Brushing Off the Boss: A Half Moon Bay Novel (Entangled Bliss)

by Annie Seaton

  Getting tangled up with Jack was the least logical path she could take. She really had to brush him off. But she didn’t want to…

  Jack was banging around in the storage shed, and Sienna poked her head around the door. She looked around the boxes filling the small space, and her breath caught. She raised her hand to her mouth. “Oh my goodness.”

  Two huge abstract sculptures stood on either side of the piled-up moving cartons. She walked over and ran her fingers down the fluid shape of the one closest to the door. “These are yours?”

  Jack’s face was shadowed, and she looked up at him, unable to read his expression.

  “Yeah. The rest are still in the basement at my parents’ house.” His voice was tight, and she wondered if he was shy about his work.

  She lifted her chin, caught his gaze, and challenged him to hustle her from the room. “They’re amazing. They make my pieces seem trivial.” Then all of a sudden, her confidence disappeared as unexpected doubt rushed in. His pieces were spectacular. His artistic flair showed in every curve and angle of the pieces. For a moment it made her feel as though her pieces were insignificant.

  Am I kidding myself thinking I’m good enough to show my work in an exhibition? In Carmel-by-the-Sea of all places?

  Sienna stepped back and put one hand behind her, feeling for the door handle. “Wait.” Her eyes met his, and all thoughts of sculptures, frogs, and shows fled and she caught her lip between her teeth as Jack followed her to the door. She could read the expression in his green eyes as clear as day. It mirrored the feelings racing through her.

  He stood beside her and took her shoulders gently between his hands. Sensual intent filled his gaze, and a shiver started low in her stomach and traveled in every direction. She couldn’t look away. She couldn’t resist the feelings rampaging through her as he held her; accepting them came to her as naturally as breathing.

  “What’s wrong with your hand?” He looked down at her hand, which had the apron fisted against her chest.

  “Just a little cut.”

  “Show me.”

  He pulled her closer and unwound the apron from around her hand. “Damn. That’s a nasty gash there. What did you do?”

  “I caught it on one of the rough edges when I was packing up.” At least talking about her hand dispelled the mood that had ensnared them briefly. “It’s nothing. I’ll just go clean it and put a bandage on it.” She pulled away from him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Not so fast.” A warm hand held her shoulder gently. “I’ll do it for you. Working one-handed is a bit hard.”

  “It’s all right, Jack. I said I’ll do it.” Sienna knew her voice was testy, but being with him in the confined space, sharing her work with him, and then seeing his, had created an intimacy between them she didn’t want. Okay, maybe she did want it, but it would complicate things way too much.

  She moved away from him and wasn’t surprised when he followed her into the studio.

  “Where’s your first aid kit?”

  “In the cupboard under the sink in the kitchen.”

  Jack took her arm and pulled her over to the sofa before gently pushing her to sit down. “Sit there and don’t move.” He stared at her for a moment. “And there’s no need to be sassy.”

  Sienna leaned against the soft back of the sofa, closed her eyes, and rested her head on the cushion. Her hand had started to throb and her neck ached from working. As soon as Jack finished his first aid ministrations, she was going to sleep. It looked like there was no way she was going to get rid of him until she allowed him to look after her.

  Which was kind of nice in a way.

  “How often do you work here alone?”

  She opened her eyes. She must have dozed off. He was crouched down in front of her and had placed a bowl of water on the floor.

  “Most nights. Why?”

  “It’s not safe.”

  “I’m a big girl now, Jack.”

  “What if you’d cut yourself badly and passed out or something?” He unwound the apron from around her palm, and she drew a quick breath as the dried blood stuck to the fabric. “You could burn yourself…or start a fire.”

  “But I didn’t.”

  “It’s my gallery and my building, and I need to make sure that my staff is safe.” His voice was firm.

  A slow burn began in her stomach when Jack dipped a cotton pad in the water and cleaned her hand.

  My staff.

  She’d been kidding herself about this intimacy between them. His comment brought her back to earth. It served as a good reminder of what their relationship really was. She bit back the words that were boiling inside, took a deep breath, and let the anger recede. He was her boss, and he owned the gallery. There was nothing she could do about it, and there was nothing to be gained by getting angry. She’d been there and done that already. She’d agreed to give it a month. Once her show was done, she would decide what to do next. Sienna bit her lip and frowned. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that working alongside Jack was problematic. But no matter what logic she used to convince herself she could get over this attraction to him, her body wouldn’t cooperate.

  “Any deeper and you would need stitches.”

  Sienna kept her eyes closed and her head back against the sofa. The sharp aroma of antiseptic liquid reached her before the warm pressure of a Band-Aid filled her palm.

  “There you go. I don’t think it needs more than that.”

  She opened her eyes when he let her hand go, and she gestured to the first aid stuff on the floor. “Leave all that. I’ll clean it up in the morning.”

  “No. I’ll do it. Do you want a glass of water or a coffee or something?” Jack gathered up the bowl and the ointment, and the box of bandages, and held his hand out for the apron that was still on her lap.

