Catherine Ch. 05

I live for the moment I hear that catch in her throat with our first kiss. Her breathing getting heavier with each tender touch, and caress of her sensitive places, I wait for those three words she will not say..., yet.

Catherine Chapter 5

Her Surprise Early Return Part 1

Strange, that last night I didn't wake up from one of those dreams, or my over pressurized bladder in desperate need of relief, or even the coffee maker beeping when it finished perking this morning.

So after getting a cup of coffee, along with my cell phone, its back to shower, shave and dressed for another week of commuting into the city for that training class. And now that I'm about to leave the house, I touch in the speed call digits for Catherine's cell phone where the call goes straight to her voice mail. Okay. my thought. I'll try again from the train station.

And after leaving my truck parked in station's parking lot and on my way to the station's passenger platform, where it's just like the other call to her this morning, it went straight to her voice mail. And again, the same thing on the train ride into the city, it's still only her voice mail, where the message I leave this time is, "Please call or text me Catherine, just so I know you're alright." Where my others were, "Hi it's me, or It's me again." Where my thought now goes to calling her business cell phone, but deciding against it for now. But if I don't hear from her by lunch time, I will call her business cell phone, or her office number if I have to.

But now that mid morning has come and gone, with John, me, along with the rest of the class having finished the last lab Frank assigned. Which leaves us sitting around waiting for Frank to get back. Where he's most likely outside of the building catching a smoke, and forgot again how fast we can get through these things. But when I start to say something to John about that, my cell phone buzzes.

Frank insist our phones be off, but we all leave them on vibrate. So when I look at the screen its with my, "Holy Shit!" Its Catherine's text message, "Sorry haven't been able to call, big screw up, please call me at my office."

"Call you at your office?!" Surprised by the message. "What the hell are you doing in your office?" My blurting it out loud!

"Must be the girlfriend, what's up?" John asking.

"I don't know John." I said. "She's supposed to be in Pensacola, and wasn't due back here until Friday." But just as I get up to leave the room to call her, Frank walks back in. "I'll be right back, nature calls, too much coffee again." My excuse, as I pass Frank on my way out of the room.

But instead of heading to the rest room, I duck out into the hall by the stair well, touching in the speed dial for her office where she answers in three rings, "Hello, this is..."

"Are you Okay?!" My interrupting her.

"Oh yes Bob, I'm fine." she says "And Bob, I'm so sorry for not getting back to you sooner. But the lateness of me getting in, and everything else that's happened when I got in here; Bob, I'm so very sorry. And thank you for being concerned." She says. "I did get your messages, but I couldn't reply until just a few minutes ago. Again, I'm really, really sorry!" Her apologizing again.

"Hey, that's okay Catherine!" I'm telling her. "I'm just relieved you're alright! But Catherine, what are you doing back here?"

"Well Bob, I'm back here because things got screwed up in DC!" It's her telling me. "And like I usually do when I travel for company business, I call a contact to check in with them." She's telling me.

"So after my plane landed in Pensacola." she goes on." I called my contact there while I was on my way to the hotel. That's when she told me there was a last minute change, the people I was going to meet with in Pensacola that afternoon weren't going to be there because of a scheduling conflict; some screw up in D.C., She was telling me. So it was a good thing I called to verify the meeting time Bob, or I would have wasted a whole morning. An now everything will have to be rescheduled and retry again in a few weeks." her finishing.

"Sounds like typical Washington to me Catherine." My familiarity with that too.

"Yes Bob, my thoughts too!" Her agreeing with me! "That's when I was right back on the phone to the airline, and what a hassle that was." she saying. "Trying to cancel my original flights in and out of Washington. Then Bob, it was trying to get a flight out of Pensacola as soon as possible back to here took so many phone calls and waiting on hold, the battery on my business cell phone went dead. So while waiting for that one to recharge, I was using my personal one."

Her going on now. "It seemed like after dozens of phone calls to each airline, again waiting on hold, I finally got a flight out, but it wasn't until late last evening." Her explaining. "Plus they were nice enough to let me re-book the flights to Pensacola and D.C. in two weeks; if everything gets worked out by then?" Where I here the doubt in her tone of voice.

