Page 55 of Begin Again, Part 1

"Mr Anderson, is there anything I can do for you?" She ran after him, trying to keep up with his long stride. She was about to slip into his office when he slammed the door in her face, leaving her seething at his rude reception.

"What the hell?" Eden shook her head, her eyes narrowed in disbelief. She was fine living from one paycheque to the next. Since Liam wanted her here, the least he could do was be nice. She was so tempted to bang her fists on the smooth dark wood and demand he let her in, but she'd play right into his hands if she lost her cool.

She brought up her hand to knock, but the door flew open before she could, and she found herself staring at the icebergs in Liam's eyes, his irritation crystal clear.

"Mr Anderson, I don't know where my office is. I looked, but I couldn't find my name on any of the doors," she said quickly, darting her gaze from the rip current in his eyes threatening to suck her in, only to zone in on his Adam's apple and the tiny cut underneath his chin. Eden thought he must have nicked himself when shaving, and she wanted so much to kiss it better and put a Band-Aid on it. The moment the absurd notion crossed her mind, she stepped back from him, irritated at her wayward thoughts. The man was a jerk moments ago, and here she was, thinking about kissing his chin better. She needed Jesus or some other higher power.

Liam pointed at the forlorn desk facing his office. "Your seat is over there."

Eden pressed her lips together, trying her best not to lose her shit. A corridor in the middle of nowhere was hardly an office. How was she supposed to work in such an environment?

"That's not an office, sir," she said quietly.

"An office is a privilege only a few have," Liam smirked, echoing her harsh words to Simon. "And you are not one of the few."

If he was quoting her word for word, he must have heard her loud fight with her ex and her confession about banging him one more time.

Eden opened her mouth to do some damage control and explain that everything she said last night was a terrible mistake. But when she looked up and found his cold gaze on her, she shut it quickly. No amount of explaining would get her in his good graces.

Embarrassed beyond words at her uncouth behaviour last night, Eden wished the ground would open and swallow her, or lightning would flash down from the sky and strike her dead. She was okay with either.

Liam gently pushed her aside and headed to the break room. Eden followed him like a lost puppy, because she didn't know what else to do. He looked out of place, and it was painfully obvious he didn't know what he was doing, and had probably never set foot in here before.

"Can I make you something to drink, sir?" She offered as she watched him scan through the glossy cabinets.

He grunted inaudibly and shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Let me do it for you." Eden took charge and pushed him aside before looking in the cabinets for a cup and saucer, stretching herself as much as she could. But even in her heels, she still couldn't reach the top shelf.

She was about to ask Liam for help, but her words remained a jumbled mess of thoughts as she breathed in sharply. Her legs threatened to give out when she felt him behind her, his hard body pressing close to her as he reached up to grab two cups and saucers.

Even after he'd stepped back to give her room, it still took her heart an awfully long time to calm down. This isn't going to work, Eden thought as she rinsed his cup and took it to the coffee machine. She was too damn aware of him, and she shouldn't be. He was her boss. Her happily married boss.

She'd only spent one night in his arms, and the two years she was away should have at least given her a head start to get him out of her system. She was definitely out of his judging by the unimpressed scowl on his face every time he looked at her.

"Cappuccino, espresso, or filter coffee, sir?" she asked without looking at him. If she turned around and found his glacial stare, she'd die or cry. Both were real possibilities, especially when she felt so...raw and vulnerable.

"Espresso!" His reply was snippy, as was his tone. It almost seemed as if the sheer act of talking to her pained him.

She worked in silence for a few minutes, the thick tension in the room broken by the coffee maker as it spluttered steam and gurgled out the rich, dark liquid.

Eden quit coffee when she found out she was pregnant. Never thought of it, never wanted it until now. It smelled divine, and she wanted it as much as she craved the man it was meant for.

"Here you go, Mr Anderson." She handed him his cup and saucer.

"Thank you," Liam said, his voice as strong as the spark of awareness rushing through her body when their fingers touched.

Their eyes connected and held, and for a moment or two, Eden was spellbound and not in a rush to look away, mesmerised by the different flecks of blue in his irises and her reflection in his eyes.

Liam cleared his throat, his eyebrows furrowing. "Am I the father? Your son. Is he mine?"

His question was so unexpected that Eden didn't know what to say, her mind racing in a million directions.

This was her chance to come clean. To tell him about Aiden and offer him visitation on weekends. She wouldn't ask anything from him, and she was happy to leave his name out of the birth certificate if that was what he wanted.

"I guess he's not," Liam carried on coldly, not allowing her a moment to process his question, let alone give him an answer. "I mean, with your track record, who knows how many other men you've been with since that night."

Eden didn't know why she was shocked. His words shouldn't even hurt her, considering their showdown days ago and how savage he was. But she was hurt and shocked. This time, though, his words didn't have the power to render her speechless and send her to her little bungalow. No, this time, he sent her over the cliff.

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