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The moment she saw him in the room, she froze. The walls seemed to close in on her and the pain in her chest hit her strong enough to feel lightheaded.
There he was in all his glory, looking handsome, if only a bit more deadly with his slight stubble. Alexander Knights in his cool blue shirt with rolled up sleeves, slightly loosened tie and crease-free black trousers looked every bit the same as he did five years ago.
His eyes widened in surprise as their eyes met. He shot up to his feet, a tad too quickly when he realized it was really her.
Lyla had no idea how long she’d been standing there gaping at him. She almost jumped in surprise when one of the other members of the group spoke up, introducing himself. Just like before, whenever Alex was around everything else blended into the background.
Just take a slow and deep breath. She smiled at Matt, then Carl, and then Stella who all seemed oblivious to the fact that her heart was racing a hundred and fifty miles per minute.
Matt, the smiling, round faced man who looked to be in his late twenties, called out to Lyla and said, “And oh Lyla, we forgot to mention that you would also have to deal with our boss who’s going to be breathing heavily down your neck for the next month – Alexander Knights.”
Lyla smiled and now that the initial shock was gone, looked straight into his bright blue eyes.
“Hi. How are you?” said Alex and to her utter horror, he extended his hand towards her for a handshake.
She swallowed hard, trying to shove down the mixture of panic and anger rising within her, and slowly extended her hand to meet his. The moment his hand touched her skin, Lyla felt seared with heat. Confused, she quickly withdrew her still tingling hand. A pressure began to build inside her.
This was the man who was responsible for her lonely life. Then why does she fear being once again enamored of him? She was all grown up, she assured herself, and vowed to avoid him at all costs. It was not as if she even cared about him a little. In fact, she hated him with all her heart.
Still it surprised her why she reacted that way. Perhaps it was the fact that it was Alexander Knights – every woman’s dream - tall, dark, handsome, rich and extremely romantic. He could floor any woman with just a simple smile.
She was one of his victims and today, after so many years, there was a personal danger in his smile. Why the hell did he have to smile? How will I survive a month with him, traveling and working with him for so many days and nights? Will my determination be strong enough? Lyla flipped the pages of the document angrily. No matter how good- looking he was, Alex had one flaw and it would be good to remember it.
Alex was a Casanova who loved changing his women like his shoes. He’d used numerous women before Lyla came into his life and probably continued after they broke up.
Women were constantly throwing themselves at him, but it didn’t mean that he had to take them up on their offer. And then sadly sometimes, there were the fools like her who thought everything that Alex said or did was true and fell hopelessly in love with him.
She’d been convinced that Alex, the Casanova, was indeed in love with her, but when she learned the truth, she was devastated. She had to get away from him or else she would have insulted the memory of her first love – Andrew who died in a car accident. And Alex had everything to do with his death. Now that she knew the truth, she couldn’t believe a word he said out of that lying mouth.
Lyla stopped looking through the document anymore. She knew why she had to do this project- to not let Alex win.
***
After the hour-long meeting, Alex sat alone in the conference room, long after his team had left for their coffee break. Today he’d touched Lyla again...his Lyla. He’d casually glanced up from his laptop when she walked unannounced into the room.
To say he was stunned was an understatement. It had been five years, two months and sixteen days since he last saw her, and she looked as desirable as always, perhaps a bit more, considering how long he had waited impatiently for the day he’d see her again.
In her white blouse with puffy sleeves and that black skirt hugging her figure intimately, she looked lovely and vulnerable. He didn’t miss the grimace on her face the moment she laid eyes on him but the look of recognition in her deep green eyes made him alive in a way he felt nowhere else.
What he wanted to do was take her in his arms, and kiss her soft, velvety lips, but he knew how impossible that would’ve been. Neither the surroundings nor their past would allow that.
He’d lost her five years ago and failed to win her back. None of his calls and letters was ever answered. After a year of relentless pursuit, he gave up and quietly acknowledged that Lyla would be the one woman he couldn’t have.
It wasn’t his nature to share how difficult it was to lose her. No one expected him to ever lose. After all, he was Alexander Knights, the man who could have any woman he wanted. But he terribly missed her each day and his body ached for her closeness each night. Yet she wouldn’t come back to him because of one mistake, the guilt of which he could never forget.
He knew it was a huge mistake, but first she had to forgive him. He didn’t think it would take so long.
However, he tried to move ahead and thought he’d safely tucked her into a hidden corner of his heart. Seeing her today proved that wouldn’t work, not when she stood across the room from him, her dark lush hair brushing her soft cheeks.
His stomach muscles clenched as he replayed the image of her shaking hands with everyone in the room, and how hesitantly she’d shook his. As their hands connected, he’d felt a tremor pass through her. Had she felt it too? Was it longing, pain, or love? Maybe she had. Maybe there was a chance for them yet.