: Part 3 – Chapter 15

For fucks sake! Elaina was the new receptionist?!

My heart skipped and stuttered from inside my chest as I tried to process this bit of information. Frances had just mentioned to me, not a half hour ago, that we’d hired a new girl. Never in my wildest dreams…

Well, it all made sense to me now. I figured out who was behind it in an instant. And was going to kill the miserable sod just as soon as I could get my hands around his traitorous neck. Mum Morrison would get a pass on the strangling, but I was greatly annoyed with her, as well.

But first, I needed to look… Five years since my eyes had rested on her. Even longer than that, at a close enough distance to reach out and touch her. I dragged a hand along my scalp instead, gripping the back in a handful of hair and pulling hard until it stung.

Now this was a mindfuck in the purest sense. I was barely able to keep myself contained, my emotions and my body operating at odds and totally independent of one another. My Elaina—the woman I’d never stopped loving, the girl who’d captured my heart all those years ago, and who I’d painfully let go—was here before me claiming to be newly employed at BSI.

Fuck me into next week! And, then some more.

My thoughts were totally lost in a jumble of shock and disbelief.

Eons might have passed, I don’t know, but yes, this was indeed a fuckin’ blow to my sensibilities. I needed a drink, or a pitcher, or maybe I’d just sleep in the pub tonight. And I definitely felt a headache coming on.

“I—I didn’t know…” she began. “Nobody said—I—I’m—ahh…”

I didn’t register what she was saying because I couldn’t. I just stared.

So, here she was again right in front of me. As beautiful as ever. More beautiful even than I remembered. No longer a girl of eighteen trying to find her way, but a woman of twenty-five with the confidence to go with the maturity.

Her confidence might be a tad lacking at that very moment, though. Those midnight-blue eyes reminded me of a deer caught in headlights. It took great effort on my part to keep from touching her. To reach out and embrace her was instinctual, and I wanted to, but I controlled the urge and waited for some kind of response from her. After all, she’d been the one to leave me hanging without letting me have my say. The wound from that gash to my heart was still there, freshly ripped open and dripping metaphorical blood down the front of me. I’d waited this long, I could wait some more.

“Wh—what are you doing here?” Her throat moved as she swallowed hard and made me want to put my mouth there and taste. I craved the experience of remembering the flavor of her skin, but more than anything, I wanted her to acknowledge me again. I wanted her to have to look at me, to talk to me, to accept me being near her. And, if I knew anything about Elaina, it was that she would try to flee from me again.

“I’m Chief of Operations here at BSI.” I let that sink in for a moment and watched her beautiful complexion grow pale before my eyes.

“You work here.” It was not a question, but a statement, as if she were trying to convince herself of this bit of news.

And I think I know just how you feel.

She pulled her hand through her hair and drew it down to rest in the hollow of her throat, like she was trying to protect herself. Interesting watching her terrified reaction to my bomb drop. Strangely, it made me happy at the same time. If she was instinctually seeking protection from my proximity then it meant that seeing me again was having some sort of effect on her. Good. If she was this affected by me just being there, then it had to be nothing compared to what I was experiencing in her presence. For so long, I’d wanted to be this close to Elaina again. So long. It almost felt surreal to finally get my wish after aching for it to happen. Years, I’d waited. I’d figured it would happen eventually because I was still close with her family, but I suppose I couldn’t really have prepared myself for the actual reality. And, not like this. Working together in the same office? Jesus, God, and all the angels!

I felt numb.

I was indeed numb as I spoke my answer, not really quite sure how to break the news to her, when she was right in front of me.

“Every day since its founding, over five years ago.” I nodded slowly, trying to keep it cool with her. “I served with E—Ethan, in the SF.” I gestured with my hands up. “Yeah, all this was waiting for me when I came home from the war.” But you weren’t, were you, Elaina? I could be a bastard when I felt like it, and I have to say, I felt like it right then. Fuck, but I was entitled to something more than this stilted, chilly reunion. I’d known her since forever and we were reduced to this awkward silence and distance after where we’d been together? But, that was the problem wasn’t it? The part where we’d been together. And all the intervening years when we hadn’t.

The whole thing was pretty fucked up. But, I was used to that in my life, though. Lots and lots of fucked up had made its presence known to me over the years. I didn’t remember a time when it hadn’t, but Elaina was never part of all the bad in my life. She was the good. Only good…at least that’s how I remembered it…until the very end. The ending of us had nearly destroyed me.

