Charmed. Cole and Phoebe Guardian series. To know Phoebe is too...

Charmed. To know Phoebe is to... Chapter 16

Part 2:Phoebe being Phoebe

Chapter 16

Cole arrived back in his office totally unaware of the stares he received in the corridor because the gossip had already flown about the firm that Turner's wife was around and he was being erratic again.

Francesca was still their office. Cole asked not all that interested " Have the clients arrived yet? "

"No" she answered "they called to say they would be ten minutes late"

"Good" he said

"Yes' Francesca said "and lucky" She looked Cole in the eye and demanded, "What happened?"

He stopped "What happened?" he repeated. Then he continued in a bemused voice "I don't know "

"Did you sort everything out" Francesca persisted

"I'm not sure" Cole answered sounding even more puzzled

"You didn't do anything to her?" Francesca said getting concerned.

"Of course not" he said horrified she would ask, and vaguely wondering why " I agreed to what she wanted "

"What did she want?" Francesca asked

"I don't know Cole answered. "I think she wanted to get back together or she might have wanted to have an exclusive, be there for each other thing or she may have just wanted me there for stud when she wants to screw, I'm not sure I agreed though" he said sadly.

Francesca could barely hold back her laughter.

Cole sighed and then added confidentially "She's taking me out to dinner tonight. I guess she'll tell me then what I agreed to"

He went into the office and Francesca gave way to laughter Cole returned a few seconds later carrying the folder for the meeting and observed Francesca laughing balefully.

"It's all right for you" he said bitterly "She's taking me to dinner, I bet it will be vegetarian. I hate vegetarian."

When he returned from the meeting nearly an hour and half later Phoebe was in his office talking happily to Francesca which Cole, could only regard as not good. He had fully expected her not to come back, or that some demon was playing with him again and the argument in the car park never happened.

Cole' senior partner, Carter was behind him, needing papers after the meeting. He openly eyed Phoebe and Cole forced into a corner had to introduce her to him "you may remember my wife. My ex-wife Phoebe."

Phoebe held out her hand all sweetness and light She chatted in a friendly manner to Cole's boss while he went to get the folder which he handed to Carter. Cole was very suspicious of what Phoebe was up to. He noted some shopping bags she had not had earlier.

"Where have you been?" he asked curiously

"I brought you a present" Phoebe answered

"What" he asked even more apprehensively.

She reached in the bag and pulled out a sheer see through very short black nightdress. "Do you like it, I bought some suspenders too. Do you want to see them?" she asked holding the nightdress up against her.

Cole groaned but still felt the warmth rush to his lower body, Francesca laughed openly and Carter looked surprised and very interested,

They left Cole's workplace together, both of them decidedly awkward with each other. In deciding that they were getting back together Phoebe had steeled herself to batter down any resistance or rejection Cole might throw at her, but she had not quite worked out what do or say when she did not have anger, or fear to carry her through the moment. She was suddenly a very shy little girl, not sure what to say to him.