Chapter 20

He let himself back into the house, having fetched fresh milk, and then set about making a pot of tea, whilst Shelly showered and changed, and repacked her holdall so that she could come and spend the night at his.

He smiled as he reviewed his plans for the evening. Yes, the meal would go ahead, and he would make sure that she relaxed whilst he cooked.

After the meal ... well after the meal; he would take great delight in proving to Shelly just how much he still desired her!

Shelly curled up on his sofa and watched as he moved around drawing the blinds and switching on the lamps rather than the light.

“Do you want to watch the television?” Dean asked her softly.

Shelly smiled. “No thank you, I would rather sit in the kitchen and keep you company.”

“No, I want you to relax in here – I shan’t be long in there and I want you to enjoy my efforts by feeling well rested.”

She was going to argue that she really was fine, but then she realised that he was really trying to make it special for her and her resistance would just spoil it.

She smiled up at him. “I should enjoy listening to a little music perhaps?” she said sitting back and making herself comfortable again. “And maybe a glass of wine?”

“As my lady so wishes.” Dean all but beamed at her.

His evening was everything he planned, and Shelly blossomed under his loving attention.

When they retired to his bedroom, he tenderly undressed her, making sure that she knew just how beautiful and desirable he found her.

He took his time pleasuring her, knowing by now exactly what to do to excite her.

Shelly squirmed and sighed and cooed and her low guttural cries when she orgasmed, excited him to the point where he could no longer abstain.

“I’m sorry baby, I ... I just can’t resist you anymore!”

He slid easily into her and her eyes lit up with some emotion as she wrapped her arms and then her legs around him.

“Then don’t, my love,” she whispered softly. “Show me again how much you need and want me!”

The sun streamed through the closed blinds, and Shelly’s stretched and then turned over.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Dean said from where he was lying watching her, and obviously waiting for her to wake up.

She smiled sleepily at him. “Good morning – handsome.”

He leaned over her and kissed her mouth, allowing his hand to slide down her body and over her soft curves.

“How are you feeling this morning?” he asked, as he continued to caress her.

She squirmed a little under his roving hands. “I feel fine ... I feel wonderful,” she sighed happily.

“That is very good to hear,” Dean grinned as he moved closer and his hands became more – intimate.

He was very gentle with her, tender and caring and considerate, and at times his almost hesitance moved her to tears.

He treated her like something fragile and infinitely precious, and she felt loved and cherished like never before.

“Do you want to come inside?” she asked as he saw her to her front door, on the Sunday evening.

“I will see you inside and safe and settled, but it’s getting late and so I won’t stay.”

He stood just by the front door whilst she walked through the downstairs drawing curtains and switching on lights.

“Ok I am inside and settled – and safe,” she smiled up at him.

He gently stroked her face as he looked into her eyes. “You still look tired,” he grumbled as he bent slightly to kiss her.

“I feel tired,” she shrugged with a smile. “But in a good way, I promise.”

He looked doubtful for a moment but then sighed. “Okay then I will leave you in peace to have an early night ... will you be going into work tomorrow?” he asked as an afterthought.

She blinked up at him. “Yes, of course.”

“I’ll see you in the morning then,” he grinned.

She stood listening as his car drove away, and then shook her head with a sigh as she went around switching off lights again and then headed for the stairs.

Dean was beginning to make a habit of treating her like a fragile doll, and that was not what she wanted. She was fine and healthy again and she needed to make him see that.

She went into work on the Monday morning and five minutes after sitting down at her desk, Cynthia strode in.

“How are you feeling?” She asked sympathetically.

Shelly smiled up at the older woman, and Cynthia was pleased to note that her usual sparkle was back in place.

“I feel fine, Cynthia – honest ... and I just wanted to say thank you so much for your care and understanding the other day, and for sorting things out here for me on Friday. But now I am fighting fit and reading to get on with things again.”

“Good, I am glad to hear that.” Cynthia nodded as she put her work mind back on. “I’ll give you half an hour to get yourself a hot drink, and check out your schedule for the week, and then can you pop into my room, and we can make a start on the Belford accounts.”

Shelly winced and Cynthia laughed. “Yes, I know that it’s a bitch of job to throw at you as soon as you come back ... but I think it would be good if we could get it out of the way sooner rather than later.”

Shelly nodded with a smile. “I think between the two of us we can straighten out the chaos.”

“Yes,” Cynthia gave a short laugh. “It’s all very well keeping things in the family with business – but when you have your wife doing the books – it would be advisable to ensure that she is actually ‘doing the books’ rather than drumming it up as the mood takes her.”

It was pleasant working with Cynthia again, the two of them had struck up a working relationship that meant they could cut through most jobs and even chat as they brought order to it.

They broke for lunch and Shelly stood up to go to her own office so that Cynthia could make a couple of private phone calls.

“I’ll buzz you, when I’m ready to get started again, but it won’t be before one o’clock I promise, so go out for a bit of fresh air or lunch, if you feel the need to.”

Shelly glanced at her watch, it was only quarter past twelve, so she would have time to stroll across the bridge and grab a meal at the café on the other side.

She slipped into her coat, wrapped a scarf loosely round her neck and picked up her bag.

Valerie was just about to answer a call, but she looked up at Shelly as she walked across the foyer.

“I’m just going to the café over the bridge for some lunch,” she told her quickly. “I’ll be back before one.”

“Right, you are ducks.” Valerie grinned as she picked up the phone.

It was a bright day but chilly and she wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck as she hurried across the bridge.

The café was quiet for the moment, and the waitress was happy to stand and chat for five minutes – once she had taken Shelly’s order and delivered her refreshing drink.

“We’ll be pulling out the Christmas decorations this weekend and decking out this place.” she said cheerfully.

“Yes, it’s not so far away now is it? Do you have plans or are you committed to working?”

“Oh, I will be working all the way up to Christmas eve – Mike the boss will hope to cash in on the last-minute Christmas shoppers. But once we close, we don’t open again until the New Year so I can go and spend Christmas and New Year with my friends and family, and chill out in between ... what about you?”