A Safe Pair of Hands

by Ann Corbett

  But this was not the time or the place for that!

  “I want to take things slowly with you, Sadie,” he tried to explain. “I messed things up with you, once before; and I don't want that to happen again.”

  She nodded her head slowly. He was right of course – it was all happening too quick. And this was her sister's home for god's sake – with little Pete sleeping just upstairs; under her care.

  She smiled a shaky little smile. “I'll see you out.”

  Nick opened the front door, and was greeted by a blast of cold air.

  Sadie gave a little shiver as she peered past him to look at the night outside.

  “Oh!” she gave a little gasp, and Nick turned to look at her, full of concern.

  “What…” he trailed off as her face lit up with delight, and her eyes became moist with tears.

  “It's snowing!”

  He looked out again – to the annoyance of his winters. Snow!

  Just a sprinkle of snow, but he just knew that one or two of his employees would use it as an excuse to call in, in the morning – claiming that they were unable to get in due to road closures, and poor weather conditions.

  He had always found snow an inconvenient irritation – until this moment. But seeing the delight on Sadie's face, made this cold little white stuff, seem somehow wonderful.

  “The first snow of the season,” he nodded. “Just a sprinkle this time – but more will follow, soon enough.”

  “Yes,” she nodded enthusiastically, “I do hope that they are right about that!”

  He looked again at her shinning face, and thought how incredibly beautiful she was.

  “Well,” he said gruffly, “I'll let you lock up – before we both freeze to death.”

  Impulsively, Sadie suddenly reached up and kissed him on the lips. “Thank you for our supper,” she murmured against his mouth, before pulling away again.

  “It was my pleasure, Sadie,” he muttered, and stepped out onto the porch. “Now let me hear you lock the door.”

  Sadie hated this bit. Closing the door in his face, and locking him out, but she did it – because he had told her to do it.

  “Goodnight, Nick,” she whispered, as she peered through the spy hole and watched him walk away.

  Nick felt like he could have danced all the way back to his house.

  She had kissed him! He grinned like a schoolboy as he tried to battle down the excitement; and the sense of; 'don't wait any longer – go back round there and tell her how you feel!'

  But he knew that that would be a mistake, that even though she was beginning to relax around him, she was still too vulnerable.

  He stamped out the childish excitement and brought out his rational business head, as he began to plot and plan.

  He would get Sadie away; where it could just be the two of them for a little while.

  No distractions, no interruptions. Just the two of them, and he would make Sadie finally fall in love with him.

  He would win her heart and body and soul.

  Chapter Seven

  Sadie slept a deep dreamless sleep that night, and wasn't even remotely unhappy when Pete woke her up – just before dawn, by charging in and jumping on her bed, where he bounced joyfully for a bit.

  “Time t' get uup!” he chortled.

  Sadie sat up and peered at him. “It's early yet?” she grumbled sleepily as she saw the time.

  “Nope!” he insisted, with a little popping sound. “Time, t' get uup!”

  “Okay,” she sighed, “I give in… I'm getting up.”

  He laughed triumphantly as she climbed out of the bed, leaving him plenty of room to bounce.

  “Come on you!” Sadie said. “Bath and then breakfast.”

  He stopped bouncing at her firm tone. “KKay!” He shuffled to the edge, and jumped down, and then wrapped his arms around her legs to give her a hug.

  “Oh!” Sadie gasped tearfully at his display of affection. “You… you little creep!” she sighed as she crouched down to return his hug.

  Pete chortled, and then his little hands began to dig into her lightly, and wriggle about. “Creeeepy creeepy creeep creep!” he giggled, as he tickled her.

  Sadie laughed too as she stood up – taking the little boy with her. “Come on you!” she said affectionately.

  Little Pete was very cooperative this morning, and so it didn't take long to bathe and dress him, and after a super quick shower, whilst Pete sat on her bed, and flinging on some clothes herself, they trooped downstairs together.

  Breakfast was fun, and she even had time to wash the dishes and drink a second leisurely cup of coffee, before pulling on Pete's coat and taking him out to the car.

  An hour later, Sadie was entering her own home.

  She switched on the heating since it was a cold day, and ran around her house vacuuming and dusting.

  Today was Friday – Pete's last day at day-care, until Monday, and Nancy and Rob would not be back until Sunday; and so this would probably be the last chance she would get to tidy her house this thoroughly, before next weekend.

  It was tidy anyway, just a little dusty, and so it didn't take her long to set it to rights.

  She put her kettle on to boil and sat drinking a coffee, whilst she mused over what else to do with her day.

  She had thought about getting her hair cut, but was not quite brave enough to have it all cut off.

  She ran a hand through its length.

  It did feel rather dry and the ends were definitely starting to split.

  She picked up her phone and dialled her local salon, and ten minutes later she was striding down the street.

  They had an opening, they had said, and could fit her in for a cut and a blow dry.

  “Just a trim and tidy up, please,” she asked the hairstylist.

  An hour later she left the salon with soft and glowing hair, and a little less money in her purse.

  She hopped on a bus which took her into the city centre, and decided to update her wardrobe a little bit.

