As I got ready for work on Monday morning, I thought back on the weekend that had just passed. On Friday, Amber left for Arkansas on short notice because her uncle was in the hospital. Although it was nothing life-threatening, just a broken leg, he did end up needing surgery. With her parents out of town and thus unable to help, Amber flew up there to take care of him. While she was away, I had found it difficult to pass the time. She has become such an integral part of my life that, in her absence, I'd simply forgotten how to entertain myself.
Nonetheless, I did my best to remain busy, spending much of Saturday outside doing yard work. Then on Sunday, I made a few shopping trips and did other chores around the house in anticipation of Amber's return. While most people yearn for some time alone to pursue their own interests, I found the experience to be strangely exhausting. It was an ongoing struggle just to fill the hours.
Of course it wasn't all boredom. On both Friday and Saturday night, Amber had called to talk to me at bedtime. Although separated by distance, we managed to find other ways to remain connected. As those conversations inevitably shifted to more intimate topics, Amber and I ended up pleasured ourselves while reliving some of our favorite memories.
I'd never had phone sex before. It always seemed to me that it would be awkward; but with Amber, it somehow came naturally. Thinking back on some of the things that I had said though, I began to feel a twinge of embarrassment. Amber and I had both let ourselves go and parts of our conversation were downright filthy. But, as I got ready to leave the house that morning, I took some solace in remembering that it was Amber who had specifically asked for it to be that way.
Following her father's out-of-town speaking engagement, Amber's parents flew back to Arkansas on Sunday. After spending the evening with them, she understandably wasn't in the mood for a repeat performance of our earlier calls. It ended up working out for the best though. While I had thoroughly enjoyed what we had done, the day off had only made me that much more excited for her return.
When I got to the office that morning, Janet stopped by my cubicle to check on things. I gave her a report of the weekend, obviously leaving out some details, and then told her that Amber was due to be back that afternoon. After checking on my progress on the current project, Janet graciously told me to plan on heading out whenever I needed, for which I thanked her and said that I would probably stay until around lunchtime. Nodding her agreement, she chatted a bit more before turning and heading back to her office.
Although I had plenty of things to work on, the morning still seemed to creep by. As I reviewed a set of plans on my computer, I couldn't help but to keep glancing down at the clock in the lower, righthand corner of the screen. Each time I looked down, the numbers displayed were well short of what I had expected to see.
Taking a break at mid-morning, I checked my phone and saw a text from Amber letting me know that she had gotten to the airport without any problems and was getting ready for the first of two flights that would get her back home. I smiled, reading a second part of her message and tucked my phone away.
Slogging through some plan revisions and filling out some permit applications, the second half of the morning passed just as slowly as the first had. When I glanced down and saw the clock finally showing 11:30, I looked over at my desk. A stack of marked-up plans was strewn about with an engineering scale and a half-drunk cup of cold coffee. While not completely done with the morning's tasks, I decided that I had reached a stopping point. After killing some time straightening up, I walked down the hall to Janet's office. When I stuck my head in, before I even had a chance to say anything, she looked up and asked, "You out of here?"
Rubbing the back of my neck I said, "Yeah, is that alright?"
Smiling, she replied, "Yeah, thanks for coming in at all the past couple days."
Honestly, it was nothing to me; what else would I have been doing? But, if she wanted to think otherwise, I was happy to be in her good graces. Smiling back, I said, "Yeah, it's no problem. Thanks, I'll see you in the morning."
Going back to my desk, I quickly shoved everything into a somewhat-neater stack and then headed out. Walking across the parking lot, I felt like a kid getting to leave school early, getting a glimpse of a world too-often hidden from me by the confining walls of the office.
As I strode across the blacktop, I allowed myself to relax, taking in the feeling of the warm, noontime sun. Getting back to the truck, I hopped in and checked the traffic on my phone. The interstate looked to be clear all the way down to the airport so I closed out of that and pulled up a second app. Typing in Amber's flight number, I saw that they had just left Atlanta and were anticipated to arrive on schedule. With a little more time to kill, instead of shooting down on the interstate, I headed over to the beach and followed the coastal road down. Rolling down my window, I breathed in the salty air of the warm breeze. With the radio on and not a care in my mind, I took the leisurely drive down past the motels, gift shops and various restaurants that made up the touristy area that harkened back to a time when motor lodges with swimming pools were the height of luxury.
