Read Brushing Off the Boss: A Half Moon Bay Novel (Entangled Bliss) Online

Authors: Annie Seaton

Tags: #enemies to lovers, #artist, #small town romance, #Mira Lynn Kelly, #opposites attract, #forced proximity, #San Francisco, #Kristan Higgins, #Category Romance

Brushing Off the Boss: A Half Moon Bay Novel (Entangled Bliss) (10 page)

BOOK: Brushing Off the Boss: A Half Moon Bay Novel (Entangled Bliss)
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“Not so fast.” A warm hand held her shoulder gently. “I’ll do it for you. Working one-handed is a bit hard.”

“It’s all right, Jack. I said I’ll do it.” Sienna knew her voice was testy, but being with him in the confined space, sharing her work with him, and then seeing his, had created an intimacy between them she didn’t want. Okay, maybe she did want it, but it would complicate things way too much.

She moved away from him and wasn’t surprised when he followed her into the studio.

“Where’s your first aid kit?”

“In the cupboard under the sink in the kitchen.”

Jack took her arm and pulled her over to the sofa before gently pushing her to sit down. “Sit there and don’t move.” He stared at her for a moment. “And there’s no need to be sassy.”

Sienna leaned against the soft back of the sofa, closed her eyes, and rested her head on the cushion. Her hand had started to throb and her neck ached from working. As soon as Jack finished his first aid ministrations, she was going to sleep. It looked like there was no way she was going to get rid of him until she allowed him to look after her.

Which was kind of nice in a way.

“How often do you work here alone?”

She opened her eyes. She must have dozed off. He was crouched down in front of her and had placed a bowl of water on the floor.

“Most nights. Why?”

“It’s not safe.”

“I’m a big girl now, Jack.”

“What if you’d cut yourself badly and passed out or something?” He unwound the apron from around her palm, and she drew a quick breath as the dried blood stuck to the fabric. “You could burn yourself…or start a fire.”

“But I didn’t.”

“It’s my gallery and my building, and I need to make sure that my staff is safe.” His voice was firm.

A slow burn began in her stomach when Jack dipped a cotton pad in the water and cleaned her hand.

My staff.

She’d been kidding herself about this intimacy between them. His comment brought her back to earth. It served as a good reminder of what their relationship really was. She bit back the words that were boiling inside, took a deep breath, and let the anger recede. He was her boss, and he owned the gallery. There was nothing she could do about it, and there was nothing to be gained by getting angry. She’d been there and done that already. She’d agreed to give it a month. Once her show was done, she would decide what to do next. Sienna bit her lip and frowned. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that working alongside Jack was problematic. But no matter what logic she used to convince herself she could get over this attraction to him, her body wouldn’t cooperate.

“Any deeper and you would need stitches.”

Sienna kept her eyes closed and her head back against the sofa. The sharp aroma of antiseptic liquid reached her before the warm pressure of a Band-Aid filled her palm.

“There you go. I don’t think it needs more than that.”

She opened her eyes when he let her hand go, and she gestured to the first aid stuff on the floor. “Leave all that. I’ll clean it up in the morning.”

“No. I’ll do it. Do you want a glass of water or a coffee or something?” Jack gathered up the bowl and the ointment, and the box of bandages, and held his hand out for the apron that was still on her lap.

“For someone who’s used to servants, you’re pretty versatile.” She shot him a grin. “Thanks for looking after me.”

“So have a coffee with me before I go. I need a shot of caffeine for the ride back home.” He stood up in front of the sofa and his deep green gaze pinned her. Her heartbeat skittered up a notch.

“Thank you, I will.” She liked having him around and was reluctant to say good-bye to him. He was easy to spend time with, and if she could put the gallery ownership aside, they had a lot in common.

Art-wise, anyway
.

It was strange to sit back on the sofa and listen to Jack rattling around with the coffeemaker. Eventually, the aroma of brewing coffee drifted out from the kitchen. A pleasant sleepiness began to overtake her and she slipped her shoes off and pulled her legs up beneath her.

