Chapter 21 #2
He revs the engine again. “That’s the point.”
He glances over at me, stops what he’s doing, leans over and pulls my face to his and kisses me. “I can’t stop kissing you.”
My heart somersaults in my chest at the emotion behind his kiss.
Okay…stop it.
This is just stupidity, am I dreaming right now, because if I am, don’t wake me up.
He pulls out of the underground parking lot as I concentrate on wiping the stupid smile from my face.
This feels so surreal.
He begins to chat casually as we weave through the traffic, he’s holding my hand in his and every now and then he lifts it and kisses my fingertips as if we are long-lost lovers and this is the most natural thing in the world.
I feel stunned to silence, unable to push a word past my lips because goddamn it, Bastard Mr. Prescott was hot, but Swoony Prescott is to die for.
His dark hair is messed to perfection, and as he drives I can see the muscles in his forearm contract.
The chunky designer watch he has on is probably worth more than my apartment, but it’s the carefree smile he’s wearing.
Broad and beautiful, and for the first time it feels like he’s giving it to me of his own free will.
Honestly….
It’s taking all my might not to undress again right here, right now.
“Where am I going?” he asks as we pull off the highway into Nice.
“You know where I live.” I smile over at him.
He smirks as his eyes flick between me and the road and he takes a right turn.
“Ha, see. You do know where I live.”
“Never said I didn’t.” He turns again at the Mont Boron sign. “This is a nice area,” he says as he looks around. “Like, really nice.”
“It is.” I smile calmly but my mind is racing a million miles per minute.
Is he going to ask to see me again?
Will I be waiting on tenterhooks all week for him to call me?
No. I already know that I can’t put myself through that. I have to force the issue now, and if he’s not prepared to lock something in then I have to cut my losses. I can’t have another week like I did last week.
Stop it, act cool.
“It’s this one up here on the left with the sandstone.” The car pulls into my driveway. “Are you….” I shrug, unsure what to ask.
“I can’t come in.” He glances at his watch. “I have to play polo and am already cutting it fine.”
“How are you going to play polo with no sleep?”
“God knows.” He gives me a breathtaking smile and my heart somersaults in my chest for the tenth time this morning.
My fangirling of him is becoming embarrassing.
EDWARD
Alora looks over at me and her eyes search mine. She wants more….
“Have a great day,” I tell her.
I watch her face fall as she realizes I’m not asking to see her again, and if I were a better man, I would.
I just can’t….
“You too.” She forces a smile as she opens the car door. “Have fun at polo.” She slams the door hard, revealing her hidden anger, and marches up to her front door.
I fight the urge to follow her inside because I know we need to be over.
Before it even began…. But maybe that’s a good thing because the way she has me feeling is not okay.
I pull out onto the street and drive away deep in thought.
If only….
Dragging my hand through my hair, I feel an uneasiness run through my veins.
I’m completely rattled.
I need to sort my shit out, and fast.
I pull into the parking lot of the Monte Carlo polo club and see Theo getting out of his car and I pull in beside him.
He leans on his car as he waits for me. “Hurry up,” he mouths as he glances at his watch.
“Yeah, yeah.” I climb out and grab my bag from the trunk.
“How was your night?” he asks.
“Good.” I slam the trunk closed and glance over to see him smirking. “What?”
“Well….” He falls in to walk beside me.
“Well, what?” I look over to see my horse trailers parked, my six horses are being led out by my stable hands.
“You’ve got it that bad, huh?”
“Not in the least.”
“Don’t give me that fucking shit.” He follows me over to my trailer. “You have guards on her while you’re not even here and then they tell me that the minute you found out she was out last night you immediately flew home.”
“Hello.” I smile to Amber.
“Hello, Mr. Prescott. Ready for your game today, sir?”
“I am, thank you.” I pick up a brush and begin to brush Camelot, my horse.
“Well?” Theo puts his hands on his hips. “I’m waiting.”
Ugh…. He’s not going to go away until I answer his question.
“I was returning this morning anyway and…” I shrug, lost for words. “…I didn’t want her out by herself. She’s a….” I pause as I think of the right analogy. “Handful.”
He frowns as he thinks.
“Shouldn’t you be over with your horses, doing something useful?”
“Probably.”
“Hey,” a voice sounds from the left, we both glance up to see William, my brother, walking toward us.
“Hey.” I laugh in surprise and pull him into a hug. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m moving back.”
He hugs Theo. “Good to see you, man.”
“What?” I frown as I do the math. “Please…. Tell me you finally left her.”
