“Because Seth wants to play pool with Johnny.”
“Well, that’s too bad because I’m kicking his butt in Guitar Hero right now. Seth will just have to wait.”
Seth shrugged. “I’ve got to see this.”
Again, Pat and Molly followed close behind.
Jeez, just give it up, will you?
Johnny and Sarah stood in front of the television, guitars in hand. DJ lay on the sofa, dozing off. Seth joined him. He had no idea where Molly and Pat were and thought it best to ignore them.
Johnny imitated the gyrations of a rock star. “You’re damn lucky, Sarah.”
“Are you kidding me? This is skill.”
“You’ve been practicing.”
“No, I’m a natural. You’re jealous, that’s all.”
Seth was glad he had sat down. Sarah and Johnny stood directly in front of him. If Sarah’s dancing had distracted him, her ass shaking in front of him—at eye level—sent him over the edge. And if that wasn’t enough, she concentrated so hard she twisted her lip. Damn. He took a pillow from the corner of the sofa and nonchalantly placed it on his lap, hiding his erection. His beer was gone; he didn’t even remember drinking it. The game ended and Sarah won. Her victory dance…another hard-on.
Thank you very much, Sarah.
“It’s Seth’s turn,” Molly bellowed from behind them.
Sarah looked at her watch. “Okay, okay. I’ve got to be going anyway.”
Seth frowned. “So soon?”
“Yes. Some of us have to work for a living.”
“Well, it was nice to see you, Sarah.”
“You too, Seth.” She grinned. “Oh, by the way, happy birthday.”
He smiled, delighted. “Thank you.”
How about a birthday kiss; a big fat birthday kiss that starts at my mouth and ends on my…
Sarah interrupted his thoughts. “I hope you got everything you wanted.”
She bent down and kissed DJ’s cheek. Seth could smell her, the same smell he’d tried to find in numerous perfume bottles and shampoos, the smell that had eluded him so many years. He took a deep breath to take it in, knowing he may not have the chance again. With that, Sarah left, followed by Molly and Pat.
Johnny shook his head.
“Jesus, Johnny,” Seth exclaimed.
“What?”
He stood and pointed to his jeans.
Johnny laughed and fell on the floor. “You were warned. Serves you right, my friend, serves you right.”
SARAH
Sarah could feel Molly and Pat on her heels as she bounded up the stairs.
Molly began the interrogation. “When did you start talking to Seth?”
“I’m not talking to Seth. I was just being polite.”
“When did this happen?”
“What?”
“You and Seth,” Pat joined in, but she seemed more curious than angry.
“There’s no me and Seth. We agreed it makes everything easier if we get along.”
“Get along. How often do you see him?” Molly asked.
“This is the first time since we made the agreement.”
“So you and Seth made an agreement?”
“Yes, Molly.”
“Sarah, if you think you’re going to pry your way into our social circle, you have another think coming.”
“Look, this was Seth’s idea. I was perfectly fine with our previous arrangement. In fact, Johnny called Seth today to tell him I was here, and Seth chose to come over anyway. Maybe he wanted to make a point of showing how mature people act. I don’t know. You should ask him.”
“Oh, I plan to.” Molly crossed her arms, defiant.
“I hope you do. And tell him to stay the hell away the next time Johnny tells him I’m here.”
“I’ll do no such thing. When Seth calls, you will leave. Is that clear?”
“Crystal.” She went to her car and squealed wheels out of the driveway.
Her hands shook on the steering wheel. Seth was hard enough, but Molly didn’t even try to make it easier. The first part of Seth’s “plan” had been working, but the second part—the one where they were supposed to be able to see one another—would never work. Today had proved that.
BEFORE AND AFTER
SARAH
Sarah cursed Jeff all the way over to Seth’s house, and nearly blew a gasket when she pulled into the entrance of Seth’s property. A gate! Jeez!
