Resisting Her (Moving On Duology Book 2)

by Catherine Edward

  “I’ll stick with my date for now,” she continued.

  I had to turn away to hide the sudden goofy grin that stretched my lips.

  “Can’t complain.” Mike wasn’t the one to give up and I instinctively knew he was up to something. “Hey, Orlando!” he hollered. “Mind posing for this chick here?”

  Crap.

  This side of Mike was new. I heard Enrique grumbling about our cousin’s wild side, but I never got to experience it. When I walked toward them, I knew I’d be smiling like an idiot.

  “What would you prefer, Arianna? Front or back?” Two can play this game.

  Her jaw went slack and her eyes almost popped out of the sockets. But she masked it immediately before that mischievous grin lifted the corners of her peach glossed lips.

  “Well, how about a nude one?”

  Damn. There she goes again. The same old Arianna, who always lightened up my mood.

  An involuntary smile stretched my lips. “As long as you’re the only one who would see it, I don’t mind.” That was the truth. Arianna choked on the water, she was drinking as the others burst into laughter. Water dripped from her nostrils and her eyes glistened with tears. “Are you okay?”

  Arianna raised both her thumbs giving me one of her goofy smiles missing for years.

  Our day progressed with fun and laughter. We took a swim and the other men drank beer, talking about the upcoming nuptials and women. Jeff had too many stories to share and it was refreshing to speak something that wasn’t business-related.

  Sometime around late noon, I noticed her looking at her cell phone. Tension crossed her features and she zoned out. I wanted to go to her, but hesitated. I shouldn’t make her feel suffocated. Sometimes, one had to figure out their issues on their own. After my breakup, I wanted to be left alone.

  If she wanted to talk, she knew I’ll listen. The past two nights had been wonderful with someone to lean on. With a deep sigh, I walked away, giving her space.

  ***

  “Truth or dare!”

  Mike announced in a voice that sounded like only trouble. Arianna groaned and tried to sneak away thinking no one was watching. I’ve heard my brother talking about his games and wished if I could sneak away with her.

  “Ari! Aren't you coming?” Rosie hollered.

  “Nope. I'm gonna lay down for a while.”

  Okay. However, Mike’s games were not something I’d want to play. I should go with her too.

  “Two minutes before I come and drag your ass here.” Mike’s mischievous grin held an unspoken promise and I was sure he wouldn’t hesitate to follow through.

  “I'm coming.”

  Her arms flew in the air, eyes rolled as she flipped him the bird. Uh… oh. I sat there wondering if there was a way out.

  “Should I be concerned? Your face tells me you don’t have a good experience with his games.” I asked her once she took a seat beside me.

  “Too late.” She gave an exasperated sigh. “Friendly advice, stick to the truth.”

  Truth. I can do that. Can I? What if he asked about something I didn’t want to reveal?

  The empty beer bottle spun, slowing down before coming to a stop at my brother.

  “Enrique!”

  “Truth or dare?” Mike asked as we cheered.

  “Dare.”

  “I knew you'd choose a dare, pal,” Mike’s voice drawled. “Hence, I crafted something special for you. Wear this until the game ends.”

  Enrique’s smirk didn’t last when our cousin pulled out a leafy thing from behind his back. My brother’s nose scrunched as everyone burst into laughter. He’ll look ridiculous in that.

  “Is this a joke? How do I even wear it?” Enrique inspected the material. “Can we switch it for a kerchief instead?’

  “Nope. You know the rules.” Mike shrugged. “And no briefs, buddy.”

  Okay. Mike was a certified asshole. Stick to the truth. My gaze went to my right, meeting Arianna’s.

  “Mother Nature would be so proud of you.” Mike clapped when Enrique came out holding the material around his hip while hiding his privates using his free hand.

  Damn. But this was Enrique we were talking about. He’ll be more comfortable without that thing.

