The lights flew across the windscreen like blurry UFO's as Fiona navigated her trusty little car along the night time roads of the city. The streets were quiet now and the street lamps illuminated the way as if just for the three of them.
Her eyes were tired. She was not used to late nights and now they were two hours into a whole new day, but this was the annual routine. It was his offices annual party and so she was the designated driver. The parties were not really Fiona's cup of tea. She'd sit and listen to them all talking about work even though they were there to forget about it, and then watch their conversations try and remain professional but fail more and more as the night went on and the open bar took its toll.
"It'd probably be best to take the back roads" Brian her husband slurred from the passenger seat in the front.
He hardly ever drank but when he did, especially if it was free, he'd always go that little but too far. This year was no different and she hoped that he wouldn't spend the night in the bathroom again.
"Turn right at the next exit I think" Brian mumbled some more before slumping his head against the window again and closing his eyes. She knew the way. They'd get home safe. Taking the back roads was the best way, and that's one of the many reasons why she'd insisted that they used her little car. Sure it was a cramped little hatch back with not very much power. Sure there was no room for a real person on the back seat and sure Brian hated it to bits, but she loved her little car and knew how to make it hug the turns of the back roads with plenty of room to spare.
She'd enjoyed this year's party more than usual as she got to know some of her husband's co-workers a little better but she still wouldn't call this kind of night out her idea of fun. She'd prefer to be doing something more productive with her time, or enjoying a romantic meal, or maybe even go dancing. The meal was luxurious enough but over a hundred people that she didn't know sharing the experience didn't really make it romantic. At least this year she did at least get to dance.
"Thanks for the lift home Fiona" came a more coherent voice from the cramped space in the back. "I really appreciate it."
"Hey no problems at all" Fiona responded as her hands gripped the wheel and the car plunged into the darkness of the country roads home. "And thank you for earlier", she continued as she searched for the face of the man in the shadows of the back seat via the mirror.
"So Brian hates dancing that much huh?" Her husband's co worker asked softly.
Fiona giggled and nodded. Her mind travelled back to only a few hours earlier that evening. While Brian was chatting with his work mates at the free bar, this guy had noticed her standing with her back to the bar looking on at the drunken attempts at dancing in the middle of the room as the music played.
"Do...do you like to dance too?" A soft inquisitive voice had asked.
She'd turned and saw the friendly gentleman in his dinner suit and bow tie. She didn't know his name but had seen her husband talking and joking with him earlier and assumed it was another work mate of Brian's.
"Yes. Yes I do." She replied with a smile. Then looking in her husband's direction she sighed and sadly added "but he doesn't."
The guy glanced in Brian's direction and smiled. "Oh well. At least you have a date. Mine fell sick at the last moment."
"He's more than a date" Fiona was quick to correct, "Brian is my husband. And your date was..."
"My sister." the man said to complete her sentence.
The two of them looked at each other briefly and then burst out laughing.
"So...shall we dance?" he asked once the giggling had subsided. "We'd best have some fun this evening."
Fiona checked on her husband with a glance. He was still having a good time at the bar. The music was up tempo and everyone on the dance floor was jiggling around in their own little worlds. She looked back at the guy and smiled "Sure why not" she replied, and with that they merged into the middle of the room and were lost in the crowd, moving to and fro in time to the music.
"Second on the left up here."
The voice was softly speaking in her ear but even so it gave her a fright as it snapped her back to the present from her memories of the evening. The man in the back had leaned forward just a touch to give Fiona the direction but in the confines of the little car, that pretty much put their heads side by side.
"Sorry" he continued "I didn't mean to startle you. I just didn't want you to miss the turning." He rested his hand on the bare skin of her shoulder reassuringly.
Fiona was already used to his touch. Even though she'd met this man for the first time tonight, the up tempo music had slowed through the evening, and even though she'd thought better of it, she'd entertained him in just one slow dance before returning to her husband at the bar. Their close dance was awkward at first as she became more aware of her dance partners firm tall powerful build, and even more aware of the small black sleeveless cocktail dress she'd chosen for the occasion. But as they swayed together and he'd been nothing but a gentleman, Fiona had relaxed into his embrace as she slowly melted together with him on the dance floor.
In the confines of the little car, she felt at ease still, even though his hand now remained rested on her arm. But oddly Fiona also suddenly realised she was kind of imprisoned. The seatbelt was tight through the middle of her chest like a rope holding her to the seat.
Her hands though not bound could not leave the steering wheel as she was driving, so they might as well have been tied up.
She looked over at her husband but could barely see him in the darkness of the car on an unlit back road, so she returned her concentration back onto her driving.
"Are you awake honey?" she asked.
