Conflict of Interest_A Mustang Prairie Romance

by N. D. Jackson

  “I figured. I just didn’t figure you’d leave without saying anything.” What is wrong with you man? You love your life because you go where you want, when you want and without answering to anyone.

  “I’m sorry Noel, look--”

  He grabbed her shoulders and created a few feet of distance. “You don’t owe me an explanation Shellie, really. I thought we were past this, but we’re not.” He turned down the now-lit hallway.

  “Past what? Past you ignoring me all day after I thought we had a pretty great day and a damned good night together? I thought so too but I guess we were both wrong.” Crossing her hands over her chest, she stomped around him to her bedroom door and stopped. “I brought you Mexican for dinner. You’re welcome!” She slammed her door.

  In two quick steps he was at her door knocking. “Oh no you don’t. You don’t get to decide when this is over. Open up, Shellie.”

  “Now you wanna talk Noel? Well guess what? I’m too tired to talk so I’m taking a shower and going to bed. Goodnight, have a good day at work tomorrow!”

  Slamming his palm against the door he calmly said, “This isn’t over Shellie.”

  She flung the door open, now wearing her bathrobe and stomped to the bathroom before slamming the door in his face.

  ##

  Nothing like a nice hot shower to relax you, she thought to herself as she moisturized her face and hands. She couldn’t believe he thought he had any right to be upset with her. He was the one who pursued her and tricked her into a semi-romantic weekend in the city and he’s the one who bought her sexy lingerie. Sure, she initiated the fitting room sex and even their sexcapades in the hotel room but that was just sex. He had no right getting angry with her for spending time with her best friend. Maybe she wouldn’t have rushed out to see Al if things weren’t so impossibly awkward all day. She grunted in frustration both at the knots in her hair and Noel.

  Yanking the belt of her robe tightly around her, Shellie turned the knob slowly to open the door quietly. The last thing she wanted or needed was another round with Noel. When she peeked her head out the door she saw the TV light flickering under his bedroom door and leapt into her own room. Closing the door with a click, she leaned on it for a moment to release a breath she was holding.

  “Hiding from someone?” A voice called in the darkness from the direction of her bed.

  “Holy hell Noel are you trying to give me a heart attack?” She flipped on the light closest to her on the wall to find him lounging, rather seductively she thought, across her bed.

  He looked at her smugly. “I told you this wasn’t over.”

  “And I told you I was going to bed.” She pulled her robe closer just to make sure her body knew that this was neither the time nor the place to start feeling like that again. It was too late.

  “Yet here I am,” he fanned his arms out in front of him. He patted the bed. “Come and sit, let’s talk.”

  “All of a sudden talking is the one thing you want to do,” she muttered to herself, taking a seat at her vanity.

  “We could do something else but I think we should talk first.” He flashed those perfectly white teeth at her and she cursed her body for enjoying it.

  “You said everything you needed to say earlier.”

  “But I didn’t say anything,” he said with genuine confusion. He couldn’t remember saying anything to her most of the day, never mind something that would have pissed her off.

  “Exactly! You had nothing to say when you should have, so don’t bother now.” She stood. “Please go now, I’m seriously tired,” she pleaded.

  “What do you want me to say? I was an idiot. I thought you were regretting last night so I wanted to let you work it out on your own before putting my two cents in.” He pushed himself from her bed and walked over to her. “Last night was great Shellie. It was really special and I hope you don’t regret it because I don’t.” He cupped her face in his hands. “I like you Shellie and I think you like me too. So get some sleep and we’ll talk tomorrow over dinner.” He leaned down and placed one sweet kiss to her lips. “By the way, I made Italian for dinner and left you some on the table.” He said and walked out the door. “You’re welcome,” he yelled before closing the door behind him.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Noel awoke early the next morning shielding his eyes from the slashes of light invading the room. Stretching his arms and legs stiffened from the small and uncomfortable bed, he thought when Shellie came to her senses and allowed him into her bed he could again enjoy a restful night of sleep. Relaxing his body again, the clock revealed he had a few more moments of silence before his alarm rang out. He swung his long well-muscled legs over the side of the bed and stretched once more for good measure, stretching his neck and back until his muscles felt something close to normal.