“Yep.” He holds his hands out. “I left her.”
“Haha.” I laugh out loud. “Thank the fucking lord.”
“Yeah, man.” Theo and him high-five. “Good for you.”
My brother William is married to the coldest, most evil woman I’ve ever met. She had an affair and then used their son as leverage to make him stay. He’s been trapped in a living hell for years.
“Where’s Harrison?”
“He’s with her for the time being, but she finally agreed to shared custody.”
“This is great news.” I smile.
“We’re celebrating tonight,” Theo announces as he marches toward his trailers. “My place,” he calls.
“Sounds good.”
My eyes meet William’s and I know how hard he’d be struggling, all he ever wanted was a happy marriage. It would have taken all his strength to walk out that door and leave his son behind. “You alright?”
He shrugs and kicks the dirt.
“You did the right thing.” I hug him again. “You’re back now, time to start again.”
“I’m just going to miss him, you know, the weeks he’s with her.”
“I know.” I nod. “It won’t be easy, but at least you know she’s a good mother, he’s safe.”
“I know, good mother, terrible fucking wife.” He sighs against my shoulder. “Never get married,” he tells me.
“Don’t worry, I won’t be.”
ALORA
The ache of almost.
Is there a worse emotion on earth than almost?
Almost had a chance, almost hopelessly in love. Almost his.
It’s been a long thirty-six hours since Edward dropped me home on Sunday.
I haven’t heard a word from him since.
And I want to call him and I want to beg him to come back and make my ache of almost go away. But I can’t do this alone, he needs to want it too.
He’ll call…I know he will.
Be patient.
I walk into the bathroom of my store and lock the door, I stare at my reflection in the round mirror.
His teeth marks on my neck have begun to fade.
The physical reminder of our night together will soon be long gone, and as much I treasured our time together…
I’m beginning to wish it never happened because it’s opened a wound in my chest that took three years to heal. A deep, cavernous hole of fear.
I hate feeling like this, continually checking my phone and worrying about what he’s doing or thinking. Wondering what’s going to come next.
You see, it’s one thing to be scared about never finding your soulmate. But knowing who he is and still not ending up with him….
That’s a tragedy I’m not sure I can survive.
I’m keeping myself busy and acting non-bothered while playing it down to Helene, but on the inside, with every hour he doesn’t call…. I die a little more.
My eyes well with tears, I’m so in love with this fucking asshole and I have no idea how to deal with it or what to do. I feel out of control and powerless; when he left on Sunday he took my heart with him.
He’ll call…he has to.
EDWARD
Like a caged animal, I pace. “Do something,” I bark.
“Why don’t you take a seat, Edward,” Paul replies calmly. “You’re wearing my office carpet down to a thread.”
“I don’t want to sit down.” I drag my hands through my hair. “Delete it,” I demand.
“Delete what?”
“Her. From my head.” I throw my hands up in the air. “Delete it right fucking now. You’re a quack, isn’t this what you do?”
Paul sits back and calmly crosses his legs. “You know that isn’t possible, but let’s unpack what has you feeling so upset.”
“I don’t want to unpack anything,” I fire back. “I don’t have time to have a daily freakout that forces me to fly to London just to see you.” I walk back and forth. “I’m very fucking busy, and this doesn’t align with my schedule.”
“Okay.” He nods as he holds his pen and notepad in his hand. “So are you saying that you don’t have time for Alora or are you saying that you don’t have time for the way she makes you feel?”
“Both.” I wipe the perspiration from my brow. “I need medication or something.” I glance back over to him as realization sets in. “Why haven’t you given me any?”
“This issue isn’t going to be rectified by numbing yourself with medication, Edward, you need to work through this.”
“I don’t have time for this fucking bullshit.”
“What exactly seems to be the problem?” Paul continues. “You spent the night together and what then…?”
“Do you fucking listen to me at all?” I cry. “I’m having a mental breakdown, that’s what.” I continue to pace.
“Explain to me in feelings, give me an example.”
“I can think of nothing else but her. I dream of her, I stalk her on social media, I have guards on her so I know she’s safe so that I can at least function.” I keep walking back and forth as I think out loud. “All I want to do, all I think about doing, is going to her.”
“So why don’t you?”
My eyes rise to meet his. “Are you not listening, dumb, or just plain stupid?”
“I think you are struggling because for the first time in your life you have met someone who has awakened feelings in you that are completely foreign. You feel connected, satisfied and contented. Am I right?”
I listen as I keep pacing.