by Claire Adams
Chapter Thirty-One
Parker
The slow movement of fingers through my hair gently woke me from a deep sleep. I cracked one eye open and smiled, seeing Sienna there next to me. I blinked a few times, wondering if last night had been a very erotic fantasy dream, but judging by our state of undress, I knew it hadn’t been. Neither of us had bothered to put clothes on after we’d had sex.
I traced a finger down Sienna’s jawline. Her skin was so damn soft.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Morning,” I returned.
I moved my hand lower, trailing down her side and cupping her ass, bringing her closer to me. “Last night was, uh—”
“Amazing,” Sienna said, continuing to massage my scalp. My head tingled with pleasure. My dick even started to get hard for her. I wonder if it was too soon to have sex again. Last night was all about breaking boundaries. I didn’t want to push too much too soon.
“What’s on your agenda today?” I asked.
She propped herself up and glanced at the clock on the side table. She groaned and settled back down. “I have to go to work.”
“Boo,” I jeered, dropping my lips to hers.
“Definitely boo,” she said against my mouth. Then she pulled back, letting out a satisfied sigh. “What about you?”
“I have that meeting this morning about selling my company.”
“Are you excited?”
“I’m not sure yet. I think once everything is finalized, I will be.”
“Well, if you think this is the best step, then I support you all the way.”
Sienna was a breath of fresh air after Rachel. After breaking off the wedding, I started to look back on our relationship and realized that Sienna had been right about a lot of things. Rachel could be crass and rude to people. Why had I never noticed until Sienna pointed it out? And the fact that she didn’t want to sleep with me was a big red flag. I knew over the past year she used me to pay for everything in her life. And while I wasn’t one to bitch about spending money on my girlfriends, she had taken it to another level with weekly hair appointments, manicures, massages, and going out with her friends on a regular basis.
I felt like a fool for being so blind to the shit she had been pulling. I’d thought I was in love with her, but the woman lying beside me showed me what it was like to truly love someone. For us, it had been a slower process, but last night had ignited a different side to our relationship that I looked forward to exploring again and again.
“I appreciate that,” I said, kissing her once more.
She smiled against my lips then pushed away from me. “All right, if I don’t get up now, I never will.”
“I’d like that last part,” I said.
“I would too, but we should be adults and get to work. Maybe we can celebrate your decision later? I can cook for you here,” she said.
“You don’t want to go out?”
“I don’t like public displays of affection,” she said.
Her words dripped with sexual innuendo, turning me on even more.
She rolled out of bed and walked into the bathroom. She didn’t bother to close the door.
I sat up and stared into the other room. I imagined getting into the shower with her and delaying our day even more. I was sure we could do a quickie before work. My body ached for her.
But the second I stood up, I heard a loud knocking on the front door. Who the hell could that be? Sienna was the only one who I ever thought would bother me this early in the morning.
I put on my boxers and shirt from the night before and went to investigate.
When I opened the front door, Rachel pushed passed me and into my house.
“Rachel?”
“Parker,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry for cheating on you. And lying. But I’m willing to do the courthouse thing. I know how stressful the wedding was, but I’m letting you take me back.”
“Rachel,” I said, scratching the back of my neck. I glanced down the hall and could have sworn I heard the shower still running. I had to get Rachel out of here quickly, or else I knew Sienna would have a lot of things to say to her. “It’s over.”
Her eyes narrowed. “It can’t be over. I made a mistake, and I apologized.”
“That’s good for you, but I don’t want you back. I made a mistake.”
“A mistake? You were the one that asked me to marry you.”
Her voice was getting louder, and I knew Sienna would hear her as soon as the water turned off.
“Rachel, you need to leave.”
“No, I don’t. This is my house, too.”
“Not anymore,” I said. Her display was bordering on pathetic now. I’d never seen her so distraught. Her hair was sticking up in random spots and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. I wondered if she’d slept since the wedding.
“Well, this certainly is a role-reversal,” Sienna said from behind me.
I turned to see her wearing one of my button-down shirts. It barely reached her thighs,.
Damn, she looked good in my clothes.
“Sienna?” Rachel said then turned to me. “You left me for this trailer trash?”
Sienna rolled her eyes. “The only trash in this room is you. Face it: you blew it with Parker.”
This wasn’t going to be good.
Rachel’s eyes flashed. It was the angriest I’d ever seen her. “You embarrassed me in front of everyone I knew. I’m going to get both of you back for this.”
“All right, Rachel, I think you should go,” I said, leading her to the door.
She ripped her arm away from me. “Don’t touch me. You’re an asshole, Parker. I’m going to make sure everyone knows it.”
Sienna’s opinion was the only one that mattered to me. Besides, if Rachel tried to go on social media and talk shit about my company, it wouldn’t be in my hands for much longer. Rachel was a lot of talk and no action. I knew that firsthand.
Rachel let out a frustrated screech as the door closed behind her. I made sure to lock it, in case she decided to come back into my home.
