Crossing the Line (9 page)

“Of course,” I reply, doing a little
courtesy. Treating me like the black sheep of the family is one thing but
treating me like I’m one of her staff is another. I hate that just because I
don’t want what she wants for me she thinks I’m faulty.

I pour her another glass of champagne and
filled it right to the top.
Ha, lets see
you try drinking this elegantly.
Admittedly I’m acting like a child, but
she’s being ridiculous. Mum’s face is like thunder when I hand her the filled
to the brim drink. She gives a tight smile of thanks and goes back to her
conversation. Again I’m left alone with Aden and Isabel, so I’m not too sure
what Mum achieved there. What a bloody pointless standoff.

“That was very naughty,” Aden whispers in
my ear as we walk through to the dining room.

I shrug. “I’m not her maid.”

He chuckles and placed his hand on the
small of my back as we follow behind everyone. “That dress is very
embarrassing.”

I recoil in horror. What does that mean?
How is it embarrassing? I quickly run my hands around the back, checking the
skirt isn’t tucked into my thong. It’s not. “Why?” I ask, almost not wanting to
know. Does he think I look like a hooker or something? He smirks and pulls me
in front of him, pressing his chest against my back. And then I feel why it’s
embarrassing for him.

I giggle and press back, grinding against
him and clenching my jaw as the urge to drag him to my room doubles. His hand
grips my hip, and he moans quietly in my ear. I really do love this dress.

“Behave,” he growls breathlessly, rubbing
his thumb over my hip. See it is stuff like that which confuses me. Our little
rub down was instigated by him, even though just this morning he was telling me
we have to keep our relationship professional and friendly.

Aden walks behind me until he sits down,
and I have successfully resisted the urge to jump away from him and let
everyone see how much he loves my dress. It was very hard, in more ways than
one.

Isabel has been, conveniently, place beside
Aden at the table, with me opposite. It seems the wedding is all planned, even
if Aden doesn’t know a thing about it. I wonder if they’d back off if I tell
them I’ve slept with him? I know I can’t, well shouldn’t, but I would love to
see the reaction.

How would I even word it; ‘hey everyone,
Isabel can’t marry Aden because he’s spent most of our working days between my
legs’. I giggle to myself as I picture the silence falling over the room and
the frozen look of shock that would undoubtedly be on Mum’s face.

Everyone stops their conversation to at me.
I look up, smiling innocently. Great now I look like I belong in an asylum.
Mum’s face is hard, lips purse, telling me to stop now. Bet she’s glad she made
me attend tonight. Aden smirks at me before Isabel talks at him again. Once
again she has his full attention, and I want to throw my tiny piece of orange
duck at her.

Aden nods along with Isabel, but I can see
his eyes glaze over. It gives me more satisfaction than it should to see how
bored he is. Isabel is never herself around men. Everything she says or asks is
what she thinks they want to hear. She interviews them and then spends the rest
of the time talking about their job. Who wants to talk about work when they’re
not there? When she marries someone – not Aden – they’re not going
to have a clue who each other really is.

Aden smiles politely at something she’s
said and scratches the back of his neck. Damn that’s sexy when he does that. I
groan internally. This is going to be a long night, and that little
incident with him earlier is not helping.

Richard suddenly leaves the conversation
with his wife and my parents and turns to Aden, asking about the business trip
to Dublin. All right so he’s the type of person that wants to talk about work
when they’re not there. I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to it anymore.
What’s the point in going if it really is all going to be about the work? I
mean I know that’s the point of a business trip, but I thought I’d get to spend
some time with Aden. Naked time. I want my naked time!

Finally the most boring, long and awkward
dinner finishes and it’s time for post-dinner drinks. Not long now and I can
escape to my room. I’m tired; my headache’s returned and I’m very close to
throwing my drink at Isabel and Aden. If she brushes her arm against his again,
my wine is going in her face.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Aden
asks. The sexy smirk is back, and his eyes are shining in amusement again. Of
course, he’s sitting next to Isabel and his parents on the sofa. My parents are
opposite, and I’m facing them both on the lonely chair.

I shrug and reply, “Becoming a lesbian.”
Aden’s eyes widen at the same time Mum actually spits her drink out. Little
droplets of Margarita fly through the air, landing on the fluffy white carpet.
It’s times like this I wish I were one of those annoying camera fanatics.

