Sex, Lies, and Beauty Aides (27 page)

She planned to chronicle Trent’s demise and use it in her final article for the Valentine’s issue. They’d told her to write
Fourteen Ways to Better Sex
and
Finding her G-spot.
Well, instead they’d get
Fourteen Ways to Make Him Suffer on the Road to Finding a Relationship and a Sex Life.
She’d worry about the title later. She needed to get the facts first.

They deserved everything she wanted to unleash on them and more. In fact, maybe it was time to have a bit of fun and teach them both a lesson they’d never forget.

Travis and Trent kept poking their heads out the door waiting for her to make her appearance.

Oh the meeting would happen all right, but not until she was good and ready.

Sam in advertising was the last person in the office. It was past six and long past time for everyone to leave. She waited until Sam left and closed the doors between the bullpen and the lobby.

Both men hunched over the desk looking at some sort of documentation.

She entered the office and slammed the door. She wanted to get the lunatic twins attention and throw them off kilter.

They jerked upright and banged their heads against each other then turned her way, each rubbing the side of his head.

Inside she was laughing her fool head off. On the outside she glared at them, arms crossed, tapped one foot, trying to look as if she wanted to scalp them. Maybe she’d toss that option in the equation and scare the bejesus out of them.

“Gentlemen.” She nodded to each. “Now that I have your attention I’m here to tell you when I leave today it will be for the last time. I’m done,” she said with an adventurous toss of her head and fling of her hands in the air.

The brothers shared a look of fear.

“I’ve devoted the past several years to this magazine and nowhere in the job description did it call for me to be arrested and body searched.”

The blood drained from Trent’s face and his jaw dropped.

Travis started to smirk then his face grew solemn the second her words sunk in.

“And thanks to the two of you that’s exactly what happened. It’s something I will not soon forget. I expect two month’s severance pay and a glowing letter of recommendation. Have I made myself clear?”

“Sabrina.” His clothes unkempt as if he’d slept in them for a week, Trent looked terrible. Bewildered. Ashamed. He’d been going steadily downhill all day as if dreading this meeting.

She almost felt sorry for him. Almost being the definitive word. He wasn’t off the hook, not yet. Not by a long shot. “I hope you’re proud of yourselves. First for using each other.” She ticked her fingers off while emphasizing
using
. “Second for using me, third for using the magazine, and last, but not least, for using your family.”

Heaping on the guilt made her feel Wonder Woman strong, standing up for herself. Yes, they deserved it. Kat was right, getting mad did feel good. Getting even definitely felt better. “I’ve said all I came in here to say. If you’ll excuse me I need to finish packing before I leave.” She turned and made it all of two steps.

“Sabrina, please don’t go.”

She spun around. “Why? Give me one good reason to stay.” She’d imagined a wide variety of possibilities.

“I love you.”

“What? That’s it? You think saying you love me will magically fix everything?” Inside she jumped for joy. Not only had he said it aloud, he’d also said it in front of the one person with the potential to irritate and torment him for the rest of his life.

It still wasn’t enough.

“No, I don’t, but I had to tell you before you walked out of my life completely. I don’t want you to go. I need you to stay and help me run the magazine.” There was no color in his face. Sad and resigned. Not an ounce of hope filtering through.

“I don’t want to run the magazine. The only thing I ever wanted was to help people. Show people we listen to them and make the world better one beauty aid at a time. That was my joy, my passion. Thanks to the two of you, it’s gone.” Every fiber of her being wanted to throw her arms around his neck, kiss him and tell him she loved him too. Tell him everything was fine. That she’d forgive him and they’d move on. She owed it to herself to see it through to the end. She turned to leave again.

“Please.”

She stopped but didn’t face him. She hugged herself needing to stand strong.

His trousers swished as he approached. His breath warmed her neck, his chest radiated heat through his shirt searing her arm.

Unable to look at him, she closed her eyes. He’d have that puppy dog expression she’d never been able to resist.

“Sabrina. I’m an ass. I hurt you. God knows I don’t deserve you. Please reconsider your resignation. I’ll do anything. Please. Give me another chance.”

“I believe you’re sorry. You should be. What you did was wrong. You both were wrong.” She leaned around Trent and glared at Travis. “I loved my job. It was my life. You’ve changed how I look at it now. I’m not sure I can stay because of it.”

“Is this because of the articles we asked you to do?”

“No, it’s not. I planned to do the articles as you requested. I just didn’t count on getting arrested and locked up.” Sure it was dirty pool. But it was time to up the consequences of their actions, which almost had her doing time.

“I wish I had been easier and more honest with you. I put you in an impossible spot.”

Heat rose in her face as she remembered she’d admitted to Trent, not Travis, she had no experience.

“Thanks for reminding me. Yet another reason I need to leave,” she said with all the indignation she could muster.

“Trent, will you shut up and offer her a raise,” Travis said.

“I don’t think you could offer me enough money to keep me. Especially if you’ll remember it was you who told me so when you first took over it wouldn’t happen.”

“I’m doubling your wages and it’s coming from my salary.”

