Resisting Her (Moving On Duology Book 2)

by Catherine Edward

  “It’s not okay, Arianna. It’s not that I don’t want to go with you. If we are going together, then I'm doing it the right way. I'll ask you again. Will you be my date to the wedding?”

  “Um… Ah, yes, sure.” The pink color returned to her cheeks while she gave me a nervous smile. It felt good to know I have affected her to some extent as well.

  “Good.” I smiled, swallowing the urge to brush the tear that tracked down her cheek. “Come, I'll walk you to the door.” She hadn’t realized she was crying, yet.

  “That's... um... you don't have to do that.”

  It was the least I could do. “I told you earlier, Arianna. You're my date and I want to do it the right way. Let me do this, please.” That was BS. I just wanted to stay in her presence a little longer. A part of my mind contemplated cooking up a plan to extend my stay. Then, I realized I never talked to her longer than a minute before. Offering to stay wouldn’t be a good idea. That might make her uncomfortable.

  “Good night, Arianna.” It was hard to take leave. I wanted to stay and make sure she was all right.

  “Good night,” her whisper was weak when she slipped inside the room, locking the door behind her.

  I stood there for a minute before moving on to my room. She’s hurting. The pain I saw in her eyes before the door closed kept replaying in my mind. An unknown ache started at the center of my heart, spreading to the other parts of my chest. I wanted to take that pain away. I wanted to make her laugh, but how?

  Chapter – 3

  Once again sleep evaded my eyes and I walked toward the beach. The beach always soothed me. The salty air and the sound of the unrelenting waves always put my mind at ease. Whenever I stayed here, I’d spend the night at the beach, enjoying the peaceful solitude.

  The water was warm despite the cold breeze that bit my skin. The cold didn’t hurt any longer. It helped to numb the raging emotions. My personal therapy. Every person reacts differently to pain. To me, it was the work and sometimes the biting cold.

  Meeting her today wasn’t on my agenda. It never was. Fate set us up all those years ago. I did not realize it took more than a few dates to understand someone. Having sex with a woman wasn’t love. At the tender age of eighteen, I was unable to differentiate infatuation from love and that led to my downfall.

  I never revealed my true identity to anyone in college. My privacy mattered the most and that was why I stayed in the college dorm and used public transport. There were thousands of Cortez's in this world and no one gave a thought about my background. Growing up in the eyes of the press for most of my life, the freedom I found in the big apple tasted divine. It was too far from home for anyone to recognize me. Those were the best days of my life until Kenzie.

  It wasn’t easy to get over one’s first love or so they say. While I still contemplated if that was love or not, it nevertheless affected me, leaving me scarred. Kenzie was every boy’s wet dream and so popular in college. She excelled in everything she did and there has been always a group surrounding her.

  It took over three months to build enough courage to ask her out. I still remembered the ecstasy that made my heart jump when she said yes to have coffee with me. Only the memory has now left a bitter taste in my mouth.

  Our relationship was under wraps for several reasons. Only Dean, my best friend knew about it in college. I hid it because it would put us in the limelight if paparazzi got wind of it, while she hid it for other reasons. I was a fool to not foresee it.

  Easing out a breath, I went to sit on the idle park bench. The ocean was oddly calm in contrast to the distressed state of my mind. Why did we have to cross paths again?

  Seeing her at the restaurant this afternoon once again ripped open the wounds I thought were healed. The meeting shouldn’t have bothered me, but it did. I couldn’t help but wonder how she has moved on with ease while the brief dalliance left me to pick up the pieces of my heart, still scared to trust another.

  I was lost in my thoughts when I saw something or someone moves in my peripheral vision. My gaze jumped to the shadowy figure approaching the beach. Wrapped in a blanket it was hard to tell who it was, except for the fact it was a woman.

  Her feet made no noise as she walked toward the water, seemingly lost in thought. As she turned slightly, the light fell on her face, illuminating a side of it. Arianna? What is she doing here? I raised my left wrist out of habit to check the time, realizing I didn’t have my watch then.

