A Festive Affair Ch. 13-16

"I'm very sorry I but I can't make tomorrow night -- I have a previous engagement."

"But you promised?"

"I lied."

"Oh dear."

"What?"

"Lying to me is a punishable offence."

She licked her lips and her eyes glittered. "Oh? What? Where...When?"

He chuckled softly. "I shall leave you wondering about the what -- although at the very least it will involve a spanking, but the where and when will be here -- at my place on Thursday night."

"Oh!" her eyes positively glittered. "Perhaps I should stay a little longer -- and get it over with?"

His grin widened and his nostrils flared, and he stepped towards her.

"No, I think I shall make you wait."

She felt the disappointment so deep in her gut that it took her breath away for a moment, and so her cool smile came out a little glacial.

He led her to the door, but before he opened it, he held her to him, and kissed her a long hard almost desperate kiss, that left her clinging to him and shaking.

"That's for making wait until Thursday to spend -- quality time with you."

"You could come inside with me at mum's house, tonight; you could take some things with you and stay the night."

She could tell that he was seriously tempted, but in the end, he shook his head.

"No, I enjoyed our encounters at your mum's home before -- but I prefer a large bed with you -- at the very least a double bed, especially if we hope to get any sleep at all."

She laughed lightly and Dean thought how much he liked the sound of her laughter -- almost as much as he liked the sound of her squeals and screams when she orgasmed.

"I'll come round in the morning by seven thirty-ish, so we can have a coffee together before I drop you off."

"Ok, I will have it ready and waiting for you," she smiled as she unlocked her front door.

He followed her inside but waited by the door whilst she moved quickly around drawing the curtains and switching on lights.

"Can I get anything for you now?" she asked as she returned to him.

"No, I will leave you in peace, and see you in the morning."

He tilted her chin and gave her a warm and gentle kiss, and then opened the door and left.

She dropped the catch with a dreamy sigh and pulled the chain across and then stood listening.

His car door slammed and then the engine kicked in and his car took him away from her.

She smiled, 'but just for tonight. His car would bring him back to her first thing in the morning.'

She shook her head in with self-derision, how pathetic was she getting now?

**

She tied her hair back into a long ponytail and dressed in smart trousers and a light blue figure-hugging sweater, which deepened her blue eyes even more, and showed over her curves to perfection. She slid a pair of small gold hoops into her ears and slipped into her pale blue stiletto court shoes. She checked over her reflection and after smoothing back her hair further, she skipped downstairs to make the coffee.

Dean took one looked at her when she answered the door and closed his eyes with a soft groan.

"Woman you are enough to tempt a saint sometimes!"

She sauntered into the kitchen knowing that he was following behind her and watching the sway of her hips.

"I don't know what you mean!" she shrugged as she sat down at the table.

"Games, this early in the morning my love -- are a dangerous thing to play."

"I'm dressed appropriately for work," she told him primly. "I have worn this outfit quite often since the weather cooled and no one has ever complained."

"That's probably because they don't know the real you." Dean complained, and Shelly laughed huskily behind her cup.

"I am beginning to think that you are turning me into a sex maniac," Dean told her as he sipped his own coffee. "It doesn't matter what you are wearing because all I can think is, you wore it just to provoke me. I find all I want to do is grab you and... well you know the rest very well."

Shelly looked at him seriously for a moment. "We are in the very beginning of our relationship. I think that this hot and heated 'let's make love, let's make love' thing that we have going on is just because it's all still so new."

"You think we are in the honeymoon phase?"

"Not even that, the honeymoon is after the wedding -- the relationship is a done deal and it's the precursor to happy every after... I think that we have already established that we are in the 'falling' phase."

"Falling?"

"Falling -- in love -- in lust in... whatever -- we shall see when we land, I guess." she shrugged.

"So, we still have so much to look forward to then!" he grinned.

"I hope so -- I really, really hope so."

He made sure she was comfortably seated before getting behind the wheel and setting the car in motion.

"So, what sort of workday do you think you will have today?" Dean asked sociably.

Shelly shrugged. "I'm just finishing up on Vat quarter bookkeeping jobs, this morning; and then this afternoon I am being pulled in to assist one of the senior accountants on a larger more in-depth job. It'll probably be passed on for independent auditing and so on."

