Shake Her World (Restrained Book 1) (3 page)

“Why don’t you start showering her with gifts?” Martine’s voice sounds distracted. She’s lounging on the sofa across from Ariana’s desk, her long leather clad legs hanging off the armrest. Ariana doesn’t have the energy to tell her to sit up. “It sure gets my attention every time.”

“You’re an attention starved jerk, of course it gets your attention. You thrive on exploiting the generosity of clueless people,” she retorts, checking the time on her computer for what feels like the millionth time in the last fifteen minutes since Ms. Mason left. “Ms. Mason–”

“When are you going to stop calling her Ms. Mason? Do you moan Ms. Mason when you’re playing with yourself?” Martine cuts in, rolling her eyes and Ariana can feel her face heat up despite having been friends with Martine and thus forced to endure such quips for over a decade.

“She’s my boss and I’m at my workplace,” she shoots back bitingly, but the damage is already done.

“Are you blushing? You’re blushing! Oh my God! That’s the most adorable thing ever.” Ariana hears the distinct fake shutter of a phone’s camera and looks up in time to see Martine grinning from ear to ear, her fingers flying over the touchscreen of her fancy smart phone. “Chris says you’re a cutie pie.”

“Tell Chris to go and fuck himself.”

“I’m sure he does that often enough without you telling him to, baby girl.”

“You’re hilarious,” Ariana spats clicking at the link of yet another useless ‘cheer-up gift ideas’ site with her mouse angrily.

“I know, right?” Martine preens, pushing her fiery mane out of her carefully made up face. She winks at Ariana cheekily. “Buy her some edible underwear then leave it on her desk with your number and a winky face.”

“She’s about to break up with her boyfriend because the guy is cheating on her with a teenager. How would a set of edible underwear improve her mood?” Sometimes Ariana really doesn’t know why she’s friends with Martine. Of course she loves her and adores the absolutely unapologetic way she lives her life, but in moments like this, she honestly questions her best friend’s sanity.

“You know, if you weren’t dead set on acting like a repressed virgin who believes she’ll never be good enough to get anyone to like her, maybe you’d have gotten your dear Ms. Mason in your bed ages ago,” Martine says, her voice dripping with acidic sweetness.

“You’re a fucking bitch.”

“That’s the best you can come up with?”

“No, but I’m not actually five years old to resort to petty name calling just to get my way.”

“You know I’m right.”

“What I know is that you have the worst way to distract someone.”

“Well, excuse you!” Martine exclaimed, pouting outrageously. “I offered to go down on you when I got here, but you refused. So don’t blame me for having to go back to my secondary tactic.”

Ariana heaves a long-suffering sigh, but her lips are twitching despite her wish to hold onto her annoyance. In a way Martine is right. She’s been acting like a pansy, pining for Sophie in silence but never actually attempting to see if the situation is really as hopeless as she has convinced herself it is. But unlike Martine, she’s never been comfortable with breaking people up, and no matter how much of a worthless pile of shit she thought Neil Thompson was, she assumed Sophie was happy with him if she had stayed with him for so long. Except, in a matter of minutes Sophie will be single again and Ariana won’t have any valid excuse left to stop her from giving a shot at asking the other woman out.

Someone claiming to be straight has never stopped her from flirting and testing the waters before. Although human decency might be enough of a deterrent if she listens to her conscience instead of her heart. Because she might want Sophie too much for her own good, but it doesn’t mean that she has to be a deceitful asshole who only shows kindness towards the object of their attraction to get in their pants. And what Sophie will need after today is definitely not another gutless jerk who tries to exploit her weakness. If Ariana has to put away her feelings, then so be it. She can be an awesome friend if Sophie wants her to be.

She exits the ridiculously useless website and glances over to Martine who is watching her like a hawk. “What is the perfect place to get someone piss drunk with the least chance of getting molested by a horny dudebro?” she asks.

“You planning to take advantage of your little birdie?”

“What do you think?” Ariana scowls, earning a mocking chuckle.

