Calling All Dentists (Calling All... Book 2), page 8
“Go Ruby!” shouted Darren, strolling over with Amanda hanging off his arm and the remaining girls from the shop floor in tow, staggering behind them. The girls formed a circle with Pete, around Ruby, and squealed to Amanda and Darren to join them.
“Come on Emma, join in,” said Darren before he was dragged off by his blonde attachment.
“Is that your friend?” a voice asked from behind Emma. Turning swiftly on her heels, Emma recognised the distinctive voice.
“Yes,” she replied in a quivery murmur, “I think she’s had too much to drink.” As a rush of saliva filled her mouth, Emma realised her jaw had dropped open and snapped it shut tightly.
“Looks like she’s enjoying herself,” he smiled warmly, “May I join you in a dance?” Speechless, Emma could only nod her head as he took her hand and led her in a jive dance.
“Can I buy you a drink?” Andrew asked, when the tempo of the music began to change, “This is thirsty work.”
“Yes… err… thank you.” In a daze, Emma followed Andrew to the bar. She looked back at Ruby who was oblivious to anything – apart from Pete. The newly acquainted dance partners had joined together again and danced side by side in the expanding circle of Webb’s staff. Emma was amazed by Ruby’s stamina and her ability not to fall over in her drunken state.
Andrew introduced himself as they approached the bar queue, “My name’s Andrew, what can I get you to drink?”
“Emma… I mean… Baileys.” Andrew looked puzzled, “My name’s Emma.”
“Emma Bailey?” He smiled.
“No, sorry, I mean could I have a Baileys please. Sorry… thank you.”
“Oh!” laughed Andrew, “Your name’s Emma and you’d like a Baileys. Is that right?”
Wanting to kick herself for sounding totally foolish, Emma replied, “Yes… please… I mean… thank you.”
“Follow me we’ll go round that way,” he said pointing in the direction of the end of the bar. Grabbing her by the hand, Andrew led the way around a large group of people who were standing around talking. Emma followed, clutching his big hand and unable to believe her luck. What this incredibly gorgeous hunk saw in her, she really didn’t know, but even if there was an ulterior and probably sexual motive to his interests, it was fun just to go along with it for now.
Pulling his wallet from his back pocket, Andrew paid for the drinks and handed a large glass of Baileys to Emma. “Doubled it up, saves keep coming back and queuing up again,” he said and then winked at her.
“Thanks again,” gulped Emma before she took a sip. Her heart felt like it was in her throat and she would have liked to knock the whole drink back in one go, just to calm her nerves that had switched to high alert from the adrenaline rushing through her veins.
“Boo!” giggled Ruby, having sneaked up behind Emma. Pete tagged along beside her, breathless and red-faced.
“Oh, you made me jump,” said Emma, slightly relieved to see her friend. Her pumping heart couldn’t cope with the handsome man standing in front of her and she needed a distraction just long enough to down her drink, to evoke calm and courage.
After some friendly introductions, Ruby and Pete went off to the bar and Emma realised that, at long last, Pete was totally over his infatuation with her. He hadn’t batted an eyelid when she introduced Andrew to him. In fact, Pete was so boss-eyed over Ruby in her red dress that Emma thought she could have been standing there naked and he wouldn’t have blinked an eye. He had a new infatuation and Emma prayed it would last for both of their sakes.
The band played their final song and a rapturous applause filled the hall as the musicians waved and nodded their appreciation of the accolade and then left the stage. Just moments later, a refreshingly young DJ took to the stage and captured his audience with a cheeky grin and a raucous roar of, “ARE YOU READY?” Nodding his head to the dancers on the floor below him, the energetic man turned to his partner at the mixing deck, signaled with a nod to start and then turned back to the front, “LET’S P…A…R…T…Y!”
After copious amounts of Baileys, too much dancing, introductions to almost everyone who still remained from Webb’s DIY Store and polite acknowledgement of the four women Andrew had been with previously, Emma and Andrew went to sit down at the Webb’s table with Ruby and Pete.
Darren and Amanda had disappeared somewhere and the four other ‘giggle-girls’ were flirting outrageously with some very drunk men around the dance floor.
