Hank

Hank knew women could spend hours in the saloon but Thea had gone in since twelve noon and hadn't returned. It was past four already so he was starting to think she had been kidnapped. Her father was rich and it was a possibility.

Hank got out from the car he had been roasting in for the past four hours and jogged into the saloon. He smiled as one of the stylists looked at him.

"Hey, big guy," she said batting overly long lashes at him. "Come sit in my chair," she drawled.

Hank ignored the sexual innuendo and fired his questions at her. "Have you seen Thea? Did she come in here?"

"Hunny, who's Thea? Hmm...I don't do drama."

"She came in here some hours ago. Short, very fair?"

Another stylist pulled him by the sleeve and he smiled when he looked at her. She had long lashes also, but they weren't batting at him.

"Who are you?"

"Thea came in here, do you know her?"

"Yes, she's my client. Why are you looking for her?"

"I'm her driver."

"Driver? Alright, hunny, you really aren't all that," chuckled the first stylist.

"She went through the back door, is everything okay?"

"Perfect, her husband just needs her to answer her calls," he lied.

"Okay, then."

Hank nodded and followed the back door. He saw several shops to his right and he looked into them as he walked by. No sign of her. He passed a sex shop that had tinted glass, he couldn't see anyone inside without going in and that was exactly what he did.

Thea couldn't be there anyway but he needed to be sure. The cashier who was dressed in red latex jumpsuit and wide leather choker came from behind her desk to welcome him.

"Is red the theme?" he asked jokingly as he looked around the red lit room.

"For this week. We rarely get walk in, male customers."

"You don't say?"

"What are you looking for?"

My boss. "I think I'll take a look around."

"Okay. If you need help, I'll be right here."

"Thanks."

"The love portions are at the back," she shouted after him.

Hank smiled. Who the fuck bought love portions? He walked down the first aisle.

"Interesting," he commented as he noticed the different butt plugs on the shelf.

He looked at the large veined dildo sitting on another shelf and smirked. He saw all kinds of toys as he walked towards the back. He had to cover all his grounds, if she wasn't in here then there was a problem. Hank spotted Thea at the book shelf towards the back. He went closer to her and picked some random romance novel with provocative front cover.

Thea looked at him. "You should be in the car, waiting."

He looked at her slightly darkened complexion. "What did you do to your skin?"

"Spray tan."

"Oh, wow."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"It's just funny how you can go in the saloon and come out a different person."

"I'm not different, it's literally a spray tan. Don't be ignorant."

"I have never seen it done before, ignore me."

Thea picked another book and read the back. Hank followed her around as she shopped with her empty cart.

"Does my presence bother you?"

"Of course not."

"Your cart is still empty."

"I noticed. Hank, have you had breakfast yet?"

He smiled. "No, I'll just get dinner on my way home."

"I can make you something."

"Then we have to leave this store first." He didn't like the incense smell wafting around, and he most definitely didn't like being in a sex shop with his boss. "Got everything you need?"

Thea looked at her empty cart then began throwing books and candles into it. He wondered if this was where she got the lingerie she was wearing this morning. His mind told him not to think about it and he shut the thought out.

She paid for her stuff while he helped her with the bag. She stopped in a boutique and he growled low. If she spent another hour in there he was going to die from dehydration. He hadn't put anything solid into his mouth for the past forty eight hours and he was close to passing out. Luckily, Thea just got a bag from the cashier and Hank was happy to drive her home.

"Are you still going out with your friend?"

"No, I'll leave that for another day. We have to feed you first."

He appreciated the care and attention but the way she worded it made him feel like a dog. Maybe, he should drop her home and source out his own food.

"Please, don't worry about me."

"I don't want Jamal thinking I starved you."

Okay, cool. She was doing it because of his step brother, that didn't make him feel sad at all.

Hank helped with the shopping bags when they got home. Thea hurried to her room and came out with her hair packed in a bun and wearing a simple, tight dress. Hank eyes roamed over her as she moved around the kitchen. He couldn't be attracted to her. She wasn't even his type, he liked his women bold and sexually liberated. Thea wasn't that, she found it difficult to buy something x-rated at a sex shop because he was with her.

It wouldn't do him any good to be attracted to his boss anyway. Not just any boss but his step brother's wife, that was a line he couldn't cross yet.

The fact that his mind kept replaying the kissing incident was beginning to grate on his nerves. Get over it, he told himself over and over again.

He got his cheap phone from his pocket but couldn't keep himself distracted with it. The games were poorly programmed and not much of a challenge.

"There's salad in the fridge, you can get started on that while I make dinner."

"I can wait," he replied.

Thea smiled and turned to the pan on the cooker. Hank stared at the wall while he waited for dinner, he'd stare at the sun if it'd keep him from watching his step brother's wife cook. She got him a photo book and sat on the chair next to his as he flipped the pages.

"You must have spent a small fortune on your wedding," he exclaimed as the first picture he saw was the hall decoration.

"Thanks to my dad. He went all out."

"Are you the only child?" He looked at her as he asked.

A smile formed, "How did you guess?"

"Quite obvious since you're asking."

Thea laughed and he flipped the next page. "Wow, you look beautiful," he breathed when he saw her in an extravagant white dress with a veil on.

"That was the response I was aiming for when I picked the design. That's a Vera Wang dress."

"A what?" he asked.

"I mean, it's a high end designer and this was custom made."

"Foreign, I guess."

"Yea, but before you judge me, my evening dress and engagement dress were both locally made."

"Not judging, ma'am-Thea," he corrected when she sent him a look.

"You should see Jamal, he was the best looking that day."

"I doubt that." Thea grinned and flipped the page to a picture of Jamal. "Not bad," was all Hank said.