"Ah." he murmured as he indicated to turn left.

She turned to look at him. "And you, what will your day hold -- do you think?"

"Oh, I know exactly what my day holds, too. I have a ten o'clock meeting with a large pharmacy company, who are looking to renegotiate and renew their distribution contract. Then at twelve I might have time to grab some lunch with your cousin; and then this afternoon I have another meeting; and everywhere in between I shall be here there and everywhere dealing with whatever crops up."

Shelly hesitated, for a moment. "It sounds like you have a very responsible position in your company."

"Yes, I do." he smiled. "And it sounds like you are slowly but surely building up your expertise, and your company is noticing that."

She smiled back at him even though his attention was still on the road. "I hope so." She shrugged again.

"So, what about siblings?" he asked as she seemed about to ask something else. "I know that you and your mum are very close -- and that you have a large extended family, but what about siblings?"

"No, I was an only child."

"Me too."

"But the other day you mentioned a brother?" she prompted.

"Well remembered that girl -- I did, didn't I... Chris; he's as good as a brother -- even if not one by blood or marriage."

"Oh?"

He gave a soft sigh. "My mum died when I was very young, and I was raised by my single father until his death when I was fifteen."

"Oh Dean!" she gasped tearfully. "I am so sorry!"

He turned onto a quiet street and pulled into the curb, where he turned towards her.

"It was a long time ago -- I never really knew my mother -- and my dad... well he was a good man who made sure that I would be ok if anything happened to him."

"But still..."

"I inherited a large insurance policy, and it was Chris's father -- Shaun, who was assigned to manage it until I came of age." he grinned a crooked sort of grin. "He also managed me as well... something that I will be eternally grateful for. Sean took me out of the halfway house that the authorities placed me in and took me home with him."

She reached over and kissed his cheek. "I am glad that you weren't totally on your own at least -- but still..."

"I should get moving," he said suddenly in a gruff voice. "You shouldn't be late for work."

She flicked her hand dismissively. "There is time yet and I can work through my lunch -- or stay a little later if it's needed... and you said before that you can be flexible."

"You have a bloody good memory sometimes," he snapped -- although there was no real anger there.

"Chris's father took you in?" she prompted stubbornly.

"Yes, he let me bunk in with Chris; who was his eldest son; and we became hard and fast friends -- as good as brothers."

"But Chris had other siblings?" Shelly surmised.

"Yes, two younger brothers; Carl and Craig; they were a good six or seven years younger and he found them irritating at best." He grinned as he said it. "But I loved having younger brothers -- even if they were not true brothers -- none of them ever made me feel less than."

"You liked the younger ones -- but you and Chris really bonded."

"Yes, he is everything a brother could and should be."

"I'm almost jealous," she smiled. "I come from a large extended family and me, Kelly and Brian have always been dead close; but when the end of the day came -- I went home with mum and dad alone, and usually to my room thereafter."

"It can be lonely sometimes even in the largest family."

"Yes, but I wouldn't trade any of them in for something else. What about you; would you risk what you found to maybe keep your parents with you?"

He shrugged. "No, I suppose not -- the universe put me on this path that led me here to you -- and I would not give that up for anyone or anything."

"Ahh!" she grinned emotionally. "Sometimes you just say the most perfect things."

"Thanks, it's a gift," he said dryly as he moved in his seat a little awkwardly. "Any way Shaun and his wife and family opened their house to me and welcomed me into their home and their lives -- and they have stayed in my life ever since -- even after I could claim my inheritance and become independent."

"And then what happened?"

He leaned back a little and tugged absently at his seatbelt.

"Then, with the help of Chris -- who was at a loose end for a few months; I started up this haulage company; at first with one lorry -- but then a second -- and soon after a third followed by four, five and six... by then neither me nor Chris needed to do any of the driving and Chris had enlisted into the army; and off he went."

"So, Chris became a soldier... and you... you became... you became Brian's boss!"

"Yes, oh that came later of course when Brian applied for a position at my company; but now, now I am his boss -- yes."

"Oh dear!"

