UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER (EDITED VERSION)

CHAPTER TWELVE: Two Can Play

-Adam-

Ben stormed into his hotel room, slammed the door shut, and muttered, "Damn you, Shelley! If you think rushing off to that town will keep me from getting close to you, then you have another thing coming. You are not going to get away from me that easily."

-Back at the capital. (Shelley)-

"Hey Shelley, got any good stories from your Christmas break that you think I'd enjoy hearing?" I looked up at Dr. Blackson as I straightened myself from the book before me. "I beg your pardon."

"It's a harmless question, is it not? I only wish to know how your holiday went, he stated."

"Fine. Yours?"

He slumped back into his chair, exhaling in annoyance, and said, "Not so good."

Without even looking up from the book in front of me, I asked, "'Are you up for discussing it?'"

'Nope,' he responded.

"Then neither do I."

There was a pause before he resumed the conversation. "You seem different since returning from Christmas break. I can't help but wonder if something happened."

"What do you mean by 'different'?" I asked, focusing my attention back on him.

He leans forward from behind his desk. 'You've been pretty quiet lately. It's not as if you were a chatty person, but you appear to be primarily lost in contemplation. Take the last time, for example. I was talking to you, but you were not paying attention. It felt like I was talking to a wall."

What is he talking about? I fixed my gaze on him, letting his words sink in as I considered their meaning.

Dr. Gideon Nii Blackson is one of the few clinicians I've had the pleasure of working with since I was assigned to this unit. He is not the type to strike up a discussion, so the unexpected fascination in my life has astonished me. I've always loved his attention to detail. Nothing escapes him. I don't want that kind of attention elsewhere in my life.

'Shelley!'

"Yes, doctor."

"Now isn't the time to wool-gather about whatever it is you have going."

"So sorry, you were saying."

"Never mind that. We should get back to work," he said.

As I shifted my focus back to the task at hand, the intricate details of my work began to blur, and my thoughts drifted irresistibly to Mr Adam.

It's been two weeks since I returned from my parent's place, and things haven't been the same. Falling asleep has been a nightmare for me because Mr. Adams occupies most of them. I constantly wake up from the most vivid dreams, hot, frustrated, and moist between my legs.

After the chemistry that developed between Adam and me and the way I responded to his every touch, our near kiss at the resort often resurfaces in my dreams. In these dreams, we took things a step further, with him kissing me while his arms were wrapped around me, sucking and tasting my tongue, leaving us both moaning and panting for breath. In my dreams, we engage in actions that are beyond my comprehension. If I am to survive, I must avoid him at all costs.

Today was an especially dull shift, and it's now over. I was about to approach the curbside taxi stand when I heard what sounded like a horn honking at me. I turned towards the sound and was waved over by Doctor Blackson. I noticed he was on the phone as I got closer to his vehicle. As I draw near, I inquire, "Do you need my help with something doctor?"

"Not really; I simply neglected to extend an invitation to you. You see, tomorrow is my birthday, and a few of my pals have planned a celebration for me at the Kata Lounge."