Drying herself off, Kait tried to console herself that yes, perhaps it had been a one night stand for Jasper ,but for her it had been something more: an intense connection she was powerless to resist.
Her heart still ached as she sat on her bed, blow drying her long hair. She wondered if he’d lingered beside her bed before leaving, contemplating waking her. Did he have any intention of reaching out to her again, or would he now just be gone from her life for good? The thought of never seeing Jasper again made Kait’s hands shake as they held up the blow dryer. She had to see him again, if only to get closure. She’d spent an amazing, life-affirming night with this man. Maybe it meant nothing to him, but it did to her, and she felt she deserved to at least get a goodbye from him. But all she knew was his name, Jasper Duboix. He’d mentioned that he was coming back from the gym, but that didn’t give her much to go on.
By the time Kait’s hair was dry, she’d resolved to do her best to put Jasper out of her mind. She needed to focus on work, on getting the promotion she’d so desperately worked for. Her feelings over Jasper would have to wait. And why dwell on those feelings when they clearly weren’t reciprocated?
Chapter 4
Kait struggled to focus at work. Her mind kept drifting away from her desk, back to the heat of her apartment and the night she’d shared with Jasper. That was several days ago, and he had simply vanished. Each time she walked over to the parking lot after work, her heart raced, not from fear of being attacked, but from the possibility that she might find Jasper waiting for her, his arms extended with an apology. She’d crash against him like a wave, and they’d resume where they left off. But he never showed up. Had he managed to move on from her so easily?
Angrily tapping her pen against her desk, Kait ignored the mounting emails in her inbox on her computer screen. Each time she tried to focus, she thought of him. Thought of his strong chest, of his tender yet passionate kisses.
The sound of her office phone ringing made Kait jump. She took a few moments to collect herself before picking up.
“Good afternoon. Kait Stewart speaking.” Her voice was formal and polite.
“Good afternoon, this is Kait’s BFF looking for her MIA drinking buddy,” came the caller’s response, mimicking her tone.
“Anna!” Kait’s tense expression bled out in to a warm smile.
“Hey, so you are still alive!” Anna scolded lovingly. “It’s been literally weeks since I last saw you. I was worried you’d fallen down a hole or something.”
“I’m sorry,” Kait said as she played with the pen in her free hand. “Work has just been…intense lately.”
Work and the man she now couldn’t get out of her mind.
“Sounds like you need a night of liver abuse to clear your head!”
Kait bit her lip. Whenever Anna suggested going out for drinks, she always made an excuse not to go. She’d say she had to work late or had an important meeting the next day, but Anna remained a loyal and determined friend, constantly trying to pull Kait out of her relentless routine.
“Okay,” Kait nodded, her mouth accepting the offer before her brain had chance to catch up. She reasoned that a night out with her friend and some cocktails could be just what she needed to help her get over Jasper.
“Okay?” Anna was clearly shocked by her response. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Kait laughed. “I could actually use a night out.”
“Man troubles?” Anna asked mischievously. Kait could just imagine her blue eyed friend pressing herself tightly against her phone, her mouth held in a cheeky line.
“No, no man troubles.” Kait lied convincingly.
“Course not, you’re all career career career. There’s no men in your life; you’re basically celibate. I honestly don’t know how you do it.”
Kait smiled knowingly to herself. For once, she hadn’t pushed a man aside in favour of her career. She’d let a man into her apartment, into her bed, and it had been wonderful. The smile faltered. And then he’d gone. They’d spent a fantastic night together, but before the sun could even rise he’d gone, slinking away beneath the cover of darkness as if ashamed about what had happened between them.
“So I’ll pick you up at eight?” Anna asked brightly.
“Yep, sounds good. I’ll see you then.”
Chapter 5
“Wait, sorry, what?” Anna gestured wildly with her cocktail though none of the bright red liquid managed to escape the sleek glass.