by Reyner, Jade
“I don’t know ‘Leste,” Elise looked doubtful “I have to go to check on Dale and see what is happening at the hospital. They may want to keep him in and it wouldn’t feel right going out shopping, if that’s the case.” She didn’t add that Dale wouldn’t let her anyway; that would just cause far too many questions that she was not ready to answer.
“Oh, come on Elise - if they do keep him in, you’ll be all on your own. What better way to cope than with a bit of retail therapy?”
Elise paused for a moment and weighed up her options, wondering if she could get away with keeping it from Dale. Perhaps if they went first thing in the morning, she would be OK. If he had stayed in the hospital then she could just pick him up at lunchtime and he would be none the wiser. If not then maybe the concussion would mean that he would sleep late and she could whizz round in an hour and be back before he even knew she’d even gone.
She turned back to Celeste. “OK, you’re on. But it has to be first thing in the morning and I may only be able to leave Dale for an hour or so”. She felt rather than saw Vaughn stiffen at the second mention of Dale’s name but she refused to turn to him to acknowledge it.
“Jeez, girl, you drive a hard bargain. OK, what say I give you a call in the morning and we can arrange where to meet?”
Elise was gripped by panic at the thought of Dale possibly hearing her phone call, and she had to inwardly fight with herself to remain calm. “Erm.. no... that’s OK. You don’t need to call me. Why don’t we just arrange a time and place and then I’ll meet you there?”
Celeste looked as if she was about to argue but to Elise’s relief, just shrugged. “Alright, I’ll meet you by the monument at 9.30am.”
“Great!” said Elise, pleased that the awkward moment had passed and actually starting to look forward to spending some time with Celeste. She didn’t get to have nearly enough girly time so this would make a really pleasant change.
Celeste took that as her cue to leave. “OK then..., see you tomorrow and don’t forget to have your shopping head on!” She exited through the door chuckling to herself and closed it softly behind her.
Vaughn had turned back to the window, concentrating on whatever it was that he was looking at and Elise wondered if he was regretting their passionate interlude. She knew she should be too but with the memory of his lips still firmly planted in her brain, regret was not high on her list of emotions at the moment.
As the silence became heavier, Elise searched for something to say...anything.
“Thank you.” she whispered eventually, “I really appreciate you stepping in and breaking those two meatheads up”. Not what she wanted to say at all but she had no idea how to refer to the other ‘thing’ that had just happened between them.
Vaughn turned, startled, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. He ran his eyes up and down her body almost as if checking for injuries and heat coursed through her everywhere that his eyes lingered. Finally he settled on her face.
“It was my pleasure.” he said smoothly, “I just did what any other sane person would have done. I’m not in the habit of condoning fighting on the premises, particularly when one of my most senior employees is involved. It was not the time or the place for whatever was going on with those two.”
Elise doubted that he was right about doing the same as anyone else. She hadn’t come across too many people in her time, who would jump into the middle of a fight.
She was a little concerned that Vaughn had so far made no reference to the comment that Dale had aimed in his direction; the one about wanting to ‘fuck’ her, the one that had sent him over the edge himself. It was strange how everyone seemed to be brushing this under the carpet. Either no one really knew what had happened or they just didn’t know how to broach the subject. Deciding that ultimately it really didn’t matter either way Elise turned to leave, crossing in front of Vaughn as she headed to the door. There didn’t seem to be any point in staying – there was nothing left to say and if he was now regretting their kiss, then she needed to be as far away from him as she possibly could be.
As she passed him he put a gentle hand out on her arm, momentarily stopping her.
“Elise, why don’t you let anyone have your phone number or allow them to phone you?”
She frowned at the strange question. It was one of the last things she had expected him to say although she had by now come to realise that he was far from predictable. He was also very observant, not missing anything in the exchange between her and Celeste. At least it was a safe question and one to which she had a ready answer.
“Because I’m on a rubbish contract,” she said, “it’s really expensive to use.” The practised lie rolled off her tongue without her even thinking about it. Usually most people accepted the ‘rubbish contract’ line without argument. The truth – the reality - was just far too ugly to own.
“Oh” he seemed to consider for a moment and then continued “but surely you know that if people phone you, it doesn’t actually cost you anything. Unless they’re phoning from another country of course.” Yes, definitely very observant.
Elise knew that. Of course she did! Even her limited grasp on technology recognised that fact. However, she wasn’t able to admit to anyone that Dale monitored her phone and, as such, she never gave the number to anyone. On the one occasion she had given it to a girlfriend, Dale had found out and had been convinced that she was plotting to leave him. He had then proceeded to make her stay. Pay. Forcibly. The only way he knew how.
If Vaughn picked up on her hesitation, he didn’t let on as she stumbled through a response.
“Erm.. well.. I really only use it for emergencies. It’s not even charged most of the time.”
“Not much use in an emergency then.” He stated wryly and arched his brows at her as she began to wither under his gaze. Instantly she knew how he had got to the position in life that he was evidently now in. One carefully arched brow was all it took to make her feel like she had two left feet and a dunce’s cap. She pitied anyone he went up against in business. She decided on a change of tack.
