Fun In The Sun (Edited and extra chapters), Repgreece Repgreece [classic books to read txt] 📗

yourself," Adam said to Ruth.
"Cheers Adam," Ruth replied, pouring a wine for herself and Fay and pulling out another beer for Adam. She may as well give up on the idea of waiting to start drinking later. Everyone was far too excitable to let her. She handed out the drinks and reminded Nick that his beer from Adam was waiting for him when he was ready.
"Thanks boss," Nick said, grinning at Adam.
"Don't mention it." Adam grinned back. "You can make up for it by doing double shifts at the airport for me."
Nick laughed. "He's such a slave driver," he said to Fay.
As they continued to chat, Nick was aware of the fact that Sal would be there soon and his eyes kept swinging towards the doorway at the other end of the bar. He sensed the moment she entered but continued chatting to Adam and Fay while vaguely conscious of Sal's actions near the doorway where Ruth was standing chatting to Bill. The atmosphere of the bar seemed to suddenly increase in tempo then. It always appeared to do that when Sal walked in as everyone became attuned to her enthusiasm.
As soon as she walked through the door, Sal did what she always did when she walked into 'The Wheelhouse' and flung her arms around Ruth.
"Love you Ruth," she said, hugging her tightly.
Ruth had become accustomed to Sal's affectionate nature and knew that if she didn’t get a hug off her when she entered, there had to be something seriously wrong.
"Love you too Sweetie," she said, returning the hug before stepping back to take a look at her. "You're looking exceptionally elegant tonight, Sal."
Sal giggled. "Thanks. Oh, did you see who returned today?" she said, glancing down the bar at Nick and heading in his direction.
"Yes," Ruth replied, following Sal’s path but from behind the bar.
Fortunately for Nick, Adam and Fay turned when Sal approached them and missed his expression when he caught his first real glance of Sal that evening. His eyes automatically widened as they ran over that little black dress that clung to every curve of her sensational body. He kind of knew he would feel like that, after all, that was why he had asked her to wear the dress, wasn't it?
But the effect of just the sight of her walking towards him in that incredibly sexy dress took him by surprise. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen her for so long, maybe he'd forgotten the effect she had on him, or maybe she'd just got even sexier since he last summer. Was that even possible?
But nevertheless, damn it, she looked sensational! And too bloody sexy. Why did he torture himself like this? He knew why, because the temptation, as far as Sal was concerned, was far too much for Nick to resist.
While Adam and Fay's attentions were diverted, Ruth made a beeline for Nick and whispered, "You should put your eyes back in their sockets now Nick, before Sal notices."
His glance shot away from Sal then and he took a quick swig of his beer. But Sal wasn’t going to make things easier for him when she said to everyone, "Look who came back," and, walking straight up to him as he sat on his bar stool, she slipped her arms around his middle and rested her head on his chest, cuddling him affectionately.
Oh God, now not only did he feel seriously aroused but strangely emotional too. A dangerous combination. But nevertheless, her actions made it impossible for him to do anything other than instinctively put his arms around her, squeeze her tightly and place a kiss on the top of her shiny, auburn hair.
She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm glad you're back, Nick."
"Me too," he replied warmly, his eyes twinkling into hers.
"Look, we're all back together," she said, withdrawing from Nick to greet Fay and Adam with kisses on their cheeks.
"Yes," Adam grinned, "The Fantastic Four."
"What about Ruth?" Sal asked.
Adam gave it some thought. "The Magnificent Seven?"
"Too many," Fay said.
"The Three Amigos?" Nick suggested.
“We’re not Amigos,” Fay said, gesturing to herself and Sal. They all laughed.
"Has everybody suddenly lost the ability to count?" Ruth asked.
"Ocean's Eleven, Three men in a boat, Terrible Twos..." Adam went on, listing random numbers. 
"Twelve monkeys," Nick chipped in.
"That's about right," Ruth said, shaking her head at them.
More laughter.
"The Dirty Dozen," Nick grinned.
"Five!" Ruth stressed. "There are five of us!"
"The Famous Five!" Sal exclaimed.
"Oh yeah," Fay said.
Nick shook his head. "We don't have a dog."
Ruth put a hand to her head in exasperation.
"The incredible...err," Nick paused to think. "Well, we're pretty damn good anyway," he concluded.
"Yeah," they all agreed.
"Have you finished now?" Ruth asked. They nodded. "Thank God for that! I thought this was never going to end!"
They all burst out laughing.
"Hey Sal," Nick said, placing a hand on her arm.
She turned to him inquisitively. "Yes?"
"If I remember rightly, a cheeky little rosé , not too dry, not too sweet?"
Her face lit up. "You remembered my favourite drink! He's so clever," she said to Adam and Fay, linking her arm through Nick's. Nick ordered the drink for her from Ruth, she poured it and he took the glass off Ruth, handing it to Sal with a wink.
She smiled and withdrew her arm to take it. "Thank you Nick. Hey, I put on my best dress like you said. Do you like it?" she asked.
Oh boy, he knew without a doubt that Ruth had to be grinning at that very moment. A quick glance confirmed, yes, he was right.
He gave a small cough. "Yes Sal, you look..." Damn, why did it seem like the whole bar had gone silent at that moment. "... beautiful," he said quickly and took another swig of his beer.
Sal became still for a while, a slight smile on her face as she watched Nick. He'd never said that before. Fun In The Sun Chapter 11

 

Fay, Adam and Ruth were all watching Nick and Sal, as Sal stood in front of him, frozen in the moment with a slight smile on her face and thoughts and feelings drifting through her mind. Nick, on the other hand, was doing everything he could think of to avoid looking at her.

