Professional Boundaries

by Jennifer Peel

  I just kept rubbing his back and shoulders while he kept ranting. Next on his list was Alexa. I had few choice words for her as well, although I kept them to myself. Ian was doing a good enough job. It was also nice to hear him say what a mistake he made in bringing her here. I couldn’t have agreed more, but I again I kept my mouth shut. There was no sense in making him feel worse.

  He finally had it out of him, and as he reached up and grabbed my hands that were on his shoulders, he pulled me over and onto his lap. He just searched my face. He looked so worried. “Kelli, your name has been brought into it too.”

  “What do I have to do with it?”

  “They’re going to claim that I have a pattern of having affairs with women that work for me.”

  I tugged on Ian’s tie and brought our faces as close as they could get without us actually kissing, which was coming, but first I had something to say. “Well, they just messed with the wrong southern girl.”

  Ian chuckled and then closed the small distance between us. He kissed me until I saw stars in the middle of the sun-filled day. As soon as I was out of breath, he kissed his way over to my ear. “Have I mentioned how much I love you lately?” he whispered low.

  Oh he had, and I knew he was waiting patiently for me to reciprocate. And someday I would, but not today; at least not in words. I just told him I was here for him any way he needed me. Of course, he wanted to keep me out of it, but that wasn’t an option in my mind. We were a team, and I planned on taking the opposing side down. After I was done, Alexa Manselle wouldn’t even know what hit her.

  Ian was already planning to go to Colorado the following week for what he hoped was the final step in the litigation process, but now he wasn’t so sure. I decided I was going with him. He didn’t think it was a good idea in light of the accusations that were being tossed our way, but I was danged if I was going to let someone drag my reputation through the mud and not have a say about it. Besides, Ian had some great contacts in Colorado that we had been talking to. This would give us the opportunity to dazzle them in person, so Ian eventually gave in. Not like I was really giving him a choice in the matter.

  I was honestly looking forward to going back to Colorado. I missed it, and there was nothing like late springtime in the Rockies. I was hoping, too, there would be a little time for some romance while we visited the place where it all began for us. I hoped this litigation ridiculousness would be finished as well. Ian was stressed out more than usual, which was saying a lot. He couldn’t stand not being able to predict or control the variables. I think he mentioned it was kind of like being in love with me, but horrible. I took that as a compliment.

  We had Delfia set up some appointments for us in Colorado with two large banks. This way, us being gone together looked like it was a business trip, even though I was pretty sure Delfia didn’t believe it, just like she didn’t believe that we weren’t a couple. I never said we weren’t, I just never validated her relentless claims. I knew we weren’t fooling her, but for Ian’s sake, I didn’t advertise it.

  Of course my family knew, and so did Boss and Holly. Ian felt he should be on the up and up with Gary about it. I wouldn’t have kept it from them anyway; they were like family to me. In fact, they weren’t surprised at all. I guess I was the only one that was.

  Ian made all of the travel arrangements. It was the first time I had ever flown first class, and it was the best flight I’d had to date. I really had missed him. I had forgotten what it felt like to be in a relationship that just made every aspect of my life better, even mundane things like a flight. I missed being able to talk to someone that I felt I could be just me with. The ease and contentment I felt with him, I’d never been able to duplicate with anyone else, and now, almost fourteen years later, he still made me feel that way.

  The only downside was Ian was beyond tense. He was worried about this ludicrous lawsuit. It wasn’t the money that was bothering him. No, what worried him was me. He felt this need to protect me, and I think he was just ready to put this chapter of his life behind him. He wanted to get rid of his baggage. He was afraid of how it may affect us. I tried to put his mind at ease that I wasn’t going anywhere; we were a team, and not only that, this part of the duo had a few tricks up her sleeve. The boob twins, as I thought of them, were going to be sorry they messed with me and mine.