“Cream and sugar?” Jack called from the kitchen.

“Yes, please. Both.”

Sienna watched as he crossed the studio grasping two coffee mugs. His dark T-shirt strained against his broad shoulders as he balanced the two cups trying not to spill the hot liquid. She grinned to herself. He’d picked the biggest mugs she had in the kitchen, so he’d be here for a while yet. She slid along the sofa to the end to make room for him. He put the cups on the small table at the other end of the sofa. The sofa cushion tipped when he sat next to her, and she grasped the cushion with her uninjured hand so she didn’t slide down on top of him.

“Thanks for letting me watch you work. I really enjoyed spending time with you tonight.” Jack turned and slid his arm along the top of the sofa. His words mirrored her thoughts.

Uh-oh.

“I usually prefer to work alone.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and tried to keep her voice snappy. Having six feet plus of attractive male sitting so close to her when she was tired and feeling vulnerable was not her choice for sensible behavior.

“Why are you so defensive, Sienna?” Jack held her gaze and his voice was low. “Who hurt you?”

“No one hurt me. I just prefer to be alone.” She didn’t like the little bit of need she could hear in her own voice, and she lifted her chin. “That’s the way I am.”

“Why? We all need people in our life, and around us. I’ve seen you with Ana and Georgie. That’s not being alone.”

“That’s different. Georgie is my sister, and we’ve been friends with Ana all our lives.” She stared at him. “And who’s going to be around you once you get settled here, anyhow? It’s a bit like the pot calling the kettle black. Unless you’ve got a heap of artist friends out here?”

She knew she was babbling, but his intense gaze fixed on her unnerved her. Sienna leaned forward to reach for her coffee mug, but Jack grabbed her hand. She held his gaze, and something elemental moved inside her when he put his arms around her. She tried to pull back from his hold, but he tightened it.

“Sienna?” His green eyes held a question as she looked up at him. He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb over her lip.

Her breath caught in her throat as a riot of unfamiliar feelings spiraled through her.

“Oh, what the hell.” She pulled her hand away from his, rose to her knees, and grabbed his face with both hands. “I’ll probably regret this in the morning, but we’re going to have to get this out of the way.”

Sienna leaned forward and pressed her lips against his…and it was heaven. He lifted his arms and slid her across to his lap without breaking the contact. She fit into the curve of his shoulder so naturally…a perfect fit.

“Are you sure?” His words vibrated against her lips as his arms tightened around her. She couldn’t move away even if she changed her mind. She slid her hands down past his shoulders and gripped the tops of his arms, smiling as his muscles tightened beneath her fingers. Sienna lifted her head just long enough to answer, and Jack’s lips moved across her cheek and down her neck.

“We need to do something about this attraction…and then we can move on,” she said.

The feel of his hard chest against her, the slide of his lips down her throat, slammed into her, and the heat rushed in. Sienna closed her eyes and sank into the pleasure he was offering.

Chapter Eleven

Sienna slipped Jack’s T-shirt over her head and walked across the studio toward the sofa. Jack grinned up at her and held out his hand, but she ignored him.

“Where are the clothes you had on last night?” He shot her a lazy grin.

“You tell me and we’ll both know.”

“They must be here somewhere. Come back and we’ll look together.” He raised himself up on one elbow, but she shook her head and pursed her lips at him.

“As tempting as that may be, it’s almost time to open the gallery. I’ve got an appointment with the newspaper at eleven a.m.” She pointed to the clock above the door; it was almost ten thirty.

“So, mister, you need to get dressed and look like a gallery owner.”

“Have we got time for breakfast? Pancakes, maybe?” The look on his face was comical and she shook her head.

“Someone has to run this gallery, so once I’m showered and dressed you can have the bathroom.”

“And then we can go out for a quick breakfast?” He tried to put on a pleading expression but it didn’t work.

“When you decide to get up, can you make up the bed please?”

“Guess I’m not going to get lucky then?”

