Oh Crumbs

by Kathryn Freeman

  ‘Doug?’

  He drew a weary hand across his face. ‘There’s no problem, Thea. If you want to be a help though, you can turn up at my show next week and say wildly complimentary things in a very loud voice.’

  ‘Okay, but your evasive crap is really starting to piss me off.’

  Her terse goodbye told him she wasn’t just annoyed, she was hurt. He was debating how he was going to make it up to her, when Abby walked in, her face unusually tense.

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  She struggled to keep her composure. ‘I’m afraid I’ve got to go home.’

  ‘Fine, but why?’

  He watched as she wrung her hands together. ‘My sister phoned, that’s the eldest one, Mandy. Her ex has come round to the house, which by itself isn’t an issue because I know she can handle him, but he’s not on his own. He’s come with two friends and I’m worried that three men looking for trouble isn’t a good combination. Not with Mandy on her own with the baby. That’s George, my nephew.’ She heaved in a breath. ‘Plus Mandy said they’ve been drinking and …’ She bit her lip and looked down at her shoes, tears creeping down her cheeks.

  ‘And?’

  Finally she looked up at him, her eyes like large brown pools. ‘She didn’t let on that she was, but she sounded scared.’

  He’d heard enough. Shooting to his feet, he grabbed at his jacket and keys. ‘Right, let’s go.’

  She faltered. ‘You don’t need to come.’

  ‘You’re going to sort out three menacing men by yourself, are you?’ He ushered her to her desk and bent to pick up her bright yellow bag. ‘Is this all you need?’

  ‘And my coat. I’ll be fine on my own though. Really.’

  He looped the purple coat over his arm and pushed the bag onto her. There were limits to his acts of heroism and he wasn’t about to sit astride a white charger carrying a yellow handbag.

  ‘We’ll go in my car,’ he announced, dashing down the stairs ahead of her. ‘We can come back for yours later.’

  ‘There’s no need. I told you, I can handle this.’ Her voice was slightly breathless as she tried to keep up with him. ‘Anyway, I’m probably just making a big deal out of nothing.’ She fidgeted with her hands, continuing her protest even while he eased her none too gently into his Aston. ‘I’m going to be so embarrassed when we get there and find them all sitting down drinking tea.’

  ‘You’ll be relieved, not embarrassed.’ He started the engine, which throbbed reassuringly into life.

  ‘I’ll be both. Relieved yes, but now I’m dragging you away from the office I’m going to be mightily embarrassed, too.’

  He slid her a look. ‘When did the dragging happen? I must have missed it.’

  ‘You know what I mean. Just because I work for you, it doesn’t mean you should feel responsible for me.’

  ‘I don’t.’

  ‘Sure you don’t. How else can you explain why you practically pushed me out of the office and into your car.’

  ‘So that’s where the dragging came in.’ Her eyes flashed with annoyance and he relented. ‘I like you,’ he told her quietly. ‘If I felt responsible for you, I’d have sent one of the security guards. Because I like you, I’m sending myself.’

  Her mouth opened, closed, then opened again but the only sound that came out of it was muted. ‘Oh.’

  ‘If I’d known saying I liked you would shut you up, I would have said it on your first day.’

  She gave him one of her special smiles then. At least that’s how they felt: as if he, and he alone, was entrusted with a rare gift.

  Their eyes met and the atmosphere in the car shifted. At first the change was subtle. He became aware of her light perfume. Of how close she was sitting to him. Of the warmth radiating from her skin.

  But then his eyes touched on her soft pink lips. The curve of her breasts.

  It took a huge effort to drag his attention away from her and onto the road.

  Abby’s heart was pounding, and not all through fear over her sister which made her feel instantly ashamed. Mandy could be in all sorts of trouble and yet her big sister had just spent the last few seconds thinking of kissing her boss.

  She swallowed a few times and tried to refocus on the road ahead. ‘Take a right here.’

  Smoothly he moved to the outside lane and pulled to a stop at the lights. Abby was so conscious of how strong and tanned his hands were on the wheel. Of the curls of dark hair on his forearms, revealed by his turned back cuffs. Inside the office, sitting at his desk, he was a handsome man. Here in the small confines of his luxurious car, he was so much more. A potent male whose citrus aftershave drugged her senses, whose athletic body tugged at that almost forgotten place between her thighs. Whose proud profile pulled at her heart.

