Her eyes drifted closed as she remembered how good it was. Acknowledging this fact, she knew it wouldn’t be a onetime thing. Regardless of the boundaries they crossed tonight, dismissing the potential hazards—emotional, professional, and otherwise—she didn’t regret what they’d done.
The addict now had her addicted, too.
One hit was all it took.
Chapter Eleven
Lunch came and went and so did four of Vanessa’s patients in the hours that followed. She’d just rested her head on her desk when someone knocked at the door.
“Come in,” she said sleepily.
Simon turned the knob and entered with his eyes set on the floor instead of looking in Vanessa’s direction.
“Hey,” he said, filling the seat across from her desk, his blue eyes finally settling on her. “So, I’m picking Ryan up right from the school?” he asked. It wasn’t that he didn’t already know the answer to that question, but he honestly didn’t have a reason for coming to her office in the first place. Pretending his memory had failed him seemed like a good excuse. Honestly, he just wanted to talk with her, missed the ease of their conversations.
Vanessa gave a casual nod. “Yeah, by this being the first Boy Scout meeting they’re having it at the school, but the others will alternate between the troop leaders’ houses. Kevin’s mom will take him. We just have to pick him up.”
That made Simon smile, imagining his son in uniform. He couldn’t wait to see him in it later. “I bet he was pretty excited about that.”
Vanessa was just getting ready to respond when she caught herself. For a moment, she almost fell for Simon’s trap. He knew their son was her soft spot and she could go on and on talking about him all day. But she wouldn’t. Not with him.
“He seemed to be,” she said flatly. “But you can ask him all about it when you see him in a few.” Her eyes slipped down to the time display in the corner of her monitor. “Speaking of, you should probably be heading out to get him soon. Might seem early, but you never know what traffic will be like.”
If that wasn’t a hint for Simon to leave her office, she wasn’t sure what was. He caught on, clearing his throat when she basically dismissed him.
He checked his watch, confirming that it was in fact just about time for him to head out. “I suppose I’ll be on my way then,” he replied, standing from his seat when something else came to mind. “And you remember I’m bringing him home earlier than usual on Sunday because I have to leave town for a conference, right?”
She nodded, noting that she already had it written on her calendar.
Disappointed by the fact that he couldn’t seem to gain any ground with her, Simon turned to leave.
Vanessa was just getting ready to let him walk out, but she stopped him. All she said was his name.
“Yes?” he answered, glancing up with hopeful eyes.
There was something she’d been holding in, not because she was afraid to confront him with it, but mostly because she didn’t know if what she had to say would start an argument.
Her mouth felt dry.
“I um… I’ve been doing some thinking and—” Damn… this was harder than she thought it would be. She swallowed hard and took a breath. “Since the divorce is final and we’re not obligated to one another in any way at this point in our lives… Now would probably be a good time for us to… for us to dissolve our partnership.”
There.
She said it.
Now to wait for Simon’s response. Except, he had none. Instead, he stared at Vanessa like she’d just knocked the wind out of him as he sank back into the seat.
“I—I don’t understand. Business is business. We’ve always managed to keep our personal lives outside the office. Why—”
“Because we’re divorced now, Simon,” she shot back, interrupting him. There was bewilderment behind his eyes, and God help her, she felt sorry for him. She felt sorry for the man who broke her heart and was honestly the whole reason it was even necessary to divide their practice.
“This just feels completely unnecessary, Vanessa.”
She lowered her head and exhaled. This was how she expected him to react, but she was firm on this decision. The thought of coming to this place, day in and day out, seeing Simon on a regular basis; that wasn’t what she wanted. She needed to heal and that seemed impossible if she didn’t get some space.
And what about when he started dating again? That day would surely come and, call her crazy, but she didn’t want to be in the midst of that. There were so many reasons they would both be happier if she went her own way.
“What will you do?” he asked. “Start over?”
Vanessa shook her head. “Not necessarily. I’ve considered reaching out to some of the other doctors we know who have space available for someone with my expertise.” When Simon didn’t have words, she added, “I’ll manage.”
The gold watch on Simon’s wrist caught the light when he folded his arms across his chest. “You’ll manage,” he reiterated. “Is that really what you want to do? When you’re already thriving here?” He seemed genuinely concerned. “I mean, of course I’d help you financially if it ever came to that, but you’re too good at what you do to basically start from scratch.”
She disagreed with something he said. “I won’t need your help. I make as much money as you do and I’m doing just fine,” was the first thing she needed to clear up. “And I won’t be starting over; my patients will follow me to whatever office I transfer to. There shouldn’t be much change.”
Sensing the tension in her voice, Simon knew to back off. He didn’t mean any harm, but he really didn’t see where this decision made sense. It wasn’t his place to advise her anymore, though, so he didn’t. Against his better judgment, he held his tongue.
“If this is what you want,” he eventually conceded.
Satisfied that he no longer felt the need to butt heads on the issue, Vanessa relaxed in her seat.
“Just keep me informed so I can prepare,” was the last thing he said about it.
