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He narrowed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her, and held her tight.
“Joe,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“Can’t breathe,” she whispered. Evidently, he hadn’t realized how tightly he was gripping her.
“Oh my God, I’m sorry. Are you okay?” he asked as he released her.
She giggled. “I’m fine.”
“I suppose I better go see how Grandpa did with the kids tonight,” he said as he leaned forward and gave her a ‘Good Night’ peck on the forehead.
She mentally rolled her eyes. Again with the forehead. He just about squeezed the life out of me a second ago, holding me so tight I could feel his full length pressed against me, yet he can only bring himself to kiss me on the forehead.
After locking the door behind him, she went upstairs, changed into her pajamas, and crawled into bed, but she had a tough time falling asleep. All she could think about was Joe’s hardness pushed against her while he hugged her. He obviously wanted her, and she loved the thought, as well as how his firm body felt against her breasts. She imagined how it might feel to have her naked breasts touching his bare skin, him inside her. Her lack of experience scared her. She hoped she would be able to please him when the time came.
In the next second, a horrid vision of Patrick invaded her thoughts. If not for him, she’d be experiencing, for the first time, what was supposed to be a precious intimacy, shared between two people in love, with Joe, but no, not now. Even though she couldn’t remember the details of her encounter with Patrick, he had taken that first from her. She slammed her fist into her pillow. Damn him for taking this away from me!
Chapter Nineteen
Though it was just a recorded voicemail, Elizabeth’s body quivered and lined with goose bumps as Mr. James’ voice reverberated in her ears. Why, why did that have to be the first message she heard after returning to work from her refreshing New Year’s holiday? She sighed.
In his message, he stated that he and Patrick would be visiting the Chicago office for the next couple of days. They would be arriving at O’Hare airport this evening, and wanted to see her as soon as possible because they had something very important to discuss with her. He mentioned stopping by her house prior to going downtown to their hotel. Stop by my house. Her heart hammered in her chest, and her temples pounded. She wanted nothing to do with Patrick. In fact, she never wanted to see him again. She wondered if Mr. James had a clue as to what his nephew was really like, and if he knew what he had done to her. Surely, he couldn’t possibly know, because if he did he would never suggest that he bring his nephew to her house.
She imagined what it would do to him if he found out the truth about Patrick. She’d thought the world of him since she first met him at her parents’ house when she was a young child. He and her dad had been friends since far before she came into the picture.
After much internal debate, she decided she would let them come to her house, confident that with Mr. James present, Patrick wouldn’t be stupid enough to lay a hand on her. For Mr. James’ sake, she would just have to get through this visit.
Elizabeth returned Mr. James’ call and told him how much she was looking forward to his visit. Next, she placed a call to Joe, hoping to get his answering machine, which she did. She left him a message informing him she wouldn’t be able to join him and the kids for dinner tonight because she had to work late and then entertain. She nearly lied to him, but caught herself as she was on the verge of telling him she was entertaining a client, but she just couldn’t get the word ‘client’ out of her mouth. In her mind she justified that not telling the whole truth was okay for Joe’s own sake, knowing he just wouldn’t understand her allowing Patrick into her home.
Getting through the day was a chore for her. She couldn’t concentrate on her work; all she could think about was Patrick being near her, and how much she just wanted to get through the evening. The mere thought of him made her skin crawl, and her anxiety level was at an all-time high. What was I thinking when I agreed to let them come to my home? She paced her office. A glance at the clock let her know it was time to leave. You can do this. Get them in, find out what they want to discuss, and get them out. Everything will be fine.
She arrived home shortly before 7:00 p.m. Her stomach swirled, in fact, it hadn’t stopped swirling since she first listened to Mr. James’ message. In hope for a distraction from thoughts of Patrick, she busied herself by tidying up the house as she waited for their arrival.
At last, their limo pulled into her driveway, and she watched through the living room window as they both walked with assurance to her front door.
