I jumped in the shower to ease my muscles and stress with hot water. I thought about how Serayah looked in her cropped t-shirt, how her sweatpants hung off her curvy hips, and her exposed stomach. Serayah was thick and in all the right places. It wasn’t long before I was rock-hard. I grabbed my cock and stroked it while I fantasized about her, with her legs straddling me as we sat on that bench in the club and then in the backseat of the car. The way her tight pussy clenched me. “Fuck…” I jacked my dick so hard imagining her sucking my cock while I ran my fingers through her hair. And just like that, I came to the many thoughts of Serayah. The thoughts of forbidden moments I’d had with my client. What a fucking mess my life was.
At least I got her out of my system, I thought. However long the security detail was set to last, I’d be able to handle being around her moving forward. Or so I thought.
Chapter 11
Serayah
I called my friend, Jesse, to chat with him about everything that had happened. Jesse was one of my best guy friends. We went to high school together, and he’s just always been there for me. It had been forever since we last talked, so I figured it would be great to catch up with him. I’d been busy with the book tours, and he was a firefighter in Whispering Pines, Idaho. He had the weekend off and was coming to stay with me.
I’d forgotten to update King and the rest of the guys that he was coming, which led to Jesse’s interrogation outside my door.
I heard him say, “Keep your hands off me. Where’s Serayah?”
Shit. Shit. Shit.I ran to the door and pulled it open. “Hey guys! Jesse!” I hugged him. I turned to King and said, “I’m so sorry. I meant to tell you my friend was coming over to stay with me this weekend, and I forgot. Oopsie.” I shrugged. King looked icy. His head tilted and I noticed him staring at me with a crazy look in his eyes. I ignored it and turned back to Jesse. “Jesse, this is my security detail. This is King, Chase, and Mack is downstairs. Guys, this is Jesse Harrington. He’s a firefighter in Whispering Pines, Idaho. We’ve been friends since high school. There. Pleasantries out of the way.”
Jesse ’s eyes went wide. “Security detail. Okay, we’ve got a lot to catch up on here. Can I come inside now… to my friend’s apartment?” He gave King a dirty look.
King stepped aside with his crazy eyes still fixed on Jesee. Jesse went inside while I looked at Chase and King and mouthed, “Sorry,” with a shoulder shrug before going in myself. I figured I would deal with King later.
Jesse set his bag down in the living room, by the couch. “What’s up with that asshole?” He asked.
I waved my hand at him. “He’s just doing his job. Gotta make sure you’re not my stalker.” I forced a giggle.
“Hold up. Stalker? What the fuck have I missed, Serayah? Are you okay? Also,thatguylikes you.” Jesse walked to the kitchen to get himself something to drink. He was very at home in my apartment, and it has always been that way. Jesse was extremely charming and very good-looking. We just never crossed that line. There was a moment when we wondered if we should give it a try, but after weighing what a potential fallout would be like if things didn’t work, we weren’t inclined to risk our amazing friendship over atry.Whoever snags Jesse will be a tremendously lucky woman, though.
I waved my hand and said, “I’ll get to that. Anyway, I got back from my book signing in New York where some psycho went off on me. He had to be taken away by security. Then, Tasha and I went out the night I got back. I got attacked when I went outside to get some air, and King, the guy outside my door right now, saved me.”
Jesse looked angry, “Attacked? Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve dropped everything and come.” Jesse meant every word, too. Besides Tasha, he was the only other person I’ve ever been able to count on.
“I know. I know. But you had your wildfire training going on, and I didn’t want to bother you. King was great, though. And we sort of… kind of…hooked up that night.”
“Damn, Serayah. I can name a thousand reasons why that was a horrible idea. And then you went and hired him?”
I rolled my eyes. “Relax! I actually had no idea that he worked for Heartline Security. So, as I was saying, I received an envelope with pictures of me looking out my window and a note from my stalker, taunting me. Tasha told me about the security company, and it turned out that King got assigned to my case.”
Jesse shook his head. “Wow! Okay, so what then?”
I went on, “Then, I found out that the stalker was at a Valentine’s Ball I was attending as a local celebrity, because he left another taunting note.”
Jesse looked sad. “Well, that’s a lot. I hope they catch the guy. How’re you feeling?”
“Frustrated, but it’s just a matter of time before they find him. Enough about me. Tell me, what’s up with you? Are you seeing anyone? How was the wildfire training?” I moved to the fridge to pull out some food to make sandwiches. I pointed to the stool at the counter and said, “Sit there. I’ll make us some subs.”
Jesse sat at the stool and told me, “Training was good. It’s still the best damn decision I’ve made. I love being a firefighter. It’s dangerous as hell but saving people…it’s an indescribable feeling. Like I have a purpose in life.”
I handed Jesse his turkey sub. “You’ve always been the one to saveeveryone. Remember in high school when that kid got stuck inside the bleachers at the football game? There you were, scaling the underside of the bleachers to wiggle him free.”
Jesse laughed. “That little shit. He could’ve gotten hurt, bad. But yeah, I guess ithasalways been my thing.” He took another bite of his sandwich. “Thereissomeone…. Well, not really. She’s not anyone… yet, but she dropped off some suppliesat the firehouse. She was beautiful. No one got her name, though. I don’t know. I’m trying like hell to figure out who she is.”
“Wait. You don’t know her name? Don’t you know anything about her? Is she a volunteer? Someone must’ve talked to her.” I grilled him, because how can you havesomeone,but know nothing about them?
“I was cleaning one of the trucks when she walked into the bay. She had a box full of things that she had bought for the firehouse as a donation. When I heard her talk, she had the most calming voice. She looked angelic. I… I went to walk up front, but before I could, she thanked one of the guys, and then she left. Don’t worry, though. I’m gonna figure out who the mystery woman is.”
I was smiling big for him. “You better! I haven’t seen you this interested in someone since…”
Jesse cut me off. “Don’t even go there. Don’t utter her name.”
“Okay, okay. Keep me posted! I will be texting you if you don’t text me.”
