Six Weeks of Seduction by Ellis O. Day

CHAPTER 55:  SARAH

Sarah lay in bed, staring into the darkness. Tank was curled up on Nick’s side. Yeah, the jerk already had a side. A side that was filled with her dog and not him. It was after midnight and he still wasn’t home. Damn, there she went again, moving him in and giving him more access to hurt her.

She rolled over. Maybe, he wasn’t coming back. No, he’d made plans for next weekend. He was coming back but it’d be after he’d fucked every woman at that stupid Club. She’d rather be alone than with a man who cheated on her and it was cheating. They’d agreed to monogamy for six weeks. It didn’t matter that they’d had a fight. She expected…demanded fidelity, something he couldn’t provide. It was over. She would not—would not—put up with a cheater.

A car pulled into the driveway and Tank sat up barking. She wasn’t ready for this confrontation. She wasn’t ready for this to end, but life never cared what she wanted.

There was a knock on the door.

“I’m coming.” She took a deep breath and crawled out of bed. She had on a T-shirt and sweats. She should put on a bra but it was only Nick and she wasn’t letting him in anyway. She walked to the door. “Go away.”

“Sarah, it’s Ethan.”

“I…I’mm…snot go…ing away.” That was Nick and he sounded drunk—very drunk by the slurred words. “Why do yous want me…ta go away?” Now, he sounded hurt.

“Sarah, please open the door,” said Ethan.

“No. He’s not coming in this house after spending all day at your Club fu….” She decided to leave it at that. She didn’t even want to imagine all the things he’d done.

“Saarahhh…pleeease. I neeeed you.” Nick again.

“He wasn’t there for that. He was only there to annoy me.” Ethan paused. “Please, Sarah. I swear he didn’t go into the business part of the Club.”

She hesitated. Ethan had no reason to lie, plus she wanted to believe him. She unlocked the door and opened it.

“Saarahh.” Nick grinned and lurched toward her.

Tank growled softly.

Ethan staggered forward, keeping his arm wrapped around Nick’s waist, holding him up and veering away from the dog.

“Oh, good lord.” She stepped aside. Nick was plastered. “Tank, down.” The dog sat by her legs, a low rumble in his chest.

“Where to? He ain’t light.” Ethan eyed the large canine.

“Sorry. This way.”

“Saarahh, I misssed you.” Nick mumbled as Ethan followed her into the bedroom, half-dragging Nick.

“Stay.” She shut the door in Tank’s face. She didn’t need him biting Ethan.

Ethan dropped Nick onto the bed, repeating her command. “Stay.”

Tank growled and scratched at the door.

Nick sat up, grabbing her hand and kissing it. “Come here, baby.”

“I’ll be right back.” She blushed as she pulled her hand away from him. “I have to show Ethan out.”

“Hes can find his owwn way out.” Nick reached for her again but she easily dodged his hand. He frowned, staring at her. “Don’t be mad at me, baby. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” She leaned down and kissed him softly, but he grabbed her, his hand going to her ass and pulling her onto the bed.

“Ah...Sarah…I…ah, there’s something of Nick’s in the car that I have to give you.” Ethan fidgeted at the door, obviously not wanting to exit and face the growling dog.

She shoved away from Nick, breathless. Even drunk that man could kiss. They hadn’t had drunk sex yet. Apparently, tonight was the night because as much as she should be mad at him, she wasn’t. She was too happy that he was back.

“Baby, pleeease. I neeed you.” Nick started unbuttoning his pants—a large bulge already pressing against his zipper.

She had to get out of there before Nick exposed himself. She opened the door, grabbing Ethan’s arm. “Tank. Down.” She led Ethan out of the bedroom.

Ethan pulled free and bent. “So, this is Tank.” The dog sniffed his outstretched hand. “I heard a lot about him.”

“I bet you have and none of it favorable.” She laughed.

“Nah.” Ethan was scratching behind Tank’s ear. “Nick loves dogs.”

“Tank sure likes you.” She’d never seen her dog take to anyone like this. Tank already had his head pressed against Ethan’s chest as his tail wagged slowly.

“We veterans recognize each other.”

“How did you…” She wanted to slap herself in the head. “Of course, you know.” Ethan had run an extensive background check on her before she’d signed up at the Club. He probably knew what she usually ate for breakfast.

“I’m sorry about Nick.” Ethan stood.

She glanced at the door and as if sensing her, Nick hollered, “Saraahhh, hurry up. I need to be inside you.”

Her face had to be redder than blood right now.

“I’m really sorry about Nick,” mumbled Ethan.

“He’s drunk.” She looked Ethan right in the eyes. “You swear he wasn’t with anyone else?” She and Ethan weren’t close but she didn’t think he’d lie to her about this.

“No. Not while he was at the Club. He and Mattie went out drinking. I don’t think he was with any women then either.”

But he wasn’t sure. He couldn’t be.

