Love in the Afternoon (6 page)

Keeping my tone professional, I asked, “So, how may I help you, Roxanne?”

“
Mr. Henderson is having the new junior management staff members from his multiple locations come in for some training at the end of the month. He was interested in having one of your staff members do a stress management presentation. If you all are available.”

No, I’m not.
I wanted to tell her that even without looking at my schedule. Chase knew I was a one woman deep operation. I would never be available for Mr. Chase Henderson, again. However, I had a growing business and Chase’s company networked with families and a lot of those families ran their own business. Word of mouth traveled fast. I didn’t want to owe him anything, but neither could I risk chopping off my foot to spite my leg.

“
One moment while I pull up my calendar.” I pulled up my electronic scheduler on my computer and hoped for a date seven months out. However, Lady Luck was not on my side. I recalled that there had been a cancellation at the marketing firm I was supposed to meet with at the end of the month. One of the senior managers had a heart attack and passed away.

I shook my head. They needed me more than ever now, but they also need time to grieve their loss. “Yes, Roxanne, I believe I can squeeze in your team members. I don’t know what else you all have on your schedule, but I need to make you aware that I will need three and a half days for the training. This way I can equip them to give a smaller version of the briefing to their employees under them.”

“
Yes, Ms. Price, we’re aware of that and have added it into the program schedule for the training. Mr. Henderson will spend that Monday with them in leadership building and other company policies.”

Damn
. “All right. Um…will Chas—.” I exhaled and cleared my throat hoping she didn’t hear my flub. “Will Mr. Henderson be in attendance?”

“
No, he will not. Unless you need him there?”

“
No. No. I just like to get a feel for the staff level in attendance. I do a varied briefing for the senior level in companies.”
Phew
.

“
That’s understandable,” Roxanne said.

“
I will send over a standard questionnaire form about the company. If you could have that completed and returned to me in the next few days I’d appreciate it. In the packet there is also a contract to be signed and faxed back to me with the prices of my services as well as terms and conditions.” Opening my email, I attached two forms. I knew this wasn’t necessary. I knew all about Chase’s company. However, it was better for me to keep this on a completely professional level. Think of it as just another company and not who owned it. I wasn’t going to see Chase anyway.

Thank goodness.

After I got Roxanne’s work email address, I ended the call.

Dropping my head into my hands, I groaned. This was the time that I wished my staff consisted of more people than just me. At least one other person who I could send out to do this training, that way I wouldn’t have to step a foot into his domain.

But, the die was cast now and I had no one to blame but myself. I had gone into the situation with Chase with my eyes open wide. I was a big girl. I hadn’t cried after that first night and I would overcome this as well.

~YH~

Three weeks later

“
Ladies and gentleman. I appreciate your attention these last few days. I hope I have given you techniques that will not only assist with minimizing the stress on your job but in your personal lives as well.”

I stood before the group of eleven men and women and smiled graciously as they applauded. It wasn’t something I ever expected but it never failed to warm my heart to receive the accolades. I prided myself in my work and truly loved what I did.

As the small group rose and began filing out, I reminded them, “Please don’t forget to drop your feedback forms in the tray by the door.”

Some smiled while others nodded and waved as they placed the anonymous sheets into the designated bin. When the last few headed out the door, I began hurrying to gather up my paperwork. I shut down the projector as Roxanne, a forty-ish year old Hispanic woman, had showed me on the first day.

The three and a half days of training had gone perfectly. Not only were the junior staff members engaged and willing participants, which made the time zip by, but there hadn’t been a single sign of Chase.

I refused to acknowledge the small corner of my heart that sank a little lower each day the company owner stayed away. Here I was in his ‘space’, his ‘domain’ and not even a note slipped to me by his personal assistant. No surprise visits while the course went on to see how things were going. Nothing.

It’s what you wanted, Oriana. Aren’t you happy?

“
Yes,” I told myself. With my briefcase filled with extra handouts and the completed forms, I grabbed my laptop in its case and left the conference room. Holding my chin high, I walked down the empty hallway toward the elevator. I figured most of the staff was out for lunch already.

Maybe I’d take the street instead of I-77 back to Statesville then I could take the exit into Uptown and see if Kalan was free for lunch.

The elevator door opened up and I stepped in. Instantly recalled it had been raining that morning when I came in and I had an umbrella with me. Quickly, I pressed the open button and rushed out. It was a good thing that not many people were about, that would mean I wouldn’t have to wait long for the elevator when I came back out.

In the room, I spotted my accessory in the front corner by the podium. My heels clicked on the tile floor as I went to get it. Grabbing it, I turned toward the door in one smooth motion and halted.

“
Hello, Oriana.”

It wasn’t just his husky baritone that reached across the room and stroked my senses, but those damn smoky gray eyes as well. My gaze devoured his tall, imposing form as Chase lounged against the wall beside the door as if he’d been there for hours.