“Well, that was fun,” Sienna said, grinning.
“You heard the whole conversation?”
“Most of it,” she said, “I thought your shirt would be a nice touch.”
I went to her and scooped her into my arms, kissing her hard. “Are you sure you have to leave now? You look so fucking hot in my shirt.”
She kissed me on the tip of my nose. “Save that thought for later. I’ll be sure to make it worth your while.”
I groaned and put her down, following her into the bedroom. I watched Sienna change into the same clothes she’d worn the night before.
“You can bring some clothes over here if you want,” I said. “For nights that you stay over.”
Her hazel eyes locked on mine. “Are you sure that’s not moving too quickly?”
“Not at all. Sienna, I was a fool for far too long. I want a future with you, and you alone. Besides, we can skip that whole ‘getting to know you’ phase. We already know everything there is to know about each other.”
“Very true.” She slipped her arms around my middle and tilted her head up to me. I closed my mouth around hers and kissed her. A little moan escaped her lips, sending my insides into a flurry.
Her tongue slipped into my mouth. It tasted minty, like my toothpaste. I grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up until her legs were dangling off the ground. I held her tight against me, never wanting to let her go.
She was the first to pull away. “Parker, I’m never going to leave at this rate. And I have a business to run.”
I slowly put her back onto the ground and pecked her on the lips. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” she said. Her smile reached her eyes, and it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
After Sienna left for work, I showered and headed downtown for my meeting with Gary and his associates. Since I worked mostly from home, I didn’t
bother with an office. I’d agreed to meet at a restaurant of their choosing. There were so many great local places to eat, but they ended up choosing the restaurant in the hotel they were staying at. I knew this was all business to them, but if it were me, I would have wanted to explore the area, even if I was only there for the day.
That was the difference between them and me. At least I knew my technology would be going to a company that would take care of it, even if that meant the employees didn’t make time to have fun.
When I arrived at the hotel, I was directed to the restaurant on the tenth floor. In my time living in Key Largo, I never had the need to visit the bigger hotel chains. I had to admit this one was quite luxurious. The dining room of the restaurant looked out at the beach on two sides. The windows gave a panoramic view of the blue sky and the ocean that stretched out as far as the eye could see.
“May I help you?” the young hostess asked.
“Yes, I’m here to see Gary Ingram. He’s expecting me.”
“Of course,” she said. “Right this way.”
She led me into a back room, far away from the spectacular views of the ocean. I was a little disappointed but also realized that I wasn’t here for the view. I wondered if Sienna would like this place. I made a mental note to take her here for lunch one day. I was sure she’d love the ambiance.
The hostess moved to the side and indicated the door for the private room. “You have a private waitress who will assist you with drinks.”
“Thank you,” I said and nodded to her.
When I opened the door, three sets of eyes looked up at me from the table.
“Parker!” a loud, boisterous man said. He struggled to get up from his chair. While I didn’t recognize him, I knew that voice. I’d spoken to him a few times since the initial offer came in.
“It’s nice to meet you in person, Gary,” I said. I strode over and shook his hand.
He was older than I thought, with more skin than hair on his head. But he had a kind smile, even though a few particles of food were stuck in his teeth. I saw they had started eating before I arrived.
“This is Michael and Jonathan,” Gary said, indicating the other two men.
I shook their hands then sat down.
“I want to start off by saying, I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” I said, thinking of Kenneth. I wondered if Harriet had come into the diner today. I’d ask Sienna how she was doing later on at dinner.
“I take it you read through the agreement?” Gary asked.
“I did.”’
“Do you have any questions?”
Gary had laid out a very detailed contract for me. Another reason I felt confident about handing over the company to him. “Actually, no. I am ready and prepared to sign the contracts as is.”
Gary clapped his hands together and let out a chortling laugh. “That’s my boy! I knew you were a smart man from the moment I first spoke with you.”
He called for the waitress and ordered a bottle of prosecco for the table. Two other waiters came through a back door with trays of food.
“I took the liberty of ordering a sampling of the menu,” Gary said. “The food down here is so fresh. I can’t get enough.”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time on your trip. When do you return home?”
“This afternoon, unfortunately,” he said. “But since we’d already scheduled our trip for yesterday, we had some time to sightsee.”
Gary took over the floor and regaled me with their trip to the beach the day before. After we ate, I signed the contracts and bid Gary—and my company—goodbye.
On the way to my car, I pulled out my phone to call Sienna. But before I could, her face lit up my screen. I smiled and picked it up. “Hey—”
“Parker,” Sienna said in a frantic tone.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“No. I’m not. You need to come to the diner right away.”
“I’ll be there as soon as possible.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Sienna
If there was ever a day I was happy to be late for work, it was this morning.
Tony called me on my way to work after his motorcycle broke down on the highway. The tow truck from the mechanic that Tony used took over an hour to get to us. I hoped that Harriet hadn’t chosen this morning to come by on the earlier side. I would feel so guilty if we arrived and she was sitting there, waiting for us.