I hoped for some kind of reaction from her, something. Anything at all would do.

“Oh, okay…” Her eyes flickered over me for an instant and then down and to the side. This was all definitely a surprise for her, too. Good. Again.

I saw her breathing hitch, and remembered what she’d been like when I’d had her beneath me and about to come. Those sexy breaths of air as she’d shuddered around me. The tight grip of her pussy squeezing around my cock when I was inside her…

I couldn’t help what I said to her next. “Looks like we’re going to be workmates, Elaina.”

“Ahh…yeah.” She did something that I wasn’t expecting then. She bit down on one side of her bottom lip and pulled it into her mouth a little, a look of discomfort flashing across her face as if experiencing pain. That’s what it looked like at least, and I felt some kind of small victory. The comment about this job “waiting” for me was a dickhead move on my part, but it came out of my mouth and I wasn’t calling it back. It was the truth even if it gave me no satisfaction. She moved to pass me in the space of the pathway. “Frances is expecting me in her office…we’re going over some contracts I’ve just translated…”

“Would those be them?” I pointed to the floor.

“Shit.” She dropped down again and started grabbing up the pages, the short black skirt she wore riding up quite nicely along her legs as she worked. She was clearly embarrassed and I could see the flush in the tops of her cheeks as they reddened.

My cock reacted the instant I saw the rosy blush appear in her skin. Just like old times.

I bent down to help once more and caught a whiff of her perfume, the scent taking me right back to six years ago as if only mere moments had passed. “Do you think you’ll be able to get that file down the hall to Frances, or shall I escort you?”

Inhaling sharply at my comment, she snatched the last paper from my hand and shoved it sideways into the folder. “I should be able to make it this time, thank you,” she said with a bite of sarcasm.

“Good luck, then,” I said, standing up yet again and offering my hand to assist her. “Focus, Miss Morrison.” I forced a smile.

Surprisingly, she accepted my hand and let me pull her back up. At least there was some contact. Hands. My hand was on hers and I didn’t want to let go. I wanted to tug her against me and carry her off somewhere private. I wanted to demand to hear her story and I wanted to make her listen to mine. We deserved that much. Both of us deserved at least that little bit of honest communication for closure, if nothing else.

Elaina released my hand and attempted to tug her skirt down without losing the file for a third time. Quite the feat for her apparently, and I had my doubts about whether the file would make it safely to Frances’s office or not.

I very much enjoyed watching her try though, just as I enjoyed the view of her magnificent arse from behind in that short skirt as she walked away.

My sweet Cherry Girl was back in my life whether she liked it or not. I knew where she lived and I knew where to expect her every day for work. I would get to see her and she would even have to talk to me. I was her superior here, and she didn’t have a choice in that.

She might still hate me and never give me another chance with her, but we’d just have to see what happened, now wouldn’t we?

I had a task that needed my attention, or rather a best mate that needed murdering.

I went straight out, left the forty-fourth floor and down to number forty-two. I sailed past Ian’s secretary, holding my hand up to her surprised protest, and barged into his office.

He was speaking into the telephone but I ended his call for him. I stabbed the red button several times and disconnected him.

“What the fuck, Neil?” Ian glared at me. “I’m taking a call of business here. Do you mind?”

“Yes, I do in fact mind very much, you meddling cocksucker! What in the fuckin’ hell are you on about bringing Elaina to work at BSI?”

Ian sat back in his leather desk chair and folded his hands in his lap, looking smug and cocky. “My sister needed a job, and well, it’s a perfect fit for her…in every way. Frances, Mum, everyone agrees.” He flipped his dark blue eyes, which matched Elaina’s to perfection, up to peg me hard. “Wouldn’t you agree as well, mate?”

I pointed at him, my outstretched finger visibly shaking. “I would agree that you’re a fuckin’ arsehole, how’s that for agreement?”

Ian shrugged, picking up the telephone and redialing. “Sticks and stones, brother.”

“How about staying out of my business…brother.” I was so angry at being played, I knew I had to leave before I committed a heinous assault on the bloke I considered my brother, even though by blood he wasn’t. “Fuck off, Ian,” I said, turning to go.

“You’re welcome, Neil,” Ian called out cheerfully, “we’ll talk later at the pub.”

If I don’t kill you first.