“Don’t mention it. Our history with you know…has me thinkin’ about ya a lot. I worry about you. Hope you’re doin’ good, your mom says you are. I check in with her about once a month just to be sure. Don’t want you gettin’ caught up with the wrong kind of man again.” He said and I knew precisely what he was referring to.
Officer Lincoln was the man who saved me from Brian. My mom and Roni had filed three police reports and each one of those were investigated. None of them turned anything out of the ordinary up. So the investigations were quickly dropped. Until my mom filed a fourth report and Officer Lincoln was the one to investigate. Being a Dom himself, Officer Lincoln realized a lot of strange things in the household that the other men didn’t. Brian’s excuse for the house’s condition was the fact we experimented with strange sexual scenarios and they bought it, hook, line and sinker. Or so I was told.
Office Lincoln didn’t, and he was also the only cop to go into the barn and that’s where Brian performed all of his most brutal acts. Including and certainly not limited to—stitching me up after he sliced me a little too deep. It was also the place he had built and stored the makeshift hospital bed. That was fashioned out of scrap wood and small tractor wheels, which he used to roll me out of the barn when I bled too much and fell unconscious. Once my heart even stopped and Brian had to beat on my chest to revive me. I was black and blue for a week. After that, he invested in saline bags and a defibrillator, so the second and third time I passed out and nearly died, he was able to revive me much easier. Not that I wanted to live. Eight months of near torture was enough to leave me begging God to grant me divine mercy and allow me to die, of course, it didn’t work, I’m still here.
Officer Lincoln upon inspection had found the makeshift gurney and dried remnants of my blood, and that’s all it took. He called the squad in, they did an investigation and three months of fighting with the court system, Brian finally got sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him or what he’s done to me. Or the fact that six years of his sentence has already been served, leaving him with nine more years to get angrier and angrier. I know he’ll kill me once he gets out. He promised me that, in the courtroom the day of his sentencing, right in front of the judge.
Any who...after Officer Lincoln delivered my gift and we chatted a few more minutes, he asked, “Do you want me to address Roni and Bob? Or do you want to take care of it?”
I didn’t want to deal with them. So I left him to it and took my beautiful gift back inside, and went upstairs. Where I slept like complete hell. I couldn’t stop tossing and turning and thinking about the stupid Suit Master. The man I am sure is a Dom. I know they’re not all bad. Officer Lincoln is one. But, I would never get involved in anything like that ever again. I haven’t even had sex since I was with Brian, let alone anything else.
Which brings us to this morning, where I woke up, did my routine, yoga, shower, and all that jazz. Go down stairs to have my best friend come crawling in my back door in grimy pj pants and Bob trailing right behind her, wearing holy jeans and no shirt, who ended up eating all the biscotti that I had saved for Friday’s morning tea with Roni. Leaving me having to run to Barbie’s today to pick up some biscotti, not tomorrow, like usual. Don’t get me wrong, I like Bob. I’m trying not to be a cranky bitch. But I slept terribly last night, and I got into work this morning looking less like myself. Daniel even noticed the bags under my eyes as he was servicing me. Which I thought might help. It didn’t. I’m still in an unpleasant mood.
And that brings us to now. I’m sitting in my office, my Dairy Dream lunch is half eaten on my desk and I’m staring frustratingly at my computer screen. That is flashing six emails from the Suit Master. I’ve been sitting here staring at them for the past ten minutes, debating to open them or not to open them. That is the question of the day, a pathetic one at that.
Knock, Knock.
“Boss?” Daniel beckons through the closed door.
“Yes?” Momentarily I stop my incessant monitor stare down.
“I have a delivery. Can I come in?”
Why is my secretary asking permission to come into my office? I can’t be that much of an evil bitch today… Can I?
“Yes, yes, Daniel, you don’t need permission.” I speak calmly and refined. I don’t want him to think I’m angry or pissed at him. I’m cranky, just not at him. Can’t I have one day of my damn life, where I’m allowed to be bitchy and peeved off at the world? I mean, nobody’s perfect for cryin’ out loud.
