‘I guess I was just trying to make sense of it all,’ Amy muttered as stood there, letting Rachel hold on to her without returning the embrace.
Pulling away, Rachel smiled weakly at her. ‘You’ll be okay,’ Rachel insisted. ‘Besides, you were too good for him anyway.’
It was exactly as Amy had predicted it in the hallway when they had first got close to discussing the topic of her breakup.
‘Sure,’ Amy replied half-heartedly. Hopefully Rachel would realise that she didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
Seeming to accept Amy’s answer, Rachel returned to her stool. ‘This still doesn’t get you out of coming to the Halloween fair with us though,’ she said, trying to lighten the mood.
‘I’ll try,’ Amy lied as she sat down and refilled her glass again. She didn’t want to admit the fact that she had no intention of going to the Halloween fair with Rachel, Jack and their kids, at least not on her own.
Spending time with her sister she could handle but the husband and the kids now felt like a constant reminder of the life she would have been happy to have with Tom which was now gone. Why couldn’t Danny have left his number? Even a note would have been better than nothing.
For several minutes they both sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Out of the corner of her eye Amy saw Rachel glance at the clock on the wall, ‘I should get going,’ Rachel said as she stood up. ‘I imagine the house is a mess if the last time I left Jack alone with the kids is anything to go by.’
‘Of course,’ Amy said, snapping out of her thoughts about the night she had spent with Danny as she glanced at the clock. It was just past five. ‘I’ll let you know about Halloween.’
‘You know where I am if you want to talk about…you know,’ Rachel said. Clearly she was unsure if it was a good idea to mention Tom’s name again.
Grateful for her not bringing it up again, Amy nodded.
‘We really would like you to be there, I know the kids love seeing you,’ Rachel added as she picked up the thick green woollen coat she had been wearing when she had arrived.
‘I’ll try,’ Amy said with a weak smile.
‘Don’t forget about your parcel as well,’ Rachel said, tapping the red card before sliding it across the top of the work surface towards her.
‘I’ll do it on Monday,’ Amy assured her as she watched her sister button up her coat.
‘Do it tonight,’ she insisted. ‘You never know, you might find a hot delivery man who you can ask to accompany you to the Halloween fair,’ Rachel said with a wink. It always amazed Amy that, even though Rachel was married, when they were alone she was like the teenage girl who she had spent so much time with.
Laughing, Amy decided not to comment about the last delivery man she had seen.
After seeing Rachel out, Amy returned to the kitchen, picking up the nearly empty bottle of red wine. How had they got through that much in the time they had been sat there? How had she got through that much, she corrected herself as she thought about the conversation they had had about Tom. Emptying the rest of the bottle into her glass she sipped at it slowly, considering the card that sat in front of her, the phone number staring up at her.
The longer Amy looked at the phone number the more tempting it got to call it and find out what the mystery package was. That or the wine was making Rachel’s idea of finding a hot delivery man sound better. In the end she downed the last of the wine and snatched her phone off the side, punching in the number on the card.
Running her finger around the top of the glass absently she listened to the phone ring. On the fifth ring someone picked it up. ‘Hello?’ a man’s voice asked over what sounded like a television in the background. She couldn’t quite put her finger on the voice but it sounded familiar.
‘Hi,’ Amy replied quickly. ‘I got a card about a missed delivery earlier, it said to call this number to arrange a better time?’
‘Amy,’ asked the man.
‘Wait! Danny is that you?’ she asked hesitantly.
‘Yeah,’ he replied. ‘I’m surprised you called actually.’
‘I didn’t know it was your number,’ Amy said, suddenly feeling like she had to justify her call. ‘It said I missed a delivery.’
‘I wasn’t sure what to put, I didn’t know if you would call if I said it was my number,’ he replied sheepishly. ‘I was going to knock but I saw you had company.’
‘Yeah, I was with my sister. But what about the parcel, I don’t remember ordering anything recently?’
