Page 177 of Tempting All The Way

“What are you talking about?” I ask Xavier.

“What’d you do? Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Whatever you did, just fix it because Dani just fucking resigned,” he groans in reply.

“I’ll fix it,” I say with more confidence than I feel and walk out.

It isn’t long before I’m pushing through my office door again. I find the room empty. Thank fuck Mrs Dalmore left, because if she were still here, she’d be copping the full extent of my frustration right now. I pick up my keys and phone, then make my way to the elevators. I need to get to Dani’s place and sortthis out. I know what she thinks she saw, but she has to know I’d never do that to her.

I mean, she has to believe me, right?

Chapter Nineteen

Iknow we didn’t have lunch plans today, but I need something from him. Even if it’s just a quick hello before I go work through lunch. I blame it on Alistair really. I mean, how can he expect me not to become addicted to his lady Viagra?

It’d be an impossible feat for anyone. Let alone me. It’s not like I’ve had a fulfilling sex life before him. I thought I did. I thought what Hunter and I had was great. I thought wrong.

Huh…

It suddenly occurs to me that I haven’t thought of Hunter much at all over these last few weeks. I guess, in a way, Alistair is curing me of my obsession with my ex. I’m no longer stalking his socials or hyperfocused on the details of his day-to-day. I’m really just waiting for his picture-perfect life to blow up in his face. I wanted him to be as miserable as I was when he left me on our wedding day. I wanted him to hurt.

Now, not so much. I still hate him. But I don’t need the vengeance I thought I did. It might be time for me to go home for a weekend to see my parents. Maybe I can convince Alistair to come with me…

Are we at themeet the parentsstage yet? I’m not sure.

Opening his office door, I freeze on the spot. Well, that answers that question. The fact that he currently has a woman on her knees in front of him, her hands on his belt, tells me we are most certainly not at themeet the parentsstage. We aren’t at any stage.

“Ah, sorry… I thought… I’ll come back when you’re not so… busy,” I mumble before slamming the door harder than I intended.

Shit, shit, shit. What do I do?

I need to get out of here. I should have known this would happen. I walk back to my desk, collect my bag, and head right into Xavier’s office, shutting the door behind me. He looks up from his computer when he hears the audible click.

“Dani, you okay?” he asks me.

“Yes, fine,” I lie. “I just came to say thank you for the opportunity, but I’m resigning. I’ll email you my formal resignation, but I wanted to tell you in person.”

“Whatever the fuck Alistair did, don’t quit your job over it. I’ll make him fix it,” he says.

“It’s not because of him. I just… I have to go. I’m sorry.” I rush out the door and over to the elevators. I don’t look in the direction of Alistair’s office.

I can’t.

I’m doing my best not to break out into tears in front of everyone. That’s the last thing I need. Another public humiliation. As soon as I’m out of the building, I slip around the first corner and call Eloise.

“Hey, babycakes,” she answers.

“El, can you come and get me? Please,” I ask her.

“Of course I can. Where are you and what’s wrong?” I can hear the concern in her voice, followed by shuffling and the jingling of keys.

“I’ve just left work. I’ll be in the café across the street. I need to get out of here,” I tell her before hanging up and making my way inside the little coffee shop.

I find a spot in the back and wait for Eloise. It doesn’t take her long. She’s walking through the door in ten minutes. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asks when she reaches the table.

“Nothing. Come on, I need to get out of here,” I repeat.

Once we’re in her car and she’s weaving in and out of the city traffic, she turns to me. “Want me to take you to your place?”

“No, he’ll show up there.” I shake my head. After the million phone calls and messages I’ve had from Alistair, I’m guessing he’s looking for me. Probably to try to convince me that what I saw wasn’t what it looked like.

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