Page 36 of Tormented Dreams

Xavier's eyes latched onto Grace and his breath stuttered. His brain short circuited and he just stood there, drinking her in like a man who was weathering a drought.

It seemed like forever before he got his wits about him again, though it was surely only a few brief seconds.

His receptionist was wringing her hands and threatening Grace with security. And Grace had a look of fierce determination on her face that said she wasn't budging.

Shaking himself mentally, Xavier took control of the situation. "Don't worry, Penny. It's fine," he addressed the fretting woman soothingly. "I'll speak with Ms. Miller in my office."

He checked his watch. "It's almost time to close up anyway, and since there are no other appointments this afternoon, why don't you take an early day?" he suggested.

Penny looked at Grace suspiciously. It was clear she wasn't happy with the interloper, but the expression on her face also revealed that the lure of an extra hour appealed to her.

Xavier acted on her indecision and directed Grace to his office, while he ushered Penny back toward the reception.

"Just put the latch on the main door so we don't get any unexpected walk-ins, and I'll lock up properly when I'm done," he instructed her decisively as he held out her coat and tried to curb his impatience.

Grace was right here with him, and his heart ached to find out what she was going to say.

There was a chance it wouldn't be what he wanted to hear, of course, but that small kernel of hope had somehow rejuvenated. It was alive and well and telling him that if she wasn't open to the gesture he’d extended, then she most likely would just have ignored it, rather than acted on it.

As Penny closed the main clinic entrance door behind her, it was time for Xavier to face the music and find out once and for all whether there was any future for him and Grace.

Or whether the new dreams he had dared to harbour were about to be scuppered once and for all.

CHAPTER 28

Grace sat, anxiously perched on the edge of the visitor chair in Xavier's office, her knee jigging uncontrollably.

Now the initial edge of determination and subsequent burst of adrenaline from trying to get past his receptionist had worn off, all she was left with were nerves and a throat so dry, she wasn't sure she'd be able to speak.

Everything that had seemed so obvious and clear cut when she’d made what must surely have been a somewhat rash decision, on the back of receiving the surprising call from the donor programme, she was now finding herself second guessing.

Maybe she’d read it all wrong. Perhaps what had seemed so apparent at the time was just a result of her overactive imagination showing her what she so desperately wanted to see.

Except to direct her into his office, Xavier had yet to speak to her. Okay, so he hadn't thrown her out or anything, but he'd hardly opened his arms and enveloped her in heartfelt warmth either.

A shudder rippled through her entire frame, and she wound her arms around her queasy middle, rocking slightly back and forth. Nervous energy had her strung as taut as a bow, and prevented her from being still.

Perhaps this had been a stupid idea and she should just cut her losses before she ended up getting her heart broken and her dreams shattered once more. God! What was she thinking, putting herself through this all over again? Placing herself right in the firing line of a man who may well want to take a few pot shots in retaliation for the ones she’d fired at him.

She was just in the process of gathering her belongings when Xavier walked back into the room.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, looking at her with the caution one might approach an injured animal.

In complete antithesis to herself, everything about him was still and guarded.

Grace was flustered. She studied his face, desperate to find something positive which might help her know what he was thinking, but his expression was completely unreadable.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have disturbed you," she finally conceded, looking away. "I know you're busy. I'll just leave?—"

She took just one small step toward the door before Xavier stopped her. "Stay right where you are!"

Grace obeyed the order without a thought, the command in his voice speaking to her on an intensely personal level she didn't truly understand after everything that had transpired between them.

Xavier strode over to the chair she’d recently vacated and stood behind it, almost as if he were waiting for her to be seated at dinner or something.

Still, she understood the action and settled herself into the chair once more, surprised when Xavier took a second seat right next to her, rather than taking the more intimidating seat behind his desk.

It was a small thing, but it helped her relax in ways she wouldn't be able to verbalise if she tried.

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