Opening my door, he slowly carries in the biggest God forsaken rose bouquet I’ve ever beheld. I can’t even see him behind the arrangement. No doubt made by my mother. She’d be the only one in the county to have roses in that vast array of colors.
“Three more steps and you’re to my desk.” I guide him and he follows my instructions. As his thighs butt up against my desk, he carefully lowers the massive vase. Setting it securely on my desktop and backing away.
Fake wiping sweat from his brow and playfully ‘whewing’ a few times, he says, “Your mother’s delivery boy just dropped those off. And no, they’re not from Donald, I checked the card already.”
Still trying to wrap my head around this massive bouquet, I can’t imagine who would fork out this amount of money for an arrangement this magnificent. Roses aren’t cheap, and these are top quality. There has to be at least six dozen roses; a mixture of lavenders, light pinks, medium pinks, whites, and peach roses. With a single red rose tucked beside the plastic note holder.
Tugging the card from the floral pick, I remove it from the envelope.
Read the email’s Lex. I’m not kidding when I say I will win you.
All my affection,
Your Secret Admirer
This has gone from bad to worse! He wasn’t kidding when he said he knew more about me. He even knows where I work! Now we are seriously overstepping normalcy into creeper, Hannibal Lector territory. I can’t lie and say it’s not the slightest bit flattering, not the Hannibal part. But, I’m no idiot. This has psycho written all over it, in big bold blood stained letters.
“It’s from the Suit Master, isn’t it?” Daniel inquires, sitting on the arm of my guest chair.
Shooting him a puzzled expression, I ask. “How did you know?”
“Roni, she informs me on the things you don’t and vice versa.”
Great, now both of them are double-teaming me. I really can’t wait for today to be over.
“Are you busy?” The worst voice in the world, questions, standing in my open doorframe.
Why didn’t I make sure Daniel closed the door?
“She’s not. I was just leaving.” Daniel singsongs and hurries out of room, pushing Gage into my office and shutting us in.
Real slick, Daniel! Think if I get distracted, I won’t forget about the fact you and my best friend Veronica Phoenix are conspiring against me.
“Can I help you, Mr. Masterson?” I make my tone harsh, so he won’t have to wonder if I want him here or not. Today, I don’t want him anywhere near me.
Dropping into one of my leather armchairs, relaxing, he kicks up his foot and rests it on his knee.
“Who those from?” he asks, arrogantly pointing to the flowers.
“A man.” I reflexively snap. It’s none of his damn business who they’re from.
“Didn’t think you had a ‘man’.” He, air quotes, flashing one of those stupid pretty smiles. How can he be such a jerk, yet, so delicious? It’s really distracting. And today he’s clad in a pinstriped suit and matte black, square-toed dress shoes. Even his cufflinks are sexy. They’re silver and black with an M monogramed on them.
Ignoring is comment; I ask him again, “What can I help you with, Mr. Masterson?”
“I have some business I’d like to discuss, unless you’d like to call your boy-friend, to thank him for such a lavish arrangement first.” He draws out boyfriend like it’s a dirty word and we’re suddenly back in elementary, where cooties still exist.
/> “He’s not my boyfriend, I have you know. And I won’t be calling him.” Lashing out at Gage happens to be the highlight of my day thus far. Maybe I should have him come here more often. I’m enjoying this. It’s helping my terrible mood lighten up a bit.
“Hmmm,” tapping his chin with the pad of his index finger, his eyebrows bunch and his forehead creases, making him appear to be deep in thought.
“A man buys you nice roses, you don’t want to call him, and he’s not your boyfriend. They’re not from Donald are they?”
What is his deal? Why is he pressing the matter? Has his high-class ass purchased roses for a woman before and not gotten a thank you? Because the Suit Master will not be getting a thank you from me.
“No, Mr. Masterson. If you must know, so we can finally conduct our business. I met a man online that I liked. Then I didn’t anymore. And he’s sending me flowers for whatever stupid reason to try to convince me he isn’t going to stop trying to date me. However, I’m not interested.” Speaking boldly with dignified words, I then turn my gaze to him and watch to see his reaction.
Covering his kissable lips with his hand, he chuckles behind his fingers. The faint age lines around his eyes crinkle as he smiles. “I see, a man online, you say?”
