Free Tainted Love (Book 1) by Ghiselle St. James

that day,” she continues, “but was leaving for a business lunch and couldn’t possibly turn back. It’s like fate that we met on Saturday.”
    I sit listening to Rachel babble about her new guy, a guy I really don ’t like, but I won’t ruin her moment. I need to let that go now.
    “ You want breakfast?” I ask her after we finish drinking our coffee and talking good and long about her fledgling relationship.
    “ Thanks, babe. Gonna take a shower. Oh, and thank you for doing my laundry.” She kisses my cheek then hops up and heads to the bathroom.
    I slip my i Pod into the dock and play my Monday Blues playlist. The Bangles’ Manic Monday starts playing and I hear Rachel shout yeah and I just know she’s dancing.
    I busy myself in the kitchen making pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. I dish a plate for Rachel who wanders over to the island, taking a seat on one of the bar stools. She is fully dressed in a green, high-waist pencil skirt and a silky, almost see-through, cream long-sleeved blouse with ruffles in the front. She completes the look with naked pumps that match her blouse.
    She gobbles up her breakfast as she is cutting it close to being late. She is a receptionist at a real estate company. She loves her job, but wants to be a real estate agent more than anything.
    “Okay, I’ll see you later babe,” she says before kissing my cheek. “How do I look?”
    “ Hot as usual,” I tell her.
    “ Thank you. Okay, I’m gone.”
    I am once again left alone. What am I going to do all day? Maybe I’ll head up to UPenn and spend the day at the library . My decision made, I get a quick shower then amble into my room, searching through my drawers for something to wear.
    My ringto ne startles me and I answer. It’s Simone.
    “Hey, Simone,” I greet her sweetly. I haven’t seen her all weekend.
    “ He fired me.” Simone’s distraught voice shakes me over the phone. “He just called me in his office and fired me.”
    “Who?” I ask her, already suspecting who she is referring to. The bastard .
    “ Mr. Hayes. I thought I was doing a good job, but he fired me. He didn’t even give me a proper reason. Some bullshit about hard decisions having to be made,” she sniffles.
    My scalp prickles. He wouldn’ t. He just…wouldn’t. He wouldn’t fire Simone just so he could have unrestricted access to me.
    “ Simone, don’t worry. Everything will work itself out,” I reassure her. After I’m through with Ben, he will definitely be taking her back.
    “ Sullivan, you’re not hearing me. I was fired .”
    “Don’ t worry honey. Think of today as a personal day off. It will all be better in the morning. I’ll call you later. I’ve got an important meeting to go to.” I hang up the phone.
    Sifting in the draw, I search for something to wear.
    “Perfect.” I decide on sexy black jeans, a tight black blazer, and red lace cami with red peep toe heels. I spend half an hour curling my hair. I think I need to have a haircut soon.
    Downstairs, I hail a cab and I head off toward Ben ’s company. How dare he fire my friend just to get into bed with me? I am boiling. I am going to give him a piece of my mind; but knowing I am going to be seeing him again makes my stomach flutter in excitement.
    My heart rate spikes as we turn onto John F. Kennedy Boulevard. What am I doing ? I reach the point of no return when I head into the Fielding House building.
    “Good morning. Is Mr. Hayes in?” I ask the receptionist at the front desk. She’s beautiful with her short blonde hair, light makeup, brown eyes and lush pink lips.
    “ Good morning. Who may I say is asking?” She smiles sweetly at me as she picks up the receiver.
    “ Please tell him it’s Sullivan.”
    She does just that. She then directs me to his office, which is twenty-f ive floors up. I try to gather my thoughts in the elevator; what I’ll say to him. All that goes through the window as the elevator dings open and I see Ben’s statuesque figure