Page 138 of Naughty Nelle

CHAPTER 19

Ari

After dropping Sarah off, I got a call from our factory in Hoboken. The “urgent” manufacturing problem had been solved so there was no need for me to schlep there. It was a welcomed relief, but now I didn’t know what to do for the rest of the day so I drove idly around the city. I just didn’t feel like going home to an empty apartment; not even Luisa would be there as I had given her the day off. The streets were deserted due to the holiday so I didn’t have to deal with the normal, stressful hustle-bustle. It was rare to drive through the city without being honked at, cut off, or having to hit the brakes for some crazy pedestrian dashing across the street.

Taking my Bentley for a spin when the city was empty usually relaxed me, but I felt wound up. The aimless driving did little to wash away the anger that was clawing at me. I was angry with my sister. I was even angrier with myself. While I cruised down Fifth Avenue passing landmarks like the Empire State Building and the venerable Public Library, I mulled over my conversation with my sister and her account of Ben’s pool incident. Gwen was never one to hold back, but the wrath she harbored for Sarah ate away at me. Okay, I may have been a poor judge of character when it came to my fucked up ex, Cassandra, but I was younger then. And stupid. Infatuated by her supermodel beauty, worldliness, and glamorous life. Sarah was different. She was down to earth, smart, and caring. She just didn’t strike me as someone who would sit there idly when someone was in danger. Especially an innocent child. For fuck’s sake, she designed children’s toys for a living. I should have never believed my sister. The shrewd lawyer would do or say anything to win her case. She’d been like that even as a kid—always twisting things to get her way. Our father had taught us both to be winners, but for Gwen, winning was everything.

I already missed Sarah. But I wasn’t sure if she’d see me again. I’d acted like a prick most of the weekend, showing my possessive side, and then I fucked her brains out and abandoned her. She wasn’t a girl I could simply fuck and forget. She’d gotten under my skin and now she was in my bloodstream. I could kick myself for the way I treated her this morning and on our drive back to the city. Moreover, I should have asked for her side of the story when it came to the pool incident. But foolishly, I didn’t. Instead, I gave her the silent treatment and dropped her off at her apartment like she was nothing more than a FedEx package. My heart pinched as I remorsefully looked into my rearview mirror. And then it skipped a beat. Crossing the fabled street behind me was Sarah, still in my sundress and wearing those funky boots she wore when I first met her.

Crap. There was no way to stop the car as the traffic, as light as it was, was moving, and there was no place to pull over. And I couldn’t turn to go around the block as the next street went one-way. The wrong way. West to east. And Sarah was at the southeast corner behind me heading west by foot. Taking a chance, I turned onto the next street I could hoping to catch up with her. But, shit, wouldn’t you know it…I turned right into an accident. A goddamn fender bender between two cabs. The two drivers were out of their vehicles in the middle of the street yelling at each other. Fuck. Shit. Fuck. The street was blocked and I couldn’t budge. Impatient and frustrated, I honked my horn, but it was futile. I was stuck here until the two idiots moved their cabs. Part of me thought about throwing the Bentley into park, hopping out of it, and running after my princess. But rationality got the better of me; leaving my $100,000 dollar car unattended wasn’t a bright idea. Clenching my steering wheel, I exhaled loudly and cursed under my breath, taking in my surroundings.

And then I saw it. A small specialty shop sandwiched between a Greek diner and a dry cleaner. And it was open. Serendipity…my mother’s favorite word.

Twenty long, frustrating minutes later, I was racing back uptown with my purchase.

Sarah said she liked toys. Well, she was definitely going to like this one.

At the next red light, my cock honked at me. It was ready to make up with Sarah and play.

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