  The fluffy blanket slid off her shoulders, making her shiver. She secured it around her and stepped out of her fluffy flip flops.

  Uh, oh. Here it comes.

  Arianna never liked the cold. The moment her feet touched the cold beach sand, her face twisted. With a shudder, she jumped back into her flip-flops, her expression turned comical and it drew a smile on my lips.

  I continued to watch her as she moved further to the ocean, close to the water, but not close enough to touch it. She stared into the distance. Her body shivered as the cold wind brushed against her. Her forehead creased and a frown tugged at her lips. She stood statue-still for the next few minutes. It was hard to tell if she was even breathing.

  She hadn’t noticed me yet. Should I make my presence known? It was clear something bothered her. Was it that bastard? What else could I be? I was in her shoes once. After contemplating for a few more minutes, I decided it was time for a little chat. A young and confident woman like her shouldn’t be pining over a fool who clearly didn’t deserve it.

  “Beautiful, isn't it?”

  A scream ripped out of her lips and I covered her mouth on instinct. There were security guards on duty and the last thing I needed was for them to find us and assume something else. They usually left me alone if I was here.

  The blanket slipped to the ground as her warm body connected with mine. “Shh... it's me.” Her body went still as another shiver passed through her slender frame, mild perfume teased my nostrils. “What are you doing here?” I asked and stepped away, picking the blanket from the ground. I missed the warmth of her body and quelled the urge to pull her close to my body again.

  “I couldn't sleep.”

  Her appreciative glance swept over my body, lingering a little longer than it usually did, making me aware I was shirtless. Stray strands of her hair danced around her cheek. It was hard to tell the color of her cheeks when her gaze averted to the ground.

  Handing her the blanket, I turned to walk away, hoping she would follow.

  “You’re cold.” Her comment followed as I took a seat on one of the benches laid out on the beach.

  “I'm used to it.” The cold helped in more ways than one. She didn’t have to know that.

  “My blanket is huge enough for both of us.” She sat beside me and threw one end of the blanket over my shoulder, bringing it around us to hold it together. “You're freezing.”

  A sigh of contentment left my lips as the warmth of her body seeped into mine. The words of protest died down in my throat. Her floral scent crept again into my senses, making me want to bury my face in the crook of her neck and inhale deeper. What the hell? Where did that thought come from?

  “So, Mike said you resigned from your job. What happened?” I asked, wanting to distract the straying thoughts.

  “Brian happened.”

  “You broke up with him?” I wanted to hear it from her mouth. Every bit of it. Why? I didn’t know. Maybe it was because I wanted to rip his hide into shreds after this. Looking away before I did something stupid, I tried to control the tongue that had the mind of its own.

  “No,” she said with a dismal shake of her head. “He dumped me for my sister. They are getting married in three weeks.”

  The pain in her voice was raw. It sliced through my heart. “Ass-hole.”

  “And he didn't even care to break up with me.” A chuckle chimed out from her, but it held no humor. It didn’t brighten her eyes. Her gaze grew distant, as she stared at the ocean again.

  “When did you find out?” Clenchin
g my fist tighter, I stared at our feet because all I wanted to do was to close the few inches between us and pull her to my chest. Her nails were free of paint. My gaze flicked to her. Did she stop painting them because of him?

  “Two months ago when he showed up for one of our family parties.” Her voice lowered. “He proposed to her in front of everyone.”

  She was silent for the next few minutes. Her eyes gazed at the now restless waves.

  “You know, that night at the party when he began telling everyone how he met a girl from his dreams and how much he loved her, I thought he was talking about me. I believed he finally got his parents’ blessings and was going to surprise me.”

  Her voice cracked as she took a deep breath. I despised the tears in her eyes. The fun-loving and flamboyant girl I knew no longer laughed like she used to do. A permanent sadness now resided in her eyes. All because of him. That fucking bastard. My jaw clenched as the anger for that unknown face reached a whole new level.