She stopped her dead in her tracks. “Do you mean it?”

“Absolutely. You’ve doubled your responsibilities, might as well pay you in kind.”

“Sorry, I can’t be bought.”

“I’m not trying to buy you, just letting you know you’re appreciated.”

“What about the rest of the staff? I’m not the only one doubling up.”

“I can’t do it now. I promise as soon as the family is convinced the magazine will survive, everyone will get cost of living raises.”

She gave him her best you-can-do-better-than-that smirk.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do even if it comes out of my own pocket. What else do you want?” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. His shoulders sagged.

“Oh.” She chuckled. “Unless you mean it, don’t ask.”

“Sabrina. I swear to you, I mean it. I’ll do anything. I promise. Please say you’ll stay.”

“Fine I’ll stay, but you and I aren’t done by a long shot, mister. I have a few other concessions, but not in front of Travis.”

“What? You ream our asses, blame us for your abuse, and I have to leave just when it’s starting to get good? Nice, Sabrina, real nice.” Travis walked past her and whispered, “Good job.”

Once the door closed and they were alone Trent asked, “You’ll stay, right?”

“I said I would.” She still refused to look at him.

“Will you tell me what you meant when you said you had other concessions?”

“For starters–” She spun around fast to take him off guard, advanced on him, and poked him in the chest. “Going forward, you will play a fifty-fifty part in every single article I’m expected to write especially if I need help. Are we clear?”

“Huh?”

“Anything I have no knowledge of, you will either educate me yourself or help me find the information I need.”

“Okay. But I’m not sure I understand.” He tilted his head, forehead furrowed.

“You said I had to write
that
article and don’t make me spell it out. Well, if I have to write about it, shouldn’t I know what it is myself?”

“Uh—yeah—sure, and I’m supposed to help. How?”

“Wow. If I have to spell it out, you’re not the man I thought you were.”

“Oh. OH.” Trent’s eyes opened wide and his expression perked up. “Sure, be glad to help you.”

“That’s only one of my concessions. As I come up with others I’ll let you know.”

“What about us?”

“Who said there is an
us
?” She used her fingers as quotation marks.

“Well if I have to help you with your—ah—articles, that’s a bit intimate for there not to be an us.” He reached to pull her into his arms.

She stepped away at the last moment. “Point taken. I guess you’re right. We’ll see. For now, you’re on notice. You will romance me like there’s no tomorrow. And only when I feel you’ve done a proper job, will I admit—commit—to
us
.”

“Can I see you tonight?”

How was she supposed to ignore the little boy hope in his eyes? “I’ll consider it as I unpack.”

He leaned in to kiss her.

At the last moment, she opened the door and walked out, leaving him to kiss the air.

Back in her cube she sat down then stomped her feet on the floor excitedly. She hugged herself, proud she hadn’t caved. If that man thought he knew how to educate Sabrina, she had other ideas.

Oh, sure she’d get the education in the long run, only the road to discovery and enlightenment was likely to be one very long, extremely bumpy ride. For him.

15

Step two. Show him who is boss. Check.

Step three. Make him grovel, Check.

Let the punishment begin.

She wanted to have dinner at the fondue place. She was determined to push Trent relentlessly. For her it meant she had to figure a way to make him lose control of himself. What better place than in public. Not that she really knew what she was doing or even understood how to get there. What she had was incentive up the wazoo. She’d wing it.

She put her things away in record time then made sure her desk was free of clutter. She straightened her attire and headed for the editor’s office where she found Trent, elbows propped on the desk, hands on each side of his head as if his head weighed more than his arms could bear. Good.

“Trent, I’m done.”

“But you said you’d stay—”

“I’m done unpacking.”

“Oh.” He gave her a sheepish grin.

“About dinner, mind if we try
The Melting Pot
? I’m craving shrimp.”

Trent slowly raised his head. His eyes glazed over. It took a long moment before he focused.

“Huh? Sorry. I have a lot on my mind.” He hadn’t heard a word she’d said.

“So I see. I asked if we could try the fondue restaurant we previously discussed?”

“Sure. Anything you want.”

Hmm. She wasn’t sure she wanted him this subdued. It wouldn’t be much fun unless he paid attention to her.

“Are you sure you’re up to it. You seem distracted.”

“No, I’m fine. Just kicking myself in the ass for what I did to you.”

“I told you, I’m staying,” she said keeping her tone indifferent.

“I know. That’s not it. I’m worried we won’t be able to get past and you’ll change your mind.”

“I won’t change my mind, I promise.” She smiled sweetly.
You aren’t that lucky
.

“Do you have the address?”

“Sure do.”

“Let’s go.” He made no move to touch her as they left the office.

* * * *

Trent felt like a first class jerk. No, that was too mild. He was a major SOB. He’d put her through hell. Yet she still wanted to give him a chance. Not that he deserved it, not by a long shot. If only the guilt would disappear. He planned to try. No. He couldn’t just try. He had to succeed, to prove he meant what he said. Convince her he wanted them to have a future.