Claimed by You, page 8
“Tell me you want that too.” He growls, pushing his fingers roughly inside of me before pulling them back out and swirling my clit once more.
“I want it.” My words are a weak plea and suddenly, I am lost to everything. The sound of his voice, the feeling of his hands on me, in me, the passion of his kiss. It blinds me to anything and everything around me.
“Now Westin.” I scream, not able to wait another moment to feel him inside of me.
Within seconds my pants, and his, are discarded onto the floor somewhere. He lifts me up, pushing my back into the hard wood of the door and wrapping my legs around his waist. In one swift movement he enters me, and the rest of the world fades away.
Chapter Thirteen
The next two days with Westin are like that of a fairytale, and are over in what seems like the blink of an eye. After what has been the best weekend of my life, I am very reluctant to see Westin leave not knowing when or if he will ever come back.
These are concerns I had going in, of course, but I got so swept up in everything that none of it really seemed to matter until now. I guess being holed up in my apartment for two days straight with Westin blinded me a bit to the actual reality of the situation.
He still works for my father, which is an issue we have yet to really approach since our first conversation about it. He lives in California and I live in Maine, which are on opposite ends of the country.
I mean, it's not like we can afford a plane ticket every weekend, or at least I can't for very long, with flights being as expensive as they are. Not too mention, neither of us have the time to spend ten plus hours on a plane to turn around and make the same trip back in the same weekend. That's ludicrous.
All things I know we should have thought through before letting this go as far as it has, but at the end of the day, I wouldn't change any of it. I love being with Westin. If there is a way for us to be together, I am determined to make it happen.
Westin's cell phone buzzes to life on my nightstand, making me realize that he left it behind, having ran downstairs to get us a late afternoon snack. We have spent very little time outside of this apartment over the last two days and my sore body is only proof of that fact.
I reach for the phone and flip it over as it continues to buzz in my hand. The name Kate Ward displays across the screen with a small thumbnail picture of a girl who looks like she just stepped off a runway.
As tempted as I am to answer it, I can't bring myself to invade his life that way. I let it ring until the voice mail picks up and then toss it down beside me. Not thirty seconds pass before the phone springs to life again and the same name flashes across the screen.
Once again I ignore it. How would I feel if he answered my phone without my knowledge? Honestly, I don't really think I would mind. But even still, he should be back any moment, at which time I will simply tell him she called and hopefully he will volunteer who she is.
When the phone kicks on again almost immediately, I start going back and forth with my decision to not answer. I would be lying if I said I wasn't dying to find out who this picture perfect girl is and why she is calling Westin relentlessly. Besides, what if it's an emergency?
The phone goes silent again and then immediately lights up in my hand for the fourth time. “Okay, that's it.” I say aloud, finally deciding to answer, just so whoever this is will stop calling.
“Hello. Westin's phone.” I say, not really sure how to answer someone else's phone.
“Um. Who the hell are you?” A snippy voice bites at me from the other end, making me immediately regret my decision to answer.
“This is Scarlett.” I say, as nicely as I can muster.
“Who the hell are you Scarlett?” She bites again, this time even nastier than before. This girl may be pretty, but she sure as hell is lacking in the manners department.
“I'm an old friend of Westin's.” I say, not able to hide the apology from my voice. Why the hell do I feel the need to be apologetic and who the hell is this girl anyways?
“Uh huh. Old friend my ass. Where the fuck is that cheating bastard?” She practically screams through the phone at me.
“Cheating? I'm sorry..... But who are you?” I stutter out, my heart dropping somewhere in my stomach.
“I am his fiancee you fucking whore. Now put his ass on the phone. NOW!” Her voice cuts through the line and I have to pull the phone away from my ear for a moment.
“I'm sorry, he's really not here.” I manage to get out through the fog that has settled over my brain. Everything seems clouded and disoriented and suddenly nothing makes sense.
Fiancee?
Just as the numbness starts to seep through every inch of my body, the front door swings open and Westin appears in my doorway with a bag of treats in his hand. His smile disappears the moment he registers my expression, and only then do I realize that the woman on the other end of the phone is still yelling obscenities in my ear.
Pulling the phone away, I hold it out to him. His face drains of color like he already knows who it is before he even takes the device from my hand.
“I'm sorry I answered it.” I say, feeling the emotion bubble in my throat. “She just kept calling and calling and I thought it was an emergency.” I explain, not sure why I feel the need to explain myself.
He should be the one explaining. Like, I don't know, why he never mentioned that he was engaged to another woman?
He takes the phone from my hand and without breaking his eyes from my face, puts it to his ear.
“Kate, I'm gonna have to call you back.” He says, ending the call with her still screaming in the background.
“Scarlett, I can explain.” He starts immediately, but at this point, I've finally snapped out of my fog and I am hearing none of it.
“Get out.” I say calmly, not moving from my spot on the bed.
I hate that I am still naked and so vulnerable to him right now. I need him to leave. I just need him to go.
“Scar... Please.....” He starts, but his words are immediately cut off by my own.
