“No, my job is to protect her. There was never anything intimate in our relationship.”
“But you lived with her?!” she asked in disbelief.
“I told you I didn’t fuck her. You need to listen to me. In truth, I haven’t gotten any in over two years,” I confessed.
“Two years,” she repeated in awe.
“Well…it’s not easy in my line of work. My last relationship ended with me walking in on her giving her neighbor head in her car. She complained that I was never around, and she was lonely. I don’t take back a cheater. I took the assignment and didn’t bother looking for another woman. Believe it or not, but I don’t like lying about my real name. That’s not a way to start a relationship.”
“Don’t you have one night stands?” I knew she was testing how much of a rodeo cowboy I was, but I wasn’t a playboy at all. I liked sex and had my fair share as a teen and in my early twenties, but I was an adult now.
“I don’t have them, but I don’t really date, either. My career is not conducive to it. Women want more than I’ve been willing to give.”
“Being a cop, I guess it’s not. So why are you here then, if it’s not going to work?”
“It’ll work between us. Unlike the others I really want you, and I’m not going to walk away. I won’t let anything get in the way. So stop trying to make excuses and get to work.”
I checked my phone for messages as she continued to order supplies. Sam texted that she was having fun and safe with Rick. I got a text from Eli too, informing me that there was some movement in the Middle East and in France. We didn’t know which of her buyers would be coming first, but we couldn’t do anything but wait. It was about ten minutes later when there was a knock at the store window.
“I guess that’s our food. You grab what you need to take upstairs, and I’ll get our food.”
“Yes, sir,” she said with mocking salute.
I just shook my head and walked out the door. Once I got our food and locked the door again, hitting the alarm like Tad showed me, I walked back to the room.
“Wow, I can smell it through the bags. It smells so good.” She sniffed the air with a smile. Then she looked at how much I had ordered, asked like a smartass. “You sure you ordered enough?”
“I want to make sure you eat. Come, babe. Direct me to your lair,” I insisted in a sensual tone.
“Silly man, it’s just through this door and up the stairs.” I watched her grab a lot of papers.
“Babe, give me those and move your cute bottom up the stairs.” I took the papers and followed a few steps behind her. This gave me a great view of her sexy ass. Once we got upstairs my brain moved off her butt and focused on her walk. It was clear that her feet hurt.
Just as she was opening the door, she turned to me and said, “Don’t mind the mess. I didn’t expect company.”
I walked into an almost pristine apartment, and I laughed out loud.
“What’s so funny,” she said clearly offended.
“Babe, you said this place was messy. Seriously, poor Rick is in for it because Sam is a messy girl. This is nothing.”
“Really?” she said it like she was shocked. Sam was a total tomboy before she met Rick.
“Yeah, I was the one who cleaned up in the house.”
“Well, then I don’t feel so bad.”
After setting everything down on the table, I asked, “Where are your plates?”
“In the kitchen?”
“Nice, smart ass. Where in the kitchen?”
She smiled at me, mischievously. It was nice to see how playful she was. “Second cabinet, on the left, right above the dishwasher.”
“Thanks, Babe.” I walked into her kitchen that had a total of three dirty dishes in the sink. I grabbed the plates and took some silverware from the strainer. When I got back I realized I didn’t get us something to wash our food down with. “I forgot to get us some drinks.”
“I really don’t have much, just some orange juice and some beer Rick left here.”
She tried to get up and help, but I wasn’t having it. “Relax, Claire. Tad told me you had a rough day. What do you want to drink?”
“A glass of water with ice.”
“Okay, you can start setting it up, and I’ll get our drinks.”
I walked back into the living room where she had her papers in a pile and was setting up the food. Damn, I found her setting up our food sexy. This was going to be a long night. I wanted to leave after dinner, but I also wanted to stay. I didn’t want to leave her again. I felt like if I did I wouldn’t see her again.
“Do you always work long hours and then do the bookkeeping?”
I thought she was going to lie to me, but she just answered, “Yes. I do. I just started this company from the ground up with a loan from my father, and I’m just out of the red, so I can’t hire the many employees I need.”
“Your father could help you out.”
“Yes, but I wanted to do it on my own. Rick did, I knew I could too. I’ve actually paid off his loan about three months ago. The salon has been a success until this last two months.”
“Are you losing money?”
“I believe so. We have lots of cancellations and not a lot of reschedules. I haven’t done the bills/banking in a long while. The girls have been helping me with the paperwork and supply ordering since they know all about the business aspect of the industry, but they’ve been slacking as stylists. I’ll find out how bad we’re doing tonight.”
“But they haven’t been coming to work? Is that why you’re losing money.”
“Yes, but this is only the fourth time in the past two months or so. We have also been losing product. There have been spills when we’ve been in a rush, so lost product is lost money. My business was so popular I had over thirty clients a day. Now I’m down to fifteen. I need to figure out how bad it is so I can find a way to fix it.”
“First you need to fire those broads and hire someone to look at the books who is a professional. But for now you got me to help, and I’ll help any way I can. So what do you have to get done tonight?”
“I have to go over the inventory sheets and reconcile the bank statements.”
