Tempting Rowan

by Micalea Smeltzer

  “Why New York?” I asked, truly curious.

  “We have a place in the city, and it’s spectacular this time of the year. Plus, I’d like to spend more time with you, and New York City seemed like a good place. We’re far enough away that you can relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about your brother and sister, but close enough to get back quickly if we need to.”

  “You’ve really thought this through.” I glanced up at him as he twirled a lock of my hair around his finger.

  He nodded with a grin. “I understand if you can’t…or even if you don’t want to.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t want to,” I sat up a bit to look at him, my hair falling forward to conceal my breasts. “I need to think about it though…okay?”

  “Take your time, but if we’re going to do this, we leave in four days,” he held up four fingers like I couldn’t count.

  My heart was already beating wildly at the thought of spending a whole week alone with Trenton. I wasn’t sure it was the best thing for us—at this point, I didn’t want to let myself get anymore…attached—but if I didn’t go, I’d always wonder what might have happened.

  “I need to see if my grandparent’s are okay with keeping Tristan and Ivy that long. The three of us normally spend Christmas with them, and come home a few days before New Year’s,” my eyes studied the unique tattoo on his arm, “so they’d need to keep them longer than normal…”

  “Don’t be worried about disappointing me,” he reached up, cupping my cheek.

  “I want to go,” I assured him, putting my hand overtop his.

  “If you can’t go, maybe…maybe you’d come over to my family’s place, and bring your siblings?” He suggested, biting on his lip, and giving me a look that didn’t have me thinking about what he just said.

  I lowered my head and pressed my lips to his. His fingers tangled in my hair as he kissed me back.

  “What was that for?” He asked, panting slightly.

  “You looked so kissable that I couldn’t resist,” I admitted, looking down shyly. I wasn’t one to spout my feelings or to admit to such things.

  “I like this side of you,” Trent remarked, watching me steadily.

  “What side?” I questioned with a raised brow.

  “The free one,” his thumb rubbed over my bottom lip. “You’re always so closed off, but lately you’ve been opening up more…laughing, smiling, being…free,” he repeated.

  “I’ve been through a lot,” I whispered, shame causing me to look down at the carpeted floor.

  “I know you have,” he grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him, “and I hope one day, you’ll trust me enough to tell me everything. Until then, I won’t push you, but I will be here for you. I will always be here.”

  I closed my eyes, wishing his words were true. I knew he meant them, in this moment at least, but if he knew the truth of what I had done he’d leave and never come back.

  

  I finished cleaning up from breakfast and ran around trying to get ready. Before she left last night, Mary had offered me more hours today. More hours meant more money, and I needed all the money I could get.

  I pulled on a red button down jacket to brighten up my black skirt and white top. I opened the door to the kids’ room and kissed them on top of their heads. “I have to go in to work, but I’ll be home early today. Be good.”

  Tristan clung to my neck. “Don’t go, Row.”

  “I have to,” I told him, unwinding his arms from their stranglehold. At Tristan’s age he couldn’t understand that I was doing this for him, for them, in the hopes of giving them a better life. I was doing the best I could, but most times it seemed like I wasn’t trying at all.

  I kissed his small hand and ruffled his hair. “I’ll be home before you know it.”

  His sad face made it hard to push myself out the door but I had to.

  Outside, the cold air whipped around me, blowing my hair in my face. I pushed the strands away and got in my car, rubbing my hands together for warmth as I waited for heat to pour into the frigid vehicle.

  I backed out of the driveway, wondering where my step-dad was. He was gone more and more lately, and I was sure yet another divorce was in my mom’s future.

  I parked and hurried into the library, ready to be out of the cold.

  I was headed to clock-in when Mary called out for me. “Yes?” I turned, searching for the older woman.

  When I spotted her she crooked her finger, motioning me to her.

  “Yeah?” I asked, when I stopped in front of her.

