Guess Who I Pulled Last Night? (18 page)

Charlotte began to feel more relaxed as she began to
eat.  “I feel quite tipsy,” she thought aloud.

“Actually, so do I, I think that we’ll have to get the train
home,” Niall replied, without looking up from his food.

Charlotte almost choked on a chip at the thought of
travelling home with him on a train.

“Are you okay?”  Niall looked concerned.

“Hmm, it went down the wrong way.”  Embarrassed, she
took a large sip from her drink and decided to change the subject.  “So, I
don’t suppose that we’ll see much of you, now that the deal’s
completed."  Charlotte looked up and watched Niall take another
drink, his thumb ring clinking against the side of his glass.

“It depends really.”  He smiled, but didn’t expand on
what it depended on.

Once the main course was finished Charlotte flopped back in
her chair, holding onto her stomach.  “That was gorgeous, but I am so
stuffed.  I don’t think that I will be able to work this afternoon.”

Niall wiped his mouth on his napkin.  “Another drink
then?”

Charlotte nodded, and followed his walk to the bar with her
eyes, admiring his bottom as he pushed through the lunchtime drinkers. 

A few minutes later, Niall pushed a drink in front of
her.  “We will definitely have to get the train after this.”

Charlotte smiled and did the shrugging shoulder thing. 
“Hmm.”

“So, what are these problems of your then?” Niall
asked.  “As long as you don’t think that it’s my turn to be nosey.” 
He looked over the rim of his glass at Charlotte, his eyes so intense that she
had to look away.

“I don’t think that you are being nosey, but I’m not sure
that you’d be interested, perhaps you are just being polite.”

Niall grinned.  “I know that I may appear self-centred,
but I can assure you I would be interested, so spill the beans.”

Charlotte spent the next hour telling him about Kerry and
Kelvin, and then about Bets and Stuart, talking away until she felt exhausted
by it all.

“God, you do have problems, but if you want my advice you’ll
let them sort themselves out, just be there for them.  If it all goes
wrong, they can’t blame you, but if everything turns out for the best, well,
then you’ll be the best friend ever.”

“Maybe,” Charlotte sighed, as she looked intensely at
Niall.  He’d taken his jacket and tie off and rolled up his shirtsleeves,
due to the warmth from the coal fire, and the whole effect had suddenly made
Charlotte feel very giddy; unless of course, it was the alcohol going straight
to her groin.  “I just love them all so much,” she continued, quickly
realising that she was in danger of dribbling.  “I hate to see them
hurting, never mind though, you’re right they are their decisions to make at
the end of the day.  So, would you like another drink?”

Niall nodded and glanced at his watch.  “Grand, but
maybe we’d best get going after that one.”  This time his eyes followed
Charlotte to the bar.  “Nice arse,” he muttered into the dregs of his
pint.

An hour and two more drinks later, after getting along quite
nicely, they strode out into the cold winter air.  It was four o’clock and
they had been there for just over three hours, so as soon as the fresh, cool
breeze hit them, both Niall and Charlotte realised how drunk they were.

“God isn’t it funny how drink goes straight to your legs
during the day,” Charlotte hiccupped, as she tried to button up her coat.

Niall moved towards her and taking hold of both lapels
fastened it for her.  “You’d better take my arm; I don’t think that I
could cope with seeing you flat on your arse, again.”  He proffered his
elbow to Charlotte, who gladly linked it with her arm, grateful for the
steadying influence.

“Anyway, Niall,” she announced, suddenly drink making her
brave.  “Why do you dislike me so much?  I mean, apart from lunch,
which was lovely, you really have been quite mean to me.”  She stumbled
slightly on her heels.

“Steady,” Niall whispered, holding onto her.  “I wasn’t
aware that I disliked you, anyway I thought that we cleared this up in your
office the other evening?”

“No, not really, that was about the lunch debacle.  It
has nothing to do with how you’ve treated me, since you began doing business
with us.”

“I didn’t realise that it appeared that I didn’t like
you.  I rather thought it was the other way around that you had a bit of a
dislike for me, probably because I mentioned that I knew Grant.”

Charlotte stopped walking and dragged him back.  “Don’t
even mention that shit head’s name please.  I do not want to ever be
reminded of him, now carry on.”  She matched his stride once more.