  ‘Take the second road on the left. Our house is at the end of the cul-de-sac.’ She smoothed down her skirt and reminded herself why she was in his car. She didn’t mind being embarrassed in front of him, as long as Mandy and George were okay.

  He brought the car to a stop and Abby immediately pushed open the door.

  ‘Wait for me.’ His quiet voice held a ring of authority she found hard to defy so she waited until he fell in alongside her.

  ‘Shall I press the bell or use my keys?’ Oh God, she’d turned into a trembling, indecisive wreck.

  ‘Here, let me.’ He took the keys from her and strode up to the front door.

  Did he notice the peeling paint on the window frames her father still couldn’t afford to replace? Their house, a five bed semi-detached extended over the garage as the family had grown, must look shabby and small compared to what he was used to. Even his gleaming sports car was totally out of place amongst the vans and seen-better-days hatchbacks parked along the close.

  Then Doug opened the door, and Abby could think of nothing but what might be waiting for them.

  ‘Who the fuck is that?’

  The angry male voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. And that was before the smell of alcohol hit her senses.

  ‘Mandy, it’s me. Where are you?’ Pushing past Doug she ran through the tiny hallway and into the open-plan kitchen/living area.

  Mandy stood in the kitchen holding George, her face almost white and her eyes, oh God. Her eyes looked terrified. Next to her was Roger whose panicky expression suggested he wanted to be anywhere else but where he was.

  A quick scan of the living room found an upended coffee table and a broken vase. Standing over the table, hands on hips, was a man with tattoos on his arm and a gold ring in his eyebrow. Sitting on the sofa was another guy, slightly smaller, though the scar along his cheek and the snarl on his face made him appear no less threatening.

  Heart hammering wildly, she turned back to face her sister. ‘What’s going on here?’

  ‘I’m okay.’ Mandy’s shaky voice wasn’t very convincing. Warily her sister’s eyes darted towards Doug who waited patiently, solidly, reassuringly, next to Abby. ‘Who’s that?’

  ‘Hi, Mandy, I’m Doug Faulkner. A friend of Abby’s.’ He nodded over to the two men in the living room. ‘Have they outstayed their welcome?’

  ‘Butt out, white collar man.’ Mr Tattoo curled his lip dismissively at Doug. ‘This is none of your business.’

  His threatening tone sent a shiver down Abby’s spine. ‘Mandy’s my sister and this is my house, too.’ Her legs trembled as she moved to stand by her sister. ‘So whatever’s going on here is my business.’

  Roger shuffled out of the kitchen. ‘Come on, Quinn, let’s go. We don’t want trouble.’ Sadly his whole demeanour – the way he hung his head, didn’t look his friend in the face – indicated he wasn’t the one in charge here.

  ‘I suggest you take your friend’s advice.’ Shoulders back, hands resting loosely by his sides, Doug brimmed with a quiet, disciplined confidence.

  ‘You can suggest all you like, mate. I ain’t going nowhere. ’Specially not on your say so.’ Mr Tattoo man – Quinn, Roger had called him
– smirked again and started to sit down.

  Abby wasn’t sure how it happened. It was all too quick. One minute Doug was by her side and the next he was twisting Quinn’s arm behind his back and marching him towards the door. ‘Let’s take this outside, shall we?’

  ‘Oh my God.’ Mandy breathed next to her. ‘Did you see that?’

  Suddenly Scarface flew off the sofa. ‘You fucking leave him alone.’

  Now at the front door, Doug halted. ‘Come outside and make me.’

  ‘Wayne, stop.’ Roger’s plea fell on deaf ears as the guy with the scar jumped over the upended coffee table and scrambled out of the house behind Doug and Quinn. ‘Shit, they’ll murder him.’

  Fear making her breathless, Abby rounded on Roger. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Quinn and Wayne are high as a bleeding kite. Two on one, your stuffed shirt doesn’t stand a chance.’

  ‘Well, bloody come and help,’ she yelled, pushing past him and bursting onto the front drive.