“But that’s not why I was apologizing.”

“Oh.”

“He wasn’t supposed to find you. It was against the rules.”

“Oh. That.” She bit her lip and then continued, “Actually, I’m glad he did.”

“Saarahh, get in here now. I need you to suck my dick,” yelled Nick.

“Really? You’re glad.” Ethan’s eyes sparkled.

She was going to kill Nick. “Yes, but he won’t be getting that for a long time.”

Ethan laughed and then sobered. “Still. He shouldn’t have gone after you. I would’ve kicked him out of the Club but he’d already signed over his membership.”

“He did what?”

“He didn’t tell you?” Ethan’s eyebrows rose.

“No.” Apparently, Nick had some secrets too.

“He signed over his membership to his brother.”

“When?”

“About two months after you last saw each other.”

She almost lost her breath. He hadn’t used the Club for more than two months before he found her. He could’ve been with someone outside of the Club but...“Why?”

“I think it’s obvious but you’ll have to ask him.” Ethan headed for the door.

She didn’t want to ask Nick. “Please Ethan, why would he do that?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything. I wouldn’t have if I’d known he hadn’t told you. I figured that would’ve been one of the first things he’d mentioned.” He shook his head. “The man is a genius at business but he’s sure fucking this up.”

“Damn it, Sarah,” yelled Nick. “Come to bed.”

Ethan hesitated at the door. “Give him a chance. He’s a good guy and he’s trying.” He grinned. “Maybe, too hard.”

“What do you mean by that?” By the humor in Ethan’s eyes, this wasn’t good.

“Step outside with me for a minute.” He opened the door. “And leave Tank inside.”

“He gets upset—”

“It’ll only be a minute. I swear.”

She stepped outside, leaving Tank whining at the door. Great. Now, she had two males whining in her house.

Ethan walked to his car and opened the door, crawling half inside. “Come on. It’s okay.” He straightened and a skinny, brindled Pitbull followed him out of the car.

“Oh, you got a dog.” She moved toward them and bent, extending her hand for the dog to sniff. The dog came forward, head down and tail tucked between his legs, but wagging frantically. “You’re a good boy.” She petted him and glanced up at Ethan who was watching her with a smirk on his handsome face. “He’s a sweetheart.”

“Glad you like him because he’s yours.”

“What?” Her voice was a little shriller than it should’ve been and the dog jumped away.

“You heard me.”

“I have a dog.”

“Okay. It’s Nick’s then.”

“No.” She glanced at the house as if she could see him.

“Yes.” Ethan handed her the leash. “He thought Tank needed a friend.”

“I’m not taking this dog.” She kept her fist closed.

“Then he goes back to the pound and his time was up.” The dog stood between them, cowering as his tailed continued to wag. “Apparently, this guy had a hard life. He was found on the streets and he’d been abused. Pits have a hard time finding homes as it is, but when they’re nervous like him, people stay away.”

“You keep him.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“You need a dog. I don’t.”

“If Nick couldn’t persuade me to take any of the other four, you’re not going to talk me into taking this one.”

“Four?”

“Yeah.” His lips twitched. “There were five whose, shall we say, time was up and another one who would’ve been killed the next day. Mattie took the other one and Nick found homes for the four. That left this guy.” He patted the dog’s head and the dog leaned against his leg.

“Nick took them all.”

“Yep.” Ethan took her hand and placed the leash in it. “He saved six dogs because of you.” He turned and got into his car and drove off down the street.

She looked down at the dog who was staring up at her. “What am I going to do with you?”

By the time Sarah got the dogs settled, she was ready to kill Nick. She couldn’t just put the two dogs together which meant she’d had to take the new dog around back and leave him in the yard. Then, she’d gone into the house, letting Tank sniff her as she shoved him into her bedroom where Nick was snoring peacefully. She’d been so pissed she’d wanted to shake him awake but then she’d have to deal with him. Instead, she’d coaxed Tank to jump onto the bed. The dog was not a gentle jumper and he’d half landed on Nick which had unfortunately caused nothing more than a grunt.

She’d left the room and let the new dog into the house while she’d prepared the guest bedroom for him—putting down food, water and one of Tank’s dog beds. Finally, she’d sat on the couch, letting Tank sniff her but he was more interested in the scents coming from the guest room. He sniffed under the door, whimpering a little. The new dog didn’t make a sound and that was a good sign. He didn’t appear to be aggressive with dogs.

“Come on.” She called Tank and locked him in the bedroom with her and Nick. Nick was stretched out on his stomach sound asleep, with the covers tossed over his hips. He was naked, or at least his upper body was and since he’d been horny before he’d gone to sleep she was pretty sure his lower body was just as bare. She stared at all that glorious skin and muscle. She ran her hand down his back and over his ass. Wetness pooled between her legs. Even angry with him, she wanted him. She pulled off her clothes and cuddled up next to him, soaking in his warmth.