Her heart pounded. She hadn’t meant for him to hear her, but he had. What if she’d been wrong? What if he’d taken two steps and fallen on his ass? Her cheeks flamed.
Scott’s smile lit up the café, making her tummy quiver. “Thanks.” Kissy flopped to the floor beside him. “Now then. Why in the hell can’t you take our offer? If you want to show this dickhead you mean business, let me help.”
Stubborn bastard.
“I’ll be in the way.”
Scott and Tyler both snorted. Brianna rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Do you know how many rooms we have? Hell, you could choose whichever one you want and we’d probably never see you again.”
“But you’ve got kids, and—”
“So?” Scott interrupted. “I live there too. They don’t seem to mind me being there.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Don’t you dare say it’s because I’m blind. I will throw you over my lap and paddle your ass if you do.”
Tara cringed. That’s exactly what she’d been thinking. His words made her breathe heavily, exciting her. What would it feel like to have his hands on her, first causing pain, then soothing the pain away?
Tyler laughed, Brianna smacked him. “Knock it off,” she hissed.
“Must have seen something on her face, huh?” Scott lifted his mug to his lips.
Tara’s face flamed. Had she been that obvious? She shifted, trying to ease the persistent tickle between her legs.
Brianna sighed. “I don’t know why you’d want to live with these Neanderthals anyway.” She smacked Tyler again. “Stop it,” she said when he continued to chortle.
“Stay with us,” Scott murmured soothingly.
Damn. He was making it so hard to say no. She hated being beholden to anybody though. If things didn’t work out, she’d be without a place again. Ooh…she simmered just thinking about Eric lounging in her apartment as they spoke. Jackass.
Tensions had been building between them the last couple months. She wasn’t even sure why. Her heart just hadn’t been in it anymore. Had it ever? Had she ever really felt anything for him? Or had he merely been a crutch?
For what? she wondered.
Deep inside she had a sinking feeling she knew what. And he was sitting not three feet from her.
“Please?” he cajoled, oblivious to his sister and her husband as they argued about Tyler’s lackluster attempt to keep a straight face.
“I’ve got it,” Brianna suddenly shouted, making Tara jump in her seat.
The café grew silent with her more than loud announcement as everyone wondered what it was she got. More than one head turned their way in curiosity. Great. Just what she needed.
“Oops, sorry, folks.” Brianna raised her hands in surrender, her cheeks pink.
“Nice goin’, sis.”
“Scottie,” she warned.
Tara smiled. She loved watching the two of them together. They had the easiest camaraderie and no matter how much they argued, it was done in love.
Not like the arguments she and Eric had. No, those were pretty much what he considered petty arguments. Tara didn’t see them that way. He was stifling her, starting to tell her—guide her, he would say—what she could and couldn’t do, who she could see, what she could wear.
Uh-uh. No way would she stand for that shit. And still, since she’d left, Eric hadn’t gotten the premise of “leave me alone”. A few times, she’d given in. Tried to see it from his point of view. Hell, maybe she was being unreasonable. When she was ready to walk away from a fight, put some distance between them before things got too bad, he pushed closer. Emotionally and physically, as if he just wasn’t able to let it drop.
Always later she would find some tangible evidence of his apology. A gift, a note, a flower, something. But never the words. Never a “Hey, I’m sorry, let’s make up”. His attitude ran more toward the I-know-you’ll-never-leave-me-so-get-over-this-and-move-on way of life. It was an attitude she’d facilitated by going along with him every time they argued instead of seeing the light and getting out of the relationship. It had started getting more than creepy.
Then she’d seen a documentary on a woman who lived with a man who acted the same way Eric did. Things had ended horrifically for the woman, but had made Tara open her eyes to what was happening in her own life.
The next day she’d walked out. Where did that leave her? Homeless and sitting in a café with Studalicious asking her to move in with him.
“No, seriously. I’ve got it. I know you, Tara. You don’t want to move in because you think you’ll owe us something and don’t have anything to give.”
Tara’s cheeks heated. Her best friend had read her mind.
Brianna practically vibrated in her seat. “Decorate the house for us!” She bounced to the edge of her chair, clapping and humming with a huge smile on her face.
Lunatic. “What the hell are you talking about, Bri?”
“Yeah, Brianna, what are you talking about?” Scottie echoed.
Brianna grunted and slapped her thighs.
“Give her a minute, ladies and gentlemen, sometimes it takes her a while to check her excitement.” Tyler turned his head as if he were speaking to the whole café.
Most everyone had gone back to their business, but a few gawkers chuckled at his announcement.
Brianna turned to him and snarled. It was really a sight to see, honestly. Her lip curled up and her eyebrows came together to form a unibrow above her nose.
“The party, Tyler. She can decorate for the party.”
“Aah.” He nodded. “Yes. She can. That is, if she wants to,” he said, turning to look at her in question.
“No way.” Tara shook her head vehemently.
“Why not?”
“Oh don’t go gettin’ all whiny on me, Brianna. Christmas is three days away. I can’t decorate your house for a Christmas party in that amount of time.”
“And again I say, why not?”
