relationship over one misfortune. no matter how dramatic.'
'Me, either.' Gillian agreed, 'You're the only girl I know in this big, confusing city.'
'Another thing, Duncan's a nice fellow, treat him right. You couldn't do much better than him, and he's single and in love with you!'
'I know that,' she told her, 'and I do care for him, it's just that I don't want to be hurt again, so I'm playing it slowly.'
'Well, I hope that things do work out for your sake, and I'll keep in touch.'
'What are you going to do, Jessica?' Gillian asked. 'Are you going to find another job?'
'I really don't know right away, I may just stay home for a while, Andrew is pretty generous with me, especially now, so I don't want to go back to work if I don't have to.'
'It would be nice to stay home for awhile, but I did that for several years when I was married, so the career girl routine is new and exciting to me. Besides. Duncan can't support us both, he's struggling to get ahead now.'
'You've got the right answers. darling,' Jessica told her. 'Let's see if we can straighten out our present mess fairly quickly.'
'I don't see how Wiles expects to get away with it Jessica. He's bound to be caught, but he does have those awful pictures. I shudder every time I think about it, it's too horrible!'
'Andrew has an idea and he'll tell Duncan in a day or two after he checks a few things out and knows whether or not it will work.'
'I hope it does, for all our sakes,' she added. It's not a very pretty situation!'
'I do too,' Gillian whispered, almost like a prayer.
'Well, I've got to run, but I'm glad we could talk and as soon as I get my telephone installed, I'll call and give you the number.'
'That would be nice, and maybe we can have lunch one day next week.'
'Great, I'll look forward to it.'
Gillian closed the door behind Jessica and she was glad 'that her former roommate had come over after all, it made her feel better and she silently prayed that Andrew would come up with an answer to their problem, he just had to!
She decided not to go out that day, but busied herself preparing a luscious desert for their evening's meal. She wanted to please Duncan, she wanted him to know how much she appreciated his help and warmth and love.
She mused for a while and wondered if what she was beginning to feel for him was just gratitude or whether it was possible that she was falling in love with him after all! Only time would tell that, but she hoped that she could love him, she wanted to be able to love him.
At about six, Duncan arrived to the flat carrying a bouquet of winter flowers and a large brown bag with steaks, salad vegetables and two bottles of wine.
'It's a celebration,' he laughed, 'Your housewarming.'
She showed him the mousse that she had prepared for dessert and he hugged her tightly.
'See, you're acting like a wife already,' he blushed, 'but I love it!'
'Jessica came by today,' Gillian told him, 'Andrew has gotten her a place to stay and she may look for another job too.'
'I know, she called me this morning. I hope you don't mind that I told her where you were.'
'Of course not. Jessica's my only girlfriend and I was glad that she came over.'
'Just so long as I'm your only boyfriend,' he teased her.
'You've got nothing to worry about on that count,' she told him, and kissed him affectionately on the cheek, and took the flowers from him and looked for a vase.
'I'll be chef for the steaks if you make the salad. Somehow I always manage to cut myself when I prepare vegetables, besides, that's woman's work!'
'It's 'a deal,' she laughed and they started to prepare the dinner.
'Oh, I almost forgot,' she said aloud suddenly, 'I have your martini all chilled and ready.'
She went to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of chilled drinks and delicately poured him one.
'To us,' she toasted.
'I hope you mean that,' he said, 'I really do.'
Gillian blushed and went into the other room. She didn't want to say anything that would give him false hopes, but she knew that she did care for him a great deal and there wasn't anyone else in her life.
'Don't get nervous, Gil,' he reassured her. 'I made you a promise and I intend to keep it. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize our relationship, even though it could be a lot more right away, but I'll be patient.'
'I know you will,' she smiled, 'but I was just thinking about how I really do feel. I'm very confused right now and I don't want to say the wrong thing.'
'You couldn't say the wrong thing to me, unless you told me you were leaving.'
'Let's not get serious right away, after all if we do, we may never get dinner cooked.'
He took her by the arm and let her back to the kitchen.
'Go to work, woman,' he chided. 'You've got a hungry man to feed! And he is hungry!'
Together they prepared everything, sipping on their martinis until the entire pitcher was gone. Galleon's head felt light, but it was a pleasant feeling not being sluggish and drunk, just happy and care-free.
'Why are you smiling?' he asked her. 'Did I do something right?'
'Oh, Duncan,' she said, putting her arms around his waist. 'You really do make me happy. I've never known that I could be so happy. I'm just afraid I'll wake up and everything will be changed.'
'You worry too much,' he scolded. 'Nothing's going to change unless it would be your name!'
They ate dinner over candle-light, finishing both bottles of wine, and while she cleaned the table, he turned on the stereo so that soft, romantic music filled the cosy place. He handed her a cognac as she came into the living room and sat next to her on the couch.
'I feel so warm. so safe,' she whispered, letting her head rest against the crook of his arm.
His hand closed around her shoulder and pulled her close and he kissed her hair, smelling the fresh clean scent of her shampoo and cologne.
'I do love you, please believe me,' he murmured.
She raised her face to his and he kissed her deeply, tenderly and she could feel a rush of warmth permeate her body, her nerves begin to tingle as she returned his kiss. Her arms reached across him and clung to his sides and her fingers dug into his ribs.
He pulled away for just a minute, and said, 'Take it easy, you know what you're doing to me!'
'Yes,' she answered, 'the same thing you're doing to me.
Her voice had a hidden urgency and he turned and pushed her back onto the couch, covering her face, her throat and neck with sweet, fluttering kisses.
'Oh Duncan,' she moaned, 'I do need you.'
She couldn't bring herself to say that she loved him, not yet, but she did need him, needed him to make her feel safe and loved again.
His hands roamed carefully, slowly over her soft breasts, feeling the throbbing of her heart and pulse wherever his hands touched. He wanted to feel the soft silkiness of her skin and she didn't try to stop him as he fumbled with the buttons on her blouse, easing it from her shoulders so that her ripe, voluptuous breasts stood up proud and firm beneath her brassiere.
She slid down further on the couch so that his body was covering hers and she could feel his weight on her as he kissed her more passionately, his tongue darting between her teeth and into her throat She sucked on its cool dampness, and bit it gently, returning his passion with her own building need.
'Mmmmmm,' she crooned as his hands reached in back of her and unhooked the stay of her brassiere, pulling it up so that he could fondle her luscious orbs and tease her full pink nipples into erection.
'God, what are you doing to me,' he breathed. 'I want you so much, Gil darling!'
'I want you too, Duncan,' she answered.
He eased himself off the couch and picked her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Tonight, they weren't drugged and they were alone and she knew that she did want him, she wanted him so much!
