A Safe Pair of Hands (7 page)

“
Yes,” she nodded enthusiastically, “I do hope that they are
right about that!”

He looked again at her shinning face, and thought how
incredibly beautiful she was.

“
Well,” he said gruffly, “I'll let you lock up – before we both
freeze to death.”

Impulsively, Sadie suddenly reached up and kissed him on the
lips. “Thank you for our supper,” she murmured against his mouth,
before pulling away again.

“
It was my pleasure, Sadie,” he muttered, and stepped out onto
the porch. “Now let me hear you lock the door.”

Sadie hated this bit. Closing the door in his face, and
locking him out, but she did it – because he had told her to do
it.

“
Goodnight, Nick,” she whispered, as she peered through the spy
hole and watched him walk away.

Nick felt like he could have danced all the way back to his
house.

She had kissed him! He grinned like a schoolboy as he tried to
battle down the excitement; and the sense of;
'don't wait any longer – go back round there and tell her how
you feel!'

But he knew that that would be a mistake, that even though she
was beginning to relax around him, she was still too
vulnerable.

He stamped out the childish excitement and brought out his
rational business head, as he began to plot and plan.

He would get Sadie away; where it could just be the two of
them for a little while.

No distractions, no interruptions. Just the two of them, and
he would make Sadie finally fall in love with him.

He would win her heart and body and soul.

Chapter Seven

Sadie slept a deep dreamless sleep that night, and wasn't even
remotely unhappy when Pete woke her up – just before dawn, by
charging in and jumping on her bed, where he bounced joyfully for a
bit.

“
Time t' get uup!” he chortled.

Sadie sat up and peered at him. “It's early yet?” she grumbled
sleepily as she saw the time.

“
Nope!” he insisted, with a little popping sound. “Time, t' get
uup!”

“
Okay,” she sighed, “I give in… I'm getting up.”

He laughed triumphantly as she climbed out of the bed, leaving
him plenty of room to bounce.

“
Come on you!” Sadie said. “Bath and then
breakfast.”

He stopped bouncing at her firm tone. “KKay!” He shuffled to
the edge, and jumped down, and then wrapped his arms around her
legs to give her a hug.

“
Oh!” Sadie gasped tearfully at his display of affection. “You…
you little creep!” she sighed as she crouched down to return his
hug.

Pete chortled, and then his little hands began to dig into her
lightly, and wriggle about. “Creeeepy creeepy creeep creep!” he
giggled, as he tickled her.

Sadie laughed too as she stood up – taking the little boy with
her. “Come on you!” she said affectionately.

Little Pete was very cooperative this morning, and so it
didn't take long to bathe and dress him, and after a super quick
shower, whilst Pete sat on her bed, and flinging on some clothes
herself, they trooped downstairs together.

Breakfast was fun, and she even had time to wash the dishes
and drink a second leisurely cup of coffee, before pulling on
Pete's coat and taking him out to the car.

An hour later, Sadie was entering her own home.

She switched on the heating since it was a cold day, and ran
around her house vacuuming and dusting.

Today was Friday – Pete's last day at day-care, until Monday,
and Nancy and Rob would not be back until Sunday; and so this would
probably be the last chance she would get to tidy her house this
thoroughly, before next weekend.

It was tidy anyway, just a little dusty, and so it didn't take
her long to set it to rights.

She put her kettle on to boil and sat drinking a coffee,
whilst she mused over what else to do with her day.

She had thought about getting her hair cut, but was not quite
brave enough to have it all cut off.

She ran a hand through its length.

It did feel rather dry and the ends were definitely starting
to split.

She picked up her phone and dialled her local salon, and ten
minutes later she was striding down the street.

They had an opening, they had said, and could fit her in for a
cut and a blow dry.

“
Just a trim and tidy up, please,” she asked the
hairstylist.

An hour later she left the salon with soft and glowing hair,
and a little less money in her purse.

She hopped on a bus which took her into the city centre, and
decided to update her wardrobe a little bit.

Christmas was not so far away now, and there would be parties
and events to attend.

She purchased a couple of evening gowns, and a couple of
pretty skirts and even prettier tops, and new thicker trousers, a
couple of sweaters, and a nice balance on her credit
card.

On a whim she marched up to the lingerie department, and
brought some nice matching sets of bras and briefs, sexy and
wonderfully silky in feeling.

She purchased several pairs of stockings, and then headed for
the shoes.

She had a lot of bags, by the time she caught her bus home,
and her credit card was well used now, but Sadie was very happy
with her day.

She was walking down the street, struggling with her bags,
when she noticed the car parked outside her house.

Her heart skipped several beats when she saw the figure
climbing out, and then begin walking quickly towards
her.

“
Hello,” she said as she silently told her excited heart to
calm down.

She smiled up at him, but a slightly worried frown wiped it
away.

“
Is there anything wrong?”

Nick smiled down at her, thinking how incredibly beautiful she
was. Her hair was positively shining and it looked so
soft!

Her cheeks were flushed and her incredible eyes sparkled with
excitement, as she struggled with her bags.

He reached out to relieve her of them, and she didn't even
argue, just relinquished them with a sigh of relief.

“
Thank you, they just seemed to get heavier and heavier as I
walked along.”

“
It does look like you've been… productive!” Nick grinned as he
juggled the bags into a more comfortable position. “And in answer
to your question, no there is nothing wrong.”