Jeesh, the woman was dense. “Have you seen your house?”
Tyler laughed outright. Scott snorted. Good. At least the men were in agreement with her.
“I have every faith in you, Tara,” Scott urged softly.
Rats.
“Which is why you’ll have to move in with us in order to work around the clock to finish it,” Brianna crowed.
Tara opened her mouth to talk but Scott beat her to it.
“Now wait a minute,” Scott demanded.
Take that, she thought. Let her brother set her straight.
“Tara will not move into our home and work every hour of the day. I won’t allow it.”
Tara slammed her mouth shut. She didn’t know whether to be pissed because he was acting like Eric or pleased that he was thinking of her comfort.
“She’d be too exhausted to join the party if you made her work full-time.”
“True,” Brianna agreed.
“Hello.” Tara waved, trying to get their attention. Not that Scott could see her, but still.
“But it solves the problem of her feeling like she would owe us something for living there,” Brianna insisted.
“You’re not going to trade a bed for her work, are you?”
Scott sounded so disgusted, Tara had to laugh. Tyler apparently felt the same way. He threw his head back and his body shook with loud laughter.
“No, you dolt. I was merely saying if she lived with us, she could spend more time working on the decorations and not have to worry about leaving at a certain time or… Never mind. My point is this. Tara can’t stand to be a burden. To anybody. Of course I would pay her. Her work is fabulous.”
“Okay then. It’s settled. Have Max pick up her stuff,” Scott said.
Oh for God’s sake. “You do realize I am sitting right here and have not said yes to this plan?”
Both siblings turned to her.
“We were just trying to get you away from Eric. That is what you said you wanted, right?” Scott asked petulantly.
Now she’d h
urt his feelings again, which was almost as bad as being beholden to someone.
“Besides, Tara,” Brianna started, “think of all the people who’ll see your stuff. You could give out your business cards, we could make a banner, hand out flyers, announce who you are.”
Good Lord the woman could get excited.
Ugh. She had a point though. This project could be a real coup for Tara’s business. Knowing Tyler and Cole, all sorts of high-society people would be there. Just thinking about how many projects she might drum up made her breath catch.
And, Scott had a point too. It would take her away from Eric and hopefully make him see once and for all that she was through with him.
“Oh, all right.” She sighed, giving in to the conniving brother and sister.
Brianna started in on the clapping again. Tyler cringed and dropped his head back on the seat with a groan.
Scott’s face lit up like a little boy who’d finally gotten his way.
Why that little… He’d played her from the get-go. Hurt feelings, her ass.
Who did she think she was, running out on him like this? Look at her laughing and having a good time with some other man instead of being at home where she should be.
Nobody walked out on him. Nobody.
He needed to teach her a lesson. She belonged with him. They were perfect together. Two parts of a whole.
He’d thought she would see that the second she walked out on him. Tara couldn’t cope without him. She needed him to keep her strong, to keep her from straying on the wrong path. Which was obviously what had happened by the looks of things.
Their time apart was that bitch Brianna’s fault. He would have to do something about her. Get her influence away from his Tara.
Tara didn’t need the distraction. Her mind should be focused on him.
Sick. Brianna was a depravity. Having two men. He smiled. Maybe they weren’t real men at all if the two of them couldn’t handle one bitch on their own.
Not like him with his Tara. She just needed a bit more guidance.
He turned and tucked his face into his coat collar. He’d passed her Civic on his way in. Maybe if he scared her a little, she’d see her error in leaving him and come back on her own. After all, she’d need his protection.
Chapter Three
Tara stared at the side of her car in horror. Who the hell would do something like this? Her leftover Danish fell from her numb fingers and a sick feeling lodged in her throat.
Damn. On top of her current problems, some dumbshit had chosen her little Honda Civic to key. The scratch went all the way through the paint and traveled from one bumper to the other. It would probably cost her a fortune to repair. Money she didn’t have.
Tara turned around in the parking lot. She was alone. A shiver rent her body beneath her down parka that had nothing to do with the freezing temperatures. She felt like she was being watched.
She shook the feeling off and looked at the ugly line marring her once pretty blue car. Tara slapped her hand on the roof. What could she do? Call the cops and have them tell her there was nothing they could do. Call her insurance, which she could do from the apartment. Tell Scott what had happened.
As owner of To Bean, he’d want to know. She didn’t want this to happen to anyone else either. At least he’d be able to get someone to keep an eye on things in the parking lot. The thought of seeing him again made her knees weak. The man was more than potent.
She trudged back through the slush left over from last week’s snowstorm and ripped the door open, snarling when the bell tinkled overhead. Her Christmas cheer had flown the coop.
Tara stomped her booted feet on the welcome rug thingy and searched the café for Scott’s familiar dirty blond head.
“Are you looking for someone?”
Tara turned at the employee’s pleasant question and nodded.
“Scott Wyatt.”
The girl’s lip curled on one corner for a split second before she offered a semi-polite smile.
“I’m sorry,” she said in the most dramatic way possible, her smile growing. “He’s in a meeting, you’ll have to come back later.”
Tara shifted her weight onto one foot, barely refrained from tapping her toe in agitation and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked closely at the girl’s nametag.
