Untamable

by Jamie Schlosser

  After a minute, it leveled out and I let go of the death-grip I had on my purse.

  Okay, that wasn’t terrible.

  Then a foul smell invaded my nose, and my entire face wrinkled with disgust.

  Motherfucker.

  Someone definitely farted. Holding my breath, I glanced around at my fellow passengers with narrowed eyes. Who did it?

  Could’ve been the bald dude in front of me. Or the lady to my right. There was a baby across the aisle. Maybe she crapped in her diaper. Actually, I would’ve been totally okay with that. I’d prefer baby poop over old man gas any day.

  My lungs were starting to burn from lack of oxygen. I wanted to give the stench time to dissipate, but I couldn’t hold my breath any longer.

  Gasping loudly, I drew in much-needed air, earning a few strange looks. The offensive odor still lingered, but not quite as bad as before.

  Deciding to distract myself with some reading, I took out my Kindle and began chapter five of a beautifully written historical romance.

  Sensing the elderly woman next to me, I cut her a glance. She quickly looked away, pretending like she hadn’t just been reading my book.

  A devious smile pulled at my lips when I got an idea.

  Tapping the screen a few times, I scrolled through my library and picked one of the most risqué books I owned. I pulled up Trailer Park Virgin by Alexa Riley and didn’t bother with the beginning, skipping straight to the raunchy stuff.

  I made sure to angle the screen a bit, just so Nosy Nancy could get an eyeful.

  About ten seconds later, I heard a scandalized gasp. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Twenty seconds later, another shocked huff.

  She didn’t stop reading, though. I swiped the screen, turning to one of the best parts.

  Buckle up, lady. I’ve got an entire collection of these and two hours to kill.

  Maybe flying on planes wasn’t so bad after all.

  CHAPTER 33

  EMERY

  Fatigue weighed down on me as I plopped onto my couch. I remembered a time not too long ago when I sat in this very spot, looking forward to meeting the mentally unstable cat hoarder.

  I had no idea I was going to meet the love of my life.

  As I rubbed my tired eyes, I almost laughed at how ridiculous it was.

  Since I’d gotten home, I hadn’t even left my condo. All I’d done was wallow, surviving on pizza and beer.

  I missed Estelle.

  I missed her bed. Her smell. Her smile. Her soft body against mine.

  The fourteen-hour drive from South Carolina to Chicago had worn me out, and I’d slept like shit the past two nights. Tossing and turning. Repeatedly reaching for the other side of the bed, only to find cold, empty sheets. Even during sleep my body knew Estelle wasn’t nearby, and I was experiencing some serious withdrawals.

  I needed caffeine. Lots of it. If I was going to be coherent for the new shoot tomorrow, I’d need to snap out of the funk I was in.

  I headed to the kitchen to get some coffee.

  Peter let out a meow as he jumped onto the kitchen island, the cone around his neck bobbing up and down as he gently headbutted my mug.

  “How do you like your new place? Fancy Keurig, flat screen TV, million-dollar view.” I gestured to the living room. “That couch is real leather. Bet your claws could do some serious damage there.”

  He let out a yawn and paced the granite countertop, looking around like he was searching for something. Or someone.

  “You miss her too, huh?”

  Meowing again, he jumped down and took off down the hall.

  My phone rang, and excitement shot through me as I pulled it from my pocket, thinking it was Estelle. This whole no-contact rule was bullshit.

  When I saw ‘unknown caller’ flash across the screen, disappointment made my heart plummet and I wanted to throw it against the wall.

  “Hello?” I ground out.

  “You can tame my pussy anytime,” a female voice cooed.

  Completely losing my cool, I barked, “Don’t you have something better to do with your time?”

  Several seconds of silence.

  “Ah—sorry. I—it was just a joke,” the girl stammered. “My friend bet me twenty bucks that I wouldn’t call you, and I really wanted that money…”

  “How did you get this number?”

  “Someone just posted it on Twitter. You know how it goes.” She let out a nervous laugh. She was right—I shouldn’t have been surprised by it. Still, it pissed me off.

  “Well, I hate to break it to you, but there’s only one pussy I’m interested in and it’s not yours.”

  “So it’s true then? You’re really off the market?” She sighed. “I figured if your own producer was saying it, then it had to be real.”

  My whole body locked up. “What’s my producer saying?”

  “Uhh, just that you and the woman you worked with are dating or something. He’s on TV talking about it right now.”

  “What channel?” I seethed.

  “NTT. It’s an exclusive interview—”

  I ended the call and promptly turned my phone off as I marched over to the couch.

  Picking up the TV remote, I turned it on. Steve filled the screen, a sleazy smile on his face as he blabbed my personal business to the gossip reporter at his side.

  “—impossible to miss the sparks flying on the set. The romance between Mr. Matheson and Ms. Winters added a special element to the show. You’ll definitely want to tune in for the next season.”

  The brunette turned toward the camera, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. “Well, there you have it folks. Sounds like perpetual bachelor Emery Matheson isn’t single anymore. The tamer has been tamed.”

  I turned it off.

