Untouched Read Online Free

and walked toward the door following me out of my office.
    “Raina, can you assist Aiden with some lunch options. I’ll see you two after lunch.”
    I walked past Raina's desk and headed for the elevators. I pressed the elevator button and reached inside my purse to grab my cell phone. I grabbed it just as the elevator doors opened and stepped inside. I pressed the down button; as the elevator doors closed, I glanced up to see Aiden standing beside Raina’s desk and wondered how I would possibly manage this interesting development.
    I’d decided on lunch at Grotto. It was an Italian restaurant that I frequented when I needed a small break from the office scene. Most of the staff at Grotto knew me by name and they were also familiar with my preferences for seating, entrées, and wines.  The hostess greeted me and led me to a booth. I always chose a booth near the window to watch the passersby and I always had the same lunch. What could I say?  I was a creature of habit; I ordered my usual, the zuppa; a garlic soup. I thought better of it for a second until I remembered that Aiden would be working with Raina the remainder of the day. I definitely didn’t want to be near him reeking of garlic.  I was thankful to have some time to myself to replay the morning’s events. I felt disoriented, as though everything had been thrown out of whack and I had handled it poorly.
    The waiter placed a glass of ice and a bottle of seltzer water on the table as he assured me that my entrée would be out shortly.  Where did things go wrong today? I wondered.  I did expect an intern this morning.  I did know that the first half of the day would be devoted to that intern.  What I didn’t know is how I allowed that intern’s presence to affect me in just a matter of hours. And even more, how the hell was I going to work alongside him for the next several weeks?
    Lunch ended much too soon.  I did; however, manage to give myself a pep-talk.  I reminded myself of my professionalism and my personal policies, first of which was to never mix business and pleasure and the second to never mix pleasure with someone who was not on my level.  I wasn’t a snob, by any means, but I had worked quite diligently to attain my success and I'd learned the hard way that it was better to stay in your own lane. I was a president at RPH and Aiden was an intern…we were in two totally different lanes and I was not going there.  I refused to permit Mr. Fuck Me to send any more of his subliminal messages to Virginia.  I smiled to myself wondering if any other women named their lady parts.  I knew men did…although some packages didn’t measure up to the names.  Did Aiden have a name for his special package? I wondered if it was a huge package. Virginia twitched at the thought and I quickly reprimanded myself for yet again wondering mindlessly into a sexual lane in which Aiden was driving. 
    After lunch, I entered the building and smiled at the security guards as I reluctantly made my way toward the elevators. I was usually raring to go but for obvious reasons, I was hesitant to return to my office.  Aiden and Raina were at Raina’s desk talking when I exited the elevators. They noticed me almost immediately.  I smiled and walked toward my office.  This was going to be next to impossible.  I couldn’t work so closely to that man, I simply couldn’t. I quickly mulled over some possible reasons to re-assign him to a different department. Before I could walk over my office threshold, Raina stopped me.
    “Miss Cason, I know I was to work with Aiden the remainder of the day but Mr. Richmond has requested my assistance in Editing.  It seems Mr. Nelson had to leave on an emergency and they wanted someone to familiarize the intern for that department.  I‘d oriented editing interns when I worked in that department, therefore Mr. Richmond felt I would be the best choice.”
    Fuck. I was counting on having her work with Aiden. I can do this. I can