Locked In Amber Ch. 08

Amber's eyes slowly drifted open and she glanced at her clock. Ugh, fifteen minutes before my alarm? Seriously? Why? She lay there a moment, contemplating going back to sleep, but then decided she should just get up. She let the sensations of her body come back to her. She could hear a bird outside twittering its welcome to the early morning and the muffled sound of a car door closing down the street. She felt a sense of peace—like a quiet sky filled with rays of sunshine after the rage of a storm—and thought back to the previous night.

Spencer had driven her car back and she'd been happy to let him given her emotional aftermath. The two hadn't spoken much—they sat contentedly holding hands and sitting in silence, watching the trees flash by in the headlights. He had escorted her to the door and held her in an embrace for a few minutes before looking in her eyes, telling her "thank you", and giving her a sweet kiss. It was more than a peck but full of affection rather than passion. They had eventually parted when Elise pulled up and Amber had gone inside with a wave to them both. A part of her had considered inviting him to stay after all, the thought of curling up in his arms again extremely enticing. In the end, she had determined that, as much as she wanted it, she also wanted to ensure it wasn't just the aftermath of an extremely emotional evening. Plus, she had known Elise was only a few minutes behind them and didn't want her to have driven down for nothing.

Amber swung her feet out of bed and proceeded to start getting ready for work. A new day. A chance to start over. She smiled.

******

It had only been a weekend, but Amber felt like it had been forever since she was at work. The morning had been full of the usual mundane Monday morning tasks to prepare for the coming week. It was all rote by now and her mind began to wander as she worked. She didn't mind the job, liked her co-workers, and was certainly grateful for the income, but wished she was involved in something that utilized her skills more and gave her a chance to push herself and grow. She was concerned that as time went on, her chemistry knowledge would become rusty.

While eating breakfast, she had perused her searches for potential job openings, but there still wasn't really anything worthwhile unless she was willing to move a significant distance. She knew she was limiting herself and had been considering widening the net. But now, with Spencer, that would be a lot harder. Despite my baggage and a very un-textbook approach to early dating, we seem to have something worth pursuing. He's kind and sweet and caring and I really want to see where this goes. And his kisses! Oh, how I enjoy those. Yeah, yeah, I know it's just hormones, but still... Mmmm! Amber had a shiver at the memory and a twinge in her heart told her she definitely wanted to see where that would lead.

"...fun weekend?"

Amber surfaced out of her reverie. She was staring blankly at her Excel sheet and realized that Cindy had asked her a question. "Sorry, lost in thought. What did you say?"

"Oh, I was just asking if you had a fun weekend. You had a smile on your face." Cindy had worked in the office for years. Her desk was littered with pictures of her two kids and goofy cat photos. Amber knew she sometimes liked to live vicariously through the lives of her co-workers. She could also be a bit of a gossip.

"Ahh, it was... interesting. Yours?" She went back to updating her Excel sheet.

"Oh, probably not as fun as yours," Cindy lamented. "Sperm Donor decided he just had something better to do than see the kids this weekend, thus robbing me of my free weekend." Cindy never referred to their father as her ex-husband. Amber suspected it had been a particularly ugly divorce. "Probably 'someone better to do', would be a better statement. My guess is it's that 20-something I saw hanging off his arm the last couple of times I dropped off the kids." She glanced over at Amber. "No offense."

"None taken. I'm sorry you didn't get your free time." Amber knew Cindy well enough to know that she loved her kids to death, but the loss of time to herself must have been crushing. Her kids came in on occasion for lunch and they were rambunctious. Amber imagined that being a single mother didn't leave much free time.

Cindy fielded a phone call and then transferred it to another extension. "Thanks. I had been planning to go on a date and had to cancel. Finally found someone who seemed like a decent guy. Hope he'll still be open to it later—it's hard for a woman my age with two kids to find someone. But enough about boring, old me. Anything you want to share that made it so interesting?"