I grabbed the top statement and saw her name and that of the salon. I wondered if she used the same bank account for both private and business use. I hoped not. Even though it was her company, it’s always fiscally wiser to keep the two separate. “Do you have a different bank account for the business?”
“Yes. I don’t want to mix up anything when it comes to tax time. The Feds are brutal with tax evasion,” she said with a completely deadpanned expression.
She was about to start with the papers, but I pulled them from her hands and commanded, “Ha-ha, Eat your food. I know you want it.”
“I do want it, thanks. I haven’t eaten since before you stopped by this morning. I tend to get carried away with work and forget.”
“That’s not good. Don’t let that shit happen again.”
She gave me a mock salute again. “Yes, sir.”
“Save that shit for the bedroom, baby. I think I might like you calling me sir.”
“Always sex.” She rolled her eyes at me before taking a bite on a veggie egg roll.
“Hey, I can think of other things. I just happen to prefer thinking about you and me naked.”
We ate and talked about what she does for fun, which was absolutely nothing because she works ninety hours a week. We just finished our food, and she got up to take the plates. I tried to help, but she swatted my hands.
She came back a moment later, and I asked as I looked down at her papers if I could do something. “So what can I help you with?”
“Nothing just relax.” She picked up our empty drinks and asked, “Do you want another beer?”
“No, Claire, but where is your bathroom?” I asked.
“The first door on your right.” She pointed down the small hallway.
I walked to where she was standing with our empty
drinks and stole a quick kiss before heading to the bathroom. I looked around as I heard her rinsing the plates. I didn’t want her to hear what I was doing so I turned on the sink.
I was just walking out of the bathroom when she came to ask what I was doing.
“What do you mean what was I doing? This is the bathroom, is it not?”
“You don’t have to turn on the water to take a shit. I promise I wasn’t eavesdropping.”
“I wasn’t sweetheart, but it’s good to know for future reference. Follow me,” I said as I grabbed her hand and walked her to the bathroom.
“Oh, no, you didn’t,” she said with a small smile.
“Before you say shit, I’m not trying to get lucky. I know you’re sore and tired. I thought you could use a hot bubble bath.”
“But I’ve got a lot of catch-up work to do.”
“Don’t worry about it. I can match up a few numbers. Remember…I am a Fed.”
“I don’t need you to do it for me. I’m a big girl. I can handle it on my own.”
“I know you can. I didn’t say you couldn’t, but you have a nice hot bubble bath waiting for you. Go and enjoy it or I may have to steal it for myself. I don’t care if I smell pretty in lavender.”
I could see her eyeing the tub. I was waiting for her to cave, and she did. “Fine. I’m going, but just call me if you need me.”
“I’ll manage. Now scoot your pretty and tired butt before the water cools.”
“Tad’s so right that cowboy drawl that randomly comes out is sexy,” she said saucily.
“Get going, woman, before I get your ass. It’s not nice to tease an old man like me. Great how am I supposed to concentrate now that you admit I’m sexy?”
She stuck her head out the door, and I could see her top was gone and she replied, “I said the drawl was sexy, not you.”
I’d made like I was going to go after her, so she squealed, tucked her head in, and closed the door. Damn it to shit, I had to adjust my cock. After taking a breath or two, I took a seat at the coffee table to look at the papers.
It was about twenty minutes in and my eyes were going cross. I needed to step back, so I got up to get a beer. Once I grabbed the beer and took a drink, I yelled to the bathroom, “Hey, babe. You okay in there?”
“Yes, am I taking too long?” she asked softly.
“Not at all. Just making sure you didn’t fall asleep.”
“Thanks.”
I took another a swig, and sat back down. Feeling refreshed, I’d gotten back down to work. To my shock getting up helped because there was a major problem with the statements. I was looking at the billing from two months ago, and there was a massive discrepancy in the banking to inventory invoices. A twenty thousand dollar discrepancy as a matter of fact. I pulled out last month’s statement and the same thing. They were large cash withdrawals. I was afraid to think something illegal was going on, but it looked a hell of a lot like it.
I couldn’t find anything to justify the transactions. There were bills for equipment, but they were on the statements. I just put it down to take another drink when she came out in tiny fucking shorts and a tank top that wasn’t hiding her large breasts or her peaked nipples.
“Come on, babe. Are you trying to get rid of me?” I groaned.
“No, why is there something wrong with my pajamas or body,” she whispered in embarrassment, uncertain of her natural beauty.
“Nothing, except for the fact that I promised not to have sex with you tonight,” I growled. I stood up and showed her the damaged she caused. My cock was pressed hard against my zipper and clearly visible to the naked eye.
She groaned, “I’m sorry. I can change.”
“No, Claire. Come sit your sleepy ass down, and I’ll give you a foot massage.” I tapped the seat next to me on the sofa. She sat down, but that wasn’t enough for me, so I snatched up her feet and lifted them over my legs.
“Don’t keep spoiling me. I might get used to it,” she warned.
“Get used to it,” I replied.
She grabbed my beer and took a drink. Then she spit that shit out fast as hell. “This tastes like shit.”
“I don’t even want to know how you know what shit tastes like.”