“Had to ask,” Martine says with a little shrug of her impressively wide shoulders. “Anyway, I fully recommend
Cadence
, it’s a best place to get smashed if you’re not looking for some action. Decent staff, nice people and Casey the bartender just loves sob stories. Get your girl tell hers and you’ll drink on the house all night.”

“Do you always do this?” Ariana asks suspiciously.

“Nah, Casey knows fake stories from a mile and you get banned,” Martine replies cheerfully, obviously not offended that Ariana even asked. “This one time–”

She’s interrupted when Olivia, one of the junior associates, hurries into the office with a terrified expression. She didn’t even have to open her mouth for Ariana to know that Sophie has arrived back and he’s ready to murder someone at the slightest sign of disorder. She chances a glance at Martine who’s watching Olivia’s frantic flailing in amusement and showing no sign of wanting to leave. Ariana raises an eyebrow at her but Martine just smirks back and crosses her legs at the knee.

“Are you listening, Ariana?!” Olivia urges nearly in panic. “She’ll be here in a few seconds and blood will flow…” She slants a not at all covert glance in Martine’s direction.

“You know that she’s not that bad, right?” Ariana replies ignoring Olivia’s incredulous look. “Nevermind, I’ll be fine. Just go back to your cubicle and act like you don’t exist.”
Like always.
She doesn’t add.

Olivia nods tightly, then with a last worried glance she leaves Ariana’s office. Martine scoffs after her before turning back to Ariana with a satisfied smile. “You’re a horrible person,” Ariana quips without any malice.

“I’m an angel and you know it.” Martine winks just as the glass door opens and Sophie storms in.

Her eyes narrow upon noticing Martine, who has the decency to stand up and step closer, easily towering over Ariana’s boss even though Sophie is wearing 6 inch heels. She offers her hand without prompting, forcing Sophie to gingerly take it.

“Nice to finally meet you, Ms. Mason,” Martine purrs, but thankfully doesn’t try to kiss the back of Sophie’s hand. “Ariana has told me wonderful things about you.”

“Thank you?” Sophie answers, her voice lilting questioningly. “Unfortunately, I can’t say I’ve heard about you.”

“A real shame, I can assure you.” Martine is flirting shamelessly, and Ariana can’t help feeling like icy daggers are being twisted in her gut. She wants to interrupt her friend, but Sophie doesn’t seem to be bothered too much. “I’m Martinella Ortéz, Ariana’s best friend since way too long.”

“Sophie Mason, Ariana’s boss,” Sophie says and finally pulls her hand back. “Are you here for a reason, Ms. Ortéz?”

“Just an emergency run, but I thought why not meet the woman who gave a chance to my girl?” Martine replies, grimacing in Ariana’s direction, who wants nothing more than to wring the woman’s neck. Martine’s lucky she’s body positive enough not to feel ashamed by something as natural as her period, because otherwise she might just beat the shit out of her and wouldn’t care that Martine is a three times World Champion in judo.

“I see. Well, it was nice to meet you Ms. Ortéz–”

“Please, just Martine. Especially to a beautiful woman like you.”

Sophie clears her throat awkwardly while Ariana glares at Martine angrily. “Thank you for coming and helping me out, but I’m sure your coach is already wondering where you are,” she says, walking up to the pair with an obviously forced smile.

“Ah yes, Anton must be getting worried,” Martine agrees, completely unconcerned. “I hope you don’t mind if Ariana sees me out, do you, Ms. Mason?”

“I… No, of course not,” Sophie says, sounding slightly dazed. She blinks slowly before she turns to Ariana. “Come straight to my office once you’re back.”

“Of course, Ms. Mason. I’ll be back in a minute,” Ariana promises and starts preparing herself for the epic bitchfest she’s about to receive.

Sophie nods then offers her hand to Martine. “As I said, it was nice to meet you, Ms. Ortéz. I hope we’ll have the chance to meet again.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” Martine replies as she curls her hand around Sophie’s much smaller one. “And I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

This time she doesn’t hold onto Sophie’s hand for an inappropriately long time just steps back with a friendly smile and starts steering Ariana out of the office. They reach the elevator in silence, although it takes great effort for Ariana not to start chewing out her infuriating friend in front of her colleagues. Yet it’s Martine who speaks up once the elevator doors close behind them.