“Amelie,” she hisses. Aden’s parents sit
still as statues with matching eyes and mouth wide-open expressions. Mum’s
veins are practically popping out of her neck, and Isabel and Dad look like
they want the ground to open and swallow them whole. Aden, on the other hand
bites his lip to keep from laughing.

“Well on that note I think we’d better be
going,” Richard says, laughing and standing up.

Mum gives me the death glare and I almost
think it’s going to work, and I’ll drop to the floor. I trail behind as Aden
and his parents make their escape.

“So I’ll see you for lunch tomorrow,”
Isabel said to Aden, batting her eyelashes.

I freeze.
What. The. Fuck.
They’re having lunch together? When the hell was
that decided? My heart drops to my stomach, and I stare at him, begging him to
say she’s mistaken. I can’t breathe. I want to look away from them, but I
can’t.

His eyes flick to me for a second. “Sure,”
he says with a forced smile. It isn’t a mistake. They are going to lunch. Is it
a date? I back up a little, still staring at Aden. He opens his mouth as his
eyes land on me. Before I can hear any excuse, I turn around and walk away as
fast as I can.

Chapter Eight

I walk into my office ten minutes early and
throw my bag down on the floor. There is a reason for me being early; I can
take the files through to Aden’s office then spend the rest of the day hiding
in here. Hopefully he’ll leave me alone to carry on planning the Dublin trip
with his dad’s PA, and I won’t have to see him at all. Fuck him and fuck my
sister.

Things are going to be so awkward now, and
I’ve never wanted to leave home so much before. I hate my mother for
interfering and pushing Isabel and Aden together, but I hate him more. He
didn’t have to let her... Unless Isabel is what he really wants. This sucks.
This really, really sucks.

I grab the files and walk through to his
office, peeking around the door just in case he’s there. Thankfully he isn’t.
His desk is fairly organised now, papers in his in-box are stacked neatly and
in order of importance. I smile to myself and run my hands over the pile,
having a little internal debate: mess them up or not?

Images of him kissing Isabel flash through
my mind and that is all I need to make my decision. I grab the whole stack and
shuffle them in random order, chuckling to myself.

Mature, not at all. Satisfying, very.

He arrives fifteen minutes later. I hear
him talking to his dad outside his office. My heart races.
Please don’t come in here.
I hold my breath and click away on the
computer, pretending to be too busy in case he comes in. In reality, I’m just
pressing random keys on a word document.

An hour later and it’s clear that he’s
avoiding me too, which is stupid because he’s the sister shagger! I just need
to not be around him for a while so I can get over whatever it is I feel for
him. It’s bad enough having to control myself around him all the time, but now
I have to deal with him dating my sister. Again, I hate them both.

By half past twelve, I’m starving and need
food, but I don’t want to leave the office in case I bump into him. I open the
door, all ready to do a mission impossible and standing right there is my big
sister.

“Hi, Amelie,” Isabel says, making me want
to pull her dirty blonde hair out.

I force smile. “Hi.” Aden opens his door
and freezes as he sees us both. Well at least this is incredibly awkward and
uncomfortable for him too. I take a small amount of pleasure from that.

“Are you ready?” she asks him, smiling and
fluttering her eyelashes seductively. Slutty cow.

Aden nods, his eyes not leaving mine. I
gulp and try to make myself walk away, but I can’t move.
Damn it! Bloody leave!
Why the hell am I still standing here
watching this? “Have a good date,” I mumble, finally turning away and
practically running to the lift.

“Millie,” Aden calls after me, but I don’t
turn back, seeing them together is making me nauseous.

The lift can’t appear soon enough.
Thankfully someone has just got out, so I make a dash for it. “Shit. Close!” I
snap in frustration, banging the ground floor button in the lift. There is no
way I’m being stuck in a lift with them.

The doors start to close painfully slowly
but just as I see Isabel’s red leather bag come into view from around the
corner before they shut. I sigh and lean back against the wall. Suddenly
something beside me moves, and I realise I’m not alone. How could I not have
seen anyone? Two whole people stand against the other side of the lift,
starting at me as if I’m crazy. Well I guess they had just witnessed me
screaming and punching a lift.