"Oh, some friends and I went to a party that was way too crazy. Had to leave." How much do I tell her? Do I say I met a guy? That feels like rubbing salt in a wound. "Other than that, I just hung out with some other friends." They continued working and chatting as they usually did throughout the morning, with Amber filling her in on some of the details about Steve's crazy party, but excluding Spencer and what followed.

******

Amber was in the middle of a snack break and reading the news on her computer when her phone buzzed. She grabbed it and saw a text from her father.

Dad: Just checking in. Still on the sites. Hope you're doing well. Love you.

She had just finished replying to him to let him know she was fine when the front door clicked open and a woman came in. She set a box down on the floor and then looked at a tablet. "Is there an Amber here?" she queried.

Cindy perked up and Amber acknowledged as she stood up and came around the corner. "Yes?"

"Delivery for you," she said as she made a note on the tablet. She then reached down and set a vase of yellow tulips on the counter. "Have a good day," she called over her shoulder as she headed back out.

Amber stepped over and took the vase. The silky petals were so vivid that they seemed to glow. It was a simple arrangement with a small bow tied around the front. An elegant card was attached and she opened it.

Hope your day is going well. I thought maybe we could go out on a real date tonight. Call me for the details. -S

"Who's it from?" Cindy was eyeballing the bouquet with curiosity.

Amber looked over at her, trying to maintain her composure. "A friend wanting to brighten my day."

"Oooh, a friend, huh?" Cindy grinned. "Anyone I know?"

Amber thought of all the times Spencer had been in over the past few months. Well, technically, yes. "His name is Spencer."

"Spencer?" Cindy looked thoughtful for a while. "Sounds vaguely familiar. Have you talked about him before?"

Sheesh, Cindy, you've let him into the office how many times? Though on second thought, once he was approved to be here, it's not like he introduced himself every time. "Talked about him? I don't think so." Amber didn't mind Cindy's inquiries and they were on great terms as co-workers, but she wanted to keep this one to herself for a while and savor the new feelings. She situated the vase on her desk.

"Well, that was awfully sweet of him. It's good to know there are still some good guys around." Cindy grabbed a stack of files. "Heading to the back—can you mind the phone for a bit?"

"Sure thing."

As soon as Cindy was out of the room, Amber dialed Spencer's number on her cell. He picked up on the second ring. "Hey, what's up?"

"I got your delivery."

"Yeah?" She could hear his voice perk up. "That was fast. I was trying to figure out what flowers to send and then saw 'tulips' and it made me think of you." He emphasized a pause between the syllables.

"Ha! Nice."

"How do they look?"

They're gorgeous. Made my co-worker envious."

"Ah, so my plan to create discord is working," he joked in his super-villain voice before reverting back to normal. "So, anyway, how are you feeling?"

"Tons better, thanks. I really appreciate you driving me home. Oh, and Elise picking you up. I'll have to thank her later."

"Awesome! Ell and I talked a bit about it on the way home. We were both really concerned for you and are really grateful for you opening up to us. She'll be glad to hear you're feeling better." Amber heard a chime over the line. "Ah damn, I have to get going. Sorry to cut this short. But before I go, I wanted to ask if you'd like to go out tonight on a date. Like a real date, not just helping me run cable and going grocery shopping and hanging out at my house."

"Sure! What were you thinking?" Amber glanced up as Cindy started walking back into the room.

"Well, a friend of mine had tickets to a stand-up comedy show tonight. He had to back out because his kid is sick. I thought a fun evening full of laughter might be a good turnaround from the stress of the weekend. I don't have all the details yet, but I do know dinner's included. What do you think?"

"Sounds perfect. Text me the details later. I'm off at 4:30 and will need to go home and change." 

"Will do." Spencer paused and Amber could hear the chiming again in the background before it abruptly stopped. "Sheesh, quiet already!" he growled away from the phone before returning to her, "This whole 'Evil Genius World Domination' thing really requires a lot of interruptions. Sometimes I don't know if it's worth it. Later."

"Okay, thanks again. Can't wait to see you." Amber disconnected the call, chuckling to herself. 