“Get some ice for her hand and a first aid kit too. She must have punched that sleaze ball in the teeth because the skin on her knuckles was broken and not just bruised,” she says proudly. “Oh,” she adds just as the elevator reaches the first floor, “and just for your information, she’s totally not straight.”

The jerk has the gall to blow a kiss at her then saunter off as if her work was done. Ariana shakes her head questioning her life choices as she pushes the button to the 34th floor. She tries to stay calm when she gets back to the office, finding the clear glass walls both separating her and Sophie’s rooms a blessing and a curse. She quickly pulls the bottom drawer open to take the first aid kit out, but she can’t find any ice and doesn’t want to go to the kitchenette because it would be too suspicious.

Sophie is sitting behind her desk like always when Ariana walks in, but instead of staring at her computer screen, she’s looking out the panorama wall that gives a perfect view to Manhattan’s skyscrapers. Ariana can only see her profile but the disappointment and resigned anger twisting her mouth are pretty obvious even without seeing her face fully. Ariana clears her throat quietly, drawing Sophie’s attention to herself, and lifts the first aid kit.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I called you?” Sophie asks, trying for reserved but sounding tired.

“To chew me out for Martine’s antics?” Ariana asks in return, offering a small smile when Sophie’s lips twitch.

“Tempting, but no.” She looks down at her messed up left hand for a second, and Ariana wishes she had the power of reading people’s minds instead of dreaming of the future. “I broke up with Neil,” she blurts out as if saying it outright will make it hurt less. “Obviously, it’s none of your business, but I think the press will eat the story up and I need you to be prepared.”

“Alright.” Ariana nods, not commenting further. “Anything you want me to tell the bloodthirsty reporters?”

“That you don’t know anything.”

“Or I could make up a couple of fun stories worthy of the punch you obviously doled out,” Ariana suggests, waving her free hand at Sophie’s knuckles. “Those needs to be cleaned and wrapped by the way. Who knows what deadly germs are in
Mr.
Thompson’s mouth.”

“How do you know I punched him in the mouth?” Sophie asks, taken aback. Her eyes narrow suspiciously, staring at Ariana like she’s trying to uncover all of her secrets. Ariana licks her lips and hopes that Sophie doesn’t have any special talents.

“Martine is a martial artist. She recognized the scrapes on your knuckles,” she answers honestly. “She also told me to clean the wound out so it won’t get infected.”

“Fine.”

Ariana puts the kit on the desk and takes out the supplies she needs before she gently pulls Sophie’s hand forward, brushing her fingers with her thumb. Sophie raises an eyebrow, but Ariana busies herself with cleaning out the wound and refuses to feel embarrassed. Sophie doesn’t hiss when Ariana washes her knuckles with antibiotic ointment though her fingers twitch from the slight sting.

“Do you want to know what happened?” Sophie is the one who breaks the comfortable silence that fell between them.

Ariana looks up for a second, gauging her boss’ expression, but it seems like most of the anger has left her and was replaced by exhaustion. “Are you free tonight?” she asks instead of answering, causing Sophie to frown in confusion.

“Why?”

“Because I think you need to forget that two cent fuckboy at least for one night and I just know the place.”

“Are you asking me out?” Sophie’s tone is carefully neutral, yet it still make Ariana nearly choke on thin air and blush furiously.

“As a friend,” she quickly corrects and doesn’t dare to look at Sophie.

“Friend…” Sophie seems to savor the word, testing it on her tongue while Ariana waits with her eyes glued to the bandage in her hand. Maybe it was too soon or just simply ridiculous. Why would Sophie want to be friends with her employee when it’s obvious she can barely stand anyone who works at the company? Still, Ariana won’t take it back because she meant it, even if her heart wants much more. And she’s not ashamed to offer her friendship to the older woman, not ashamed to finally take a leap and reach out, placing the future of their relationship in Sophie’s hand. “I think I’d like that.”