Chapter 2
Sienna
“She isn’t moving,” Kelsie’s voice sounds concerned, but I don’t so much as try to open my eyes.
“That’s because she’s asleep,” Briggs blurts.
Cracking one eye open, I silently curse them both for being so damn loud and cheerful while I lie here, feeling like I’ve been hit by a train. Fuck. Why the hell do I do this to myself when I only end up regretting it in the morning? Just like any other man I have ever known, Jim, Jack, and Jose live to use their smooth charm and fuzzy warm tingles to make me feel good enough to let my guard down. The second I am relaxed and feeling good, whoever I made the mistake of putting in my mouth, laces up his boots and kicks my ass into my eardrums.
“You sure about that?” Reaching out, Kelsie pokes my cheek. I jolt. Balling my fists, I prepare to swing if she tries that shit again. “She looks rough as hell and I’m not wearing the right shoes to hide a body.”
“See,” Briggs laughs, the sound exploding through my head like dynamite. “She’s totally fine.”
“I’m about to punch you in the tit,” I groan, reaching up to slap Kelsie’s hand away when she pokes me again. “Ugh.” Yanking the covers up over my head, I bury my face in my pillow. “I’m never drinking again.”
“Famous last words,” Briggs sings out, flopping onto the bed, beside me. “It’s a hangover, not a terminal illness. All you need is some aspirin and a gallon of coffee.”
“And a big plate of French toast,” Kelsie adds, yanking the blankets from my body. “Get your ass up, woman. I’m starving.”
“Please don’t talk about food.” Rolling to my side, I pull my knees into my chest and wrap my arms around them. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly as I open my eyes, silently praying for my stomach to stop rolling.
“Honey, you’ll need to eat something,” she replies, heading into my walk-in closet, no doubt planning to dress me like her own personal Barbie doll. “It’s highly unlikely there’s anything left in there after our little run in with local law enforcement last night.”
“Oh, my God,” I breathe as memories come rushing back in vivid flashes. “Did I—.”
“Sexually harass a police officer before throwing up on him?” Briggs asks, arching a brow. Her lips twitch as she nods slowly. “Why, yes, Sienna. You absolutely did.”
“Simple misunderstanding!” Kelsie yells from the closet. “Though, just to clarify, we said to throw yourself at a man, not throw up on one.”
“Shit.” Releasing my legs, I bury my face in my hands, hoping to hide the embarrassment I feel spreading across my face. “I was hoping I dreamed all that.”
“No such luck.” Briggs pats my arm. “I mean, if it makes you feel better, I think there were only half a dozen witnesses. Could’ve been a lot worse.”
“Who the hell thought it was a good idea to let me socialize with real people?” I ask, replaying pieces from last night over in my head.
“We’re real people too, asshole,” Briggs mutters, kneeing me in the ass. “We’re just used to you being a public menace.”
“Public menace?” I snort, absolutely mortified. “I’m lucky I wasn’t arrested for assaulting a police officer.”
“Nah, they were great sports about the whole thing,” Briggs says, attempting to comfort me. “Even drove us back here instead of us having to get a room.”
“I remember,” I groan, feeling my face heat against my palms. “Oh God. I need to apologize or something. At the very least, I need to let him know I’m not some insane drunk who runs around town fondling random men.”
“Why?” Briggs asks. Sliding my hands down, I open my eyes and glare at her for asking such a stupid question. She shrugs. “You said hello to his partner in crime. So fucking what!” Flopping back on the mattress, she laughs her ass off at her own joke. “You don’t apologize for shit like that. You offer to use your mouth.”
“Hell yes!” Kelsie whoops. “He was hot.”
“I’m not offering a cop a blowjob,” I argue, closing my eyes as my head begins to throb in time with the beat of my heart. “I may have escaped the assault charge; I’m not pushing it by adding prostitution.”
“Prostitution implies he would be paying,” Briggs argues right back. “He wouldn’t. Besides, he was out of his jurisdiction anyway.”
Kelsie laughs along with Briggs, both of them enjoying the hell out of this. I’m sure as shit glad someone is. “I thought his eyes were going to fly out of his head when you grabbed his dick!” Kelsie giggles. My eyes open just as she steps out of the closet, holding up a blue and silver sundress and a pair of white wedges. “You’re my hero, babe. Now, put this on and let’s go.”
“Yes,” Briggs agrees. “And the next time I demand you let loose and do somethin’ bad,” she adds with a wink. “We hire a camera crew.”
Looking between them both, I roll my eyes as I push from the bed. “I need new friends.”