“Well like I said, I thought that you didn’t like me,
because of him who shall not be named.”

“Ah, but what about what you said at the match the other
night, people have to earn your respect. You were definitely having a go at me
then.”  Charlotte wagged a drunken finger at Niall.

“What do you expect?  You called me a red, as a blue
you should know how hurtful that is, I was devastated by that remark.” 
Now Niall stopped and turned to face Charlotte.  “But if you remember, I
also said that you were pretty and sexy.”

Charlotte looked up at him, his breath like clouds of smoke
in the twilight.  “Yes, I remember,” she said, her heart hammering
uncontrollably, “but it doesn’t alter the fact that on that first day in Paul’s
office, you practically ignored me.  Now that was rude.”

Niall nodded and smiled.  “Yes, let’s just say a very
different picture had been painted of you, but I soon came to realise how much
you had helped Paul to achieve what he has today.  You should know that I
don’t like being made a fool of, which ‘shit head’ obviously did.  So
quite wrongly I took it out on you, and then of course you pulled the
engagement stunt.”  Charlotte coloured in the darkness, as Niall glanced
down at the diamond ring, now firmly on her right hand.  “You have to
admit; it was pretty pathetic.”

“Hey, hang for a minute, I thought that we’d agreed to
forget that, mainly because it wasn’t any of your business,” Charlotte cried;
her arms folded severely across her coated chest.

“I don’t remember saying that we would forget it, I remember
accepting your apology but…”

Charlotte stamped her foot in anger.  “What apology, I
didn’t apologise for pretending to be engaged, how dare you say I apologised?”

“Yes you did.”  Niall’s defiant face moved closer to
Charlotte’s, their breath mingling into one cloud.

“You are the last person that I’d apologise to, you
pig-headed shit!” she cried into the cold air.

Niall started to laugh, infuriating Charlotte even
more.  She started to walk away, but didn’t get very far, as the heel on
her shoe got stuck in the grass verge.

“Oh, crap!” she screamed, wobbling precariously as she tried
to pull her foot out of the muddy grass.

Still laughing, Niall moved towards her and held out his
hand.  Charlotte took it and steadied herself.

“Thank you,” she muttered grudgingly, looking down
petulantly, examining her heel.  “You go ahead if you like, I’ll be
fine.  I can’t believe I was beginning to think you were actually human. I
suppose you thought you could ply me with drink, be pleasant to me for a couple
of hours, and then I would forget what a prat you really are.  Sod
professionalism, this is my lunch break, so I can say what I like.  You
are…”

As Charlotte ranted, Niall sighed deeply, and slipping a
finger under her chin, he tilted her face and kissed her very slowly on the
mouth. At first, Charlotte hesitated in letting herself join in, but he tasted
so sweet that she kissed him back. Her tongue brushed against the inside of his
lips, flicking against his teeth. Niall pulled her closer to him and their
kisses became more urgent. Charlotte couldn’t believe how kissing Niall made
her feel, as her fingers ran through his hair and she stroked his neck.

Niall cupped the side of her face with his hand, and slowly
pulling his head back, their lips gradually parting.

“God, you are so damn sexy when you are shouting, but I just
had to shut you up.”

He breathed the words quietly into Charlotte’s mouth, and
then started to kiss her ears and her neck softly, until he slowly nuzzled his
way back to her mouth, urgently pushing his tongue in once more. 
Charlotte felt inside his jacket, and holding on tightly to his back, her
fingers pushed hard against his body. Charlotte pressed herself against him as
he began to kiss her neck once more. Suddenly, were aware of someone watching
them, and quickly pulled away from each other, breathless.

“You two going all the way then?” the bus driver shouted,
above the throb of the diesel engine.

“Maybe,” laughed Niall, kissing Charlotte’s hair.

“We’d better go,” said Charlotte, as the laughing bus driver
pulled away.  “It’s getting late.”

“I don’t think that I want to though,” said Niall, wrapping
his arms around her waist.

“Neither do I, although I don’t remember giving you
permission to kiss me.”  Laughing with each other, their lips met again
and Charlotte started to kiss him passionately.

Niall slowly pulled away.  “Come on, let’s get back and
sort out how we are going to get home.