Seconds later, Simon had left the building to pick up Ryan from school and Vanessa was preparing to leave as well. Tonight seemed like the perfect night for a mani/pedi with Ryan gone for the weekend, so that was what she’d do. Ending the night with a bubble bath and a glass or two of wine seemed fitting.
Her hand had just clutched the strap of her purse when the phone on her desk began to ring.
“Yes, Greta,” she answered.
“I have Dr. Hale on line two. Should I tell him you’re unavailable?” her receptionist asked.
Vanessa’s ears perked up at the mention of that name. Four days had passed since their… encounter… and his lack of presence had definitely been felt.
She set her purse back down.
“Uh… no. I’ve got a moment. Thanks.”
Pressing her finger to the button, and smiling just a little, she answered. “This is Vanessa.”
“Good evening, Doctor.” Zander’s voice came through the phone—mellow, laidback. “I figured I’d waited the allotted amount of time to call.”
“Allotted amount of time for what?” Vanessa inquired, feeling her brow quirk when she did.
“To make sure you know I’m not going to stalk you after what we did,” he replied, adding, “unless, of course, you’re into that sort of thing.”
She laughed, free and easy, something she hadn’t done in a while, something she never thought she’d do with him.
“Mmm… a solid week is the typical time limit, but I’ll give you a pass this time. You were close enough,” she joked.
And flirted?
Yes, she was definitely flirting with him.
Before now, the steeping sexual tension between them kept her in knots, but Zander had thoroughly worked out every single kink that plagued her.
“You wouldn’t happen to have pressing plans this evening, would you?” The intonation of his voice just had a way of making her lose herself in the sound of it.
Vanessa eased back in her seat and got comfortable, crossing one leg over the other. She remembered her nail appointment, but still answered with a casual, “Nothing comes to mind. Why do you ask?”
She gnawed the side of her lip as she grinned. He had something up his sleeve and she knew it.
“Well, it dawned on me that you and I are overdue for a proper evening out.”
A light, airy chuckle hit the air and Zander smiled at the sound of it.
“A proper evening out?” Vanessa inquired. She was sure his explanation would be good.
“Yes. I’ll send for you, treat you to a nice dinner, and then send you home feeling like you’ve found ‘the one’.”
She shook her head at him, still feeling her cheeks tighten while she thought of what to say. “I’ll have to think about it,” she teased. “It’s generally a no-no to call a girl the day of, expecting that she’ll agree to see you. Twenty-four hours’ notice is kind of the rule.”
Zander never missed a beat. “You’re absolutely right,” he replied, “And I considered asking if tomorrow would be better… but I’d rather not wait that long to see you.”
She loved his forthrightness. Now that he wasn’t using it against her, using it to get under her skin, she appreciated that he didn’t mince words. He was honest almost to a fault, but an undiluted shot of honesty was definitely something she’d been lacking.
“I suppose one could say that my asking to see you tonight was less of a want and more of a… need,” was the word he settled on, managing to say it without being suggestive.
Well when he put it like that….
“Should I meet you somewhere?” she asked.
“That won’t be necessary. How does 7:30 sound to you?”
Vanessa fought against the thoughts and feelings that seemed to surface during the few days since she’d last spoken to Zander. However, now that she knew she was less than two hours away from seeing him again, it was impossible to deny the main thought that had plagued her: she missed him.
“I’ll be ready,” she answered, accepting the invitation.
“And I’ll be waiting.”
*****
A proper evening out…
Thinking of the words Zander had spoken in his subtly seductive way, a smile touched Vanessa’s lips as she stood at the mirror. The expression made her hone in on the red lipstick she’d chosen for tonight.
Was it too much?
Would the message it sent be too bold?
Would that message be so wrong to send?
Thinking of the many possible ways this evening could end, she felt her breaths quicken just a little. There was no way of predicting what Zander had in mind other than the dinner he mentioned, but she was ready for whatever. Whether he wanted to keep things light and casual… or hot and heavy.
A memory of their last encounter came to her and her lids fluttered closed, feeling his hands on her, his breath against her skin. Yes… she was definitely ready for whatever he had in mind.
Running the comb through her hair one last time, the doorbell rang. She smoothed the contoured, black and gray, striped dress down her thighs and grabbed her clutch before descending the stairs. She was careful not to rush, stepping gingerly in her heels with red soles to match her lipstick.
It seemed futile to pretend she wasn’t excited about this, for many reasons. There were the obvious ones—enjoying Zander’s company, enjoying the way he made her feel like his world revolved around her—and then there were the less obvious ones. Every moment they spent together, she was slowly but surely figuring out what made Zander tick. Perhaps it was just the doctor in her that liked the challenge of an unsolved mystery, but one complicated puzzle piece at a time she was getting to know the man behind the mask.
According to Zander, she caused him to feel a similar brand of frustration by deflecting his questions, but that had more to do with the role she played in his life than anything.