  His sleep was fitful all night as his mind taunted him with flashes of the night of ecstasy he and Shellie shared at the hotel. Between his pounding heart and rock hard state he didn’t sleep more than a few minutes at a time, craving her more than he had ever craved a woman. It was crazy, of all the models, actresses and overly manicured socialites he’d dated and bedded, it was Shellie who held his mind and body captive. Petite, busty, golden-eyed hippie. Shellie. With untamable hair and an energy for life that kept him constantly amazed. He didn’t know what he’d do to make her see that they could be great, really great, together. But he would.

  The buzzing of his alarm interrupted his thoughts and he reached for his robe before padding to the bathroom to get the day started. He quickly showered, shaved and otherwise groomed himself, unsure of Shellie’s morning routine but unwilling to disturb it with their already tenuous relationship. Back in his tiny room--with even less room now that he’d added a rolling metal clothes rack to hold his suits—he slid on his grey slacks, mint green undershirt and forest green dress shirt deciding to forego the tie just for today. The offices were mostly empty so it wasn’t that big a deal to go a little casual, he told himself, it had nothing to do with Shellie mentioning that without the tie he might look more dashing than all dressed up in his ‘monkey suit’ as she called it. He had to get her off his mind, at least for a while. There was a lot of work to be done this week if he hoped to stick to the schedule laid out by KitchenMart headquarters and thoughts of her would not help his cause so he slid on a pair of grey ribbed cotton-knit socks, picked up his shoes, attaché and jacket and headed quietly to the living room.

  It felt strange creeping around the house silently like an unwanted stranger. She had invited him he tried to remind himself, forgetting that he’d all but blackmailed her into it just to get close to her. Never mind her activism started it, he thought sardonically.

  Inside the dark living room he slid open the colorful curtains and allowed the sun to wash over him. He tossed the attaché onto the seat of the chair and slung his jacket over the back before sitting his shoes down carefully to the side as he did every morning. Whether in his penthouse apartment in New York, his upstairs unit or here with Shellie, he found his morning routine put him in the right frame of mind for the day. With the coffee already sputtering to a finish, all he needed was the morning paper to make his routine complete.

  Inside the kitchen he poured a tall daisy adorned mug with his favorite South African blend coffee. It was a dark rich roast with a chocolate flavor and bitter orange undertones. He didn’t know exactly what they’d done to make it so delicious even after he toured the farm in Johannesburg but it was the best part of every morning. The best thing about the blend was that it was suitable for all coffee drinkers. He enjoyed it with cream and sugar, black or with a half shot of Irish cream. He was sure today would be a three cup day so he enjoyed his first cup without any unnecessary flavoring.

  Sitting his coffee down near the cufflinks missing from his shirt Noel put on water for oatmeal and added diced cantaloupe and blueberries to a glass bowl. He piled the oats into two bowls and did his best impression of a diner waitress, balancing three bowls
on his strong arms. He figured Shellie would appreciate having breakfast waiting when she woke up, especially since she made such a fantastic breakfast on Saturday.

  He dug into the bowl of oatmeal where his thoughts again drifted to Shellie. He still had one obvious obstacle that he hadn’t yet figure out how to overcome. His job. She was determined to prevent him from doing what he came to Mustang Prairie to do yet he had to succeed. He’d spent much of the weekend thinking about it after he told her about his big loveable father that everyone, including her, seemed to adore. There was no way to change her mind about how beneficial his project could be for Mustang Prairie and the surrounding towns. But he would try. He had to if it meant there was a chance he could have her. First he would have to do his research and learn everything there was to know about how many jobs would be added to the area as well as the overall economic impact of the new KitchenMart.

  If he could convince her that it would benefit everyone he could still stay on track to achieve his ten year goals. He liked Shellie, really liked her, maybe he even loved her. But could he let go of his dreams for ‘maybe’ love?

