26. Damn Near Broke Him
DAMN NEAR brOKE HIM
AIDEN
After the worst sleep of my life, I’ve woken up this morning feeling like crap.
It had been hours before I was able to get myself together enough to even attempt to sleep after all the sexual tension between Tara and I last night.
And it had taken all my self control not to knock on the door between our rooms and kiss her like I’ve been dreaming about for weeks.
When I’d found the dance club online, sex had been the last thing on my mind, but now it’s consuming my thoughts. Which is both frustrating and highly unprofessional.
After a cold shower that does little to help me, I get dressed for a day of sitting through what I imagine is going to be tedious sessions about the insurance world.
A knock at the door pulls me from my grumpy thoughts, and I open it to find Tara standing in the hallway, dressed in another new outfit that accentuates her curves. I really need to find a way to thank Sylvia for helping her find her new style, because she looks stunning once again .
“Ready for breakfast?” she asks, pulling the strap of her big hand bag up over her shoulder after it slides down.
“Yeah, one sec.”
She holds the door open while I race around and grab my laptop and wallet, throwing them into my messenger bag before joining her in the hall.
I’m pleased to see that the weird tension between us last night seems to have dissipated, and she tells me about how great her sleep was before getting up early and having a cup of tea while staring out at the view.
I’m glad at least one of us had a decent sleep.
Although it bugs me a little that it seems like I’m the only one affected by the events of last night.
I felt her melt into my arms when I ran my nose along her neck while dancing. I saw how her breathing stopped when my gaze dropped to her lips when we finished that last dance. And the memory of her leaning in close and touching my face is burned into my mind.
So no, it wasn’t solely one sided. But something is holding her back, and I don’t know how to get past whatever it is.
Because I want her, and I’ve been pushing that thought aside for months now, to no avail.
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt an attraction this strong for anyone before.
Other than Sarah, I’ve only been with a handful of women over the years.
And with Sarah, that was just scratching an itch for both of us while we dealt with the shitty hands we were dealt at the time.
But I want more with Tara than just scratching an itch.
And judging by the way we moved together last night, I wouldn’t be surprised if the sex was the best I’d ever had.
And now I’m thinking about sex again. Get your shit together, Aiden.
“Are you okay? You’ve barely said a word.” Tara’s words pull me out of my head, and I find her watching me with a concerned look .
“Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t sleep great. New bed and all.” I stifle a yawn, and she nods.
“I’m normally like that. But the bed in my room was so comfy. I’m sorry yours wasn’t as good.”
I resist the urge to say that the bed was amazing, it was my libido doing the fucking tango that was the problem. Probably not the most professional way to start the day.
We enter the restaurant we were instructed to go to for all our breakfasts. Other conference attendees are already here, getting food from the buffet that is laden with every food known to man, and gathering around tables in groups.
“Aiden?” I turn to find my uncle standing next to me, a broad smile on his face.
“Hi Barry, how are you?” I shake his hand. “Have you met Tara? We work together.” I wave towards Tara, who smiles back.
“We’ve met a few times when you came to the Brisbane office. It’s good to see you again. I didn’t realise anyone from Sydney was coming.” She shakes Barry’s hand.
“Would you like to join our table? Travis and I are just over there, along with Mitch and Paula from the Melbourne office.” He points to where my other uncle, Travis, sits with a man and a woman who look to be closer to my age.
“Actually, I’ve just seen a friend. I’ll see you at the first info session, okay Aiden?” Tara gives me a little wave before making a beeline to a guy around our age who gives her a hug.
I recognise him as her friend, Chris, that she’d pointed out when we danced together in Brisbane a few weeks ago. The one who used to work at our office. The one that she seems to be very close to, because he kisses her cheek.
“Come on, let’s get you some food. It’ll be good to catch up, it’s been far too long since we’ve seen you.” Barry motions for me to follow, and I reluctantly tear my eyes away from Tara and her ‘friend’.