  Ian let me have the window seat, and I couldn’t help but feel excited, even under the circumstances, when I saw the big, white, peaked rooftop of Denver International Airport. It was the strangest looking airport I had ever seen, but oddly it made me feel, in a sense, that I had come home. I turned and grinned at Ian. He looked past me out the window and smiled too. It was his first smile the whole flight.

  “Have you missed Colorado?” I asked.

  “I’ve missed being here with you.”

  I’d missed it too. The more I was with him, the more I realized how much I truly missed him, missed us. He was like the harmony to my melody, and together we created a more complete and richer sound. I felt, too, the more we were together, the more in tune we would become. At least I hoped. I was still having a hard time separating out our personal and professional lives. I hoped this week away, even if we weren’t dealing with the most pleasant of things, we could mostly just be Ian and Kelli. Two kids (ok we weren’t close to kids anymore) that were just crazy for each other.

  Even though we weren’t kids anymore, I kind of felt like one at baggage claim when Ian’s parents came and surprised me.

  “Tony, Sheila, what in the world are you doing here?” I practically ran to them.

  They both hugged me simultaneously, but Sheila answered. “Ian told us you were coming to town with him, and it has been so long, too long since we’ve seen you.”

  I don’t know why, but my eyes began to water. “Yes, it’s been far too long,” I replied as I hugged them back.

  They looked almost the same as they had almost fourteen years ago, maybe a little more weathered and worn, but they were perfect in my mind. Tony was just an older, grayer, jollier version of Ian, and Sheila reminded me of Jamie Lee Curtis, with her short, gray, spiky hair. She and Noelle shared the same mischievous gleam in their eyes as well as in their nature. Boy, had I missed them.

  Ian quickly took up the spot next to me as soon as his parents stood back. They just looked at us together, and they seemed to radiate happiness.

  “It’s about time,” Tony said.

  Ian, in response, put his arm around me and smiled at me serenely. “I would say it’s long overdue.”

  I think I just sighed, but what I really wanted to do was grab his face and kiss him senseless. This didn’t seem like the appropriate venue, but hopefully later. Ian did lean down and peck me chastely on the lips, just once, in response. It would have to tie me over.

  “Well, let’s get out of here so we can catch up,” his mom said.

  Ian let go of me and took my luggage, and Tony grabbed Ian’s as we made our way to the rental car. As the men loaded our luggage, Sheila hugged me one more time. She didn’t say anything, but I could feel the joy she felt, because I felt it too.

  It was decided that we would meet at the hotel restaurant for lunch. Ian had almost booked us at separate hotels, but I said that was insane. I didn’t care what the boob twins thought. Believe me, I knew it was hard to believe that we didn’t have that type of relationship, but Ian and I knew the truth, and that’s all that mattered. He did book us five floors apart, though, like that was going to make a difference if we really wanted to do something. Ok … I think we both really wanted to, but Ian knew how I felt about it, and he respected my position and me. He told me I was more than worth the wait. Yeah, I kind of liked him … a lot.

  As soon as his parents left for their truck, Ian took no time in doing what I wanted to do all morning. He kissed me hard, but briefly.

  I took a moment to stare into those troubled chocolate eyes as the kiss ended. I was determined to see those eyes alight before we went back to Nashv
ille. “Thanks for inviting your parents down.”

  “They didn’t even wait for an invitation when I told them you were coming.”

  I smiled.

  He groaned. “I guess we better not keep them waiting.”

  I hated that he was so melancholy. I knew part of him was happy to see his parents and to have us together, but when there was a problem to be solved, Ian had a hard time on focusing on anything else. I kept trying to tell him it would be ok, and no matter the outcome, we would weather it together, but Ian was Ian.

  It was amazing how fourteen years could be erased in the course of lunch. There was no awkwardness or lulls in the conversation. It reminded me of the nights we had spent at their table during Thanksgiving, talking and playing games until the early morning hours. I remembered wishing then that it would be the first of many holidays I would share with them. I also remembered wondering how such carefree individuals ever raised such an uptight person like their son. As I looked between the three of them, I still wondered how it was possible.

