Close To You: Part 1 Read Free

You're a married man, and I don't even find you attractive. What you've been doing to me, that's abuse. That's inappropriate. So stick your job up your arse, you fucking sex fiend."
    She wished she'd had a camera. The look on his face was a perfect mixture of disbelief, embarrassment and numbness she'd ever seen.
    As Scarlet walked out to the waiting area, Dr. Kyle's paying customers eyed her warily, some of them whispering to one another about what they'd overheard.
    Ha! Damage is done here, boy-o, she thought, proud of herself for finally standing up to his bullshit.
    She grabbed her bag from behind the front desk.
    "It's been lovely working with you Chloe, but I'm off," she said.
    "I sort of gathered that," Chloe whispered.
    "Don't let him do anything to you, okay?" Scarlet said. At that point Dr. Kyle had appeared in his doorway, his face bright red, no sign of his smile now. "The guy's a sexual predator."
    And that was how she lost her job.
    * * *
    Scarlet found James sitting outside THE CHERRY TREE, sipping a latte. He stood up when he saw her, gave her a brief hug and a peck on the cheek. She ordered a strong coffee and sat opposite him.
    He was her age with light brown hair and soft blue eyes. They'd been friends since high school, but their relationship always remained platonic. They'd never hooked up.
    "How're you?" he asked her. "You look rough."
    "You're not meant to say that to a lady," Scarlet said with mock disgust.
    The waitress brought the coffee over and asked them if they wanted anything else.
    "Not for me," Scarlet told her.
    James flapped a hand at her. "We'll both have a croissant, please."
    "James –"
    The waitress nodded and left.
    "Shush."
    "No, James, I can't afford it," Scarlet said.
    "I said shush. This is my shout," he said. "You can owe me."
    "Thanks," Scarlet said quietly though she was quietly grateful. The big zeroes in her bank account had left her unnerved. It'd been a big mistake going out the night before. She should have kept hold of that money. Sure, the guy – Liam – had run out on her that morning, just like all the other men she took home, but still it had been good. Lots of drink, raunchy sex  . . . what more could a girl ask?
    The dress had done its job.
    "You really should've put a complaint in against that arsehole," James said. "I don't think it's right you had to walk like that."
    Scarlet sipped her coffee. "Well, I did more or less tell him to go screw himself. In front of everyone."
    "Yeah I know, but that's not the point. He could do it again," James said.
    "Hmm."
    He smiled. "Why d'you say it like that?"
    "Huh?"
    "You know what I mean. That's your trouble, Scarlet, you're too eager to just walk away from a situation rather than deal with it," James told her.
    "All right, Jesus, it's like I'm having coffee with my Mother for chrissakes," she said.
    James wagged a finger at her. "No, no, no, if I were your mother I'd be chastising you for pulling a guy last night."
    She felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "I didn't."
    James laughed. He was attractive anyway, but when he smiled it brought him up another notch. James was a really handsome guy, and for the life of her Scarlet could never figure out why he stayed single. She'd asked him before if he was gay, something he'd flatly denied. But still. It didn't make sense.
    Perhaps if he weren't her friend  . . .
    "If you didn't pull a guy last night, then how come you have a love bite on the side of your neck? Is it from a bug? Must be some big mosquito to do that," James said, still laughing.
    "No, silly," Scarlet said, suddenly embarrassed about the red mark on her neck she'd hoped he wouldn't notice. "You know how it is."
    He shook his head. The waitress set a plate with two croissants on their table.
    "Do you disapprove?" she asked him.
    "You know what I think. You should be careful is all," James said, but before she could say anything in reproach, he lifted a hand to stop her. "Now now now. I'm not saying it like that.