Danny checked his watch as the cab arrived outside the bar; only 5 minutes late which wasn't bad considering how many times he had changed his mind about what he was going to wear. He paid the driver and headed inside feeling his stomach churning in anticipation of the evening to come, in a way it hadn't since his teenage years.
The bar was only just starting to fill up with the Saturday night crowd and so he had no difficulty in spotting Martin; he was relieved to see that Ellie and Sam hadn't arrived yet. He slid onto the bar stool next to Martin who looked around grinning and pushed a drink toward him
'Club soda OK for you?'
'Great, thanks' he took another look around, 'the girls not here yet?'
'Sam called about 5 minutes ago; apparently they're running late, something to do with shoes I think; she said they'd be another half an hour'
Danny grinned at the slightly baffled look on Martin's face as he continued, 'I never could understand that, she's got about 100 pairs of the damned things but never seems to have a pair to go with what she wants to wear'
Danny shrugged, 'can't help you with that one, I've never understood this weird relationship women seem to have with shoes' he sat back in his seat and looked curiously at Martin
'So how are you and Sam getting on these days?'
Martin stared at him for a moment then shook his head slightly, 'to tell the truth I don't know. We sort of got past the break up and I'd have said we were really good friends now but its felt different this week…………well, she's been different this week, almost as if she's flirting with me….' his voice trailed away and he had a perplexed look on his face that had Danny laughing
Martin stared at him, an expression of amused annoyance on his face
'What?'
'Martin, you don't think that maybe she's trying to let you know that she wants to give it another go?'
Danny watched the expression on Martin's face and could tell that this wasn't a totally new idea to him
'Well, if I'm honest, it has crossed my mind a couple of times………….'
Danny looked at him surprised; he had always thought that Martin still felt strongly for Sam and would like another chance to make their relationship work, but he didn't look that enthusiastic at the moment
'And you don't want to give it another go?'
Martin sighed, 'when we got together last time I think it was because she knew Jack was going to Chicago and………' he shrugged his shoulders, 'now he's about to be a father again and suddenly she's acting as if she wants to get back together……and I guess I'm wondering if it's got more to do with Jack than how she feels about me, you know, she maybe sees me as some sort of 'safe' option'
They sat in silence for a moment while Danny thought about what Martin had said; he had to admit, in Martin's shoes, he would probably think the same, still…………
'What if it isn't that? I mean Sam is a smart woman and this doesn't strike me as a knee jerk reaction to a change in Jack's circumstances; she's had a lot of time to think about this and it isn't like she doesn't know what to expect'
Martin looked confused, 'what do you mean 'it isn't like she doesn't know what to expect'?'
'OK, well leaving aside the issue of Jack, can I take it that you still love her?' Danny looked at Martin who hesitated then nodded; 'and if you knew she wanted to get back together because she loves you, that it isn't driven by her feelings about Jack's situation, would you want to give it another go too? Martin nodded again, a wary look on his face
Danny lent his elbow on the bar, 'in that case she must know that you would want everything out in the open this time, no hiding the relationship from everyone, so if she's prepared to accept that I would say that her wanting to get back together has nothing to do with Jack and everything to do with how she feels about you'
Martin stared at him suspiciously 'has she said anything to you about wanting us to get back together?'
Danny sighed and patted Martin on the arm, 'Marty, Marty, she doesn't have to say anything. Ellie worked out that something was going on and she doesn't even know your history…or rather she didn't' Danny raised an eyebrow, a grin on his face, 'I wouldn't bet that after a day's shopping Sam hasn't confided in her'
He watched as Martin sat staring into space, fiddling with a coaster. Eventually he looked at Danny, a frown on his face
'So what do I do?'
Danny shrugged, 'Well that sort of depends on what you want to happen' Martin was looking at him blankly so he continued, 'you know, do you want to try again or would you rather stay as friends'
Martin was biting his lip, a thoughtful look on his face; Danny sighed, he really couldn't see the problem. Either he wanted to give it another go; in which case he had to give Sam the opportunity to tell him that she wanted to try again, or he had to tell her himself, or, if he didn't want to give it another go, he needed to let her know as gently as possible that it wasn't going to happen.
'Do you think you could distract Ellie for a while when we get to the club and give Sam and me a chance to talk?'
Danny started to laugh, remembering the conversation at the coffee machine a couple of days earlier. He saw Martin look at him as if he was slightly mad and managed to control himself and say casually
'Sure, I'll ask her to dance or something' hmmm, best not to think of the something until later……….hopefully
He realized that he hadn't sounded as casual as he had intended when he saw the smirk on Martin's face
'What?'
'Come on Danny, it would be obvious to a dead man that you like Ellie. Admittedly she's harder to read, but I'd say she likes you too so don't try and make it sound like you're doing me a favour when you say you'll ask her to dance...'
Martin's voice trailed away and he stood up staring at the door. Danny swung around and followed Martin's gaze to where he could see Ellie and Sam walking into the bar.
