Fun In The Sun by repgreece (read people like a book TXT) 📕

giggled.

"He's losing the plot," Sal said, patting him sympathetically on the arm.

"I bet you'd be a real ditzy, flouncy tree," Nick continued, cursing himself for opening his mouth and wondering what on earth he was going to come out with next.

"What do you mean?" Sal laughed.

"You know," he began, with no control over what he was saying anymore, "you'd be all flirty with all the other trees. You'd probably grow blossom in the springtime and then shed it all bit by bit, day by day, driving all the oak trees insane!"

Ruth and Sal fell into fits of hysterics and when Sal got her breath back she just about managed to ask a question without bursting into laughter again.

"So," she began, stifling a laugh, "what tree would you be then Nick?"

He thought for a moment and then announced with a grin, "I'd be a Giant Redwood, the biggest tree in the world!"

Sal giggled and rested her head on the bar, looking up at him.

"Oh yes, and why is that then Nick?" she grinned.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Because I have very long legs and those trees have very long..." he paused, "trunks."

Ruth and Sal both failed to hold back the laughter any more.

"I bet you say that to all the trees!" Sal said, with tears running down her cheeks.

"I think that you were right in the first place Sal, I think we should slow down on the Sambucca," he chuckled, "that is if we are ever going to make it into town."

"Hey that's a good idea, let's go down town now," Sal said with enthusiasm. "Want to come?" she asked Ruth.

Ruth looked undecided. "I may come down later, I have to tidy up in here first and I'll have to wait for that couple to finish their drinks," she said, gesturing towards a couple of tourists at the other end of the bar.

"We can wait for you," Sal replied.

"No, you two go ahead," Ruth insisted, "I'll see you down there if I'm not too tired later."

"You sure?" Sal asked.

"Positive," Ruth confirmed.

Nick stood up and reached into his back pocket. "How much do we owe you Ruth?"

"Nothing. Adam paid for all the drinks," she informed them.

"Oh," Nick said with surprise, "that was good of him."

"Yes it was, he's okay is Adam," Sal agreed, grabbing her bag ready to leave.

"Well, give me a ring on my mobile if you decide to come and we will let you know where we are," Sal said.

Ruth collected the glasses from off the bar and proceeded to tidy up.

"I will," she called out to them as they headed for the exit, "have fun."

When the fresh evening air hit her, Sal began to feel the effects of the Sambucca even more and she grabbed onto Nick's arm to steady herself as they walked down the cobbled pavement towards the town.

"Don't let me have any more Sambuccas," Sal said to Nick, stumbling on a cobblestone. "Difficult to walk on here with these shoes," she mumbled to herself.

"Oh so it has nothing to do with the wine and five Sambucca shots you had then," he said sarcastically.

"Maybe just a little bit," she said, indicating a little of something between her finger and thumb and stumbling again when she let go of his arm to do so.

She twisted her ankle and slipped down towards the pavement, however he caught her just in time by both arms and hauled her up towards him. There was a moment of silence then when she caught her breath and regained her balance while he studied her face intently.

He wondered how she would react if he just kissed her then. No, he couldn't do that, she'd be shocked. Or would she?

She wore a relaxed, contented smile on her face as her eyes gazed back into his, but his body was nothing like relaxed. It was like a tightly coiled spring, and he wondered how much longer he could go on like that, pretending to be just friends with her.

"You rescued me! You're my hero," she exclaimed, holding on tightly to one of his arms and stooping to pick up her fallen handbag from off the floor. "Hey, you've been working out at the gym," she said as she stood back up and felt his arm muscle flex underneath her hand.

"I've always worked out in the gym," he stated.

"Oh," she said with surprise, "didn't realise that. Anyway," she went on, "how about giving me a piggy back into town and saving me from falling flat on my face?"

She sidled behind him and pressed her body against his, ready to jump up when he caught hold of her.

Bloody hell Sal, show some mercy will you!

"Come on Nick," she said impatiently when he hesitated.

He reached behind her and she jumped onto his back, forcing him to catch her around her thighs.

"You're my best friend in the whole world," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

He wished she would stop going on about being best friends and seduce him senseless!
Chapter 7

As Nick and Sal approached the party bar 'Mardi Gras', Boycie, the doorman, watched them with interest.

"Hey," he shouted out to Nick, "I'm telling Jen of you if you don't put her down. Leave us single guys a chance with her."

Nick's grip on Sal's legs tightened as she clung to the back of him.

"Oi, I'm her best mate Boyce, and I'm not leavin' her in you're lecherous clutches so forget it!" Nick grated back.