  The way she was looking at me had me breaking out in a nervous sweat. “Honey, I have some bad news,” she patted my arm. It was obvious she didn’t want to continue to speak further, but had to. “We have to let you go.”

  “What?” I gasped, stumbling back. I needed this job. Without it, I was screwed. “Why?” I couldn’t understand. Was this some cruel joke? I was a hard worker and I never caused trouble.

  “Honey,” her voice was hushed, “there was…something on the security tapes.”

  I closed my eyes. This couldn’t be happening.

  “We can’t have someone working here that would do something like that,” she looked at me sadly, not with disgust, which surprised me.

  I nodded. “I understand.” I cringed at the fact that Mary, someone I respected, had seen me like that. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to look at her ever again.

  I walked away from her and out the door, straight to my car. My posture was stiff and I was completely stunned that that had just happened. I couldn’t seem to process the fact that I had just gotten fired. I knew what Trent and I had done in the library was wrong, and I had to pay the consequences.

  I leaned my head against the headrest.

  Unlike most people, I was more upset over losing my job than I was about them having watched Trent and I have sex. Without a job, I was screwed. Simple as that.

  I picked up my phone, my fingers clumsy with my anger.

  “Hello?” Trent answered and he sounded half-asleep.

  “I got fired,” I seethed. “I need that job, Trent! I don’t know what I’m going to do!”

  “Whoa, slow down,” he sounded slightly more alert, “why’d you get fired?”

  I frowned, staring up at the ceiling of my car. “They saw us, Trent…on the security tapes.”

  “A library has cameras?” He asked in disbelief.

  “Yeah,” I said slowly, angry with myself. “I have to have a job, Trent.” My head fell against the steering wheel, honking the horn.

  “Did you just honk your car horn?” He chuckled.

  “It was an accident,” I mumbled.

  “So…they seriously have it on tape?” He cleared his throat. “Us having sex?”

  “No, they fired me because I let a bunny loose around the library!” I was getting pissed now. “Of course they have it on tape!”

  “Think they’d let me buy it?” His voice was serious.

  “Trent!” I exclaimed.

  “What? I didn’t say I was going to watch it,” he said, and there was rustling in the background. “But I’d hate for something like that to get out. I can tell you’re upset. Let me fix this.”

  “I don’t care about the sex tape! All I care about is the fact that I’m jobless!”

  Trent chuckled. “You are such an unusual woman. As for your ‘jobless’ problem, I think I have a solution for that.”

  “You do?” For the first time since Mary had said they’d have to let me go, I could breathe again.

  “Yeah,” he mumbled and there was more shuffling. “Meet me at Trace’s.”

  “Uh…I don’t know where he lives.”

  He laughed at that. “I meant at his shop.”

  “Oh, okay. I’m pretty close,” I muttered, already backing out of the parking lot.

  “Just wait in your car until I get there,” he told me.

  “I can do that,” I breathed, relief flooding my body.

>   Wentworth Wheels was only about five minutes from the library. I parked on the street, instead of the lot. I didn’t want Trace coming out and asking me why I was there before Trent arrived.

  I stayed alert, watching for Trent’s black car. When it pulled into the lot across the street, I got out of my car, braving the cold.

  He was already out of his car and grinning as I jogged across the street. Thank God I’d worn flats today.

  “I can’t believe the librarians watched us have sex,” he laughed with a smirk.

  “Stop talking about it,” I gagged, “and don’t you dare say anything to your brother about this,” I pointed a warning finger at him.

  “Trust me, I won’t,” he raised his hands in surrender. “I’d never hear the end of it from him. Come on,” Trent waved for me to follow him into the garage.

  In my skirt and button down jacket, I felt extremely over dressed. Plus, my legs were cold.

  “Trace?” Trent called out. “Where are you?”

  Something metal clanged to the ground, and then we heard, “Over here,” coming from our right.

  “What are you guys doing here?” Trace asked, sliding out from under a car and scaring me half to death.

