Crista turned away and stumbled towards her car. What the hell had just happened? She’d kissed Nax Clacka, that’s what had happened.
Not once. But twice.
What had she been thinking? She hadn’t been, that was the problem. She’d woken up this morning in a bad mood. She’d barely slept last night; her brain had been too busy going over everything that had happened last night. And when her alarm had finally gone off, she’d known exactly what she had to do to make herself feel better.
Give Nax Clacka hell. He deserved some after all he’d put her through. How dare he intrude on her date. Sure, she’d known that things weren’t going any further with Marc. Still, she’d been having a pleasant night. It wasn’t often she got to go out to eat. And then both of them ruined it. But mainly it was Nax’s fault since he’d intruded on their date.
She’d climbed into her car and found herself driving over here before she’d really formulated a plan about what she was going to do. And then she’d fallen on him, yelled at him, fallen on the ground, kissed him, yelled at him some more, kissed him again… Okay, so that had gone nothing like she’d planned.
And now… Had she really agreed to a date with him?
She opened the car door and got in. Then she just sat there, thinking over what on Earth had gone so wrong. No, she hadn’t agreed to go out to dinner with him. He’d told her that’s what they were doing. Which was so damn typical.
Of course, she hadn’t actually said no, either. Probably because her brain had been completely fried by that kiss. Shit. She should get out of the car, go find him, and tell him that she absolutely was not going out to dinner with him. That he was a bossy, arrogant jerk and she didn’t want to see him again.
Harsh words, Crista.
And she still sat there, not moving. Okay, so maybe she didn’t actually want to tell him now. Maybe she wanted more of those kisses. And perhaps those kisses would lead to something else and…she leaned her head against the steering wheel with a groan.
What was she doing? He’d admitted to following her around. He’d ruined her date. He could be an ass. And yet her body fired up in his presence.
Idiot. Idiot.
She banged her forehead against the steering wheel. She didn’t know the guy and what she did know wasn’t all that wonderful. In fact, when you added up all the encounters they’d had it wasn’t pretty. She would do well to stay far, far away from him.
Her passenger door opened and she looked up in shock as Frankie climbed into the front seat. The back door opened and in jumped Eden.
“What? What are you guys doing?”
“We’re kidnapping you,” Eden said cheerfully.
“What?”
“Oh shit, she’s gone pale,” Frankie said. “We’re not really kidnapping you, Crista.”
“Sorry.” Eden leaned between the seats with a grimace. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I figured you wouldn’t really think that, considering you’re the one who’s going to drive.”
“Drive? Drive where?” she asked.
“To the spa.” Frankie grinned at her.
“The spa? You want me to drive you to a spa?” Couldn’t they drive themselves? Or have one of their men to do it? Couldn’t they see that she was having a bad day?
“Oh dear, she’s got it bad,” Frankie commented.
“Uh-huh,” Eden agreed. “Poor thing looks like she’s had a fright.”
“Yeah, does your hair often do that?” Frankie asked.
“Do what?” She pulled down the sun visor. “Shit!” She gaped at herself in the mirror. Her hair, which had mostly fallen out of the bun she’d tied it in this morning, was pretty much standing up on end. Her mascara had run, leaving dark streaks under her eyes, her lipstick was smudged around her lips, giving her a clown-like appearance. The bruise on her cheek was the least of her worries.
“Oh God, I look like I should be in some horror show.”
“Yep,” Frankie agreed.
“Frankie!” Eden scolded. “You’re not supposed to agree with her. It will be okay, Crista. A day at the spa will fix you all up. You’ll feel like a new woman at the end of it. Oh, drat, we’ve been caught, Frankie.”
Frankie looked out the window and sighed. Crista followed her line of sight and saw Frankie’s husband standing there, hands on hips, glaring at them. “I’ll go talk to him. You convince Crista to come with us.”
“I can’t go to the spa,” Crista said. “I have to work.”
“You sure you can’t take the day off?” Eden pouted. “I’m pregnant, you know.”
Crista turned to stare at her. “And because you’re pregnant, I need to do what you want me to?”
Eden grinned. “That’s it, exactly.”
“Look, I’d love to go.” Not really. “But I really have to work. I can’t just take the day off.”
“But it’s Saturday, surely you can take a few hours off? It will be our treat. And no offense, but you kind of look like you need it.”
She turned to look at where Frankie was talking to her husband, her hands on her hips as she stared up at him. She didn’t seem at all intimidated by the fact that he towered over her or that there was a frown on his face.
“Sacaren doesn’t seem pleased.”
“They don’t like us going anywhere without one of them. They’re very protective. Especially since the break-in.”
“Break in?”
“Yeah, the other night someone attempted to break into our place. Frankie and I were here with Nax. The others were away on a job. They weren’t happy when they got back.”
“But the person didn’t get in?”
“Nah, Nax has got some really good security set up. He’s the most protective of the lot of them, I think. Doesn’t always show it. He tends to growl out orders. But if he cares about you, then you can always rely on him to have your back. He was really concerned about you when he realized someone had hit you. We all were.”
“Why? You hardly know me.”