  “Then he got on one knee and said her name.” Her resolve broke and a violent sob choked out. “He said, ‘Alana, my love, will you make me a proud man by becoming my woman?’”

  The strangled cry gripped and squeezed my heart in a tight fist. I could no longer hold myself. The intensity of her sobs increased when I pulled her in my arms, rubbing her back as she cried.

  “I don’t remember how I made it to my room that night. I was numb.”

  Every cry that left her lips sliced through my heart. Please don’t cry. I wanted to tell, but my throat constricted and words failed. I continued to rub her back, my fingers slowed down to run a smooth circle in a soothing motion.

  “A month ago, there was a request to the estate office for a beach wedding. I didn't accept it since Enrique's wedding is planned here and he wanted the beach guesthouse for his honeymoon.”

  “Is it them?”

  “Brian Schultz and Alana Swanson,” I confirmed. She needed to know. Returning to the room after dinner, I looked for that particular email. It was no mistake like I initially thought. “Your father called me personally to request when I declined their initial request.”

  “I wanted to get married here.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

  Did that bastard know? I shifted her, so we faced each other, my hands encircling her body. She never relied on her family. Arianna always worked hard. Why would she resign her job? Wouldn’t that put her at a disadvantage? A frown tugged at my lips. Perhaps she was in transition mode when the breakup happened.

  “There’s a vacancy in one of my companies if you’re interested. You can stay at the staff quarters if you want to,” I offered, feeling she’d appreciate a change. Maybe she’d find solace with work. It’ll help her through this pain.

  “I'd love that.”

  Good. Arianna knew better than to argue with Cortez brothers. A smile tugged the corners of my mouth again. She rested her head on my shoulder and a sigh escaped her lips. The silence stretched between us.

  “What's your story?”

  My body went stiff. “I don't have a story.” The treacherous heart galloped within my ribcage. How did she know? Kenzie’s face flashed in my mind. Kenzie with Desmond. Kenzie in college. My jaws clenched.

  “I want to forget. I refuse to cry and I don’t want to ruin my life over him. This trip supposed to be a distraction, but when I’m alone, all I can think is about him.”

  Her confession forced me to relax, reminding me she too was in pain. It was a good thing she talked about it. While talking didn’t take away the pain, it sure helped to ease it.

  “What did you do?”

  “I worked.” My voice whispered out, though I wanted to avoid the question. “I drowned myself in work until I could no longer keep my eyes open.”

  The silence settled between us again and I adjusted our position so she could lean on my chest. It felt so right, having her in my arms. A sigh of contentment left my lips as I rested my chin on her head. Her body relaxed further. My fingers continued their massage, caressing her silky smooth skin on the hand.

  It wasn’t always like this between us. Hell, we rarely spoke despite knowing each other for years. I still remembered Mike’s warning when they were barely thirteen. It was his birthday party and we were hanging out at the beach. A few of my friends, including Dean—now a popular footballer—was there. It was also the first time I saw Arianna wearing a two-piece bikini.

  An eighteen-year-old me thought it was cute. Definitely not in a sexy manner. She was a kid and my cousin’s best friend. I have known her since their diaper days. Before kindergarten Mike, Enrique and Arianna were in the same daycare. That day at the beach when her eyes found our group, I could almost feel her self-consciousness. To make her feel comfortable, I’ve said she looked good. And that warranted Mike’s wrath.

  “Stay away from her, Orlando!” The anger on Mike’s face caught me off-guard.

  “Who are you talking about?”

  “You know who. Arianna. Don’t talk to her.”

  Oh, now I understood. “Chill, dude. I said nothing bad.”

  “You said she looked good. That’s worse than it could get.”

  “Come on, Mike. She is just a kid. I meant nothing by it.”

  “She is thirteen and she is not a kid.”

  “Calm down, Mike. My brother didn’t mean anything.” Enrique took my side.

  “Are we really having this discussion right now?” I couldn’t even believe the direction the conversation was headed to. I would never look at her that way.