As she turned around, the look of curiosity eating away at Cindy only added to the humor. She's just dying to know if that was the guy who sent the flowers and fighting the urge to ask. Amber looked her straight in the eye and said, "Yes, it was."

The startled look on Cindy's face told Amber she'd hit the jackpot and looked like a telepath. Priceless! Yes, it is a fine new day indeed.

******

The rest of the day seemed to drag on despite keeping busy. When 4:30 rolled around, Amber had to restrain herself to not run to the door. Once outside, she didn't hold back and jogged to her car. As she was about to start her car, her phone chimed.

S: Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. Super busy - Doc Ock trying to take credit for my work. Sheesh.

S: Show is 8-10p. Misunderstanding about dinner with the show, but we could go out beforehand. I can be at your place around 5:45, we can grab a bite to eat, then head to the show. Or is that too late? We can just do dinner instead.

AL: Sounds great. Not too late. See you (at 5:48).

S: :D Poetry skillz too!

Every light on her way home was green.

******

Once home, Amber washed up and slipped out of her work clothes. They looked nice, but more "professional nice", not "date nice". She would have to decide what to wear for the evening, but first, she moved on to the shower. Letting the steam fill her lungs and warm her body, she washed her hair and soaped up her skin. As she slid her hands around to spread the lather, she realized she was feeling rather horny. When her palms moved across her nipples, they hardened and she felt a twinge in her gut. Damn, girl, what's up with that? Come to think of it, it HAS been a while since I took care of business... Thinking about it only made the urge stronger. She was torn between hurrying up the shower so she'd have enough time to get ready versus resetting the clock. However, thinking about the upcoming date just made it clearer what she needed to do. Maybe just a quickie... don't want to be too randy on my date. He was surprised when I kissed him. Who knows what he'd think if I tried to jump his bones. Amber smiled devilishly at the thought and let herself get lost in the feeling.

She closed her eyes and started off thinking back to their kisses, the feel of his lips, that electric tingle of a new passion. She imagined having him move his hands around her body and she began sliding her own hands up her stomach and to the sides of her breasts, letting the warm water lubricate her skin. She brought her hands around her breasts, holding them, cupping them, imagining Spencer as she brought her thumbs to her nipples in small circles. The twinge in her stomach was stronger now and she let out a soft moan. She imagined him with his tongue to her nipple, circling it, pressing it as her other hand slid down her stomach. She gently caressed her abdomen with her fingers, circling her navel, trying to draw out the desire, but her body betrayed her. She knew what she wanted and her body didn't want to wait. 

Continuing to gently caress her nipples with one hand, she leaned back against the shower wall and put one foot up on the bench as her other hand moved further south and across her mound. It was ready and waiting for her. As her fingers caressed, another moan escaped her lips, this one longer as her fingers slid over her labia and back up. She pressed gently but firmly against her clit with her palm and let her middle finger gently slide in a little at a time. This time she moaned harder and bit her lower lip. Her finger was wet and not just from the shower. She continued pressing firmly with her palm and sliding the finger in and out, her other hand cupping, caressing, gently pinching. In her mind, Spencer was going to town, his hand on her breast, his hand between her legs, his lips locked onto hers. 

Her lower fingers were slick and she gently slipped in a second finger, her body clenching and relaxing with the additional pressure. Her heart rate up and her breath coming faster, she stroked herself quickly and firmly, occasionally swirling her sticky, wet fingers around her clit. Another moan took her, long and low, the pressure building inside. The sound of her fingers sliding in and out mixing with the sound of the water hitting her legs. With one last squeeze of her clit and nipple, she let out a final moan, the loudest and longest yet, as her foot pushed hard against the seat, firmly pressing her back against the warm tile wall as her orgasm ripped through her. She stood there, her heart pounding, firm pressure on her back as ripple after ripple moved through her body, the wave of ecstasy coursing through her brain as her imaginary Spencer held her body tight.

