by J B Heller
Oh my GOD! I need to snap out of it. Kissable, tasty lips? Licking? I need to get my mind out of the gutter! No man had ever incited those kinds of thoughts from me. Pull it together Stella, business, books, numbers, right focus time.
Clearing my throat I took a step back from him. It must have been the close proximity messing with my head. “So, now that we have that sorted, perhaps we can get down to business? You have some books you’d like me to take a look at?”
“What? Oh, yeah books. Here.” He shoved his briefcase towards me.
I stood there looking at him like he was crazy. What was he doing?
“Oh sorry, umm, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole you not being Sloan thing. My bad.” He lowered his hand still holding out his briefcase.
“It’s okay, would you like to take a seat and maybe you can tell me what it is exactly you would like me to do for you.”
Brayden
What I’d like her to do for me? I don’t think she wanted an honest answer to that question. I had a feeling she wouldn’t be too keen on strippin’ off that constrictive pant suit so I could get a good look at her. All of her. I licked my lips at the thought of seeing her naked.
Shit, my palms were starting to sweat. I was acting like a teenage boy with a crush. Fumbling with my words, acting like a pre-pubescent dick. I had to remove the image of her standing naked before me from my mind or I wouldn’t be making a whole lot of sense anytime soon.
After I’d pulled myself together enough to form coherent sentences, I showed her the work I’d already done with my books, she seemed impressed. We went over what she would need to take over from here and after I agreed to bring her what she needed tomorrow I decided it was time to man up and ask this chic out.
“So, Stella. How about you come get a drink with me tonight? Let me make up for being such an arse when I arrived this afternoon.” She seemed to be mulling it over. Good sign. Or so I thought.
“There’s no need to make anything up to me Mr Brooks. Sloan obviously thought it would be funny to surprise you. She has a strange sense of humour.”
“Please, call me Brayden or Bray if you prefer. I’d still like to take you out. Get to know you a bit better.”
“Thank you for the offer, Brayden, but I really shouldn’t. I don’t like to mix business with my personal life.”
I liked the way my name sounded coming from her lips. “We won’t be mixing the two. I promise we won’t talk shop at all.”
I couldn’t help but smirk when her cheeks flushed, she mustn’t be used to being pushed. That’s fine with me, I like to push, and I’d like to push her, all night long… Oh Yeah.
“Come on Stella, what have you got to lose? Come, live a little. We can go somewhere quiet if you prefer?”
She sat up straighter behind her desk, “I don’t make a habit of going out with men I barely know.”
“Well Sloan knows me, that’s as good as knowin’ me yourself, right?”
“Not exactly. As you can see, Sloan and I live in completely different worlds. I doubt I’d be comfortable socializing with some of the people she knows.”
I pretended to be insulted by what she just said. “Well, all you had to say was you didn’t think you would enjoy my company and I would have left it alone. Sorry I make you uncomfortable Stella. I’ll drop those documents you need in to your receptionist tomorrow.”
I stood to leave, hoping like hell she’d take the bait. She didn’t. I felt like an arse, not for the first time since we’d met just half an hour ago.
I left her office and made my way to the elevator. Once inside, I banged my head on the wall. IDIOT! I should have known trying to bait her like that wouldn’t work. She’s not feisty like Sloan. She’s soft, quiet, reserved almost. Shit, I probably just upset her. Dick move Bray, dick move!
I’ll redeem myself tomorrow. The thought of upsetting her wasn’t sitting well with me.
Stella
I couldn’t wait to get home so I could mull over everything from today’s unexpected meeting. I sat on my couch with my feet tucked under my backside, sipping my glass of wine wondering what had happened this afternoon. Had Brayden really asked me out? Surely it was just because he felt bad about our initial introduction? He had said as much. But he continued to ask even though I assured him he had nothing to feel bad about. I think I insulted him. I hope not, but his reaction to my words was unmistakeable.