Sienna stood in the doorway away from the temptation of his reach. “Last night was fun, Jack. We’ve dealt with what was building between us, now we move on. Okay?”

The whole night had been…fun.

“Fun” was probably the best word to use
. Two consenting adults giving in to a mutual attraction and doing something about it. They’d laughed and giggled, and enjoyed each other’s company. And given each other a great deal of pleasure…the soft teasing, the laughter and their banter had enhanced her night…and their lovemaking. Sienna hummed softly as she stripped down and stepped into the shower.

They’d move on, their relationship would go back to business; she’d have her exhibition, then decide if she was going to stay at the Sea View Gallery. All logical, and cut-and-dried, and she had a month to sort it out. So why did she feel so excited, and why was that silly grin plastered on her face?

Sienna managed to put Jack to the back of her mind when the reporter from the local paper arrived, and she approved the ads they were going to run for her show. After that, she focused on her email and the satisfying number of inquiries that were starting to arrive. The word about Sea View Gallery was getting out, and hopefully her debut show would cement that.

The morning flew by, but there was no sign of Jack in the gallery. He was either having a very long breakfast or he’d gone back out to Forest Lake. No matter how many times Sienna glanced at the door at the back of the gallery, he didn’t make an appearance, and she pushed away the little tug of disappointment that insisted on staying with her. Maybe he’d gone back home; maybe he was unpacking some of his boxes in storage. Anyway, it was none of her business, and she wasn’t going to go out to find him.

Move on. I’ve got a heap to do or my exhibition will never get off the ground.

Just after noon, when the gallery had cleared for the usual slow time during lunch, the front doorbell tinkled softly. Sienna looked up from the iPad where she was checking her afternoon appointments. A tall, elegantly dressed woman about her age stood in the doorway looking around the gallery as if for someone in particular. A designer-label dress, Sienna thought, if she knew her fashion, and the shoes were definitely Manolo Blahniks. She’d salivated over the very same pair in a trendy shoe shop in San Francisco the last time she’d gone up there on a shopping expedition with Georgie and Ana. She loved clothes and to indulge her sense of fashion, but in her work, heels were impractical. She stared at the woman’s feet—oh, she loved those shoes.

The woman turned to Sienna with a frown, but from her height she still managed to look her up and down. Sienna stood and straightened, and plastered a smile on her face. All kinds came into the gallery, and they were all prospective customers.

“Hello. Welcome to Sea View Gallery.” Sienna picked up an information brochure and held it out, but the woman ignored it so she dropped it back on the table with a shrug. “If there’s anything I can help you with, please ask.” She gestured to the gallery and then turned back to her iPad.

“I’m here to see Jack Montgomery.” The woman’s voice was as impatient as her expression, and a frown marred her perfectly made-up face. Sienna got the impression that she’d done something to upset this visitor, but didn’t have a clue what it could be because she’d never seen this woman before.

“Do you have an appointment?” Sienna pretended to refer to the iPad. Jack had made it quite clear she was running the gallery and he would stay in the background, so maybe it was personal? “Who shall I say is calling?” Sienna smiled, trying to keep the interaction pleasant despite the woman’s snooty behavior.

“Arielle.”

“And your last name…”

“Jack knows who I am.” A perfectly manicured hand reached up and smoothed the blond hair, which was sprayed into place.

“If you say so, but I’m not even sure if he’s in.” Sienna was reluctant to go out the back and look for him, and this woman was pushing her buttons. “I’ll take a message and make an appointment for you, Ms.…?”

The woman stared at her and shook her head slowly. She put her bag on the floor and sauntered over to the love seat beside the glass desk. She draped herself over the seat and smiled at Sienna before trilling a little girlish laugh.

“There’s no need for that. I’ll wait here. I’m Jack’s girlfriend.”

