The Tangled Series Complete Digital Boxed Set (Bad Boy Rock Star, Millionaire, and MMA Fighter Bundle) (53 page)

Sera

I couldn’t sleep for most of the night, my feelings all jumbled. I wasn’t sure who I was angrier at – me, for sleeping with Thane, or him for acting like a man who was having some kind of illicit affair. He wasn’t even married and he made me feel like a mistress. One he wasn’t even proud of. Well, I was tired of secrets. I’d lived too many of them for the past few months.

The next morning, I got both Emma and myself dressed, made us lunches, and then drove her to school. Afterwards, I went to work, deciding that I would pretend that nothing had happened the night before. That I hadn’t had the most amazing sex ever. That I wasn’t already missing Thane’s hands on my body or his mouth on mine.

It wasn’t easy.

The moment I walked by his office and saw him sitting behind his computer, I ached to be near him. There was something about the man that made my heart leap and my insides turn to mush. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a switch to stop me from feeling that way, either. The fact that he’d made love to me so passionately the night before, made it even worse.

Trying to ignore the dull ache in my chest, I went to my booth and got everything ready for an appointment I had scheduled in thirty minutes.

“Hey, girl,” said Felicia, stopping by and holding a brown paper bag.  “Did you ever find out if you could make it to that party I was telling you about?”

I sighed. “Things have come up and I just can’t. The next time you throw a party, however, I swear – I’ll be the first one at your door.”

“I had a feeling you were going to say that. I didn’t give you much notice and I know you have a daughter. Finding a babysitter last minute can’t be easy. Anyway,” she lowered her voice. “I got you something. As a welcoming gift.”

I raised my eyebrows. “You did?”

She winked. “I sure did. Now, I wouldn’t open it up here at work, unless you’re very brave.” She pulled out a gift that was the size of a shoe box and handed it to me.

“What is it?” I whispered, shaking the box.

“It’s your new best friend,” she replied, smiling wickedly. “Besides me. Have fun, girl.”

“My new best…” I suddenly realized what was in the box and my cheeks turned pink. “Oh…”

“Oh is right. You’ll be having a screamin’ O before the night is over, you know what I’m saying?”

I put the box down next to my purse. “I believe I do. Thank you, Felicia.”

“You’re welcome. Oh, have you seen Thane?”

“I believe he’s in his office,” I said, pointing.

“Good,” she chuckled. “I have a gift for him, too. Something to take the edge off of things. Make him a little easier to be around during the day.”

“No way. You bought him some kind of sex toy, too?” I whispered, trying to hold back my laughter.

“Damn right I did. Now, you just watch… when he comes in tomorrow, he’s going to be a changed man.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. The man admits that he never has sex. Once he uses what I have in this little bag, his world is going to shift back to its proper alignment. He’s going to benefit, and so are we.”

I wasn’t so sure, but the idea was amusing.

“Well, good luck giving it to him,” I said as she walked toward his office.

Two minutes later, she walked by my booth again, winking. “He said he’d give it a whirl.”

My jaw dropped. “Really? What exactly did you get him?”

She lowered her voice. “It’s this thing that looks and feels like a woman’s hoo-hoo. He just has to close his eyes and do his thing.”

“And he told you he’d try it?” I asked, now feeling warm below as I pictured him masturbating with it.

She chuckled. “Maybe… not exactly.”

Just then, Thane stepped out of his office and our eyes met. I quickly looked away.

“What time is your first appointment, Felicia?” he asked, walking over.

“Soon. In fact, I should go up front and wait,” she said, walking away.

“Good idea. What about you, Sera?”

I cleared my throat. “Uh, about twenty minutes.”

“Good. I was wondering if we could go over some more paperwork in my office? I forgot to have you fill out a few pages and I don’t want the IRS breathing down my neck if I forget to have you sign them.”

I stood up. “Uh, sure.”

“You first,” he said, motioning toward his doorway.

Once we entered his office, he closed the door behind him.

“Is that necessary?” I asked, sitting down.

He stepped around his desk and sat down. “What’s wrong? Nervous of being in my office with the door closed?”

I raised my chin. “Actually, no. I think we established last night what kind of employer you were.”