“Look...thank you for what you did today. I understand what a difficult position this puts you in but I would appreciate it if we could keep all of this as quiet as possible – although with Annabel things may not be all that quiet.” She murmured ironically as she continued. “I need to get to the hospital to check on Dale and see what is happening. I would appreciate it if I could take the rest of the day off to... sort things out and then hopefully by Monday, this will have all blown over.”
For a moment Vaughn looked like he wasn’t going to respond but then he released his grip on her arm. Watching as she absently rubbed it where he had been holding her.
“Of course you can take the rest of the day to .... sort things out. I hope that your husband is soon feeling better” he intoned with a complete lack of sincerity.
“Thank you. I’ll see you on Monday.” She turned to leave. It sounded glib but what else could she say?
“Oh, and Elise,” at the sound of his voice, slightly deeper now, she turned back to face him again.
“This,” he gestured to the sofa, clearly referring to their earlier interlude, “this did happen and it will happen again – and I can promise you that neither of us will be quiet then”. He emphasised the word that she had used only moments before, giving it a completely different meaning. “Don’t forget.”
Mortified, she scrambled for the door, feeling the colour rush through her body. Why did he have to mention that kiss again? She had tried really hard to compartmentalise things once Celeste had come in and she had been trying really hard to put it in the “do not disturb ever again” compartment. The fact that she was having serious trouble forgetting about it herself was beside the point. Her arousal begin to stir again at the intention in his sentence, the undoubted emphasis on certain words and realised that she needed to get out of this room fast before she did something that she would regret. Like, jump him. Big time.
&
nbsp; As she turned the door handle another thought struck her and, unable to ignore it, she swung back to him to find him watching her with hooded eyes, a lingering of something she strongly suspected was desire, in his heavy expression.
“Vaughn, don’t you want to know why Cole was so mad?” she asked. She had found it strange that he had not questioned Cole’s actions either then or now. He had simply dealt the final blow to Dale, effectively defending Cole, and then almost moved on as if what had happened today was an everyday occurrence.
Vaughn continued to regard her steadily and he looked almost sad. For a while, Elise didn’t think he was going to answer her. When he did his voice was soft and gentle, almost breaking, as he formulated the few short words.
“No Elise, I don’t need to know why.” he said simply. “I already do.”
Chapter Seven
It was 7pm and Elise had finally got home from the hospital. She walked into her lounge on tired legs and sank down onto the sofa without even bothering to turn on the light.
Dale was still in hospital as they had decided to keep him in for a couple of nights. The concussion had worn off and he was awake and talking but due to the quantity of alcohol in his system, they had been unable to perform certain tests and wanted to make sure that everything was absolutely clear before they released him.
Elise couldn’t say she was sad about that. Dale had been in a foul mood when she had arrived at the hospital and the poor nurses were getting it in the neck. She could tell that he was still under the influence and briefly wondered how much he had drunk to end up in such a state.
Patiently she had sat with him, explaining that the nurses were only doing their job and eventually he had calmed down and become more amenable to their poking and prodding. The alcohol was finally starting to wear off and the Dale that she married was beginning to re-appear. It had taken her all afternoon though and had left her with no time to check in on Cole. She knew that he was OK but she wanted to see what had happened with the police and of course apologise for the mess that she had got him into.
Privately, Elise was relieved to have a couple of days away from Dale. Things had turned upside down in the last twenty-four hours and her exhausted brain needed some time and space to process everything. She had to work out what she was going to do about Dale and his association with alcohol, which was undoubtedly getting worse. She also needed to think about their relationship, their marriage, where they were heading and what she could possibly do to get things back on track. If she even wanted to get things back on track. Things were rough right now but part of her still believed in her vows and so she supposed that she wanted to give Dale another chance. The real Dale that was. Not the one obscured by alcohol.
She also wanted to think about Vaughn and how she could possibly have let him kiss her like that. In the cold light of day, she had finally come to her senses. Although she had loved their moment and it had made her feel alive for the first time in ages, she knew that it was totally wrong and that nothing like that must ever happen again. Despite his insistence that it would and despite the fact that her lips were still tingling.
The other positive thing with Dale still being in hospital was that she could go out shopping with Celeste tomorrow guilt-free, and she acknowledged that that felt really good and was now something that she was very much looking forward to.
After sitting in the dark for what felt like an eternity, she made herself go and put the kettle on, hoping that a hot cup of tea would soothe her nerves. She stood and watched it absently, pondering on how things had suddenly become this complicated and wondering if life was ever going to be simple again. The irony of that was that her situation had been far from simple for a very long time – she had just gotten used to it, which was not an altogether good thing.
The kettle began to jump around in agitation signalling that it was boiled, at the exact moment that her mobile phone began to ring; both sounds breaking through the interminable silence.
Unaccustomed to the ringing, it took Elise a moment to register the sound before she dashed into the lounge, rummaging through her bag trying to find it thinking it must be the hospital. Why couldn’t they have called the landline? She had asked them to use the landline first. Cursing at the general population’s inability to follow instructions, she finally dug out her phone and answered it.
It wasn’t the hospital. It was Vaughn.
