Silent No More(12)

Jenny is still behind the front counter looking uncomfortable, but doesn’t say anything. I doubt she has ever heard me raise my voice. I’m not usually like this and I’ve never brought drama to work before. I feel bad. Maybe I should have told her about yesterday, but we really don’t have that kind of relationship. She tries to busy herself. I can only imagine what this scene must look like.

“Shut the fuck up, Shannon! You’re mine and we are not over!” Luke says with a condescending tone.

Whoa!

He has always been this way, but I don’t think I realized that until this moment. What the hell was wrong with me? I can totally see why Stacy and Ben have always thought he was a jerk.

My eyes flare and I take a deep breath. “I don’t belong to anyone and I certainly don’t belong to your sorry, pathetic cheating ass!” I yell back at him. I want to lunge at him and scratch his eyes out, but instead, I’m grabbed by the waist and flipped around by the man whom I don’t know. The feel of his hands warms me. I should be angry at being manhandled, but I’m not. I want him to touch me again.

“I believe she told you to leave, so I suggest you do that before I do it for you,” he says in a strong voice that’s filled with authority. I’m stunned. I don’t know what to make of this. Luke looks intimidated. I do a little shimmy dance inside.

Take that, asshole!

“Fuck off, Luke! Better yet, go fuck the little tramp you have been banging for God only knows how long,” I say before storming off, back in the direction of my office.

I hear Luke as he’s walking out the door say, “This is far from over, Shannon.”

The hell it isn’t!

Damn, that felt good.

I enter my office, stripping off the vest I’m wearing. I’m too hot and my breathing is rapid. I try to calm myself. I’m standing in the middle of my office taking several deep breaths when I feel him walk up behind me. He places both of his hands on my shoulders and begins to massage them softly. It feels nice. I want to wrap myself around his touch.

I immediately relax again, and the tension I felt moments ago is gone. Who is he and why do I feel like this every time I’m in the same room with him? Slowly, I turn so I’m facing him again, looking up into his beautiful flaming-blue eyes.

“So…mind telling me your name?” My voice is low and calm.

“Nicholas,” he replies, while bringing his left hand back to my shoulder where he’d let go as I turned.

“I take it you already know mine?”

“I do.” He nods his head in confirmation.

I pull away from him and go back to sit on the bench in front of my portfolio. My back is to him and I tuck my right leg under my butt, trying to feign calm. I feel him getting closer. He leans down and over me. He places his hands on the desk, caging me in. His front is touching my back, and again that damn heat covers my body from head to toe. I can only imagine how flushed my face is. Redheads can’t hide that shit as easily as others.

“What is this?” he asks, while looking at the collection of pictures in front of me. I raise my head. It’s now touching his shoulder and our faces are parallel to each other.

Damn, he smells good. If I turn to sniff him, would he notice? Probably. I remain looking forward.

“Did we have sex last night?” I don’t look at him. That is the question I really wanted to ask this morning, but I didn’t have the courage.

I feel him tense, but only a little. “If we’d had sex last night, you would still be feeling it this afternoon,” he replies.

What the hell does that mean? Can this man not answer a straightforward question? I hate games. I want to know; at least, I think I want to know.

“Damn it, Nick, stop dodging my questions and just answer me. Did we fuck? It’s a yes or no question!” My voice is strained and my face is flustered.

“I told you my name is Nicholas. Don’t call me Nick, and no, we did not fuck last night!” I relax. At least I didn’t make that kind of horrible mistake while intoxicated. He turns his head and his mouth is against my right ear.

“But when I do fuck you, your eyes will be wide open and you won’t forget it!” His tone is a whisper and his breath is cool on my skin. It makes my body shiver. I can’t say anything. The words aren’t coming to my mouth. I’m shocked. More shocked than I think I’ve ever been. Did he seriously just say that? And if we didn’t have sex, then where the hell did he sleep last night?

“Where did you sleep?” I ask, sounding a little bolder now that I know I didn’t hop in bed with this guy.

“The couch,” he states, like it should have been obvious. He grabs a photo lying on my desk and hands it to me. “You should use this for the cover. It’s perfect.” And with those last words, he walks out.