16 August 2012

Amber's Advocate

Chapter Fifteen


Untouchable


     Amber woke up abruptly to a ceiling that was unfamiliar to her.  When she turned her head, her eyes clasped on Cade who was reading in an arm chair opposite the couch she was luxiously sprawled out on.  Covering her eyes she groaned and spoke up,
     "Shit! So much for dinner."
     "You're in luck," Cade smiled, putting the book to the side and grinning, "I burnt it.  I didn't have the heart to start over, so we'll order in, instead.  Are you hungry?"
     "Starving.  How long was I out?"
     Cade looked at his wrist watch, "Oh a couple of hours."
     "And what's a couple of hours?" Amber asked, as she stretched.
     "I'd say, about six hours..." Cade smiled.
     "This is just too weird, I haven't slept like that in such a long time, it's so strange.  Even with medication, I never drift off like that," Amber said, shaking her head.
     "Well, what can I say? It must be the cosiness of my place.  What do you fancy to eat? Pizza or Chinese?" Cade said to a stand.
     "You pick... can I use your bathroom please?" Amber asked.
     Cade pointed her in the right direction and she shut the door firmly behind her.


   An hour later, they were sitting on the floor, having spooned various culinary Chinese offerings from the local Chinese takeaway.
    "So... I've got to go to New York for a couple of days in two weeks," Cade began, "And as you're a native, I was hoping you would join me.  What do you say?"
    Amber almost choked on the prawn she was half way through munching, "You can't be serious."
    "I'm deadly serious... you said you were missing the buzz, I'm going over there to meet some clients for work, why don't you come and join me? It'll be fun.  Besides, I'll be staying at The Waldorf and god that sounds amazing."
    "I promised myself I'd never go back there," Amber said, more to herself then to Cade.
    Cade put down his plate and then took the bowl from Amber's hands, "If it's too soon, I'm sorry... I'm crazy about you and the thought of not seeing you for five days is unbearable.  Shit! I'm not coming across right, a complete and utter needy git.  I just thought, as you're from there you'd be my tour guide and you'd show me around your old haunts y'know and we can make new memories.  Crap! That didn't come out right either."
    Amber was shocked to speechless.
   "Say something, anything..." Cade prompted.
   "Can I think about it?" Amber managed to say.
   "Of course," Cade replied and kissed her softly on the lips.

   Cade drove Amber home an hour later, she had left her bowl to the side after he had robbed her of it, after he asked her to go to New York with him. Silence had enveloped the conversation and even when he tried to make conversation with her afterwards, it was like she wasn't even there.  Well, her mind definitely wasn't.  Even if she was sitting right beside him.  When she asked him to take her home, his heart squeezed.  What a dumb ass he was and now standing on the pavement as the door shut, he felt like a sore loser.  He knew there were still things that traumatised her and one of those things was in New York.  He'd been so excited by the trip, knowing she was a native there, he couldn't resist.  And that temptation and the 'ask' had been a major ASK.  He felt like an arse. The look on her face had said everything, she was scared shit less and he wanted to console her but she had closed off.  Untouchable.  
   He eventually got into his car and drove away from the pavement.  He couldn't help himself, he was like a teenager and a crazy hormonal one at that.  He just couldn't seem to shake how hard he was falling for her and how ridiculously fast.  With his past girlfriends, it had taken him a long time to fall in love with them, it had taken him a year but with Amber, with it being only a matter of months... holy crap, he was crazy about her.  They hadn't even made love yet and he felt this about her.  Not that making love, having sex was a major thing for him because being with her and having her beside him was all that mattered.  He pulled up off the road to calm his beating heart, he never got this emotional.  He was a man for god sake- this was stupid. 
    He sat motionless in his car and decided to park up, he took out his mobile phone and dialled his friend Vince.  He needed to talk to someone and Vince had life experience.