** For authors notes, disclaimer etc. see chapter 1
Three Kisses 2/3
"Well it's still not fair, I mean I'm a nice guy and she led me on now she's decided that she'd rather be with some city banker tosser who has a pent house apartment and a sports car." Gerry grumbled as Sandra and Jack exchanged exaggerated eye rolls. They were used to the aftermath of his latest break up leading to days of self-pity and a very grumpy Gerry and this time was no different. Brian had got off side quickly with muttered excuses about a cup match and tickets he'd waited ages for, and she knew Jack already had one foot out the door since he had no desire to listen to it all again.
"Come on, come home with me and we'll order a take away and you can tell me how badly she treated you and how you're swearing off women forever." Sandra sighed narrowing her eyes at Jack and he mouthed a silent "thank you" before making his own excuses and leaving.
"Nah it's ok I'd be terrible company anyway." Gerry replied putting up a half-hearted fight when they both knew he was going to go with her it was only a matter of time.
"Yeah we'll you're always terrible company but I put up with it anyway come on I'm starving and I don't feel like having a debate about whether you're coming home with me or not." She smiled grabbing her hand bag from the coat stand inside her office door and nudging him toward the exit. "I'll meet you there and if you take too long I'll order for both of us and you don't want that."
"Damn right I don't the last time I let you order for me I felt like my stomach lining had been seared off and I paid for it for a week. I'll see you there." Gerry agreed determined to make it to the car before she did and be waiting when she got home. Sandra Pullman only did spicy curry, seriously spicy curry and none of them ever let her order for them it was a lesson they had learned early on and took very seriously.
"Gerry it's not you that's the problem it's the women you choose I mean she was 22, with delusions of grandee and an ambition to be a WAG. Add to that the fact that she didn't have three brain cells to rub together and of course she was going to trade you in the minute someone with a bigger bank balance, nicer car and swankier home." Sandra laughed as Gerry finished yet another rant about how he couldn't believe he'd been dumped again! They all knew he went for completely the wrong sort of woman and that his often over inflated opinion of his own charm made it impossible for him to accept that he was being used by these women. Now with half a bottle of wine and two scotches inside him he had gone from. Moaning to all out pity and she was trying very hard not either laugh or tell him to get a hold of himself and wise up!
"I don't choose the wrong women they are the right women when I meet them they just change once we're together. I can't be expected to know that they are all going to turn out to be complete bitches. Who do you suggest I date I mean it's not like we meet a load of eligible women in our line of work." Gerry replied feeling suddenly defensive, who did she think she was to comment on his choice of woman it wasn't like she had a great track record where men were concerned and at least he was going out there and trying to find someone unlike her. "Besides at least I'm trying you've just given up I'd rather get knocked back than be on my own."
"I'm going to let that comment slide Gerry because you're drunk but just so you know I don't need your advice on relationships taking that would be like taking lessons on child rearing from Joseph Fritzel."
"Yeah well maybe that's why you feel the need to tell me where I'm going wrong because it stops you having to think about what you're doing wrong yourself. I mean you could have any guy you wanted but you'd rather be on your own and have a go at me for not wanting to do the same."
"I think it's time you went home Gerry before we both say something we'll regret. I'll call you a cab." Sandra snapped finding it harder and harder not to just tell him to mind his own fucking business. Who the hell did he think he was anyway telling her where she was going wrong? Just because she wasn't prepared to make her way through the male population of London continually ending up staring into the bottom of an empty glass wondering where it all went wrong.
"That's right ignore the point and I'm not drunk I'm sober enough to know that you are just avoiding admitting that you're too scared to take a chance you'd rather hang around with three pensioners and pretend you don't give a damn than..."
"Gerry that's enough you seriously need to shut the hell up what right do you have to lecture me about my life I...I make my own decisions and I don't need yours or anyone else's approval for them." She snapped back storming into the hall and lifting the landline to call a mini-cab hearing his footsteps as he followed her. "Your cab is on its way for both our sakes I suggest you shut up until it gets here."
"You started it I mean what right do you have to tell me what to do or what choices to make with my life either?" Gerry spat back closing the small distance between them so they were toe to toe and she could smell the combination of stale smoke and scotch as he swayed slightly on his feet.
"Maybe because it's me who has to listen to you complain about them constantly and I care about you I'd rather see you alone than constantly being made unhappy by making shite choices." Sandra replied feeling her fists clench at her sides as he seemed to let her words sink in for a second. She wasn't sure if she'd seem what happened next coming or if it was just that looking back on it the whole situation seemed to make it inevitable but when he backed her against the wall in the hallway his lips colliding with hers with a passion laced violence she'd not had time to think of anything other the fact that in spite of the lack of tenderness in his kiss it was doing things to her that could lead to a very dangerous situation. As her body overrode the obstacles her mind way throwing up she lost herself in how he tasted, the way his tongue battled with hers, how the heat of his body seemed to be melting her into the wall behind her. When his fingers laced in her hair and pulled her closer deepening the connection and she'd let her hands run over his chest she'd really believed for a second that this was going to go a lot further than a kiss. That however had been the moment when the loud tooting of a car horn from outside the door had burst the bubble that seemed to have formed around them and he had leapt away from her like she was suddenly on fire.
"That's my cab I should….well I should go." He said quietly refusing to meet her eyes as she reached unsteadily for the door giving a final glance back as he went through it and she closed it behind him leaning back against it and taking a deep breath.
"Shit." She muttered moving to the living room and clearing up the mess from their dinner wondering what would come of the whole thing and if they would even be able to look at each other the next morning in work.