Chapter 21

Andrew and Emma arrived at about half past nine. Amber’s stereo was playing quietly in the background, the fire was lit and the new lamp, with its coloured bulb, was shedding a gentle light across the room. It all looked most luxurious.

‘Oh this is quite magnificent,’ declared Emma, looking round approvingly, ‘When I first saw it I have to admit that I thought you two were out of your minds. What a transformation.’

‘It has come together remarkably well,’ agreed Andrew, ‘You must be so pleased with yourselves.’

‘Here,’ said Emma, holding out a gaily wrapped parcel, ‘We’ve made you a small present.’

Amber took it from her and ripping off the paper she found a piece of oak board upon which Emma had painted the words “La Retraite” in immaculate italic script.

‘Ooh Emma, you’ve translated it into French, what a lovely idea. Everything sounds so much sexier in French, doesn’t it?’ cried Amber in delight.

‘Ooh la la,’ breathed Toby approvingly. Taking Amber in his arms he murmured to her in his best French accent: ‘Je pense que la plume de ma tante est sur le pont d’Avignon.’

She looked up into his eyes and replied softly: ‘Es-tu sûr ma chérie? La dernière fois que je l’ai vu, mon frère Jaques l’utilisait pour faire le chèque de sa facture de gaz.’

‘Oh for heavens sake,’ laughed Andrew, ‘You are just too silly for words. We thought that the sign could go on the front door. What do you think Amber?’ He produced a screwdriver from his pocket, ‘It’s all ready. Shall I put it up?’

‘Yes please,’ Amber jumped up and down and clapped her hands like an excited child.

They went through into the little hall at the top of the stairs and Toby held the plaque in the right position while Andrew affixed it to the door.

‘There now,’ he said, standing back to look at it proudly.

‘That’s marvellous,’ declared Amber delightedly, ‘the final finishing touch.’

They went back through to the lounge and Amber offered to make coffee, apologising that she couldn’t offer anything stronger.

‘We’ve brought a couple of bottles of wine as a matter of fact,’ said Andrew, reaching into the carrier bag that he had placed on the bar when they arrived, ‘Daddy has donated six old wine glasses and a bottle opener, so we can drink a toast to the new abode.’

‘I had no idea that there was so much involved in setting up house,’ giggled Amber, ‘That’s more things that we should have put on the shopping list I suppose.’

‘With a cooker and a bed next door you could actually move in, couldn’t you?’ observed Emma.

‘I suppose so, but I’d get awfully thin,’ sighed Amber, ‘I wouldn’t be able to afford to buy food.’

‘You could always eat out,’ chuckled Toby, ‘The restaurant next door has an excellent menu and I doubt if they’d charge you much.’ He filled the glasses and handed them round.

‘To Amber’s love-nest and all who screw in it,’ toasted Andrew.

‘And all who screw in it,’ they chorused, clinking their glasses together.

‘Talking of screwing in it,’ murmured Emma, who was sitting on the rug in front of the fire, ‘I get the feeling that this is exactly the spot to do it.’

Handing her glass to Andrew she lay back on the rug and wriggled sensuously.

‘It feels good even with clothes on, so I bet it’s even better naked,’ she giggled, ‘Can we come over and try it sometime please?’

‘Yes of course you can,’ replied Amber, smiling happily, ‘Any time you like.’

The conversation then turned to Andrew and Emma’s forthcoming move to Bristol and all that it would entail, along with Amber taking up her place at Oxford. It left Toby with the feeling that going into Banking would be a very simple procedure in comparison. In no time at all it was quite late and rising to his feet, Andrew declared that he and Emma ought to be moving off.

‘Will you come over again tomorrow night?’ asked Amber as they got into the car.

‘That would be lovely,’ agreed Emma.

‘We’ll be over at about the same time and we’ll bring some more wine,’ said Andrew and with quick kisses all round, they were gone.

‘I suppose that I’d better be on my way too,’ said Toby regretfully.

‘Just come up and kiss me goodnight on the rug first,’ pleaded Amber.

They ran back upstairs and were pleasantly surprised to find how nice and warm it was in the lounge after the chill of the night air. Kicking off their shoes they stood on the rug before the fire and embraced, kissing each other gently at first, but then gradually with more and more passion. They broke apart.

‘I wonder what the rug does feel like with nothing on,’ murmured Amber and began to unbutton her dress, ‘Come on, you try it too.’

With trembling hands Toby undid his shirt and Amber eased it off over his shoulders. He took off her dress and kissed her breasts hungrily. She threw back her head and whimpered with pleasure.

Reaching down she began to fumble with the front of Toby’s jeans. He helped her with the button at the waist and she slowly pulled down the zip.

‘At last I get to see what you look like when you’re passionate,’ she giggled and kneeling down on the rug she began to tug them down. When they reached his ankles, Toby bent down and took them off, together with his socks. Both he and Amber were left wearing only their pants.

‘Oh,’ he gasped as the girl reached out and stroked his erection beneath the thin material.

‘It feels very very hard,’ she murmured.

‘I’m feeling very very passionate,’ he smiled down at her and looking up she met his gaze steadily. Still looking up into his eyes she eased his pants slowly downwards. Then he saw her look at him and her mouth formed an ‘O’ of wonder. Tentatively she reached out and touched him.