A Festive Affair Ch. 09-12

"Stay put," he climbed out and walked around the car to help her out.

"Now remember, be right here for five minutes past four," he told her as he kissed her quickly on the lips.

"I promise."

She gave him a quick wave as he switched his engine back on and then strode quickly towards the bridge.

Dean spared her one last look as she walked. She had scraped her beautiful hair back into a tight topknot, and was wrapped up in a thick parka coat again, she was wearing smart tailored trousers, fit for the office place, and god only knew what else, god and his own sordid imagination that was.

He pulled his car into the traffic and tried to put the lovely Shelly out of his mind for the moment, as he began to plan his work day.

As he came off the road island, he turned down a narrow side street.

His attention was caught by the little boutique, just opening its doors for the day, and he gave a little smile even as he pulled in and parked in one of the parking spaces.

He had thought to put Shelly out of his mind for the day, but now his imagination was literally humming, as he stepped into the little shop.

*

Shelly stepped to the side of the bridge rather than onto it, since her office place was situated just next to the brick structure.

She walked into the main reception and smiled cheerfully at the receptionist.

"Good morning Valerie."

"Well, I wouldn't call it that good," the middle-aged woman sniffed. "Cold and damp is what I would call it."

"Well, I guess it's just how you look at it then," she grinned engagingly.

The older woman's lips twitched in spite of herself, and she gave a little sigh. Shelly was far too good for this place, she really should be getting married and having babies, and being deliriously happy.

She watched the young woman as she practically danced up the stairs.

Yes, there went a woman in love!

The day rocketed by, since she was kept busy with a variety of bookkeeping jobs.

She loved the variety of the work, and really enjoyed bringing order to the chaos of receipts and check stubs and bank statements.

Each client had different requirements, so each job was unique to itself.

Shelly would have been quite happy to continue doing the lesser bookkeeping, but she knew that the real money was in the accountancy sector, and to successfully start up on her own she would do better with the full qualification, and so that was her end goal.

Cynthia popped in towards midday. "Hi, I was just wondering if you had managed to start on the Guilford books yet."

"No, it's next on my list, so I was going to make a start after taking an earlier lunch, since it will probably take me most of the afternoon to complete."

"Yes, that's probably a good idea... could you let me take a look once you're finished, please Shelly."

"Yes, of course, I'll buzz you as soon as it's done."

"Perfect, thank you."

After Cynthia had left, Shelly pulled out her packed lunch and sat thoughtfully for a moment.

With a little sigh she nipped out to the little kitchenette to fill her coffee mug, and then returned to her cubicle office to enjoy her lunch.

The Guilford job was more in depth than most bookkeeping, since it was a second-handcar dealer, and all cars needed to be logged in, down to their registration numbers and make and descriptions. Some cars were part exchange, others were sold on credit, others were straight forward 'cash' purchases, but they all had to be logged properly, and a stock check taken at the end of each month -- with the occasional complication of a car scrapped.

Fortunately, this was only one month's worth of information -- rather than a full three-month vat quarter, and so Shelly rocketed through it and was done by three o'clock.

She saved her documents onto the server, and then pressed Cynthia's extension on her office phone.

Cynthia answered almost immediately. "I thought you would finish about now, and I have just finished the account that I was working on," the older woman practically purred. "Can you bring the box through and we can check it all off together, please."

It was common practice for one of the senior partners to occasionally spot check Shelly's work like this, and so Shelly had no reservations as she lugged the clumsy box down the short corridor, to Cynthia's larger office.

It took them the better part of an hour to trawl through the data, and the paperwork, but Cynthia nodded happily as she ticked off the final car.

"Yes, that was all pretty straight forward this time," she murmured.

She looked across at Shelly who was a little pale with fatigue now after so much concentration.

"You've got the end of the month's Vat returns to do next week, plus the payrolls to do, haven't you?"

Shelly nodded calmly.

"Have all those jobs come in now? Have you completed your quota?"

Shelly mentally reviewed her list. "I think that Jones' Architects is yet to appear, I rang on Friday and he promised by the end of this week at the latest; and once I have it, it shouldn't take long to complete... Penny's Pen's is pending," she smiled as she said it, and Cynthia laughed as well. "It only appeared yesterday, but I can do that first thing tomorrow...Fendings is done, Grooms is finished, Stocks and Bills is complete -- they all just need agreeing with the clients and then I can push them through any time before next Friday -- which will still be a good week before the VAT deadline for their quarter."

"Yes, it will still only be 27th so still before the end of the month, which is as you say early for the deadlines anyway. That's all, in hand then -- excellent!" Cynthia approved. "If you give me the completed list - I will call them tomorrow and give them break downs, and then we can get some invoices sent out. Now what about the payrolls?"

I can do them on Thursday, and email them across to the relevant people; I could do with double checking for bonuses and for pension's contributions, before I do it, though."

"If you give me the list for them as well as the completed jobs, I will do that tomorrow as well and let you have it first thing on Thursday, because I know that you are booked in with Mr Shadler tomorrow; aren't you?"

"Just for the afternoon," Shelly nodded. "But as I said I have other things to sort in the morning as well -- so I will email you those things first thing and Thursday is perfect for the pensions and other info."

She stood up and smiled again at Shelly. "You've settled in very well here, Shelly, and I know that you have your annual review coming up next month -- with the partners, but please don't worry -- it should only be good things for you."

"Thank you, Cynthia," Shelly smiled back.

Cynthia looked at her watch. "It's nearly four -- close enough anyway I think we should call it a day."

"Ok I will see you in the morning then."

She took the box with her and put it in the secure records room, and then went to tidy her already neat desk and log off her computer.

She just had time to nip to the ladies to freshen up her make-up and pat her tidy hair into order, and then she pulled on her coat.

She waved goodbye to Valerie who was busy on a call, but waved back anyway, and then she dashed out to meet Dean.

As she stood waiting on the pavement, she wondered what he would have in store for her tonight; she smiled a wicked little smile, just as he pulled in.

She felt sure that he would have something in mind, and she did so hope it was more of the same as last night!

Dean saw that smile as he walked around the car, to open her door for her, and he knew -- just knew that what he had planned for tonight -- she would be game for too.

"I hope that you are not in a hurry to get home," he murmured, as he filtered into the traffic. "I thought we could spend the evening at my apartment."

"No, I'm not in any rush."

"That's good, because as much as I like your mum's home, and the interlude in the spare room was an experience in its own right; I want our next encounter to involve a bed, and my bed happens to be a king size four poster -- with all sorts of possibilities."

"Oh?" she asked weakly as she felt the tell-tale wetness between her legs.

"Yes, I have some... 'equipment', that we can make use of, in our bedroom actives -- if you are as daring as you were yesterday."

"Oh, so you've done this sort of thing before then!"

"Oh, last night I was unprepared, and so had to wing it -- which was fun, but not good for my self-control. Tonight, I plan to take my time with you my lovely."

"Oh!"