CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sean
“Are you sure you’re ready to go back?” I asked as Paisley packed her bag for the day. She looked up at me with an expression I was beginning to recognize: half disdain, half annoyance.
“Yes,” she said. “I promise. I feel perfect.”
“Okay,” I sighed. “Well, you only have a week left of swim camp so you won’t have to go much longer.”
“I know,” she said. “You don’t have to remind me.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Aren’t you ready for a little break, though?”
“Why would I be?” she asked with attitude. I opened my mouth to speak but quickly changed my mind. Now that Paisley felt better, she also talked to me more. It was exciting and new, but it meant I had to deal with her little girl sass far too often.
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “Forget I said anything. Just have fun today, okay? And take it easy.”
“I feel fine,” she insisted.
“You say that now, but when you puke in the pool—”
“Sean!” I laughed as she looked at me in horror. “That’s not funny!”
“It was a little funny,” I argued. “Now, get going. Your ride is here.”
“Bye,” she said. She waved and hurried out the front door.
“See you later!” I called after her.
Part of me hoped she might give me a hug before she left, but I knew that was wishful thinking. We were closer now, but we still had a long way to go before we could have the relationship I really wanted. Even bonding over an illness didn’t make up for the last eight years of being away from her. I wasn’t sure anything ever would.
I ate a quick breakfast before I hurried out to the driveway. I wanted to take my car just in case I needed to pick Paisley up early again, but I knew it would take me longer to get to work if I did. I frowned, considering my options. Paisley really did seem to be feeling better and traffic would be a nightmare so early in the morning. Taking a deep breath, I decided to take the risk. I climbed on my bike and pulled out of the driveway.
The drive to Yates’ Motorcycles was a slow one. I passed by two accidents and sat in bumper to bumper traffic for twenty minutes. Even on my bike, it took me an hour to make it to the office. Still, I showed up ten minutes early. I thought about grabbing a coffee at a little place down the street, but I didn’t want to be late. After everything Tara did for Paisley, I didn’t want to repay her by being late on my first day back.
I hopped off my bike and hustled inside. Waving at the employees in the showroom, I hurried toward the elevators and pressed the button. The doors opened quickly and I jumped inside. I didn’t know why, but I was no longer dreading my time at Yates’ Motorcycles. For the first time since I agreed to work for my father, I found myself actually looking forward to being at the office.
When I stepped into Tara’s office, she looked up at me with a smile.
“How’s Paisley doing?” Tara asked. I smiled, thinking how nice it was for her to ask about my daughter.
“She’s better,” I said with a nod. “Thanks to you.”
“Me?” Tara asked.
“Yeah, that movie idea was brilliant,” I laughed. “I swear, nothing is better medicine than watching Disney movies on repeat for two days straight.”
“Which movies?” Tara laughed.
“Tangled and Brave,” I said. “Always Tangled and Brave.”
“Well, of course,” Tara said knowledgably. “Those are some great princess role models.”
“Tell me about it,” I said. “I learned more about Rapunzel and Merida this weekend than I ever wanted to know.”
“You have a little girl,” Tara reminded me. “It’s only right that you know these things.”
“You’re right,” I smiled. “But seriously, thank you again.”
“It was my pleasure,” Tara said. “Paisley’s adorable.”
“She really is,” I agreed. “Her swim camp ends this week and I have no idea what I’m going to do with her for the rest of the summer.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure something out,” Tara said. I’d never seen her smile so much. It was like she was an entirely different person. The more she smiled, the more I noticed how green her eyes were. They were the color of emeralds, and every time the light hit them, they captivated me.
“So,” I said, clearing my throat. “Should we get to work?”
“Yes,” Tara said. She instantly went into business mode. She pulled out a folder from her desk drawer and opened it. She handed me a sheet of paper. It was the exact same one from last week.
“Didn’t we already go over this?” I asked with a frown.
“We did,” Tara admitted. “And if you can promise me you were paying attention, we won’t go over it again.”
Tara grinned slyly as she waited for my response. She already knew the answer. My mind was a million miles away last week and she knew it. I couldn’t help but laugh at the knowing look in her eyes.
“Fair enough,” I said. “Go ahead. I’m listening this time. I promise.”
“Okay,” Tara said. “So, the first thing I need you to remember is…”
Tara launched into her speech about my appearance and my attitude. It was the same stuff from last week, but this time I did pay more attention. I took in every word she said, watching the way her lips moved while she spoke. They were full and perfectly pink. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from them, but what was worse was how badly I longed to lean over and kiss her.