Soon the old Florida was in my rear view and the shore was now lined by tall condo buildings with fancy fountains and parking garages filled with cars all costing well-into the six figures. I didn't begrudge them for what they had; but given the option, I'd take my quiet house on a large piece of land any day over living stacked in what were basically apartments with an albeit beautiful view.
Making my way through the more affluent areas, I eventually passed over the bridge that leads into the large city to our south that had our nearest international airport. This was actually where I had grown up. It was always a little weird coming back; everything was familiar but also so different from what I'd remembered with the crazy growth that the past decade had brought on.
Finally arriving at the airport, I was still early so I parked in the short-term garage and went inside. Grabbing a cup of coffee, I sat on one of the benches with a view of the arrival board and waited. When I saw Amber's flight appear with the label "Arrived," I tossed my empty cup into the trash and made my way over to the escalators. Standing there among the drivers holding signs with names of their clients on them, I watched as a trickle of people streamed by. Soon, a larger group of passengers appeared. Most looked to be business travelers with laptop cases slung over their shoulders and phones to their ears. A few families with kids in tow filed down. Then, towards the back of the group was a beautiful woman with shoulder length brown hair. When she looked up and saw me waiting, her face broke into a big smile.
I met Amber as she came off the escalator and she put her arms around me in a tight hug, saying, "Hey! I didn't expect to see you waiting for me!"
Brushing her hair back behind her ear as we smiled at one another, I said, "What, and miss out on a hug like this?"
Leaning in for a quick kiss, Amber seductively said, "I'm gonna give you more than a hug."
We both laughed as I took her hand in mine and started off for baggage claim. Squeezing my hand, she just smiled at me before looking out ahead to find her airline's carousel. Joining the rest of the passengers from her flight, I put my arm around her back as we watched the suitcases on their parade along the conveyor belt. When she saw hers off in the distance, I went over and grabbed it, tripping over a stroller on my way. Clearly an accident, the mom nevertheless acted as if I had tried to murder her child. I offered my apologies and hurried off while she continued to berate me.
Getting back to Amber, she was trying not to laugh, having seen all of that play out. Peeking back over my shoulder as we got away from the group, I said, "You sure you just flew in from Atlanta? That's the sort of shit I expect from New York flights."
Amber just laughed as we made our way back outside. After riding up the elevator, we walked through the parking garage with its low ceiling and rows of parked cars. Arriving at the truck, I put her bags in the back seat while she climbed into the passenger side. When I got in and saw her sitting there in the seat beside me, it felt as if all was right with the world again. After I started the truck, Amber leaned over. Placing her hand on my thigh, she gave me a long, slow kiss, which I readily returned. Turning the volume down on the radio as it noisily started playing, I leaned into her kiss.
There in the relative privacy of the dark parking garage, Amber and I kissed like two teenagers in the back of a car at a drive-in movie. Placing my hand behind her head, we both softly moaned as our tongues sensually rubbed together. With my heart racing, I whimpered when I felt her hand softly rub the front of my khaki pants. As she teased the bulge that was forming between my legs, I reached down between hers. She sighed as my nails scratched the front of her jeans. Then with a little chuckle, she quietly said, "I should've worn different pants."
Although we had stopped kissing, Amber smiled at me as she continued slowly teasing her fingers against the tightened front of my pants. Then leaning over and placing her lips behind my ear, she breathlessly whispered, "Let's have some fun on the way home."
With a smile, I backed the truck up and drove out of the garage. Emerging back out into the bright sunlight, I paid the parking fee and got back on the road. As soon as we rejoined the stream of cars, Amber slipped her seat belt behind her back. Leaning back over, she kissed me on my neck and sighed, "I missed you so much."
Turning for a quick kiss, I said, "I missed you too, honey."
