“Thank you,” she replied making him grin.
“I really am loving those two little words,” he said as he declined a glass of wine from Charlie. “No thanks, mate, I am driving.”
Charlie moved onto Steph. “I’m driving too I’m afraid.”
Lindsay appearedwith a disc and a flash drive in her hand as Charlie followed carrying a huge photo album.
“And so the torture begins!” said Jon barely loud enough for Steph to hear but made her laugh resulting in disapproving looks and expressions of confusion.
They all sat together and watched the DVD and by the end of it Steph was yawning almost constantly.
“Are we keeping you up?” asked Charlie laughing.
“Sorry.” Steph smiled as she began to offer some sort of explanation. “I have been busy with work, late nights, early mornings, you know how it is!”
“Oh yes, and Charlie said you’ve left Bakers,” announced Lindsay. “What happened?”
“Yes, but I’m doing some temping, at Brookers actually and it’s a long story, Linds, but I will give you the low down another time. Maybe we should get together one night next week,” suggested Steph.
“Text me, but you know what you really need don’t you?” her friend asked now.
“I do!” whispered Jon teasingly.
“What do I need, Lindsay?” Steph was intrigued to hear what her friend might say as she chose to ignore Jon.
“A holiday, a girly holiday, just you and me,” she squealed, excited at the prospect.
“Really? I thought now that you are respectably married our girly holidays were over.” Steph laughed.
Lindsay returned her friend’s laughter. “No, I reckon we will be in our seventies and still sunning ourselves on some foreign beach in our bikinis.”
“Well, keep those photos out of my conference room,” said Jon seriously.
“What?” Charlie was confused by what he’d heard.
“Didn’t Steph tell you about her revealing her holiday snaps during a business meeting? Her and Lindsay in bikinis looking very relaxed and sexy,” he told everyone, his prompting Steph to explain and put it into perspective.
Steph madeher excuses to leave first and hoped that Jon wouldn’t rush after her to allow her some time to finish the work she wanted to. She had barely had enough time to make some coffee, turn her laptop on and take her seat at the table when she heard his key in the door.
He made his way into the room, honing in on her location where he stood behind her and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek gently. “You are looking seriously hot tonight!” he said making her smile.
“Thank you.” Hearing those words and knowing where Jon might take them, Steph gave a laugh before warning him, “Not a word about my appreciation of your kind words.”
He laughed too. “I promise. That was one hell of a long night, but we made a very attractive couple in the photos, don’t you think?”
“Yes, gorgeous. Maybe we should order one each and put them on our desks,” she suggested sarcastically.
“What a marvellous idea. Now I have a much better idea. Turn the computer off and come to bed.”
“No, I told you I wanted to do this and if you leave me alone I will get it done much sooner,” she replied.
“Right, I am going to bed to watch TV, but I will give you an hour and if you are not in bed next to me by then I am coming to get you,” he said, leaving her alone to work.
He returned exactlyan hour later and coughed to announce his arrival in the room.
“Sorry, just ten more minutes.”
“No, darling, no more minutes. It’s bedtime.” He was already pulling her to her feet.
