Page 12 of The High Price Of Loneliness

She rushed out the door to hop in her convertible. Not the fancy self-driving type like her dreamy date with Edward the night before. As she sped off to the office, her foot pushed on the gas, and she could feel the few miles to work click by.

Meanwhile, Edward had important business in Washington, D.C., and was already on the way to his morning flight out of Rectrix, one of the private jet terminals at Sarasota airport. He wanted to message Angelica before leaving, so he texted her with,Good morning, Kitten. Big business in Washington, D.C., today and will return home tomorrow. Would you be available for a phone date this evening? If so, I have a homework assignment for you—if you don’t mind. Edward.

Angelica smiled while reading his message, amused by the word “homework.” What kind of “homework assignment” is he talking about? She hadn’t done homework in years. She was sad about him leaving Sarasota—even for a day or two. But she was excited that he wanted a phone date with her that night. She texted back promptly,Of course! I would love a phone date. Just let me know what time works with your busy schedule. Have a safe flight, she replied.

Edward texted moments later with,After our business dinner—by about 8 o’clock at the latest, I should be back in my hotel room. I will text you before I call. Gray added,Wheels up. Bye, for now, Kitten.And he was gone.

Angelica parked and ran in to unlock the office and start her day, which would often fly by. Nonstop calls, projects, and problems to fix. Her workday typically didn’t include time for a real lunch break. She would usually just grab a bite, when she could, between calls. It was exhausting most days, and this turned out to be one of them.

Not quite a thousand miles away, about 2 hours by jet, Gray wrapped up his negotiations for the week with a business dinner at The Palm Steakhouse which included lots of handshakes and welcoming new partners in a business that would keep him involved in Washington, D.C., back and forth, for a few years to come. He particularly loved the downtown area and the beautiful, impressive architecture and monuments of D.C., especially lit up at night. As he headed back to his hotel after dinner, he texted Angelica,Deal wrapped up in Washington and heading back to my hotel now. I will try phoning you up in about 30 minutes. She saw the screen on her phone light up and then smiled reading his message. Her heart raced with excitement for her phone date with Edward. She loved his deep voice, how he spoke to her, but most of all, being at the center of his very intense attention.

She started getting ready for Edward’s call, so nothing else would distract her. Turning a few lights down, she poured herself a glass of white wine. Pinot Grigio was one of her favorites.

She kept watching the clock—counting the minutes before Edward would call. Full of anticipation, she could hardly wait for her phone to ring. Finally, the screen of her phone lit up again, with another text asking,May I call you now?

She grabbed her phone eagerly to respond as quickly as she could,Yes, please!She smiled to see one last playful text from Edward.Ring, Ring, it read. Her phone began ringing instantly with her caller ID displaying “Gray Global Enterprises.” She answered in her most charming and enthusiastic voice, “Well, hello Mr. Gray!”

His deep voice was full of playful energy. “How is my gorgeous and amazing woman feeling this evening?”

She didn’t want to ask him, but her mind was already racing with the possibilities.Did he just say—in a roundabout way—that I am his womannow?

But her welcoming words said simply, “I am doing great, especially now that you called, and I get to hear your dreamy voice for our phone date! Actually, I don’t think I have ever had an officialphone datebefore.”

She leaned into Edward’s voice to hear every nuance of his reply. “Well, if something is important to you, you should make time and schedule it. Hearing your voice today was— important to me. And, being that I’m about a thousand miles away right now, a ‘phone date’ it is.” Angelica beamed as he sounded like a man on a mission. And, most of all,shewas that important mission.

“Well, I have to admit, I like that you said our call was important to you.”

Edward’s voice now added a bit of a flirting smile saying, “Youareimportant, Angelica. And I do have an important question for you. Being a man, we are almost always ‘visual.’ I hope you don’t mind me asking—but, what are you wearing today? I want to get the mental picture of you in my mind while we are talking.”

Angelica blushed at the flirty question. She felt a slight rush come over her, being at the center of his very male attention, as she answered, “Of course! Nothing too special, but I’m still wearing what I wore to work today, a straight black skirt, just above the knee, and a silver silk blouse with tiny black polka dots on it. It is very elegant looking,” she shared.

Wanting the details to complete the picture, he asked, “What about your shoes, please?”

“Oh, those black heels came off the minute I got home. Just my bare feet right now—if you must know,” she laughed lightly.

Edward was growing a bit bolder as he continued his voir dire of Angelica, “Excellent, and where are you exactly? What room are you in, as we are talking, Ms. Hart?”

She took a deep breath and spoke in a sexy lower tone, getting her flirt on for Edward, “I’m lying on the bed—right where we were together last night. Drinking a glass of white wine,” she said in her most intimate and inviting voice, hoping Edward would wish he was there with her.

“And what kind of white wine are we drinking this evening?”

Angelica smiled, holding her glass up to look at the light gold color of the wine and said, “Santa Margarita, Pinot Grigio. It is in an ice-cold frozen glass I keep at the ready in my freezer.”

Hearing the sultry shift in her voice and energy, Edward felt encouraged to push further, adding, “And, if I may ask, Kitten, what are you wearingunderneaththat very proper office outfit?”

She felt her heart race as her adrenaline coursed through her. How she ached hearing his sexy voice ask her that while separated by distance so far away that night. She took a deep breath before answering, “Well, I could tell you, but it would be a lot more fun for me to show you if you were here with me, Edward.” She paused to smile and giggle softly into the phone, before adding, “And what about you? What is my Mr. Gray wearing this evening?”

Gray, feeling the focus moving to him for a bit, paused to take a deep breath, subtly shifting his voice a bit deeper to reply, “I’m still in a midnight blue suit from business meetings, with a white linen shirt. But the tie and shoes came off when I got back to my hotel room. Then I poured myself a Cognac, just before calling you.”

Angelica closed her eyes hearing his dreamy voice describe the image forming in her mind. She ran the fingers of her free hand through her long hair listening to him paint the picture for her. She smiled as he added, “Right now I’m in the living room of my hotel suite looking at the view of downtown D.C. But next, I’m heading to the bedroom to ‘join you,’ so to speak. Wouldn’t it be more romantic if we were both in bed for our phone date?”

She imagined him looking dreamy and powerful in his midnight blue suit, holding his Cognac in one hand and his phone in the other. She responded, oozing with romance twinkling in her mind, “Yes, I love that idea. So, tell me, how was your day, dear?” She had been waiting all day to ask Edward that iconic line.

He replied briefly, “The business was good. Our deal closed, but that was but a formality. We’ve been working on it for almost a year now. And I also signed a lease on a nice rental here for one year. It’s a penthouse apartment with a view of the entire skyline of Washington, D.C., with giant oversized windows. I’d love to show it to you sometime.”

Her mind raced.What did she just hear?She could feel her blood surging with the thought of losing Edward to D.C. as she asked with alarm, “What? Are you moving?”

Gray explained, “No. Not at all. It’s just that when I buy a company, it’s a long-term commitment. Specifically, if it requires my involvement in leading its growth, I prefer to have a comfortable second home there. A place where I can keep a few clothes and toiletries. Plus, I like to get a home office set up the way I need it, so I can travel light. And it feels a bit more like a home away from home when I’m there rather than staying at hotels all the time. Just my personal preference and way of doing things. I’m not leaving you or Sarasota—to be sure.”

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