Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
And there I was behaving as if we were in a relationship. I feel so fucking old. When did people become so casual about sex and relationships?
I head straight to my office, glad that I don’t share the floor with anyone else. I tense as I enter but Olivia hasn’t arrived yet. I power up my computer, take off my jacket, and settle down. I check the reports from last night, even though I was at the clinic for half of the night. Nothing major happened after I left but there are emails with requests for equipment and such. I’m occupied but every time I hear a sound, I jump.
Olivia eventually comes in at seven-thirty and I listen to her every move. I wish that my walls were made of glass so that I could observe her. At eight, a knock comes on the door and she walks in carrying my coffee.
My pulse quickens as I watch her. God, I’ve missed her. Suddenly I don’t care about what she said. I can’t summon my anger. Not when I’m confronted with her loveliness. She’s wearing pants and I feel cheated of the view of her legs.
She keeps her gaze away from me as she sets the coffee on my desk.
“Morning,” she says. “Do you want to go over the schedule now?” She’s so formal and serious. Like a stranger. Pain grips my chest. “Morning. Yes, let’s do it.”
She sits down and starts reading from her iPad. I don’t hear a thing she says. My eyes are glued to the movement of her mouth. I want to taste her again. Hold her in my arms and lose myself in that soft, hot body of hers. She finishes and looks at me expectantly.
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
“You’re welcome.” She stands up and leaves my office.
I want to follow her out and demand that we go back to the way we were but I can’t. Sanity prevails. I won’t force myself on someone who obviously doesn’t want me. All I need to do is ride this out. My feelings will slowly dissolve to nothing.
Still, it’s a torturous day. When I go to the cafeteria for breakfast, my brothers dig at me over my bad mood and Alec, and his big mouth tells Dylan that I had dinner at his house with my girlfriend.
“Don’t call her that,” I snap.
“Trouble in paradise,” Alec says mildly. “I told you it wasn’t a good idea to sleep with someone you’re working with.”
Dylan grins. “Way to go, bro. I never actually thought you’d go through with it. I guess wonders never cease.”
I eat as quickly as I can and leave.
Back in the office, Olivia only speaks to me when it’s necessary and it cuts me like a knife. I do my best to concentrate on my work which doesn’t care if I feel like crap.
The last straw, however, comes in the evening when Olivia’s day comes to an end. She peers into my office and cheerily says, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” And just like that, she leaves.
I stare at my door, expecting her to come back and tell me it was a joke. How can she act as if there’s nothing wrong? How can she be so okay? After she leaves, I work for another couple of hours, determined to get her out of my system. I’m exhausted when I leave the office for home.
My car, however, has a mind of its own. How else can I explain why I’m parked outside Olivia’s apartment building? I try to imagine what she’s doing up there but I can’t. I don’t know her routine. I should go home, my rational mind tells me. But I can’t bring myself to start the car and drive away. I will only leave when she tells me to fuck off.
I get out of my car and walk to the entrance. What the fuck am I doing? I hit the bell before I chicken out.
“Yes?”
“It’s me, Jace.”
She’s silent.
“Can I come up?”
“Okay.” Her voice sounds breathless or is it my imagination? I don’t care. She’s invited me up and that’s the first step.
The elevator would take too long so I take the stairs two at a time. I knock on her door and she opens it. I stare openly, my hungry eyes raking over her shorts and tank top. She’s got no bra on and if I’m not wrong, she’s not wearing panties under her shorts. I can make out the outline of her pussy.
“Do you want to come in?” she says.
My mouth is dry. I nod and step in. I’m obsessed with the thought that she’s not wearing panties. My dick hardens by the second. She closes the door and stands in front of me.
“Are you wearing any panties?” I ask her.
At first, I think that she’ll slap me but her features soften. “Why don’t you find out for yourself?” she says in a husky voice.