Chapter Twelve

Jack revved the bike and hit the coast road. He’d needed some fresh air and some time to clear his head. Last night with Sienna had been magic, but then she’d put the walls back up this morning. Maybe she’d been focusing on having to open the gallery. Or that’s what he was hoping. He wasn’t used to being put in his place and told where a relationship could go. Last night had given him a lot to think about. Maybe seeing each other wouldn’t complicate things too much; they were both adults and the night had been fun. They could separate business and pleasure. Surely she could see that, too?

The relaxed Sienna was even more beautiful, and he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes—or his hands—off her. There should be more of it. Life was for loving, and it was easy for him to become impatient with people who took things too seriously. His father was a prime example of that.

She’d declined to join him for breakfast, so now he’d take Sienna out for lunch and use his best persuasive techniques to convince her they could do business and…sex.

And be friends as well.

And it wouldn’t impact anything. They were adults and could handle it as long as they were honest with each other. Jack had seen too much dishonesty back in New York, both in business and in his personal life, and it had been one of the reasons for coming out west and starting afresh.

Honesty.
That was the key.

The sweet salt air rushed past and Jack took a deep breath as he turned the bike back toward Carmel-by-the-Sea. No matter what his reason had been, this move was the best damned thing he’d ever done in his life.

Five minutes later, Jack put his helmet on the sofa in the studio and smoothed his hand over his hair. He was quickly getting the impression that when he was in the gallery, he was supposed to look the part of the owner and not like a surfer bum. He pushed the door open and glanced around. The gallery was almost clear.

So lunch it is.

Sienna was standing at the glass desk by the door. He walked up behind her quietly and put his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

“Let’s go have lunch. I missed out on breakfast.”

“Jack Montgomery!”

His head flew up at the familiar voice, and Sienna stiffened beneath his hands as the shrill voice hit him.

Oh, damn.
He thought he’d left all that behind him. “Arielle? What are you doing here?”

She lifted herself gracefully from the love seat where she’d been reclining, drew herself to her full height, and strode over to the table. She was almost six feet tall and towered over Sienna, who moved away behind the counter, a closed expression on her face.

“More to the point, what’s going on here?” Arielle pointed to Sienna before she stepped up to him and put her arms around his neck. “But no matter, I’m here now. You can take me out to lunch.” She pouted her little signature pout. “I’ve missed you, baby.”

A snort came from behind the counter and Jack glanced over at Sienna at the same time as he disentangled Arielle’s arms from around his neck. Arielle still wore the same cloying perfume that had always given him a headache, and he rubbed his hand across his eyes. Her timing couldn’t have been any worse. By her stiff posture, he could sense Sienna withdrawing from him by the second, and he needed to get Arielle out of here.

“What are you doing here?” He moved away from her and glanced at Sienna. She was looking at her iPad and focused on the screen. He’d sort this out right now and make it clear that Arielle was an unexpected visitor—and from his past.

“I came to see you. I thought it was time we sorted out that silly little matter you raised when you left.”

“You flew all the way from New York just to talk to me? Why on earth would you do that?”

Now Sienna was looking from one to the other, a small smile playing at her lips. The doorbell above the entry tinkled and she waved dismissively at Jack before she turned to greet the customer. “You pair of
lovebirds
”—despite the smile, her voice was sarcastic—“go out and have lunch. I’ll look after the gallery.”

“What? Wait a minute—” But Jack was interrupted by a customer who walked timidly to the counter. He turned to Sienna and watched the color drain from her face as she saw the small, red-haired woman standing behind Arielle. Her face was thin and drawn, and she clutched her bag to her chest as though someone was about to take it from her.

“Now my day has gone to absolute and total crap,” Sienna muttered.

The woman stepped forward and held her hand out. “Sienna, I really need to talk to you.”

“So I’ve heard, Marietta.” The sarcasm was gone and replaced by an icy tone. “We can talk, but not here.”

Sienna reached out and took Jack’s arm between her fingers and he glanced down, surprised by her touch but instinctively sensing she was grounding herself.

“I’m sorry. Can you look after the gallery while I take a short break?” She held his gaze, and he watched curiously as she heaved a deep breath as though trying to dig deep to keep calm.

