Street Safe (9 page)

Hot tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked to clear her vision. She wouldn’t give him the luxury of tears. She stalked to the front of the bar. Auggie stepped in her path.

“Hey Arah, I’m out!” He grinned. “We should do lunch to celebrate you officially taking over the spa.”

She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. Her palm stung from the contact. “Stay away from me.”

He rubbed his cheek. “What?”

With a huff, she shook her head and stalked out the front door.

****

Street stared at the closed door. Had she really expected him to believe her? He replayed the events of the last day or so. The phone call. That’s probably the date she was setting up when they were together. He should’ve known a woman like her wouldn’t want a man like him, wounded, limping, broken Still it cut deep and jagged like a rusty dull blade.

He spun away from the door only to catch a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. Disgusted with the faded scar he picked up the electric pencil sharpener and hurled it at the reflective glass. It shattered and fell to the floor.

The door opened. “Are you okay?”

Street jerked the man up by his lapels. “All the women at your disposal and you couldn’t leave her alone?”

Auggie’s eyes widened and he grabbed the hands holding him upright. “What the hell are you talking about?”

He shook his uncle. “You always do this.”

“Do what?”

“Just get out of my office and stay away from me.” Street released Auggie and he fell to the floor with a grunt.

Realization dawned. “Is this about Na’arah?”

“Get. Out.”

Auggie shook his head and held out a hand palm up. “Street. You got this all wrong.”

Unwilling to listen, Street shoved the other man out the office and slammed the door. He didn’t want to hear anymore lies or explanations. He was through with his uncle and women.

A few days later Na’arah did her best to ignore the weighty stare Auggie leveled on her from the entrance of the back room. He leaned against the doorjamb, thumbs hooked in the belt loops of his well-worn jeans.

“Remind me not to piss you off again.” There was a teasing note in his voice as well as humor in his sparkling blue eyes. “You pack a wallop.”

“I’m not speaking to you, Auggie.” She resumed shoving folders haphazardly in a drawer. Since she’d fired Kyle, she had to reshuffle the schedule and that meant working with Auggie on a daily basis until she could hire another massage therapist.

He pushed off the door and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Talk to me.”

She shrugged him off. “Don’t.”

“What happened?”

This was utterly ridiculous. Ever since she walked out of the bar on Sunday, she couldn’t quite stop the heaviness from weighing her heart. How could she have formed a connection to the bartender in so short a time? She shook her head.

“Does this have anything to do with my nephew?” Auggie planted a hip on the corner of the wooden desk. “He hasn’t spoken to me in days and will not pour me a drink. I have to get Beau to give me anything stronger than water in a dirty glass.”

A smile teased her lips. “Serves you right.”

“I, at least, like to know why I can’t get alcohol and a pretty girl slaps me without the benefit of oil and dinner.”

She tossed him a glare.

“Did you two have a fight?”

“And it’s all your fault.”

She stood and moved to a shelf. There was a stack of resumes she wanted to go through before she left for the day. Maybe a call to a temp agency would expedite things.

“My fault? What did I do?”

“Had sex in one of the spa rooms. Really?”

“Oh.”

She stared at him. “Oh. That’s all you have to say?”

“You’d already left and I didn’t think you would mind if I indulge in a little massage therapy of my own.”

Na’arah folded her arms and tapped her foot.

“Laying in a hospital bed with only male or elderly nurses just is not a good get well practice.”

She rolled her eyes.

“It will never happen again.”

She spun on her heel and stalked to the main showroom. “I’m sure it will. You have absolutely no regard for anyone but yourself and your...needs.”

“Are you saying you saw me and Trecie?”

She skidded to a halt. “Trecie!”

Auggie grinned. “Yeah, you thought I was still with your sister? Is that why you’re all bent out of shape?”

Na’arah hung her head. “No. Street saw you and thought it was me.”

“Damn. I thought that’s why he was upset. No wonder he won’t serve me a drink.” He shook his head. “Hey. I’ll give him a call and smooth things over.”

Na’arah shrugged. Auggie disappeared into the back room as the chime trilled over the main entrance. She stifled a groan. Her patience was being tested yet again.

“What do you want?”

Kyle flashed a wide toothy smile, placed his hands on the counter and leaned close. His shirt sleeve lifted far enough to reveal an oversized watch. “You look fabulous.”

Na’arah pulled her smock a little closer, knowing it was little shielding from his lascivious stare.

“Are you here alone?” He craned his neck trying to see in the back room. “Maybe we can go in the back and have a private session.” He winked. “We were rudely interrupted the last time.”

She resisted the urge to deck him. A firm hand grasped her shoulder and Kyle’s eyes widened. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks, that Auggie decided to drop in.

“I heard what you did, Kyle.” Auggie came around the counter.

“So?” The other man tossed an insolent look in Auggie’s direction.

Tension crackled between the two men. Na’arah stepped away from the counter. She expected some anger, but the animosity between the two was almost palpable.

“What do you want?”

“My last check.”

“Gladly.” She entered the office.

“Did you really think you could pull some mess like that and I not say anything?” Auggie demanded.

“Anytime you wanna rematch, let me know.”

Na’arah paused in sifting through an overflowing desk tray for Kyle’s paycheck and strained to catch every word of the conversation in the other room.

“You better watch your back, boy,” Auggie said as she returned to the front.

She tossed the envelope on the counter, not wanting to give Kyle an excuse to touch her. “That’s everything you’re owed. I don’t want to see you in my shop again.”