"Anyway," he said, needing to break the atmosphere, "Who wants a Sambuca shot?"

To Nick's relief, this did the trick and everyone seemed to spring back into life again, with Ruth refusing to drink another shot, but offering to pour some for others, Adam and Sal agreeing enthusiasitcally, and Fay reluctanly being cajoled into joining in. Unfortuately for Fay, and eventually for Ruth who somehow got pulled into a later round of shots, one shot each was never on the cards as each person then felt obliged to buy the others one in return.

"You okay there Ruth?" Nick asked after their fourth round of shots. "Has your head gone a bit funny again?" he chuckled.

"To be honest, my head's gone a bit funny too," Sal cut in, placing another empty shot glass down on the bar.

"I'm not taking to you," Ruth replied to Nick, pointing a finger at him. "I said one shot only, remember?"

"It's not my fault," Nick replied defensively. "They were all involved too," he said, gesturing to the group.

"You instigated it," Ruth reminded him, trying to be stern. "You're a very naughty boy," she said, feeling quite tipsy.

Sal grinned and turned to him. "You naughty boy," she mocked, placing a hand on his jean-clad leg and watching him with amusement.

Oh no, he'd seen a look like that from Sal before. The alcohol was beginning to take away some of her inhibitions as she glanced up at him, her face all flushed and her eyes all big and innocent... despite the fact that he knew without a doubt the thoughts going through her head were anything but innocent! It always threatened to push him right over the edge when she looked at him, and said things to him, like that.

Don't think about it! Just don't.

And why did she have to keep her hand there? She needed to move it, and pretty quick!

Ruth became aware of Nick's pradicament then. Poor Nick. Either Sal was accidentally placing temptation in his way, or else... she knew exactly what she was doing! Ruth was never certain which.

"Are you a naughty boy, Nick?" Sal asked, tilting her head with a smile playing at her mouth.

Oh yes, he could very easily be exactly that... right now!

Clearly, she was playing games with him and he was losing pitifully. He had to bloody well say something! Ah, to hell with trying to control things all the time. What's the worst that could happen?

"You have no idea how much," he finally said in a low, rough voice, provoking laughter from the group he hadnt even known were watching them, when Sal's eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and wonderment. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but she hadn't expected him to say that! Actually, now she was left feeling quite intrigued.

He grinned then, the lighthearted nature of the moment bringing back his confidence.

"Don't tempt me, Sal," he warned, reflecting her smile of challenge and fun as his eyes dropped purposefully to her hand on his leg.

She'd forgotten it was there and she pulled it abruptly away then, stepping back with a small laugh and pleasing him immeasurably to see her face suddenly blushing furiously.

"Err, where's my drink?" she said, swinging around suddenly and crashing slap, bang into Adam.

"Easy tiger," Adam laughed, catching her arm to steady her. "It's here on the bar," he said. "Here, maybe you should sit down to drink it," he suggested, pulling out a free stool next to Nick for her to sit on.

"Thanks," she chuckled, wriggling onto the bar stool. She had to stop being so flustered! Thankfully, she remembered a message she needed to relay to Adam and, jumping at the chance to tell him, she went on quickly, "Oh, I forgot to say, the agent upstairs needs us to..."

As Sal spoke to Adam, she reached forward to pick up her glass of wine from off the bar and then it was Nick's turn to burn up, not with embarrassment though, with desire. As she leant forward, he had one fantastic view down the low cut back of her dress and expanse of smooth, bronzed leg and thigh that was revealed when she wriggled on her stool and crossed her legs.

My god, had someone turned up the heat, or the pressure, or something? Because everything was suddenly so bloody intense with him and Sal that evening!

He had to keep his eyes off her!

Damn it, but what he wouldn't give to strip her right out of that little black dress, right there and then!

'Oh boy, Nick is in big trouble again,' Ruth thought to herself with amusement. If he could see the look on his face right at that moment. It was pure, unadulterated lust!

Finally, Nick tore his eyes off Sal and ran a frustrated hand through his hair, glancing around to see Ruth clearly having noticed everything. What was the point in trying to hide it from her? Besides, maybe she wouldnt even remember tomorrow since she had drunk quite a few Sambuca shots that evening.

"Are you having problems?" Ruth whispered with