His Duchess [Completed]

Chapter 11- Day dreamer [E]

Annie nearly jumped, her heart was pumping so hard, she didn't expect her fantasy to be interrupted by the large grandfather clock that chimed loudly against the wall in the corner of her father's study. It startled her out of the day dream she was having.

Disappointment coursed through her.

His eager welcoming arms around her, promising to keep their secret...it almost felt real. Sighing, she pushed herself away from the door. It was a wonderful feeling, to be able to imagine the impossible, to be engulfed in the world of fantasy, to fantasize any outcome so easily...

Annie had planned on not making this easy on him and planned to play hard to get but he was ahead of her, taunting, teasing, playing with her emotions with his constant attention solely directed at her. His intensity pushed past her comfort level. She wanted a chance at a relationship and he was there wanting her, needing her with a passion she felt within him.

She felt like she knew him, but she didn't know much about him. She was certain of several things: he was demanding, confident, powerful and he looked like a man who fights for what he believes in. She wanted that in a man, needed it. She wanted a protector, someone who could take care her better than she can take care of her self physically and emotionally. But she needed to be certain he wanted her for the person she was on the inside not just the outside.

Witnessing first hand what Cici went through for not updating their parents on her relationship, Annie needed to be careful–history was not repeating itself. She didn't want any influences.  Annie needed to see who Julien St. James was on her own terms without anyone knowing.

Yet.

Approaching her father's desk, she seated herself his plush leather chair and grabbed the phone. Her hands shook a little due to the surprise she received from the grandfather clock earlier. Giving it a hard glare, she noticed it was eight o'clock in the evening.

Taking the crumpled piece of paper out of her hands and smoothing it out, Annie glanced at the note Oliver handed her and started to dial the hospital.

Dr. Mark Reynolds–the hospital's chief of staff had left the message. He was a young, smart, highly talented and a handsome doctor who always outrageously flirted with her whenever she was working at the hospital. She had a crush on him for the longest time but never showed him or encouraged his advances. She never felt anything special with Mark like she did with Julien. She couldn't explain it to herself quite yet but she was positive of her feelings.

"University hospital Eliana speaking, how can I help or direct your call." Eliana spoke on the other end of the line.

"Hi Eliana, it's Annie speaking, Mark called and left a message about filling in, and I was just calling to see when and for how long." Annie replied.

She knew Eliana very well, she was one of the head nurses at the hospital.

"Hey girl, haven't seen that pretty face of yours in a while, how've you been?"

"I'm doing good, I've been super busy with work, I'm sorry I haven't come in sooner. How have you been?" Annie answered with a smile.

"I'm good, honey. Well seems like I'll be seeing you pretty soon since you said Dr. Sexy called you!" She said with a laugh.

Annie laughed as well. Everybody at the hospital was smitten with Mark. He was a charming flirt and had all the girls wrapped around his fingers.

"Yeah, so is he available? I can call back...." Annie suggested eagerly, hoping he was. She wanted to get off the phone and sit with everybody on the patio.