Perhaps that’s why she’s held me at arms length for so long - because she’s got feelings for her friend? Wouldn’t be hard to believe. Why else would someone like Tara still be single?
I attempt to make small talk with my uncles and our colleagues through breakfast, but my gaze keeps drifting over to where Tara is sitting with Chris. It’s just the two of them and she keeps laughing at whatever he’s saying.
I’ve never been a particularly jealous person before, and I don’t like this feeling at all.
Forcing myself to look away, I rejoin the conversation when Travis mentions how sorry he was to hear about Mum.
“I always had a soft spot for Anita. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it over for the funeral.”
I nod. “She always spoke highly of both of you,” I say, looking between my father’s brothers.
I haven’t seen either of them since I was a kid, and aside from a yearly birthday and Christmas card, I’ve not had a lot to do with them.
“David tried to make it over to the funeral, but apparently the twins had croup and Lisa needed all hands on deck. It was so sad how things ended between your parents. He was gutted when she took you to London.”
This is news to me. Mum had always lead me to believe that Dad hadn’t put up a fight when she got eighty percent custody and decided to take me back to England.
“I didn’t realise it had been such a big deal for him,” I say, and Travis gapes at me for a moment.
“Are you kidding? His only child was suddenly taken half a world away and he had no way to follow. It damn near broke him. He couldn’t live in the UK.
Every time his gifts were sent back, it was like a piece of him shattered.
It’s why he eventually moved to Brisbane.
Everywhere in Sydney was a reminder of the life he no longer had. ”
I look from one uncle to the other. Paula and Mitch glance at each other before making a lame excuse about needing to do some work before the first session and make a hasty exit.
“I honestly had no idea… Mum said he barely tried to keep in touch. I think I spoke to him maybe three times a year. And I don’t remember any gifts.” I shake my head, unable to reconcile their version of my father with the one I knew.
They exchange a look, and Barry’s face softens.
“There was a lot of anger between them in the end, Aiden. I’m sure your mother had her reasons for saying that.
But David struggled for years. He made a lot of mistakes when it came to you and Anita.
It’s why he’s more hands on with the twins.
He doesn’t want to miss out on a second of their lives. ”
I have no idea how to respond to that, but Travis looks at his watch and taps the table. “We should get a move on. The first session starts in twenty minutes.”
I follow after them absently and find my name on the seating chart, trying to wrap my head around everything they just said.
Tara slides into the seat next to me a few moments later, pulling her laptop from her massive handbag.
“There’s a few emails we need to respond to at the first break,” she says quietly, and I nod, not really listening. She cocks her head to the side. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem really out of it this morning. You’re not getting sick, are you?”
Her concern is nice, but it has me wondering again what is going on with her and Chris.
“I’m okay. Just don’t do well without a decent sleep.” My head is a swirling mess, between my weird feelings towards Tara and the bombshell my uncles just dropped, I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to take in a word that the speaker says.
Once everyone has taken their seats, the event coordinator introduces herself and explains how the rest of the day is going to go, before introducing the first speaker.
Apparently he’s some international insurance specialist, and he starts his speech off by giving a brief history lesson about the first insurance claim.
It’s actually more interesting than I was expecting.
But once he starts to get into the more present information about changing policies and rattling off statistics, my brain shuts down.
Tara is madly taking notes beside me, her fingers flying over the keys of her laptop while she watches him with rapt attention. I envy her dedication. It’s clear that she has a true passion for this industry, while for me, every moment is as boring as watching paint dry.
I wonder idly what it’s like to find a job you’re passionate about.
I try to remember if there’s anything I’ve enjoyed that I could see myself creating a career out of.
Other than teaching, which was my dream as a kid, I can’t think of anything.
I feel like I’m too old now to go back to my degree, but the idea of staying in insurance feels like I’m looking down the barrel of a gun loaded with forty years of hell.
Surely there’s got to be more to life than this?