She unlocked her door, and led him through to the
kitchen.

“
Just dump those bags in the corner over there,” she told him
as he put the kettle on to boil.

He sat down in her bright little kitchen and watched as she
made them a coffee. He had already been back to his home, in the
hopes that she would still be next door, but on seeing the empty
driveway, he had been thankful that he had looked up her address
before leaving the office at lunch time...

“
Now then what did you want?” Sadie fixed her clear grey eyes
on him as she sat down and pushed a mug in his
direction.

Nick took the cup and sipped at the hot beverage.

“
I came to see you today, to ask you to accompany me on a
business trip next weekend,” he finally said.

“
Come away with you?” The colour swept up her cheeks, and her
eyes lit up with excitement, and for one heart stopping moment Nick
almost gave up on the pretence.

“
This trip would be strictly business,” he said firmly. “I need
someone to come with me, and make notes and so on…” it did sound
lame, he never usually bothered taking anyone with him, and until
now Sadie would have been the very last person he would have
asked.

But to tell the truth he could not face the idea of not being
able to see her – not even for three days.

The colour in her cheeks deepened and she looked away
awkwardly.

“
Yes… of course,”

“
It'll be Friday evening until Monday afternoon – is that all
right with you?” he went on smoothly.

Sadie nodded. “Yes, of course,” she said again.

“
Good,” Nick smiled across at her and was relieved when she met
his eyes again, and smiled back.

Good, the awkwardness had gone again, and she was more at ease
with him – again.

He looked around him curiously, seeing the bright coloured
walls and the flowery curtains in the window, it had the feel of
summer in here, and it suited Sadie down to the ground.

“
This is a nice place that you got,” he observed
lightly.

“
Thank you.” She looked away almost shyly, and sipped at her
coffee, slowly.

“
So, about this trip,” he began again, and she nodded her head.
“We will be travelling to London, and spending two nights in a
hotel there… it's quite a nice one actually – I always use it, if
I'm in London.”

He went on to tell her about the hotel, and what she might
need to take with her, and once again he could see her eyes
lighting up with excitement.

He could feel his own anticipation stirring too, three days –
and two nights alone with her…

“
I have some things that I need to sort out, and so I'll leave
you in peace now,” he said abruptly as he stood up – and Sadie
looked up at him startled.

“
What… oh, okay.”

She stood up and escorted him to her front door, and Nick
turned to her before opening it.

“
By the way, he murmured huskily.”I like the hair.” He gently
took a tendril and wound it around his finger. It did feel as soft
as it had promised, he thought lazily to himself.

**

Sadie spent the rest of the day in a sort of dreamlike
haze.

Her life to this point had been ticking along. Her experiences
with Rick had made her shy of men, and she had decided that
marriage and love were just not for her.

But the way the Nick had been looking at her over the last few
days, the way that he was treating her… It made her remember those
feelings of excitement, when she was first attracted to someone;
and she liked the idea of Nick being attracted to her, of him
touching her – it reminded her that she was human, that she was a
woman. Nick made her feel like a beautiful, desirable woman, and
she really liked that too.

She knew that she was falling in love with her boss – it felt
like at long last they were starting to pick up, where they had
left off, when Rick has come along and ruined things between
them.

“
So silly,” she mumbled crossly to herself, but then she
remembered how he had looked at her earlier, when he curled her
hair around his finger; and her eyes softened with pleasure, and
she smiled dreamily.

Maybe she shouldn't be so quick to give up on love and happy
ever after, not just yet?

**

“
All ready to go then?” Nick demanded cheerfully as he climbed
behind the steering wheel.

Sadie smiled shyly beside him. “Yes… I think that I've got
everything that I might need.”

“
Excellent!” he set the car in motion, and they travelled
through the quiet streets, to the edge of town, when he turned onto
the motorway.

Nick was a good driver, and he had always enjoyed it; these
times when it was just him and his car. He always kept his phone
switched off when he was driving, and so there were no
interruptions, and no chance of an interruption; and he could use
the time to gather his thoughts.

With Sadie sitting beside him though, the whole experience
became something – truly wonderful.

“
So how are you enjoying your freedom again?” he asked
lightly.

Sadie gave a little sigh – which sounded almost
forlorn.

“
Little Pete did keep me busy,” she admitted slowly, “but…
well, he is such a lovely – loving little boy… my house suddenly
feels empty, I suppose.”

“
Were you glad to get back to work, at least?” he prompted
casually, as though he sensed how close to tears she suddenly
felt.

“
Yes…” She had been full of anticipation on Monday, eager to
see and talk to Nick again.

But Nick had stayed away – had seemed to be actively avoiding
her.

“
I do enjoy my job, and I really like the people that I work
with,” she just wished that she could sound more enthusiastic!
Sadie gave a deep emotional sigh. “I don't know any more, I thought
I knew what I wanted, but that time spent with little Pete, well –
I suddenly feel like maybe my life is lacking in some way... I
think that I might be ready for a change?”

Nick fought down the feeling of panic; she couldn't leave him
now, not when they were just starting to make progress.

“
Don't rush into something that you might regret later,” he
frowned as he concentrated on the traffic ahead.

Sadie cast him a quick uncertain glance, why did he sound
angry, it wasn't like she was indispensible, she was just one of
many in the offices, and at worst it would inconvenience, them –
not Nick, not at all.