Amber stood there, one hand on her breast, the other between her legs, just letting the sensations run their course. The spray of the water, the smell of her shampoo mixed with the faintest whiff of sex, the feel of her heart pounding. As the high gently circled back down to reality, she lowered her leg and slowly opened her eyes. Oh wow, did I need that! Fast too! She raised her hands to her head to slick her hair back and could smell herself on the one that had done its due diligence—a slightly sweet odor and not unpleasant. I wonder... She brought her finger up to her nose. The smell was familiar, but exotic too. She gently ran it across her lips and then licked them. The taste was sweet with a slight tang to it. Tantalized, she licked her finger directly, tentatively. So this is what I taste like? It's nice. I wonder if Spencer would like it?

The thought was sudden and abruptly shocked her out of her reverie. She realized that, despite having been attracted to him at the office, and despite the recent kissing and snuggling, and yes, even the backrub the other night in the pool house, she had only just now fantasized about him sexually. And even this recent fantasy of him touching her had been just that—touching. So the thought out of nowhere of him going down on her was unexpected, though not unpleasant. Far from it. I'll definitely have to keep that one in mind. And what about him? Would he like it? Would he be willing to do that?

Amber realized that she didn't really know. She'd heard that some people felt weird about going down on others or having someone go down on them. And while her experience was limited, she'd had plenty of discussions with Katelyn and had researched the topic. But what struck her the most was the follow-up realization that they hadn't really talked about anything sexual. Of course, why would they have? Up until Friday night, she'd only chatted with him on his visits to the office. Fun? Yes. Funny? That too. Flirty even? Sure, but she didn't even recall any sort of significant innuendo. Of course, Cindy was sometimes there. Plus, it was at work, so there was the whole 'professional decorum' factor. Hmm, I'll definitely have to investigate this and see how he feels about me. God, I hope he's open to messing around. It's like we crossed a barrier and now my feelings for him have opened the floodgates. She looked at her finger and confidently slid the entire thing into her mouth, licking it clean with her tongue. And, considering how wet I am, apparently other floodgates as well!

******

Amber was sitting on the couch waiting for Spencer to show up. After her shower, she'd picked out some nice, fun, casual clothes. And while the clothes were appropriate for a low-key night out at a comedy club, she'd paid particular attention to her underwear, wearing the sexiest pair she had. Just in case, she'd thought with a grin. Though admittedly, she didn't have a lot to choose from. Having been an introverted science geek focused on her studies and with a less than stellar dating history, "fun" underwear hadn't exactly been a high priority. Other than a small handful of items acquired during shopping trips with Katelyn (who was always looking out for fun things to use to "entice" Aaron), her wardrobe wasn't super exciting. Hmm, maybe now I'll have to take Katelyn out for a change.

As she was ruminating about what kinds of clothing to go shopping for, the doorbell rang. While she was walking to answer it, she happened to look at the clock: 5:48. She pulled the door open and smiled at Spencer. "Right on time," she quipped, stepping back so he could enter.

He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead as he walked by and then gave her a sheepish look. "Well, I have to admit I sat in the car for a couple minutes waiting."

Amber laughed. "Neighbors are probably already suspicious with this new guy coming and going at all hours of the day. Now he's just sitting there staring at the house. They'll probably call the police now."

Spencer started speaking like a 20's gangster "Well then, Doll, we'd best hightail it outta here 'fore Johnny Law comes sniffing around. Can't have some two-bit beat cop interruptin' ma plans!"

Amber grabbed her keys and purse and offered up her elbow and took on a Jersey accent, "Sure thing, Frankie. Let's blow this joint." They made their way back to his car laughing. He opened the passenger door for her.

After he got in and started the car, she returned to her normal voice. "So, any particular place you want to go?"

"I was thinking we could try that new Thai place downtown. It's not too far from the club." He began to back out onto the street.

"Sounds great!" As they made their way down the street, she turned to him and said, "Thanks again for the flowers. It was really sweet and a nice change after last night."

"You're welcome." He glanced over at her and smiled before looking back at the road. "I just... well last night was so hellish for you. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around what you've gone through and understanding how difficult that must have been or even still is. And I just wanted to start fresh today with something positive in your life." He stopped at a red light and looked at her again. "And I want this evening to be pleasant and positive as well."