  Mike took deep breaths and puffed his chest like a man as his hands fisted at his sides. If it wasn’t for the burning anger on his face, I would’ve laughed out loud. His coffee-brown eyes narrowed at us. “Look, cousin, she is off-limits. She might have a crush on you, but I won’t let anything or anyone hurt her.”

  Whoa! Arianna had a crush on me? Damn. I raised my arms in surrender. “I wouldn’t even dream of it.”

  “That goes to you too, Enrique.” His index finger pointed at my younger brother, who was turning into a flirt.”Treat her and Rosie as your sisters. If I heard you whistling at them one more time, I’ll break that dirty mouth of yours.”

  Enrique’s eyes almost popped out of its sockets that day as he surrendered, crossing his heart as he promised Mike.

  The memory of Mike confronting me and Enrique several years ago brought a smile on my lips now. How would he react if he saw us together now? There was nothing wrong with the way I was holding her, I assured myself.

  Arianna had always been beautiful. It wasn’t just the way she looked. It was mostly her bright smile and carefree nature that made her presence delightful. She had a knack for diffusing the tension and make people laugh. Her casual jokes had even made Papa laugh. He rarely laughed after our mother cheated on him. Our mother tore our lives apart. He never loved anyone again. But when Arianna was present, he loosened up and often laughed during their conversations.

  A small sound from her brought me out of my thoughts. She shifted in my arms, snuggling into my chest further. Her lips murmured something incoherent and I admired her with a smile on my lips.

  I didn’t know if I served as a comfort to her. Her company took my mind off my ex though, for the first time, it was calm without the suffocating need to work. A deep sigh relaxed my lungs. It was growing late and everyone must be asleep.

  Standing up with her, I adjusted her in my arms, carrying her to the room assigned to her. Her lips whispered out my name when I lay her on the bed, once again drawing a smile out of mine. I covered her with a blanket and walked to my room.

  “It's good to see you smile.”

  Mike's voice took me off guard. He was sitting on my bed, his expression impassive.

  “Thanks. What are you doing here?”

  “I just wanted to talk.”

  “What do you want to talk about?” Tension coiled around my body as I knew what was coming.

  “Arianna.”

  “There is nothing t
o worry about. We just talked.”

  Mike took a deep breath before fixing his sable eyes on mine. “Good. Because I don't want to feel helpless again and worry if my friend would do something stupid while trying to pull herself together.”

  “Mike...” The desperation in my voice was that of the kid, who was denied his ice cream. I didn’t know why it made me feel this way. It felt good to hold her in my arms and be there for her. My thoughts were jumbled as I turned away from him.

  “I trust you, cousin. Though you won’t admit it, I know you were in her shoes once. Please don't hurt her. Stay away if you have the slightest doubt this wouldn't go any farther.”

  “I won't hurt her.”

  “It's not just her I'm worried about.” Mike's concerned gaze pinned me when I risked a glance at him. When he put his hand on my shoulder to squeeze, I could only release a shaky breath with a nod.

  Could I bring myself to stay away from her?

  Only time would tell.

  Chapter – 4

  The vase crashed with a thud and broke into tiny pieces, spilling its guts on the marble floor. Throwing it didn't lessen my anger. It only intensified it because, damn, I liked that vase with an intricate floral pattern along its neck.

  I took pride in keeping my head cool in dire circumstances like this. But the mention of her name was my undoing. Isabela, my mother, the woman doesn't know when to give up. If things were different, I'd have admired that quality. Only it wasn't. The cold-hearted woman was out for our blood. Wasn't what she did enough? The morning breakfast churned in my stomach.

  “Brother, what’s going on?” Enrique entered my room just as I disconnected the call with our lawyer, Benjamin. “Is it true, she’s back in Linnesse?” His gaze slowly slid to the broken vase.

  Exhaling the tortured breath, I nodded. “Yes.”

  “And, you all didn’t bother to tell me this because?” His face reddened as his hands fisted at his sides.

  “Papa told me not to tell you.” It wasn’t a good excuse. We never kept things like this away from each other. “Your big day is approaching, Enrique. This isn’t something you need right now.”