I laugh nervously. “Afternoon,” I say
politely. They nod their head in unison, opting not to reply verbally. I don’t
blame them.

Can this day get any worse?

The lift comes to a stop on the ground
floor and the doors open, proving this day can, in fact, get much worse.
My mother stands before me.

“Amelie?” she says, looking surprised to
see me. At the place I work. During works hours.

I step out and reply, “Mum.” She walks
closer, and her strong; eye wateringly expensive perfume hits me.

“How is work?”

I shrug. “Fine.” Every civilised
conversation with her is forced. We just aren’t meant to get along.

“Have you seen your sister? Is she with
Aden?”

“Yes,” I reply through gritted teeth. The
bastards are together.

“Oh there they are,” she says, raising her
hand to wave to them. Damn. Crap. Shit. I turn around just as they stop in
front of us. Aden’s looking at me, trying to get my attention, but I keep my
eyes on the tall Ficus trees either side of the lift.

Sister
shagging bastard.

“Well I’ve got to go,” I announce and make
a run for the door. No one tries to stop me or even acknowledge that I’ve just
left, not that I expect them to.

Wait. What the hell is Mum doing there? Oh
God is she going with them? I burst out laughing in the middle of the car park.
Have a nice romantic lunch, losers.
A
group of what looks like bankers turn to give me a strange look as I continue
laughing to myself on the way to my car. I shrug it off; I’ve already maxed out
my daily dose of being embarrassed in the lift.

I spend the entire lunch hour in the local
cafe eating bowl after bowl of ice cream with Will’s brother Matt. “You’ll get
fat,” Matt teases as I tuck into another double chocolate ice cream sundae.

“Really not the time, Matt,” I respond
flatly.

He chuckles, showing the contents of his
mouth, and I turn my nose up. “Well, what are we gonna do about this Aden
then?”

“Hit man?” I offer.

“Hmm that could work.” He frowns. “Actually
with your luck you’d be caught.”

“Yeah thanks for that.” I slam my head down
on the table. “Seriously, though, what am I going to do?”

“I don’t know. Maybe find another job?”

I shake my head. “Who the hell’s going to
employ me? I’m lucky to have this job.” I have no experience and there’s about
a million applicants to one job.

“You’re loaded, Millie. You could move out
today.”

“That’s their money, and I’m not using it.
That’s the whole point of me working. Matt, I don’t want anything from them.” I
sigh heavily. Why can’t anything be straightforward?

“You could get a job as a stripper, with
that body you’d earn enough to-”

I hold my hand up, silencing him. “You’re
about as much help as your brother.” There’s nothing else I can so. I just have
to work through it, block Aden out of my heart and move on. I hate that he’s
able to worm his way in so quickly.

Matt insists on walking me back to work.
He’s said it’s because he wants to make sure I get back okay, but I know he
really just wants to check Aden out. We walk up to my office and almost
straight into my boss. Matt holds his hand out and Aden frowns before shaking
it. “You must be Millie’s boss,” he says, almost too politely. What’s he doing?

Aden smiles tightly, jaw too tense. “And
you are?”

“Matt, Millie’s fuck buddy,” he replies,
shrugging one shoulder. Did he just say that? No, he couldn’t have, he’s not
that idiotic. I imagined it. Why would I imagine that? Oh dear God.
Say something. Fix it.

“I think I’ve only done him once,” I blurt
out. I think I’ve only done him once? I give myself a sarcastic round of
applause in my head. Matt is one nightstand number one. We definitely had sex
at his birthday party a year ago. In the morning, we went straight back to
friends, never mentioning it again. Then there was a clubbing incident where we
woke up naked together, but neither of us felt like we’d have sex. It remains a
mystery.

Aden’s jaw clenches again and he nods. Hey
he has no right to be jealous after going to lunch with my
sister
. “We’ve got a lot to do this afternoon, Amelie. Maybe you
could say goodbye to your friend now and come into my office?”

Matt holds his hands up. “Sorry I’ve been
keeping her from work. It was nice to meet you, Aden.” Matt slaps my arse as he
turns and walks back towards the lift. I need new friends.

Aden’s mad, that’s clear from the tension
in his shoulders and the daggers he’s shooting into Matt’s back. I don’t care,
though. Well, that’s a lie, but there is no way I’m letting him know that.

