chapter 13

I make it through the rest of the day in a daze. Cindy kept on coming over to ask if I was all right and I kept smiling and reassuring her that I was fine, when in fact I was everything but fine.

My mind kept trying to make sense of the situation, I know the first peck was just to prove a point because he is a bastard but the second kiss was something else entirely. I touched my hand to my lips; I could still feel traces of our kiss in the tenderness of my lip.

The biggest thing that confuses me is the fact that someone that I hate can make me feel this way, when men that I have dated in the past have never even been able to make me feel a fraction of what he did in that short amount of time.

I start shaking my head at myself, obviously my hormones are out of whack. That must be what it is. I haven't gone out on a date in the past , I think it's time to start getting back into the dating pool. I've been single for way too long that's why I'm losing it over this kiss.

I breathe in and out feeling a lot calmer about the whole thing now that I have sorted out my emotions and have an action plan in place.

I'm finishing my last report of the day, when Cindy pops by my cubicle and leans down with a cheeky expression, 'We are going out tonight! Get ready I'll pick you up at 10pm!' I roll my eyes at her, 'And pray tell what will we be doing?' She rolls her eyes at me and groans, 'Obviously we're going out to a club. It's Friday night and you obviously need to let off some steam. It's obviously the perfect place for us to let loose and have some fun!'

I tilt my head to the side, 'I don't know, I'm not really in the mood for loud noise and gyrating bodies right now. Rain check?' she glares at me, 'Girl since you came back from Milordov's office, you've been sitting here doing your work with an expression that says "I've eaten rotten fruit and I don't like it". Obviously something happened and you're not willing to tell me so I'm going to get you drunk and wring it out of you. Plus it's not like you have anything exciting planned for the weekend anyway!'

'Hey that's rude. I actually do have something planned!'

She smirks at me, 'oh really? And that would be?' I count on my finger, 'well there's my daily gym session, catching up on Friends, painting my apartment...' she arches a brow at me calling bullshit, 'Alright fine! Dammit, we'll go to this damn club!' Cindy fist pumps the air, 'Yes I knew you would see the appeal in my idea, now let's get going, we've got four and a half hours to get ready. We better get cracking!'

I laugh, 'Yeah, even I was thinking that wasn't enough time!'

She crosses her arms, 'hush! It's always good to have extra time to relax or do final touch ups mkay!'

I hold my hands up in surrender, 'Of course, what was I thinking?' my shoulders shake from mirth.

She points her finger down at me, 'Hurry up and clock off. No over time on Fridays! It's time to go home and get ready, I'll come by at 9pm with some wine for us to chill before we go.'

I wave her off, 'Yeah yeah, I've just got some last emails to send and I'll head home.' She rolls her eyes at me and I defend myself, 'I promise I'll be finished in just a bit and I'll go straight home and get ready.'

She stares at me pointedly, 'Alright fine, I'm holding you to your word. I'm going to head off and sexy myself up, I'll be seeing you later.'

I chuckle, 'Yes you will, now go I'm going to take even longer if you keep distracting me.' I nudge her towards the exit sign.

Cindy waves as she heads out and I quickly shoot off my progress reports to Nikolai as well as the findings on Greg that I dug up. I shut down my computer and clock off.

I finally get home and fling off my heels; I crack my toes letting the tension from the day loose. I stare at my heels like they're the devil incarnate; I am not looking forward to squeezing my feet back into them tonight, sigh.

I walk over to my fridge and grab some ingredients to make a turkey wrap, and as I stand over my kitchen counter, images of the kiss assail my mind making me choke on a piece of cucumber in my mouth.

I lunge for my tap and gulp lungful's of water to clear my airways. What is that man doing to my sanity?

First he has ignored me for the past 5 years that I have known him, then he goaded me into taking this job, harassed me repeatedly and was a royal pain in my ass and now he kisses me. What kind of psycho does that?

That is definitely not normal behaviour. The more I think about the whole thing the angrier I get. How could he just kiss someone he hates like that, why do men have to make no sense, it's infuriating.

I forcefully shake my head trying to clear myself of these thoughts, I refuse to spend anymore time thinking about that bastard. I am going to make it a point to enjoy myself tonight and come Monday I am going to ignore and evade, that's how I'll make it out on top of this whole ordeal.

With a renewed sense of determination I go over to my closet and get ready for tonight.

I am putting the final touches of my makeup on when my phone starts ringing from my dresser. I head over to see who it is and smile when I see Stev's name pop on my screen.

'What's up loser?' Stev says.

'Excuse me? I think we both know who the real loser here is!' I roll my eyes at him through the phone.

He exclaims, 'Please! You wish you could be as cool as I am Jas!'

I laugh at his over inflated ego, 'Are you calling for something important, or you just wanted to hear my beautiful voice, hm?