Shae

02 - Paella

Dane busied himself in the kitchen preparing all the ingredients for the meal. He had bought a paella grill years ago but never tried it out and was excited as not only would this be the first paella he ever made, but also the first he ever had. Sharing the experience with Shae would be the icing on the cake, even if her sister would also be there.

Dane got the grill going and the paella was simmering on the balcony of his 1st floor apartment. He was slightly giddy and bobbing to the proto punk music that was streaming through his TV as he grabbed a strong cider from the fridge. That is when Shae hit the buzzer. Dane's stomach lurched up suddenly and he felt a bead of sweat on his forehead. He chastised himself for being excited and nervous like this for another guys woman. Dane also felt disappointed that her sister would be there too. Whenever someone else was with them, that same feeling, the same comfort and excitement from when they worked out of town wasn't present and Dane really wanted to feel it again. He quickly moved to the buzzer and let his guests in the building.

Dane made his way to the door of his apartment, he opened it to greet the friends who should be arriving any moment. Shae opened the door from the stairwell and smiled wide as they met face to face. Dane's eyes widened as she stood before him, in a tight tank top and no bra. Her skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat and made her shirt cling to her ample bosom leaving her plump nipples clearly visible through the thin fabric. Her jeans were tighter then he was accustomed to her wearing and that coupled with the tight top accentuated her slim waist and hips.

"I made it! I brought some beer, I hope you don't mind?" She said, holding out a 12 pack of her favorite ale, trying not to impose and be polite.

"Not at all! Let me take that for you. So glad you could make it." Dane took the case of beer quickly trying to find an excuse to look away without making it awkward, and took them to the fridge but not before pulling out a sweating bottle for his guest. "Want one now?"

"Oh, yes please!" Replied Shae with a childlike enthusiasm as Dane opened the bottle and handed it to her.

"Where is Kim?"

"She can't make it." Shae replied, almost looking startled, like a cat about to do something it knows is naughty.

"Bummer." Dane tried to hide his excited relief.

The smell of the simmering paella wafted in through the open patio door to the balcony and Shae closed her eyes and took a deep inhale. "Mmm, something smells good!"

"Ya, it's basically done. Take your drink out to the balconey and I will bring some plates." Ordered Dane.

"Yes sir!" Shae answered with a amused chuckle and headed out to the balcony. "Don't dilly dally in there, I am hungry, Big Daddy!" She commanded for good measure.

Dane bit his lip, she was here and she was back. He turned away and said quietly but loud enough for Shae to hear." I missed you."

Shae didn't say a word but with her back turned to Dane a wide grin crept across her face.

They ate their meal and had more to drink as they laughed and joked about their coworkers and how management had it all wrong. Laughing at each other's jokes.

"So how is Randall?" Asked Dane about Shae's boyfriend

Shae got nervous and looked away. "He is out of town for work. They weren't giving him enough here and he took a job in the south."

"That sucks. Sorry. Is it shift work, can be come home regularly?"

"Not often, he has a stupid shift where he works 6 days with one off, doing 10 to 14 hour days and he has contracted himself for the next four months."