I'm off for minor surgery tomorrow so might be a bit slow on the updates sorry!
"Will you answer the call?" he laughed as she checked the screen, rolled her eyes and closed the cover on her cell phone again.
"I can't" she said. "It's Jo, and she's trying to video call. She's going to want to know where I am and what I'm doing out of bed?"
"Tell her where you are, just not who you're with! She's not going to stop calling, you know?" he said looking over at her. "Just reassure her that you're not going to be out of bed for long" he laughed.
"Neil Melendez! I'm shocked" she said laughing out loud. He raised an eyebrow. "I know, I know" she sighed. "I'll answer the next one, I promise. Turn the radio off though, she'll recognise your crappy music taste straight away" she said with a smile. They'd had a healthy debate as they started out from San Jose based on what music they would listen to for the hour-long car ride. With Neil finally playing the 'my car, my music' card they were tuned in to some Country station despite her protestations. Currently playing was an old George Stait track which made her smile only because of the way Neil mumbled along with the lyrics. If Jo heard that, there would be no hiding who she was with.
The phone rang again and this time she sat a little more upright in her seat, straightened her hair a bit and answered with a sheepish smile.
"Hi" she smiled.
"Don't you 'hi' me! Where have you been?!" Jo exclaimed. "Why haven't you been answering your phone?"
"I've been busy" Audrey smiled. "I'm sorry."
"So you should be" Jo huffed. "I was going to start calling Neil next to go over and check you were alive!"
"I'm fine, I'm alive" she smiled, watching her friends face relax as it sank in that she really was okay. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."
"Where are you Aud?" Jo asked, frowning a little. "You're not at home? You're meant to be resting."
"I'm just taking a couple of nights away" she replied. "Just heading out of town for a bit."
"With who? Your not driving, I can see out of your window. You're in the passenger seat" she said accusingly.
"It's fine, Sherlock! It's just a friend" she said cringing inwardly and darting her eyes towards to Neil to try and gauge his reaction.
He was focused on the road ahead with a thin smile on his lips, his eyes shining with amusement, listening to her as she tried to fend off their friends inquisition.
"Okay, okay" Jo replied, sounding suspicious but seemingly happy with her response. "Just try and get some rest, I'm sure a couple of days away will be good for you."
"Sure" Audrey replied, stifling a laugh as she looked at Neil shaking his head, grinning like an idiot. "I'll get some rest."
"Good. You do know this guy, right? Do you need me to call you tomorrow to get proof of life?" Jo laughed.
"I think I'll be fine" Audrey smiled softly. "I'll speak to you in a couple of days."
"Take care, Aud. I love you."
"Love you too" she smiled, hanging up.
"Think she's suspicious?" Audrey asked looking over at Neil. "Do you think anyone knows about this?"
He put his hand on her thigh and gave a squeeze. "I think we're safe" he said smiling over at her briefly, letting his fingers play with the inseam of her jeans.
"You don't think Andrew's will notice that neither of us are in work for the next couple of days?"
"I really don't" he answered, trying to reassure her. "Your still on sick leave and I'm not on the rota until Saturday. After working all of Christmas and New Year that's nothing out of the ordinary. Stop worrying" he said smiling over at her.
He took his hand away to signal for a turn and she found herself missing the warmth. She looked over at him and took a good long look at his profile as he concentrated on the road ahead.
She loved that strong jawline. It could break into the biggest grin when something amused him, but there were also the smaller smiles she felt were just for her. They were softer and she loved the way his whole face lit up when they came along, making his eyes twinkle.
And those eyes. She had felt herself drowning in those dark pools more than once and had always lashed out to escape. Not anymore. However long this thing between them lasted she was going to enjoy every minute of him looking at her with that hungry look in his eyes.
His cap was jammed down onto his head for now, covering his bed head as he called it. He was always perfectly coiffed at work, she was looking forward to seeing a more relaxed side of him again, it had been a long time.
"There's a better view out the window" she heard as his words pierced her thoughts. She came back to reality and smiled softly.
"I don't think so."
X
They sat in silence for the next few miles, just watching the scenery changing. The weather in Monterey in January was hit and miss so they'd had to pack for all eventualities. They were driving into clear skies for now but that could easily change.
They eventually pulled up outside the Tickle Pink Inn which would be their base for the next couple of days. When Neil had called a few places the day before, this was the first one with vacancies so he jumped at it. The check in was simple and they headed straight up to their room. Neil would get the bags from the car once they knew exactly where they were staying.
"This is nice" Neil said as they walked the corridor to their room. "Part of the deal was that they already had the fire going for us to arrive though. I hope they remembered because I'm no boy scout" he laughed.
Stopping outside room 27, Neil opened the door and stood to one side for Audrey to walk by. "Nice" she said, giving a low whistle. "You've got good taste" she smiled.
"Yeah I have" he smiled as he stepped forward to kiss her.