“I’ll be quick and then you can go out with your
girlfriend.
” Sienna flicked a gaze at Arielle, who had followed the whole exchange with interest.

Jack put his hand on top of Sienna’s fingers to keep her hand there.

Who was this woman who had Sienna so rattled?
A warm protective feeling suffused his chest and he wanted to put his arms around her and hold her close. Waves of distress were coming off her, and he knew this woman was more than a customer with a problem.

He lowered his head and spoke softly. “Are you okay?”

Sienna waved her hand dismissively as she stepped away from him. “I just need to have an hour, and I’ll be back. Then you and
Arielle
can go have lunch.”

“Of course I can mind the gallery. Take as long as you like.”

“I won’t need long.” She stared at the older woman and a shiver ran down Jack’s back as she spoke.

“I’ll meet you in the coffee shop next to the post office on Fifth Avenue in half an hour. I’ll give you ten minutes, so make it good.” Sienna disappeared through the door at the back of the gallery before he could speak. Arielle took his arm as the small woman left by the front door.

“Who are they, Jack?” The little-girl voice she put on was grating on him already.


Sienna went straight to the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water. She gripped the edges of the cold basin; her hands shook. She took a deep breath, trying to gain a measure of calm before she left the gallery to meet Marietta. She had stopped thinking of her as Mom years ago.

What a morning.
Double whammy. First Jack’s girlfriend appears and despite Sienna’s outwardly calm reaction, it had thrown her into a spin. Then Marietta waltzes into Sea View Gallery. It was the first time she’d seen her in three years, and their mother had aged considerably. And if she could be believed for once, she did look quite ill. She’d lost a lot of weight, and her skin had a yellowish tinge. But it was a timely reminder for Sienna. She knew she’d let Jack creep into her heart; his attitude, his kindness and his consideration for her work, and his sheer sex appeal had broken her resolve down a little bit more every day. Now despite her best intentions, the division between her work and her personal life had blurred way too much. The girlfriend had made her appearance in the nick of time. How she would deal with it was something Sienna was going to have to think about.

But first, she had to sort out the issue of Marietta.

Enough was enough. She and Georgie couldn’t keep this never ending stream of money going. It might sound hard, but they both had their own lives to live, and neither of them could afford to be handing over money every time Marietta turned up. It was time to put a stop to it and if she was the one to do it, so be it.

Picking up the towel, Sienna patted her face dry and applied another layer of kohl around her eyes. She stepped back and smoothed her top over her short skirt knowing she was delaying the inevitable. She stared into the mirror and looked at her reflection.

“You can do this. Just find out why she needs the money this time and tell her there’s to be no more. If it’s for medical treatment, I’ll help her but this is the last time.” She picked up her bag and left through the back door to avoid the pair out front. Jack and his girlfriend could look after the place. It would give him a taste of what was ahead of him. Sienna was already formulating a plan. She had to, if she was to keep her heart intact.

By the time she walked into the coffee shop, Sienna’s thoughts were in turmoil. Once and for all she would ensure that Marietta left them alone and didn’t upset Georgie again. She was tough herself, but Georgie got hurt every time Marietta came back into their lives. Georgie with her happily-ever-after outlook never gave up hoping that their mother would change, and would one day want to be a real part of their lives. Not just there to get money out of her two daughters. Having a mother who used people and had no love for her own children had taught Sienna a good lesson in life. So she made sure she relied only on herself and needed no one else. Ana and Georgie were the only two people she could rely on to be there for her. Marietta’s arrival reminded her that she’d been heading to a place with Jack she didn’t want to be.

Ever. With anyone.

She walked down the three steps into the sunken courtyard of the coffee shop and looked around. She dug her huge dark glasses out of her bag and dropped them over her eyes as she walked over to the table at the edge of the garden where Marietta was sitting.

At least she’s by herself.
A couple of times over the years she’d arrived with the current boyfriend in tow. The chair scraped on the rough cobblestones when Sienna pulled it away to the side and sat down.