Why couldn’t I just take a chance and do something out of my comfort zone for once? I want so badly to be normal, like everyone else. But very few would understand my dilemma. Since that night, six years ago, I’m scared of my own damn shadow. Play it safe, be invisible. Stay under the radar. Blend into the crowd. I’ve been doing just fine in my little unassuming bubble.
Sloan has tried to pull me out of my funk as she calls it, but I see it more as a lifestyle choice. I like going unnoticed, most of the time. There’s less danger that way. Sure it might be a bit lonely sometimes, but that’s what I’ve got Fergus for. My little buddy. I won’t deny that a little more human companionship wouldn’t go astray.
Sloan keeps trying to get me to go out with her, but I just can’t do it. It’s not for lack of wanting. I did give it a go one time. It didn’t go so well. I ended up in the hospital after having a massive panic attack. They had to sedate me. Not something I want to go through again anytime soon, or ever for that matter.
So now a fun night for me consists of either reading a good book with a glass of wine or curling up on the couch watching a movie with a huge bowl of buttery popcorn. Sloan comes around at least once a week and has dinner with me, and Bianca comes around for a girl’s night now and then. Apart from that, it’s me and Fergus against the world.
I miss Mumma.
I wish I was more like Mumma and Sloan. Sloan got Mumma’s tough streak. Me, not so much. I wasn’t always like this. I did have a back bone once. I had confidence, even a little attitude. But he stole it from me. If it wasn’t for Sloan, he would have stolen a lot more.
Sloan
~Meet me at Freddie’s when you knock off. We gotta talk.~
I slipped my phone back in my pocket n lit up a cig while I walked up the street to Freddie’s. I wondered how it went for Stella and Bray this arv. I don’t know what else to do to get her out of her funk. Six long years she’s been like this. I want my sister back, damn it!
I found Bray in our usual booth nursing a scotch n coke. He looked like he was thinking real hard about something.
“Careful there big fella, you might hurt yourself.” He scowled up at me as I slid into my side of the booth.
Okay, wrong thing to say. “S’up Bray, how’d it go with Stell this arv?”
Now he just looked pissed. “Forget to mention something to me Sloan?”
I shrugged, “Nope, don’t believe I did. What crawled up your ass?”
“Are you fucking serious right now? Identical twin sister. Really? You didn’t think to tell me that?” he practically snarled.
“Well I assumed it would be obvious when you met her, didn’t think I had to point out the obvious.” I said with a roll of my eyes.
“Yea well, a heads up would have been nice. I made a complete arse out of myself!” He was fuming, and running his fingers through his hair.
“Geez, what are you so pissy about?” Then it clicked! “You like her! You never get pissy over chicks.” I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. He could try to deny it, but I knew him too well.
“No, I’m just pissed ‘cause I made a dick out of myself, I accused her of being you!”
I reared back, “What? We look nothing alike!”
“You’re friggin’ identical Sloan, except for the hair, tats, piercings and clothes.”
“Whatever, a blind man could tell us apart, Bray. Anyway, how’d it go? You hit it off?”
“Well, kinda. I don’t know. I asked her to come for drinks with me n she said no. Nobody’s ever turned me down before.”
�
�Aw poor Bray, not as irresistible as you thought ha. Listen, Stell is a hard egg to crack. She’s been through, stuff. It changed her. She never used to be like this, so mousy. She had spunk. I want that girl back. Can you help me Bray?”
“I don’t know Sloan.” He was rubbing his neck, a sure sign he was at least thinking about it.
I just had to give him a little push. “Please Bray. She needs me and I can’t stand seeing her live like this anymore. I’ve been trying for six years to bring my sister back. Help me, please.” And cue the puppy dog eyes. I may be a little rough around the edges, but I know how to play on the puppy dog eyes. Who could resist.
Got him! Hook, line and sinker. I’m getting my sister back!