"So in between those calls Bob." it's her going on again. "I called the hotels to cancel the rooms and luckily!" She says now. "I was just under the wire doing that. Now, in between all that." she's saying. "I called my Manager Rachael, to bring her up to date on what happened, and about trying to get back home."

And going on. "Where Rachael tells me she needed me in the office this morning, as early as I could because I needed to move my car; some kind of maintenance activity in that secure area where I was parked. And, after that, I was to meet, first with her, then with everyone else to brief them about my trip; I was just heading there when you called." Ending her long explanation, also her frustrations too.

"My God Catherine! So what time did you get in last night, and how did you get home?" Is my asking now.

"I got in about twelve-thirty Bob, but I didn't go home." She says. "I took a cab to my sisters because it's closer, plus I was wiped out tired. And going to my sisters would make it easier to get into the office this morning." Her explaining.

"Then." She goes on. " From my sisters, I took another cab into the office for that briefing with Rachael. But first, I had to move my car because of that maintenance activity; I sent you that text on my way to this next meeting with the rest of my group. And Bob, I'm sorry I should have called instead." Her apology. "But once people new I was back, I started getting phone call after phone call. So...," her taking a breath, "Where are you?" She's asking now.

"I'm out in the hallway by the stair well Catherine. My telling her. "And can you have lunch with me?"

"Oh Bob, I'd love too!" she says. "But I don't know how long this meeting is going to take. And I do have a bunch of things to catch up on here. But is that dinner invitation still open?" She ask now.

Does she really mean it?

"Catherine, are you kidding me?" Her catching me by surprise. "After all you've been through these past weeks. Plus, what you had to go through just to get home, and now more meetings too. Catherine, we can do that some other time." My trying to make it easier for her to bow out.

"No Bob!" she says. "I want to see you! So, what time do you get out this afternoon?" Her asking now, catching me by surprise again.

"It should be around four-thirty; the usual time, why?" My reply

"Why?" She ask. "It's about you, meeting me, across the street from my building in the plaza, and don't you dare be late." And that to me, sounding very affirmative.

"Catherine, are you sure?" Wanting her to convince me.

"Yes, I want to see you. And we'll figure out a place to go for dinner then." She's telling me.

"Sure thing Catherine, and I'm glad your back!"

"You will be!" she says.

"What?" Not sure what she meant.

"Bye Bob, I have to go."

"Okay, bye Catherine". Saying it back to her.

Now what did she mean by, "You will be?" Asking myself.

So here I am once again, watching the clock as Frank is droning on and on and I haven't the slightest idea of what he's talking about, my thoughts being somewhere else. Where John taps me on the arm asking, "Girlfriend okay?" An without looking at him, "Yeah, she's fine John, plus I'm meeting her for dinner tonight." My replying.

"Oh, well, a real date huh! So where are you taking her?" John asking again.

"John, I haven't the slightest idea!" Replying to John's question. "She's been on, what was supposed to be a three week business trip that's been cut a week short because of some scheduling screw up. So she shouldn't be back until this Friday." Explaining more. "But because of that screw up she got in late last night. And now she wants to do dinner tonight. Plus, I told her, John. We could do it another time, but she said no, she wants to meet me after work. So I guess we'll figure something out." My wishful thinking, not saying that to John

"Well, good luck old boy." John sympathizing. "Every nice place around here usually requires a coat and tie, along with a reservation." John reminding me.

"Yeah, you're right John!" In reply. "So maybe we'll just go back to the 16th and Arch street Deli. We had a good time the last time we were there; we laughed ourselves silly." Filling John in on that.

"Wow! You..., are, one, cheap, date, aren't you Swaggart?" John mocking me. "That will sure impresses her!" John, shaking his head in disbelief!

"I assume you two know everything I've just been talking about?" It's Frank interrupting John and me.

An with John giving me a quick look, "Sure Frank, piece of cake." He says. Where my lack of confidence in John's reply has to be written on my face.

"Okay." Frank's saying. "Then everyone will do the lab at the end of this section and hand it in. I'll mark them and hand them back after morning break." Frank's instructing us now.

