Page 87 of Heartless

The dickhead made her laugh.And he watched her do it.Sienna laughing with that sensual abandon was pure aphrodisiac, and I knew exactly which of his heads was doing the thinking.I went to my office where I poured myself a drink.Then I sat in front of the monitors to watch beautiful Sienna being happy.

****

Sienna

Yesterday had been blissful.In the morning, a little army of professional estheticians had arrived at the house to take care of us.After a massage, mani-pedi, and my least favorite: waxing, Camila, Bianca, and I had spent the day talking, laughing, and eating.

After dinner, we’d danced again, and to my embarrassment and the girls’ hilarity, I’d fallen asleep in front of the romcom movie they’d put on.My suggestion of a horror movie had been met with gasps of shock.Then apparently, Jake had carried me to bed.Again.But this time, I didn’t remember because I hadn’t woken up.

Now, lounging by the pool under the sun and the cool breeze, I grinned at Matt whose arched brows furrowed while Lauren shook her pink curls and gaped at me.

“Never?”she asked.

When I shook my head, Matt muttered, “I think even the Amish had tacos.”

That made Vince, Bianca’s other friend, laugh.

We made for an eclectic group.When the guests had started to arrive, Bianca had tugged my hand, and we’d greeted them under Silas and Jake’s watchful gazes.

Matt’s smile had been dazzling while he’d handed me a huge bouquet of flowers.“Happy birthday, beautiful stranger.”

“She’s a writer, too,” Bianca said.

To which he replied, “Beautiful eyes and beautiful soul.”

Her other friend, Vince, a professional choreographer, had given me a stuffed pink elephant, and a slow once over.

“Girlie, aren’t you just all legs?”

Then, it had been Lauren, a super pretty sculptor, who’d handed me the biggest box of donuts I’d ever seen.The conversations had been quick-fired, easy, and funny.Lauren had just commented on how impressed she was by the food options, and when I’d replied I’d never had a taco, she’d sputtered in her drink.

This was, by far, the most crowded birthday party I’d ever had, and I loved it.So much so in fact that I hadn’t found time to eat.

Matt jumped to his feet and took my hand.“Now, I have to witness you having your first taco.”

We headed toward the family room where Camila had organized the awesome buffet that included cotton candy and deep-fried everything.There were only eight of us, but the amount of food she’d ordered and made could have fed five times as many people.

I curled my fingers around Matt’s.He often looked at my mouth, which I’d read somewhere was a sign he wanted to kiss me.He was cute and interesting.He was also forward in demonstrating his interest in me with no other agenda that the one he’d made abundantly clear.And feeling desired by someone I was at ease with and who made me laugh was a powerful turn-on.Our tastes in books were hilariously opposite, but our shared passion for the written word connected us in a way I’d never experienced with anyone before.He was funny.He was fun.

Matt and I got past the sliding door, and I squeezed his fingers.“Matt, are you—?”

He stopped abruptly, and his grip on my hand tightened.A little jarred, I glanced up at what caused our sudden halt.Jake was standing by the table, and his hard gaze was affixed on my hand in Matt’s.I’d seen a lot of variations of his clenched jaw and intense stare, but I had to admit this one was off the scale.

My heart managed to both plummet to the bottom of my stomach and speed up in my throat.Without a word, he stalked farther into the house.

****

Jake

Someone knocked on the door of my office.

“Come in.”

Cam’s smiling face peeked in between the doorjamb.“We’re going to bring the cake out.Are you coming?”

“Yeah”

She stepped farther in and closed the door behind her.“Is everything okay?”She glanced at the desk.“You’re working?”