  Mike had chosen Enrique too earlier. Everyone after him chose truth instead of dare. The game was interesting. The questions were funny and kept us entertained. Chiara’s face was red with embarrassment as Enrique rested his bare ass on his heels, trying his best not to flash us. It was amusing since it’s been a while I saw him embarrassed for something.

  “How many women have you had sex with?”

  Mike’s question drew me out of my thoughts. Who is that unlucky fellow? Beside us, Jeff coughed and looked at Rosie with wide eyes to which she shrugged.

  “I'll choose a dare.”

  “You can't change it, Jeff.” Mike grinned.

  “I don't know.” Jeff’s shoulder slumped.

  “What's your number mate?” my brother teased.

  “Twenty-something.” He closed his eyes before turning to face his girlfriend. “I'm sorry, babe. But, it was during my college days. I'm not the same person anymore.” Guilt and discomfort gripped his features. His eyes locked with Rosie’s with a pleading look and I noticed an understanding passing between them.

  “It's okay, Jeff. That was in the past,” she shrugged and patted his shoulder. Jeff pulled her into his embrace before kissing the crown of her head.

  Arianna stiffened beside me as my turn came next.

  “How many girls have you slept with?”

  Seriously? My gaze narrowed at Mike, promising a slow death and then remembering he was my cousin. Oh, how bad I wanted to punch that smirking face. He’d look better with a broken nose. In my peripheral vision, Arianna’s shoulders tensed. Her face turned away, not directly looking at mine, but I knew she was listening.

  “One.”

  Her shoulders relaxed visibly and that was satisfying.

  “Arianna,” Mike addressed her with one of his signature smiles, picking up my curiosity. “Your turn. Who was your first crush?” Arianna went still beside me. “Remember, I already know the answer.”

  His brief gaze swept over me and I looked at her with an eagerness I never possessed for anything else. Though I already knew what the answer might be, hearing it from her lips meant everything.

  “Orlando.” Her whisper barely audible, but was like music to my ears.

  “We didn't hear it. Louder, please...”

  Asshole. Can he be any more obvious? Everyone knows who that was. Stop already.

  “Orlando Gabriele Cortez.”

  A sensation, so possessive rushed to my chest. Knowing about her crush was one thing, but hearing her admitting it… Fucking fantabulous. My heart did a somersault as I fought to maintain my passive expression.

  Her cheeks grew pink and she didn’t turn to face me until the game was over. She was the first to run to her tent when everyone dispersed and I followed. Arianna lay on her stomach, her face buried in the blanket when I entered.

  “There’s nothing to be embarrassed, you know.”

  “I hate Mike.”

  I went to lie beside her, getting comfortable. “Thanks for the friendly advice by the way.” Hands itched to hold her and it took all my effort to stay away.

  “And look where it got me. I should’ve known better.”

  “Would you prefer masturbating underwater while sounding as if you're in porn?”

  That was one of Mike’s stunts when my brother chose a dare for the second time around. Though he faked it, the sounds he made were horrible and would haunt me for the nights to come. The men hurried to cover the eyes of their women while Chiara turned away with a reddened face.

  “Nope.”

  “You got nothing to worry about. It's just me.”

  When we called it a night and settled into our tent, there were so many things I wanted to talk about, but strangely, I was content. Being with her in this confin
ed space filled me with satisfaction like none other. I couldn’t put my finger on this strange feeling that blanketed me when I was with her.

  Arianna lay with her back facing me. I sucked in a breath, pulling her mild floral scent along with it. My mouth opened and closed as I contemplated starting a conversation. I turned to face her with something in mind and that was when it started. The most embarrassing moment of my life. They were doing it on purpose. My ears heated and Arianna shot up to a sitting position with a horrified expression as the other couples joined my brother’s moaning contest.

  “That's unwarranted.” I hid my embarrassment, wanting to whack their heads.

  “They’re doing it on purpose, I swear.” Arianna covered her ears.

  “I'm going out for a walk,” I stood. Crap.

  “Wait, I'm coming with you.”

