Chapter 30

I drive over to Nick's and he is standing out front of his apartment complex. He has a long black Australian jackets on over a black suit. He has a silver shirt and a silver tie that matches. I feel myself getting very wet as I pull up. I walk to the other side of the car and Nick opens the door for me. As he is walking over to the driver's side I kick my shoes off. As he slides in to the seat and buckles his seat belt I position myself so I can place my left foot in his lap. "Got foot?" I ask him. I feel him get rock hard under my foot. I hear him take a deep breath. His hand drop down off the steering wheel and rubs my foot gently. I feel his warm hand rubbing over the nylon material. I take a deep breath and feel myself getting wet as he touches it. He slowly runs his nail over the sole of my foot. I arch my back and take the feeling deep inside me. My stomach burns and my toes curl. The ride seems short this morning. I want more but know its time to work. We enter the building and Nick kisses me before we walk in. "What was that for?" I ask him. " Because I love you." He says. I feel warm when he says it. I can see it in his eyes. We get off the elevator on my floor. I see Shelly has selected the black pantsuit today. She has a great set of low heels on. I over hear her on the phone. "What do you mean that is not covered. I didn't start the fire! He did! NO, I am not married to him, he is an ex-boyfriend." Nick and I stop dead in our tracks. I look at Shelly. She makes a wait a minute sign. "Fine I will talk more later I have to get to work!" she slams the phone down. "What happened?" I ask. "Teddy set my car on fire last night. Poured gasoline over it and set it ablaze. It was a beautiful fire." She starts to laugh and then cry. "You have to get a protection order out on him." Nick says. "He is dangerous." Shelly nods. Shelly calls her lawyer and starts to get things in order. We leave her to her duties.

Nick gives me a kiss and heads towards the elevator. "Lunch!" he yells just before the doors close. I turn and enter my office. I turn on my computer and see that I have new email. I open the email window and see that it is from Pete and Amber. I open it. THANK YOU FOR A GREAT EVENING AGAIN. BE READY FOR MORE SOON. I open the attachment. It's a photo of me just inches from Amber's feet and Amber in my crotch. I feel myself getting totally wet. I quickly close and clear the email. Andy walks in the outer office. I hear Shelly taking to him telling him what happened. I see him support her and hold her as she cries. I see him reach and hand her his handkerchief and allow her to blow her nose. Andy brings me my mail. "Do you mind if I take Shelly for lunch today?" Andy asks. "Hey knock yourself out bud. Have a great time." He smiles at me. Shelly walks in. "Sorry about your car, I am just glad you are not hurt. Good friends are hard to find and so are good assistants." Shelly smiles. We hear Shelly's phone ringing. She runs out to the office to answer it. I can see the look of shock on her face. I get up and go to her side. "That was the fire dispatch, my apartment was just on fire. The damage is not bad, but I don't think I can stay there tonight." My heart skips a beat. "We need to get there and check out the damage." "But the reports, they need to be done." She says pointing at the work on the desk. "Not now." I call Nick and he meets us on the elevator. We rush over to Shelly's apartment complex. The fire department is still on the scene. The fire chief comes over to us as we walk up. "Are you the woman form that apartment?" she nods looking at the front window that is smashed out. "The fire was at the front door. Looks like someone poured gasoline over it and started it on fire. We contained it to the living room. You are lucky Ma'am you had your bedroom door closed. Your personal belongings are okay, just a little smoky." "Can we go in and collect her things?" Nick asks. "In a few minutes, soon as my crew has the equipment all packed up and out of the way." We stand there watching them work. I look past Nick and I think I see Teddy standing in the crowd. I look again and he is gone.

We walk into the apartment, over the table that is half burnt, past what is left of her kitchen chair. We go into Shelly's bedroom. She goes into the closet and finds a suitcase. She starts to pack some items. I pull open a drawer and step back for a minute. I see a pair of handcuffs in her top dresser drawer. "Oh, doesn't everyone have a pair of those?" She laughs like its no big deal. I can see they are a different pair then the ones I have. Hers are a cheap pair you get at a novelty store. Shelly suddenly stops in her tracks. "Where am I going to stay?" My heart stops, if she stays with me that will change everything. No more Nick staying over night, no more Pete and Amber weekends. "My parents, you can stay with my parents." I pick up the cell phone and call my mother. "Oh sure you don't show for lunch on Sunday and now I have to do you a favor?" she says in her motherly voice. "Yes mom, she is burned out of her apartment." "Why doesn't she stay with you?" "Because she is my assistant and a friend. I don't think it would look good if she says by me." Okay it's a lie. I don't want to spoil my life. I feel a bit selfish at that moment. But I look over to Nick standing there. We put her things in the back of my car and drive back to work. Shelly rushes around the office working double time. I can hardly keep up with her. In one short hour she has us caught back up to where we need to be.