Dog Days (Are Over)

VERONICA

~“The dog days are over,”~

~The dog days are done,~

~The horses are coming,~

~So you better run…”~

~– Florence & The Machine~

***

Santana was a shopping enthusiast.

I, on the other hand, didn’t share her passion.

But, even though shopping wasn’t my thing, I did enjoy trying on lingerie. It was our weekly bonding ritual at the local mall.

“You look amazing in that,” Santana said, grinning at me as I checked my reflection in the mirror.

I was wearing a red satin bra with lace detailing that hugged my ample breasts, a matching red thong, and crimson fishnet stockings.

To top it off, I had on a pair of black high heels.

I had to admit, the outfit looked great on me. It was sexy and daring. If I were auditioning for an adult film, I’d probably get the part wearing this.

“I think it’s a bit much,” I said, checking out my rear in the full-length mirror of the lingerie store.

Men passing by the display window couldn’t help but pause and stare before their girlfriends pulled them away, jealousy clear on their faces.

I didn’t mind; I’d lost any sense of shame a long time ago.

Santana, dressed in a nearly transparent white nightgown that barely reached her thighs, gave me a mischievous look.

“It’s hot, Nix,” she said, winking at me, “you wear this, and no guy, no matter how stubborn, will be able to resist you. Trust me.”

“I have to agree,” chimed in Sarah, the store’s employee who’d introduced herself earlier. “You’re a stunning young woman.”

I flashed her a grin.

“Thanks.” I turned back to the mirror, gave myself another once-over, and sighed. “Okay, I give in.”

“Does that mean you’re buying it?” Santana asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

The price tag was steep, but considering I was getting my first paycheck the day after tomorrow from my job at Wynntec & Co, I decided to treat myself.

After all, my paycheck had a ~lot~ of zeros.

Decision made, I smiled and said, “I am.”

Santana squealed with delight. After deciding to buy her own outfit, we paid an excited Sarah and left the store, each carrying a bag with the brand’s logo.

“I’m so proud of us,” Santana said as we headed to Abercrombie & Fitch, her favorite clothing store.

“I know, right?” I said, grinning from ear to ear. I was pretty pleased with my purchase. I had a feeling it would come in handy in the future.

“Now we need to buy sexy party clothes,” my friend said, her eyes sparkling, “I’m out of good dresses and honestly, I feel like blowing some of Daddy Dearest’s money.”

I made a noncommittal sound, not wanting to delve into a conversation about her father.

Major Martino Jr. was a former Marine officer who, after being discharged due to his deteriorating physical condition, had built the successful Martino Investments company.

The company made a fortune, and Major found himself on the list of the Top 100 Richest People in the US.

He married Francine, who was about twenty years his junior, and they had Santana and her twin brother, Salvador.

Salvador followed in his father’s footsteps and became a Marine, while Santana spent her time living the high life.

I’d gathered all this information from the internet, except for what I knew about Santana from personal experience, of course. Santana wasn’t very open about her family.

She usually avoided the topic, but occasionally, like now, she’d mention her allowance.

Her monthly stipend from her father, which kept her from going broke, was probably an astronomical amount, like half a million dollars.

After we left A&F, Santana with five more bags in tow, we decided to call it a day and headed to our usual café on the third floor, which had a beautiful view of the marina near the mall.

Once we’d settled into our usual seats and placed our orders, Santana asked, “So what’s the deal with that Jax guy?”

I froze, giving her a wide-eyed look. “What?”

Santana smirked at my reaction.

“He’s your boss, he’s hot, you slept with him, and he wants to sleep with you again. What’s going on with him?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

“It’s been a month since you started working for him. There must be some story there you haven’t told me or the others.”

I thought back to the past month, forcing myself to relax.

“The only thing that happened was on my first day of work,” I told her. “We kissed, and then we ignored each other.”

Or rather, he was ignoring me, but I guess I was also part of it, since I didn’t exactly seek him out, either.

“Why?” My friend asked, looking confused. “Didn’t he say he couldn’t forget your taste or something?”

“He did, but apparently he doesn’t want to act on it.”

She had a thoughtful look on her face that I didn’t trust.

