Erica Clifford - Completed

Twenty five

I gently pulled the door close behind me. 

I'd tried. 

I really did. 

I tried to go to bed and forget everything from today. To forget about how strong I felt in front of James. How it felt watching him waver when he knew who I was. I'd left the meeting not long after, marched into my dad's office, telling the interns to leave immediately. 

I was in there for 3 hours, discussing James and his future with us. 

I ended his career. 

Once I told my dad how he had continually spoken to not only me but the other girls in the offices, it was a no brainer. He had been furious as he handed in his security pass. I didn't feel guilty. 

It was the look on dad's face as he left that got me. Like he knew what it had triggered in me. It wasn't James that triggered it though. It was the kiss from Levi. It was like a switch in my brain pulled the old me straight forward. She had been tiptoeing around a lot more recently but as soon as Levi pulled me into that room. She was back and she wasn't going away. Not this time. Not because of some boy. 

I'd told my dad I'd take the office. I don't know how I'd explain it to everyone I'd been working with for months but I was taking it. It needed to be refurbished and that was another thing I'd need to add onto my to do list. 

I think I just wanted to feel stronger. Dad's birthday party was in like 2 weeks and Mia had mentioned that her new boyfriend was coming. Bradley in other words. And if I knew that family well enough, Jason and his parents would be there too. They'd want to get our first meeting out of the way in public so it wasn't abrupt and we all had to play nice. His parents were lovely. I don't know how he turned out how he did if I'm honest. 

I'd promised everyone I would. That I'd smile and shake hands with them all. That as far as anyone outside our circle would be able to tell, me and Jace never happened. It would come up in conversation about work. And I was excited to drop the new title dad had given me and watch his face drop. 

Maybe I should mention to dad about dropping that album he's been going on about for years. The look on his face would be completely priceless. If we add Levi into the picture. Ugh. I was beaming. That's exactly what I wanted to do. 

"Hello?" His sleepy voice played through my speaker. 

"You're up!" He groaned. "I'm on my way over?" 

"What? Why?" 

"Because I can't sleep. I fired James today." 

"I'm sorry what?" 

"Yeah. I had enough of his bullshit." I sighed. "But I can't sleep so I'm coming to you." 

"Does anyone know?" 

"Nope. I snuck out." 

"Where are you?" 

"Like 5 minutes away. I did text you." 

"Oh yeah you did." He was fumbling around. I'm guessing putting clothes on. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah I'm fine. I'm in a really good mood. I just can't calm down enough to sleep." 

"Okay." He was definitely asleep when I called. "I'll be by the front door, knock quietly." 

"Okay. Bye." He hung up the phone as the roads turned from country ones to suburbs. I knew exactly where this was going to end up leading and honestly after how he kissed me earlier, I couldn't care less if I tried.  

I think that's why I started driving to his and not Brooke's. I knew what I needed right now. I didn't have anything major at work tomorrow until a full company meeting at 4pm. I could be out of office until 3pm and it wouldn't be an issue. I'll text my dad when I get out the car and tell him I will be in before 3pm. I won't tell him where I am or who I'm with. I wasn't risking that. I'd need to tell him in person. 

It had been over a month since Levi first kissed me. Since this whole thing started and I was done pretending it wasn't anything serious. I think he knew that with this surprise visit. This meant I wasn't holding back now. 

I was over the anticipation, the waiting was killing me. I couldn't wait until Saturday night. 

He had no-one to blame but himself. The feeling of his kisses trailing down my neck still had my legs trembling now. I'd seen him before I made him turn around. Hard as a rock under his jeans. That fucking meeting. 

If I hadn't had any plans, I would have let him had me right there on the studio floor. I'd have taken the carpet burns with pride. The stinging would have only made it more intense. God I was turning myself on at the thought of what could have happened if I hadn't have needed to meet with Oscar and James. 

My spine was tingling with the excitement of what was to come. You don't realise how long 4 years is when you're in it. Going without it and throwing myself into work felt like the right thing at the time. Like having sex with anyone else would be a betrayal to Jace. Even though I wasn't his and hadn't been his in a long time. 

I wanted the next person to touch my like that to be Levi. I wanted more of what he'd shown me in the park against that tree. How he'd dominated me with his lips on mine. He'd done the same in the studio today. And both of those times, I felt like I would hand over the keys to my kingdom if that was his next demand. If that's how his kisses felt, how did the rest of him feel. How would it feel with him on top of me, between my legs. 

I pulled the car up and stared at him on his doorstep. 

No shirt. 

Black joggers. 

Fuck.