“Elise.” His ridiculously sexy drawl vibrated down the phone line causing her to tingle all over.
“How....” she swallowed, aware that that had come out as more of a squeak than a word.
“How the hell did you get this number?”
“Elise, I am your boss. There is nothing that I can’t find out if I choose to do so.” His voice rumbled in her ear, the almost dominant tone managing to be safe and dangerous at the same time.
“Why are you calling me, Vaughn? There is nothing for us to say.” Her voice barely wobbled and she was proud of herself.
“I disagree.” He stated matter-of-factly, “However, I was calling to enquire after your husband’s welfare. I presume you went to the hospital after you left here?”
“Yes, I did. He’s going to be OK.” She paused before adding the last statement. “No thanks to you.”
She heard his sharp intake of breath and knew that she had overstepped the mark. If it hadn’t been for Vaughn, then Cole and Dale would most likely still be fighting now and doubtless in a much worse condition. She had no idea why she was being so tetchy with him – she should really be thanking him.
“Sorry.... that was uncalled for. It’s just been a long day.” She hoped he took her apology at face value and made an allowance for her overwrought emotions. After all, there was little else that she could say.
“It’s OK, Elise,” she heard him blow out a breath, “I know that this must be difficult for you.”
He paused and she waited, wondering if he was expecting her to speak. She didn’t think she could even; she was done in. Anything that came out now was unlikely to make much sense. The silence lengthened but still she waited, hearing his breathing quicken on the other end.
“Elise, I need you to know something” he said eventually, his voice was low and seductive. She waited again, shivers running down her arms, nerves tingling and hand shaking at the connection with the phone – the connection with him.
“This thing between us isn’t over - not by a long shot. You and I will happen, husband or no husband. See you at work on Monday.”
He delivered his speech and then cut the connection. The line went dead.
Elise sat stunned, staring at the phone as if it could somehow help her make sense of the ridiculous conversation she had just had. Or rather the conversation that Vaughn had just had. The arrogance of the man knew no bounds. He didn’t ask - no. He just assumed that she would want to have a thing with him. He was probably used to women falling at his feet but she wasn’t just another one of his conquests; she was a married woman, and his comments were dismissing Dale and her vows as if they meant nothing. Regardless of how she felt when she was around the man and how his presence affected her, she couldn’t let him walk all over her just because the mood took him. She had commitments – hell, she had a life and even if it wasn’t perfect, it was her life and nobody else’s business. If her marriage was to be compromised, that would be her decision and no one else’s. She needed to stick to her resolve to keep away from Vaughn Granger. Spending any more time with him would only lead to trouble. That was an absolute certainty.
Chapter Eight
Elise had finally managed to make herself a cup of tea and was sitting in the still darkened lounge, trying to piece together how her life had changed so dramatically in such a short space of time. Idly, she looked around the room as she contemplated her situation.
She loved the living room of this house. It was small but she had decorated it to have a cottage-type feel and to make the most of the space. There was no fireplace but, on the centr
e of the main wall, she had hung a huge tapestry; rich in gold’s and red’s which provided the backbone of the room. The main walls were painted in a warm cream and all the accessories were red, gold or green. The room boasted two occasional sofas, one deep velvet green and the other deep velvet red, both of which complimented each other and the other decor. The warmth of this room shone out and Elise always felt comforted whenever she snuggled onto the sofas, particularly if she used one of the co-ordinating throws.
Elise and Dale’s house was in the small town of Mertonville, a suburb of the main city of Eastwood. Eastwood itself was situated on the borders of Devon and Cornwall and was where both Elise and Dale worked. It was also where the hospital and all the amenities were situated with a brand new out-of-town shopping development as well as a traditional high-street precinct. Elise had been born and raised in Eastwood with all of her family still living locally; Dale, however, was from out of town but had attended the university, which is how they had met. Their house was situated on a relatively new suburban development and they had had the luxury of being able to buy the house from new when they had first got married ten years ago.
At university, Elise had initially been studying Law and Dale, Advanced Accountancy. Their paths had crossed as both courses shared one of the core subjects and after spending a few weeks sitting next to each other, they’d gone on a date and had been pretty much inseparable ever since.
Once they had graduated, Elise had decided not to pursue her chosen career, as she did not want to move to London or one of the bigger cities so far away from her family and Dale. At the time, all she really wanted for her future was the good old-fashioned marriage and children and so she hadn’t felt the need to carve out a dedicated career for herself.
Initially, she had picked up temping work from various agencies until she had secured a receptionist role at a local hotel. She had loved that job - particularly the interaction with the guests - and had stayed there for a number of years. Once their marriage hit its seemingly endless ‘rocky’ patch however, Dale began to find fault with her shift patterns, complaining that she was never at home whenever he was and so she had eventually and reluctantly left, managing shortly afterwards, to secure her existing job at Andrews & Andrews. The working hours were more traditional and gave her and Dale something in common as they were both now working in the same industry. At the time, she had been hopeful that this fact alone would help to heal their rift and for a while it had - but it didn’t make any difference these days. They didn’t talk anymore so it really didn’t matter where Elise worked or what she had to say. Dale never listened anyway.