When Fools Rush In

Chapter 3 - The Office

It had taken them half the time to get back to Manchester has it did driving out to the school that morning. Jack was tired after his football demo with the children and after grabbing a service station sandwich for lunch, had fallen asleep in the passenger seat as Lucy cruised down the motorway. She knew what had really tired him out - she had practically sucked him dry in secret in their little bathroom rendezvous - and as he snoozed with his head resting against the window and his hair falling over his eyes, Lucy felt a pang of affection for the man she had suddenly entered a physical relationship with. She tried to ignore it. She was being reckless enough indulging hers - and his - desires. The last thing she needed was to have any other feelings towards him besides the all-consuming lust she had been battling for the last few weeks.

They pulled up at the Etihad Campus. 

"Wakey wakey Jack," said Lucy as she pulled the handbrake up, "you've got training this afternoon."

Jack stirred and groaned, opening his eyes and stretching his arms out in front of him. Lucy gazed at him - God he looked cute.

"Yeah I'm waking up," mumbled Jack, "you've worn me out today already."

Lucy smiled at him. She felt she had to acknowledge how she felt about the morning.

"Well I've had a very enjoyable day so far," she said. "I hope you've enjoyed it as much as me."

Jack's eyes flickered into life. "What do ya think?" He smiled dozily, telling Lucy all she needed to know. Then he said, "Lucy, what are you doing now then?"

"Back to the office," she replied, "I need to get that press release out, catch up on all my emails and deal with a load of press enquiries. In fact I'll probably be working late tonight - it's always like this when I have a trip out."

"Ah so you're getting out the car too?"

"Um, no, I need to pop back to my flat," said Lucy, bashfully. "I need a change of clothes to be honest."

Jack laughed and Lucy poked him in the side as he manoeuvred to get out the car.

Back at her flat Lucy discarded her dress and knickers and threw them in the washing machine. She showered and selected a knee-length skirt and blouse for her afternoon's work. She felt a mix of emotions in her head: exhilaration from her encounters with Jack and their mutual desire for each other, anticipation for what might come next but a sense of self-hatred for letting herself get involved with one of the team's players just weeks into the job. The outfit she chose had to balance out her morning of hedonism - she needed to look and feel professional.

It was a long afternoon for Lucy back at the office on the Etihad Campus. As much as she tried to work, she couldn't stop thinking about Jack. She checked her phone every ten minutes - nothing. She made endless cups of tea to distract herself. It didn't help she had her own office - a relief on the busiest days to drown out the noise of colleagues - but a burden today when she needed any distraction possible to stop the rabbit hole of erotic thoughts about Jack.

At 7pm Lucy began reaching the end of her to-do list, for today. All her colleagues working in the open plan office next door had gone home and it was eerily quiet on the second floor of the building. She heard the hum of the vacuum as the cleaner went about his business. She noticed that dusk was falling outside from the small, airless window behind her desk.

Lucy's phone pinged in front of her. 

Jack - so where are you now?

Lucy's heart leapt. She had begun to think that was it, a random morning of needs met, a change of heart.

Lucy - still in the office, working late. Will probably be done soon.

Jack - I'll come and find you then. Second floor again isn't it?