Delectable (Sinclair Bryant)

One Ticket

As promised but much to his disappointment, Sinclair drove Sian to work. As tempting as it was for her to stay entwined with him, she could not call in sick on Christmas Eve but as buildings became familiar, signifying they were close to La Croix, Sian found herself restless. Her fingers played nervously between each other as Sinclair chatted about some last-minute Christmas shopping. It wasn't a mistake she repeated silently in her head. She looked over at him, keeping her movements slow so as to not to distract him from the road. No, she thought, it wasn't a mistake, Sinclair could never be a mistake.

Reaching over the gear stick, she rested her hand on his thigh and sat back a bit more comfortably in her seat. Sinclair covered her hand with his own and continued through the slow Christmas traffic, planning in his head how he could get as much time with her as possible over the Christmas period.

The car came to a stop outside La Croix and their mutual reluctance to part ways hung in the small space between them. Sinclair leaned over first, brushing the end of his long nose against her warm cheek before he kissed it.

"I'll see you tonight?" he whispered quietly, kissing her again, she nodded her response as she guided his lips to hers. It was gentle, familiar...comforting. Sian needed comfort today, more than Sinclair could understand. "I'll pick you up after work then."

"You don't have to," she reassured him again, for what felt like the hundredth time, "you have plans tomorrow."

"No more discussion on it..." Sinclair paused, he knew he was being greedy, needy even, but he wanted more time, "and how about lunch?"

Sian's hands stopped stroking his side and she moved back into her seat, closer to the door, closer to exiting.

"I could pick us something up, eat in the car, just to give you a break..." he continued but it was hard to miss Sian's sudden change in demeanour as her eyes stayed fixed on the radio.

"Erm, it's quite hard on today..." fuck "Christmas Eve...you know...busy."

Sinclair frowned, "Is something the matter?"

Sinclair had nearly forgotten about her odd behaviour back at the house but now she was clamming up again, he was reminded of it.

A knock on the window startled both of them.

"Steamy windows..." Perry cooed from the other side of the glass, "you dirty, dirty teenagers."

"I should go," Sian sighed and leaned over, pecking Sinclair's cheek. He stopped her retraction with a hand on her forearm, taking her in for a moment, trying to figure out if he had done something wrong.

"Call me if you need anything..." Sian smiled at his show of care as he finished his offer, "I mean it."

"I know," she assured him, more and more confident that Sinclair was a man of his word.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers before letting go of her arm. Perry's face, cupped by her hands appeared through the misty window.

"Put him down!" her voice muffled through the glass.

"Sorry about her..." she smirked, "excuse me," Sian reached behind her and opened the door swiftly, knocking Perry back slightly.

She took it in her usual stride, laughing as she quickly composed herself and ducked her head through the door.

"Morning, Batman."

"Good morning...Robin," he replied, shaking his head and returning his hands to the leather steering wheel.

"I do look good in spandex," she tittered.

"Right, move, now, you peeping Tom," Sian shooed her away from the car and hopped out.