His lips twitched.

“So, where’s this paperwork?”

He grinned.

“Thane?”

“Felicia gave me a present, just a few minutes ago.”

“I heard.”

“I opened it up. Do you know what I found?”

I grinned. “Actually, she told me. It’s quite fitting, now that I think about it.”

He grunted. “I don’t think it’s fitting at all. This little hairy piece of rubber that I’m supposed to stick my cock into and pretend I’m fucking? You call that fitting?”

The mention of him fucking something sent a hot jolt of electricity into my crotch. “I don’t know,” I whispered.

He stood up. “Look at this,” he said, motioning toward the bulge in his jeans. “I opened up that stupid thing and when I saw what it was, all I could think of was being inside of you.”

I stood up. “Thane, this isn’t appropriate. Remember, I’m just your employee, and…”

He grabbed my hand and placed it on his crotch. “I need you, Sera. You don’t get it… I need to be inside of you. Now.”

My panties were now completely soaked. “I need you, too,” I replied in a husky voice, no longer caring about anything but him pounding his cock into me.

He shoved his computer out of the way and then reached over to pick me up. Setting me down on the desk, he reached under my skirt and touched my panties.

“You’re so wet,” he growled, pushing them aside. Then he slid two fingers inside of me and I gasped. “This is what I want, Sera. I want your sweet little pussy, not a stupid rubber toy.”

I unzipped his jeans and pulled him out, frantic to feel his full girth inside of me.

Panting, he leaned over me and spread my legs apart, his fingers rough against my skin. “You ready for me?”

“Yes,” I said, clenching my jaw. “Shove it in.”

“Touch yourself, first.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

“Rub your clit for me, baby.”

I leaned back on my elbow, and with my right hand, began rubbing the hard, slippery nub.

“Oh, fuck yeah,” he groaned and then plunged deep inside of me.

I cried out and his mouth crashed against mine as he held my hips and hammered in and out of my hole.

“Sera,” he growled, his mouth now on my neck. “Keep touching yourself.”

I’d stopped, so preoccupied with his pumping and the cool marble under my cheeks as I rocked back and forth with every thrust. Knowing that he was turned on by watching me masturbate, I began rubbing myself again.

“Yes,” he whispered. He reached down and began helping me. Soon, it all became too much and I went over the edge, digging my nails into his hips and convulsing against him as I rode the wave over and then back down.

Staring into my eyes, he picked up speed, our bodies smacking together as his hips moved back and forth, faster and faster. 

“Look at me,” he demanded, holding the back of my head when I closed my eyes for a brief second.

I did and his bronze eyes burned into mine, holding me.

“I… can’t… let… you… go…,” he said, thrusting hard with each word. “I need you, Sera.”

“Thane,” I moaned. “I need you, too.”

He gasped and shuddered against me, filling me with his seed. I closed my eyes and felt his lips on my cheeks and then on my mouth. It was gentle and loving, taking me by surprise. I was suddenly overwhelmed by emotion and had to blink back tears.

Someone began knocking on the door.

“We’re having a meeting in here,” said Thane, pulling out of me. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay,” hollered back Sinclair.

Thane touched just below my lower lashes, wiping away a tear. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, pulling my skirt over my thighs “Yes. Fine.”

He grabbed some Kleenexes from a nearby bookshelf. “Here. In case you need to clean the mess I made.”

From the look on his face, I knew it was a joke, but I didn’t smile. I couldn’t, because deep down, I knew things hadn’t really changed. Both of us had just gotten caught up in the heat of the moment again.

I ignored the tissue. “I’ll clean myself in the bathroom.”

“Are you still mad?” he asked, staring at me in shock.

“I’m mad at myself. For doing this here. At work. Besides, I thought we agreed to not do this anymore.”

“You have to admit, it was pretty hot though, wasn’t it?”

“What do you want from me?” I asked, climbing off of his desk.

“I want this,” he said. “I want to be with you. What do you think I want?’

“But on your terms still.”

He smiled humorlessly. “My terms? I just don’t want everyone to know about us, Sera. Not now, at least.”

“Then when?”

“Soon. Look, there will be a time when I’ll tell everyone.”