“That’s strange,” she muttered, “guys usually don’t lie about anything related to sex, whether it’s optional or not. If he hinted that he wanted to sleep with you again, he would’ve made a move.”

“That’s what I thought,” I said, ignoring the pang of disappointment in my stomach, “but apparently he decided I wasn’t worth his time.”

“Besides,” I added, “a few of my coworkers told me Jax decided to keep his professional and personal life separate. Maybe he realized that sleeping with me would blur that line.”

“Maybe,” she said, but she didn’t sound convinced.

“Doesn’t matter,” I said, shrugging just as our waiter arrived with our order. “I don’t do repeats, you know that.”

The waiter gave me a surprised look, not even trying to hide his shock at my bold statement as he set down my favorite hot cocoa and Santana’s black coffee.

Santana laughed at his reaction, saying, “If this Jax guy is as hot as you say, you might want to rethink that rule.”

The waiter couldn’t get away fast enough.

“I don’t know,” I said, wrapping my cold hands around the warm cup. “Even if he did try to seduce me, I’d probably say no.”

“But why?” Santana looked genuinely puzzled.

How could I explain my feelings to her when I didn’t even understand them myself?

How could I explain that part of me was disappointed at the thought of not sleeping with Jax again, while another part of me was scared to death of the idea?

I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand it, and while Santana was a good friend, I didn’t want to talk about it with her, just like I didn’t want to talk about it with Laura, who was my best friend.

“I just don’t,” was all I could come up with. “Jax could be hotter than the sun, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve already been there. I can’t be his lover, or fuck buddy, or whatever he wants.”

Santana sighed, giving up.

“Fine. But,” she looked at me meaningfully, “I don’t think you’ll stick to that if, or rather ~when~, Jax makes his move.”

I wouldn’t be so sure. I was stronger than she thought.

We drank our drinks and talked about other things, like Amy and Nick’s upcoming third anniversary, or Laura’s new sorority party.

When it started to get dark, we headed through the mall towards the parking lot.

We were talking about Ransom’s latest adventure when I stopped in my tracks, my eyes wide as I saw the couple walking towards us.

Santana stopped too, looking at me questioningly before following my gaze.

She gasped. “Wow.”

Wow didn’t even begin to cover it.

Jax Cole, in the flesh, was walking across the floor like he owned the place.

He radiated confidence and arrogance, which was justified given his high-ranking position at Wynntec & Co and his good looks.

His dark brown hair looked even better than I remembered, and his midnight blue eyes were almost electric.

His tall, toned body was dressed in black jeans tucked into leather boots, a dark green shirt that hugged his chest, and a black leather jacket.

His casual look was so devastatingly attractive, every woman in his path couldn’t help but stare. Especially when he laughed at something his companion said.

Speaking of his companion, when I looked at her, I felt a pang of jealousy. She was beautiful—Hailey Pritchard-beautiful.

Long brown hair with natural golden highlights, warm hazel eyes, a slender figure, and golden skin, just a shade lighter than Jax’s.

With her small nose, full lips, and high cheekbones, she looked like a Disney princess, and I instantly disliked her.

Especially when I saw Jax put his arm around her shoulders and pull her close.

Something dark and sharp twisted in my chest. I knew what it was but refused to acknowledge it because it scared me.

Instead of giving in to the feelings swirling inside me, I grabbed Santana’s hand and turned around. She looked surprised but went along with it.

I started to walk away quickly, but it was too late.

“Veronica?”

I froze, Santana stopping with me and giving me a look that said she was dying to know what was going on.

But now wasn’t the time for explanations.

Taking a few deep breaths, I turned around to face my boss and his girlfriend.

“Oh, hi Jax,” I said, trying to sound surprised, my voice a little too high from nerves.

He looked like he was trying not to smile.

“Hey,” he said, his voice full of amusement.

I couldn’t seem to stop talking.

“I’m so surprised to see you here,” I blurted out, “I mean, what are the odds?”

I laughed too loudly, which turned into a cough when Santana elbowed me in the ribs.

Jax was grinning now, his eyes on my face. He was about to say something, probably to embarrass me, when his girlfriend tugged on his arm to get his attention.

When she had it, she nodded towards me, clearly telling him to introduce us.

Taking the hint, Jax said, still grinning, “Tally, this is Veronica, my employee.”