  If Steve had been in the room, I would’ve clocked him for sure. He was the leak. He was the one who’d tipped off the press. He’d thrown me under the bus, all for the sake of his fucking ratings.

  My concern immediately turned to Estelle. The reporters would definitely be hounding her now, if they weren’t already.

  I turned my phone back on and had to hit ignore three times on unknown numbers.

  Then I called Estelle, to hell with her rules. I needed to make sure she was okay.

  It went straight to voicemail. Not a good sign. She never turned off her phone, so there was a good possibility that her number got leaked too. I hated thinking about her dealing with the harassment all by herself.

  As soon as I hung up more calls came through, all numbers I didn’t recognize.

  I growled.

  This was just a part of the business I was in, and I should’ve been grateful for the popularity. After all, that was what kept the show going. Ultimately, it was the fans who signed my paycheck.

  But was this really the life I wanted? Changing my number every few weeks, going where I was told to go, saying what I was told to say?

  I couldn’t even cut my damn hair without someone’s permission.

  And Steve had made me into a puppet. A front man. An image.

  Success meant nothing if I didn’t have integrity, and he’d pulled that right out from under me when he made me leave a job unfinished.

  He’d known from the second he spotted me that I was desperate, and he’d been using it to his advantage for far too long.

  Then he went and aired details about my private life for his own personal gain.

  That was the last straw for me.

  Suddenly, the answer became clear. I couldn’t keep working for him, regardless of the consequences.

  I sat down on the couch to think, and Peter climbed onto my lap. He purred while I mentally added up the cost per month at Windsor Lakes. With what I had saved, I figured my dad was set for about three years. Not much time, but enough for me to make a new plan.

  Certified vet techs made decent money. I could sell my Range Rover and get something economical. I could move in with Nikki until I found an affordable place of
my own.

  Who was I kidding? I didn’t want to live with my sister. Or alone. I wanted to be with Estelle 24/7.

  And I needed to get to her. Fast.

  But first, I had to call Steve. Normally I would text, but I wanted to hear his voice when I delivered the news.

  Dialing his number, I made my way to my bedroom.

  He picked up after two rings. “You back in town?”

  “I am,” I confirmed, while quickly stuffing a small duffle bag with clothes. “But not for long.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m done.”

  “Done?”

  “I’m leaving the show. You’re an asshole, Steve. I’ve decided I don’t like you much, no matter how funny it is to watch you piss your pants over your horoscope results.”

  Silence.

  I zipped up the bag and headed to the master bathroom. “And before you start making threats about breeching contract, I’d like for you to think about how the execs will react to your recent unethical decisions.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Putting the phone on speaker, I set it down and searched the top drawer for my electric beard trimmer.

  “Giving cats out like candy without having them medically cleared first. I’m sure animal endangerment rumors would be very damaging to the show.” I smiled to myself as the sound of buzzing filled the room. Without hesitation, I ran the clippers over my head, cutting the hair down to about a quarter of an inch. “I’m sure we can negotiate when it comes to terminating my contract early.”

  “Animal endangerment?” Something crashed on the other end of the phone. Oh, yeah. He was pissed. “Are you fucking with me right now?”

  “Nope. How’s that for grit?”

  After ranting about me being an ungrateful twat, and then some uncharacteristic begging, Steve finally accepted the fact that I was done with the show.

  He wouldn’t have any trouble finding someone to fill my shoes. There were hundreds of highly qualified dudes out there who’d love to be in my position.

  It felt so fucking good to hang up that phone. And to be able to see without hair in my fucking face.

  Grinning, I smoothed a hand over the short hair on my scalp.

  After quickly cleaning up the bathroom and taking a shower, I made sure Peter was set with his medications, food, and water.

  Charles just about had a stroke when I handed him the pet-sitting instructions, but I balanced the tedious task with a fifty-dollar bill and the promise that I wouldn’t be living in the condo much longer.

  As I drove to the airport, I waited to feel sadness, fear, or grief over my lost career. But instead, I felt invigorated. Sure, I was uncertain about what the future held, but I knew I wanted Estelle at my side while I figured it out.

  Four and a half hours later, I was punching Estelle’s front door code in and sprinting up to her apartment. There’d been a shady-looking SUV parked out front, but with my oversized hoodie and the new haircut, the camera-wielding men didn’t even give me a second glance.

  Excitement coursed through me as I made it to Estelle’s door. I knocked and waited.

  No answer.

  I knocked again.

  Pulling my phone from my pocket, I turned it on and cringed at the forty-eight voicemails and ninety-six random texts waiting for me. I quickly dialed Estelle’s number.

  “Hello?” Her voice was music to my ears.

  I grinned. “I have a pussy emergency.”

  CHAPTER 34

  ESTELLE

  “What?” Confusion was evident in my tone as I glanced around Emery’s penthouse, the afternoon sun beaming through the wide windows. I bent down to pet Peter, who seemed very happy to see me.

  “I’m hitting you up for a booty call,” Emery replied, and I could picture the cocky smile he surely had on his face.

  “Well, considering I’m already at your place, I’d say we could make that happen,” I quipped, grinning from ear to ear.

  “You’re where?”