Nick kept hold of Sal as they moved through the entrance door and he threw Boycie a steely glare as they passed him.

"He'd better stay away from me," Nick growled, setting Sal down on a bar stool.

"Hey, calm down tiger. You need a drink," Sal stated, catching the attention of Dan, the barman, and ordering them some beers.

They drank their beers and watched the bar staff encouraging tourists to dance on the bar, until the song changed and Sal turned to Nick enthusiastically.

"Yay, it's the conga! Let's join in," she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him off the stool.

They joined the row of people that were forming in front of them and followed them as they snaked around the bar and eventually through the front door and out into the street. The people chanted and sang as they moved and some passers by even squeezed in amongst the line and joined in. The people finally turned back on themselves and began to re-enter the bar, but before Sal could make it back inside behind Nick, Boycie grabbed her around the waist and redirected her away from him.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she asked in confusion as he bent his head towards her.

She pushed him away and looked up nervously to see Nick fast approaching them with a furious expression on his face. Nick took hold of Sal by the arm and yanked her away from Boycie, pointing an aggressive finger in his face.

"I'm warning you, leave her alone!" he threatened, marching Sal back into the bar.

"Listen," Sal began, handing Nick his beer, "it's partly my fault that he thinks he can act like that. I was stupid; I let him walk me home once."

Nick swung his head back to her. "You did what?!"

"Calm down, I got rid of him when I realised that it wasn't my welfare that was uppermost in his mind!"

Well that didn't help much to calm him down! He looked more furious than ever now! What was it with him and Boycie?

Moments later Nick felt a hand clamp onto his shoulder and he turned to see Boycie standing behind him.

He put his face close to Nick's and growled, "Don't even think about threatening me because..."

Before Boycie could finish his sentence however a muscular arm came between them as Pedros, the bar owner, appeared and leant his hand on the bar, separating them both.

"Is there a problem here Boycie? Because anyone who works for me and has a problem with this man will find themselves looking for another job," Pedros warned.

Boycie narrowed his eyes and looked from Pedros to Nick and back again, eventually growling with anger and storming back out of the door.

"Get these two another drink on me," he said to Dan before following Boycie out of the door.

Sal sat beaming at Nick, however his mood hadn't seemed to improve much.

"I didn't need his help, I could sort that piece of shit out any day," he said angrily.

"Come on," Sal said, trying to dispel his mood. "Pedros respects you a lot after you saved those tourists from the explosion last year and helped him to catch the culprits. You were a hero," she smiled at him, proud to be his friend.

"I'm no hero," he argued. "Anyone would have done the same. And I just ran from the men; I don't see how that helped Pedros to catch them."

"Well, you're a hero in his eyes anyway...and you're a hero in my eyes too," she added.

He gave her a weak smile.

"What's wrong Nick? Why do you look so sad all of a sudden?" she asked with concern.

He shrugged and turned his attention back towards the activity behind the bar. She frowned and watched him for a moment before gesturing to Dan and saying something into his ear. He nodded and produced two shots of alcohol minutes later. She picked them up and offered Nick one.

"I had a brainwave, you know what they say," she giggled, proceeding to sing," Tequila, it makes you happy!"

He smiled, taking the drink, clinking glasses with her and downing the shot.

"Did it work?" she asked.

He shrugged and she watched him again thoughtfully.

"Nick, can I ask you something?" she began.

He turned to look at her. "Go on."

"What made you unhappy back in the UK? Was it that you almost split up with Jen?" she pondered.

"Partly," he admitted. "We argued a lot, but then we always argue a lot and then make up pretty soon afterwards."

"But you are happy with her, right?" she asked.

"Kind of," he said vaguely.

"Well, that doesn't sound so certain Nick. You have to end up with a mind shattering girl you know. You can't settle for anything less," she said firmly.

"And where am I going to find this mind shattering girl then Sal?" he said, looking directly at her.

"I don't know but you can't give up on looking," she replied.

"And what would this mind shattering girl be like then Sal?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "Not sure. Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes?"

He shook his head. "Not my type."

"Oh," she looked surprised, "I thought that kind of girl was every man's type."

He laughed.

"So what is your type then?" she asked.

He had to be careful there; he was on dangerous ground!

"Someone who makes me laugh, someone who's not afraid to say how she feels. Someone opposite to me I guess," he concluded.

"Ah, opposites attract. Right?" she smiled.

"Yeah. But we'd have to have some things in common too," he added.

"Of course," she said, looking around the bar as if to