Jeff had acted delighted she and Seth had “worked things out” and saw no reason why Sarah couldn’t deliver a contract to Seth for his signature. She had jumped at the chance to fill in for Jeff’s assistant, who was pregnant with twins and forced to cut back her hours. It was a great way to repay her brother-in-law for his generosity and ease his mind that everything at the office would run smoothly while he took off to join Kathy for a consultation with a fertility specialist that afternoon.
Now, with her car idling at the gate to Seth’s mansion, she had regrets.
A woman’s voice came over the speaker. “May I help you?”
“Yes. I have a delivery for Se…um…Mr. Mathis…from Jeff Edwards.”
No reply came. Instead, a buzzing sound signaled the gates opening. Sarah pulled up to a circular driveway and parked in front of a Mediterranean-style home with a three-car garage to the right of the driveway. A covered porch led to two massive doors, which opened before Sarah reached them. An older woman welcomed her inside.
“Mr. Mathis will be right with you.” Her voice matched the one on the intercom. “Would you care for something to drink?”
“No, thank you.”
“You can have a seat if you like.”
The woman pointed to a settee in the foyer. Sarah sat down and tried not to appear as overwhelmed as she felt.
Voices filtered from the back of the house, though Sarah didn’t recognize any of them. One of them must have been Seth because he came from the direction the woman had gone. He wore what Sarah surmised was a costume from a western he’d been filming, complete with dirt and mud.
No one should look that good covered in grime.
“So we meet again. I’m sorry for my appearance; I didn’t bother to change before leaving the set.” He smiled broadly, but looked tired. “I talked with Jeff. He and Kathy didn’t get good news, huh?”
“No. I talked to Kathy on the way over here; it seems they both have issues.”
“But the doctor said it’s not impossible.”
Sarah nodded. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thanks.” Seth looked around. “I’m not here much. Did Tessa offer you something to drink…or eat…anything?”
“Tessa? Oh, yes. I’m fine.”
A young, blond-haired woman in a skimpy bikini glided into the foyer. She must have come from the pool; beads of water dotted her body, and her hair was wet. The woman looked at Sarah indifferently and turned to Seth. “I’m going to get a drink. Do you want one?” Her voice sounded much like her footsteps, light and airy.
Seth must get a kick out of seeing me now that he has a beautiful woman in his life. He must be relieved too.
“No, I’m good. Last chance, Sarah. Do you want something to drink? Serafina’s offering.”
Sarah almost choked. Serafina? Serafina! No way. Good Lord. “No.” Sarah spit the word out and then frowned. You stupid girl! Hold it together. You can do this. Don’t look at them.
Serafina came back, moments later, with two bottles of beer and walked over to Seth. “Would you mind?” She handed him the bottles. “I don’t want to break a nail.”
Seth put the contract down and opened the bottles.
“I brought one for you anyway. I’m sure you could use something after that long shoot.”
“Thanks.” He picked up the contract, signed certain pages, and initialed others.
Good. This should be over soon.
Serafina stood by him, swaying back and forth and looking seductive. “Seth, you didn’t even notice.”
Seth sh
rugged his shoulders. “Notice what?”
“My boobs.” Serafina stuck her chest out. “I just got them done,” she explained to Sarah. “They’re still a little swollen.” She touched them with her well-manicured hands and winced. “I think they may be a little uneven. What do you think?” With that, she lifted her bikini top to reveal large mountains of flesh and two hard nipples.
“Jesus!” Seth exclaimed.
Sarah gasped and spun toward Seth. “Are you enjoying this? Sarah and Serafina! I suppose I’m the before and she’s the after. I’m outta here!”
With that, she ran…yes ran…out of the house, jumped in her jeep, and took off. The gate flew open.
It must not keep people in…only out, she thought and sped through it.
Sarah arrived home with swollen eyes and a headache, which she cured with a long soak in a bubble bath. Afterward, she slipped into a sundress and went to her neighbor Sam’s to pick up Newton.
“Is everything okay? You seem out of sorts tonight,” Sam asked.