He emphasized the word employee. Then he looked at me. “Veronica, this is Tally.”

Her name sounded familiar, and she seemed to recognize mine too because she was smiling broadly.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you!” she said excitedly, shaking my hand. Santana and I were both taken aback. “I’ve heard so much about you!”

I glanced at Jax involuntarily. He was grinning at Tally. That’s when I remembered that I’d talked to her once on the phone, when I called Jax to tell him I wanted the job.

What I didn’t understand was why Jax would tell his girlfriend about me. And why was she so excited about it?

“I hope you’ve only heard good things,” I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Absolutely,” Tally replied, a smirk playing on her lips. Her eyes held a glint of something I couldn’t quite place. What on earth had Jax told her?

Jax, for his part, wasn’t offering any clues. It was a miracle he was even speaking to me. For the past three weeks, he’d acted as if I was invisible.

Now, he was giving Santana a long, hard look. I realized he was waiting for me to introduce her.

“Jax,” I said, my voice shaky as his gaze returned to me, “this is Santana, my friend. Santana, this is Jax.”

Santana didn’t bother with subtlety. She openly checked him out, her eyes lingering on his broad shoulders and well-defined chest and abs.

Her eyes were clouded with desire, but I didn’t feel a pang of jealousy. Probably because I knew Santana wasn’t into relationships, just like me.

After a few moments of silence, during which she seemed to drink him in, Santana turned back to me, a teasing grin on her face.

“I can see why you went for him,” she murmured, her voice so low only I could hear. Then she turned to Jax.

“Take care of my girl,” she ordered, her tone shifting from flirtatious to businesslike. I had to resist the urge to throw my bag at her.

Jax raised an eyebrow.

“Sure thing,” he drawled.

Feeling left out, I decided it was time to make my exit.

“Well then,” I said, my voice so cheerful it made me cringe, “we should get going. We’ve got places to be. See you tomorrow!”

Without waiting for a response, I grabbed Santana’s wrist and walked past them so quickly, my hair whipped around in a mini whirlwind.

Thankfully, neither Jax nor Tally tried to stop us.

Once we were out of earshot, Santana pulled her wrist from my grip and turned to me, her eyes blazing.

“~That’s~ Jax?!” she practically shouted. I was half-afraid Jax might still be able to hear us.

I nodded silently as we walked out to the parking lot.

“Holy sweet mother of Jesus!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide. “He’s so fucking hot I thought I was going to melt!”

“Keep it down,” I hissed, wincing at her volume. “I know how hot he is. You don’t need to spell it out.”

“Don’t need to ~elaborate~?” she echoed, her tone almost comical. “Sweet babe Jesus, he’s devastatingly gorgeous and you’re telling me not to ~elaborate~?”

“Calm down,” I said, glancing around nervously. More than a few people were giving us strange looks.

“I just can’t believe it!” she continued. “I want a piece of that ass, too!”

“Go for it,” I said grimly. “But it looks like he’s pretty tied up with his girlfriend or whatever.”

Santana paused and gave me a strange look.

“They’re not together, silly,” she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and I was an idiot for thinking otherwise.

I gave her a skeptical look. “Of course they are. It makes sense. That’s why he stopped trying to sleep with me.”

She shook her head in disbelief.

“You need to work on your observation skills,” she said. “They’re definitely not together. I don’t know what their relationship is, but it’s not romantic. Trust me.”

“You’re delusional,” I scoffed.

“No honey, that would be ~you~,” she smirked. “He definitely wants you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And what makes you think that?”

She didn’t stop smirking. “The way he couldn’t take his eyes off you. And the way he looked at you when you were glaring at his so-called girlfriend…”

She shuddered. “Hot. So deliciously hot.”

I scowled. “You need to get your head checked.”

“I’m not the one who’s being dense, Nix,” she said, smirking again as we reached her fancy Porsche.

On the ride home, I couldn’t stop thinking about our encounter and Santana’s words.

Was she right? Did he want me? Was he checking me out?

And why did the thought of him looking at me with those heated, hungry eyes make my stomach flutter?

I preferred it when he was avoiding me. Now he was messing with my head again. Damn him—and damn Santana, too!