“Like during a meeting?” I said dryly.

He laughed. “Yeah, maybe.”

I began walking toward the doorway. “Okay, well then when you get the balls to do that, let me know. Otherwise, I’m not doing this with you again. Not here or anywhere.”

“You’re being unreasonable,” he said. “Look at how much fun we just had. I mean seriously, I didn’t plan on that. But, it was mind-blowing. I’m getting hard again just thinking about it.”

“Have fun with your new toy then,” I replied dryly and then walked out of his office.

Sera

Later that day, Fred called to tell me that they still hadn’t found anything new.

“What about Ray? How long will he be in custody?” I asked.

“He’s already out.”

My eyes widened. “What?’

“They couldn’t hold him for Sam’s disappearance and a friend of his bailed him out. From what I know, he’s headed back to Wisconsin.”

“Crap.”

“The good news is, he can’t drive.”

“Like that’s going to stop him.”

“It might. For a while, at least.”

I rubbed my forehead. “Unbelievable.”

“I know.”

“When are you coming back?” I asked.

“In a couple of days. How is Emma?”

“She’s fine. Keeps asking for you.”

“She’s a good little girl.”

“She really is.”

“Well, like I said, I’ll be returning home soon. If you need anything, just call me.”

I suddenly had a flash of Sam and water again. This time, the image was much more clear. I also sensed something new.

“Fred, did you check Dally’s Dockside?”

“The marina? It’s been closed down for quite some time now.”

“Exactly,” I said.

“We were going to do that eventually, I guess. Why? You think there might be something there?”

“I suggest you look under the docks. You might find…someone.”

He was silent for a few seconds. “You think Sam might really be at the marina?”

I sighed. “It’s possible.”

He swore. “Okay. I’ll let you know what I find out. Guess we’ll have to check that out today and not tomorrow.”

“I would.”

“I’ll call you tonight.”

“Okay.”

****

Sera

I managed to avoid Thane for the rest of the day. As I was leaving, however, he followed me out of the shop to the parking lot.

“Sera, hold on,” he said, catching up to me.

“What do you want?” I asked stiffly.

He sighed. “I just want to apologize. I’ve been a real asshole.”

“You think?”

He smiled. “I deserve that.”

“You do.”

His smile fell. “Last night and today… it was… intoxicating. I still can’t stop thinking about it. But, like I said before, I don’t want to mix business and pleasure… which is why I was wondering if you’d be interested in leaving Tangled?”

My jaw dropped. “What?”

“I would help you find a different salon.”

“You want me to leave?”

“Only so that we could be together, like we were last night and today.”

“You want me to leave Tangled so you can fuck me without feeling guilty? Is that what you’re saying?”

His smile fell. “You make it sound dirty.  I’m just trying to do the respectable thing.”

I raised my hand. “Okay, enough is enough. I’m not interested.”

He scowled. “You’re serious? You’re not even interested in hearing more?”

“No.” I sighed. “Look, I appreciate the fact that you don’t want to screw around with someone you work with. I get that. But, I guess now that I think about it, I just don’t want to pick-up and start over again. I’m tired of running, Thane. I’ve been doing it for the last year and a half. Now you’re asking me to drop everything and run to another salon, just for sex? Really?”

“Yes, but really good sex,” he joked. “Come on, Sera.”

I smiled coldly. “I’m not interested in doing that. I’m not interested in fighting with you about it anymore either. So, I’m cutting it off. I like this salon and want to continue working for you, but that’s it. No more sex. Not at the salon and not at home.”

He stared at me in disbelief. “You’re sure about this?”

“As sure as I’m basically a fugitive anyway. Running with my child. You don’t need that either. So, let’s keep it platonic. Nobody will ever need to know we’ve been together.”

He stared at me silently for a while and then looked away. “Okay. If that’s what you really want,” he said, his voice stiff.

“It is.”

He let out a long, ragged sigh and then tried to smile. “We’ll still be friends?”

“Yes. But, I think we should limit our friendship to just the shop. No more dinners.”

He nodded. “Okay. Just do me a favor. If you change your mind, let me know. I’m going to back off, because it’s what you want, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be thinking of you.”

Before I could respond, he got into his car and drove away.