But I guess John and I must have been listening each with one ear because when Frank hands back our lab papers after break; we aced it. But shit, it's still over half the day yet to go.

Now at last, it's four thirty! An with a quick good bye to John and a few others, I'm out the door, hitting the stairs at a dead run. Where it's out the side door heading to the plaza to find a bench that's closest to that street she'll cross after leaving her building. But damn, it, is, cold!

The sky is that gray everyone says could mean snow. An tucking my scarf in a little closer around my neck as I sit down on the bench, sticking my gloved hands into my jacket pockets as now I wait. I teased her about going to a Mickey D's. And that could be where we'll end up unless she knows some place better we can get into without a reservation.

Staring across at the ice covered statues in the fountain, while lost in those thoughts, I suddenly feel somebody sitting down very close to me. And when I turn to see who it is, she leans over giving me a light kiss on the cheek, "Hello, been waiting long?" she ask. It's Catherine.

Of course I'm surprised by the light kiss on the cheek, but I'm even more surprised at how close she's sitting next to me, hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder even. And when I turn to reply, her face is so close to mine, I almost lean into her and kiss that beautiful mouth! And looking into her beautiful eyes, I wonder, does she want me to? But instead, "No, only a few minutes, plus I'm surprised your here so early yourself." My reply to her question.

An without her moving a inch, and with her warm breath condensing in the cold late afternoon air as I'm watching her lips moving, "I would have been here sooner" she says. "But Rachael, cornered me with more questions, plus she wanted to know if she could take me to dinner, where I thanked her, but told her I already had a dinner date." She tells me.

An just as soon as she's finished telling me that, Catherine leans closer to kiss me lightly on the lips and the feeling is like, a tingling electric current passing through my body. It was only a light kiss, but it's enough to get my blood rushing in my ears, my heart skipping beats too.

"You're killing me Catherine." My telling her. Where she hasn't moved an inch, "I don't think that will happen." She says, a sparkle in those beautiful blue eyes.

Struggling to hold back what I really want to do is, kiss the daylights out of her, instead its, "Catherine, on top of all your other aggravations you had to put up with, but I'm sorry to say, I wasn't able make reservations for dinner at a nice place." My lament.

At that she slightly backs away as I go on. "An now Catherine, I haven't the slightest idea of where to go for dinner, so..., maybe you should have accepted Rachael's invitation." My reluctant advice.

Where again, smiling her gorgeous smile, "I don't care Bob." She says. "I just wanted to see you. So, why don't we go to the 19th Street Pub and have a drink while we think of someplace. But first I have to put these in my car." Her indicating the things she has with her.

"And because they took up so many parking spots for that maintenance they were doing, and of course everyone else having taken over the regular parking areas; there weren't any open spots left in the garage." She's telling me more. "So if you don't get one early, you're usually out of luck. But I have a backup, where I can park my car in a lot I know of that's close and that's where I moved it to this morning. Plus it's where I know it will be taken care of." Her filling me in.

At the same time she's been telling me that, I've done nothing but listen to her voice and watching her beautiful mouth move as she spoke the words.

"Catherine, I promise, the next time I'll be better prepared. This time it was you who caught me by surprise." My excuse, but not my fault.

"Bob, I'm not worried." she says. "I'm sure you're more than prepared enough." She says.

"Huh?" My confusion.

"Come on!" She says. "It's cold and a glass of wine always gets me warmed up."

Standing now it's her purse, her laptop case, along with her brief case I can see. And being the nice guy I am, offer to carry something for her.

An with that she picks up and hands me the brief case, where I can't help seeing how very well made it is, and obviously expensive.

"You have nice taste in leather Catherine." Seeing it up close now. Also remembering the leather jacket she was wearing that day, how nice it was too.

"Thank you." she replies. "I like the sensual feel and the smell of fine leather, so I have quite a few things, like jackets, coats, boots, purses, luggage, mainly because it holds up well if taken care of."

Where she puts the purse strap over her shoulder, taking the lap top case in her right hand, and me already holding her brief case, where I couldn't help noticing a name embossed into the handle of the brief case when she handed it to me, and most likely the name of its maker; a designers name I bet.

