Touched (The Untouched Trilogy #2)(12)
“I’m sorry Miss Cason but I’ve been given explicit instructions from Mr. Raine to not do that.”
I almost slammed the phone down. I inhaled deeply and replied as calmly as my current state would allow.
“Thank you. That will be all Bailey.” I placed the receiver on the base. I wanted to pick up the phone and toss it across the room.
He was doing it again. He was manipulating me and everyone around me! If he wanted a reaction from me, he would be disappointed because I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
Raina walked into my office and the look on her face verified my suspicions – that she too had been instructed to not touch the flowers.
“I’m sorry Miss Cason. Bailey said that you called – and that you sounded upset.”
That was stating it mildly. I shook my head as I looked at her knowing she couldn’t do anything to assist with this.
“Raina, can we just get to work? I need to make some changes with my schedule this week. Dr. Grist’s office called to inform me that she would be going on vacation and needs to reschedule my annual for Thursday or I’d have to see the on-call physician, which I don’t wish to do. Can you move the first two appointments around for me on that day?”
I didn’t want to miss that appointment. I’d decided several years ago that I didn’t want children and I wanted to discuss some permanent options with her. I had actually broached the topic with her a few years ago but she was insistent upon my waiting until I was older before making such a permanent decision. She asked that I give it at least five years and this month marked year five.
“Yes ma’am,” Raina replied. I could see that she was uncomfortable, given the flower ordeal but this simply had to stop. We couldn’t allow Aiden to set the tone for our work day.
After a two-hour meeting with Raina, my mind was where I preferred it remain … on work. The tension of my earlier encounter with Aiden had subsided; thanks in part to a text from Kellan extending a warm wish for the remainder of my day.
I looked up at the Phal Sogo Rose orchids and almost immediately my heart sank because I was instantly pulled back into that forbidden Aiden zone. This display was a poignant reminder of what I’d previously surmised; a relationship with him was too much of a distraction. Why was he making this so difficult for me? This had been a very trying time for me that I honestly wanted to put behind me. Of course, I would never forget Aiden. He had invoked feelings that I never imagined possible … emotions I’d never experienced. Every day with him had been a new adventure. But in the end, he was a liar and I no longer trusted his intentions; yet here he was again attempting to lure me back into his web. As sexy as the thought of being stuck to a web that was spun by that man, I knew there was much more behind his gorgeous green eyes that I didn’t want. He needed to move on and so did I … somehow.
*****
It was 4 o’clock and I was so over this day; I shut down my computer, anxious to leave before any unwanted interruptions surfaced. I grabbed my purse and headed out of the office. My hand was on the door knob and I slowly released it and traipsed back over to the trash … retrieving the note from Aiden. I didn’t want to do it but the part of me that I didn’t like – the part that was having a hard time letting him go – wanted to know what he’d written. I was about to open it but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to read it just yet. I placed it in my purse and slowly walked to the elevator as I contemplated the evening I would be spending with Kellan.
Aiden had left several sweeping spaces in my life and one of those vacancies had been filled with Kellan. I often wondered if I were using Kellan as a buffer between myself and Aiden. As badly as I didn’t want to believe I’d treat Kellan or anyone that way, I knew that I wasn’t on the same page as he was. Did that mean I should back away? Even if the answer was yes, I knew that I wouldn’t. I didn’t want to. I really liked him and I felt at ease with him … it was relaxed, it was natural.
Kellan lived in New York and would be flying home tomorrow. We’d planned to meet for dinner this evening and despite my initial reservations about his visit, I was looking forward to it.
My lunch with Kellan hadn’t started so well but it eventually evened out, revealing the comfort I could experience when my mind was free from thoughts of Aiden. At work, of course, Aiden was on my mind to a certain degree; but that was to be expected because in a sense he was RPH. I did manage to escape when I was in a meeting or working on a new project. At home, he was there too and not just because of the grand piano that captured my attention every day but because he was the only lover that had been to my home. Lover? That sounded wrong, even in my head. Something I never thought I would have. Something I never wanted but that is who he ultimately became. Looking back on everything, it was as though I’d been a sex-crazed teenager, full of hormones, ignoring obvious red flags. Why hadn’t I inquired more about Aiden’s past? I’d never had a reason to dig into anyone’s past for personal reasons before, which was likely the reason I didn’t think to take a closer look at Aiden’s. Actually the fact that all of this constituted a first time was even more reason to have checked. Would it have changed anything though? He’d said he wouldn’t have stood a chance with me? Was that true?
I was looking forward to spending the evening with one man but I was driving home thinking about the other. Aiden had taken up residence in my head and he wasn’t leaving anytime soon. I sighed as that truth sat in. It wasn’t as if I didn’t know it; I just didn’t want to admit it. Just like I didn’t want to admit that I missed him. But I did – I missed him every single day. I wanted to forget him but I knew that would never happen and a change of jobs wouldn’t change that so it was really pointless to even consider leaving RPH.