  A relieved breath whooshed out when we got to a safe place. The moonlight illuminated her beautiful features and the chill breeze ruffled with her hair. The corner of my lips curled up when I noticed the blanket in her hand.

  “Why don't you drink?” she asked as we took a seat on the artificial rock.

  “I drink beer.”

  “You know what I meant. Besides, you refused the beer today.”

  Arianna threw the blanket over my shoulders like she did the other day, before settling against me.

  “That's because I knew I'd be sharing the tent with you. Also, at least one person has to be sober at night when everyone else is wasted.” These past few days I had little control when she was around. With a beer or two in my system, I might end up with more than a kiss this time.

  “And, you don't drink much otherwise because…?”

  “Because there are things I don't want to forget.”

  I got drunk on the day she broke up with me, threw me out of her life like I was nothing. The next morning when I woke, I had no memories of the night before. What she did wasn’t something I wanted to forget. I wanted to fuel my resolve to stay away from them all. Also, drinking has never been a solution to any problem. The massive hangover next morning wasn’t worth it. And I’ve seen what alcohol could do to people. Losing myself like that would mean that she won. No. I’d never give her that satisfaction.

  The next day while she paraded the campus with her new boy toy, my ex-friend, I went to college in my red Lamborghini. I still remembered that incredulous look on her face. My lips held a smile and my head was straight when I walked in. I never looked back and never accepted her apologies.

  “Sounds reasonable. Let's talk about something else. What's your favorite color?”

  This was something I admired about Arianna. She wanted answers, which I wasn’t ready to give her yet. But she also knew how to diffuse the tension and put one’s mind at ease.

  “Purple and blue. What's yours?”

  “Red and black. What movies do you prefer?”

  “Comedy.”

  “No way.” She beamed. “Me too.”

  We went back and forth with questions until suddenly it felt like there was nothing more to ask. “What was the most embarrassing thing you did when you were younger?” she asked after thinking for a long moment.

  Oh, let me think. I had one that I knew will make her laugh. I didn’t normally share this with anyone. But this is Arianna.

  “I lost a bet and had to twerk in front of the class while wearing high heels. Worst of all, someone shot it and posted it on Facebook. It went viral and they didn’t let me forget.” Dean still had that video somewhere.

  Arianna burst into laughter and I stared at her. “I want to see that someday.”

  “No, you don’t.” She chuckled, a sweet melodious sound. Her eyes were no longer sunken. Arianna looked better compared to how she was when she arrived at the estate. “What about you?” I looked away from her lips before I did something.

  “Ah, you don't want to know.”

  “I told you mine.”

  “Well, let's say I still live it.”

  “What did you do?” “I told you about my wild birthday party, right? Well, we had hired a tattoo artist, a DJ and a few strippers too.”

  This time it was my turn to laugh. That sounded just like Mike.

  “We played truth or dare and with my drunken courage, I chose dare.”

  “What did he do?”

  “I ended up getting a tattoo in my ass.”

  I lost it. Tears stung my eyes for the first time because of sudden joy. “Do I even want to know what is written on it?”

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “So, what’s on it?”

  “You’ll have to see for yourself.”

  My breathing stilled. Did I hear that right? She was looking away, her teeth nibbling on her lower lip.

  “Is that an invitation?”

  She was silent, but I knew if there was enough light I could see the pink glow of her skin. “Do you think they would be done by now?”

  I smiled at the change of topic. “We should head back and check. Or you can stay here while I take a quick look,” I suggested.

  “I’ll wait here.” Her answer came immediately.

  When I walked back to the camping area to check, my mind kept replaying her words. That sure sounded like an invitation. The one I couldn’t wait to accept.

  Chapter – 8

  “It’s clear.” Her relief was evident when I informed her.

  A lightness settled in the heart as our hands brushed on the walk back to our tent. We spoke nothing when we went to lie down on our side of the makeshift bed.

  The gentle breeze and silence gave me a satisfaction none of the luxuries ever did. The smile on my lips stretched. I waited for her to fall asleep before turning toward her and spooning her body against mine.