Tony cursed and moaned the whole time about it taking them that long. “I’m not paying for the tow. Leonard can kiss my ass.”
“It will be fine,” I said.
“Why don’t you go ahead to work and I’ll have the tow truck driver drop me off at the diner?” he suggested.
“Don’t worry about it; I don’t mind waiting,” I said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Tony,” I said, starting to get annoyed. “Now, stop asking. Let’s talk about something else.” Talking about anything else would distract me from checking the time. I debated on calling Harriet until Tony did as I asked.
“So, what happened with Parker?” Tony asked.
“He didn’t get married.”
Tony opened his hands, palms up. “Is that all?”
“We went to dinner,” I said evasively.
“And that was it?”
I smirked. “No….”
“No?”
I avoided his eyes and he let out a low whistle.
“Wow,” Tony said. “It’s about time you got some.”
I punched him in the arm. “What do you mean? He was with Rachel for a year not getting any.”
“That has nothing to do with you! You were abstaining for way longer than Parker was. And he had no choice.”
“Whatever,” I said. He was right, though; I hadn’t been intimate with anyone for a long time. With my business and my hidden love for my best friend, I’d never made it a priority. But that was going to change significantly with Parker. We both had a lot of time to make up for. And I appreciated him so much more than Rachel had. I wanted him to feel wanted.
The tow truck’s flashing lights appeared in the distance.
“Finally,” Tony said and waved his hands in the air to signal our location to the driver.
Once the motorcycle was safely secured to the bed of the truck, Tony and I got into my car.
I glanced at the clock. We were only an hour later than our normal start time. At least there were two of us to pick up the slack until we were back on track again.
We were nearly there when something caught my eye in the distance.
“Look at that,” I said, pointing to the sky where a big cloud of black smoke was billowing ahead of us.
“Holy, shit. Something is on fire.” He paused. “Something big.”
The hairs on my arms stood on end, but I wasn’t sure why.
As we neared the diner, my stomach dropped. We were also getting closer to the blaze. I could see the tips of red and orange flames flickering in the black cloud.
I thought of the buildings in that area. All of them were locally owned small businesses. Including my own.
“Tony,” I said breathlessly.
“It’s not the diner,” he said. And even he didn’t sound convinced.
His words echoed in my brain, and I used whatever mental power I had to repeat the phrase over and over in my head.
It’s not the diner. Dear God, please don’t let it be the diner.
I pressed on the gas pedal and propelled my little car as quickly as I could toward the diner.
When we turned the corner, I gasped. I had to blink a few times so that I was able to see something other than the flames shooting out of the windows of my second home. Tony had been wrong. Sunny’s was already destroyed. I choked on a sob.
“Sienna,” Tony said. “Pull over here. We don’t want to get too close.”
My brain went on auto-pilot and I turned the wheel. I bumped over the curb and shifted the car into p
ark. I opened my door and got out, unable to take my eyes off my diner, which was now fully engulfed in flames.
“I’d like to report a fire,” Tony said.
I tore my eyes away from the diner. Tony had his phone to his ear. He was also staring at the building.
Were we the first to get here? It was early, but someone else had to have seen it. Though, if that were true, then we’d probably have heard fire engines by now.
After Tony had given all the information to the dispatcher, he hung up and ran over to me. “Sienna, I’m so sorry.”
My head dropped into his shoulder and I closed my eyes. If I didn’t hear the snapping and crackling of the fire, I might have thought I was dreaming. But when the sirens alarmed in the distance, I knew it was a real-life fucking nightmare.
I wiped a few stray tears from my face. “What the hell happened?”
“You know,” Tony said. “I don’t remember if I turned off the oven.”
I gave him a look.
He smirked. “Too soon?”
“You might want to wait until the place isn’t on fire before making jokes,” I said, wiping at my face.
“I’m just trying to lighten the mood.”
“I know, and I appreciate that,” I said, patting his shoulder. “But I was the one to check everything before we left. This wasn’t an accident.”
He turned to me. “What do you mean?”
“I have a feeling I know who did this.”
“You think someone did this on purpose?” Tony said. “Who?”
“Rachel came by Parker’s place this morning. She was pretty pissed off. She threatened to ‘get us back’ for getting together after their failed wedding attempt.” Rachel’s harsh warning rang in my ears. She had the motive to do this. She was pissed at Parker, and this was how she repaid him. She had been impulsive and fucking insane. I was going to get her for this.
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
“What?”
“I know you don’t like her, but do you think she has the capability to do this?”
Why wasn’t he on my side? Granted, I knew it was a big accusation, but he didn’t see her face. “Haven’t I mentioned what a crazy bitch she is?”
Tony shrugged.
“Besides, she was livid when we saw her this morning. I mean, she looked like she’d slept in a dumpster for the past two nights. I’ve never seen her so disheveled.”