Carson imagined taking her to bed in her place, where she would say his name all breathy and hoarse while he fucked her, and then she’d get up and make coffee or some shit.
It was a stupid fucking idea, but he’d never had anything like that. Maybe a little dose would be good.
Then he could go on vacation.
Monday
AS SIENNA packed for her overnight getaway with Asher, she knew Carson was boarding a plane to head back east. A wave of melancholy washed over her, blanketing her with a loneliness she couldn’t quite fathom. She didn’t know why. She’d known the man for a weekend and he seemed to unlock every closed door of hers in the space of those forty-eight hours. It was a freedom she hadn’t felt in her whole life.
Now it was Monday and the feeling of being free was gone. Gone on a plane, and Sienna was mourning the loss of it. She took some time to unwind, straighten up her place, and check on her garden like she did every Monday, except this one felt markedly different.
She felt an unknown sensation crackling in her nerve endings, more alive, ready to catch life, but withdrawn at the same time because her source of energy wasn’t with her.
Was it just the orgasm? No, it was the coffee, lunch, having Carson in her dressing room, in her house, and the orgasm he gave her there. She had never experienced any single one of those before in life—okay, so she’d had an orgasm, but only by herself—but she’d never had all of them with one man and in such a short time. It was overwhelming.
Even prepping to head to the desert, she felt as though everything she did was brand new, seen through a new light, brighter, more exuberant in its color, but missing something or someone. Carson.
She and Asher were going to spend a night in the Red Rock Desert at one of the spa resorts. Their plan was to get spa treatments and be pampered, enjoy a decadent, relaxing meal, and let the stress roll off of them. Sienna was fine with going away with Asher; she was absolutely certain there wouldn’t be any lines crossed.
In fact, she reminded herself to ask him about Natalie while they were away. She wanted to concentrate on his love life rather than her ridiculous crush. If she opened the floodgates to discuss Carson, Sienna wasn’t sure she would be able to close them.
Around two o’clock, Asher popped over to see if she was ready. The two of them loaded their overnight bags into Asher’s large SUV with blacked-out windows, and rolled down the driveway. Before turning onto the street, Asher noticed the guy sitting across the way in the black sedan moments before she did.
The cowboy.
“Fucking Christ, do you see him, Sie?” Asher yelled.
Sienna jumped in her seat. “Yes, what does he want? Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Is my past catching up with me, Ash?” she said, turning to face Asher as he threw the car in reverse.
“No fucking way. I won’t let it,” Asher said as he punched the gas and the car sped backward. He then called Mike.
“Mike, we got that cowboy yahoo sitting outside my place, waiting to catch a glimpse of Sie like some crazy fucking fan. Get over here and escort him out of town, way out of town.” Asher then disconnected the call and threw the phone into the center console, cursing loudly as he parked the vehicle in front of his garage, where they’d started.
“Oh my God, Asher. I never meant to cause you so much trouble.” Sienna shuddered with a full-body shiver. She felt ice running through her veins, numbing her every feeling and sensation, invoking fear, not just for herself but for her friends.
Asher glanced over, then turned off the engine. “It’s not, love. This guy is just an insane Sienna fan. Don’t let your mind get the best of you. We’ll get rid of him and go away.”
“I’m not sure,” Sienna said while rubbing her temple, massaging the growing ache in her forehead. She wanted to believe Asher, but she thought it was so creepy the way this guy kept popping up. Was Elon looking for her? Would he send this amateur? Would Elon even know how to hire someone competent?
The cowboy was an idiot, but it didn’t mean he’d told Elon where she was. Yet.
Asher insisted they go back inside and wait, and Sienna was in a full-blown panic by the time Mike arrived. From the big bay window at Asher’s, Sienna watched him approach the car, where she had no idea what he said. Then Mike got in his own car and followed the sedan out of the neighborhood.
“Okay, Sienna,” Asher said, interrupting her thoughts. “I see the worry all over your face. We’re still going to Red Rock. We’re going to do what we said and relax and have fun. We’re not going to let this ruin our adventure.” Loosening his jaw and cracking his neck back and forth, he grabbed his car keys.