Sarah gave him the short version of her encounter with Seth and Serafina, which Sam cured with a bowl of double chocolate chip ice cream with whipped topping.
“Thanks, Sam.”
“Anytime, kid.”
“I need to get home. I have a term paper due at the end of the week and haven’t even started it yet. Come on, Newton.”
“I’ll see you out.” Sam pushed his wheelchair out to the porch and stopped dead.
Sarah almost ran into him.
He pointed up the street. “Someone’s sitting on your porch steps.” He looked from the porch to a convertible parked across the street. “That’s an expensive car; the kind your movie star ex-boyfriend might drive.”
“It couldn’t be. Seth doesn’t know where I live.” Oh yes he does. Sarah remembered Seth driving by her house during his stalking days. “I don’t want to talk to him.”
“You could sneak around back.”
“I could.”
“Then he’d win…”
“And we can’t have that.”
Sam held up his fists in a boxing stance. “No, we can’t.”
Sarah put on a brave face. “Wish me luck.”
“I’m here if you need me…got a baseball bat under my bed.”
“That’s a little extreme, don’t you think? Remind me never to cross you.” She kissed his cheek and left the safety of the porch to meet her nemesis.
Seth stood as she approached. “Sarah.”
“Seth,” she murmured and cleared her throat.
Newton licked his hand. Traitor.
Seth patted his head and looked toward Sam’s house. “I’m sorry if I interrupted something, but I need to clear things up.” He looked quite pathetic, which gave Sarah great pleasure.
Sarah walked to her door. “Come on, Newton. Time to go inside.” She reached the top of the steps and turned to face Seth, who remained standing on the walkway. “Well, are you coming in or not?”
Seth followed her into the house and to the kitchen, but lingered in the doorway with his hands dug deep in his pockets and a worried look on his face.
“Would you like something to drink?” Sarah opened the refrigerator, took out a beer, and handed it to him.
“Thanks.”
“Have a seat. I have to feed Newton.” She prepared Newton’s food while Seth sat at the kitchen table.
“You have a nice place. It looks like you.”
“What, cheap?”
“No, Sarah! More like warm, friendly.”
She frowned. “I wasn’t exactly warm and friendly this afternoon.”
Seth took a deep sip of his beer. “Sarah, I didn’t mean to hurt you today. I’d like to explain.”
“That’s not necessary, really. I’m not stupid, Seth.”
“But…”
“You know what? I felt guilty over what happened between us. But I don’t feel guilty anymore.” She held up her hand. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Seth nodded and Sarah went into the bedroom. She washed the makeup from her face, undressed, and put on her old pajamas and slippers. She looked in the mirror and laughed, close to hysterics. Before she lost her nerve, she bolted through the bedroom door and to the kitchen, taking Seth off guard. He jumped.
“Take a good look!” She twirled around like a clumsy model. “You have to admit, I did you a favor seven years ago.” She ran her hands along her body. “This is what you could have been stuck with. I think you owe me, Seth Mathis.” She forced her shoulders back and stood proud. “I want you to leave.”
Seth must have taken pity on her because he stood and walked slowly from the kitchen without a word. Sarah didn’t have the nerve to look after him. Instead, she turned and continued to prepare Newton’s food with tears running down her face and her body shaking. Exhausted, she sat at the kitchen table and watched Newton devour his food, which took him seconds. The excitement must have made him hungry. It made Sarah sick to her stomach.
“Come on, boy. Let’s go to bed.”
After showering and dressing the next morning, Sarah opened the door to the bedroom to face another day. Mumble, mumble, groan, groan.
“Okay, Newton, time to go to Sam’s.” Newton followed her out of the bedroom but whined at the front door.
“Oh, come on. You don’t want me to be late, do you? If I get fired, you don’t eat. What’s your problem?”
Newton went to the living room and sat by the sofa.
“Did you leave a toy under the sofa again?” Sarah went to take a look and got an eyeful. “What in the world?”
Seth lay on the sofa, blissfully asleep.
