Miss Management

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

“It’s Harry,” said a voice through the letterbox as Caroline padded down the stairs. “And Elizabeth.”

Harry was Caroline’s younger brother. Elizabeth or Lizzy as everyone else knew her, was his wife.

Caroline took a calming breath and smoothed down her silky white dressing gown, which she had grabbed after pulling off her boots.

She opened the door bundling the visitors inside. “What’s the matter Harry?” Caroline asked, concerned by the signs of stress showing on her little brother’s face.

“There’s been a bit of an accident,” Harry said. He continued quickly when he saw his sister’s alarm at his statement. “Don’t worry. Everyone’s fine. There was a small fire. At the flat.”

A look passed between Lizzy and Harry which Caroline couldn’t read. Joe appeared at the top of the stairs. He had changed into jeans and a shirt. He looked serious having heard Harry’s explanation. No-one would have guessed from looking at him, what he and Caroline had been up to just moments before.

“Would it be OK if we stayed here for a couple of days while we get it sorted out?”

“Of course,” cried Caroline reaching out to hug Lizzy who looked as if she were about to burst into tears.

Joe had reached the hallway now and placed a manfully comforting hand on Harry’s shoulder. He glanced over at Caroline and caught her eye, motioning that she should wipe her cheek. Quickly catching his meaning she rubbed away a blob of pre-c*m before it got smeared all over poor Lizzy’s face.

The guests were taken through to the lounge and Joe went off to make coffee.

“Why didn’t you call?” asked Caroline. Even as she said it, she realised her words implied that turning up unannounced was an imposition. She felt bad and added hastily, “We’d have got the place ready. Made up the bed, you know.”

“We tried, but we kept getting your answering machine. And both your mobiles are switched off,” Harry explained.

“Yes. Right.” Caroline felt even worse now. They always tried to make sure date nights weren’t interrupted. “So what happened at the flat? Is it bad?”

“Oh I think it was probably something electrical. It was in the bedroom. Luckily we were both at home and we managed to put it out.”

Another look passed between Harry and Lizzy. Caroline caught the sentiment behind it this time. It was anger.

Joe came back with the coffee and Caroline asked him to bring some brandy as well. When he had poured both guests a generous measure Harry continued, “The fire didn’t do a lot of damage but there was so much smoke. One of the neighbours called the fire brigade and they made sure everything was safe. They told us not to stay there though. It’s not a good idea to be inhaling all those fumes, so we just packed a couple of bags and left.” Harry suddenly looked very tired. He took a gulp from his glass.

“Give me your keys. I’ll go and fetch your bags in from the car,” said Joe.

Harry tossed him the bunch and Joe headed to the front door.

Lizzy, who had spent the whole time quietly examining her new surroundings and toying with her long copper coloured hair piped up, “I’ll give him a hand.” She followed Joe outside.

Caroline was suddenly afraid that Joe hadn’t had time to clear away all their props in the study. If Lizzy spotted her discarded Customs Officer’s uniform through the open door it might lead to some odd questions. She hurriedly excused herself and raced upstairs.

Joe had made an effort although the desk was still oddly positioned in the middle of the room and worse still, her peaked cap was sitting in the middle of it with a large tube of lubricating gel inside. Caroline shuffled the desk back into place, then picked up the offending items and opened the nearest cupboard door. Bundled inside were all the clothes they had been wearing (and then not wearing). She quickly threw the cap and the lube onto the pile.

Satisfied that everything looked normal now, she pulled the door to, but didn’t close it. A closed door invites snooping, she always felt. She dashed back down just in time to meet Joe and Lizzy in the hall.

“Lizzy, please go and finish your drink. Relax. We’ll take care of everything.” Turning to Joe she said, “Bring those bags up and then you can give me a hand to put some sheets on the spare bed.”

When they got upstairs Caroline hissed, “Something’s not right. Did you see the looks those two were giving each other?”

Joe nodded. He’d always been surprisingly observant for a man, Caroline noted.

He put a thoughtful finger to his lips. “When I opened the car door, there wasn’t even a whiff of smoke. Nothing on these bags either.”

He bent down to perform a confirming sniff. Caroline did the same. He was right. Now that she thought about it she hadn’t smelt anything when she hugged the new arrivals either.

“She’s a bit all over the place too, isn’t she?” Joe went on. “She hardly said a word in the lounge but outside she was asking me about my job, about you. Quite upbeat. Charming even.”

“Well I suppose that might be shock,” said Caroline, but a piece of her was starting to worry.

Later that night, with their guests safely tucked up, Caroline and Joe lay in bed for a long time staring at the ceiling in silence, both too stimulated by the odd turn the evening’s events had taken to sleep.

Eventually Caroline whispered, “What a terrible thing to happen.”

“I know. And with them staying here, it might be ages before we get another date night.”

Caroline slapped Joe’s arm. “I meant terrible for them!” She could see his broad grin in the darkness.

“I know. Pretty terrible for me too though. All revved up like that. I don’t even know how it was going to end.”

It was Caroline’s turn to grin now. “And just for that I’m not going to tell you. It’ll spoil the surprise for when we do get a chance for a re-match. Now go to sleep Mr Slater.”

“You are a cruel and wonderful woman, Mrs Slater.” Joe kissed her lightly on the lips and rolled over.

Half an hour later Caroline slid over to Joe’s side of the bed and put her lips close to his ear. He stirred slightly as she ran her hand down his body, pressing her naked flesh to his. She caressed his earlobe with her tongue and sought out his sleeping manhood. Joe stirred in other ways. Caroline smiled to herself at achieving the hoped for reaction. “Hey there big boy. Wanna f**k?” she purred.