"Yes it does Catherine!" Saying in agreement. "And that's why I finally broke down and bought this jacket with it's warm zip out lining." Where I already knew what she said about the leather items, and like my jacket, a bomber style by, Hammacher Schlemmer. Also knowing she wasn't trying to impress me with the quality of the items she has with her.

"Well, I'm glad you did." She says. "You looked so handsome standing there on that train platform. But, like I said at lunch, it was just one of the many things I've noticed about you." Her compliment.

An now the two us walking back across the plaza, with Catherine on my right, the occasional bumping against each other, where our hands keep touching. While at first, I didn't think much of it because we're walking so close together; my thinking it was just accidental.

But the next time it happens she takes and holds my hand as we go around the fountain heading towards the far side of the plaza. But when she doesn't let go, gets me turning my head to see her sideways look at me along with her smile, before it's back to her looking across the plaza. An that's when my wrapping her hand in mine has her looking back at me, with a smile this time is bright enough to burn away the dark gray clouds that may bring the predicted snow. "I'm glad you finally took the hint." Her teasing me.

With a slight movement of my head back, and forth thinking to myself, "Lady you got me, hook, line and sinker; and you know it!" It's now she squeezes my hand a bit harder just as a shaft of sun light makes a break through those low gray clouds.

Now with both of us staring straight ahead as we're crossing the plaza to wait at the curb for the light to change. Then it's across the street to walk by a lot where I thought her car must be parked. But no, we keep going until we reach the lot belonging to the building where my class is located. Then as we turn into the lot a skinny man comes out of the attendant shack with a big toothy grin and, "Good afternoon Miss Catherine, shall I get your car?" He's asking her.

"Not yet Willis. " she tells him. "I'm just going to put my things in it. But I'll be back later to pick it up."

"Okay Miss Catherine, your car is in the reserved section, number eight." Mr. Willis in reply.

After that, and with her telling Mister Willis thank you, I follow her to the far side of the parking lot where I watch as she walks up to, what looks to me, like a brand new steel gray Porsche Boxster convertible. And Catherine, using her key fob to open the rear trunk lid where we put the brief case I carried, along with the lap top case she kept in with it. An with her closing the lid and hearing my, "Nice Catherine, very nice; looks new." My telling her, as I eyeball the car with envy, and of course, knowing how expensive they are.

"No Bob." Her reply. "It was a birthday present two years ago."

"Well, happy belated birthday Catherine! Somebody must have been a good girl." Half teasing her.

"Only a present Bob; a substitute." she says. As she walks up to me, taking my hand again, "Just one of many substitutes." Leaving me thinking, better not ask questions about that remark Swaggart, as we walk hand and hand back towards the lot entrance.

But just before we're about to leave the parking lot its Catherine's to Mister Willis, "I'll be back later, will you still be here?" her asking him.

"Yes Miss Catherine, I'll be here until ten." his reply.

"Well, I should be back before then." She's telling him.

"Okay Miss Catherine, I hope you have a nice evening." Willis, expressing his wish for her.

But as we're leaving the lot it's with me asking, "Miss Catherine, he knows you? So how is it you get to park in a private parking lot that belongs to the company I work for? When your building has that underground parking garage." My curiosity coming out.

"Bob, remember I had to move my car. Plus, sometimes I don't want anyone to see who I have in my car when I leave there." Her saying that fueling my curiosity.

"Really, can I ask why Catherine?"

Of course not knowing it, asking her questions of that nature, will cost me more than just my well deserved smack down.

But Catherine, not replying to my question until we're back at the corner of 18th street, where we'll cross to go west to 19th street when its Catherine with, "Bob..., there's a woman I know, who also works in our building who would like to keep where we go and what we do discreet. She's what's referred to as, someone in a corner office position. And Bob, she just happens to have the same interest I do."

Catherine looking at me now to see my reaction. So assuming what she means by, same interest. It's only a quick look back at her, then back to where we're going without my saying a word about it. as Catherine continues with, "She's a very attractive forty-five year old bundle of excitement, also married. So that's why the discretion, no office gossip."