“Hey, bro. How did it go last night?” Enrique grinned when I reached the small bathroom on the opposite side of the pond after fifteen minutes. “I forgot to ask if you needed a condom.”
Punching his arm, I growled, “Shut the fuck up.” Beside him, Jeff groaned rubbed his forehead with a grimace while Mike sported a scowl on his face. I grabbed my brother by the scruff of his neck. “Nothing happened between us. And never do that again.” Dragging him to the pond, I pushed him into the chilling water.
His head popped up, spluttering water from his mouth. “Hey! It’s freaking cold man. You’re trying to kill your own brother?”
“What happened?” Jeff’s tone was innocent as he held his hand between his hands.
“Why don’t you ask your girlfriend? You guys put the porn films to shame.” My eyes narrowed at Mike and Jeff. “What were you thinking? I know Enrique started it. But you guys are no better.”
Mike winced. “Uh… Drunk and caught up in the moment?” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Drunk… my ass.” Flipping the bird, I entered the toilet. “I’m never camping with you guys again,” I murmured, shutting the door behind me.
When it was time to pack, Arianna helped me. She sported a fresh smile that warmed my insides. “There’s a British-themed costume party tonight if you don’t know already.”
“What?” she groaned. “We just had a party.”
“That was for business associates. This one is for Enrique and Chiara’s friends.” Grandpapa suggested we host a party for all their friends as the wedding was a private event.
“Ugh! Can I be excused?”
“Nope,” I shook my head, “you’re my date, remember?”
“And what am I dressing as?”
“An eighteenth-century maiden.” My lips stretched. While I wanted to skip the party, the curiosity to see her dressed in ancient costume strengthened my resolve to get her to accompany me.
“I’d rather prefer to go as a hooker.”
“We’re talking about the eighteenth-century, hon. You’d still required to dress to please.”
Now, I averted my face to the side so she wouldn’t notice me laughing. When I turned back, she had this look on her face. The expression was one she had when she thought of an excuse. I had seen her pull a similar expression several times when she wanted to skip Mike’s games.
“You’re not leaving.” A scowl replaced her frown. “I’ll be at your door at 7 PM.” Before I burst into laughter, I hoisted the folded tent over my shoulder and walked toward our jeep.
“I’ll drive,” Enrique—still looking like shit with his disheveled hair—offered.
“No, I’ll drive.” I pointed the others to the seats before climbing it. There was no way, I’m letting him drive with a hangover. The permanent frown on his face and lack of usual cheerfulness gave away his severe headache.
“You look constipated,” Rosie said to Arianna from the back seat and I had to bite the insides of my cheeks to stop laughing out loud.
The sound of the engine muffled Arianna’s sound, but I knew she was complaining about the party.
“About the costume party, right? I’m so excited. It’s going to be fun.”
I watched Arianna scowling and giving a stink eye to Rosie through the rearview mirror. Her curses were incoherent and muffled.
“Don’t even think about it. You finished your period just three days ago.” Rosie’s voice rose above the noise of the engine, making me burst into laughter. Some amazing friends she had. Arianna’s beet-red face was a sight to behold and she never looked up until we reached the mansion.
***
The excitement and overwhelming curiosity flooded me when I knocked at her door in the evening. When the door opened, she whirled around, pinning me with her gaze, burning with anger.
Her outfit suited her well, but seeing her in so many layers of clothing, made me want to burst into laughter. For one, I knew she hated heavy clothes and jewelry. Arianna always chose weightless, yet classy clothing and accessories. Her comfort mattered to her the most.
“Can we?”
A smile I admired replaced her furious expression. She took a deep breath, nodded and headed out. The walk to the ballroom was short and silent.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered in awe when we reached the transformed ballroom. The concentrated look on her face eased into a smile as her gaze scanned the room. We moved around, greeting old friends and acquaintances. Arianna beamed, chatting heartily with her buddies when I heard someone shouting my name.
“Orlando! My buddy, it’s so good to see you.”
Dean? My eyes widened a good measure. “Dean! It’s been a long time.” Giant hands enveloped me in a manly hug. My mood considerably lifted and I clapped his back. He’d gotten bigger and bulkier than the last time we met, which was roughly a year ago. At six-foot-five he towered me.
Dean McAllister, my only best friend from college days now played for Green Bay Packers, one of the most popular teams in the National Football League. It has been a while since we met.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” Oh, how much I missed talking to him. He was my pillar of strength during my darkest times.
“Enrique called.” He grinned. “He even booked the tickets three months ago.”
“It’s good to see you, man. Thanks for coming.”
“We should’ve met earlier.” His hazel eyes shifted to Arianna, whose eyes were wide as saucers. “Is she with you?”
“Yes, she is.” For the first time, I had no qualms in accepting that out loud. A wave of possessiveness washed over me as my hand encircled her waist. Our gazes locked, mine challenging hers to claim otherwise. It was strange, even to myself.
A smile spread on her lips as her gaze averted to the floor. The blush on her cheeks hid her natural pink tint from my eyes. But I was sure it was there.