Eden leaned forward and squeezed her shoulder. “I know. But maybe we could get to know each other at the spa.” She sighed as she looked out the window to see Marcun join Sacaren and Frankie. “Seems like we’re not going to get away without an escort.”
“They’re really that upset about an attempted break-in?”
“Yep. So you can imagine like they would be like if we’d been hurt.”
She got the point Eden was trying to make, but it still made no sense.
“They’d be so upset they might do something stupid, like attack the person they thought had hurt us.”
“Okay, I can kind of understand that when it comes to you and Frankie, but I am nothing to Nax.”
“Actually, I think you could be everything to him,” Eden said softly.
Crista froze. What the hell did that mean?
“Forget I said that. I shouldn’t have. It’s up to Nax to talk to you.”
“I barely know Nax, know any of you. And I’m not sure what you think Nax feels towards me, but you’re wrong.”
I am not going to stay away from you.
She swallowed heavily. She should probably be freaked by that. Except she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. This was all so confusing
Frankie suddenly opened the passenger door. “All right, here’s the deal. They want to drive us there and back. They don’t like the look of your car. Sorry, Crista.”
What was wrong with her car? Yeah, okay, even she couldn’t argue that it was a good car. It was a piece of crap.
“I really should work.”
“Please,” Eden said. “Everyone could use some time to relax and some friends to talk to.”
Friends? She didn’t have friends, did she? Most of the one’s she’d had she’d lost touch with after her mom started to go downhill. It was hard to have a social life and work and take care of a dependent.
She could use some time to relax.
“All right, but I’ll pay for myself.” She had some money from the last ho
use she sold. She shouldn’t really splurge on non-necessities but she couldn’t let anyone else pay.
“Oh, no, you’re not paying,” Frankie said cheerfully. “Nax ruined your date last night, it’s the least he owes you.”
“I don’t want him paying for me.”
She shook her head. “It’s not right. I pay my own way.”
Frankie smiled at her. “How about this? We pay this time and the next big house you sell, you take us out for beer and pizza.”
“Now that’s not nice,” Eden said as she climbed out of the car. “I can’t drink beer.”
“Well, it could take that long for me to sell another house,” Crista said dryly, climbing from the car and locking it. She couldn’t really believe she was doing this. But it was just a couple of hours, what could it really hurt?
“All right, it’s a deal.”
* * *
She sat on the ultra-comfortable chair as the nail technician painted her toenails. Had she ever felt this relaxed? Not that she could remember. That massage had been to die for. And then there was the facial. Followed by a manicure and pedicure. Of course the couple of glasses of wine she’d had probably helped.
“So, do you enjoy being a real estate agent, Crista?” Eden asked.
The three of them were sitting next to each other while getting their pedicures. Crista had opted for a pale green, Eden had gone for bright pink, while Frankie just wanted a gloss coating.
“Yeah, I do. The work is interesting. I like helping people. My boss is a bit of a dick, but he’s been gone the last week so that’s made life easier. And the hours really suit me. I can do a lot from home.”
“What’s up with your boss?” asked Frankie.
She grimaced. “He’s an asshole. He’s been the one pushing me to get you guys to sell. He has this client who really wants your house. But I’ve never met them and every time I’ve asked to, he’s refused. I’m sure I can find them something else, but apparently they’re not willing to budge.”
“That’s odd,” Frankie said.
Crista shrugged. “Sometimes people have more money than sense. I wouldn’t know about that.”
“Before I came to live with Marcun, I lived in this run-down apartment. I had a bakery that wasn’t doing well. I wasn’t doing well. It’s hard.”
“Yeah, it is. But I’ve made a couple of good sales so I’m doing better than I was.” She didn’t want anyone’s sympathy.
“You said your boss has been away. These people haven’t contacted you about our house?” Frankie asked.
Crista shook her head. “I guess they’ve given up. Good for me. Pervert Pete was getting rather pushy about it.”
“Pervert Pete?” Frankie asked.
Drat. Maybe she needed to slow down on the vino. She always got chatty after a couple of drinks.
“Doesn’t matter,” she muttered.
“Is that your boss?” Eden asked.
“Is he handsy?” Frankie demanded. “Those brothers of mine are still available. Need them to teach him some manners?”
Crista just stared at her for a moment, blinking. She sniffled.
Frankie’s eyes widened. “Jeez, it wasn’t meant to make you cry.”
“And once Nax finds out what your boss is like, Frankie’s brothers won’t be necessary,” Eden said darkly.
“Oh no. No, you cannot tell Nax,” she said desperately. “I do not need his kind of interference or help.”
Eden and Frankie shared an uneasy glance.
“Promise me that you will not say a word.”
“Crista, if this guy is hassling you—” Eden started to say.
“He’s not,” Crista quickly reassured her. “I mean, he’s a jerk and he’s made a few gross suggestions, but he hasn’t touched me or anything.”
“That’s so reassuring,” Frankie told her dryly.
“And besides, he’s not even here at the moment. He’s gone to help his mom. She broke her hip.”
“A jerk who loves his mom? Who knew?” Eden looked surprised.