Opening the door, she was greeted by an older gentleman, not the gold-colored eyes and devilish smile she was expecting. The visitor had a kind face and his mouth creased in the corners when he smiled.
“Good evening, Miss. My name is Dudley, Dr. Hale’s driver. I’m here to escort you to him if you’re ready.”
So formal. So classy. She’d been on several dates before marrying Simon, and even he had pulled out all the stops to dazzle her a time or two, but this was the first time anyone had ever sent a car for her.
Zander definitely earned points for style.
Gathering her thoughts, Vanessa answered. “Um… yes. I’m all set.”
The older gentleman gave a nod and then waited on the walkway while she locked the door behind her. They reached the sleek, black sedan parked out front and Dudley helped Vanessa into the backseat.
“Thank you,” she said, feeling the coolness of the dark leather interior against the backs of her thighs. Dudley walked around to the driver’s side and started the engine once behind the wheel.
Vanessa’s thoughts were scattered as she thought again about how this evening would go, wondering how—not if—Zander would surprise her tonight. Whether it’d be an accidental glimpse into the man he really is or some sweet gesture that would make her think she’d gotten him all wrong.
At that thought, her hand slid a few inches across the seat while she daydreamed. The feel of a small item beside her sent her eyes darting in that direction. It was a bag—small and black, blending with the seat, hiding it from sight until now. As if suddenly aware of the discovery Vanessa made, Dudley raised the partition, closing her off from his line of sight. Her eyes went to the bag again, to the tag with no more than a handwritten ‘V’ printed there to make it clear that whatever she might find inside was indeed meant for her.
Heat flashed across her cheeks, although it seemed unwarranted at the time. There was a chance that whatever Zander had left for her was innocent; however, the odds of that were low, considering. Removing the red tissue paper carefully arranged inside, the next thing her fingertips touched was lace. There was very little of it, but that was definitely lace. She removed the material from the bag, only now realizing it was a tad weightier than it should have been.
“Oh hell no,” she said, laughing to herself when she realized what was dangling from the tip of her finger—vibrating panties. And if she had to guess, Zander had the remote to control them tucked safely inside his pocket wherever he was.
She chuckled to herself again, deciding this would be one gift that would go unused. There was no way she’d put these on.
Glancing at the bag once, a piece of white paper tucked down inside caught her eye. Reluctant as to what it might say, she pulled it free and stared at Zander’s careful penmanship.
‘Don’t make me beg, love. Although, I will if I have to…’
That was all it said. He knew she’d protest. Of course he knew she’d protest; he knew her every move.
Vanessa studied the few words printed on the sheet of paper and took a deep breath. She wasn’t one for spontaneity, but she was admittedly a little curious. She felt the crotch of the panties, toying with the small device there, and then her eyes went to Zander’s letter again, hearing his request resonating inside her head.
“Damn you, Zander,” she whispered, turning the delicate fabric in her fingers, trying to determine which end was which. Finally figuring it out, she glanced up at the partition once more, gaging whether the darkened glass really hid her from Dudley’s view. After inspecting it for a few seconds, Vanessa threw caution to the wind, giving in to Zander’s written request as she slipped her own panties off and replaced them with her new gift.
It didn’t surprise her when she secured them at her hips and discovered that Zander had correctly guessed her size. They were a perfect fit. She adjusted the tiny mechanism in the fabric at her crotch until it was centered between the folds of her sex, nestled snuggly against her clit. A deep breath left her lungs as she tucked everything away inside her clut
ch.
Tonight would certainly be interesting.
*****
Dudley helped Vanessa from the vehicle and escorted her up the brick walkway with her arm locked around his.
Zander watched her every move as he stood waiting; the way her hips dipped and swayed with each step she took in her elegant heels, how the gentle breeze moved strands of her hair that weren’t neatly tucked away behind her ears. She certainly did make his heart race.
Vanessa came closer and the wind carried with it a trace of her perfume—something Zander hadn’t smelled on her before, something lovely. His eyes danced up her calves to the hint of thigh showing beneath her dress’s hem. He couldn’t help but wonder what she thought of his gift.
Had she slipped into the black lace he’d chosen especially for her?
As badly as he wanted an answer, he dared not ask. With the remote safe inside the jacket pocket of his suit, there was a far more stimulating way to find out.
‘Later,’ he thought, forcing himself to be patient.
The rhythmic clicking of Vanessa’s sleek heels slowed at Zander’s feet. Dudley dismissed himself with a nod and the two were alone. She was certainly a sight to behold, her curvaceous figure nothing but pleasing to him. The clingy material of the dress she wore accentuated her subtly bowed hips and ample breasts, both of which Zander could still feel in his hands if he tried hard enough to imagine it.
“You look… exquisite,” he said, dawning the coy grin Vanessa had become accustomed to seeing there.
He always had a compliment ready for the beauty standing before him. “And that dress…” he added, unable to even find words to describe it. The broadening smile that slowly spread across his face said it all, though.
“Thank you.” There was a shy quality to her voice that drove him mad.
Overdose: A British Bad Boy Romance Page 14