  Abby’s mouth fell open as she watched Doug quickly and cleanly grab Quinn from behind and throw him to the ground. They grappled for a few seconds and though the younger guy was mean and strong, Doug was quick and clever. All it took was a few quick, well-aimed punches and Quinn was writhing on the floor in agony. There was no respite for Doug though because Wayne leapt forward then, shaping to hit him. Rather than retreating from the flailing fists, Doug ducked and moved in tight against Wayne’s chest, blocking his ability to punch. In a flash Doug shifted his arms, angled his body and felled Wayne just as he had Quinn. One sharp, backwards jerk of his arm and Doug had Wayne yelping in pain.

  ‘Stop,’ Wayne whimpered.

  Doug nodded and slowly backed off. ‘Just as long as you sit there quietly and don’t move until I tell you to.’

  Abby stared in shock at the men on the floor.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Doug twisted round to face her, his face, his whole demeanour, totally unruffled.

  ‘Me? Of course I am.’ She felt dazed, but who wouldn’t be after seeing their mild-mannered boss take down two thugs?

  ‘What about the other guy, Roger?’

  Doug looked ready to sort him out, too, so Abby hastily shook her head. ‘He’s not a threat. I think this has frightened him as much as it has Mandy.’

  Abby took a step towards Doug, overwhelmed by a sudden urge to hug him. He wasn’t looking at her though. His attention was fixed on Mandy and Roger as they appeared in the doorway.

  ‘What happens now?’ he asked them. ‘Did these guys do anything the police might be interested in?’

  Mandy darted a look at Roger and shook her head. ‘No police.’

  Abby surveyed her sister’s agonised face and knew exactly what she meant. Police would mean questions and inevitably Roger would be embroiled in the fallout. Mandy didn’t want the father of her child to end up with a police record.

  Doug hauled the two men up by their collars. ‘Then these guys need to say thank you for saving their sorry asses. And they need to know if they ever show their faces here again they won’t be able to walk away like they’re doing now.’

  ‘Get your fucking hands off me.’ Quinn wrestled away from Doug’s grip, rounding on him with venom in his eyes.

  Very deliberately Doug wiped his hands on his expensive wool trousers. ‘Happy to, as long as you keep your hands off this family.’

  For several long, pulsing seconds Quinn glared back. The cold threat in Doug’s voice must have got through to him though because Quinn nodded at Wayne and the pair of them set off down the road. Quinn clutched at his stomach and Wayne held gingerly onto his arm, their hard image now well and truly dented.

  As shock slowly gave way to anger Abby marched up to Roger, shoving at his chest. ‘What the hell were you playing at, bringing those thugs round to our house?’

  Roger held up his hands. ‘Hey, I’m sorry, right. They kept saying they didn’t believe I had a son. I thought if they saw George, it would shut them up.’

  ‘Stupid.’ Mandy glared at him.

  Roger hung his head. ‘Yeah, I know. I didn’t realise how wasted they were. Not ’til they started asking Mandy for money. By then it was too late.’

  ‘Is that why the coffee table was tipped over?’

  Roger avoided Abby’s eyes. ‘They threatened to loot the place if Mandy didn’t give them what they wanted.’

  Suddenly there was a wail from inside the house and Mandy put her hand to her mouth. ‘Oh God, that’s George. I dumped him in the high chair before I came out.’

  She darted back inside, Roger in her wake. As silence descended, Abby stared at the flourishing tulips in her beloved pots, for once at a loss how to put into words the emotion churning inside her.

  ‘You were incredible,’ she told Doug finally. ‘Thank you.’

  He shrugged and she thought he was going to say nothing, but then he gave her a small, slightly bemused smile. ‘First time I’ve been called incredible.’

  A hot blush stung her cheeks, the heat spreading rapidly through her body as his eyes flickered down to her lips before coming back up to hold hers. He’s going to kiss me. Her heart hammered wildly and she prayed she wouldn’t say anything stupid to muck up this moment. ‘I’m glad I was the first to tell you. Are you some sort of ninja?’

  He let out a soft laugh. ‘I’m a brown belt in BJJ. Brazilian jiu-jitsu,’ he added at her puzzled look.

