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Authors: Jade Reyner
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the second mention of Dale’s name but she refused to turn to him to acknowledge it.
“Jeez, girl, you drive a hard bargain. OK, what say I give you a call in the morning and we can arrange where to meet?”
Elise was gripped by panic at the thought of Dale possibly hearing her phone call, and she had to inwardly fight with herself to remain calm. “Erm.. no... that’s OK. You don’t need to call me. Why don’t we just arrange a time and place and then I’ll meet you there?”
Celeste looked as if she was about to argue but to Elise’s relief, just shrugged. “Alright, I’ll meet you by the monument at 9.30am.”
“Great!” said Elise, pleased that the awkward moment had passed and actually starting to look forward to spending some time with Celeste. She didn’t get to have nearly enough girly time so this would make a really pleasant change.
Celeste took that as her cue to leave. “OK then..., see you tomorrow and don’t forget to have your shopping head on!” She exited through the door chuckling to herself and closed it softly behind her.
Vaughn had turned back to the window, concentrating on whatever it was that he was looking at and Elise wondered if he was regretting their passionate interlude. She knew she should be too but with the memory of his lips still firmly planted in her brain, regret was not high on her list of emotions at the moment.
As the silence became heavier, Elise searched for something to say...anything.
“Thank you.” she whispered eventually, “I really appreciate you stepping in and breaking those two meatheads up”. Not what she wanted to say at all but she had no idea how to refer to the other ‘thing’ that had just happened between them.
Vaughn turned, startled, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. He ran his eyes up and down her body almost as if checking for injuries and heat coursed through her everywhere that his eyes lingered. Finally he settled on her face.
“It was my pleasure.” he said smoothly, “I just did what any other sane person would have done. I’m not in the habit of condoning fighting on the premises, particularly when one of my most senior employees is involved. It was not the time or the place for whatever was going on with those two.”
Elise doubted that he was right about doing the same as anyone else. She hadn’t come across too many people in her time, who would jump into the middle of a fight.
She was a little concerned that Vaughn had so far made no reference to the comment that Dale had aimed in his direction; the one about wanting to ‘fuck’ her, the one that had senthim over the edge himself. It was strange how everyone seemed to be brushing this under the carpet. Either no one really knew what had happened or they just didn’t know how to broach the subject. Deciding that ultimately it really didn’t matter either way Elise turned to leave, crossing in front of Vaughn as she headed to the door. There didn’t seem to be any point in staying – there was nothing left to say and if he was now regretting their kiss, then she needed to be as far away from him as she possibly could be.
As she passed him he put a gentle hand out on her arm, momentarily stopping her.
“Elise, why don’t you let anyone have your phone number or allow them to phone you?”
She frowned at the strange question. It was one of the last things she had expected him to say although she had by now come to realise that he was far from predictable. He was also very observant, not missing anything in the exchange between her and Celeste. At least it was a safe question and one to which she had a ready answer.
“Because I’m on a rubbish contract,” she said, “it’s really expensive to use.” The practised lie rolled off her tongue without her even thinking about it. Usually most people accepted the ‘rubbish contract’ line without argument. The truth – the reality - was just far too ugly to own.
“Oh” he seemed to consider for
“Jeez, girl, you drive a hard bargain. OK, what say I give you a call in the morning and we can arrange where to meet?”
Elise was gripped by panic at the thought of Dale possibly hearing her phone call, and she had to inwardly fight with herself to remain calm. “Erm.. no... that’s OK. You don’t need to call me. Why don’t we just arrange a time and place and then I’ll meet you there?”
Celeste looked as if she was about to argue but to Elise’s relief, just shrugged. “Alright, I’ll meet you by the monument at 9.30am.”
“Great!” said Elise, pleased that the awkward moment had passed and actually starting to look forward to spending some time with Celeste. She didn’t get to have nearly enough girly time so this would make a really pleasant change.
Celeste took that as her cue to leave. “OK then..., see you tomorrow and don’t forget to have your shopping head on!” She exited through the door chuckling to herself and closed it softly behind her.
Vaughn had turned back to the window, concentrating on whatever it was that he was looking at and Elise wondered if he was regretting their passionate interlude. She knew she should be too but with the memory of his lips still firmly planted in her brain, regret was not high on her list of emotions at the moment.
As the silence became heavier, Elise searched for something to say...anything.
“Thank you.” she whispered eventually, “I really appreciate you stepping in and breaking those two meatheads up”. Not what she wanted to say at all but she had no idea how to refer to the other ‘thing’ that had just happened between them.
Vaughn turned, startled, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. He ran his eyes up and down her body almost as if checking for injuries and heat coursed through her everywhere that his eyes lingered. Finally he settled on her face.
“It was my pleasure.” he said smoothly, “I just did what any other sane person would have done. I’m not in the habit of condoning fighting on the premises, particularly when one of my most senior employees is involved. It was not the time or the place for whatever was going on with those two.”
Elise doubted that he was right about doing the same as anyone else. She hadn’t come across too many people in her time, who would jump into the middle of a fight.
She was a little concerned that Vaughn had so far made no reference to the comment that Dale had aimed in his direction; the one about wanting to ‘fuck’ her, the one that had senthim over the edge himself. It was strange how everyone seemed to be brushing this under the carpet. Either no one really knew what had happened or they just didn’t know how to broach the subject. Deciding that ultimately it really didn’t matter either way Elise turned to leave, crossing in front of Vaughn as she headed to the door. There didn’t seem to be any point in staying – there was nothing left to say and if he was now regretting their kiss, then she needed to be as far away from him as she possibly could be.
As she passed him he put a gentle hand out on her arm, momentarily stopping her.
“Elise, why don’t you let anyone have your phone number or allow them to phone you?”
She frowned at the strange question. It was one of the last things she had expected him to say although she had by now come to realise that he was far from predictable. He was also very observant, not missing anything in the exchange between her and Celeste. At least it was a safe question and one to which she had a ready answer.
“Because I’m on a rubbish contract,” she said, “it’s really expensive to use.” The practised lie rolled off her tongue without her even thinking about it. Usually most people accepted the ‘rubbish contract’ line without argument. The truth – the reality - was just far too ugly to own.
“Oh” he seemed to consider for
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