  ##

  Shellie awoke to the smell of an exotic coffee blend she couldn’t identify but was eager to let the bitter black liquid course through her veins, warming her body and energizing her mind. She wasn’t prepared to deal with Noel yet but he’d obviously made the brew and with her luck he was standing in the kitchen wearing nothing but his dimples and a pair of skintight boxer briefs. That thought appealed to her causing her back to arch a little more as she stretched awake. She couldn’t stop thinking about how naughty she’d been with him in the hotel, which made her feel guilty for so thoroughly brushing him off last night.

  She’d done it for the sake of her sanity she kept reminding herself. She remembered how Joshua had taken her shopping and bought her a few expensive trinkets, which she later realized were attempts to assuage his guilt. He didn’t love her, hell he probably didn’t like her beyond her double D’s and he spent money that meant nothing to him to fool her into bed and straight into love with him. She didn’t think Noel had a special woman waiting for him in New York but Joshua taught her that she could never know for sure. Men like Noel and Joshua were so talented at hiding what they didn’t want you to see. A fact she kept hammering into her brain all night when her body urged her to go to him and ease the fire raging inside of her.

  No longer able to ignore the aroma of the coffee wafting into her room she threw a nightgown over her head, letting it slide down her body and stumbled blindly to the kitchen. Shielding her eyes from the unusually bright lights streaming into the living room she kicked the door open and zombie-walked across the kitchen until she could feel the heat of the coffee pot warm her body. “Mmmm, coffee,” she sang as she inhaled the aroma allowing the steaming cup to warm her hands. She loved cold mornings like this, it reminded her that autumn was near. She savored the first sip with her eyes closed and head tossed back, thanking the coffee gods for bestowing this exotic nectar upon her this morning.

  She would need another cup of this strong blend to help her start this week right. She needed to place orders for some of her clients, update contracts and most importantly she needed to regroup and get back to saving Mustang Prairie. It wasn’t something her and Noel had discussed and truthfully after Saturday night she wasn’t inclined to think about KitchenMart or Mustang Prairie but it would have to be done. KitchenMart couldn’t be allowed to open for any length of time if Mustang Prairie would survive and it was up to her. All she needed was to find a way.

  “Good morning.”

  “Noel,” she said coolly with her back still to him. She fought the urge to tug on her too short and too sheer nightshirt and gave herself a mental forehead smack for not looking around the kitchen sooner. She glanced down at the barely there cotton gown that revealed her toffee colored nipples.

  He didn’t hear the coldness in her voice or he chose to ignore it because he continued on casually. “I made breakfast,” he began, chuckling to himself. “Well ‘made’ is a tad strong since I boiled water, stirred oats and tossed some fruit into a bowl. But,” he spread his arms over the kitchen table, “there you have it. Breakfast.” He smiled proudly and she thought her body would betray her again.

  “Thanks,” she grumbled but didn’t know why. In fact she was grateful that he took care of breakfast so she wouldn’t have to. She was even more grateful because this healthy, although boring, breakfast saved her thousands of calories on her usual breakfast that included a Bavarian cream donut along with a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast burrito. Being around him was uneasy this morning and she felt on edge, but she knew it wasn’t fair to blame him. At least not yet.

  “No problem, I figured it’s the least I could do.” He continued to stare at what was barely concealed underneath her nightshirt. She blushed when she felt her nipples harden into peaks.

  She simply nodded and sat in front of the other steaming bowl of oatmeal. “Look Noel, I’m sorry for bailing without saying anything yesterday. I haven’t lived with or had to answer to anyone in a long time.”

  He shook his head and held up his hands. “I don’t want you to ‘answer to’ me or anything like that. I just thought after that incredible tonight together we could at least talk.”

  She scoffed, stifling it with a sip of coffee. “We had all morning and a long car ride to talk, Noel.”

  “Fine!” He was fed up with her excuses and fear. “I should’ve said something, anything Sunday morning but I didn’t. I knew if I initiated the conversation you’d find some other reason not to give me a chance.” He sat his mug down with greater force than he intended. “As I recall you weren’t exactly bursting with conversation either.”