“That’s interesting, Melody, since I just left him not five minutes ago and he never mentioned having a meeting to attend.”
Melody’s smile faltered, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly and when she spoke, it was through gritted teeth.
“He’s in his office and asked not to be interrupted.”
Okay. She could buy that, but not why the girl so obviously didn’t want her to see Scott. Or why someone her age and apparent status in the company would be privy to what the owner wanted or didn’t want.
She cocked her head. “Perhaps you could just tell him I’m here. I know he’ll want to see me.” At least, she prayed he did, just to tick little Miss Hot-For-the-Boss off.
Melody huffed and pursed her lips. She threw her rag down in the plastic bin filled with dirty dishes and marched over to a door behind the counter.
Whoa. Can you say attitude? She better hope she never did this shit with a real customer or she’d find herself out of work.
Tara followed. When Melody stopped suddenly, Tara ran into her. Melody turned. Her nostrils flared.
“You’ll have to wait out here,” she said in agitation.
Tara leaned in and gave a two-fingered salute. “No problem.”
Smoothing her Christmas green apron, Melody faced the door. Without knocking, she opened it and stuck her head in.
Some meeting.
“Mr. Wyatt, this woman insists on seeing you.”
Good Lord. Tara dropped her chin to her chest and counted. To two. Then she pushed her way past Melody, ignoring her spluttering.
“Scott, it’s me.”
Scott stood so quickly his chair tipped over.
“Tara? What’s wrong?” Hand trailing the edge of the desk, he rounded it and came toward her.
His furniture was arranged in such a fashion that he had a clear path to the door. He crossed it faster than a sighted man would.
Tara stopped him with a hand on his arm. “I needed to talk to you and Melody here was gracious enough to show me in.”
Scott turned to Melody. How he knew exactly where she was, Tara couldn’t fathom. The things he could do, the things normal people took for granted, were nothing short of miraculous.
“Thank you, Melody. Can you shut the door on your way out?”
Tara resisted the urge to smirk. Dashing whatever crush Melody had on her boss wouldn’t accomplish anything.
Melody threw a glare over her shoulder and left the room.
“I thought you’d left, Tara.”
“I did.” Seriously, the man was beautiful. “But I had a little problem with my car.”
He reached in his pocket for his cell phone. “Did you need me to call a tow?”
“I wish,” she muttered. “No, actually someone keyed it.”
“What?”
“Yep. I wanted you to know so you could maybe have someone keep an eye on the parking lot in case the person does it again.”
“Shit. Yeah. God, I’m sorry. Whatever it costs, I’ll pay for it.”
Take off the sunglasses. “That’s not why I’m here, Scott.”
He ran a hand through his hair, hardly mussing the short strands. She fisted her hands against wanting to touch it herself.
“No, I know, I just… Damn.” He unerringly found her hands and held them.
The touch electrified her, tingling every nerve in her body.
He stepped closer and her breath caught.
A knock sounded at the door.
Before they could break apart, the door opened and Melody reappeared. Her quick intake of breath and wide eyes told Tara how surprised Melody was to find her holding hands with Scott. Then those pert lips of hers curved u
pward.
She looked straight at Tara. “This man is looking for you, I believe,” Melody smirked before turning and closing the door with an unmistakable click.
“Tara,” Eric whined.
How in the hell…
“I’ve been waiting for you, baby.” Eric stomped in like he owned the place and jerked to a stop. “Who’s this, Tara?” he snarled.
Tara tried to let go of Scott’s hand. No sense bringing him into Eric’s warped world. Scott held tighter, squeezing her fingers. In fact, he tugged, knocking her off balance so she fell into him, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
Eric growled. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“Hugging my girlfriend. Can I help you?”
Oh. My. God. Tara’s cheeks flamed.
“Yeah, you can get your hands off her. Tara belongs to me.”
Tara literally felt steam come out of her ears. “Belongs to you? Are you crazy, Eric? I’m a person, nobody owns me.”
Scott held tight to her when she tried to move away. She welcomed his calming effect since her senses were reeling.
“We belong together, Tara. That’s all I meant, baby,” he cajoled, his cheeks red as if he’d seen the error in his words.
Eric was more delusional than she originally thought.
Tara took a deep breath, glad Scott was close by. “I’ve told you we’re through, Eric. It’s time for you to move out of the apartment and on with your life. Find a woman you’re better suited to.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed and a muscle jumped in his jaw. Tara found herself reaching across Scott’s body and taking hold of his other hand.
“You don’t mean that, baby.”
“I do, Eric. Every word, every time I’ve said it.” Here goes nothing. “I have a new boyfriend now.” She patted Scott’s chest and prayed he didn’t give her away.
Eric’s hands fisted at his sides and he took a tentative step forward.
Kissy-Face whined from his position near the desk and got up, ready to defend his owner.
“So what, you think you can just dump me and go off to fuck another guy? Do you know what that makes you?”
Total shock slammed into her, leaving her with the sensation she’d been slapped across the face. Her face drained of blood. Scott shoved her behind his back.
Look What Santa Brought Page 2