“So how much this time, Marietta?” She stared through her dark glasses at the woman she had never known as a mother. Marietta had her head down and was shredding a tissue to bits with shaking fingers.

“I don’t want any money from you.”

“That’s a change.” Sienna kept her voice cold. She was not going to get emotional, and she was not going to show any reaction. The minutes ticked away in an uncomfortable silence and Sienna waited for the inevitable. She knew the pattern.

God, how many times have we sat through this same scenario?
No matter how tough she was, Sienna knew she was as soft a touch as Georgie was. In one way, Jack had been right; she put up the prickly exterior to protect herself. The problem was she had let him get beneath it despite her best intentions.

Keeping their mother in money meant Sienna was not in as solid a financial position as she should have been. After she’d bought the girls’ share of the cottage out, she’d saved enough for a down payment on a gallery. Luckily the owner—Jack’s company—had initially agreed to wait for her loan to be approved. And then he’d come waltzing into town and now she didn’t need it after all.

Finally, Marietta looked up and held her gaze. “I want to tell you something, and I want you to listen without interrupting.” Her voice was quavering, and she cleared her throat as she dabbed the tissue to her lips.

Sienna sat back and folded her arms, ignoring the curiosity that tugged at her. “Make it quick. That’s my boss who’s minding the gallery.”

“I thought it was your own business?”

“Ah. So that’s the way the land lies.” Sienna knew she was being an utter bitch, but she couldn’t help it. She had learned how to protect herself from hurt growing up, and she’d do anything to make sure she kept Georgie that way too. She knew how to put the prickly shell in place. There was too much history and too much hurt to be civil to Marietta. Sienna had tried for so many years, and she had been let down every time. Memories of childhood birthday parties and Christmas days, when Marietta had promised to come and see them. She’d always called with an excuse and the promised presents had never arrived. Over the years, Sienna had pretended not to care. It still hurt even now she was a grown woman. It was time to stand up to her.

Now she looked down in surprise when Marietta reached across and grabbed her fingers in a death grip. Her thin hand held Sienna’s tightly on the tabletop; her sharp nails pressed into Sienna’s skin.

“Listen to me. Please? One last time and then I’ll leave you in peace. For good.” Marietta’s voice broke and Sienna pushed away the sympathy that began to well in her chest.

“I wanted you to hear the truth from me before…before it’s too late. It’s not right that Renzo has to tell you.”

“Tell me what? Are you ill?”

Marietta kept the tight grip on her hand as though she knew Sienna would get up and leave. It was tempting, but this time, she was going to finish with Marietta once and for all. No matter what reason she was going to come up, the financial support was about to stop.

Unless she really is ill. Then Sienna conceded to herself would have to think some more.

“You’re his daughter.”

“What?” Sienna’s world spun and she held her free hand up in front of her as if to stop her mother saying any more . “Are you crazy? He’s my uncle, your brother. He can’t be my father.”

“It’s true. I’m not your birth mother, but Renzo
is
your father.”

“You’re lying.” She fought to keep her voice strong as the thoughts whirled around her head.

“Georgie is my child.”

Sienna stared at her and let her hand drop to the table as the significance of Marietta’s words hit her. For the first time, Marietta had her attention.

“What are you saying?” Her voice came as a whisper and she pulled her other hand out of Marietta’s grasp.

“What can I get you to drink?” The voice of the waitress was a welcome return to normality as she placed a bottle of water and two glasses on the table.

“Coffee, black.” Sienna’s voice was clipped. She pulled her hand from Marietta’s and poured herself a glass of water. She was surprised to see her hand shaking. What Marietta said was a lie; it had to be.

But why?

Sienna drank deeply and looked up as the waitress turned to Marietta with a curious glance, but the older woman shook her head and dabbed at the tears on her cheeks.

BOOK: Brushing Off the Boss: A Half Moon Bay Novel (Entangled Bliss)
9.5Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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