Briggs and Kelsie’s laughter echoes into the bathroom while I shower and get ready for the day. After three cups of coffee and enough concealer to paint the walls of my bedroom, I manage to make myself look like something that won’t send the customers of the bakery I own running the opposite way the moment they walk in the door and see me behind the counter.
After all, no one wants to buy cupcakes and brownies from a woman who looks like she slept in the back alley.
Because of my overly-inebriated state last night, and the man the girls are now referring to as Hunk P.D. bringing us back to my house in the back of his squad car, my car is still parked in town, while Briggs’s is still parked at the club. If I thought that nothing could add to the greatness that is the morning after a terrible Sienna-style blunder, I was wrong. Being unable to drive myself or justify a five-mile walk in heels, I am stuck in Kelsie’s car, listening to her and Briggs go over and over the details of what happened last night, as if they were giving a play by play recap of a football game. I’d be lying if I said the idea of throwing open the door to tuck and roll at fifty miles an hour didn’t cross my mind more than once.
Damn backdoor safety locks.
After a quick breakfast, where I manage to choke down some toast and orange juice, I hurry across the street to my shop, Sweets by Sienna. The moment the sign Briggs hand-painted for me in her workshop comes into view, the first genuine smile of my day begins to spread across my face. The beautiful white storefront is set off by a bright pink door and is framed with matching trim. Bright colored tulips fill the flower boxes below each of the large oval shaped windows, giving the building warmth and character. I am proud of every nail, every swipe of paint, and all the back-breaking work that I have poured into this place. Saying that I love what I do doesn’t quite do it justice. I live and breathe my career. Baking is as much a part of me as my green eyes or my love of thunderstorms.
Walking through the door, I wince slightly when the bell above me dings loudly. “Welcome to Swee—” Stopping mid-sentence, Tessa slides the tray of banana crème cupcakes I made yesterday into the display case. “Oh, it’s just you.”
“Good morning to you too, Tess,” I deadpan, rolling my eyes. “Been busy this morning?” Crossing the room, I round the counter to trade my bag for my apron and wash my hands.
“You bet your ass,” she answers with a grin. “Those peach turnovers you made were gone before nine, and we’re all out of those croissants with the butterscotch glaze, too.”
“Really?” I ask, pretty damn excited. The idea of blending flavors and putting my own spin on things that you won’t necessarily find at a drive-thru or at one of those big coffee shops, has always been something I strive for. I spend hours on Pinterest, and flipping through old cookbooks for inspiration. Knowing that something I created, with local ingredients and my own two hands, is being enjoyed like this is the ultimate high.
“You should’ve seen it,” she tells me, swatting me on the hip with her hand towel. Yelping, I whip around to meet her eyes, a satisfied smirk spreading across her face. “Thought the Chief was going to dive through the glass to lick the crumbs off the tray when he was in here earlier picking up their daily donut order.”
My body stiffens at her mention of the police. “Oh wow,” I murmur, swallowing hard. “I’m sorry I missed them.”
“You and me both,” she replies, giving me a snippy look. “You know I don’t like handling the five-oh. They make me nervous. Especially my nephew.”
“Time to cut back on those special brownies of yours,” I fire back. “They’re making you paranoid.”
“Maybe.” Pausing, she eyes me skeptically. “Doesn’t mean I can’t tell there’s something off about you this morning.”
“I’m fine,” I sputter immediately, shaking my head. Turning my back to her, I busy myself by stacking the empty trays to take back to the dishwasher. “Totally fine. Completely—”
“Fine?” she laughs, clearly seeing through me as usual. Stepping up beside me, she sniffs the air. “Funny, I never expected bullshit to smell like peaches and buttercream.”
“How about you worry less about me and more about getting the new menu items written on the specialty board in the window,” I laugh, nudging her with my elbow. “Then, I can focus on pretending I don’t want to fire your nosy ass.”
“Don’t you worry, smartass,” she teases, making her way around the counter and toward the front of the store. “As soon as Beastly Temptations Studios gets back to me about being a male talent stager, you can kiss this ass goodbye,” she adds, slapping her hip.
“Male talent what?”
“Male talent stager,” she repeats without hesitation. “I put in an application to be a cock fluffer. They’re very interested in my abilities and want me to come audition.”
“You can’t be serious.” Lifting the stack of metal trays into my arms, I turn for the door that leads to the kitchen.
“I can and I am.” Holding up her hand, she waggles her brows as she begins displaying some of her moves. Vigorously. “I’ve been practicing my technique.”
Catching movement outside the window, my eyes widen in horror when I see the same vivid blue eyes, from last night, locked on Tessa as she fist fucks the air like she is prepping the Invisible Man for a nooner.
I can now confirm, without a shred of doubt, that it’s impossible to die from embarrassment.
You simply wish you had…