Finally finished transferring my written notes to my laptop I closed it with a snap and heaved a sigh of relief. Another day done. My schedule was clear for the day. I felt like going home and taking a nice, long bubble-

I jumped, startled, as the door flew open. Caine stood in the door with a frown. Throwing a glare over his shoulder I heard him mutter:  “She is too fucking here. Liar!” and without an invitation he strolled in then began to pace back and forth in front of me.

“Caine, I’m sure my receptionist told you I was gone for the day. I-”

“Yeah, she said that. Obviously you’re not. I could smell you from out there.” He waved a hand toward the waiting room and continued to pace.

I decided to ignore that comment. “Caine, I was just on my way home. If you’d like I’ll pen you in for tomorrow morning at nine. I-”

“I don’t get it. I just don’t get it! That woman runs hot and then cold. I know she wants me. I can smell it and I can see it in her face when she thinks that I’m not looking. But the minute she sees me noticing her noticing me a wall comes between us. What the hell is that? Huh? Huh?”

“Caine-”

“And sure we might not have known each other that long. And we’ve never been on a date or had silly phone conversations until four in the fucking morning but that doesn’t mean that I don’t know her!”

“Caine-”

“She likes the morning. She’s one of those weird, fucking morning people. She wakes up all mussed but chirpy and I just want to put my face in her neck and breathe her in. She has to have a cup of coffee right off. She puts in two spoonfuls of sugar, takes a sip, winces and then adds another. She does that every fuckin’ day as if the taste is going to change.” He laughs and runs a hand through his hair.

“She hates germs. Like seriously hates them. She rewashed all the dishes in Rho’s place and wiped down the windows. She threw all the clothes in the wash and neatly folded them back. She loves sappy, romantic movies, hates onions but loves those crunchy onion ring chips. When she sleeps she likes to curl against me. So how the fuck can she say that I don’t fucking know her?”

“CAINE!?”

“What?” he snapped, tossing his arms in the air.

“Why don’t you have a seat and we can talk about this?”

“I can’t sit. I can’t stay long. I had to go out and get some milk. Anything to get out of that house. Her scent is all over the place.”

Getting comfortable I grabbed my notepad.

Appointment with Duncaine Lancaster @ 1600

Caine seems to be struggling with his feelings toward Alana Westfield.

“What are you writing? I hate when you do that shit!”

I shook my head. “I’m taking notes Caine. That’s what I do.”

“Look, I know she’s my mate. I know that here,” he pointed at his head, “But I’m more concerned about here.” He pointed to his heart. “Alana wants all that sappy shit that comes with being in a relationship, and not saying that she doesn’t deserve it, but I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t have it in me.”

“The fact that you’re even thinking about it, struggling over it, means that you have it in you Caine.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake! Of course you’d say that! You’re a chick. I sound like a fucking pussy. Getting all worked up over something that I really don’t have the time for. I have other things that I need to be thinking about…but I can’t get her out of my head.”

“Caine, have you told Alana any of this?”

“Hell no! She’s antsy enough around me. The last thing she needs to hear is this shit!”

All I wanted to do was go home and take a bubble bath.

“Anyways, I guess I better go. Alana wants to bake a cake and needs the milk. That kid is going to eat us out of house and home.”

“What kid? Caine? Caine?”

“Thanks for listening Doc. Later.”

Caine is conflicted about his emotions toward Alana. It’s obvious that he’s in love with her but is overthinking the entire thing. And just what kid is he talking about?