'I'm running so late, hurry up and turn green damn you!' Jacqui said under her breath while waiting at the lights.
She needed to be across town in a hurry as she had agreed to babysit for her neighbour that night. It was now 6.30 and she said that she would be there by 6.00 at the latest. She had also agreed to do a clients hair after work that night, not expecting it to take as long as it did. So now she was starting to panic about letting her neighbour down.
'Finally!' The light had turned green and she was on her way again. It's funny how when you are moving, you don't feel as much of the pressure, but when you are simply waiting at the lights with each second more pressure seems to build up.
It took Jacqui a further 25 minutes to get to her destination, so she arrived the best part of an hour late. Feeling really bad she raced up the driveway and knocked on the door, expecting her neighbour to be a bit angry at her delay. Instead it was quite the opposite.
'Hi, can I help you?' he said as he opened the door.
This was something that she had never expected. Who was this guy standing in her neighbour's doorway, certainly no one she had met before. He stood somewhere around six feet tall she guessed, paling her five foot 2 inch frame in comparison. He had a reasonably athletic build, short blonde hair and bluish-green eyes. He certainly was a 'pleasant' surprise.
'Um, hi, I'm the babysitter. I'm a little late...'
'Yes you are' he interrupted with a smile. 'I'm Steve, Lisa's brother. They left about half an hour ago and I wasn't doing anything so got roped into covering for you I guess. Come on in and I'll get out of your way!' Steve added as he stepped aside to let Jacqui past.
'I hope I haven't kept you from doing anything tonight, you know, um, I mean you don't look like the kind of guy that would be sitting at home on a Friday night.'
'Nah, not tonight, wasn't really in the mood for it. Had a rough day at work, so a night in front of the telly sounded like a better option, before getting called up to come around here!' Steve replied. 'So what's your name if you don't mind me asking?'
Instantly feeling flushed with embarrassment, Jacqui realised that she hadn't introduced herself. 'Jacqui, I'm Jacqui, I live next door.'
'Well it's a pleasure to meet you. I'll guess you'll be able to handle it from there though, so I'll take off and leave you to it.'
'Oh, can't you stay a bit? These two will be in bed soon and after that I could do with the company, and if you're only going to watch TV, then you could do that here too.'
'Sure, why not. No point sitting at home alone I s'pose'
Steve settled back into the couch as Jacqui sorted the kids out and it wasn't long before the duties were done and they were both sitting on the couch in relative peace and quiet.
'Can I get you a drink?' Jacqui asked to break the silence.
'Yeah, that'd be great, I could kill a beer.' Steve replied enthusiastically.
'Have you eaten?' Jacqui asked in reply as she got up, 'I could go a pizza if you are keen?'
'That sounds like a plan, I'll give them a call now' Steve offered.
It wasn't long before a couple of beers had passed and the pizza had come and gone and they were starting feel a lot more comfortable with one another – albeit thanks to the beers! So much so that they didn't realise that darkness had set in and they now sat very close to each other on the couch.
It wasn't until Steve moved and his leg brushed up against Jacqui's and an electrical jolt fired right through them both, like some sort of connection had just been made.
'Ooh sorry.' Steve offered politely
'That's OK, in fact it's quite nice just sitting and chilling here with you rather than alone by myself as is usually the case. Can I get you another drink or anything?' Jacqui replied trying to ease Steve's guilt.
'Yeah another beer would be great, thanks.' Steve replied
So as she got up Jacqui pressed herself of the couch using Steve's leg to assist and with that sent a signal to him that she wanted more.
Returning with a drink for them both, Jacqui settled back in beside Steve, this time a little closer still so their legs were touching. Jacqui felt like a teenager again with the nervous but excited butterflies fluttering through her body. Each one charged with a kind of energy that was making her more excited by the minute.
Within minutes the excitement was starting to consumer her every thought, She couldn't help but feel urges toward Steve that were getting harder and harder to control. She knew if she didn't do something that she wouldn't be able to resist them much longer.
'I'm gonna do something I don't usually do' Jacqui uttered in a quiet and scratchy voice.
'Pardon?' Steve said
Then Jacqui leaned in and kissed Steve, not just a gentle kiss but firm and wanting. This took Steve totally by surprise, but he soon found himself kissing her back, slowly at first then a little more deeply and finally quite passionately.