  “I have a solution to your problem,” Trent smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets as he rocked back on his heels.

  “What problem?” Trace slid out even further so he could sit up.

  “The one where the phone’s always ringing and you have to stop working to answer it.” Trent’s grin widened further if that was even possible.

  “And how have you solved it?” Trace pushed his dark hair out of his eyes before draping his arms over his knees.

  “Rowan,” he pointed to me.

  “Me?” I gasped.

  “She needs a job. You need someone to answer phones and check inventory. It’s a win-win,” Trent shrugged. “Feel free to thank me and shower me with your affections.” He bowed dramatically.

  “Why do you like this guy?” Trace looked up at me. “He’s really dumb.”

  “Remember,” Trent leaned against the side of the car Trace was working on, “we both came from the same sperm and egg.”

  “And that was unfortunate,” Trace jumped up and ruffled Trent’s hair, “I got all the good looks. Sucks for you.”

  Trent shook his head. “Whatever you need to tell yourself to feel better.”

  Ignoring his younger brother, Trace eyed me. “Can you handle answering the phone and setting up appointments, plus keep track of parts I need to order?” There was a challenge in his eyes, like he didn’t think I could really do it.

  “That’s easy,” I said sassily. I was the kind of person who always rose to the challenge, and this was no exception.

  Trace smiled crookedly. “Welcome to Wentworth Wheels,” he held out his hand for me to take. “Just don’t have sex in the office and we’re good.”

  My eyes threatened to bug out of my head. How did he know? He was making a joke about Trent and I in the library, right?

  “I’m kidding, Rowan. Relax,” he laughed easily, “have all the sex you want, as long as I don’t have to walk in on it. That’s happened one too many times with Avery and Luca, and let me tell you, that’s something no one wants to see.”

  With that, Trace sat back down and slid under the car. “Can you start tomorrow?” He slid back out so just his head poked through from beneath the car.

  “Absolutely.”

  Then he was gone again.

  Trent and I walked back outside. “What was with the sex comment?” I asked him. “Did you tell him what happened at the library?” I’d thought he’d said as we came in that he didn’t want Trace knowing, but he seemed to be aware of something to make that sort of remark.

  I was about ten seconds away from being pissed if he’d told his brother what happened. I’d never be able to look Trace in the eye ever again.

  “What? No, of course not,” he stopped walking. “Why would you think that?” He asked, his thick brows furrowing together.

  “Um, because of the no sex in the office comment,” I tossed my thumb over my shoulder, pointing at the garage.

  “Oh, that’s because of Luca and Avery,” he shrugged as he started walking towards his car.

  “They’re real people?”

  “Yeah,” he laughed, stopping by his car and crossing his arms over his chest. “Luca is Trace’s best friend, which I seriously don’t understand since the guy barely speaks, and Avery is his fiancé…wife,” he shook his head, scolding himself for the mistake. “They’re gone on their honeymoon now.”

  “And they both work here and have sex in the office?”

  I was so confused.

  Trent laughed, clearly amused by me. “Luca does. He helps Trace. Avery’s just hornier than a guy and can’t leave him alone.”

  “That’s not very nice of you to say,” I frowned.

  Trent shook his head, giving me a small smile. “Once you meet Avery, you’ll see what I mean.”

  I wasn’t so sure I wanted to meet this Avery. She sounded like she’d get on my nerves.

  “I’ll see you later.” I wasn’t sure if I should kiss him, or hug him, or I don’t know what, so I turned and walked away. That seemed to be the safer option.

  “Wait!” He called, the gravel crunching beneath his boots. “Why don’t we go to lunch?”

  “I should really go home,” I mumbled.

  “But if you were working you wouldn’t be home,” he peered down at me.

  He was right. “Fine,” I relinquished without any fight. “I’ll follow you.”

  Ten minutes later I found myself sitting at the same booth in the same restaurant I thought Trent might kill Jude in. I couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic when I thought of it, and what had then happened in the bathroom.