Kyle picked up the check and saluted her with it. “Anything for you, pretty lady.”

Na’arah held her breath, counting each step until he left the spa.

“I’m really sorry, Arah, I never meant for any of this to happen.”

Her shoulders sagged as she exhaled. “You know what, Auggie, I don’t want any more apologies right now.”

He skimmed a hand up and down her arm. “I’ll see what I can do to make this right.”

“Please don’t do me any more favors.”

He nodded and left the shop. She crossed the aged wood floors and twisted the lock. It was time to go home anyway. To an empty apartment and an equally empty bed. Yeah, just how she wanted to spend the rest of her evening.

****

“So what made you decide to come help me today?” Zee asked a few days later. Both she and Na’arah were on their knees, soapy sponges in hand, applying a little elbow grease to a stubborn water stain.

Na’arah huffed and scrubbed harder. “You asked for help.” She couldn’t quite keep the bite from her voice.

“Uh huh.”

She was aware of Zee’s scrutiny, but ignored it and dipped her sponge in the bucket of warm water.

“So how did your date go?”

“It didn’t.” Na’arah flung the sponge down and stood, brushing a tendril of hair from her face. “Don’t look at me like that,” she said when her sister smirked.

Zee carefully removed the smile from her lips. Only her eyes held any indication of amusement. “I told you he wasn’t worth your time.”

She opened her mouth to speak then closed it again. She really should’ve listened to Zee, but she’d really liked Rue. Her shoulders sagged. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Wait. What?” Zee scrambled to her feet. “You can’t be serious.”

Na’arah spun on her heel and crossed to the large window on her right. Bright light streamed through the glass. She frowned and rubbed at a water spot.

“C’mon. You spent the night with this guy. You never do that. Never.” Worry edged into her voice. “What happened?”

She shook her head. “Auggie.”

“Auggie?” Zee blinked. “What does he have to do with you and the bartender?”

“Rue saw Auggie bumping pelvises in one of the massage rooms...”

“And thought it was you.”

She nodded. “Thing is, he won’t even hear me out.”

When Zee wrapped her arms around her sister and squeezed. Na’arah returned the affection. “You want I should go have a talk with him?”

A small smile creased her lips. “No, he might end up with a scratch or something.”

“Damn right,” she muttered.

“That’s what bothers me the most. He didn’t even want to hear that it wasn’t me, almost as if he expected me to sleep with Auggie.” She shuddered. “He’s not even my type.”

“No, you’re drawn to the roughneck, tragic guy with a sob story and from what I’ve heard, your bartender definitely has a tearjerker.”

She faced the other woman. “I really like this guy.”

“Yeah. I know.”

They fell silent and eventually went back to washing walls.

“I don’t care what you call it, I’m not doing this anymore.”

The women exchanged looks and stood.

“You’re up to this to your eyeballs. Where do you think you’re gonna go?”

Zee went to one window and peeked out, while Na’arah went to the other. She didn’t see anyone in the yard. Neither male voice sounded familiar to her.

“See anyone?”

Zee shook her head. “They’re probably out behind the old kitchen.”

“You saw what happened to Auggie? The same thing can happen to you.”

Footsteps stomped across the wooden porch a moment before the screen door banged open. An audible snick drew Na’arah’s attention to the blade in her sister’s hand. She frowned.

“I thought you got rid of that thing?” she whispered.

“Not a chance.”

Together they crept to the top of the stairs and peered over the banister. The top of a dark head came into view, before it disappeared. The screen slammed again.

“Zemira!”

This time the voice was unmistakable and Zee groaned. She quickly closed the switchblade and shoved it in Na’arah’s back pocket.

“Zemira!”

“Really?” Na’arah said, arranging her top so the knife bulge wouldn’t show.

Zee rolled her eyes. “Up here, Sheriff.”

Mumbled pleasantries were exchanged downstairs before a heavy tread mounted the wooden stairs. The top of curly black hair came into view, then a set of broad shoulders.

“You missed our appointment,” Miles said without preamble.

“You ordered me to be here. I can’t be in two places at once.”

He nodded. “Instead I have to come looking for you.”

“I’ll be outside.” Na’arah brushed past Miles and smothered a grin when her sister tossed her a pleading look. “If all else fails, put him to work washing walls.”

She bounded down the steep stairs and burst through the screen door onto the porch, inhaling the crisp evening air. The odor of mildew and the citrus cleaning solution they were using clung to her clothes. Leaning against the rail, she gazed into the yard. Every now and then a word or two drifted down to her. Those two really did need a room, but thinking about Zee’s love life only made Na’arah think about her lack of one.

A couple strolled by hand in hand and wistfulness descended around her shoulders like an old friend. There was something between her and Street. Even now she wanted to see him, touch him, be held by him.

She shook her head. A second chance had been given, but apparently he didn’t feel she deserved one. Why had she even bothered, she’d done nothing wrong. She straightened and stepped off the porch.

The little bit of cleaning she’d done had helped her mood. She ambled toward her car, dragging her fingers through her hair. Was a decent relationship too much to ask for? She blew out a breath. How could she have been so wrong about Street?

Na’arah rested her hands on the roof of the vehicle. The metal, still warm from the afternoon sun, provided the perfect place to drum her nails while she gazed toward the river. Traffic rumbled past and the shrill whistle of a train added to the chirps and buzz of wildlife. A soft smile creased her lips. She liked her little town, that’s why she bought the spa. She wanted to set down some roots, but goodness, only one man piqued her fancy.