  “For someone who’s used to servants, you’re pretty versatile.” She shot him a grin. “Thanks for looking after me.”

  “So have a coffee with me before I go. I need a shot of caffeine for the ride back home.” He stood up in front of the sofa and his deep green gaze pinned her. Her heartbeat skittered up a notch.

  “Thank you, I will.” She liked having him around and was reluctant to say good-bye to him. He was easy to spend time with, and if she could put the gallery ownership aside, they had a lot in common.

  Art-wise, anyway.

  It was strange to sit back on the sofa and listen to Jack rattling around with the coffeemaker. Eventually, the aroma of brewing coffee drifted out from the kitchen. A pleasant sleepiness began to overtake her and she slipped her shoes off and pulled her legs up beneath her.

  “Cream and sugar?” Jack called from the kitchen.

  “Yes, please. Both.”

  Sienna watched as he crossed the studio grasping two coffee mugs. His dark T-shirt strained against his broad shoulders as he balanced the two cups trying not to spill the hot liquid. She grinned to herself. He’d picked the biggest mugs she had in the kitchen, so he’d be here for a while yet. She slid along the sofa to the end to make room for him. He put the cups on the small table at the other end of the sofa. The sofa cushion tipped when he sat next to her, and she grasped the cushion with her uninjured hand so she didn’t slide down on top of him.

  “Thanks for letting me watch you work. I really enjoyed spending time with you tonight.” Jack turned and slid his arm along the top of the sofa. His words mirrored her thoughts.

  Uh-oh.

  “I usually prefer to work alone.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and tried to keep her voice snappy. Having six feet plus of attractive male sitting so close to her when she was tired and feeling vulnerable was not her choice for sensible behavior.

  “Why are you so defensive, Sienna?” Jack held her gaze and his voice was low. “Who hurt you?”

  “No one hurt me. I just prefer to be alone.” She didn’t like the little bit of need she could hear in her own voice, and she lifted her chin. “That’s the way I a
m.”

  “Why? We all need people in our life, and around us. I’ve seen you with Ana and Georgie. That’s not being alone.”

  “That’s different. Georgie is my sister, and we’ve been friends with Ana all our lives.” She stared at him. “And who’s going to be around you once you get settled here, anyhow? It’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black. Unless you’ve got a heap of artist friends out here?”

  She knew she was babbling, but his intense gaze fixed on her unnerved her. Sienna leaned forward to reach for her coffee mug, but Jack grabbed her hand. She held his gaze, and something elemental moved inside her when he put his arms around her. She tried to pull back from his hold, but he tightened it.

  “Sienna?” His green eyes held a question as she looked up at him. He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb over her lip.

  Her breath caught in her throat as a riot of unfamiliar feelings spiraled through her.

  “Oh, what the hell.” She pulled her hand away from his, rose to her knees, and grabbed his face with both hands. “I’ll probably regret this in the morning, but we’re going to have to get this out of the way.”

  Sienna leaned forward and pressed her lips against his…and it was heaven. He lifted his arms and slid her across to his lap without breaking the contact. She fit into the curve of his shoulder so naturally…a perfect fit.

  “Are you sure?” His words vibrated against her lips as his arms tightened around her. She couldn’t move away even if she changed her mind. She slid her hands down past his shoulders and gripped the tops of his arms, smiling as his muscles tightened beneath her fingers. Sienna lifted her head just long enough to answer, and Jack’s lips moved across her cheek and down her neck.

  “We need to do something about this attraction…and then we can move on,” she said.

  The feel of his hard chest against her, the slide of his lips down her throat, slammed into her, and the heat rushed in. Sienna closed her eyes and sank into the pleasure he was offering.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sienna slipped Jack’s T-shirt over her head and walked across the studio toward the sofa. Jack grinned up at her and held out his hand, but she ignored him.

  “Where are the clothes you had on last night?” He shot her a lazy grin.

  “You tell me and we’ll both know.”

  “They must be here somewhere. Come back and we’ll look together.” He raised himself up on one elbow, but she shook her head and pursed her lips at him.

  “As tempting as that may be, it’s almost time to open the gallery. I’ve got an appointment with the newspaper at eleven a.m.” She pointed to the clock above the door; it was almost ten thirty.

  “So, mister, you need to get dressed and look like a gallery owner.”

  “Have we got time for breakfast? Pancakes, maybe?” The look on his face was comical and she shook her head.

  “Someone has to run this gallery, so once I’m showered and dressed you can have the bathroom.”

  “And then we can go out for a quick breakfast?” He tried to put on a pleading expression but it didn’t work.

  “When you decide to get up, can you make up the bed please?”

  “Guess I’m not going to get lucky then?”

  Sienna stood in the doorway away from the temptation of his reach. “Last night was fun, Jack. We’ve dealt with what was building between us, now we move on. Okay?”

  The whole night had been…fun.

  “Fun” was probably the best word to use. Two consenting adults giving in to a mutual attraction and doing something about it. They’d laughed and giggled, and enjoyed each other’s company. And given each other a great deal of pleasure…the soft teasing, the laughter and their banter had enhanced her night…and their lovemaking. Sienna hummed softly as she stripped down and stepped into the shower.