“At least one of us got a good night’s sleep,” she whispered to Newton. “What do I do now? I can’t just leave him here. He might steal my prized possessions.” She laughed at her own joke. Newton cocked his head sideways. It was too funny. “I guess we should wake him, but how?”
Sarah went into the kitchen and came back with a broom. She poked Seth several times in the ribs, but he didn’t stir. Goodness, he looked handsome. The broom had lifted his shirt slightly, revealing his stomach. Oh, brother! She could see the hair leading…well, you know where. Oh, brother! His abs looked incredible. She wanted to run her fingers along the contour of the muscles. Oh, brother! That did it. “Wake up, Sleeping Beauty. You need to get up and be on your way.” She hit him with the broom again. This is kind of fun.
Seth grabbed the broom handle and pulled it toward him, causing her to falter and almost fall on top of him.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. On second thought, maybe…just maybe, it was.
SETH
Seth opened his eyes and looked around. His hand, for some odd reason, held a broom handle with Sarah at the other end. They seemed to be doing battle with it. Why? He had no idea. Sarah practically fell on top of him.
What a way to wake up, he thought until Newton licked his face.
“Good God, that dog has the worst breath.”
Sarah growled at him, “I bet yours isn’t too fragrant this morning either. In fact, when was the last time you took a shower? Never mind that, what are you doing here?”
“Sleeping.”
“I can see that. I thought you left.”
Seth smiled at the memory of Sarah doing that ridiculous song and dance the night before, claiming that she’d done him a favor seven years ago when she left.
She stood in those stupid pajamas…and no bra…waving her hands, which made her boobs jiggle. Holy Shit! Seth didn’t listen to half of what she said. He couldn’t concentrate on her voice with her wiggling and jiggling in front of him. He entertained the thought of throwing her down on the floor to show exactly what favor she should have done for him seven years ago, but…well, of course, he didn’t. He actually felt a little afraid of her. Especially with her poking the broom at him.
“I was exhausted. This sofa looked comfortable, and Serafina and Matt are noisy…if you know what I mean.” He rolle
d his eyes. “Oh baby, Oh baby. More, more, more. Don’t stop.” He laughed. “You get the idea.”
Sarah shook her head. “Serafina and Matt! Our Matt?”
“Yes, Sarah. That’s what I was trying to tell you last night. Matt’s staying with me for a while. He hooked up with Serafina a few weeks ago, and she’s been shacking up with him…well us…ever since. I’m not complaining. Like I said, I’m hardly ever there, but last night…well, I really needed to sleep.” He pointed to the broom in her hand. “Would you mind putting that thing down? It’s intimidating.”
Sarah sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to touch you, but I had to wake you. I have to go to work.”
“What, do you think I have cooties or something?”
“No. It’s one of my rules.”
He shook his head with disdain. “Do you have a book for these rules of yours?”
“No, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Molly does. I seem to be breaking all of them lately. It has her quite upset.”
“So, whose rules are they, Molly’s or yours?”
“Both, I suppose. While I didn’t make them up, I agreed to obey them.”
“That is so fucked up, Sarah.”
“Why do you have to say that word so much?” Some things never changed. Sarah had a way of changing the subject, which made it difficult to keep track of the conversation sometimes.
“What…fuck?”
“Yes. You say it a lot.”
“I’ll work on it.”
“Thank you.”
“Now that I agreed to work on something for you, I think you should agree to work on something for me.”
“I knew there had to be a catch. Okay. What do you want?”
That’s a loaded question. Seth had a long list of things he wanted from Sarah, all of them X-rated. He started with something simpler.
“I want us to stop fighting.”
“I’m sorry about last night, but it’s stressful seeing you.”
“I understand, but you’re so hell-bent on staying away from me, you make it worse.”
“Okay, no more fighting. Hopefully, we won’t be seeing too much of each other. That seems to work best for us.” Sarah looked at her watch. “I’m going to be late. Make yourself at home and lock up when you leave. Again, I’m sorry for last night.”
Then & Now Page 20
