Seductive Chaos (Bad Rep #3)(25)
Author: A. Meredith Walters

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that,” Garrett smirked and I knew we were cool again.

For the moment.

8

Marion had agreed to let me take Friday off so I could travel to Raleigh. Provided that I have the outline for the gala plans on her desk for approval by end of business Thursday, which was in less than five hours.

I was almost finished and was just putting the last touches to the proposal and budget plan. Theo and his team had already approved most of my suggestions. I was only finalizing the minute details. The event was less than a month away and I was already flustered with trying to keep everything straight.

The gala was going to be amazing though. I had even impressed myself in how easily everything had come together. Once I had the idea for The Fading Blue theme, it was like a dam had burst and my creative juices wouldn’t stop flowing. Everything from ice sculptures to a silent auction that would include an Alaskan cruise through the glaciers.

I would have a big projection screen with images of the ocean and ice caps and placards on the table with facts and figures about global warming and rising sea levels.

The colors were simple yet classic. The decorations bold yet not overwhelming. It was meant to give the attendees the feelings of being underwater. Of being surrounded by a great open expanse.

Personally, I thought it was going to be incredible. And Theo seemed to think so too. Every suggestion I made was the best thing since sliced bread. His enthusiasm was sweet and flattering.

I had been working my ass off for weeks and I think even Marion was stunned.

The phone on my desk rang, startling me out of my single-minded focus on facts and figures. Who would have thought Vivian Baily would find numbers so consuming?

“Vivian Bailey, Events Coordinator. How can I help you?” I asked, loving how cool and professional I sounded. I still got a thrill out of saying my title.

“Hi, Vivian. It’s Theo,” his rich, warm voice said through the phone.

“I know,” I said, smiling. I had come to recognize his voice instantly, considering how often he called me during the week. I had come to look forward to it. What usually began as a conversation about work, typically devolved into a discussion about anything and everything else. And he was interested in absolutely everything I had to say!

Theo chuckled nervously. No matter how much we spoke, he continued to stumble over himself. It was refreshing to talk to someone who didn’t think the sun shone out of their own ass. I had learned that a lack of ego wasn’t a bad thing and that arrogance was sexy, modesty was too.

“What can I do for you, Theo?” I asked, lingering over his name.

I could hear him clear his throat. “I’m glad I caught you. I know you’re planning to be out of the office for the rest of the week. You never did say where you were going,” he said, blatantly fishing for information.

“No, I didn’t,” I agreed, not giving him anything. A girl had to keep some mystery. And there was no way I was explaining that I was headed for a weekend with my f**k friend.

It wasn’t the first time I felt a sharp flash of shame at the way I rushed to Cole every chance I got.

“Won’t give me any clues will you? I’m starting to think you’re involved in a secret cult with plans for global domination.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Not even close. So tell me why it’s so important that you caught me before I left?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Well, I was wondering, if you’re not too busy, if you’d like to grab some lunch today. We could look over the proposed budget and I could go ahead and approve it for you. You know so it wouldn’t delay things for you next week when you got back,” Theo suggested and I couldn’t help but smile at his less than subtle offer.

“Is that the only reason you want to have lunch with me? To see the budget? Sounds pretty boring to me,” I baited.

I was horrible.

I knew flirting with Theo was a bad idea. But it felt really nice to have the attention of such a hot guy who was genuinely interested in me.

Theo thought I was smart. Theo thought I was capable. He liked to tell me how incredible I was. He cloaked it in professionalism, of course. After all he was a client. But I knew he meant it as so much more than that.

I knew a hot and bothered male when I saw one.

Theo was the man you’d take home to Mom. He was the perfect guy for my slowly evolving lifestyle change.

Yet I was going with Gracie this weekend to Raleigh to see the other man in my life. The one Mom would never, ever know about.

The one I had no doubt would ruin me in the worst possible way.

Theo’s answering laugh was predictably uneasy but happy. He liked my flirting. But I made him nervous. He didn’t quite know if I was joking or being serious.

That made two of us.

“Well, I. . .I’d like your company as well, of course,” Theo stuttered adorably. Knowing I kept him off-balance was such a powerful feeling. With Cole I was always the one off kilter. I couldn’t think of a time he ever stumbled over his words when he spoke to me.

But what more could I expect from a man who gave me orgasms and little else?

“I’m not really worried about delays. We’re way ahead of schedule,” I stated, dialing back the flirting a bit, feeling somewhat deflated by my guilt and Cole based shame.

I had been steeling myself all week for what I expected to find when I got down to Raleigh. Who I would have to fend off and how much damage I would have to inflict.

And I was excited about it. I knew exactly what that said about me. I knew what sort of person that made me.

I had no delusions. I was addicted to the rush only Cole could give me. But it exhausted me as well.

I was torn and conflicted and oh so ashamed to feel anything at all.

Cole turned me upside down and inside out.

I loved it.

But I hated him for it.

“Vivian? Did you hear what I just said?” Theo asked and I shook my head and pressed the receiver to my ear. Fixating on Cole in any way shape or form was not conducive to getting my job done.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized.

Theo chuckled good-naturedly. “I said the budget was just my excuse. I’d really like to take you to lunch and not talk about work at all. What do you think?” he asked in a rush.

And there it was. I had been anticipating it. I knew it was only a matter of time. I had practically forced this to happen.

So why did I feel suddenly apprehensive at the prospect of going on an actual date with Theo Anderson?

Was it because I actually liked him?