Consequences

Part 87

Rita and Roxanne watched Doug warily. The last few minutes had been interesting. The man seemed to care. Genuinely care about Isabelle. That was unexpected. "Rita, take him to Cindi and tell her what I said." Isabelle told the red haired woman.

Doug smiled at Isabelle, wanting instead to kiss her. He knew that their audience was far too interested in what was going on. That didn't stop him from adding to the rumour mill. Doug leaned forward, grabbed hold of her shoulders to steady her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. Then he turned and followed Rita out of the office.

The Centre was a hub of activity. Two of the rooms were being used as classrooms, one room was a computer suite and all the working computers were being used. By two am Doug had fixed the machines he could, but one would need a major overhaul or need to be discarded. He returned to the waiting area and was pleased to see that it was empty. But then so was her office. So Doug went in search of her. He couldn't find her, so he returned to the office ten minutes later, only to find her working on the accounts for the Centre.

"Hi." He knocked on her door and came in as she raised tired eyes and smiled at him.

"You're still here?"

Doug nodded and after scanning the room, decided to take the large comfy seat. He sunk into the chair, "I'm shattered." He admitted as he massaged his forehead.

"Then go home."

"I will when you do." He retorted.

"I don't have to go into work," Isabelle flicked her cuff and glanced at her watch, "in five hours time."

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll wait until you're done. What time do you finish here?" He stifled a yawn.

"Not for ages." She scowled at him, not that it had made any difference, he was too busy stifling yet another yawn. "I meant to say, earlier, thanks for helping. I'm told you've been a veritable treasure." Her lips twitched. "Even Roxanne was in to sing your praises.'

He grinned, knowing that he had indeed redeemed himself. Then he yawned again. To think he had once accused her of being a light weight. How did she keep this up? No wonder she'd been laid low by the flu. Probably exhausted.

"Doug, go home. Get some sleep." Isabelle scrunched her shoulders, then hunched them before attempting a minor shoulder roll in an attempt to release some of the tension, "I finish when we do breakfast tomorrow, oops, this morning."

He knew this chair was a recliner. "I can nap here." Doug reached for the lever to extend the footrest. But within seconds, instead of the footrest extension appearing, he ended up sprawled on his back. The old recliner relaxed suddenly and shot into a more horizontal position.

With a muffled laugh Isabelle got to her feet and came round the desk, "Are you ok?"

"This thing has mind of it's own." Doug remained sprawled.

"What were you trying to do?" She asked him.

"Extend the foot rest."

"Ah. Wrong lever." She bobbed down beside the recliner and reached past his hips to gain access to the lever on the other side. "Mind your legs." She told him as she adjusted the lever and the foot extension slowly appeared. "There you go." But before she could straighten out, he'd hooked an arm around her waist and hauled her to sprawl on top of him. "What are..."

"Perfect." Doug told Isabelle as two arms banded around her. "This is like necking in the back seat of a car without the confines of the car!"

Isabelle laughed instantly. "I wouldn't know." She squirmed until she got more comfortable and lay on him. This felt good, she thought as she snuggled closer.

Doug arched back, so that he could look into her eyes. "You didn't make out in a car?"

"I'm a Sojour-D'Sa!" She told him with a mock expression of hauteur.

She heard the chuckle as it reverberated in his chest. "Ah, well we should make up for that shocking lack of education." Doug's hand cupped the back of her head and drew her toward him for a kiss.

"Oh sorry." Rita's exclamation caught them mid kiss. "I didn't, that is, I, sorry." She began to back out.

"Rita!" Isabelle scrambled to her feet. "Come in."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"What's up?" Isabelle straightened her clothes.

"You know that young girl," Rita looked hesitantly at Doug, before looking back at Isabelle, "I thought you'd want to know she's here."

"Oh, right. Ok. I'll be right with you." Isabelle tugged her blouse into order and looked around for her shoes.

"Everything ok?" Doug asked as he braced both elbows on the arm rest of the recliner and watched Isabelle slide on her flat pumps.

"Yes. Look. Go home." She bent at the waist, planted her hands on the arm rest and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. "I'm going to be busy." She straightened up. "Go home." She walked to the door. "Get some sleep."

When she returned an hour later, she found Doug fast asleep in the recliner. She took her time studying him lying there, breathing steadily, sleeping deeply. Then she brought the blanket she kept in her office and draped it over him. He didn't move an inch. She tucked it around him, brushed his forehead with her lips and then returned to her desk to keep working on the accounts.