The DJ’s two hour slot was coming to an end and the music had now slowed down to some classic smooches. “Come on,” said Ruby, grabbing a permanently stunned Pete by the wrist and whisking him off to the dance floor again.
Emma and Andrew laughed together as they watched Ruby fling her arms over Pete’s shoulders and kiss him on the cheek with a force so strong that she might as well have punched him in the face. Having spent the last couple of hours dancing with Emma and her friends, it was obvious that Andrew was becoming accustomed to his new acquaintances and Emma hoped that he wouldn’t be able to help but like them.
“Do you want to dance?” asked Andrew in a, ‘please-come-to-bed-with-me’ voice.
Emma’s alcohol addled mind had now given her the confidence to feel calm about how sexy he was, how handsome he was and how shag-able he was. She was just going to enjoy it while it lasted.
“Yes, ok,” she replied, nervously but excited by the thought that she would now get some much closer contact with him.
He was good. He moved slowly and seductively to the romantic music, holding Emma tightly around the waist. His hips writhed as he pushed them into hers, and his hot breath gently caressed her face. Emma was in heaven on the dance floor. Smooching with the best looking man in the grand hall, she thought she was dreaming as he held her close. Provocative in his movements yet courteous and civilised, Andrew’s demeanor swept her away into a dizzy haze of heightened emotions. Sensually stepping around the other couples on the floor, Emma briefly glanced across to see Ruby and Pete in a tight embrace, almost eating each other’s faces off as they kissed awkwardly and erratically. Looking up to Andrew, she smiled as she noticed that he too was watching her friends’ inexperienced display of affection.
The evening had come to an end and Emma wondered what would happen now they had all made their way out of the hall, collected their coats and were standing outside waiting for taxis with dozens of other people.
Ruby and Pete had turned into a pair of love-struck teenagers and waited at the back of a queue, holding hands and gazing into each other’s bleary eyes.
Andrew had disappeared for a short while to say goodbye to his colleagues before rejoining Emma and escorting her out to the taxi queue. “I know this is going to sound really cheesy but do you want to come back to mine for a coffee?” he asked, before putting an arm around Emma’s waist and pulling her in to him.
“Err… yes… ok, I mean, why not. Just for a quickie. Oh my God, I didn’t mean like that. I meant a quick coffee,” she replied just before he lowered his head down to hers and kissed her gently on the lips. It was like an electric shock as his firm lips pressed onto hers for what seemed like an eternity but was actually only a brief moment. “I… I need to talk to Rue… Ruby,” stuttered Emma as her heart pounded in her chest and her cheeks flushed.
Emma pulled away and headed over to Ruby but just as she approached the love-birds, Ruby said, with a slur, “Do you mind if Pete comes back to ours for a coffee?” Emma struggled to recognise her friend’s new extrovert personality and wondered if it would last through to the morning and in fact, how was Ruby going to feel about everything in the cold light of a new day?
“No, that’s fine. You beat me to it – I was just going to tell you that I’m going back to Andrew’s place for a coffee, so I’ll be home later. Don’t leave the key in the front door if you lock it. I won’t be able to get in,” said Emma, unsure whether Ruby had actually taken in anything she had just said.
Pete nodded in acknowledgement, “I’ll look after her, and don’t worry, you won’t get locked out.”
“I don’t live far from here, do you want to walk?” Andrew said before he turned and smiled at Pete. “Can I give you my address and phone number, just so you know where I’m taking her?” he said directly to Pete as if he was snatching Pete’s daughter away from him. Emma admired the low tone of his voice which seemed to get sexier with every word he spoke.
“No, I’m sure she’ll be fine. Won’t you Em?” Pete had put on his ‘responsibility’ voice, “Give us a call if you need us.” He attempted to wink at her but ended up contorting his face in to a screwed up, silly looking mess.
Emma grinned sarcastically, pecked Ruby on the cheek (not that she noticed) and then linked arms with Andrew.
“Shall we go?” Andrew breathed on to the top of her head.
“Yes sure,” she replied, excitedly, “I’ll have to hold onto your arm, these shoes are killing me.”