The ten-minute walk took thirty on the way back; as they
stopped every few yards to kiss once more.  They joked that it wasn’t
normal behaviour for two people who obviously hated each other.  With
their fingertips entwined, Niall gently pulled Charlotte along the drive, smiling
broadly at her over his shoulder.  As they came in sight of the main doors
Niall froze, and dropped Charlotte’s hand.  She followed his gaze towards
a BMW convertible on the car park.

“Niall, what is it, is that a better car than yours, is that
it?” she giggled, her cold nose glowing in the descending darkness.

“No, no, look Charlotte, I’m really sorry,” he said, now
turning towards her.  “I think that you’ll have to get the train home
alone tonight, my MD is here.”  He then turned back to the car again, his
shoulders slumping as he thrust his hands into his trouser pockets.

“Oh, I see, never mind.” Charlotte tried not to sound
disappointed, but couldn’t help but wonder where the evening may have led to.

“Look, I am sorry. I really am,” he muttered, striding back
towards the office.

Charlotte chased after him, but as she caught up to Niall,
she realised from his stern face that he didn’t want to talk.  As they
approached the door, he quickly turned to her.

“I’ll ring you and explain, but I’m going home for Christmas,
so it will be after New Year, okay?”  His tone was insistent, but he
didn’t give Charlotte time to answer as he marched to the building.

As they moved inside, to the warm reception, Charlotte could
see Paul talking to one of the consultants, he had a blonde girl with him, a
temp maybe; however, she looked far too classy to be a temp.  She was
Charlotte’s height, with a bleached blonde urchin cut, that framed her tiny
features perfectly.  She was wearing chocolate brown leather trousers and a
tan coloured cashmere sweater, all obviously expensive. 

Then Paul spotted them and suddenly looked decidedly
uncomfortable.  He walked towards them, the temp following closely behind,
a watery smile upon her face.

“Charlotte, Niall there you are, good lunch?”

Charlotte started to grin from behind Niall, but the
stiffness in his shoulders suddenly dampened her spirits.  Before anything
was said about their lunch, Paul stood at one side and ushered the temp
forward.

“Charlotte, this is Ingrid Cathcart, from Niall’s company.” 
The woman moved forward, taking Charlotte’s hand and shaking it limply.

“Ah, the MD,” Charlotte smiled knowingly.

“Yes, that’s right and Niall’s fiancée too, for my
sins.”  She reached on tiptoe and kissed Niall on his lips.  “Good
lunch darling?” she asked, licking her lips slowly.  “I know that you said
lunch would probably be a boozy one, so I thought that as I was in the area I
would give you a lift home, so whenever you are ready.”  From the thin
smile upon her lips, this was obviously a command rather than a question.

Charlotte suddenly felt sick; her stomach was churning up
inside, a thousand feelings fighting to get out.  She placed her palm
against her mouth, where she could still feel Niall’s lips on hers, still taste
their sweetness, and she held it there, desperate to stop a cry escaping. 
As her stomach tightened, Charlotte felt the need to retch, so she closed her
eyes, anxious for the feeling to go.  After only a moment, she opened them
again and stared at Paul, Niall and Ingrid chatting.  She felt as though
she was in a dream and everything was happening in slow motion.  The
sounds of their voices were muffled as her head felt lighter, yet it was full
of images of her and Niall kissing.  With shallow breaths and small steps,
Charlotte moved toward the group, desperate to get into the sanctuary of her
own office.

“Excuse me,” she whispered with her head down, wanting Niall
to move.

He turned towards her, a sad smile on his lips. “Sorry,” he
also whispered, his eyes willing her to look at him. 

However, she didn’t; Charlotte didn’t even want to touch
him, or breathe the same air.  She held her breath and sucked in her
sickly stomach as she moved past him. “Thanks,” she muttered and then almost
ran to her office.  

She sat behind her desk, without removing her coat, grateful
that everyone had gone early, ready for the Christmas holidays.  She
stared at the paper clips on her desk, not moving, just replaying the
afternoon’s events.  After about ten minutes the door opened, she looked
up sharply, but it was Paul, a sympathetic smile upon his face.

“Charlotte, I am sorry. I didn’t know.”  He moved
towards her and placed a comforting arm around Charlotte’s tense shoulder.