Falling in Love Again: A Valentine's Day Proposal

“Look, Carter, just give it a try,” Lee continues. “See how it works for you both. The paper work is signed now anyway so you don’t have much choice. Try to make the best of it. You might be surprised.”

I think what annoys me the most is the effect that she had on me. Aside from the annoyance, I felt a spark. I could see something within her that intrigued me more than I want from any women. I would much rather just hate her like I do to all women, but she has something buried within her that tempts me.

She’s beautiful as well. Sweet and sexy in a unique way. All pixie like with her red hair and nice eyes. There was even a little pull inside of me that wanted to just hold her… but that might be sexual frustration. After all, it has been a while. Perhaps that will all change once I get used to her being around.

“Sure, you’re probably right, Lee. I will see what I can do.”

“You never know; this might just be the best thing that you have ever done.”

“Hmm, it might. Or it might be the worst,” I reply wryly.

“Only time will tell,” Lee laughs. “Right, well I will speak to you soon.”

“Yeah, bye, Lee. Thanks for calming me down. I appreciate it.”

He did that mostly by just talking to me, which he doesn’t normally do, but the sense of calm remains with me for a while afterwards as I ponder over his words. I suppose it’s time to change things up a bit to see what happens. Business is all about experimenting and I’m in the forefront of that. I’m always pushing boundaries and seeing what I can do next to make things better for me and my employees. This is just more of that.

So, let’s just see how it goes. I don’t have any other choice…

I sigh loudly and watch Raelyn with the others moving into the new office, anticipation coursing angrily through my veins. I still haven’t yet worked out how I’m supposed to feel about this, so I’m just in a mix. On one hand, this is good business decision in so many ways. If we can crack this, then it will be amazing. But on the other… well, everything else. I just don’t know how I’m supposed to end up comfortable.

“She is beautiful,” Gary comments next to me, making me jump. “Isn’t she?”

“Who do you mean?” I bristle uncomfortably. “And you aren’t here to comment on who is and isn’t beautiful.”

“I mean Raelyn,” he chuckles back. “Don’t tell me that you haven’t noticed or I won’t believe you.”

Of course I’ve noticed. I won’t ever tell anyone, but I’ve been thinking about her a lot ever since we signed that contract. She keeps creeping into my dreams. Not in a sexy way. She is just there sometimes, smiling sweetly and blushing, making my heart skip about ten beats as she does. Weirdly, I haven’t dreamt of Anna at all since I first met Raelyn. I don’t want to interpret what that means.

It’s just because she’s the first woman that I’ve had close contact with in a long while, that’s all. Nothing to worry about at all. I’m not going to get all bogged down by it because Gary has made some stupid remark.

“I don’t know. She’s just a person. Not something that I’m particularly worried about.”

“Hmm, I’m sure.” Gary cocks his eye teasingly. “I think you might like her.”

He’s trying to wind me up, I can sense it, and it takes everything that I have not to scream at him. But that will only make him worse. He’ll really think that he has something on me which he doesn’t. I don’t like Raelyn at all.

“Get back to work, Gary. This has nothing to do with

you.”

“Yeah, yeah sure. I understand. You want to perve over her by yourself.”

“I’m not perving, I’m just watching them. Seeing if they are getting there, okay.”

“Why don’t you go out there and offer them help. I’m sure she would love a hero. A big strong man to come along and pick up all the boxes for her. Flex some of those muscles of yours that you work so hard for.”

“I think she’s quite capable of doing everything by herself,” I reply wryly. “She needs no hero.”

“Hmmm… maybe that’s what you like so much about her.”

He walks off to my rolling eyes. I did not need that today, especially when at some point I am going to have to talk to her. I have put it off so far, but I cannot avoid it forever. I’ll have to make sure that she has everything that she needs and things are alright… even if I don’t want to. I would prefer to chat with her than think about what Gary just said because that isn’t why I like her at all. I don’t like her one bit.

Maybe I have forgotten how to speak to women, I think idly. It has been a real long time.

I suppose I am going to have to get over myself now. I can’t think like this forever. Not when the ball is already rolling. And Raelyn is here, taking me out of my comfort zone.

I stuff my hands into my pockets as I walk outside. The cool air washes over me, but it doesn’t really do anything to calm me down. My heart is pounding wildly in my throat, making me feel sick. It’s too late for me to turn back though, because others have seen me. Not Raelyn, but the other people who are a part of her company. I need to save my face. I cannot show even a scrap of weakness or it will come back to bite me on the ass.