Waving goodbye to Ruby and Pete, Emma set off with Andrew. Further along the taxi queue the girly gang of gigglers and Dave were waiting at the front, where they were chatting to a new group of young men as Emma passed by them unnoticed. Darren and Amanda were nowhere to be seen.
Into the cold night air, which was already forming crystals of ice on the parked cars along the way, Emma tottered along the quiet roads with Andrew as he spoke softly about her rather unusual friends, Ruby and Pete. Emma was unsure of where she was going or who she was going with, after all she hardly knew Andrew. However, at this present moment, foolishly or not, it didn’t matter and she didn’t care.
Chapter 7
Just a five minute walk through the sleeping streets and Emma had arrived at the apartment block where the gorgeous man she was hanging on to, presumably lived. The frosty air sent shivers through her as she waited for Andrew to unlock the wide, front door.
“Come in, I live at the top. Sorry we’ve got two flights of stairs to climb,” he whispered, while pointing up the stairs. Turning to Emma, he cupped her face in his cold palms and kissed her lips gently but briefly, before reaching for her hand and guiding her toward the stairs.
The foyer of the large Victorian building smelt fresh and clean. A small vase of plastic orchids and a black, mesh letter rack sat on an old, wooden table underneath an ornate, gold and green mirror. Emma’s first impression was – posh, unlike the flat she shared with Ruby, which was very basic and in a very plain looking building.
“Take your shoes off if you want to. Make yourself comfortable while I get the coffee.”
The freshness of the late night brisk walk had increased Emma’s groggy, drunken state as she slipped her shoes off and looked around the small apartment.
Tastefully decorated, the small lounge/diner had been well thought out and it seemed that every piece of quality furniture had been made to measure. At one side of the room was a large, curved leather sofa which could comfortably seat four people. The luxurious white leather contrasted against a deep pile, black rug on the floor. A grey marble fireplace, housing an ornamental black stallion, raised up on hind legs, was a spectacular focal point. A small, unassuming television stood on a low, grey, marble table in the background, on the opposite side.
Glancing up through her blurry eyes, Emma noticed a wide mirror above the fireplace and stared at herself, checking that she still looked the best she possibly could – under the circumstances. In her alcohol induced state, she decided she looked ok and even if it was poor judgement now, she’d got this far so she couldn’t look that bad.
“Do you want plain or Irish coffee?” asked Andrew, poking his head around the door.
“Oh, Irish would be nice. Thank you.”
“Sit down, make yourself at home,” said Andrew before disappearing again.
Settling herself down into the soft, enveloping leather of the sofa, Emma curled her legs up and snuggled into its deep richness. The warmth in the room suddenly made her feel cosy and tired. Her eyelids began to feel heavy and she struggled to keep them open. Adamant that she was not going to fall asleep or do anything that might jeopardise this potentially blossoming relationship, Emma pulled herself back up and wandered through to the kitchen where Andrew stood gazing out of a small, curtain-less, window while waiting for the kettle to boil.
“Nice place,” she said, smiling tightly.
“Yeah it’s not bad. Cost a small fortune though.”
“Oh,” said Emma, surprised, “You own it then?”
“Yes, well I own a mortgage.” Andrew laughed, “Sugar?”
“Err… yes, two please, thanks,” she replied, trying to keep her eyes fixed to the back of his head and not his buttocks, which were perfectly round, under his trousers.
The Irish coffees were done and Andrew picked them up, at the same time signaling with a nod of his head, to go back through to the lounge,
“You’re quite small when you take your shoes off,” he said with a smile, as he carried the coffee through. Emma followed, suddenly feeling ‘quite small’ in comparison to his height of at least six foot, she guessed.
“Well I suppose anyone would be, compared to you. How tall are you? You must be six foot at least.” Emma laughed.
“Six, two.”
“There you are then. I’m average height, so it’s not me being small, it’s you being tall.” Emma smiled and then sat down next to him.