Dean gave a little sigh. "I just knew that you would see a problem with that when you found out, but honestly Shelly, it really isn't."

"Maybe not from your point of view -- but will Brian see it the same way?"

"My work life, and my personal life have always been two separate things, and I plan to keep it that way."

He glanced at his watch and then turned to her. "We can talk about this some more, later if you feel the need, but I promise you this, Shelly; however things work out between us -- it will not affect Brian's career at all."

She nodded her head and smiled. "I know that you would not take it out on Brian if you were resentful towards me, I just hope that Brian realises that too."

"Good." He leaned across to kiss her quickly on the lips, and then set the car in motion again.

They sat in silence for a little while.

"So, is there anything else that you want to ask me?" he asked suddenly.

Shelly nodded. "There was something I was meaning to ask actually. Why were you going to be alone this Christmas?"

He laughed, awkwardly. "Well not so much alone, there are people -- good people who I would have happily spent it with, but... I really wanted to spend it with you."

"Ahhh!" she could not stop the wide grin and her eyes shone with absolute delight.

Chapter Sixteen

Shelly spent the day feeling like she was dancing on air. She was sorely tempted to ring her cousin Kelly and put off their get together this evening -- in favour of another steamy encounter with Dean; but in the end she decided to stick with her plans

Dean would be picking her up on his way home from work, and she would persuade him to come in for a coffee when he dropped her at home.

But until then she had work to do.

She stormed through her morning, giving her work her usual thorough attention, and diligence, and if anyone had popped in, they would have seen her industriously working, until they looked into her sparkling eyes and animated expression, which she just could not seem to dispel.

She ate her lunch at her desk; and sipped at her coffee, whilst she did her alphabet backwards things as she sought her usual composure.

When she went into the office of Mr Shandler senior, to assist him with his accounts job, she hoped that she was serene enough; and that older man glanced briefly at her, thought how decidedly pretty she was; and then got down to work.

By the time she finished she was a little blank from all the concentration and the almost oppressive silence of the room; but the accounts of 'Beddings Beds and Bedrooms Inc', was complete.

"That was a job very well-done Shelly; and in far less time than had I been doing it on my own;" Mr Shandler informed her with satisfaction. "Thank you so much for your conscientious attention to detail -- as usual you are faultless in your approach."

"Thank you, Mr Shandler -- I feel that it is mostly down to this company's input -- I have been treated and trained very well here."

"Thank you my dear; that is very kind of you to say," he glanced at his watch. "Now it's already past four o'clock so I shall let you get on."

She looked at her own watch in dismay as she rushed to grab her bag and coat.

Four fifteen to be exact; and she had totally lost track.

She rushed through the lobby waving to Valerie; as she passed.

Out of the door and across the pavement and straight into Dean's arms.

"Oh, you waited!" she gasped. "I am so sorry the job took longer and I got delayed -- I didn't realise -- I am really, really sorry!"

Dean wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard on the lips.

"You worry too much," he told her gruffly.

"But you can't park here; so where is your car?"

There is a small parking bay, just round the corner from here; you can park there for as long as you want after four p.m. for free."

He took her hand and began walking her down the street, and Shelly skipped along to keep up.

"Oh, that is so good to hear," she sighed with relief.

"Yes, and useful too."

He helped her into the car, and walked around to the other side; and only after leaning across to kiss her on the mouth again, did he fasten his seatbelt.

He set the car in motion and then to break the silence he asked.

"Did you have a good day?"

Shelly smiled across at him. "Yes, it was pretty much as I predicted so no surprises there, but a good day none the less. You?"

"The same," he shrugged with a little grin. "No surprises but a good day none the less."

"Good."

"Yes... so, what are your plans for tonight?" he asked lightly.

She gave a little sigh. "Me and Kelly are going out for a meal and to talk more about Christmas plans."

"Ahh, well that will be nice for you both... no Brian though?"

"No, he was busy tonight; so, we said we would gather again next Wednesday to swap out Christmas cards."

"Oh?"

"We have a large widely spread family, and most cards are sent by post just for convenience, but a few -- well quite a few need to be hand delivered; and so, we split it between the three of us. Kelly has hers and her parents' cards, I have mine and mum's and Brian will have cards from him, his mum and her new family, and his dad and his new family."

