The night of the big birthday bash Kate was throwing for Sid had arrived, and Colin, as promised, had made other plans with Abby. So far, both the dates they had previously been on hadn’t ended too well. Colin was hoping this night would be different.

He hadn’t told Abby exactly where he was taking her, so she had no idea what to expect. Since they had been to the tavern already for their first date, she seriously doubted he’d take her back there so soon.

As she rummaged through her closet, looking for just the right outfit, Abby tried to remember Colin’s exact words to her when she had asked him how to dress for the night... "Umm...just surprise me, Luv... something to match those gorgeous eyes of yours," he’d told her, grinning.

Finally, she pulled out her sexy, deep crimson-colored dress and a pair of black heels to match and quickly slipped them on. She smiled, as she looked at herself in the mirror, mussing with her hair. "Perfect," Abby thought to herself, as she applied her lipstick.

Just as she tucked the tube of lipstick back into her handbag, there was a loud knock on her door. Startled, she quickly slipped into her heels and rushed to answer the door.

"Wow," was all Colin could manage to say, as Abby stood in the doorway in front of him. She was a vision, truly.

Abby smiled brightly and couldn’t help but giggle a bit by his reaction. "I’ll take that as a compliment," she said, as she grabbed her handbag and closed the door behind her.

Looking him up and down, she frowned slightly and raised an eyebrow. He was dressed in jeans and a casual button down shirt. "Guess I over did it a bit with the fancy dress, huh?" she chuckled, then added, "Maybe I should just go change into something... um... a bit more fitting for... where ever it is you are taking me?"

"No, no...," Colin replied quickly, grinning. "I...um... wow!" he said again, shaking his head, completely unable to take his eyes off her. "You look... stunning. It’s fine, please."

"Well, okay...if you insist," Abby replied, smiling.

"I insist. Now, shall we go then?"

"Lead the way, mister," she giggled, taking his arm.

A short while later, they were pulling up in front of a quaint two-story house, just a ways down the road from Colin’s garage and the town’s center.

"We’re here, Luv," Colin told her, with a grin.

Abby sat with a confused look on her face, as Colin jumped out of the driver’s seat and walked around to open the passenger side door for her.

"Umm... Colin?" she asked, as he helped her out of the car and led her up the front steps of the house. "Where exactly is HERE?"

Colin tilted his head and grinned again. "My place," he answered, then unlocked the front door, flipped on a light-switch on the wall just inside, and motioned her in.

Abby hesitated, shot him a suspicious look, then finally entered the house.

"Nice place," she told him, as she looked all around the living room. It was a simple place, clean, tastefully decorated. Clearly, Kate’s influence, Abby thought to herself, smiling.

"Thanks," Colin replied. "Please, have a seat." He motioned towards the couch.

She sat down, unsure of what he had planned for their evening. Colin sat down in an armchair across from her. "Would you like something to drink? Wine? Beer? Water?"

"Umm...yes, please," she replied, nervously. "A glass of wine would be great. Thanks."

"Two ticks," he replied, jumping up and rushing into the kitchen. "Oh, by the way, I’ve got dinner for us, too." He hollered from the next room.

"Sounds lovely," Abby replied.

"Well, strewth, luv, I’m not much of a cook..." he told her, as he walked back into the room and handed her a glass of wine. "Which is why..." he opened his bottle of VB, took a sip and sat back down in the chair, "...I talked Andy into cookin’ us up a bit of dinner for tonight."

"Why Mr. O’Brien," she teased, "afraid of poisoning me on our third date?" she giggled.

"Umm....yeah, actually I am," he chuckled. "So, while we’re waitin’ on dinner to arrive..."

Abby raised her eyebrows, "Wait, so you not only got that poor boy to cook for you, but to deliver it, too?"

"Oh, well, actually he’s only the cook, I got someone else to deliver it." Colin looked down at his watch, then back at Abby. "Should be here any time now."

Just then, the doorbell rang, startling them both. "Ah, that must be him," Colin said, jumping up to answer the door.

"Here it is, Colin, just as you asked," Arthur told him, smiling, as he handed Colin two brown grocery bags, which contained several take-out boxes full of food.

"Appreciate it, Mate. Owe ya one," Colin told him. "Please be sure to tell Andy likewise when you get back to the boarding house, will ya?"

"Of course, Colin. It was very kind of him to do this for you, him being so busy with the new restaurant opening and all. Oh, Lucy was even kind enough to throw in a couple of sweets for dessert."

"Give her my love, then, Mate," Colin told him, as he attempted to usher the young man out of his house, though as nicely as possible. "See ya at work, Arthur."

"Oh, hello there, Miss Campbell," Arthur said, looking around Colin at Abby.

"Hi Arthur," she replied, smiling.

Colin pushed him back out of the door. "Bye, Arthur."

Abby giggled, as Colin closed the door and carried the bags of food into the kitchen. "Colin, that wasn’t nice," she giggled again. "Poor Arthur."

"Oh, he’s fine," Colin chuckled, setting the dinner out on plates for them. "Let’s eat."

After dinner, Abby helped clear the table, then the two of them headed back to the living room and sat down on the couch together.

"Dinner was great," Abby said, with a happy sigh. "My compliments to the chef."

Colin chuckled, "I’ll be sure to tell him." He looked into her eyes, moved in closer to her, slipping his arm around her shoulders. The smell of her perfume wafted through his nostrils, having quite the effect on him, as was that dress she was wearing.

Abby bit her lip, breathed heavily. She took another sip of wine, then set her glass aside. "Colin..." she began to say, but was cut off by his lips pressing gently against hers.

"You were saying?" Colin asked, breathlessly, when they finally came up for air.

"Umm... never mind," replied Abby, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her lips against his once more.

She hadn’t planned on anything happening between them tonight, but... damn he was turning her on with his Aussie charm and good looks.

"I’m going to Hell," she sighed, as she allowed him to scoop her up into his arms and carried her upstairs to his bedroom.

Colin giggled, "Hell? Umm... not the reaction I was hoping for, actually Luv. Heaven, yes... but Hell?"

He gently set her down on his bed, then slowly lowered himself atop her body, undressing them both as he went.

"Not what I meant... I’m sure you’re wonderful... it’s just... well... I’m sorta... um... still... technically... married."

Colin stopped mid-kiss and sat bolt right up in bed, a shocked expression on his face, "Um... run that by me again, Luv..."

TBC...