“Ha-ha. Funny. How do you drink this?”
“Easy, like this.” I took a swig and asked, “You want to kiss me now, babe.”
“Nope.”
“Fine, lay back and let me rub you right.”
“Okay,” she moaned as I started touching her little feet. Then she grabbed the papers on the table.
“Don’t worry about that right now. Just relax.”
“I don’t have time for that. This is more pampering than I’ve had over the last year.”
“Take advantage of it and wait,” I stated.
“I can’t. It’s been bugging me that I’m not on top of things.” I didn’t want to keep pestering her about it, but I also didn’t want to bring it up.
It was a minute in to looking at the bank statement that I realized she caught the problem. She then grabbed the last month’s statement and dropped it on the floor.
She pulled her feet out of my lap and stood up. Her tears were on the brink. “I don’t understand,” she whined to herself. She kept looking at the withdrawal like it was going to change. My poor girl looked broken, and I didn’t like that shit.
She turned to me and accused, “You saw this already, didn’t you?”
I shrugged and guiltily replied, “Yes. I did. I noticed it when you were in the bath, but I didn’t want to stress you out about it.”
“What the hell happened? How did this happen?” she said angrily to herself.
“You said you let your staff help with the books. The only thing I can think of is maybe one of them got a little greedy.”
“Jane and Rita worked on it together.”
“I don’t know the other girls, but Tad didn’t seem that shady.”
“He’s not. He didn’t touch the books. Tad’s dyslexic and has a hard time focusing on things like this.”
“I had a hard time. My eyes crossed a couple of times, and I don’t have any issues. I don’t know how accountants do it.” I tried to make light of the situation, but I was really too pissed to try.
“I don’t understand how this happened,” she bemoaned to herself.
“Baby, did you buy anything or ask any of your staff to buy some equipment in cash?”
“No. Never. The tax issues would be too much to deal with, so I just pay invoices with my card or checks,” she cried. I stood up and wrapped her in my arms as she sobbed.
My anger was boiling over for these broads. I know they both have to be involved. I felt it in my gut.
“I need to make a call. Can you give me a minute?” I asked.
“Sure, I have to go wash my face.”
“You still look beautiful, my pixie.”
I walked out into the hallway and made a call to one of my brothers. He’s a forensic accountant and works with me in McAllen.
“Hey Brax, I know it’s late, but I have a problem with stolen monies from a hair salon.”
“Really, bro. It’s late. It’s a hair salon. Does this have to do with a murder or some other shit that’s vital?”
“It’s your future sister-in-law’s salon. Okay.”
That caught his attention. “Sure. Send me the info tomorrow, and then you can tell me about the woman that you actually want to keep around.”
I knew it was those broads, but I wanted all my ducks in a row. I wasn’t going to let someone take advantage of my woman. “Sure thing. Thanks, bro.”
“Night.” He hung up, and I walked back into the apartment. She was standing there looking miserable. Her face was tear stained and her eyes were red, yet to me she was still pretty. Her eyes brightened when she cried.
“How you doin’, baby?”
“I just lost forty thousand dollars to people who I thought were my friends. I feel freaking fantastic.”
&nb
sp; “Hey, baby we’ll call the bank tomorrow. I’m sure you could file fraud charges and retrieve your money.”
“Like the bank’s going to give me my money back. I’ll be lucky if they let me get this month’s twenty grand back. They’ll just think I’m an idiot. That’s all I need.”
“Babe, I don’t know where you get this self-doubt, but it’s not cool. You’re a talented, beautiful woman who has turned her fledgling business into a success at such a young age. Trusting your friends doesn’t make you an idiot.”
“Thanks, Travis.” I took her in my arms and gave her a big hug.
“I’m sorry, but I’m tired, I just want to go to bed.”
“Um, okay…I’ll leave. Just let me make sure you’re tucked in.”
“I know I said no sex, but would it be terrible to have you stay the night— to just sleep?” Her eyes begged, and I couldn’t refuse.
“I hoped you would have asked. I can sleep on the couch, if it would make you feel better.”
“No. I preferred if you stayed next to me, if it’s okay with you.” I could see her hesitancy. It was a lot to ask when she knew what she did to me.
The thing is being away from her was something I didn’t care for. Even the couch seemed too far away. “Just being with you is great for me.”
Chapter 6—Travis
After I made sure the door was locked, we walked to the bedroom. Her room was not huge just like the rest of her apartment, but it looked comfortable. There were pictures of her family all around, and in the center was a king size bed. It took up the majority of the room. And of course the covers like downstairs had a hot pink/purple and black look to them.
I was actually nervous. She was the first woman to ever mean anything to me. We weren’t planning to have sex, so why was I so nervous? She wasn’t so nervous, but I guessed that was because her mind had been filled with painful and trying thoughts.
“How you doing, babe?” I said as I looked down at her.
She’d just pulled the covers back, and whimpered, “I just want to sleep.”
“Well, tuck your ass in,” I commanded.
She just gave me a weak smile and climbed in bed. I took off my shirt shoes and belt climbed directly behind her. I didn’t dare get anymore undressed. She might accidentally catch a dick between her thighs.
Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2) Page 4