“Yes?”
“I never thought of you as an online dating kind of woman. Figured you’d date someone locally, and preferably rich.”
“Are you trying to insult me?” I ask, nonchalantly, even though my anger meter has spiked a few decimals.
The nerve of this man! Why does he infuriate me so much?
“No, quite the contrary, Ms. Keagan. I figured a woman as attractive, bright and successful, such as yourself, wouldn’t be seeking love through cyberspace. Is he at least local?”
Why does this matter? Did he really come to ask me about my dating life? If he did, he has another thing comin’. I could never, would never, in a million bazillion years, want to grace my bed, let alone my heart, with the likes of Gage fuckin’ Masterson, the asshat, rude man, who I know probably, fucked his way through college. I feel sorry for his ex-wife. Whoever that poor woman is, she has got to be a saint.
Ok, yes. It’s confirmed, I am a raging bitch today.
“Yes, he’s local and we’re over. Can you please drop it? I’ve had a hard enough time getting rid of him. Now, I’d like to get rid of you for the day. I want some peace and quiet. So why did you come here, Gage?” I’ve lost all patience, and the next step is throwing something at him. He picked the wrong day to walk into my office.
Giving me his devilish grin, he replies. “You called me Gage, I like when you use my name. It means we are finally coming to terms with this budding friendship, Ms. Keagan. I came here for two reasons. One, I wanted to be the first to tell you that we will be closing the case next Friday. And secondly, I have some good news.”
“What’s that?” I don’t see much coming from his mouth as good news, although, getting this bogus lawsuit over with by next Friday is a weight lifted off my shoulders.
“I spoke with the company, and they have agreed to drop the lawsuit to five hundred thousand, instead of three million. I know it’s not the best outcome. But I figured that might make you happy.”
Beaming an ear-to-ear smile, without even thinking, I excitedly catapult out of my chair, dash around my desk and throw myself at Gage, wrapping my thin arms around his manly neck.
“Thank you.” I hug him, bending at the waist, arms around his seated figure.
Both of his big hands grasp my hips and he pulls me into the chair with him. Making me sit on his lap, my heart pounding a million miles an hour, and suddenly I can feel my sexual needs sparking to life.
This is not good!
“Don’t mention it.” He gently wraps two fingers around a section of my hair and pulls it to his nose.
“Mmmm, you smell even better than I thought.” He compliments, his tone dropping into a deep sexually charged baritone.
“What do you mean?” I stupidly croak and cross my legs in my dark brown leather pencil skirt. It’s a tight fit. But it works.
“I knew you had to smell amazing. Look at how you dress,” his hand faintly skims across my skirt. The feeling causes butterflies to flutter rapidly in my belly and my breathing hitches.
He feels so good, and I am so turned on right now. It’s a miracle I’m wearing a leather skirt to conceal just how much.
“Dior is an exquisite perfume.” He sexily mutters, running his fingers through my hair.
This can’t be happening!
Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulls me further into him so my butt is now sitting on his upper thigh, and he is actually cuddling with me. Over and over, he sweetly combs his fingers through my long hair and I meld into him, loving every sweet gesture, even though I shouldn’t.
“I convinced them suing for three million might put a strain on your professional relationship with the company. And in turn, the probability of a lesser product could be made for their stores.” He whispers, his face nuzzled in my hair, I can feel the hotness of his minty breath sensuously wafting over my neck.
It’s never felt this way with a man before. I’ve only ever been with one, other than Daniel. I never knew it could be this intimate.
“I could never give the lesser of a product and feel okay with myself.” I reassure my voice so tiny, I’m not sure if he heard me.
“Lex, I know that. They don’t.” His lips kiss my hair and I hear his intake of breath, inhaling my scent, groaning in his throat, through his lingering exhale.
“Now, I know you don’t like me. And you have another man you’re talking with. But would you please consider going on a date with me?”
I say the first thing that comes to mind. “Wouldn’t Corey be upset? Isn’t that against bro-code?”
Gradually, I force myself out of his magnetic pull, my heart and my body desperately want to stay pressed against his suit clad, rock-hard deliciously scented chest. My mind, the only logical part of me at this point, is forcing my body to catch up.