  They’d move on, their relationship would go back to business; she’d have her exhibition, then decide if she was going to stay at the Sea View Gallery. All logical, and cut-and-dried, and she had a month to sort it out. So why did she feel so excited, and why was that silly grin plastered on her face?

  Sienna managed to put Jack to the back of her mind when the reporter from the local paper arrived, and she approved the ads they were going to run for her show. After that, she focused on her email and the satisfying number of inquiries that were starting to arrive. The word about Sea View Gallery was getting out, and hopefully her debut show would cement that.

  The morning flew by, but there was no sign of Jack in the gallery. He was either having a very long breakfast or he’d gone back out to Forest Lake. No matter how many times Sienna glanced at the door at the back of the gallery, he didn’t make an appearance, and she pushed away the little tug of disappointment that insisted on staying with her. Maybe he’d gone back home; maybe he was unpacking some of his boxes in storage. Anyway, it was none of her business, and she wasn’t going to go out to find him.

  Move on. I’ve got a heap to do or my exhibition will never get off the ground.

  Just after noon, when the gallery had cleared for the usual slow time during lunch, the front doorbell tinkled softly. Sienna looked up from the iPad where she was checking her afternoon appointments. A tall, elegantly dressed woman about her age stood in the doorway looking around the gallery as if for someone in particular. A designer-label dress, Sienna thought, if she knew her fashion, and the shoes were definitely Manolo Blahniks. She’d salivated over the very same pair in a trendy shoe shop in San Francisco the last time she’d gone up there on a shopping expedition with Georgie and Ana. She loved clothes and to indulge her sense of fashion, but in her work, heels were impractical. She stared at the woman’s feet—oh, she loved those shoes.

  The woman turned to Sienna with a frown, but from her height she still managed to look her up and down. Sienna stood and straightened, and plastered a smile on her face. All kinds came into the gallery, and they were all prospective customers.

  “Hello. Welcome to Sea View Gallery.” Sienna picked up an information brochure and held it out, but the woman ignored it so she dropped it back on the table with a shrug. “If there’s anything I can help you with, please ask.” She gestured to the gallery and then turned back to her iPad.

  “I’m here to see Jack Montgomery.” The woman’s voice was as impatient as her expression, and a frown marred her perfectly made-up face. Sienna got the impression that she’d done something to upset this visitor, but didn’t have a clue what it could be because she’d never seen this woman before.

  “Do you have an appointment?” Sienna pretended to refer to the iPad. Jack had made it quite clear she was running the gallery and he would stay in the background, so maybe it was personal? “Who shall I say is calling?” Sienna smiled, trying to keep the interaction pleasant despite the woman’s snooty behavior.

  “Arielle.”

  “And your last name…”

  “Jack knows who I am.” A perfectly manicured hand reached up and smoothed the blond hair, which was sprayed into place.

  “If you say so, but I’m not even sure if he’s in.” Sienna was reluctant to go out the back and look for him, and this woman was pushing her buttons. “I’ll take a message and make an appointment for you, Ms.…?”

  The woman stared at her and shook her head slowly. She put her bag on the floor and sauntered over to the love seat beside the glass desk. She draped herself over the seat and smiled at Sienna before trilling a little girlish laugh.

  “There’s no need for that. I’ll wait here. I’m Jack’s girlfriend.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Jack revved the bike and hit the coast road. He’d needed some fresh air and some time to clear his head. Last night with Sienna had been magic, but then she’d put the walls back up this morning. Maybe she’d been focusing on having to open the gallery. Or that’s what he was hoping. He wasn’t used to being put in his place and told where a relationship could go. Last night had given him a lot to think about. Maybe seeing each other wouldn’
t complicate things too much; they were both adults and the night had been fun. They could separate business and pleasure. Surely she could see that, too?

  The relaxed Sienna was even more beautiful, and he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes—or his hands—off her. There should be more of it. Life was for loving, and it was easy for him to become impatient with people who took things too seriously. His father was a prime example of that.

  She’d declined to join him for breakfast, so now he’d take Sienna out for lunch and use his best persuasive techniques to convince her they could do business and…sex.

  And be friends as well.

  And it wouldn’t impact anything. They were adults and could handle it as long as they were honest with each other. Jack had seen too much dishonesty back in New York, both in business and in his personal life, and it had been one of the reasons for coming out west and starting afresh.

  Honesty. That was the key.

  The sweet salt air rushed past and Jack took a deep breath as he turned the bike back toward Carmel-by-the-Sea. No matter what his reason had been, this move was the best damned thing he’d ever done in his life.

  Five minutes later, Jack put his helmet on the sofa in the studio and smoothed his hand over his hair. He was quickly getting the impression that when he was in the gallery, he was supposed to look the part of the owner and not like a surfer bum. He pushed the door open and glanced around. The gallery was almost clear.

  So lunch it is.

  Sienna was standing at the glass desk by the door. He walked up behind her quietly and put his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

  “Let’s go have lunch. I missed out on breakfast.”