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“Ye… yes,” she stammers, and I feign disinterest as I watch her eyes dilate. I recognize this reaction, as it used to happen when she was on the verge of arousal. It seems not much has changed with Phebe. I frown at the direction of my thoughts. I can’t allow myself to go there.
“I have some artwork on hand, but I'm open to creating more if needed. Tyler told me I'd be inspecting the property with you,” I say, awaiting her to response. I watch her frown, her eyes hardening with determination. I imagine she was pissed that I was acting like I didn’t know her, or possibly she was still pissed that I wasn't acknowledging her. She lost that right years ago when she left without an explanation. Thinking about it alone raises several questions in my head. Questions that will remain answered. The anger still burns within me when I remember how she got married. It’s as if I never really knew her, and everything we shared was a façade. Anyways, it's all in the past.
“Perfectly clear,” she responds curtly.
“Alright,” I say, and she nods. She licks her lips and the action has me thinking about what her lips will feel like trailing my body. I quickly shut down those memories, why can’t I forget and move on? It’s been years, for crying out loud.
Her voice, though clipped, sounds sonorous to my ears. She is still the most beautiful woman, even though I have no business admiring her. What’s frustrating is that she’s not even doing anything, yet she has me in a puddle. It takes all my restraint not to close the gap between us and remind her how perfect we had been together, remind her how it had been with us. Will that spark still be there? I shake my head and bury the thoughts. There is no way I'm rekindling what ended years ago again.
“Good. Work starts immediately. The properties are in Miami so we will have to travel there.”
"Travel?" Phebe asks, sounding alarmed. I pause and shrug.
"Do you have a problem with that, Miss Landon?"
"Erm…no. I mean, yes. Uncle Tyler didn't mention anything about traveling," she says with that sweet soft voice.
"I guess you will need to speak with him. We agreed that to get a feel of the client's taste, I'll also be checking the properties out. I need to see what I'm dealing with," I explain. I watch several emotions cross her face at once. How I wish I could know what's going on in her head. I need to get Phebe out of my mind before this trip. We need to finish this project fast, so I won't have to deal with her again. It is the best escape I can think of before I do something crazy like kiss her senseless.She left, remember?I try to convince myself. However, it is apparent this reminder isn't enough to quell my attraction for her. I stare at the documents before me while I try to wrap my head around this twist of fate. I rub my temple as I try to figure out what my next move. Finding distraction is the best course of action.
When the door opens, I am snapped out of my thoughts, and Stella walks in.
"I'm sorry for the interruption. I wanted to inform you that Mr. Raymond is here for his paintings," she says.
"Great. You can clear it with him and tell him I got his mail last night," I tell Stella. Stella nods before walking out of the room.
“Stella, would you please get me the supplies for my paints and the new set of brushes I asked you to order?” I request.
"Sure, they are on the way. I contacted Henshaw about it. He said he will send it before the end of today," Stella says. I pretend not to notice Phebe’s persistent stare.
“Great. Thank you, Stella. That will be all.”
Stella exits, but she is the least of my concerns. The only person who concerns me now is the woman seated across from me. My nemesis. I stare at her, unsure of what to do with her. I feel guilty for being cold to her, all because I was angry with myself. I don’t want a woman to have the same impact on me as my mother had on my father. I know where it will end, disaster. Her alluring beauty will make it difficult to focus on work from that moment on. I know it is going to be hard days ahead. The person who I’ve been unable to take off my mind has ended up as my PA. Surely, the universe must be playing a joke on me.
“Will that be all?” She asks.
“We will be leaving in three days; that should be enough for you to prepare, am I right?” I add. Her eyes widen slightly, but I pretend not to notice.
"Okay, I guess we will see then," she says. Her soft voice tugs at my heart. A part of me is curious about the woman sitting across from me but the other part reminds me of how I got burned once already. She slowly stands before leaving. Her voluptuous curves beckon at me as she walks to the door.I almost let out a groan as her hips sway with her movements. She’s more stunning than I can remember. I notice an added radiance to her that I can’t pinpoint.How can someone be so perfect?
“Damn it,” I mutter as she leaves my office. However, her lingering scent is enough to torment me in her absence.
I will get her out of my mind, Ithink as I open the first file my hand laid on. I know there will be hell in the coming days because all I can see are images of her in my bed. I need to act fast. Immediately, I press the intercom.
"Jeffrey," Stella answers on the first ring.
"Stella, please, I need you to deliver a message for me," I instruct her.
"Okay, what do you want me to do?"
"I'll send the details to you," I reply. This is for the best.
I curse myself for ignoring the heartbreak she had caused me. So many questions linger - why she left without a goodbye, where her husband is, and countless others. I think about how Phebe acts like she did nothing wrong. Deep down, I knew she would grow into a beautiful woman, but I hadn’t expected her to be this stunning. I'm even more perplexed by my attraction to her. She is still the only woman I desire with this much intensity even after all these years. The bad news is that I can’t have her. I need to remind myself of the complications involved and wonder if I made a mistake in agreeing to this arrangement. No, I won't let her deter me. I'll handle this my way.
* * *
"I can't believeyou actually made time for us. It's been a while since you did something sweet like this for me," Mildred says, smiling coyly at me.
"You're making it sound like I don't try to make time for us," I respond. I hate it when Mildred whines like this. However, she’s the only person I could think of who might help me get rid of Phebe completely from my mind. Perhaps, if I channel my attention to her enough, I won't have to worry about Phebe, especially during this coming trip.