  Poor Ian was beyond uptight. He was meeting with his attorney after lunch.

  I offered to go with him, but he was being stubborn and wanted me to stay out of it. “I can help, I was raised by a lawyer after all and I have some ideas.” I tried to get him to see it was a good idea for me to be involved, but he wouldn’t listen.

  “I have it under control. You don’t need to worry about it.”

  “I don’t appreciate being handled with kid gloves and I’m going to worry either way. Don’t you get how much you mean to me? How could I not be worried?” I said to him as I walked him out to the car. His parents were staying to keep me company, and they were waiting for me back in the hotel.

  He took me up into his arms and pressed me against the car. “Kelli, I love you,” he began. His eyes finally had a little light in them as he looked into my own. “Can you please just trust me and let me deal with this?”

  I rolled my eyes. “If the roles were reversed, would you stay out of it?”

  His lips turned up slightly and he released an over-exaggerated breath. He knew I was right.

  “I’m not some pretty little airhead or nineteen-year-old kid anymore …”

  His laughter stopped me from finishing my thought. I narrowed my eyes at him in frustration.

  He brought his hands up and cupped my face in them. His eyes danced with amusement. “Kelli, you’re the most capable woman I’ve ever known, so you can get that thought out of your pretty little head.”

  I rolled my eyes again.

  “You’re so sexy when you’re irritated,” he said before he leaned in and kissed me ever so lightly.

  I had no choice but to reciprocate. Ok, I had a choice, but why would I choose not to?

  He smiled at me as soon as our lips unlocked. “Please, just let me fix my mistakes. Enjoy today with my parents, and I’ll be back to you as soon as I can,” he said with love, but also with finality. He was done arguing. He kissed me once more and left without another word.

  I stood and watched him drive off and smiled to myself. He was crazy if he thought I was going to stand by and just be an observer. Unbeknownst to him, I had already taken action. I was just hoping he would agree on the front end to let me be involved. I guess I was going in from the back end, but in the meantime, I did as he asked. I walked back in and joined his parents for a wonderful day of sightseeing and catching up.

  I don’t know how many times his parents expressed how thrilled they were to see us back together and to see me again. They had thought of me often through the years and wondered many times about the “what ifs.” Me too, but there was no going back. I wasn’t quite sure what the future held yet. All I knew was, I wanted Ian to be in it, and I knew that’s what he wanted. He was patiently waiting on me to decide when we should move forward. It really was odd to hear him say that he loved me on a daily basis, and it was weird for me not to reciprocate the sentiment. It’s not that I didn’t love him. I think I always have, but I wasn’t ready to admit that to him. I still needed time, and he was more than willing to give it to me. He didn’t seem bothered in the least that I wasn’t saying those three little words.

  His parents left after dinner; they had more than a three hour drive back to Glenwood Springs. Before they left, they extended an invitation to Ian and me to come and spend the weekend with them. I said yes immediately, without consulting with my absentee boyfriend. I hoped he didn’t mind. I knew we had planned on going back home on Friday, but there was no way I was turning down the opportunity of spending the weekend with Ian in one of my most favorite places. And I had a feeling that after this week, we were both going to want the getaway. His parents were beyond delighted.

  I spent the rest of my evening in my hotel room going over my notes for my presentation. Ian would text me intermittently and say he was missing me or he would apologize for being delayed. At nine, though, I got a text asking me to meet him in the parking lot. I took no time slipping on my shoes and hurrying to meet him. He was waiting for me by the car with the passenger door open.

  He grinned as I approached, but he looked tired and worn. “Hello, Beautiful,” he said as I was almost to him. Even his words sounded tired.

  I smiled warmly and touched his cheek. “Hi, Handsome.”

  He caught my hand and kissed my palm before helping me into the car. He jogged over to the driver’s side, got in, and took no time in taking off.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as we exited the hotel parking lot.