‘I know, perhaps I could bring it by sometime?’ he asked, suddenly sounding nervous.
‘I guess,’ Amy said hesitantly. ‘Tonight?’
‘Seven?’
‘Fine by me.’
‘Thanks,’ he said gratefully.
‘I’ll see you later then.’
‘Yeah, I’m glad you called.’
‘I’ll see you later,’ she repeated before she hung up. She couldn’t decide if she was glad that she had called or not. At least she would get this mystery parcel that she couldn’t remember ordering.
An hour and a half after she had hung up on Danny, Amy found herself pacing in the kitchen, another half full glass of wine in her hand as she watched the clock. In her head she was still trying to work out if she was glad she had called Danny. On one hand she couldn’t stop thinking about the last time he had been here. On the other, she remembered waking up and finding him gone without leaving a note.
Eventually, at almost ten past seven, the doorbell rang. Shaking herself out of her thoughts she smoothed the black dress she had put on after a lengthy shower. As much as she tried to deny dressing up especially for him she had to admit that it was one of her better fitting dresses.
Taking a deep breath she walked into the hallway, flicking the light switch on like she had earlier when she had found the card on the doormat.
Opening the door she found Danny standing there dressed in a smart white button down shirt and black jeans, one hand behind his back. As soon as he looked up his eyes raked over her dress. Suppressing a smile, Amy thanked her conscience for making her change out of the tatty jeans and baggy t-shirt she had been wearing earlier.
‘Hi,’ she said quietly as she stepped back to let him in, eyeing the hand that was still behind his back.
‘Hi,’ he replied with a smile as he accepted her invitation. ‘You look nice tonight, I wasn’t interrupting any of your plans was I?’
‘Thanks. No, not at all,’ she said quickly as she tried to catch a glimpse of what he was holding. ‘What was this about a parcel I missed then?’
‘About that, I felt bad about the other day and I sort of wanted to see you again so…’ he trailed off as he produced a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. They were a mixture of red roses and white lilies.
Unsure what to say, Amy simply stood and stared at them for longer than she probably should have. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Perhaps get some water for them before they die while you’re staring at them,’ Danny joked as he held them out to her.
Slowly she took the flowers from Danny, turning towards the kitchen. No one had brought her flowers before. Not even Tom in the two years that they had been together. Pushing the thoughts of Tom away, she walked back to the kitchen, finding a vase and filling it with water, vaguely aware that Danny was watching her.
What about Danny, she thought. What was she supposed to do? Yes she had enjoyed his company the week before but he had also left without a trace before she had woken up. Dropping the flowers into the water carefully she considered her options.
Turning to face him she found him grinning at her. Without thinking, she closed the space between them, slapping the grin off his face as hard as she could.
‘What was that for?’ he demanded as he backed away quickly.
‘For leaving without waking me up or leaving a not,’ Amy said sharply as she stepped towards him again.
Fearful that he was about
to be slapped again, Danny backed away until his back hit the side of the work surface behind him. Grabbing the front of his shirt she pulled him down, kissing him deeply. Still in shock, it was a moment before he responded as his hand found its way to the small of her back.
‘And that?’ he asked nervously.
‘For coming back,’ she whispered before she kissed him again. ‘And for buying me flowers,’ she added when they broke apart the second time.
‘You’re very welcome,’ he said as he ran a hand through his hair breathlessly.
‘No one has ever brought me flowers before,’ she said sadly as she considered the vase on the side.
‘Really?’
‘Nope.’
‘Have you been drinking?’ he asked as his eyes fell on the empty wine bottle on the side and the newly opened one beside it.
‘I was with my sister earlier, she was having a meltdown about what to get her kids for Christmas,’ Amy explained as she picked up the almost full bottle. ‘Wine?’
Nodding, he watched her pour two glasses of the white wine. ‘I didn’t know you had a sister,’ he said conversationally.
‘I didn’t know you would be gone in the morning,’ Amy snapped as she handed him one of the glasses.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said as he looked down at the wine ashamed. ‘I had to work and I didn’t want to wake you up.’