“Yeah, surprised me too. I kind of figured he was hatched.”
Frankie snorted. “So what’s he done?”
She sighed. “He told me that I should do whatever was necessary to get you guys to sell your house. Told me I should take tips from the other female agent in our firm. She gives out free blow jobs to all her clients who want it.”
“Jesus,” Eden muttered.
“Yeah, and if I didn’t get you guys to sell, my choices were that I was out on my ass or I’d be giving him some happy time.”
“What a dick,” Frankie said. “I really think we should tell Nax.”
She shook her head frantically. “Like I said, he’s not here. And we all know how Nax will react.”
She knew he’d be furious.
“He’d rip his dick right off him,” Frankie said cheerfully.
All three nail technicians froze and look up at her. Frankie just waved her hand. “Not literally, of course.”
Yeah, Crista wasn’t so sure.
“I’m looking for another job. I’m hoping I can get one before he comes back. Please keep this to yourselves.”
“All right, we won’t say anything as long as he’s out of town,” Eden told her after a moments silence.
“But he comes back and all bets are off,” Frankie warned.
She bit her lip and nodded. “Thanks.” She rested her head back against the chair. “This was a great idea, thank you.”
“I guess you don’t get much of a chance to relax,” Eden said.
“No. And it’s nice to escape from everyday life. Even if just for a few hours. I have dreams about escaping it all sometimes. You know, when I first heard about the Zerconians wanting human mates I thought about heading out on a transporter.”
“Really?” Frankie asked.
“Yeah. But it was just a fantasy. I couldn’t leave Mom and I couldn’t take her with me.”
“They’re hunks, though. From what I’ve seen,” Eden said.
“Yeah, but there’s got to be a catch, right? They’re probably jerks. And then there’s that long-lived thing. I don’t know if I want to be with someone who will outlive me. Do they even age? What will they think of me when I’m old and wrinkly and they’re young and handsome.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Eden said quietly.
“Sorry.” Crista sat up with a smile. “Sometimes I babble on about stuff.” Both women looked pale and sad. “Are you guys all right?”
“Sure,” Frankie said brightly.
Eden just nodded.
“Nails are done.” Her technician said. “Can I get you all some water?”
“That might be a good idea,” Crista told her with a mutter. Stop her from telling her whole life story.
When the technicians were gone, Eden turned to Crista. “I know that Nax must seem really intense and odd, but I’ve never seen him react to someone the way he does to you.”
“How long have you known him?”
Eden looked thoughtful. “Um, less than a year.”
“Have they always lived together? They all seem close and they look really alike.”
“They’re a really close family,” Frankie told her. “But they’re good guys. Nax would never hurt you.”
“He was following me.”
“He was worried about you,” Eden told her. “About those bruises on your face and arm. You wouldn’t tell him who’d done it. He just wanted to make sure you were safe.”
“This is all very strange. I hardly know him.”
“You’d like to, though, right?” Frankie winked at her. “He’s a hunk. They all are. Not to say they can’t be a pain in the ass. Nax is probably worse than the rest—”
“Frankie, you’re not supposed to be turning her off him,” Eden scolded.
“Just sticking to the truth,” Frankie protested.
“The truth is good,” Crista said with a sigh. “Look, I’m attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be? But
his intensity is kind of scary. And I’m not in a good place in my life to, um, get involved with someone.”
“When is a good time?” Frankie asked.
“When I’m not holding onto my job by the skin of my teeth, living in a one-bed apartment with my mother who has dementia and needs more care than I can give her.”
“Oh, Crista, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Eden reached across and took her hand.
“I didn’t mean to blurt all that out.”
“That’s got to be hard with your mom,” Frankie said quietly. “You sound like you could use some help.”
“We’re here if you need anything,” Eden told her.
“And Nax could be too.”
“It’s just not a good idea. I mean, I agreed to a date with Marc but that was more out of loneliness than anything else.” And didn’t that make her sound pathetic. Buck up, Crista. “Look, don’t feel sorry for me. Life could be worse, right? At least I have a job where I can work from home a lot. It just means I don’t have a lot of time and energy for a man.”
Especially for one like Nax, who would probably demand everything.
Luckily, before Eden and Frankie could attempt to change her mine, the technician returned with their water.
9
An hour later, Crista climbed out of the Humvee, waved at Frankie, Eden, and Marcun, who’d picked them up, then quickly got into her car and drove off.
She was headed towards the office when her work cell rang. It switched over to Bluetooth.
“Hello, Crista speaking.”
“Crista, it’s Pete.”
Shit. “Hi. How are you? How is your mother?” She had to force herself to keep her voice cordial. But really, he was the last person she wanted to hear from.
“Forget about that,” he said, sounding stressed. “Have you convinced those weirdos to sell their house to my client?”
She pulled over to the side of the road. She couldn’t drive and concentrate on this conversation.
“They don’t want to sell,” she told him firmly.
“What are they? Fucking crazy? Dumb dipshits!”
She drew in a shocked breath. Yeah, he wasn’t a good boss. Not even close. But she’d never heard him swear like this.
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