  He smiled over to me briefly. “I believe there are still some swings with our names on them.”

  I could feel my own face erupt with delight. This was why he was perfect for me. Even though he had more money than most and could afford to take me anywhere in the city, he still chose the one place I adored more than any other. It cost not a thing, but it was priceless to me.

  Not much was said on the drive over. Ian held my hand the whole way over to “our” park, and I just looked out the window at all the changes that had occurred in the last ten years. Denver had definitely grown. I didn’t remember the traffic being this bad, this late at night, when I lived here. It reminded me why I loved Nashville so much. Nashville was the perfect-sized city in my mind. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Denver, but I don’t know if I could stand to live here again.

  As the park came into view, I felt eighteen again. My motto was, “You are never too old for the park.” I was glad Ian still agreed with me, or at least just went with it. I hoped my butt still fit in the swing; I was barely back to belly dancing after the accident. I expressed my concern to Ian.

  “You have nothing to worry about, I check your backside out plenty, and it looks great,” he said in response.

  We laughed about the first time I saw him at Chandler, when I was telling Delfia to check out my butt. I couldn’t believe that was only three months ago; it seemed like a lifetime away, so much had happened since then. But we didn’t come to the park to talk about Chandler or lawsuits. We agreed we would only talk about us, or even better, we would occupy our lips and there would be no need for words.

  As soon as we hit the cool grass, we both removed our shoes and rolled up our pants. There was nothing like cool grass beneath your feet and holding hands with your special someone. As we walked toward the swings, I looked around. The trees had grown taller, and it looked like the playground equipment had been painted, but it was still our park. And thankfully we were the only ones there. Not like we would have noticed anyone anyway; we only had eyes for each other as we walked hand-in-hand with a slight swing in our arms and a spring in our step.

  When we were several paces from the swings, I dropped his hand to race him. He must have anticipated my move as he was quick to grab me and pull me back. Kissing was way better than racing or swinging any day. As he kissed me, I could feel a release of tension. I don’t think he could have pulled me any closer. He kissed every inch of my face and neck. He was driving me crazy, in the best so
rt of way.

  “Ian, are you ok?”

  He kissed my neck once more, and then he leaned his forehead against mine and just breathed deeply for several seconds.

  “I’m here for you,” I whispered quietly.

  “I don’t deserve you.”

  “Yes, but regardless. I’m still here.”

  He chuckled. “I do love you.”

  “I know. Let’s swing.”

  We spent the next hour swinging and laughing and talking. It was there I divulged our new plans for the weekend. He seemed genuinely pleased with the idea; we just needed to make it there.

  Chapter 22

  Glenwood Springs was the word of the week. Whenever Ian was tense, I would just whisper the beloved place and remind him what was waiting for us in just a few short days. Tuesday morning we spent going over our presentation for Norwest Bank, and then we spent the afternoon meeting with their big wigs in downtown Denver in their oddly shaped skyscraper that I swore looked like a cash register on the top. The meeting went mostly well, but they were super uptight about security issues, and they wanted us to change our contract and terms and conditions for them. Ian took it all in stride and didn’t promise them a thing.

  “I never thought I would meet anyone more anal than you,” I remarked to him on our way out through their lobby.

  He laughed, and just for a moment, he forgot I was Ms. Bryant and reached down and took my hand.

  “Mr. Greyson, I’m not sure how to take that,” I teased.

  He quickly dropped my hand, but at least he smiled. I really did miss being just Kelli.

  That night I was left alone as Ian met with his attorney again. They were going to court the next afternoon. He didn’t know, but I was too. I was also working on this ridiculous case. Ms. Manselle was about to be very sorry.

  I dressed extra carefully in my finest business suit the next morning before I met Ian for breakfast. He didn’t get in until almost midnight the night before. He came up and lightly rapped on my door. “I just needed to see your face,” he said before he kissed me.