  Christmas was not so far away now, and there would be parties and events to attend.

  She purchased a couple of evening gowns, and a couple of pretty skirts and even prettier tops, and new thicker trousers, a couple of sweaters, and a nice balance on her credit card.

  On a whim she marched up to the lingerie department, and brought some nice matching sets of bras and briefs, sexy and wonderfully silky in feeling.

  She purchased several pairs of stockings, and then headed for the shoes.

  She had a lot of bags, by the time she caught her bus home, and her credit card was well used now, but Sadie was very happy with her day.

  She was walking down the street, struggling with her bags, when she noticed the car parked outside her house.

  Her heart skipped several beats when she saw the figure climbing out, and then begin walking quickly towards her.

  “Hello,” she said as she silently told her excited heart to calm down.

  She smiled up at him, but a slightly worried frown wiped it away.

  “Is there anything wrong?”

  Nick smiled down at her, thinking how incredibly beautiful she was. Her hair was positively shining and it looked so soft!

  Her cheeks were flushed and her incredible eyes sparkled with excitement, as she struggled with her bags.

  He reached out to relieve her of them, and she didn't even argue, just relinquished them with a sigh of relief.

  “Thank you, they just seemed to get heavier and heavier as I walked along.”

  “It does look like you've been… productive!” Nick grinned as he juggled the bags into a more comfortable position. “And in answer to your question, no there is nothing wrong.”

  She unlocked her door, and led him through to the kitchen.

  “Just dump those bags in the corner over there,” she told him as he put the kettle on to boil.

  He sat down in her bright little kitchen and watched as she made them a coffee. He had already been back
to his home, in the hopes that she would still be next door, but on seeing the empty driveway, he had been thankful that he had looked up her address before leaving the office at lunch time...

  “Now then what did you want?” Sadie fixed her clear grey eyes on him as she sat down and pushed a mug in his direction.

  Nick took the cup and sipped at the hot beverage.

  “I came to see you today, to ask you to accompany me on a business trip next weekend,” he finally said.

  “Come away with you?” The colour swept up her cheeks, and her eyes lit up with excitement, and for one heart stopping moment Nick almost gave up on the pretence.

  “This trip would be strictly business,” he said firmly. “I need someone to come with me, and make notes and so on…” it did sound lame, he never usually bothered taking anyone with him, and until now Sadie would have been the very last person he would have asked.

  But to tell the truth he could not face the idea of not being able to see her – not even for three days.

  The colour in her cheeks deepened and she looked away awkwardly.

  “Yes… of course,”

  “It'll be Friday evening until Monday afternoon – is that all right with you?” he went on smoothly.

  Sadie nodded. “Yes, of course,” she said again.

  “Good,” Nick smiled across at her and was relieved when she met his eyes again, and smiled back.

  Good, the awkwardness had gone again, and she was more at ease with him – again.

  He looked around him curiously, seeing the bright coloured walls and the flowery curtains in the window, it had the feel of summer in here, and it suited Sadie down to the ground.

  “This is a nice place that you got,” he observed lightly.

  “Thank you.” She looked away almost shyly, and sipped at her coffee, slowly.

  “So, about this trip,” he began again, and she nodded her head. “We will be travelling to London, and spending two nights in a hotel there… it's quite a nice one actually – I always use it, if I'm in London.”

  He went on to tell her about the hotel, and what she might need to take with her, and once again he could see her eyes lighting up with excitement.

  He could feel his own anticipation stirring too, three days – and two nights alone with her…

  “I have some things that I need to sort out, and so I'll leave you in peace now,” he said abruptly as he stood up – and Sadie looked up at him startled.

  “What… oh, okay.”

  She stood up and escorted him to her front door, and Nick turned to her before opening it.

  “By the way, he murmured huskily.”I like the hair.” He gently took a tendril and wound it around his finger. It did feel as soft as it had promised, he thought lazily to himself.

  **

  Sadie spent the rest of the day in a sort of dreamlike haze.

  Her life to this point had been ticking along. Her experiences with Rick had made her shy of men, and she had decided that marriage and love were just not for her.

  But the way the Nick had been looking at her over the last few days, the way that he was treating her… It made her remember those feelings of excitement, when she was first attracted to someone; and she liked the idea of Nick being attracted to her, of him touching her – it reminded her that she was human, that she was a woman. Nick made her feel like a beautiful, desirable woman, and she really liked that too.

  She knew that she was falling in love with her boss – it felt like at long last they were starting to pick up, where they had left off, when Rick has come along and ruined things between them.

  “So silly,” she mumbled crossly to herself, but then she remembered how he had looked at her earlier, when he curled her hair around his finger; and her eyes softened with pleasure, and she smiled dreamily.

  Maybe she shouldn't be so quick to give up on love and happy ever after, not just yet?

  **

  “All ready to go then?” Nick demanded cheerfully as he climbed behind the steering wheel.

  Sadie smiled shyly beside him. “Yes… I think that I've got everything that I might need.”

  “Excellent!” he set the car in motion, and they travelled through the quiet streets, to the edge of town, when he turned onto the motorway.

