Chapter 40 - 40

I can't count how many times that day I cursed him. Every time someone looked down at my chest and I saw a light come on in a man's eyes, I mentally called Reed every name I could think of. Lizzie did not help when she stopped by to drop off some papers for Jordan. Her eyes bugged out at the obvious sight of my nipples through my shirt. When she opened her mouth to make some smart-ass comment, but I just gave her backside a pointed look. She bit her words back and awkwardly shuffled out the door. I stifled a giggle, finding the whole situation we both were in hilariously ironic.

I was never so happy as to see the clock hit home time than I was that day. I rapidly cleared my desk and grabbed my purse, then went to knock on Reed's door to make sure he didn't need anything else before I went home.

I entered and noticed he was on the phone so instead of disturbing him. I made a motion that indicated I was leaving, but he waved me in. He looked almost relieved to have me in the room, but he didn't end his phone call.

"Yes, I hear you. I'll be home as soon as I can, Nina. Yes, I know you had dinner plans. But you also know that I have work and I'm not going to drop everything for you. I told you this was only temporary, sooner than you think we'll be back to our normal, separate, lives," he said into the phone.

I could hear his irritation in his tone, and it bothered me on a deep level. I wanted to grab that phone from him and tell her where to jump off at. Then I would hold him as tight as I could until the shadows that I saw in his eyes melted away. Unable to do any of that I closed the door softly and sat on the couch waiting for him to be done.

I noticed his eyes were glued to my chest. I knew by now that you could see my nipples through my white shirt. However, this was the first time I was happy about it. His eyes made me feel sexy, sensual, beautiful. Unlike every other man that would gawk at my chest. They all made me feel slutty and whore-like.

But, for Reed… I was more than willing to allow him to get an eyeful. I stretched purposely just to see what would happen. I was rewarded well as Reed's eyes darkened and he shifted a bit as if his pants were growing tighter.

"Look, Nina. I said I'd be home as soon as I could. I'll call you when I'm on my way and until then keep your plans. Do not let me interrupt your life. I'll talk to you later, bye," he finished.

With a quick click of a button, he hung up the phone. I could hear that the woman on the other end was still talking but it was obvious that he did not really care. Slowly he unfolded himself from the office chair and stalked across the room to crouch in front of me.

"I know you did that on purpose, little one," he accused me with a smile on his face.

Reed reached out and traced a pert nipple through my shirt.

"She was upsetting you. I wanted to give you a happier thought," I explained simply.

He tweaked my nipple gently causing me to catch my breath.

"I appreciate it, honey. I really do, she wasn't upsetting me as much as she was irritating me. She always did love to play the guilt card and she can play it well when she sets her mind to it. Anyway, I wasn't lying about the work I have to do but if you'd like to, I'd love to have you stay with me while I do it."

I wanted to say yes, was dying to say yes. However, I had a feeling if I stayed he wouldn't get much work done and so for his sake I shook my head.

"I'd love to stay, Sir, I really would. But after what happened this weekend and not to mention today, I am exhausted. I really think I should just go home," I said sadly.

He nodded disappointingly.

"It's probably for the best, you are a wonderful distraction. I wouldn't have so much work if I had paid more attention to it rather than you."

"I'm sorry, Sir," I said guiltily.

"Don't be, baby. It was an amazing distraction," he said before leaning in and kissing me gently. "Go home, I will call you later."

I nodded and slowly left the room. Despite my certainty that I was doing the right thing, I couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that he had agreed with me.

However, exhaustion was not the only reason I needed to getaway. Just listening to him on the phone with that other woman, Nina apparently, had made the wound in my heart bleed a little and I needed to getaway. My mind was filled with mixed emotions, and I really needed to sort them out.

I wanted this woman out of Reed's life immediately and it sounded as if this was going to take a while. I tried not to allow the sense of impending doom to overwhelm me as I began yet another night of sad romance movies and way too much ice cream.

The phone call that night was brief, no more than a "hello”, "doing good" and "goodbye”. Not nearly enough to satisfy me. I tried really hard not to make it any tougher for him than I knew it had to be. But it was not easy trying to pretend like I wasn't missing him or wanting him there with me as desperately as I did.

I went to bed feeling so much more alone than I ever had up until that point.