Chapter 23
B y the time Scarlett reached the sanctuary of the stables, the torrential rain had soaked her to her underwear.
Kicking off her trainers outside the front door, she rushed through to her bathroom, stripping off and getting in the shower to warm up.
Scottish fucking weather and Scottish fucking men!
She closed her eyes, furious with herself more than she was with the weather, or even with Edward.
Sex was all that either of them had wanted. He was never meant for her. How could he be?
He was a wealthy laird, and she was a penniless divorcee-to-be who worked for him. It wasn’t like they were dating or ever going to be anything more than what they’d always been.
It was just meaningless sex between two people who found each other attractive and now that was out of the way, they could both continue with their lives.
She’d finish helping with the wedding, as originally planned, and then she would make her own arrangements and leave, set out on her own, exactly as she’d planned. He was never part of that– it was just a bit of escapist fun, that’s all, and now they would go back to normal.
Normal.
She’d never hated a word so much.
Out of the shower, hair dried and dressed again, Scarlett wasn’t sure how long she’d been sat on her bed staring into space, hours could have passed, but the sound of the front door opening and closing snapped her back to reality, even more so when June stormed into her room without knocking, her face flushed and angry, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.
“Where in God’s name have you been?”
The force of her mother’s tone took Scarlett by surprise.
“Excuse me?” Scarlett narrowed her eyes at June.
“Where have you been? I was worried sick! You couldn’t call or send a message? I was beside myself with worry.”
It was all a bit much, but Scarlett silently reprimanded herself for her careless actions. She hadn’t even considered calling home when she was in Edinburgh and, of course, that’s exactly what she should have done, but still .
June continued, “Eventually Andrzej had to go to the main house and speak to Mrs Wilson and then young Leonard. It was all horribly embarrassing, but we didn’t know what else to do! How could you be so thoughtless?”
Scarlett could feel her own face and neck redden.
“It was embarrassing? So, you weren’t worried about me at all. You were worried about how it all reflected on you?”
“Of course it was embarrassing. This is where I live and work. Andrzej is my boss!” June raised her hands to her chest for emphasis.
Scarlett scoffed. “Sure, okay.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, why does it even matter? So Andrzej went to the house. Big deal. And yes, you’re right, I absolutely should have called, but I forgot! I’m sorry.”
“That’s it? You forgot?” June spat the words at Scarlett.
“Yes, I forgot. We were busy and got distracted, and then it was too late to head back, and I don’t know what else to tell you. We forgot.”
“ We? What were you even doing with Edward in the first place?”
Scarlett did not and could not get into this with her mother.
“We were meeting with a supplier, then he had to run some errands. He was delayed. Then the weather turned, it got late, so we stayed at one of their houses.”
June was evidently trying to process it all, but Scarlett could see the anger was overruling any logic. “Running off and not letting anyone know is just plain reckless, Scarlett!”
“Mother, I am not a sixteen-year-old girl who passed her curfew! I’m a thirty-five-year-old woman who left the estate with her employer and got delayed.
Yes, I should have let you know, but it doesn’t warrant this tirade.
And besides…” Scarlett considered quitting whilst she was ahead but couldn’t help herself and continued, “You are the very last person to lecture me on running off and not letting anyone know!”
June appeared as if she’d had the wind taken out of her, and Scarlett immediately regretted her words.
She didn’t want to hurt her. But she had. She could see it in her mother’s eyes, right before she lowered them and left the room and the apartment.
“Shit, shit, shit!” Scarlett fell back onto her mattress and grabbed her pillow, hugging it tightly.
This was fast becoming a momentously crap day. She groaned when her phone vibrated on her bedside table, as if taunting her it wasn’t over yet. Despite thinking better of it, Scarlett moved onto her side to reach for it.
Edward: I meant what I said. I’m sorry.
Scarlett stared at the words on the screen.
Dazed and perplexed, she continued to stare at the message, paralysed by what she wasn’t sure– fear, anxiety, a sense of self-preservation? Eventually, she sighed and typed out her response.
Scarlett: It’s fine.
His response was immediate.
Edward: Don’t be like that.
Scarlett: Like what?
Edward: Cold.
Scarlett: I’m not. I mean it, it’s fine.
Edward: It’s not fine. I don’t want it to be ‘just fine’.
Scarlett: This is ridiculous. I don’t even know what’s going on. What do you want, other than it’s fine?
Edward: You.
Scarlett: In what capacity?
Edward: In every capacity.
Scarlett: You and I both know this won’t work. We’re back to ‘normal’ now, remember?
Edward: Come and see me.
Scarlett: Are you drunk?
Edward: May have had a couple, but that’s not the point.
Scarlett: I was joking– are you, actually?
Edward: Not drunk, no.
Scarlett: I can’t, I’ve just had a huge row with June.
Edward: Can’t be good if you’re calling her by her first name. What happened?
Scarlett: I didn’t call.
Edward: I’m sorry, that’s my fault.
Scarlett: It was on me. But I think she forgets I’m an actual adult.
Edward: Aye, but we should’ve called.
Scarlett: I know.
Edward: Are you coming over?
Scarlett: No.
Edward: Please.
Scarlett: No.
Edward: We need to talk about this.
Scarlett: There’s nothing to talk about.
Edward: You’re being stubborn.