“I said..... GET OUT!” I scream, the sound of my voice surprising both of us. In all the years we have known each other, I can't ever remember a time where I screamed at him like this.
“Scarlett. Don't do this.” He pleads, moving towards me on the bed.
Realizing that he is not just going to go away and I can't continue to argue with him in my current state, I pull the sheet around my body and without a word, walk to the bathroom, locking myself inside.
I look at myself in the mirror and take a few deep breathes. Just moments ago I was happier than I have ever been. And now.... Well, now I feel like I want to curl up into a ball and cry for days on end.
How could he do this to me? How could he not tell me about her? Did he really think I wouldn't find out?
Locating a pair of jeans and a black tank top on the bathroom floor, I quickly slip them on. It's the same clothes that Westin peeled from my body last night before he made love to me in the shower, and while the image is too painful to even think about right now, I have no other clothes in here, so these will have to do.
As much as I feel like I should be bawling my eyes out right now, my body has refused to shed a single tear, and while I can feel them behind my eyes, threatening to spill over, I have thus far been able to fight them back.
I take another deep breath before pulling open the bathroom door and walking into the living room. I spot Westin almost immediately. Sitting on my black micro-fiber couch, his elbows on his knees, head dropped into his hands.
He stands the moment he hears me enter the room.
“Scarlett, I swear to God I can explain.” He says, walking towards me. I hold my hands up, gesturing for him not to come any closer. Grateful that for once, he actually does as I ask.
“Was that your fiancee?” I ask, somehow managing to keep my voice somewhat controlled.
“Scar.” He starts, but I cut him off.
“Yes or no Westin?” Again my voice stands firm.
“Yes.... But.”
“No buts. You had the nerve to come here. To seek me out and pursue me. All the while you have a fiancee waiting for you at home? Your behavior at the wedding and then this?” My disbelief is evident in my tone but I push forward.
“Did you even think for a second what this would do to her, to me? Do you even care?” I ask.
“Of course I care Scarlett. You are all I care about.”
“Don't feed me that bullshit Westin. I am not the blind sixteen year old girl you so easily manipulated the first time around. I will not stand by and let history repeat itself. I wanted this to be different.” I choke back the quiver in my voice before continuing.
“I wanted it to be real.” My voice breaks on the last word and I can no longer contain the tears as they break free from my eyes.
“Scarlett. No. No. This was real. It is real.” He tries to reassure me, but I can take no more.
“Why did you leave Westin?” I ask, wiping the tears away from my cheeks.
“What?” He looks confused by my sudden change of topic.
“You heard me. Why did you leave? Ten years ago. Why?” I ask, this time anger finding it's way in past the sadness and pain.
“I don't know Scar. I was scared. I don't know.” The cool confidence that he carries slips and I can see the panic briefly cross his face before he pulls himself together.
“Why are we even talking about this?”
“Because you are a coward and a liar Westin Carver. You lied to me then, you are lying to me now. You know exactly why you left and yet, even though you know I know there's more to it, you still deny me the truth.”
“Scarlett.”
“Stop saying my fucking name!” I scream across the small space, not able to take anymore of his patronizing.
He takes a step backwards, clearly caught off guard by my behavior. He only knew the spineless weak girl I was. He has yet to meet the real Scarlett. The one who spent years trying to rebuild her life after he left, after having to face her parents alone. This Scarlett is not so easily molded. I am me now. Not what someone else wants me to be.
“I am going to say this only once. Get out and never come back. Don't call me, don't write and don't you dare ever show up here again. Go home to Kate, maybe she will be more forgiving.” I walk quickly to the door and rip it open.
For a moment he hesitates, no doubt gauging how serious I am.
“Get out.” I say, my voice bubbling anger. “If I have to say it again, I will call someone to come remove you from this apartment.” I say, not even flinching as he sags his shoulders in defeat and walks through the doorway onto the small foyer that leads to the staircase.
“Please.” He says, turning back to look at me. The pain in his eyes is so blinding that for a moment, I almost cave. I almost give in and crumble at his feet, but somehow I manage to hold myself together.
“Goodbye Westin.” I say, looking away from his face before slamming the door shut.
The moment the wood of the door separates us, my legs give out and I crash to the ground on an earth shattering cry. Sobs pound through my body like an avalanche collapsing on my shoulders and yet, that's all I can do.
I can't muster the strength to move. I can't find the will or the want to. So instead, I lay my head on the cool hardwood floor and close my eyes, praying for the pain to stop. Praying that this is all a dream. Praying that I didn't actually open myself up to the one person that should have never been given a chance to get back in.
Too bad prayers can't change the past.
Chapter Fourteen
My phone springs to life on the counter, but I am too busy kneading my dough to even glance at the screen. I already know who it is. It's not like I am that popular and considering this is the third time it has rang over the course of the day, I can only assume it's the same person that called the previous two times.
Kari walks into the kitchen just as the phone signals a missed call, looking down at the device and then back up to my flour covered body as I give the dough to my pie seven kinds of hell.