After Santana dropped me off, I knew I needed to sleep with someone else.

Otherwise, I might find my resolve weakening, just like Santana predicted. And I was not going to sleep with Jax Cole again, whether Tally was his girlfriend or not.

I would not.

***

The day after the mall incident, I went straight to my office and started translating a new text.

Jo was already at her desk, and she gave me a concerned look.

“Good morning,” she said, always the polite sweetheart. “Is everything okay?”

I gave her a brief smile. “Yeah, just… Can you let me know when Mr. Cole gets here?”

She looked confused, but she nodded. I gave her a grateful smile and went back to my work.

Twenty minutes later, Jo murmured, “He’s here.”

I immediately slouched in my chair, trying to make myself as small as possible.

“If he asks where I am, tell him I’m in the bathroom,” I whispered to Jo.

She gave me another strange look, but she nodded. I was grateful she was my friend.

“Good morning, Mr. Cole,” and “Have a nice day, Mr. Cole,” echoed around me as I tried to make myself as small as possible.

The sound of heavy footsteps approached, and Jo chimed in with her own, “Good morning, Mr. Cole.”

Just as I’d feared, he didn’t breeze past her like he did with everyone else.

“Good morning, Miss Galloway,” he replied, his voice low and sultry, sending shivers down my spine. “Have you seen Miss Tanner?”

Jo covered for me, saying, “She just stepped out to the restroom. She’ll be back soon.”

I mentally promoted her to best-friend status for having my back like that.

“Alright. When she returns, let her know I need to see her in my office.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Cole,” Jo responded.

“Have a good day, Miss Galloway,” Jax ended their exchange and walked off. I let out a sigh of relief when I heard the click of his office door closing.

Jo looked at me, puzzled. “What was that all about?”

I grimaced. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

Or more accurately, ~I~ didn’t know. I just had a hunch that he was going to stop ignoring me today after breaking his silence yesterday, so I’d taken precautions…

Not that they did any good, since he seemed determined to talk to me again.

“You should just get it over with,” Jo suggested.

I sighed. “I know.”

After a few minutes of gathering my thoughts, I finally headed to Jax’s office.

Summoning all the courage I could muster, I knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Jax called from inside.

~You can do this… You can do this… You can do this…~

I turned the knob, entered, and closed the door behind me. Jax was standing, leaning on his desk, engrossed in a document.

He looked up at me, and I tried—and failed—to suppress a shiver. Damn him.

“Miss Tanner,” he greeted, a knowing grin on his face.

“You wanted to see me?” I asked, wishing he’d stop looking at me like he knew something I didn’t.

“Yes,” he straightened up. “We need to meet later today, preferably at your place.”

Wait, what?

“I’m sorry?” I asked, certain I’d misheard him.

“There’s a document I need to review and translate with you privately,” he explained, setting the paper on his desk and slowly walking towards me.

“I can’t do it here because of my other commitments, but we can do it after work.”

I was stunned.

I mean, I knew we’d have to work together sometimes, face-to-face, but I hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. But I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Maybe he’d stopped avoiding me yesterday just because of this private translation project. It made sense. I wasn’t disappointed. Not at all.

Since he was waiting for a response, I blurted out, “Okay.”

“Good,” he nodded, “I’ll see you at your place around seven, Miss Tanner.”

I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. “Why can’t we do it at your place?”

His lips twitched with amusement. He clearly knew how much he was affecting me. “Because I said so.”

Realizing I wasn’t going to change his mind, and feeling the need to escape his office—I was suddenly feeling claustrophobic with him so close—I muttered, “Fine.”

Without waiting for his approval, I left the room. Needing some fresh air, I headed for the elevator, pressed the button for the top floor, and waited impatiently for it to arrive.

The doors opened onto the rooftop, and a gust of wind tousled my hair.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, when I realized I wasn’t alone.

Feeling a bit unnerved, I looked up to see a figure standing in front of me, a pair of familiar eyes staring at me from an all-too-familiar face.

I was frozen, unable to move.

“Hi,” the woman said, her voice so familiar it sent phantom pains shooting through specific parts of my body. Like my wrists.

Without thinking, I found myself replying, “Hi.”

It seemed the time had come for Hailey Pritchard to discover that I was working here too.