"Complicated," Dean shuddered with a grin.

"Yes, it is," Shelly smiled back. "But like I say we will split the cards. I will take all the cards from all of them and put them with mine to deliver to the aunts, uncles and cousins near me, and Kelly will take all of the cards and deliver to the aunts, uncles and cousins near her; and Brian will do his share for who's closer to him."

"You should talk to my brother, Chris," he laughed. "It sounds like a logistics nightmare!"

"The soldier?" Shelly laughed too as he nodded. "I should like to see him do better!"

He pulled up outside her house, and Shelly looked across at him longingly.

"I'm not in a rush," she told him huskily. "Would you like to come inside for a little bit?"

He hesitated and then grinned crookedly. "A little bit... of what though?"

She shrugged and her tongue touched her top lip. "Whatever you might fancy?"

He leaned across and kissed her cheek. "I fancy you my love; but I shall wait until tomorrow and not rush anything."

"But you are making me wait too," she pouted.

He grinned. "Are you feeling horny my lovely?"

She nodded. "As a matter of fact, I am -- and it's all your fault!"

He laughed, and then reached for her and kissed her again, but this time a long deep kiss that promised much and left her shaking with desire for him.

"Call me when you get home tonight, no matter how late; give me a call and we will see if we can do something to satisfy your immediate needs."

"What, over the phone?" she gasped as the colour flooded her cheeks.

He laughed again and his eyes glinted wickedly.

"Have a pleasant evening Shelly -- give my regards to your cousin and I will talk to you later!"

He climbed out of the car, and walked around to help her out.

"Go inside now," he ordered and she found herself obeying.

As he got back in his car -- he reflected that it wasn't just Shelly who had an itch. He would wait until later though and hopefully they could both reach fulfilment -- even if over the telephone.

*

Shelly dressed casually for her evening out -- in jeans and a soft cashmere sweater; and she brushed out her hair and settled for a little lip gloss and a little mascara.

She danced downstairs as the letterbox rattled and she pulled the door open to greet her cousin.

"Taxi is waiting, and the meter is still running -- so hustle cousin dearest!" Kelly grinned and her dimples flashed into view.

They clambered into the taxi that had picked up Kelly before coming here for Shelly; and the two of them chatted animatedly whilst the driver took them to the city centre restaurant.

The food was good and the company and conversation was better; and for a while Shelly forgot all about Dean -- and her own baser needs.

They confirmed their plans and laughed a great deal as they settled back with what was left of their bottle of wine.

At one point though the waitress came across with a fresh bottle and as the two of them looked at her in surprise, she smiled.

"It's from the gentleman over there," she told them. "With his compliments to two beautiful ladies having a good time, but most especially to the brunette -- no offence intended to the blond."

She looked a little enviously at Kelly even as she indicated over her left shoulder.

"Should I send him a reply?"

The women obliging looked over her shoulder towards the bar, to find a pair of glittering green eyes staring across at them.

Even in the shadows though they could all see that he was a well-built man, and if the waitress's reaction to him was anything to go by then he was attractive as well, but those eyes!

"Oh my, Kel!" Shelly gasped. "Way to go girl!"

Kelly's cheeks were rosy red; even as she poured out two more glasses from the new bottle.

She held one up to salute the stranger and then downed the contents in one defiant gulp.

"No message, thank you." Kelly told the waitress.

The waitress turned and shrugged to the man and then went about her work, even though she did occasionally cast longing looks across to the man at the bar.

"So, same time next week, with cards and cousin number three?" Kelly laughed as they got up to leave.

"Yes, that will be a plan; I'll sort out the post ones, next weekend and get them sent off as well, I think."

As they passed the man at the bar; Kelly touched the arm of the man. "Thank you for the wine and it was nice to have not quite met you."

He smiled at her and Shelly saw her cousin go weak at the knees and moved closer in case she fell.

"Can't we at least trade names?" he asked huskily.

Kelly put her finger to her lips and then whispered. "No, no names, no hellos and no goodbyes; just sweet dreams of what might have been."