Isobel took another breath and started again. “Do you remember earlier on when we were, um, after we, in the closet after we…” Her words trailed off as a stain of embarrassment flooded her cheeks. This was going to be more difficult than she’d thought.
Tyler stopped her before she could say anything else. “Come and sit down, Isobel. I can see that this is something that has you worried, so let’s at least get comfortable to talk.” He walked towards the leather couch and sat down; patting the cushion next to him to indicate that she should sit there.
Isobel settled herself next to him and tried to compose herself. No matter how she worded this, she knew it wasn’t going to be taken well. But it was something that she felt too strongly about to simply not do or say anything at all.
She turned to face him and the worried look on his face took her breath away. She never would have thought that the arrogant Mr. James would have ever worried about what anyone had to say to him, regardless of what it may be about. It almost made her stop and think twice about what she was about to do, but after a brief hesitation she knew that she had no other option if she was to stay true to herself and her beliefs and morals.
She started to talk again, the resolution she felt making her voice calmer and much easier to vocalize what she needed to say. “You asked me earlier, when we’d finished making love in the closet, what it had been for.” He nodded slowly, obviously not daring to talk in case he stopped her train of thought. “I lied to you, Tyler. I told you that it was nothing more than two people enjoying each other. Which it was, but there was more to it than just that.”
At her slight hesitation, Tyler prompted her softly. “I’m listening.”
“What we’ve shared in the brief time I’ve been working for you has been intense, Tyler.” She felt herself blushing again but pushed herself to continue. “You’ve shown me a different side to myself and what I like on a sexual nature, and it’s certainly been an eye-opener.”
He smiled down at her. “You’re a natural sub, Isobel. Believe me; the pleasure hasn’t been all one-sided on your part.”
Isobel smiled back at him, but even though she felt a strange sense of pride at his words, she also felt enormously sad too. “It can’t carry on, Tyler.” There was no point her beating about the bush. She just needed to come out and say what needed to be said. “Whatever we’ve shared, whether it be in a professional or personal basis, doesn’t change the fact that you’re married. And I can’t be with a man who’s committed to another woman.”
She felt tears well up and struggled to keep them under control and not let them fall. She had to stay resolute in order to get her point across. “I’m so sorry, Tyler, but what we did today was my way of saying goodbye. I won’t be coming back to work here so I won’t be seeing you again once I leave today.”
Tyler hadn’t said a word. He’d just sat there listening to her with an intense look on his face. Isobel wasn’t even completely sure that she’d got her point across properly or if he’d understood her, but there was nothing left to be said.
She stood up from the couch and looked down at him as he sat there. He wasn’t even looking at her, and Isobel could feel the coldness in his demeanor. She hesitated for just a second longer and then turned away.
“Goodbye, Tyler.” Her parting words were said as she exited his luxury office, her legs still shaking and her heart racing.
Isobel collected her coat and bag and rode the elevator to the ground floor, getting in her car and arriving home without any recollection of how she got there. She almost felt bereft, which was crazy considering that she’d only know Tyler for such a short space of time. But he had made a huge impact on her, and it was one that she knew she wouldn’t forget any time soon.
She parked her car and walked into her house, dropping her bag onto the kitchen counter and heading straight for the fridge. It was only six o’clock, but she needed a drink, and coffee just wasn’t going to work. She poured herself a glass of wine and made her way to the living room, collapsing down onto the couch as though all the air and energy had been knocked out of her.
She took a grateful sip of her drink, and then sat there in the dark for what seemed like hours. She went to take another sip of her wine and realized her glass was empty, and as she stood up to go and get a refill, moisture landed on her arm. With surprise she rubbed at her face, realizing that she was actually crying, which was something that she very rarely, if ever, did. With the realization that she was so emotionally upset about the thought of not only not going to work tomorrow, but not seeing Tyler again, she completely broke down and buried her face in the cushions of the couch while she sobbed.