‘You still could have left a note,’ Amy pointed out between sips from her glass.
‘I thought about it,’ he said. ‘I’ve never really done that sort of thing before though. I didn’t know what to do to be honest.’
‘It’s all right, I’ll forgive you. I think,’ Amy said as she watched him look at everything except her. ‘It’s not something I’ve really done before either.’
Looking up at her, Danny smiled before finally taking a sip of the wine. ‘I wanted to leave a note as soon as I left,’ he said.
Smiling to herself, Amy nodded her head in the direction of the lounge. With him close behind she led the way, flicking on the light switch as she went past it.
‘I thought you hadn’t left a note because I was really bad,’ Amy admitted as she dropped down on to the sofa. ‘It had been a long time.’
Placing his glass down on the coffee table, Danny sat down beside her. ‘That was definitely not the reason,’ he laughed as he glanced at her thoughtfully. ‘I know you were saying last week that you had just got out of a relationship but I was wondering if you would let me take you out to dinner some time.’
‘I think I would like that,’ Amy agreed as she shuffled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Sighing, she breathed in the pine scent of his shirt. ‘After all, you have a lot to make up to me for leaving.’
‘Good,’ Danny replied, ignoring the comment about him leaving. ‘Any idea when that some time might be?’
‘How about we work it out later,’ Amy suggested as she ran her hand across his chest. Lifting her head, she grazed her lips lightly across the side of his neck.
Beneath her hand she felt him freeze momentarily. Smiling, she decided that she liked the effect she had on him. Encouraging him with another kiss on his neck she felt his arm slip around her back, pulling her into his lap.
Turning her head slightly she let him capture her lips with his own. She could taste the wine on his lips as she wound her arms around his neck. Maybe she was glad that she had called the number on the card after all.
When she felt his tongue brush against her lips, begging for entry, she pulled away, smiling at the small groan that escaped his lips. ‘I think that it’s time to start making up for the other day,’ she teased, capturing his lips for a split second before she pulled away again. Wriggling out of his grasp she swung her leg over his so that she sat straddling him. ‘Don’t you think?’
Silently he nodded as he tried to lean towards her. For a moment she allowed him to get closer before she placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back again.
As slowly as she could she leant forwards, closing the gap between them slightly. ‘Hands off,’ she instructed when he placed them on her hips, trying to pull her the remaining couple of inches between them. Reluctantly he let go. Smiling at his cooperation she closed the gap between them, kissing him deeply as she ran a hand through his hair.
Pulling away slowly she looked down at him. His eyes were still closed. For a moment she considered him. Rachel had been right, she might have found a hot delivery man. Smiling, she ran her hands across his chest, going to work on the buttons on his shirt. Slowly his eyes fluttered open, meeting hers intently.
‘I’m sorry I left,’ he said quietly as he reached up with one hand, uncertain if she was still playing her game.
Taken aback, Amy turned her head slightly, pressing her cheek into the palm of his hand. ‘It’s okay, I understand.’
Lifting her head from his hand again she returned her attention to the last couple of buttons on his shirt, pushing it back over his shoulders when it came undone. As he sat forwards slightly she helped him push the shirt off completely, throwing it on to the coffee table behind her without looking.
With a crash, the sound of breaking glass broke the silence in the room.
Twisting round in Danny’s lap she saw one of the wine glasses lying broken, its contents slowly spreading across the glass coffee table. ‘Damn it,’ she muttered as she made to get up. She didn’t get very far though as Danny pulled her back down into his lap.
‘We’ll clear it up later,’ he said as he pulled her flush against him.
‘That sounds like a good idea,’ she muttered despite sparing the glass and its spilt contents one more glance.
‘I do have good ideas occasionally,’ Danny said proudly as he ran a hand through her brown hair.
‘The flowers were a good idea,’ she admitted as she returned to tracing a finger across his toned chest.
‘I was thinking more of the delivery card.’