Once we’re in his office, I pull up a chair
and prepare myself for a torturous afternoon working closely with him. “How was
your lunch?” I force out.

“Productive.” Okay, that gives me nothing.
What the hell kind of date is productive? “How was your lunch?”

“Interesting.” If I’m getting nothing, then
neither is he.

“I’ll bet it was,” he mumbles under his
breath. My hand automatically wants to reach for the letter opener. I want to
jam it into his eye, but I manage to control myself. Murder probably isn’t a
good idea, and I don’t think I could convince a jury it was in self-defence.

Clenching my hands together, I look at
Aden. “What?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing, just forget
it.”

“No,” I snap. Who is he to judge me? I’m
not even sleeping with Matt, and if I was it has nothing to do with him.

“Amelie, it really doesn’t matter. What, or
who, you do has nothing to do with me. Oh and how can you only think you’ve
slept with him?”

“Way to contradict yourself there. I didn’t
think it had anything to do with you?” I say sarcastically. How I haven’t been
fired by now is a mystery. He narrows his eyes, clenching his jaw. “And how
dare you judge me when a few days ago you were sleeping with me and now you’re
dating my sister.” I push myself up from the chair. What little self-control I
have is now officially gone. My heart races and hands shake with anger.

Aden frowns; pretending to be confused, and
I want to punch his beautiful face. “Date?”

I roll my eyes. He’s going to try denying
it? “Really, Aden?”

He sighs in frustration. “Just go back to
your office, we’ll do this tomorrow.”

“Fine.” I grab my bag and slam his door as
I storm out.

I pace my office, trying to calm myself
down. My blood is boiling in my veins. Stupid, idiot man. I hate him. The
pacing doesn’t help; it just makes my heels rub against my feet painfully,
which in turn, makes me madder. I flop down on the chair and decide to do some
Internet shopping. Yeah, he can pay me to shop for the afternoon.

An email from Christie pops up in my Inbox
with this gem of advice: Open your heart and let him in, you never know where
you’ll end up.

So I think I would have preferred a Will’s
answer of ‘jump him’. And I’m pretty sure it’ll end up with me getting my heart
broken. I really should have stayed away from him and gone for someone
completely different to the men in my world.

I ignore all advice and move on to work
emails. These I will have to think about and respond to so hopefully I can
forget about that sister shagger.

Twenty minutes and three new pairs of shoes
later an instant message pops up on my screen. Apparently he won’t let me
forget about him.

Aden Ford: It
wasn’t a date.

It wasn’t a date? It sure sounded like one
when Isabel confirmed the details. Is he telling the truth? My heart leaps. I
hope so. What else could he have been doing going to lunch with Isabel though?
And with my mum. My stomach turns and I punch myself in the side of my head to
try and force out the incredible disturbing image that’s just invaded my mind.

“What are you doing?” Aden asks, looking at
me like I’m insane. Oh. He’s standing by the door in my office and he’s just
witnessed me punching myself. No way I’m answering that; he’ll think I’m a
sick pervert. He holds his hands up. “Actually, don’t tell me. Sometimes, it
best not to know with you.” I glare at him, which just makes him flash me that
sexy smirk. If I wasn’t completely mad at him, I’d be drooling right now.

“Did you need something?” His eyes flickers
down my body for a second. I raise my eyebrows. Good luck with that one, buddy.

“You didn’t reply, so I came to make sure
you’re okay.”

“Well I’m fine. Thank you for your
concern.”

He sighs heavily, looking a little sad and
then walks towards me. “It wasn’t a date, Amelie. I had a meeting with your
uncle about insurance. Isabel and your mum invited themselves.” Oh. Maybe I
should have stalked his diary. I don’t know what to say. My face heats up. I’ve
made such a fool of myself yet again.

“Why didn’t you just tell me that?” I ask
quietly and stand as he approaches. He stops when our chests are almost
touching. My breath catches in my throat. Why does he have that effect on me?
It’s annoying and makes me say and do stupid things, even more than usual.

He smirks again. “I tried. You either
walked off or snapped at me.”

“Right. Sorry.” I grimace. I did do that.

“It’s okay,” he whispers, staring down at
me with those perfect blue eyes. “I should go. I have a meeting with my father
now.”