"You're being a sap" she said smiling back. "Now go get the bags Melendez, I'm meant to be resting" she laughed, swatting his behind as he turned to leave.
X
He brought up the bags from the car and dropped them just outside the door as he got the key from his pocket. Nudging the door open, he threw them inside with no sense of grace and shut the door behind him.
He turned to pick up the bags again but was immediately distracted by the sight in front of him. She was crouched down by the open fire, prodding at it with a poker with a little smile on her face and she looked beautiful.
She seemed to sense his stare and turned to smile right at him.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing" he smirked walking towards her.
The look he was giving her was almost as hot as the fire in front of her and her stomach flip flopped. With a couple more steps, he was right in front of her, his big dark pupils boring into hers.
He opened his mouth as if to say something but she cut him off.
"You know I don't do romantic, right? " she warned him. "Not sure how I'll cope with too much lovey dovey crap" she smiled.
He let out a little laugh and shook his head.
"I'll do my best to lay off the crap" he smiled. "But I will tell you that you're beautiful and I've been wanting to do this all day" he said as he took her face in his hands and kissed her.
This kiss felt different. Their first night together had been drunken and frantic, the kisses had been hot and wet. Years of pent up feelings had exploded to the surface and could no longer be contained.
This kiss was testing, teasing even and he took his time exploring her. This time around, it seemed he was seeing just how slow he could go, making her feel like putty in his hands before she cracked and took over and she smiled against his lips at the thought. She wasn't going to let him win, she could take it. So she thought.
His hands moved and came to rest on her hips and he pulled her closer. She could feel his desire for her building and it made her heart swell as his kisses began wandering down her neck and along her collarbone.
As they lowered themselves to the floor right where they stood, in front of the fire, the thought briefly crossed her mind about just how much of a cliché this was. A thought that was quickly quashed as his assault continued on the skin he was exposing bit by bit.
She gave in and closed her eyes and held him close as one last thought crossed her mind 'maybe clichés aren't so bad after all.'
X
Gathering themselves together and picking up the clothing they had liberally discarded, they looked at each other with shy smiles. Neither of them was quite sure what to say about what just happened.
"You okay?" he asked, still a little breathless. "That was..." he started.
"Something else..." she finished with a smile. "Intense."
They just looked at each other a few moments longer before Neil broke the spell by announcing he needed a shower. He headed off into the bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him, wandering if she would follow.
She didn't. She retrieved their bags from by the door and unpacked a couple of her bits and pieces into a drawer. She pulled her meds out and dosed herself with the ones that she was due to take, putting the remainder into the nightstand. Four more days and she would be done with them all and she couldn't wait. She had a check-up that Monday and if they were happy, she'd be cleared to go back to work, almost two weeks after that horrific event.
She still shuddered at the thought of what had happened but taking the prescribed time out to rest and recuperate had done wonders. Her recovery had certainly been improved by her overall feeling of contentment. After admitting those feelings to Neil in his office, she felt a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had always been an advocate of a positive attitude in relation to healing and she sighed as she lay back against the pillows thinking about just how lucky she had been.
He had stayed with her that second night but then work took over again and they hadn't seen each other for a couple of days by the time he showed up to whisk her away. He'd checked in remotely, of course but neither of them wanted to rush this transition from friends to whatever was coming next. Calls felt a little bit awkward and text didn't seem like enough so she was happy to see him by the time Wednesday came around.
She heard the shower cut out and smiled to herself. So far, he was taking longer than she would in there. Eventually he came out into the bedroom wearing a towel low around his waist and roughly drying his hair and she smiled to herself.
Catching her eye, he moved to sit next to her, his legs stretched out in front of him crossed at the ankles. He left a gap in between them on purpose, he didn't want to pressure her but he casually let his hand rest in between them.
"So... do we need to talk?" he asked softly, keeping his focus up front. "That was... I mean..."
He was stopped by her placing her hand on his, purposely bringing his attention back to look at her face.
"I think we do" she replied giving him a smile. "But first, we first we need cheese and wine."
"Pardon?"
"Cheese and wine reception downstairs in thirty minutes" she smiled. "Bit of Dutch courage?"
"Are you meant to be drinking on your meds?" he smiled.
"I can have one or two, I've got my own personal doctor with me, I'll be fine!" she smiled. "Give me five minutes to get ready."
He smiled as she got up and took a bundle clothes into the bathroom. True to her word, five minutes later she was done and stood at the foot of the bed tapping her foot in an exaggerated manner while he was still tying his shoes.
"It's not right that I'm ready before you, you know" she laughed.
"Perfection takes time" he replied with a wink.
"Smart ass" she said as he passed her casually dropping a kiss on her cheek.
Opening the door to their room, he stood waiting for her to pass and took great pleasure in looking her up and down as she walked by.
"See something you like" she teased, laughing at her own front.
"Little bit" he replied with a wink, taking the hand she was holding out, linking their fingers and walking in step to the reception.