I blow a large chunk of my hair, that has fallen loose from my ponytail, out of my face and continue working the dough, knowing full well that I've done enough, but liking something to take my aggression out on. It's like a giant stress relief ball, only really big and edible.
“Now what did that dough ever do to you?” Kari laughs, crossing the kitchen towards me. She reaches up and pulls a bobby pin out of her hair and then slides the strand hanging in my face out of the way, before securing it with the pin.
“Thank you.” I say, grateful to have it out of my face.
“Him again?” She asks, gesturing towards the phone.
“No idea.” I grind out, kneading the dough even harder.
“Scarlett.” She says, placing her hand on top of my dough covered ones. “I know that things didn't turn out the way you had hoped, but honey, you can't lock yourself in this kitchen day and night. We have more pastries and pies then we will ever be able to sell before they go bad.” She says, laughing lightly.
“I don't know what else to do.” I admit, finally plopping the dough into a pie dish and spreading it out evenly across the bottom and sides.
“Well there's a handsome man out in the lobby with a very sexy accent asking to speak to you.” She says, a slow grin pulling up her mouth.
“Carson?” I ask, knowing full well that's who she means.
“Yep.” She says pulling the pie dish away from me. “Now go wash your hands and see what the man wants.” She says, pointing towards the sink.
“I'm not in the mood.” I whine. “And look at me.” I gesture to my flour and dough covered clothes.
“I am looking at you. You're beautiful.” She says, turning me around to untie my apron, before twisting me back around and lifting it over my head.
“Kari.” I start, but she immediately silences me.
“Scarlett, go see what he wants. That's all I'm asking.” She says, once again pointing towards the sink.
Deciding it's rude to keep him waiting any longer and clearly, Kari is not going to let me blow him off, I make my way to the sink and quickly wash my hands and forearms, trying my best to get all the caked on food off of my skin.
Grabbing a paper towel, I dry my hands off and then take a deep breath before walking out into the bakery. I spot Carson immediately, standing against the wall next to the front counter, his hands stuffed in his jeans pockets, per usual. A smile lights up his face the moment he sees me approach.
“Sorry to just pop in like this but you haven't been answering my calls.” He says, almost apologetic. Like he has any reason to be sorry.
“Sorry. I've been super busy.” I lie, not sure what else to say.
“No problem.” He grins, causing me to smile back. His smile is so contagious that even in my low state, he still manages to bring a smile to my face with his.
“Anyways. I wanted to see if you would like to have dinner with me. Say Friday maybe?” He asks, his accent coming out thicker than usual, giving away his nervousness.
“I don't know.” I immediately search for a polite way to decline. “I really probably shouldn't, I have so much going on here.” Another lie.
“I got you covered.” Kari pipes in from behind the counter, causing me to whip around and throw a vicious look her way.
“Say seven?” He asks, his smile still firmly in tact when I turn my attention back to him.
“Seven... Sure.” I finally cave, not able to come up with another excuse without just flat out telling him the truth, which I feel isn't fair to him.
“Perfect. I'll meet you here.” He says, giving me a sweet kiss on the cheek before turning and walking away.
I wait until he has disappeared from view before turning around and storming past Kari. Knowing she crossed the line, she simply smiles and keeps her attention on the customer in front of her.
As much as I love Kari, sometimes I could really just smack her. While she is wonderful and motherly in all the ways my mother is not, she also has a bit of Allison Ryan in her. Specifically when it comes to interfering when she shouldn't. I guess the real difference is, Kari does it trying to help. Whereas my mother does it for her own selfish gain.
****
“You look beautiful tonight.” Carson says, peering over his menu to look at me. As much as I appreciate the compliment, beautiful is not something I feel.
Even dressed in my favorite black cocktail dress, with my hair and make up to near perfection, I still feel disgusting. Like somehow what I feel on the inside is being portrayed on the outside as well.
Having Westin call me relentlessly for almost a week has really taken a toll on me. Instead of giving me time to process everything that has happened and decide how to get my life back, all he's doing is making things so much harder for me.
Every time I see his name pop up on my phone, it takes everything I have not to answer it just to hear his voice at least one more time. Even though I know it's the last thing I need, it doesn't make me want it any less.
I give Carson a small smile and then turn my attention back to the menu, trying my best to not take my crap mood out on him.
He's a sweet guy, and one that I have had some really great times with. He doesn't deserve to be punished because a certain man decided to walk into my life and turn my world on its axis.
“You look very nice as well.” I say, after a good minute has passed. He glances up from his menu to give me a full on smile.
“What this old thing?” He croons in his sexy accent, gesturing to his black suit. “Just something I had lying around.” He smiles and lays the menu down.
“Okay that's a lie.” He says, pinning his chocolate brown eyes on me. “I actually bought it just for tonight.” He laughs, a slight pink filtering to his cheeks, giving him the cutest little glow.
“I think I can forgive you.” I let out a light laugh. “But either way, you look very handsome. Have you decided what you want?” I ask, placing my menu in front of me as well.