  “I was giving you an easy out,” she said around a mouthful of oatmeal.

  The look he gave her was deadly. His green eyes were nearly black as he looked at her in disbelief. “I don’t believe this,” he muttered more to himself than to Shellie.

  “I know how this works Noel. You say and do all the right things because you love the chase. You get what you want and the chase is over.”

  Her matter of fact attitude hurt and angered him. “If you believe that then you haven’t been paying attention.”

  She shook her head, waving him off. “You don’t have to be ashamed or whatever. I wanted it too and I enjoyed it. But,” she took a fortifying swig of coffee and started again. “But this is the part where you grow distant and pull away thinking up some excuse why we won’t work. This saves you the hassle.”

  Her cheerful voice grated on his nerves and as much as he wanted this to be a calm, rational conversation he could feel his temper rising. “You are really unbelievable Shellie, you know that? You make up all these reasons to avoid a relationship with me, blaming me for mistakes of men who were dumb enough to let you get away, and then give me a guilt trip because in your damaged brain I’m the one who used you and threw you away! You,” he pointed at her, “you, Shellie. You denied what’s between us and you used me! In the fitting room, you used me and at the hotel you used me. Believe whatever you want, sweetheart, but that’s the truth!” He stood up and stalked across the kitchen throwing his mug and bowl into the sink.

  She stared at him in shock. She didn’t think Noel got that passionate about anything other than sex and money. He certainly was passionate about her, it seemed. For once she had no idea what to say in response to his accusations. It was true, Noel hadn’t given her a reason to mistrust him and yet she did. He’d done nothing to hurt her yet she treated him like he’d already betrayed her. And if she was honest with herself she had used him. She didn’t think there was a future for them but her attraction wouldn’t allow her to ignore the energy that crackled in the air whenever they were together. She’d used him for what she wanted, while ignoring everything he’d been telling her. He’s right, I’m a dick, she thought watching him storm out of the kitchen.

  “Wait!” She shouted and followed behi
nd him. “Noel I’m sorry, you’re right. I did use you.”

  He turned to face her and saw that her words were genuine. Whatever was in her past had left a pretty big scar on her. His gaze strayed from her apologetic eyes and down her long neck, stopping at the mounds fighting to break free from their white cotton restraint. He groaned and walked over to her, slanting his head and taking her mouth in a forceful but passionate kiss. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, massaging her tongue before taking off to explore the inside of her mouth. Nipping at her lips and swiping his tongue across them, his hands wandered to her bare bottom and grabbed them, pushing her into him. When she fell into him and moaned, he lightened the kiss and brought one hand up to squeeze one of her glorious breasts, pressing the nipple between his fingers.

  He pulled away and she moaned softly. Looking into her eyes he smiled down at her. “I forgive you,” he planted a kiss on one side of her neck then the other. “Let’s talk tonight over dinner. I’ll be home around seven and I’m cooking.” He claimed her mouth again, this time slower and more seductive but much too quickly. “See you later, honey,” he grinned and closed the front door behind him.

  ##

  A few hours later Shellie sat at her wobbly roll top desk with the chipping paint and half lifted roll top, wishing she could replace the old desk with a new credenza desk and that her small office could actually fit a mahogany credenza. Of course the old hand-me-down roll top was all she could afford while most of her clients hovered a few steps from bankruptcy. Of course she could take Alex’s advice and expand her clientele beyond Mustang Prairie, Upton and a few other nearby towns, a thought that always made her question her career choices. So instead of dealing with reality she focused on fantasy. And the steamiest fantasy on this dreary Monday was that early morning kiss.

  That incredible, heart pounding, endlessly passionate kiss that left her panting just thinking about it. That kiss that set her body on fire from the inside out and made her remember what it was to love and to feel again. Brushing her fingertips against her still scorching lips, she could still feel his soft moist lips on her own. She could feel his smooth, freshly shaved jaw brushing against her cheek and the scent of rosemary hung heavy in her office. My goodness, the man kisses like it’s his job, she thought with a smile.