“I don’t care. I want to get to know you.”
Those words, those are the magic words, every woman wants to hear. And by God, I love them slipping delicately from between his juicy kissable lips, his nose still nestled into my hair, his hands wrapped gentlemanly around my waist. I’m trying to ignore the hard thickness that’s touching my thigh. But I can’t. He’s hard, and I know it’s huge. So huge, my mouth is watering just thinking about how it might feel gliding between my lips, him looking down at me through hooded lust filled eyes, as his hand lovingly strokes my hair, and he whispers how much he’s always dreamed of me sucking him.
Oh, hell! Stop it Lex, stop it right now! You’re turned on. It’s okay to be horny. It’s okay to feel this way. But is it really? I mean, this is Gage Masterson. The most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. There is no way he’s not said this to a hundred different women. I can’t be the first, and I surely won’t be the last.
Get out of his lap; get out of his lap right now!
Scooting forward, without giving him a definitive answer, I try to move off his lap. His hands tighten around me, anchoring me to him and I can’t move.
“Please.” Huskily he begs.
“You’re hot, Gage, I’m sure most women fall for this. Now please, let me up.” Grabbing both of the arms of the chair, I use them as leverage as I forcefully pull myself from his hold and he lets me go with a sigh.
Righting my skirt, I confidently, with a strong back, stroll around my desk and professionally sit down. Folding my hands into my lap after I smooth my hair, that probably smells like him now.
“Well, I’ll take this as my cue to leave.” Gage stands, places both hands on the lip of my desk and audibly smells the giant bouquet of roses with an ‘Mmmmmm.’
“Let me know if you change your mind. I’ll see you next Friday.” He turns and he’s gone, closing the door behind him, leaving my room smelling unquestionably like him. His expensiv
e cologne lingering smells of bergamot, cardamom, nutmeg…and… I sniff the air again… And…is that mandarin?
I know it might seem strange I can sniff out the concoction of his cologne. I’ve been in this business a long time and around flowers even longer. It’s a gift.
Calming my flaring libido and frazzled nerves, I get back to work, deleting the Suit Masters emails permanently before I do. I don’t have the time to sit around contemplating opening six measly emails. After the Gage run in, I know my heart can’t take another moment of these intense emotions bubbling up. Feelings I can’t even begin to understand or have ever felt before. This is one hundred percent uncharted waters for this land mammal.
“Well lookie who the cat dragged in.” Barbie’s well-known mild southern accent livens up the place, as soon as I walk in the chiming front doors of her fabulous bakery. Wiping her hands on her white apron, she comes out from behind the counter and displays. Arms spread wide; she lovingly heads straight for me. Her whitening dirty blonde hair pulled messily up onto a bun atop her head, clad in blue jeans, and her famous hot pink polo shirt, with her name embroidered on the left chest in navy blue thread.
“Lex.” She says warmly, wrapping me into a huge motherly hug and I return the sentimental gesture. Just as I do every week. And as always, I tuck my head down into the crook of her neck and surround myself in the comforting smells of bread, chocolate and vanilla.
I love this woman.
“What can I get cha?” she asks, releasing me, and she reaches down, folding my hand into hers, pulling me behind her toward the displays filled with her latest treats and desserts.
This place isn’t a chain like Starbucks or Tim Horton’s. She doesn’t make the same stuff every week or day; she only makes what her heart tells her. That’s the rules. You get what she makes. No questions asked. For example, if you’re craving chocolate toffee scones and she hasn’t made them, you can request a special order. Most of the time she won’t deny a customer, especially the ones who are her favorites. However, everyone comes for the new treats and she never disappoints in what she offers. It’s always a vast array of breads, candies, chocolates, cookies, cakes, pies, biscotti, croissants, rolls, loafs of bread, and just about anything else you can imagine. She even makes those delectable giant cookie cakes, with the homemade buttercream and fudge frosting. Everything you select is either nicely packed into a cute pink paper bag or a pink box, and all the boxes are tied with a teal bow.
Lex (Unconventional Hearts) Page 9