  I also couldn’t believe I’d just gotten fired. I couldn’t care less about the ‘sex tape’ as Trent kept calling it. Did it really count as a sex tape if it was caught on a security camera? Probably.

  “I’ll have the club sandwich,” I told the waiter, handing over the menu.

  Trent placed his order and eyed me over his glass of water. “Didn’t you get that last time?”

  “I did,” I nodded, “and it was delicious. That’s why I got it again.”

  “Why not try something new?” He suggested, his smile widening so that I caught sight of the small dimple in his cheek—it didn’t always show, but when it did, it was adorable.

  I squeezed the lemon, dropping it into my water before taking a sip. “If I like something, I don’t see the need to try something else.”

  Trent cleared his throat and wiggled in his seat, like he was unsure if he wanted to ask something. “Is that why you…uh…haven’t been with anyone else…since me?” His voice was hushed so it didn’t carry through the restaurant.

  I traced my finger over some words carved into the table. “I guess you could say that,” I shrugged.

  “If you…had feelings for me all these years,” he ventured, “why did you stay away?” His eyes were truly inquisitive and I knew he genuinely didn’t understand why I had avoided him.

  “I had my reasons,” I answered vaguely.

  “Your mom?” He pressed me for more information.

  “She was part of it,” I sighed, swirling my finger around the condensation shimmering on top of the table from my water glass.

  “You can talk to me about her, Rowan.”

  I looked up at him and his eyes pleaded with me to open up to him. I couldn’t do it though. I wasn’t the kind of girl to confess her feelings and seek comfort in the arms of another person. I preferred to fight my demons on my own. I didn’t need Trent to slay my dragons and be my knight in shining armor. I could save myself…I didn’t know if I wanted to though.

  “Rowan?” He repeated my name when I didn’t say anything.

  With a sigh, I said, “I know I can, but I don’t want to. It’s not something I like to talk about.” I stared do
wn at my water glass and away from his eyes that always saw too much.

  “Fine,” he sat back, “I won’t push you.” Tapping his fingers along the back of the booth, he asked, “Have you thought anymore about going to New York with me?” He questioned.

  “You asked me last night! This morning I lost my job! So, no, I haven’t thought about it,” I snapped.

  “Sorry,” he chuckled. “I really want you to go.”

  “I want to go too,” I admitted, crossing my arms over my chest, “but I have to work things out with the kids.”

  “I understand,” he nodded.

  “No, you don’t,” I muttered. “You don’t get it at all.”

  “Why are you in such a mood today?” He eyed me. “Is this a PMS thing or something?”

  “No, it’s called a ‘you’re being annoying’ mood,” I countered, looking around the restaurant. I began to feel bad though. I shouldn’t have been taking my anger out on him. “I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I didn’t get much sleep, and getting fired was the icing on the cake for this craptastic day.”

  Trent grinned.

  “Why are you smiling?” I asked.

  “Because, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that you’re sorry.”

  “Well, there’s a first time for everything.” I sat up straighter.

  “There most certainly is,” he smirked.

  chapter twelve

  “I don’t want to go to grandma’s without you!” Tristan protested, stomping his foot.

  “You love grandma’s,” I kneeled on the ground so that we were eye level. “You’re going to have so much fun and bake cookies for Santa!”

  “I want you to help me,” he pouted.

  “I’m sorry, Tristan,” I ran my fingers through his sandy hair, “but I need to do this.”

  Watching the tears brim his eyes was tearing me apart. Maybe I could tell Trent I had changed my mind. I knew he’d understand.

  “Okay,” Tristan finally agreed as he hugged me. Just as I was beginning to talk myself out of it, he’d finally agreed. He was such an easygoing child, and so easy to love.

  I kissed his cheek and he squirmed. “Ew, Row! Don’t kiss me!”

  “Get in the car,” I told him. “Grandma is waiting for us.”