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there fuming at the way he barged in on this meeting unannounced (although I really had no right to be mad over that - it was his company and his hotel after all), his scolding rebuke towards Caleb and his pompous, demanding tone towards me.
    What’s it to Aidan if Caleb touch es me, gives me a peck on the cheek?
    And what gives him the right to order me where I should sit?
                  Jeremiah however, was the consummate professional, asking all the pertinent questions, sharing his initial ideas for the gala and generally engaging Caleb’s vision for the hotel’s opening.
                  I on the other hand, uttered no more than a handful of words, all in the appropriate places of course for which I was silently relieved, as I studiously avoided Aidan’s gaze while taking meticulous notes for Jeremiah.
                  Caleb Norwood was another matter entirely. Caleb took great delight in provoking Aidan by catching my gaze repeatedly, smiling, winking and asking my opinions on certain aspects in regards to the event, which in turn caused Aidan to tense beside me. Several times Aidan actually interrupted our exchange by asking Jeremiah a question as if my opinion on the matter was irrelevant. By the end of the meeting my irritation had well and truly risen to that of fury.
                  If Aidan didn’t think I was competent to do the job then why on earth did he fucking hire me in the first place! Apart from the four questions he asked Jeremiah (yes, I was counting), Aidan didn’t contribute anything else towards the meeting, so why on earth was he even there in the first place.
    The guy has a multi billion dollar empire to run for crying out loud – music selection and napkin color choices are trivially and well and truly below his pay grade I would think.
                  And to top it all off, as the meeting concluded Aidan stood immediately, muttered, “Gabriella. Jeremiah,” effectively dismissing us both, then turned to Caleb and with a brusque tone ordered, “Caleb, a word in my office. Now.”
    Then he turned, stalking out without so much as a backward glance.
                  My gaze instantly went to Caleb who was smirking; seriously, did the guy have no other facial expressions this morning. Leisurely standing, Caleb approached, bending his head towards me; where he proceeded to brush his lips for the second time this morning, softly across my cheek.
                  “A pleasure as always to see you Gabby,” he whispered.
    Turning towards Jeremiah, he added, “Jeremiah, I like both yours and Gabby’s concept of my vision for the opening gala. Ian will be in touch.”
                  Then he sauntered casually out of the room.
                                Ian, Caleb’s PA stayed for a few minutes longer conversing with both of us before leaving.
                  The whole exchange left me feeling confused, hurt and extremely infuriated. I may be head over heels in love with Aidan Stone, splintering from his rejection of that love but I’d been a damn fool anguishing over that jackass all week!
                  He did warn me in the beginning that he was incapable of love. He didn’t do the whole relationship thing but like a naive fool I also believed him when he said I was different, the exception to his no relationship rule – that he sincerely wanted to try and have more with me.
                  A leopard doesn’t change his spots and an old dog can’t learn new tricks. For the second time today, I mentally scold myself to wake up and get my head out of my ass.
                  “Yeah, well at least you were able to rally and keep the meeting on course. You were awesome Jeremiah, very calm and professional. I’m so proud of you,” I grin, reaching over and squeezing Jeremiah’s hand.
                  “Me, on