CHAPTER 12

 

Anna was still pissed with Cayden as she stepped into her apartment. Her phone jingled as she kicked off her shoes. She ignored it, knowing it was probably Cayden wanting to come over.

She poured herself a glass of Aussie chardonnay despite the chilly breeze outside when it rang again. Knowing she couldn’t ignore him forever she hunted for the phone in her bag and was surprised to see Callie’s caller identification.

“Callie? How are you?” Anna said excitedly. She hadn’t spoken to Callie in a few weeks.

“I’m fine, I’m actually in the main road, but I have no idea where you live?”

“What? You’re here?” Anna jumped in place at the thought of friend visiting.

“Just for tonight, but yes. So give me the damn directions so we can start drinking wine.” Callie demanded laughingly.

Anna briskly gave her directions and switched off the phone. She turned around and assessed her apartment. A laundry basket stood in the living room, a few dishes were piled in the sink and her discarded shoes lay on the floor. She thought for a moment about clearing up before Callie arrived, then decided against it. They had lived together for years, a bit of laundry and dishes won’t scare Callie off.

Anna took out another glass for Callie when there was a knock at her door.

She opened the door with a wide smile that instantly settled into a firm line when she noticed it was Cayden. He looked hot as ever, his hair slightly windblown and the hunger in his eyes were clear.

“Cayden?”

“Can I come in?” He asked with his arrogant grin in place. Anna felt her groin heating up but ignored it.

“Not tonight, I have a friend coming over.” Anna said with a poker face.

“A friend?” Cayden asked stepping closer.

“Yes, Cayden. A friend. You know someone that isn’t you is coming over to drink wine with me.”

Anna noticed the brief flash of anger in his eyes as she heard heels hurrying towards them.

“Annie!” Callie called out as she rushed towards them. Completely ignorant of Cayden, she drew Anna into a bear hug. Anna embraced her friend smiling at the old nickname from college. “God I’ve missed you!”

“I know, I’ve missed you too.”

Callie stepped back and noticed Cayden still standing there. Callie’s eyes ran over him assessing. “Am I interrupting something?” She asked Cayden directly.

“No uh…” Cayden faltered. Anna couldn’t help but smile. Callie could be ruthless when she wanted.

“Callie, this is Cayden Lee. Cayden, this is Callie my friend from Manhattan.” Anna said watching Cayden. The anger she briefly noticed in his eyes before now changed to surprise.

“A friend…” He trailed off.

“Yes.” Anna said sternly before turning to Callie, “and no you weren’t interrupting, Cayden was just leaving.”

Cayden gave Anna a look making it clear their conversation wasn’t over. Turning to Callie he smiled. “Nice to meet you. Enjoy your wine.”

With that he turned back to Anna, holding her gaze. Anna blushed at the intent in his eyes. When he finally broke the glance he turned and walked away from them.

“Well I know its fall but you guys were heating up the atmosphere with that look. What and who is that man?” Callie said walking into the apartment.

Anna grabbed her wine and sat down on the sofa with her legs curled under her wondering how she was going to explain this to Callie. “He’s my boss slash lover slash worst nightmare slash dream come true.” With that she took a big sip of wine and smiled ruefully as Callie joined her on the couch.

“Details, Anna I want details, spill it!” Callie said settling on the couch next to Anna.

The familiarity between them didn’t make it awkward but Anna still thought for a moment before speaking. “When I went for the interview, I was instantly attracted to him and then went on to spill how I grew up in a trailer park.”

Callie burst out laughing nearly coughing her wine all over the couch. “Nice one.”

“Anyway he found me in the office late one night and we kissed. We both agreed it wouldn’t happen again…and then we went on a trip to L.A.”

“Aaah, hotel, hot boss, little bit of wine…I see where this is leading.” Callie said conspiratorially.

“Yes, well that happened…we agreed again it wouldn’t and guess what?”

“It happened again…”

“Yes. I don’t know Callie, I doesn’t matter how much I try to ignore the attraction between us I’m drawn to him like a moth to a flame.”

“Anna I’m glad you like him, but doesn’t this make things awkward at work?”

“Don’t start with that, that’s the problem. Well not the problem, he has the problem I think I have.”

“Explain.”

“A couple of weeks ago we decided to start seeing each other secretly, to avoid office gossip and so forth and now I feel…somehow cheated. I’m nothing more than his fuck-buddy.”

Callie rubbed Anna’s shoulder. “You feel something for him don’t you?”

“I do Callie. Besides the fact that he can turn my legs to foam with a single look I genuinely like him. Even after I told him about growing up in a trailer park he didn’t change towards me. He values my opinion at work and he doesn’t leave after sex.”

Callie’s eyes widened. “Those are two major plus points Anna, so what’s the problem you want to have a public relationship with him and he doesn’t?”

“I don’t think he knows what I want. And this afternoon I kind of flipped on him.”

“How so?”

“He’s been away for a couple of days and he walked in while I was making plans with Larry to see a comedy show. He basically growled at me to meet him in his office and told me to stop flirting with the help.”

Callie nodded and gestured for Anna to go on.

“So I go to his office and he's lecturing me and basically I told him he has no claim or say over me and I’ll do what I want. Even while we were fighting I could see him wanting me, it’s distracting to say the least.”

“Sounds to me like the chemistry between you has both of you losing marbles.”

Anna laughed. “I’ll say.”

“So what was he doing here, were you supposed to see him tonight?”

“No, we didn’t make plans after arguing in his office, but I’m sure he wanted make up sex.”

“By the look of it you wanted it as well.”

“I didn’t.” Anna said grouchily before sighing. “Fine I did, but I think it’ll be better if we don’t. I’m too mad at him and myself for wanting him at the moment.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, but I think I should go out with Larry to the comedy show. For one thing I’ve been staying in my apartment every night since I moved here. It’s time I made some friends.”

“That might be good unless Larry is interested. Then it could be a shitstorm.”

“No, Larry isn’t interested. Just friendly.”

At that there was a knock on the door again.

Anna got up and hoped it wasn’t Cayden again; she wouldn’t be able to resist him for the second time that evening. She opened the door hesitantly to a delivery man holding a bouquet of flowers.

“Are you Anna-Sophia Jackson?” The man asked as he read her name off the form in his other hand.

“Yes?”

“This is for you, please sign here.”

Anna frowned but took the flowers and signed the form before closing the door behind her.

“Cayden?” Callie asked as Anna set the flowers down and pulled out a card.

 

Your smile made my day, let me make yours and take you to show.

 

xoxoxo

Larry

 

“Oh boy! It’s from Larry.” Anna grabbed the bottle of wine and filled up both their glasses. “This isn’t good.”

“Well at least you know his intentions before you agreed. You’re not going right?”

“I don’t know. Like I said I’m confused. Maybe if I told Larry I wasn’t interested that way…”

“Honey, any guy that’s interested that way is going to stay that way unless you avoid seeing him.”

“So what do I do?”

“Let’s drink some more wine and think about it.” Callie said sipping on her glass. “On second thought let’s drink wine and talk about you.”

Callie laughed. “I can only stay tonight, I knocked off early and I have a late meeting tomorrow morning but I had to see if you were okay.”

“I’m okay.”

“Fine you’re okay but I also wanted to get tipsy with my best friend.”

They laughed and continued discussing mutual friends and Callie’s job as a buyer for a major department store. They only got to bed in the early morning hours, both tipsy.