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'So what do you think?' Sam looked anxiously at Ellie
She was wearing a scarlet dress that clung to every curve, and a pair of killer high heels. Ellie laughed at the look on her face 'I think Martin will think he's died and gone to heaven'
Sam grinned wryly; 'I hope so' Ellie saw another anxious look flit across her face and decided to cut off the words she knew were coming
'Look, you know you want to give it another go and its obvious he still likes you a lot so you've got to tell him how you feel; chances are he feels the same' Ellie started to laugh, 'Anyway, if he's not sure now he damn well will be when he sees you in that dress'
Ellie saw Sam nod, a more determined look on her face; she smiled; 'Come on otherwise we are going to be even later than we said'
As she turned to go she caught sight of Sam's face in the mirror; her expression was now one of amusement;
'What's that look for?' Ellie checked quickly to make sure her dress wasn't caught up at the back
Sam's face now wore a smile of Cheshire cat proportions; 'you know, much as I want to see if Martin likes this dress, I think I'm going to enjoy watching Danny's face when he sees you in that………particularly when he sees the back'
Ellie laughed and looked at her reflection in the mirror; the deep blue colour of her dress made it less 'in your face' than the dress Sam had on, but it clung in all the right places and the sober colour was more than made up for by the plunging back…………
Ellie smiled, 'well, if we get going you wont have to wait too long to see what he thinks will you?'
They arrived at the bar and headed inside to find Danny and Martin. 'Can you see them?' Sam was scanning the crowd
Ellie searched the bar room; she saw Martin before she saw Danny and knew that he had spotted Sam, the pole axed look on his face told her that. She looked behind him and saw Danny stand up and look over in their direction……………..their eyes met and she saw him take in the dress in one swift all encompassing look and watched as a slow appreciative smile appeared on his face.
She glanced at Sam but she was just staring at Martin, oh god I hope that they sort things out tonight because if they dont it is not going to be much fun working with these two next week………
She prodded Sam gently to get her to start walking toward Martin and Danny………
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They ended up staying at the bar for over an hour before heading across the street to the club. The line to get in was long but Danny spoke to the doorman and they quickly found themselves ushered in.
Once they were inside Martin felt a gentle tug on his arm and turning, saw Danny wink at him; he watched as Danny bent his head toward Ellie. whispering something to her. Martin was momentarily distracted from thinking about Sam by the expression on Ellie's face and wished he could hear what it was Danny had said to her. She stared at Danny for a moment then turned to Sam and said something before following Danny toward the dance floor.
Martin bent his head closer to Sam, breathing in her perfume
'Do you want to dance?'
She smiled at him; 'Not yet, let's get a drink and find a table upstairs'
Martin nodded and followed her toward the bar, his mind working furiously. All evening he had been unable to take his eyes off her in that red dress but he had managed to retain enough of his senses to notice how she kept her body turned toward him, how she looked right into his eyes when she spoke to him and how she had smiled that smile, the smile she used to smile at him when they were together. Now, when they were on their own, she wanted them to go upstairs, where it was quieter; he offered up a silent prayer that Danny was right and that he hadn't been mis-reading the signs……………..
They found a table with a view of the dance floor; Martin poured them both a glass of wine and for a moment there was an awkward silence. Martin stared down at the dance floor; watching, fascinated, as Danny and Ellie moved in time to the music and to each other.
'Wow, they really dance well together' he turned his head at the sound of her voice and saw that Sam was as fascinated as he was
'Want a bet that they'll end up in bed together by the end of tonight?' Martin cursed himself silently as soon as the words left his mouth and looked quickly at Sam to see her reaction, expecting that she would be angry or disgusted; instead she looked at him thoughtfully with an expression in her eyes he couldn't quite pin down...
'Actually no, I'd rather know what odds you're offering on us ending up in bed together before the end of the night'
Martin choked on the mouthful of wine he had just taken. When he had managed to swallow it he stared at her in amazement
'Did you just ask me…………..' she raised an eyebrow at him, he fell silent, utterly unable to form a coherent response
She lent forward; 'Martin, I've been trying to think of how to ask you this…….I mean, tell you this………….' She looked at him, frustration etched on her face as she struggled to find the words she needed to let him know how she felt, what she wanted. She stood up and he found himself on his feet too, not sure why………
She stepped toward him, closing the distance between them, an almost angry look on her face. She reached out, putting her hand on his chest and then stepping closer still, so that he could feel the heat emanating from her;
'I love you, I want you and unless you can think of a reason why not within the next 10 seconds, I intend to have you'
The look in her eyes made his knees almost buckle; he snaked one arm around her waist and slid the other through her hair.
'Your time is up' she spoke softly, slipping her arms around his neck; Martin didn't wait to hear any more, he lowered his face and captured her lips with his, feeling her arms tighten around his neck as she molded her body to his..
