I took the coward’s way out, I know.I didn’t know what else to do. I had to get out of there. I let her kiss me… Was I trying to make a mess of things?
My body was still buzzing from what had just taken place in Drea’s office. One second, I was angry at her for giving me mixed signals and confusing me. Then the next second, I was getting lost in her kiss. Truly, helplessly lost.
She was claiming me with that kiss, and by God I was letting her have me. What was wrong with me?! I needed a cold shower, or something… electronic.
A few days later, I was headed to a lunch meeting with Cara and Drea. At least we would have a buffer.
We hadn’t spoken since I fled her office. I couldn’t breathe, and I didn’t know what else to do. I still wasn’t ready to face her, but I had to stay professional.
When I got to the restaurant, Cara and Drea were already there. They were talking, and I stopped when Drea turned to look at me.
I sucked in a breath, feeling her eyes rake over me. I unintentionally wore a low-cut, blue ruffled dress and regretted it immediately. She didn’t look away, and I couldn’t move. It was like my deceitful body wanted her to take everything in and examine me inch by inch.
When Cara finally waved me over, I cleared my throat and forced a smile, continuing my steps to their table.
“Hey, doll. You’re just in time. Sit, sit.”
“Thanks. Hey Cara.” I slowly turned to Drea, who was still staring at me. “Drea,” I said shortly.
“Blair,” she replied, her tone giving nothing away despite the way her eyes bore into me.
“Okay, now that you have been formally introduced, tell me, what’s been going on? How was the festival?”
“Fine,” we both answered suspiciously too quickly and at the same time.
Cara laughed. “Okay then, good. Well, I wanted to talk about our capacity for the signing.”
During the entire lunch meeting, Drea and I hardly spoke. We exchanged a few words between each other, but I could feel the strain and hesitation in her tone. The rare times I looked over to her, she caught me looking, and I turned away, pretending to find something else equally as interesting as her.
Cara did all the talking and kept looking between us both. She never asked what was going on, so I assumed she was oblivious.
After the meeting, Drea headed in the opposite direction, and Cara stopped me as we were walking to her car. “Okay, talk. What’s going on with you two?”
I tensed. “What do you mean? Nothing’s going on.”
“Something is clearly going on. You wouldn’t even look at each other. What happened?”
I groaned. “You know we don’t get along. I’m trying to be nice, but it’s hard, okay? Nothing happened.”
If she didn’t buy my half-assed attempt at a cover up, she didn’t lead on. She glared at me and sighed. “Fine. At least no one’s gotten hurt yet.”
“Not yet, but there is still time.” I grinned.
“Blair Amelia, do not even joke!” she scolded.
I laughed. “Using my government name. That’s serious. Relax, Cara, everything’s fine.”Totally fine…
When I got home later that night, I paced around my kitchen, contemplating doing something utterly stupid.
It was a terrible idea. The worst idea in history. Nothing good could come from this idea. And yet, I was contemplating it anyway. I was clinically insane; I had to have been. Why else would I even consider it?
After a five-minute debate with myself, I caved. I was risking my sanity, but I couldn’t help it.
One ring. Why was I doing this? Two rings.Hang up, Blair!Three?—
“Hello?” a sleepy-sounding Drea answered, and fuck if that sound didn’t scratch at something deep inside.
This was such a bad idea. I shouldn’t have called her. I shouldn’t have been talking to her outside of meetings with Cara at all.