  “Good night, Arianna,” I whispered into her hair and rested my chin over her head. Arianna moved, making my heart skip a beat. She turned and snuggled to my chest. Just as I relaxed, thinking it was just a reflex action, she spoke.

  “What a loser?”

  “Huh?” Crap. Was she awake? I froze like a kid caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

  “I said she’s a loser,” she repeated.

  Oh, God! My heart raced. Now, she knows.

  Already knowing the answer, I asked, “Who’s a loser?”

  “The one who let you slip through her fingers. It’s her loss and my gain.”

  Wrong. She didn’t let me slip. Kenzie discarded me as if I was a worthless pile of crap. Because she found a rich boy who can fuck her long and hard. My jaws clenched.

  “You think you satisfy me with that?”

  It sucked me back in time. Kenzie’s laughter and disgusted gaze flashed in my mind as I remembered those words. The wound was still fresh and raw in my memory. Her accusing finger had pointed at my dick and the mockery in her eyes knifed through my heart. That was her answer to why she cheated on me.

  “Chris has a smaller dick than yours. But he fucked me raw and hard for hours.”

  I hadn’t talked then. It was a direct hit to my ego. As an eighteen-year-old, I took pride in my physique that competed with an athlete and believed I was good enough. The first time with her, I was so excited that I came under a minute I was inside her. I remembered the wave of disappointment washed over her face then. The second time, though, she already had a look on her face that instilled doubt in me.

  “You’ll never be enough!” She spat on my face as if reading my thoughts. “What a waste. I really expected so much when I saw all that.” She’d waved her hand, gesturing my physique when she said that.

  When she dropped the towel, I averted my gaze. Still naked, she had strutted around the room with no care as she got dressed. “You know what, I’m glad you found out by yourself. Saves time.” Her smirk had cut through my heart. My emotions didn’t matter then.

  With a clench of my jaws, I had focused on my breathing as she pulled on her top and ripped jeans. I had to ball my fists so I wouldn’t shake her and ask why she did that to me.
What didn’t I do for her like a lovesick fool I am?

  “See ya, limp dick. Hope you find yourselves a loser.”

  She clipped my shoulder purposefully as she exited the room and I realized she had been ready to leave for a while now because she already had a bag in her hand.

  Arianna’s arms snaked around my waist and tightened their grip around me, jerking me out of the thoughts. Her sweet scent surrounded me. And just like that, my heartbeat slowed. I didn’t realize it was racing. Her warm body wrapped around mine, fitting perfectly.

  “Hope you find yourselves a loser.”

  You’re wrong, Kenzie. My Arianna wasn’t a loser. She was a fucking gem worth every single penny I owned. Mine? Fuck, I’m screwed.

  Arianna snuggled further into my chest, settling with her face pressed against my skin. “I thought you were asleep.” Had I known she was awake, I’d have waited longer. Normally, I’d storm out when the memories surfaced. But tonight was different. I had her.

  “I couldn't sleep.”

  The silence stretched between us. Once the initial awkwardness of getting caught washed away, I relaxed with her in my arms. This felt right.

  “Brian messaged me today. He said that I was putting unwanted stress on my parents. That I proved again that I was a disgrace to my family.”

  She spoke to him. My molars ground together. An involuntary action on hearing his name. “Have you responded?” This shouldn’t bother me. But that monster called jealousy once again clawed at my chest. Instinctively, my hold on her became tight.

  “No. I deleted his message. Whatever we had, it was over and I want none of this. Maybe he’s trying to exert his powers as my brother-in-law, you know, trying to lecture me and all.”

  “Good.” Relief washed over me. She’s mine.

  “Good night, Orlando.”

  I wanted to talk more, but the fear of ruining the moment had rendered me silent.

  “Good night, Arianna.”

  ***

  The morning brought a smile to my lips and filled my mind with genuine happiness. What a perfect way to wake up. Our bodies deliciously pressed together, our limbs tangled. I relished the way her soft curves felt against my bare skin. Perfect.