It had been a long time since I last felt the urge to kiss anyone, let alone my boss. My boss at the repair shop was a burly old man who always smelled like chewing tobacco and moth balls. He wasn’t exactly my type. I hadn’t thought Tara was either, but after what she did for Paisley, my opinion was changing fast.
As she spoke, I took mental notes. I made sure to remember everything she said. I told myself I hadn’t been fair to Tara. In the beginning, I took out my frustrations on her when really, I was just angry with my father and brother. It wasn’t Tara’s fault that she worked with them. It wasn’t her fault that I’d spent years avoiding family gatherings like the plague. All she wanted was someone to come in and help the company. To her, I was that person. The least I could do was actually make an effort.
“So,” Tara said after about twenty minutes. “Any questions?”
“I think I got it,” I said. “Seems pretty straight forward. Dress nice. Be clean. Stick to the script. Don’t ramble about how much I hate my dad. That sort of thing.”
Tara chuckled and shook her head. “Yeah, that wouldn’t be very good for our image.”
“Probably not,” I agreed.
“All right,” she said. “Well, I won’t keep you any longer today. I know you need to stay close in case Paisley gets sick again.”
I smiled at her ability to read my mind.
“Just remember,” she said. “You have your first event on Wednesday. Nothing big. Nothing formal. Just some press. They’ll come here, we’ll set you up in the showroom, and they’ll ask you some questions. It’ll be easy.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “Sounds good.”
“And you should bring Paisley,” Tara said suddenly.
“Paisley?” I raised my eyebrows.
“When her camp is over,” Tara explained. “You said you weren’t sure what to do with her over the summer. She can just come with you. I’m sure she would love to see what her dad does all day.”
“Maybe,” I said, highly doubting Paisley would have any interest in a motorcycle company. Still, it was nice of Tara to offer. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” Tara smiled. “Well, I’ll see you later, then?”
“That was an easy day,” I laughed.
“They can all be easy,” Tara said. “If you would be nice, that is.”
“I am always nice,” I said, feigning seriousness. I touched my hand to my chest in mock offense and looked at Tara with wide eyes. She laughed and shook her head.
“Who knew Sean Yates could actually crack a joke,” she said.
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me,” I told her. My tone was flirtatious and I knew it was time to leave. I moved toward the door, turning to wave as I stepped out into the hallway.
***
My meeting with Tara was so short that I arrived home hours earlier than I expected. I didn’t have to pick Paisley up until later so I made myself some lunch and watched T.V. I tried to focus on the show, but it was no use. My mind was entirely occupied by thoughts of Tara.
It took me completely by surprise. She was just an irritating woman that happened to work with my father. When I met her, I disliked her immediately. She was sent to babysit me, and I resented my father for putting her in charge of me. I hated Tara for the simple fact that she was my father’s right hand and now, my boss.
When she showed up at my house, I hated her even more. Who did she think she was? Just barging in without any notice? I was livid. Until she helped Paisley. Then, everything changed. Suddenly, she was no longer the irritating woman I thought she was. She was kind and patient. She was beautiful and caring. Everything I thought I knew about her was wrong.
I finished my lunch and decided to take a shower. I thought it would help clear my mind, but all it did was the opposite. I couldn’t stop thinking about how attractive Tara was. That morning, at work, I tried to pay attention to her words, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Her blonde curls were long, and I wanted nothing more than to run my fingers through them. Her lips were so alluring I could barely think. And her breasts…
I did my best not to stare at them during our meeting. Tara didn’t wear cleavage baring shirts, but her blouse was tight in all the right places. It was hard not to notice how sexy her body was. In the shower, my mind raced with images of her. I washed my hair and shook my head. I shouldn’t be having these thoughts. Tara was my boss. She worked for my father. It wasn’t appropriate for me to think of her that way.
Still, I knew I was powerless to stop myself. Before long, I was hard just picturing her lips. I groaned and gave in to my desires. My hand found my erection and I went to work. Tara swarmed my mind even more. I pictured pulling her hair out of its ponytail and watching those curls fall haphazardly over her face. I imagined kissing her lips and sliding my tongue deep inside her mouth. When I was close, I pictured popping the buttons off her blouse and setting her breasts free. I wanted to throw her on her desk and hike up her skirt. I could already hear her moaning my name…
I finished hard and fast. I gasped and leaned against the shower wall. Taking deep breaths, I washed myself clean and let the waves of pleasure continue to wash over me. Tara was still fresh in my mind, and I knew she would be for a long time. Something shifted between us that day. Deep down, I knew things were going to get complicated, but in that moment, I didn’t want to worry. I just wanted to think about the next time I would see Tara’s face.