Brayden
My foot was tapping ridiculously fast as I waited for the elevator to reach the floor of Stella’s office. My palms were sweating and I had to keep going over what I wanted to say to her in my head. I didn’t want to screw this up. I had a feeling Stella was fragile. Sloan confirmed it for me last night when she told me Stella had been through stuff. She didn’t tell me what and I’m not sure I want to know.
This chic was already affecting me after just one meeting.
The elevator door dinged and I retraced the steps I’d taken yesterday to Stella’s office. When I walked in the same doe eyed receptionist sat at the desk. Her eyes honed in on the yellow lilies I was holding. Sloan had told me they were Stella’s favourites. And I wanted to make up for yesterday. Sloan also told me I had to take it slow with Stella. Baby steps she said. So no drink invites today.
“Is Stella in?” I asked.
Doe eyes was frozen in place, just like yesterday. So I walked over to the door to Stella’s office, glanced over my shoulder and gestured with my head that I was going to go in then knocked softly. Doe eyes didn’t make a peep, just sat there and nodded.
After I heard Stella yell out for me to come on in, I slowly opened the door and poked my head in. The look on her face said she didn’t expect to see me today. And I guess that’s my fault. I did tell her yesterday that I was going to just drop the papers with her receptionist.
“Hey there.”
She didn’t respond, just kept watching me with those cautious green eyes.
“I brought a peace offering. After the way I handled our introduction and then how I left yesterday I felt bad. Terrible actually. Sloan told me yellow lilies were your favourite.”
Silence followed. She narrowed her eyes as if she couldn’t figure out if that’s why I was really here.
“Well I’ll just set them over here shall I?” Closing the door behind me I walked all the way into her office. Placing the lilies in the centre of the bookshelf she had sitting under the window. She remained silent the whole time. I figured I wasn’t going to be forgiven for my behaviour yesterday, so I turned to leave.
“Wait.” She spoke so softly I thought I was imagining it.
I turned slightly to see her face. Her eyes had glazed over. Shit! What did I do? In three large strides I was crouching down beside her chair, bracing myself on her desk with my left hand. I reached up with my right to tuck a piece of hair that had come loose from her braid behind her ear. Before I reached it, she flinched away from me, her hand shot under her desk and she pulled out a gun. I paused with my hand just inches from the loose strands staring at the gun.
What the fuck? A gun? What had happened to this chick for her to be packin’ under her desk? I froze. Did she even know how to use that thing? She didn’t say anything. Just sat there, her eyes wide, her breathing had picked up pace and her hands were shaking.
“I won’t hurt you Stella. I swear it.” I lowered my hand and placed it against my thigh to stop myself from trying to touch her again. She didn’t speak. After a few tense moments she gave a slight nod of her head and lowered her gun.
Relief flooded my system, as I slowly backed away from her made my way around the desk to take a seat across from her. Putting a bit of distance between us seemed to help calm her too. Jesus, I was still in shock. I dropped my head and ran my hands through my hair. I was beginning to think this chic was going to be too much for me.
But then I raised my eyes to see her sitting in her seat shaking like a leaf. I wanted to hold her. Pull her tight into my body and take away the pain I could see shining in her eyes. I knew she wouldn’t let me though. We’d only met yesterday, and she had just pulled a gun on me for fucks sake.
I didn’t know what to say to her, I knew I had to say something, but what? For the first time ever, I was at a loss for words. Nobody had ever pulled a gun on me. We sat there staring at one another in silence until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you ok Stella?”
“No, not really. I umm…” She paused as if she was looking for the right words. She let out a deep sigh, “I’m sorry about that, I ah, I don’t do well in such close quarters with men. And you surprised me when you approached me so quickly. I panicked.”
“I didn’t mean to frighten you, I just saw that I had upset you. That’s the last thing I wanted to do.” I explained.
“I realise that, I may have overreacted, bad habit of mine.” She said on a wince.
“Are you packin’ all the time?” I asked curiously.
