing up and having fun with
her work mates, and with her boss as well.

Chapter Fourteen

She had only been away from work for a few days, and Marcy had
been there to keep up with most things, but it still seemed that
there were a lot of reports on Sadie's desk, waiting to be typed
up, and several requests for supplies to be approved and
forwarded.

She did not mind though, because it kept her busy and made the
morning fly by.

And it also gave her a few excuses to pop along to Nick's
office – to confirm this – or check that.

And Nick was the kind and courteous boss with her, that all of
his other employees had always enjoyed.

He was tolerant and encouraging, and he listened to her
queries and answered them seriously.

He never showed any signs of impatience – even if she had
disturbed him, which she suspected on one occasion she
had.

She had gone into his room, and he had looked up at her almost
in alarm, as he quickly switched his monitor off.

He looked at her guardedly for a moment. “What can I do for
you, Sadie?”

“
I am so sorry to disturb you again... Mr Hargreaves,” she
stammered feeling a little flustered. “But I have had a request for
more supplies of that violet coloured ink – you know that expensive
one, and I just wanted to check with you first, before I send the
order down to purchases.”

“
Who is asking for it?”

“
It's Jason... he is working on that jeweller's new
logo.”

“
Ah yes,” he looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yes, Sadie, send
the order down, will you... and then could you do me a favour, and
ask Jason to come and see me, and ask him to bring along his files,
please?”

“
Yes, of course,” she turned to leave, but Nick's voice stopped
her.

“
Is everything else okay out there? You are not over stretched
– due to your absence?”

Once upon a time, Sadie would have searched that question for
a hidden jibe, but now she just smiled at him in
reassurance.

“
Oh no, there is a little bit of catching up to do – but I can
cope, and I suspect that I will have caught up by the end of today
anyway.”

“
That is good, but then I would never have expected anything
less than that from you, Sadie,” his voice was warm with genuine
praise, and Sadie cold not help but blush with pleasure.

“
Thank you... Mr Hargreaves.”

She turned and left his room feeling almost giddy, from his
warmth, his complements and his concerns; and she just knew that
this was how he would treat any and all of his employees, not just
her.

He was a good boss, and a good man!

*

Sadie decided to have her lunch at her desk, and carry on
working whilst she ate her sandwiches.

Marcy had gone off for an appointment and then she was going
for a slightly longer lunch, in return for her holding the fort
yesterday, and so that she could do a bit of shopping; but she had
made Sadie a promise of hot coffee and a cream cake when she
returned. Sadie was looking forward to both of those things; her
mouth was very dry at the moment.

She was just on the phone with purchases, when Nick strolled
in with a small wad of papers.

He stood waiting patiently, whilst she finished clarifying
quantities and pricing on an order, and then when she hung up the
phone he held the paperwork out to her.

“
Sorry to add to your workload,” he smiled apologetically, “but
I could really do with these by the end of today.”

She smiled as she quickly scanned the notes. “That's no
problem; I will put it on the top of my pile, and get right on
it.”

“
Thanks,” he glanced at the empty desk across from her.
“Where's Marcy, gone off to?”

“
She had a dentist appointment, and then she was going to grab
some lunch, she should be back by one though,” she smiled brightly
at him. “And she promised me hot coffee and a cream
cake!”

Nick looked at his watch. It was only eleven thirty. One
o'clock was a way off yet, and Sadie was sounding a little
hoarse.

“
Are you feeling okay, you sound a little bit
croaky?”

“
I think it’s the cold weather and the central heating – it's
drying me out a bit... but I feel okay otherwise,” she reassured
him cheerfully.

“
Well I don't want you to have to wait for an hour and a half
for a drink,” Nick said forcefully as he picked up her mug. He
glanced at her little lunch box. “Put the phone on forwarding to
the main switch board for an hour, stretch your legs, move around
and relax, do whatever you want for a bit, and don't do any work
while you eat.”

“
Yes, boss,” she whispered meekly, as he headed for the door,
she did not mean for him to hear her, but his little grin as he
looked back at her, told her that he had excellent
hearing.

She was on the phone again, when he came back with a steaming
mug of coffee.

He waited for her to finish and hang up before scowling at
her. “I thought that I told you...”

“
Yes I was just about to, but it rang before I could put the
forwarding on.”

“
Well, do it now, before it rings again.”

She didn't argue, but picked up the receiver, and dialled a
number. “Hi, it's Sadie up on the third floor, I'm forwarding the
phone to you for an hour – if that is okay?”“ she listened for a
moment. “That's fine, twelve thirty I will switch it back on
again... thanks very much... bye.”