Free A Safe Pair of Hands by Ann Corbett Page A

and
anyone looking at them would have seen a young couple, deeply in
love.
    Nick helped her into her seat, and sat across from her, where
he simply watched as she self consciously picked up her
menu.
    “ A bottle of white wine, please,” he requested to the
waiter.
    “ I hope that white is okay with you?” he asked as the waiter
left them to peruse the menu whilst he sorted out their
drinks.
    Sadie smiled in reassurance. “Yes, I do enjoy a glass of wine,
although I have never been fond of red.”
    “ Good,” he looked positively relieved, and Sadie felt a rush of
affection for him.
    He was her boss, and he had become a good friend, and now her
lover as well, and so she thought how wonderful it was that as well
as loving him, and being physically attracted to him, she liked him
very much, as well.
    It brought a glow to her cheeks and a shine to her eyes that
had Nick not being able to look away from her.
    “ Have I told you yet – how absolutely stunning you look
tonight?” he asked gruffly and Sadie nodded with a shy little
blush.
    “ As a matter of fact, yes you have... but I don't mind if you
say it again – I don't mind at all!”
    He laughed huskily, and Sadie shivered in response.
    He was just too sexy for words right now!
    “ Well you do – you look absolutely amazing!”
    It wasn't true really, Sadie thought that the silky blouse, in
a deep purple colour was pretty – that was why she had purchased it
in the first place, and the long black skirt with silver thread
running through it, made her feel a little glamorous, her hair was
swept up, to show her long slender neck, and she had dabbed on a
little purple eye shadow, which had done the most amazing things to
her usually grey eyes.
    She had been happy with the results as she had stepped into
her spindly black sandals, just as Nick had stepped out of the
bathroom, and stopped dead in his tracks as he looked at her in awe
and wonder.
    “ Amazing!” he had muttered. “So beautiful...
stunning!”
    She had smiled with pleasure, and Nick had pulled her into his
arms to kiss her passionately.
    Things would have gone further – had Sadie’s stomach not
suddenly decided to voice it needs for food, with a loud grumbling
noise.
    Nick looked at her in shock for a moment, and the colour
flooded her cheeks as a sense of mortification swept over
her.
    “ I am so sorry!” she stuttered feeling appalled at her own
body. “I am so sorry for killing the mood like that!”
    Nick tipped back his head and laughed.
    “ My darling girl, don't you ever apologise again, for being
hungry!”
    *
    The meal was probably delicious, but for the two people eating
it, it might as well have been bread and water.
    Sadie couldn't remember later what she had eaten, or even if
she had eaten. She was vaguely aware of the moment that Nick asked
for the bill, because she suddenly had a sense of anticipation. And
then after he had paid, they left the restaurant without so much as
a backward glance.
    All that she was aware of now, was Nick, and the way that his
hand was resting lightly on her arm.
    They stepped into the elevator and she drew in a quiet little
breath, taking in the scent of him as she did so.
    He smelled so good.
    Of soap, and aftershave, and the muskier smell of his own
personal scent, just underlying the other two.
    And she knew that he was aroused, as aroused as she was,
because of the shine in his eyes, and the way that he stood over
her, in that little metal box that carried them up to their
room.
    He stood close, but not enough for them to touch, and oh how
Sadie wanted him to touch her.
    She ached for him to take her in his arms again, to kiss and
caress her.
    “ Stop it Sadie,” his voice was like a bucket of ice thrown over
her, as her bewildered grey eyes flew to his tortured brown. “If I
touch you now, then I don't think we will make it out of this
elevator... and we need to get out, we need to get back to the
room, so that I can...”
    The elevator jolted