As he passed her coffee over, their fingers touched. Another electric shock, sent shivers through Emma’s over-sensitive body, “But we’d be the same size in bed wouldn’t we?” Emma squirmed as the realisation of what she’d said dawned on her. “I mean… err… sorry, I didn’t mean to say that,” she tried to giggle it off, “Ignore me, I must be drunk.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Andrew stroked her hair away from her face, aware that she felt uncomfortable. Leaning towards her, he took the mug from her hand, placed it on the table and then kissed her coffee-moist lips softly. Slowly, his lips teased hers to open slightly, just enough for their rapid breaths to merge into one. Tingling sensations raced through Emma’s body, reaching out to every erogenous zone she had, with a feather like touch. Her heart beat quickened as they remained entranced by the mutual movements of their warm lips.
In the cool darkness of the bedroom, Andrew slowly began to unzip her dress while Emma continued to kiss his mouth softly. As the dress fell to the floor, Andrew’s hands cupped her small shoulders and pulled her even closer to him, before embracing her completely in his arms.
Vulnerable to his charms, wearing just her underwear and stockings, Emma began to undo the buttons of his crisp shirt – which smelt of a musky, sensuous cologne – revealing a strong and smooth muscular chest underneath.
Releasing his embrace, Andrew shook the shirt from his back, loosened his trouser belt and pulled it away, dropping it to the floor. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered as his mouth caressed her neck and shoulders.
Emma’s heightened state of euphoria, turned her legs into quivering, useless limbs and she sat down on the bed behind her.
Pulling his trousers off, Andrew gently pushed her further back on to the bed and lay down beside her, stroking her stomach and kissing her hard on the lips. Easing her over on to one side, he unclipped her bra and teased a strap away from her shoulder. “I want you,” he breathed into her ear, his gravelly voice deeper than before. He removed the other strap and pulled her bra away.
Emma’s eyes rolled – her thoughts and emotions fizzed and bubbled as she began to writhe with pleasure. This gentle, naked man had straddled her with his muscular legs.
His strong arms supported his weight as he took in the beauty of her flesh in the dim light.
Disrobed and willing, Emma desperately waited in anticipation as he sensually touched her lips with his own. Breathing in the warm, sexually scented air, Emma gasped as she felt the pressure inside her and the throb of Andrew’s gentle and slow advance. Then they were one, moving together rhythmically, until an explosive end.
“Actually it was all three of us if you really must know Emma,” said Dave defensively, pacing up and down on the hard wearing office carpet. Emma was speechless and could only stare with her mouth slightly open.
“We didn’t know what else to do. Thought you might get the hint this way,” said Jeff, shuffling in his chair uncomfortably and looking to Colin for back up, as usual.
“Well, for Christ’s sake Emma, how long were you going to carry this on for?” Colin moaned, “This Company has a reputation to keep.”
“Yeah and we don’t want manky looking birds like you letting the team down, do we?” added Dave.
Burning tears welled up in her eyes but Emma remained silent as the lump in her throat began to choke her.
“Sort yourself out for God’s sake Emma,” Colin groaned whilst rubbing his creased forehead, vigorously.
“Yeah, you look freaking horrendous girl.” Standing directly in front of her, Dave’s piercing eyes stared deep into hers as Emma began to shed many tears of shock and disbelief at the cruelness of her colleagues.
Then the office carpet began to melt away underneath Emma’s feet, into the deep, dark lagoon…
Sweaty and shaken, Emma jolted awake and took a moment to adjust her eyes to the bright winter sunshine, sifting in through thin, cotton curtains. Instantly her head rattled as she tried to move it – too much alcohol the previous night. It had been just a dream. Another horrible nightmare about her teeth. She lay still in the big bed and thought about the terrifying dream for a moment, trying to make some sense of it. There were no clues and she still didn’t know who had given her the secret presents. It was playing on her mind far more than she realised.
Lying under a strange duvet, naked and warm, Emma looked around the room, hazily recalling the previous night’s events. Gathering all her erratic thoughts together, she remembered where she was and who she was with. Her mind spun round and round in a balmy muse and images of the erotic experience she had indulged in. And where was Andrew? Was it real? Was he really that gorgeous and hunky or had the bountiful Baileys tainted her judgement and vision?
