Nick watched Sal as she spoke to the ground services agent and coordinated the arrival of the Gatwick passengers. She really knew what she was doing in that role, and for one insane moment, Nick actually wondered if she knew more than him. Could he do that job? He’d always just assumed he could do any airport job since he had worked as an airport rep for so many years. But he’d never actually been a supervisor. Maybe he should have.

What was this? Was he feeling envious of Sal? Maybe not, more likely he was feeling envious of that service agent at that precise moment as Sal giggled while she squeezed past him, on the way from the table to the office door via the narrow gap between the agent and the desk.

“Sorry, I just need to get past,” she chuckled, gesturing to the door behind him. “Need to go sort out the reps before they run riot,” she joked.

The guy wasnt listening to a word she was saying, he was far too distracted by finding himself suddenly squeezed between the wall and a giggly Sal.

“Did she realize what effect her actions had on men?” Nick wondered. The weird thing was that he really thought she didn’t.

The guy made absolutely no effort to create more space for Sal to pass and just watched her shimmy past him with a grin.

He was enjoying the whole thing way too much.

“C’mon Sal,” Nick said, suddenly striding across the office in two quick steps to pull out the desk, widening the gap and grabbing Sal by the arm, swiftly moving her away from the agent and out of the door.

Sal glanced up at Nick as he took hold of his suitcase and they headed down the corridoor. “What’s wrong?” she asked, the flicker of a frown on her forehead.

Nick turned his head briefly. “Nothing. what d’ya mean?”

“You rushed us out of there a bit abruptly, didn’t you?” she replied.

He thought for a moment before answering casually, “Yeah, you’ve got to sort out those reps, remember Sal, before they run riot,” he quoted her.

Sal considered his comment with a small, uncertain smile before shrugging and turning to make her way down the stairs to the ground floor, but pausing after having second thoughts. She turned to glance back at Nick.

“Sorry,” she said, “we can use the lift if you like. I forgot you have luggage.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it,” he replied with a dismissive gesture, “I can carry it down.”

The t shirt he was wearing allowed Sal a glimpse of the muscles in his arm at her eye level which flexed as he picked up the heavy suitcase. She remembered from before how strong he could be. He enjoyed working out in the gym. It was nice to have a big, strong guy as a friend to look out for her. She smiled at the thought.

Nick followed Sal down the stairs, noticing that energetic bounce of hers as she walked, the trademark 'Sal walk' that he’d come to know so well. Everything about Sal was energetic and enthusiastic. He’d sort of forgotten that in the six months that they had not seen eachother over the winter. He’d been back in the bleak, cold and rainy reality of the UK, with people who were usually less than positive and enthusiastic. The weather seemed to seep it out of them.

But Sal was different... actually, when he thought about it, he’d never met anyone quite like Sal before. He could hardly believe that she was there, right in front of him again. Sort of the same but in a way, even more confident and even more.... he couldn’t stop his gaze from moving over that snugly fitted, navy blue skirt as she walked. She certainly had curves in all the right places, and her choice of clothes, even when they were part of a simple uniform, always seemed to accentuate them. From what he could remember though, that uniform she was wearing was nothing compared to some of the outfits she had worn when out on the town.

Oh hell, he had to stop this train of thought, to stop remembering all those sexy dresses she had worn and how he’d tried so hard not to notice.

He chuckled to himself.

Not notice, who was he kidding? That was impossible for any red-blooded male!

“What’s so funny?” a voice had cut into his thoughts.

His eyes collided with Sal’s as she turned inquisitively.

Had he actually laughed then audibly?

His answer became trapped in his throat, as he struggled guiltily to come up with a reply. He could hardly tell her what he had been thinking about!

She finally reached the end of the flight of stairs and turned to him for an answer.

His eyes did the last thing his common sense wanted them to do then and automatically dropped to assess the way that the lacy edge of her bra could just be seen from the ‘V’ of her shirt as she twisted around to face him.

“Oh, I was just...”

He dragged his wayward gaze back up again.

What the hell was wrong with him? This was getting worse than before. He’d have thought that six months apart would have dampened the sex appeal she exerted on him but, not at all, now it was ten times stronger!

She laughed. “Just what, Nick?”

“Just... thinking about...”

“Yes,” she prompted with amusement.

He busrt out laughing suddenly, completely at a loss for what to say.

She laughed with him but with a little bewilderment.

“Ah Sal,” he chuckled, throwing an arm around her shoulder as they both strode out though the sliding doors and into the sunshine. “Think I’m just glad to be back.”

She looked up at his face just above hers, her expression also alight with merriment. “I’d forgotten how strange you are, Nick Elliot,” she said, “But, nonetheless, I’m glad you’re back too,” she laughed.