Damn, I missed him.
Even though before our one night together I had only been used to seeing him at family get-togethers. It didn’t matter. I was like an addict who’d given up on a drug and then had someone dangle it before my hands. I wanted to reach for him, touch him and feel the warmth of his skin beneath my palms again.

“
Mr. Henderson.”

He slowly lifted a single eyebrow at the name I called him. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you call me that.”

I licked my lips and raised my chin trying to keep a confident pose. “We’re in the workplace. It’s the professional thing to do.”

“
Hm, is it?”

I swallowed. I wanted to run my hand over the bun in my hair and ensure myself that no strand was out of place, but I was clutching my cases and umbrella. It all felt like lead weights in my hands. “Yes, of course,” I declared.

Chase remained where he was. I wanted to tell him good day and leave, but I couldn’t force myself to move closer to him in order to flee. I stood in my spot hoping he would find our exchange boring and depart first.

“
What would you call me if I laid you on this table and licked you from ass to clit?”

The hell did he say?

“
That’s a ridiculous notion.” A dry laugh came out of my mouth, I was nervous and my palms were starting to sweat with just the thought of the image he’d offered. “I’ve come here to provide a service for your company and that’s what this is.”

Still he leaned against the wall and held me in his gaze, appearing as if he wasn’t in any hurry. “How did it go?’

I exhaled. This was something I could talk to him about without thinking about the last time we were in a room together with a table. “Fantastic. Your staff was receptive and respectful. They asked intuitive questions about situations they may or have dealt with in the workplace.”

“
Anything I should be concerned with?”

Chase was a great employer. His junior staff had nothing but praise regarding his management skills. That wasn’t always the case when I went to a work center. “No. Nothing.”

“
I’m glad it was mutually beneficial for my company and your training time.”

Smiling from relief, I said, “Very much so.” I stepped forward feeling brave enough to sashay my ass past him.

“
Since our professional business is concluded, let’s get back to our personal discussion.”

Shit
.
Shit
.
Shit
. I walked right into that one.

Lowering my gaze to the tile floor, I said, “Chase, please. These last few months have been hard enough for me.”

“
Why?”He moved.

The sound drew my gaze. Glancing at him, I saw he was now standing at the end of the table. Nine seats sat between us along the conference table. Shaking my head, I released the pretense. “I can’t do this. I’m not a woman that can hop into bed or on a table with a man and keep my feelings separate from the act.”

“
But I can. Is that what you’re saying?” His voice was tight.

Anger?

“
I’m not saying—” I forced air out of my lungs and dropped the cases on the top of the table then folded my arms beneath my breasts. “I don’t know.”

“
I can count on one hand the number of times since I left college how many illicit sexual encounters I’ve had.”

“
Well, I can count how many I’ve had since I started having sex at twenty-two.” I lifted a hand and held one finger up. “You.”

His brow puckered as if he was taken aback by my announcement.

Before he could say anything, I continued attempting to keep perspective and save myself. “Let’s call this what it is, Chase. Sex. Just a hot case of rebound sex. You needed someone and I was there to add a little salve to your male pride.”

He placed his palms on the table and leaned forward. “As much as my dick appreciates your valiant efforts, I think there was more to it.”

This conversation was moving into territory I didn’t like. Why couldn’t Chase just leave well enough alone? There were plenty of women all over the Queen City that would fall to their knees at the chance to be with Chase Henderson.

“
You don’t have to be crass.”

“
I was being blunt. Trust me, if you could see the things going through my mind right now you’d know the difference,” he argued.

Sliding my hand over my tight, slick hair, I asked, “What do you want? How do you see this conversation ending so I can leave and get back to my life?”

Tilting his head, he stared at me. “You mean the life you used to have where you were a part of my family?”

“
Chase.” Rolling my eyes and groaning, I turned my back to him. “Some things we can’t go back to.” Especially now that I knew what it was like to be kissed by him and held in his arms. “That’s you and Kalan’s family, I’ve intruded long enough.”

“
Bull shit!”

The vehemence in his words shocked me and I turned to look at him. I was stunned again to see him standing so close to me, because I had not even heard him cross the room.

“
It’s the truth.”

“
No, Oriana, here’s the truth.” He held his fist up between us and lifted a single finger. “One, you’ve been a part of my life for the last ten years. Two.” Another finger came up. “I’ve been attracted to you from the start. Three.” His ring finger joined his index and middle. “I kissed you and we both wanted it.” His pinkie lifted next. “I fucked you and it felt like I’d never been inside another woman before.”Finally his thumb popped up. “It shattered my soul to stare out of my bedroom window and see you running away from me just minutes later.”

I gasped.
Oh, no.
In my haste to get away from a broken heart I knew was inevitable, I had forgotten that Chase’s bedroom window faced the running path. From the elevation of the house, he would have been able to see all the way to the street where I would have crossed to get to the park.

I pressed my fingers to my temple. “Chase…Let me expl—”

“
No,” he barked. “You’re going to listen and get something through that thick, stubborn, sensible head of yours.”

My mouth dropped open at his tone, but I stayed quiet.