Running Out

Chapter 6 - Next step

Author's Notes:

A bit more datey fluff before the storm. And I'm sorry, friends... but I let my muse out of her room to use the loo and she's run amok. She started small, but she's going to make more of a mess before I catch her, I'm sure. So hang on... (Don't worry, though... I've put away all the sharp implements, so at least there's a good chance there won't be much blood involved...)

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The work week seemed to drag on forever, but her day off finally came and she was about to see ‘Her Doctor’ again, as she was beginning to think of him. John had offered to pick her up from her place and she’d been about to insist on meeting him somewhere else, but before she could get a word in, he shared that he had a surprise planned. She wasn’t about to turn that down, so she agreed to meet him out front at half-three. 

His blue Audi rolled up at precisely 3:30 and she slipped in quickly, not wanting him to linger. A car like this in her neighbourhood in the light of day would draw attention and she’d quickly become a fodder for gossip. She could just hear Mrs. Pumlin down the hall whispering to Mrs. Keen behind her back, “I told you that Tyler girl was one of them ‘call girls’!”

John, however, seemed to have no awareness of her discomfort and made no immediate move to put the car in drive. “Hi,” he smiled as she climbed in. “Blimey… you look lovely,” he said admiringly.

A blush stole over her as her tongue slid out between her teeth. She’d stewed for a while this morning over what clothes she should wear today, and finally settled on a pair of dark jeans and a form fitting red top. She didn’t often wear this shirt… her mother always told her red was too skanky, but she’d always liked the colour and frankly, she felt sexy in it. “Thanks,” she replied, taking in his more casual choice of a white dress shirt with no tie under a navy blazer paired with jeans. “You don’t look so bad yourself,” she grinned.  

It was his turn to look a bit shy, and she took immense joy in seeing that in him. He had every right to be completely full of himself for his looks… he was a treat to look at, that’s for sure… but he didn’t seem to be that way at all. She found it incredibly endearing.

Suddenly reminded why she’d hoped they’d get a move on, she looked nervously around outside the car to find a few passers by blatantly ogling John’s expensive ride. 

“Um… we should…” she started, nodding a bit too urgently to the road ahead of them.

“Oh. Yeah, sure,” he said, seemingly a bit taken aback with her sudden need to leave.

She made no effort to explain herself as they pulled away from the curb, and inwardly she sighed in relief as the distance widened between them and her apartment building.

“Ex-boyfriend spying on you or something?” John ventured, darting her a look as they drove.

“What?” she asked, confused.

“You seemed anxious to get away from your place… is there something wrong?” he asked.

“Oh, uh…” How could she explain? I look like a hooker sitting in a posh car like this. Yeah, that would go over well. “No… I’m just excited to see what you have planned,” she said lightly, trying to cover her earlier anxiety. “What do you have planned, anyway?” she asked in an effort to change the subject. 

John seemed unsure of her response, but obviously decided to let it go for now. “Weeeellll… I was thinking of spending the day downtown… maybe walking along the Thames?”