  ‘I’ve heard of a Brazilian, but I’m pretty sure the one I’m thinking of wouldn’t take out two men.’ Bugger, bugger, talk about a mood crusher … then again, maybe she was okay because a full-blown smile slid across his face, bathing her in its warmth.

  ‘You’d be surprised how easily us men can be floored.’ All the smoothness had vanished from his voice; it sounded hoarser, deeper.

  Her heart accelerated into overdrive, thumping so hard she felt her chest vibrate. Was he talking generally, or was this about him? Being floored by her?

  He took the one step he needed to be right beside her and suddenly she could no longer think. As his head dipped the air left her lungs and when she inhaled again there was only him. Filling her senses, making her body tingle, drugging her mind with his strong, quiet presence.

  The touch of his lips against hers was tentative, as if asking a question, seeking permission. She answered fully, parting her mouth and leaning in so it wasn’t just their lips touching but their bodies, too. Instantly his hands flew to cradle her face and the kiss grew hungrier. He nibbled at her lips, driving her crazy before sweeping his tongue into her mouth. She was lost.

  Chapter Nine

  Doug was in heaven. Surrounded by warmth and softness, the taste of sweetness and innocence running over his tongue and pulsing through his lips. If he could just block out those voices he could hear. And those damn giggles.

  ‘He’s eating her.’

  ‘Don’t be silly. That’s kissing. It’s what grown-ups do.’

  His mind didn’t want to leave the dream but the voices were getting louder.

  ‘Well, I don’t want to be kissed then.’

  Reluctantly he pulled away, his hands still holding Abby’s face, his eyes drawn to her swollen lips and dark unfocused eyes.

  ‘Who are you?’

  Aftershocks of pleasure still hummed through his system as he turned towards the voices. And found two pairs of young brown eyes staring at him unabashed.

  Abby let out a shrill squeak. ‘Oh heavens, is it that time already?’

  Since he didn’t have a clue what that time was, he kept quiet. Besides, he wasn’t sure he could find his voice. Not after that kiss, and not now he was being studied as if he was a circus attraction.

  ‘Ellie and Holly. Meet my, err, Doug. I mean Mr Faulkner.’

  ‘No, Doug.’ There, he hadn’t lost his voice after all. Just mislaid it while he’d been kissing the life out of his warm-hearted, funny, sweet-natured PA. Shit.

  ‘Why was he kissing you?’

  Abby’s eyes darted
towards him, then quickly away again. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her so flushed and flustered.

  ‘Was it nice, being kissed like that? It didn’t look nice.’

  The questions were being haphazardly fired at them from the youngest one. Was it Ellie? Thankfully she didn’t seem to require any answers.

  As Abby flushed even deeper, Doug felt his heart stir. God, she was adorable. And he was so utterly, utterly wrong for her. It wasn’t just that his cynical thirty seemed a world away from her sweet twenty-four, or even that he was her boss, though neither sat comfortably. It was more that despite the trauma she’d lived through, she was untainted by the world. A bright, shining star in a gloomy sky. Abby deserved frivolity, fun, romance. Love. He wasn’t up to providing any of those things.

  What the hell had he been doing, starting something he had no right to pursue?

  ‘Where’s your sister?’ Abby’s eyes darted down the road.

  He gaped, his mind thankfully diverted from his personal angst. ‘There’s another one of you?’

  ‘Yes, Sally. She’s sixteen.’

  ‘Doesn’t your family do anything but girls?’

  The youngest one, presumably Ellie, giggled. ‘We have a boy dog. He’s called Pat.’

  ‘Pat?’

  ‘Yes. Pat the dog.’ She started to snigger again and Holly joined in.

  ‘Hey, I asked you both a question. Where’s Sally?’

  Doug watched, fascinated, as Abby gently scolded her younger sisters. This is what her life must be like, continually trying to straddle the line between older sister and surrogate mother.

  ‘She’s coming. She went to pick up a book from her friend’s house.’ Holly pointed down the road. ‘Look, there she is.’

  The quiet one, Doug mused as he studied the older girl walking towards them. Brown hair in a tidy plait, blazer done up, carrying a sensible brown satchel. Ellie, to his left, with her skirt rolled up over her knee and her direct questions was, he guessed, the precocious one. Holly, socks falling down and blonde hair in untidy pigtails, was the sweet one.