  “I’m in Chicago, standing in your kitchen. You need an interior decorator, like yesterday.” Meowing, Peter rubbed up against my leg. “And I think your cat agrees with me.”

  Emery laughed. “Ah. Shit, Estelle. Does that mean you got on a plane for me?”

  “You’re damn right, I did. Someone farted, too. I’m traumatized,” I deadpanned. “It wasn’t so bad, though. I tormented an old woman with smutty erotica, so that part was fun.”

  “You troublemaker. So, what made you change your mind?”

  I went for the truth. “I realized I’d rather be alone and know you’re somewhere missing me than not be with you at all.”

  “Baby,” he breathed out, then chuckled. “Well, here’s the problem—I’m at your place too.”

  “What?” I gasped. “Why?”

  “Well, for one, I never got to take you on our beach date.”

  “You came all the way back to take me to the beach?”

  “No,” he said reluctantly. “I wish that was the case. The real reason is because I needed to make sure you’re okay.”

  I was confused. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

  “I take it you haven’t watched TV much today?”

  “No,” I replied warily. “What happened?”

  “Steve outed us during an official interview this morning. Then your phone was off and I got worried… But now I realize it’s just because you were traveling.”

  “We’re so ridiculous.” I laughed, flopping down onto his couch. Emery’s scent lingered on the leather. Pressing my nose into the back cushion, I took a big whiff and sighed happily.

  “Stay at my place,” Emery said, sounding out of breath. I heard a car door shut. “If I can get the next flight, I should be there in about four hours.”

  “Oh, that’s no problem. Take your time. Charles and I are supposed to grab a bite to eat at the café down the street anyway.”

  “Wait, how did you get past Charles? And how the hell did you get him to agree to hang out with you? I can’t even get him to smile at me.”

  “I told him I was your cat nanny, and he didn’t even question it. Also, I might’ve charmed him with some face painting.”

  “So that’s what it takes, huh? Guess I’ve been going about it all wrong.”

  “What can I say? I’m a tough gal to turn down.”

  He laughed. “Don’t I know it.”

  CHAPTER 35

  ESTELLE

  I’d just dozed off when I heard the penthouse door open. I shot up from the couch and ran toward the sound because I missed Emery so much. But as soon as I saw him, my feet skidded to a stop so fast I almost fell over.

  “What happened to your hair?” I gasped.

  Emery sheepishly shrugged while rubbing his hand over the buzz cut. “Got tired of it being in my way all the time.”

  With the new hair, sweatpants, and hoodie I barely recognized him. I couldn’t believe how different he looked.

  “Oh, Steve is going to be so pissed at you.”

  Emery smirked. “He’s already pissed at me. Because I quit.”

  “You did what?” I practically shouted.

  “I quit.”

  “But—but you can’t.”

  “It’s already done,” he replied, closing the gap between us. He wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his nose in my hair. “Mmm. I missed you.”

  I melted into him while trying to keep my thoughts straight. It was so easy to get lost in the feeling of being in his arms again. Running my nose along his neck, I placed a soft kiss on his collarbone.

  “Are you doing this for me?” I managed, nipping at his skin. “Because that’s not what I want. We can be together, no matter what.”

  “This wasn’t just about you.” He shook his head. “There were a lot of factors that went into this decision.”

  A sexy sound rumbled in his chest when I licked his throat. I needed to stop if we were going to finish this conversation.

/>   I pulled back to look at his face. “What about your dad?”

  “Fortunately, I’ve got enough in my savings account to keep him covered for a few years,” he said optimistically, but I didn’t miss the hint of melancholy in his voice.

  “Your savings account, meaning your college fund?”

  He sighed. “Yeah. And I might be facing some fines for breaking the contract early, but I’ll deal with that when I come to it.”

  “What about vet school?” I frowned.

  “I don’t know. It’ll have to wait. Guess I’m back at square one, but things are different this time.”

  “How so?”

  “I’ve got a vet tech certification, so I can still work with animals. And now I have you.”

  My lips tilted up. “I could always hire you on at the costume shop.”

  Emery let out an amused grunt. “I think my drag queen days are behind me, but I appreciate the offer.” Then his face got serious. “Will you still love me even though I’m poor and bald?”

  “You’re not bald.” I snickered as I felt the short bristles with my fingertips. “Although, I have to admit I’m gonna miss holding on to it when your face is between my legs. Maybe you should think about growing a beard.”

  Raising his eyebrows, he grinned. “You’d like that?”

  I nodded, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “That would feel good between my legs too.”

  Growling, Emery’s hands gripped my hips and he backed me up until my ass bumped into the kitchen island. “You know, this place looks a lot better with you in it.”

  “I bet it’d look even better if we were naked.”

  He pretended to think about it before picking me up caveman style, tossing me over his shoulder. He smacked my ass, and I giggled as he dumped me onto the couch.

  “How long are you here for?” he asked. That predatory look was in his eyes as he gazed down at me.

  “Julia agreed to watch Alice and Bobby for three days,” I replied, licking my lips while boldly eyeing Emery’s body. His loose pants did nothing to hide the bulge beneath the fabric.