  Nick was a good driver, and he had always enjoyed it; these times when it was just him and his car. He always kept his phone switched off when he was driving, and so there were no interruptions, and no chance of an interruption; and he could use the time to gather his thoughts.

  With Sadie sitting beside him though, the whole experience became something – truly wonderful.

  “So how are you enjoying your freedom again?” he asked lightly.

  Sadie gave a little sigh – which sounded almost forlorn.

  “Little Pete did keep me busy,” she admitted slowly, “but… well, he is such a lovely – loving little boy… my house suddenly feels empty, I suppose.”

  “Were you glad to get back to work, at least?” he prompted casually, as though he sensed how close to tears she suddenly felt.

  “Yes…” She had been full of anticipation on Monday, eager to see and talk to Nick again.

  But Nick had stayed away – had seemed to be actively avoiding her.

  “I do enjoy my job, and I really like the people that I work with,” she just wished that she could sound more enthusiastic! Sadie gave a deep emotional sigh. “I don't know any more, I thought I knew what I wanted, but that time spent with little Pete, well – I suddenly feel like maybe my life is lacking in some way... I think that I might be ready for a change?”

  Nick fought down the feeling of panic; she couldn't leave him now, not when they were just starting to make progress.

  “Don't rush into something that you might regret later,” he frowned as he concentrated on the traffic ahead.

  Sadie cast him a quick uncertain glance, why did he sound angry, it wasn't like she was indispensible, she was just one of many in the offices, and at worst it would inconvenience, them – not Nick, not at all.

  The rest of the staff would make sure of that!

  “I don't have any plans at the moment, just a sense of...”

  “What?” he asked softly.

  “Oh I don't know!” Sadie exclaimed impatiently. “It's nothing really; just... oh it's just a passing phase, silly and pointless – and one that I will get over!”

  “As my employee,” Nick said carefully, “I don't want you to be unhappy in any way. I don't want you to have to get over it, if I can help you, Sadie, then I want to help you.”

  As his employee; was that all that she was to him?

  Sadie was starting to feel hemmed in now, and she was beginning to wish that she had not said anything in the first place, it had been a little sense of wistfulness, that she had whenever she spent time with little Pete; she knew that it would pass in time, just like it always did.

  “It's nothing, Nick – just my body clock going, tick tick tick!” she gave a light laugh as though she had deliberately made up the rhyme, rather than it just being the fluke that it had been.

  But the silence that fell in the car now was almost deafening to Sadie, it was so extreme, and the colour flooded her cheeks, as she was once more faced with a silent, 'Oh now why did I say that!'

  “Are you saying that you want to have a baby?” he asked slowly, and Sadie looked across at him in surprise, he sounded so...?

  She shrugged her shoulders and tried desperately to keep her tone light and casual. “Of course I would like a baby... at some point. I am still quite young after all!” she finished and her tone had risen a little at the idea of being offended.

  “Well, yes of course you are still young enough!” he laughed suddenly and his quick sideways look was filled with genuine amusement.

  Sadie gave a little sigh of relief as the charged atmosphere thinned, and dissipated as quickly as it had filled the car.

  She relaxed back in her seat, and Nick began to tell her of his
plans for the weekend.

  It seemed like there would be very little work involved, and quite a lot of socialising.

  As she listened to him talking she mentally reviewed the contents of her small suitcase.

  She was silently thankful that she had packed her two new dresses and one of the skirts, and a couple of the pretty tops as well.

  She was also guiltily, and naughtily pleased that she had packed her new sexy lingerie as well.

  She sat fantasising over how Nick might possibly see her new lingerie – and not just lying harmlessly in her suitcase, but actually covering her semi naked body.

  Now that could be a very interesting scenario, she thought with a secretive little smile.

  She sat for a while without really noticing the light drizzle that began to fall, the thick splatters hitting the windows, and slowly sliding down the glass.

  She only really became aware when the sleet thickened to snow...

  Chapter Eight

  Nick had not really paid much attention to the weather forecast. He was confident enough in his driving abilities, to be able to manoeuvre his car in difficult conditions. And he was more than confident in his car's ability to handle difficult conditions

  “They did say that the snow might get a little heavy,” Sadie murmured worriedly as she stared out of the window at the thickening flakes.

  “Oh, it's not too bad, look there are still plenty of cars on the road.”

  It wasn't just the snow though, because the wind started to pick up as well, and started buffeting the car, forcing Nick to slow his speed, as the weather worsened into what was becoming a rather ferocious snow storm.

  Sadie noticed how there were fewer cars around them suddenly, and each car was leaving wide gaps between them and the car in front, as all of those other drivers took extra care as well.

  They continued on for a little while, and Nick slowed the car a little more, as the weather continued to worsen.

  Sadie glanced at him briefly, but Nick was concentrating on the road, and so she kept silent rather than risking distracting him, even for a moment.

  They continued cautiously for some time, but then Nick suddenly slowed even more, and flashing lights caught her attention as he pulled the car to a complete halt, and allowed his window to slide down.