The kiss was soft, gentle; he pulled back for a moment; 'Sam if we do this it can't be like last time….' He didn't get the chance to finish before she spoke
'Martin, you can send an inter company memo announcing that we are together if you want to; I don't want it to be like last time, I don't want to hide, I love you and I want to be with you'
He stared at her, seeing the fierce look in her eyes as she desperately tried to convince him that she meant every word
He kissed her again, but this time there was nothing gentle about the kiss as their tongues tangled and their bodies pressed closer; Martin wasn't aware of anything other than the feel of Sam in his arms and the growing need to get closer still.
They broke apart and Martin could feel his heart racing as they stared at each other
'Do you want a drink?' she shook her head; 'Dance?' she shook her head again, a faintly pitying look on her face and he raised his eyebrows in mock surprise
She lent toward him; 'get your coat stud, you've pulled……………….'
In the cab the kissing became frantic as both were feeling the need to get closer; as they arrived outside Martin's apartment Sam pulled back suddenly
'We didn't let Ellie and Danny know we were leaving'
Martin forced himself to concentrate for a moment, instead of fantasizing about what he intended to do as soon as the front door was closed, and laughed; 'I really don't think they are going to miss us….'
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He was aware of the looks they were getting and he was honest enough to admit to himself that he liked that other men were staring at her, wanting her. The heat was rising between them as they danced and she teased him with her eyes, her hands, her body……….as the music faded she stepped forward placing a hand on his chest;
'I need a drink'
He nodded and he followed her as they headed for the bar, enjoying the sight of her naked back and the way her hips swayed as she walked
'What do you want to drink?' he had to bend close so that she could hear him
'Water'
He looked curiously at her but turned to the bar tender and ordered the drinks. He turned back but she was facing away from him, staring up at the balcony where Sam and Martin were locked in each others arms;
He bent toward her, placing his mouth next to her ear; 'Looks like they managed to sort things out'.
She turned her head slightly and he could see her lips curve into a smile. He was suddenly aware of how close she was and felt an overwhelming desire to reach out and touch the silky soft skin on her back. She turned her head slightly further toward him, as if she knew what he was thinking and desire triumphed………
He reached out and placed his index finger at the base of her neck and slowly let it run down her spine to the small of her back, feeling her shiver at his touch. He watched, his arousal growing, as he saw her close her eyes, part her lips slightly and tilt her head back. She leaned against him and he slipped an arm around her waist as he bent down and brushed his lips against the base of her throat feeling the hitch in her breathing as his mouth grazed her skin.
She turned to face him, her eyes black with desire and raised her face, her lips slightly parted, inviting him to kiss her. He lowered his face, his lips almost touching hers as he murmured
'Time to go'
He saw her eyes widen in surprise then she slowly nodded and turned and he followed her to the door. As they emerged onto the street Danny could see Sam and Martin leaving in a cab, too busy with each other to notice anything or anyone else.
They stood for a moment then he felt Ellie take his hand and pull him in the direction of the rank of cabs across the street
'Wait'; Danny had been fantasizing about kissing her since he had picked her up at the airport four days previously and didn't intend to wait a minute longer
She stared at him in surprise
He pulled her to him, one hand around her waist, the other cupping her jaw and he saw the understanding flare in her eyes; she leaned closer and he brushed her mouth with his and felt her press closer, searching for more
He kissed the corners of her mouth, first the left side then the right, teasing her like she had teased him on the dance floor. He brushed her lips with his again and felt them open enticingly as she emitted a soft moan
He kissed her again, teasing her tongue with his and hearing her moan again; he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her slowly……….deeply.
He could feel her arms around him, her hands had slid under his shirt and he could feel her fingers dig into the muscles on his back; the passion between them was intensifying and he could feel himself on the edge of losing control; he pulled back and saw in her eyes that she was feeling the same
'Your apartment is closer' the huskiness of her voice was accentuated and he felt another wave of desire run through him. He took her by the hand and pulled her to the nearest cab.
The cab ride to his apartment passed in a haze of kissing and touching with Danny having to fight to stay in control, so great was the desire now to be close to her, be inside of her, to lose himself in her. He had no idea how they got from the cab to his apartment, he was only aware that they had arrived when they were outside of his front door.
Inside, he bolted the door without breaking off from kissing her; kissing that was now charged with something more as they were finally alone.
He felt her hands start to frantically unbutton his shirt as he kicked off his shoes; he broke the kiss for a moment, his forehead resting against hers as he stared into the blackness of her eyes. He slid his hands slowly over her body feeling her reponse as she arched against him. He found what he was looking for and slowly began to un zip her dress as their mouths melded together again. He felt her hand drop to his waistband and he groaned as he felt her undo his belt, her hand brushing against his erection………….
The ringing of the phone pierced Danny's consciousness and he felt Ellie hesitate for a moment;
'Ignore it, work would call on the cell phone' he struggled to speak coherently
She laughed shakily and pressed herself against him as he kissed her again; he started to ease the straps of her dress from her shoulders;
The phone stopped ringing; Danny heard the unmistakable click of the answer service and they both froze as they heard a woman's voice crying hysterically
'Danny………Danny, oh god Danny, please be there, please pick up the phone………….'