Nobody's Obligation (Swimming Upstream #2) Read Free

told them you were in a meeting and not sure when you would be out, but they insisted on waiting,” Amanda babbled.
    Unable to contain her frustration, Ava undid the clip holding the mass of brown curls up off her shoulders and shook them loose. Scratching at her head, Ava quickly scrunched them up again and secured the clip. “Couldn’t someone else help them?” Ava complained as she dropped a pile of papers on the corner of Amanda’s desk.
    “I’m not sure. All I was told was that they wanted to speak to you, and they were going to wait. It’s been about twenty minutes.”
    Ava spun around and went to head downstairs, but her evident annoyance caused her to drop her pen. “Fuck!” she cursed as she bent to collect it. “It’s seriously not my fucking day!”
    “What’s up?” Amanda chirped more happily than Ava could stand.
    Wishing her day was over, Ava shrugged off the negative thoughts. She had hours to go before she could make it home to her too-deep bath tub and the half bottle of chardonnay that was calling her name. “Later,” was all she managed to offer. Realizing she was taking out her bad mood on Amanda, Ava turned and flashed her best fake smile. “Thanks. I’ll head down and sort it out. Hopefully it won’t take too long. I’m downstairs if anyone is looking for me.”
    “No probs.” Amanda said as she twisted her hair around her fingers before turning her attention back to the ringing phone.
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 3
     
     
    Tyler
     
    The sound of the clock ticking was driving him insane. Every second that counted off left Tyler feeling like he was waiting for his own execution. His frustration was boiling. Unable to sit any longer, he stood and paced. A caged lion was calmer. He knew he didn’t have the right to be pissed that she had kept him waiting—she didn’t even know he was there—but that didn’t calm him. He was used to getting his way and for some reason this girl, a girl he’d never set eyes on nor spoken to, had gotten under his skin. And now she was keeping him waiting.
    Tyler paused and stared out the window, attempting to focus his attention on something else, but it didn’t help. Nothing did. The heavily tinted glass just showed him his own reflection, and what he saw scared him. He was tired, dishevelled, and his eyes were wild. “Shit!” Tyler muttered to himself, running his huge hands across his face, willing himself to calm down. He couldn’t confront her looking like this. She would take off. Screaming. And as much as he wanted to punish her, he wanted to talk to her more. He wanted to know why she had done it, but even more importantly was how. How’d she get into his head and understand him better than even he understood himself without him even knowing?
    Hearing voices on the other side of the door made him freeze. For almost twelve hours he’d thought of nothing but this moment, but now it was here, he was having second thoughts. It was too late. He was here now. Time to get some answers.
    Tyler sank into the lounge and grabbed a fistful of the nearest cushion. Sucking in deep breaths, he tried repeating reassurances to himself. It wasn’t working. But then he realised it. The anger had faded. The annoyance and frustration were gone. Instead he was filled with nerves like he had never experienced before.
    The door creaked open and she appeared. Her face was directed down the hallway as she finished her conversation. Her voice washed through his body, and suddenly he was calm. Tyler quickly rubbed his clammy hands along his thighs as he rose to meet her. His eyes betrayed him and disclosed his curiosity. Thankful that she was still occupied with finishing up her discussion, he noticed she seemed slightly off balance in her orange pumps. His gaze snuck up her legs appreciatively as an unexpected warmth spread through his body. Clenching his fists, he forced his eyes higher. First he noticed the slight pull of the fabric