Scarlett: Sensible.
Edward: If you don’t come to me, I’ll come to you.
Scarlett: Do NOT come here!
Edward: I’m in my office.
Scarlett: Ffs.
Edward: The others are getting ready for dinner. No one will see you.
Scarlett: Edward!
Edward: Scarlett!
Scarlett: …
Edward: I mean it, if you’re not here in ten minutes I will come over and I don’t care if your mother is there or not.
Scarlett: This is stupid!
Edward: Tick tock.
Scarlett: You’re a cock!
Edward: See you in five.
Scarlett: Aaggh!! I’m coming.
Scarlett snuck along the corridor towards Edward’s rooms like a paranoid ninja– the fear of being caught by the likes of Mrs Wilson was real and had her pulse throbbing in her ears.
She could hear the muffled sound of voices upstairs, with footsteps walking across the corridor and doors opening and closing. There was something comforting about more life being injected into the vast house and she was very much of the opinion that a house, after all, deserved to be lived in.
Sounds from the kitchen reassured her that Mrs Wilson was also busy cooking, so she prayed that nobody would find her skulking about and heading in the general direction of the private rooms of the laird. Thoughts of the last time she entered his bedroom quickened her pulse even further.
Stay composed! This needs to end!
She needed to leave it all well alone. No good was going to come of it. Jason was only just out of the picture, and she needed time to gather her thoughts and feelings, and, more importantly, sort the divorce.
Hopefully she could trade the ring back to Jason’s family for a reasonable settlement, just enough so she could buy her own place and business. She could then pack up her stuff, leave her mother and Haddon House to themselves, and start over on her own terms.
Scarlett no longer wanted to rely on anyone, especially not a man, even if the man in question was unequivocally hot and eligible and appealing, and utterly unattainable, regardless of the fact she’d been summoned through blackmail and her body was already betraying her.
“Be still, oh treacherous heart!” she muttered under her breath as she approached the office door. She hovered for a while, not knowing what to do.
Do I knock? Just enter? Use morse code?
Eventually, she used a combination of a soft knock and trying of the doorknob, which opened with ease.
Taking a final glance over her shoulder, Scarlett entered the room. Closing the door behind her, she scanned the office for its owner, quickly spotting him on the antique oxblood Chesterfield sofa facing the open fireplace, which was lit and crackling, giving the room an inviting smell and glow.
He was nursing a glass of something alcoholic; she could tell by his eyes and the half-empty bottle sat in front of him that he’d probably had a few.
On the way over to the house, she’d decided this would be quick, in and out, right after delivering her monologue, which went something like:
Edward, I had the best time with you, truly.
But honestly, it’s only going to end in heartache, probably mostly mine, and I’m not equipped to deal with that at the moment.
I’m just getting my head straight, I want to get on my own feet, not become embroiled in some sordid secret affair– although who we’re cheating on, I’m not exactly sure, but that aside, this can’t and won’t work and…
… and then he was upon her, pressing her against the door, his forehead leaning against hers, the tang of expensive liquor on his breath– something she’d usually find mildly offensive, but coming from him, it was more on a level with being intoxicating.
What is wrong with me?
She closed her eyes as he took hold of her hands and placed them above her head. Words escaped her.
“You’re lucky you came or I would’ve come to find you.” He softly bit her ear, trailing kisses down her neck, making her catch her breath.
“Edward…” She tried to speak, but her body was already ignoring her and arching towards him, wanting him more than oxygen. “We shouldn’t…”
“Why not?” He continued his soft assault on her skin, his lips leaving a trail of heat which left her feeling breathless.
“Because…” The man was just too good. Felt too good.
He grabbed both her wrists with one hand, the other moving under her jumper, finding her breasts, and she moaned as he tweaked one of her nipples, and the now all too familiar ache inside her roared back to life.
Despite all the sex they’d recently had, she wanted and needed him again.
Holy fuck! How am I ever staying away from him?
“Edward,” she finally whispered.
“Hmmm?”
“I’m here to talk.”
Edward sighed, slowly removing his hand from under her jumper and finally letting go of her wrists, but he instantly changed his mind, instead placing a hand at the base of her neck and kissing her for a long moment before breaking away.
Her knees almost buckled, and her body let out a silent scream, bereft at the loss of his touch, as he moved aside and beckoned Scarlett over to the sofa, pulling a hand over his face to straighten himself out.
“Okay, come and sit. We’ll talk.” As she sat down, he pointed to the bottle, which she could now see was Armagnac. “Would you like to join me?”
Scarlett shook her head– she needed to keep it clear.
“No, thank you,” she said with resolve.
He sat beside her, his posture commanding even when relaxed, which she found immensely sexy and distracting.
She leaned against the side of the sofa to create a bit of distance and see him more clearly. He stared at her intently with his dark blue eyes; his hair was unkempt, and the top buttons of his shirt undone, showing the neck she had playfully licked and nibbled only a few hours earlier.
Looking at him, she knew she wasn’t leaving the room without having him again, at least once more. They moved towards each other at the same time, hands and lips fervent and searching, as if it wasn’t just a few hours that had passed since they’d last touched and felt each other’s skin.
Scarlett pushed him back and straddled him, her hands framing his face as she kissed him, then drew away just enough to meet his eyes.
“You’re impossible!” she told him, meaning it.