‘Hmm,’ Amy murmured as she kissed his neck below his ear. ‘What if I hadn’t called the number though?’ she whispered in his ear.
‘You did though,’ he breathed as his hand pushed at the bottom of her dress.
‘I’m glad I did,’ Amy replied, capturing his lips again.
This time when he kissed her back she didn’t pull away teasingly. Tracing her tongue across his bottom lip she waited for him to grant her entrance. Almost instantly she felt his tongue flick against hers playfully as his hand abandoned its attempt to slip under her dress, his fingers content to trace patterns on her thigh instead.
Momentarily his lips disappeared from hers before they reappeared on her neck, leaving a fire blazing trail as he nipped gently at her skin. Moaning quietly she buried her head in his shoulder, allowing him better access to her neck. Barely able to focus on anything outside of the feeling of the searing kisses that he was trailing down her neck, she ran across his jeans. They definitely seemed a lot tighter now, she though with a smile.
Her fingers hadn’t even been able to find the button on his jeans before his hand finally found its way under the bottom of her dress that had been pulled tight over her legs as she straddled him. With a gasp she felt his finger brush the inside of her thigh. It seemed like her plan for teasing him had backfired on her.
‘Danny,’ she moaned quietly, kissing his neck to show her approval as his hand moved further up her thigh.
As if her moan had encouraged him, his other hand found its way under her dress, pushing it up over her legs. With his eager hands helping, Amy pulled the dress over her head, casting it on to the floor in a heap.
Looking down at Danny she saw him drinking in the sight of her in her matching black underwear. Her subconscious had definitely been planning this long before she had, she thought wryly. Not that she minded one bit. Grinding her hips on his teasingly she watched his eyes close, his warm hand appearing at the small of her back, pulling her closer.
‘God, Amy,’ he hissed as she kissed his neck, nipping at the tender ski
n.
‘Yes Danny?’ she asked as innocently as she could considering she was sat on his lap half naked.
‘You’re driving me crazy,’ he breathed.
‘What are you going to do about it?’
In an instant his arms were around her, lifting her off his lap. ‘I don’t know,’ he said as he dumped her on to her back on the sofa, appearing above her, his lips only a couple of inches from hers. ‘What do you think I should do?’
‘Show me how sorry you are for leaving,’ Amy teased, promising herself that it was the last time she would mention it as she undid the button on his jeans, trying to push them down with great difficulty. When they barely moved she gave up, deciding to slide her hand down his jeans instead. With his lips on her neck she heard him moan as her fingers brushed against him.
Pulling away he reached behind her, unclasping her bra. In one fluid motion he pulled it off of her, tossing it aside. Leaning forwards again he kissed his way down her neck and across her chest. It was Amy’s turn to moan as his tongue flicked playfully at one of her nipples, his other hand trailing across her stomach.
Grabbing his hand with her own she forced it down as she decided he was taking too long. Arching her back she allowed him to remove the last offending piece of clothing from her. Taking her hand away from his she slipped it down the front of his open jeans, taking him in her hand again. With great difficulty she managed to free him from the jeans at last.
Lifting his chin with one finger she kissed him desperately as one of his hands roamed across her body, finally settling where she wanted him most. Moaning against his lips she knotted the fingers of her free hand through his hair, pulling him closer.
‘Danny!’ she gasped as she felt one of his fingers slip inside her gently. Burying her head in his shoulder she breathed in the pine scent she had smelt on his shirt earlier. When his hand had settled on a teasingly slow rhythm she hooked her legs around him, pulling him closer, forcing his finger that little bit deeper inside her.
Kissing him feverishly she felt her climax creeping up on her when, suddenly, his hand disappeared, the kiss breaking as he pulled away. Whimpering, Amy opened her eyes. Before she could grab him and drag him back to her she realised that he was shaking off the jeans that she had been struggling with earlier, his boxers going with them she noted as she watched him intently.
The Special Delivery: Complete Collection Page 3