She tilted her head to the side before answering me. “Yes, I am.”
“Wow, I gota say, I was not expecting that. It would have been kinda hot if I wasn’t scared out of my mind. No one’s ever pulled a gun on me before.” I smiled at her, hoping to lighten the mood, dissipate the tension that had grown in the room a little. It worked, well kinda. She lifted one side of her mouth in an attempt at a small smile.
“Well, I’ve never actually pulled it on anyone. Don’t get me wrong, I know how to use it. I made sure of that when I bought it.”
“I should be relieved then, I was wondering if you knew how to use it. I’ll be on my way then, I don’t want to push my luck today, and end up full of lead.” I bounced my eyebrows at her and gripped the sides of the chair getting ready to make my exit. I pushed myself to my feet and began to turn.
“Why?”
I turned my head back in her direction. “Why, what?”
“Why are you being so nice to me? Why did you buy me the flowers? What do you want?” She had cocked her head to the side again. God I loved the way she did that.
“I told you, I wanted to make amends for yesterday. I’m a pretty nice guy you know, I didn’t buy you the flowers because I wanted something from you. If you would let me, I’d like to get to know you better. But if strictly business is all your willing to give me, I’ll take it.”
“Why do you want to get to know me? The last man I trusted enough to get to know turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life. So forgive me if I find it hard to believe that you just want to get to know your new accountant.”
“I’m sorry about that Stella, I really am. And there isn’t anything I can do about that guy. Except assure you that I am not like him. You’re not just my accountant. Your Sloan’s sister, I’ve been friends with Sloan for years. I’d like to be your friend too, if you’d let me.”
She seemed to at least be considering it. Good sign, I’ll take what I can get right now. “How about we just go for friendship for now, on your terms. How’s that sound?” I hedged.
“Okay, my terms then. I should tell you though, I won’t be going to any restaurants, bars, clubs or any of that. I, I’m a bit of a home body. So you may find it hard to retain a friendship with me.”
I grinned, “Not a problem. You can come to my place, or I could go to yours.”
Her eyes bugged out of her head so I assume that neither of those places were options just yet. “Or, you could just give me your number, and we can just chat now and then. Get to know each other that way. Until you’re comfortable enough to spend more time with me.”
She relaxed instantly. Another good sign. “Okay, I can do that.”
She scribbled her number on a piece of paper and handed it to me across her desk.
My fingers grazed hers when I took it from her, and her eyes darted up to meet mine. We were both still holding the bit of paper. She finally let go.
I immediately pulled my phone out of my pocket to enter her number. Then sent her a quick text with a smiley face.
She was watching me with her head tilted to the side again. Watching me with such innocent eyes. So damn cute. She startled a little when her phone went off signalling she had a new text. What could possibly turn a girl who used to have spunk as Sloan said, to this jumpy little gun packin’ mouse?
Stella glanced over to her phone, then back at me.
“Now you’ve got my number too. I’ll see you around Stella. Hopefully soon.” I sent a wink her way before exiting her office.
Stella
After a long week at work I was ready for the weekend. I was settled into my couch for the night with my big arse bowl of popcorn and ‘This Means War’ about to start on my massive TV. Ahh, it didn’t get much better than this, Tom Hardy in all his supersized glory perve fest. I may not be able to talk to men very well anymore but I could certainly appreciate the male form.
Thinking of appreciating the male form, my mind kept wondering back to Brayden. It had been a week since I had met him, but he was burned into my brain. Now that was a form I could admire all day long. If I had the nerve to that is. He was tall, at least 6”4. He towered over me. Not that that’s hard. Even wearing my heels, I still didn’t reach his chin. The guy exuded power and charisma, a deadly combination.
Just as I was getting carried away by my thoughts of Brayden my phone chimed, signalling I had a text.
~Hey, I thought embarking on this friendship with baby steps would be a good plan. Feel like getting to know each other over texts?~