“Congrats, man!” Dean hugged me. “Congratulations, lady!” He kissed her knuckles.
“Thanks.” Her teeth caught her lower lip as her fingers twisted the lace of her gown.
“Ari, can you hang out with Rosie and Skyler for a while? I’ll be back soon.” Damn. I don’t want to leave her, but I couldn’t wait to catch up with Dean. Suddenly I had so much to talk to him. I pleaded with my eyes, hoping she’d understand.
“Sure,” Arianna beamed. “You don’t have to hurry.”
Relief washed over me. “You’re the best.” I pecked her cheek and led Dean out of the party hall.
***
“I’ve been waiting for this day for so long.” Dean shrugged off his coat and plopped on the couch. A full-blown smile stretched his lips. His muscles flexed as he stretched out, getting comfortable.
The guy put those bulky bouncers to shame with his bulging muscles and tats that peaked from under the sleeves of his shirt. I doubted if any part of his body was free of ink. Not that I know of. That guy even had a tat on his dick if I’m not wrong.
In college, he had a throng of girls at his disposal, but all changed when he fell for a new transfer student. The one who never got wavered by his size or inked skin. The one, who never gave a damn about his stardom.
“Beer?” My gaze sifted through the assortment of drinks in my mini-refrigerator.
“Sure. So, you and Arianna, huh?”
A wisp of a smile tugged at my lips. “It’s nothing serious.” I handed him a can of beer and went to sit.
“It didn’t look like that to me.” He popped the beer can and took a generous sip.
“Trust me, Dean. We kissed once, that’s all.” Unbuttoning my suit, I loosened the tie, relaxing further. “It’s too early. Besides, it’s Arianna. One wrong step will ruin everything for me—Mike and Enrique. She’s like family.” He knew her because we hung out often at the estate.
Dean nodded his head in understanding. “I like her. She’s not that shy teenager I remember. Even then, she had eyes only for you.”
She did. Only things were different then. �
��Enough about me. What about you? Where’s your girlfriend?”
“Ex-girlfriend,” he corrected. “We broke up a few months ago. The media attention was too much for her.” A shadow of sadness fell over his face. Underneath all that hardness was a man with the softest heart, I ever knew.
“I’m sorry, man. What happened?” They were in so much love. What could possibly go wrong?
“Don’t be. She knew what she was getting into. She couldn’t handle it.” We were quiet for a moment, both lost in our own thoughts. “I loved her, you know. I wanted to pop the question after the Super Bowl.” His voice strained. I squeezed his shoulder and he gave me a tight-lipped smile.
“You still love her.” Dean didn’t deny my claim. He can never stop loving her. If the fool thought it was over, he was wrong. I could see it in his eyes. The longing and never-ending sadness. He missed her.
“I try not to think about it.” A deep exhale whispered out. “You know, after our breakup, I tried to get her back. She asked me to give up my career.”
What the—
Football was all he ever dreamed of. I stopped myself from saying something because I didn’t know her side of the story. Sandra, from what he’d explained, was understanding. That wasn’t like her. A frown tugged at my lips.
“I don’t know if I can give this up for her. I mean, this is all I had ever known, man. Sometimes, I want to throw this away and go to her, but I don’t know if I’ll be happy.”
“If she loved you enough, then, she’ll accept you for what you are.” Hell, she stood by his side despite all the trouble—angry exes, possessive fans, her orthodox family. Sometimes sacrifices are inevitable for a relationship to work out, but she was asking to throw away his entire life’s hard work. “Did you talk to her afterward?”
He shook his head. “Our last encounter didn’t end well. I got mad and drove away.” Regret and pain were written all over his face. They should talk; they dated for what—eight years? Dean and Emma met around the time I broke up with Kenzie, but didn’t start dating until he started his career.
“Why don’t you take her somewhere private for a month or two? Just the two of you. Give your relationship another shot.”
His eyes lit up. “I’m not sure, man.”
“You love her and I know she loves you. Don’t let her slip through your fingers. You were together for over eight years. She can’t forget that in a matter of months.” I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. “Choose one of the Cortez island resorts. I vouch for your privacy.”
Dean nodded, his face suddenly bright. “That sounds… like a plan. But—”
“Here.” I threw him my phone. “Call her.”
“Now?”
“Yep.”
“Orlando, that’s…”
“Every second you delay, she’s going far from you. Call her now, Dean. Tell her what she wants to hear.” I stopped him before he denied it. “Just tell her how much you miss her.”
With trembling hands, he dialed her number and I moved to the balcony to give him privacy and get some fresh air. My thoughts were back on Arianna. Would she accept Brian if he came back for her? My jaws locked, the thought didn’t sit well with me. What’ll I do if that happened? Why else was he texting her suddenly? Didn’t she say they had no contact until she came here?
“She said yes!” He hugged me from behind, making us both stumble before regaining our momentum. “Oh, God. I don’t know what to say. She said she missed me. Sandra is visiting her grandmother in Colorado. She asked if I could go and get her. “
My grin widened. “That’s great! I’ll take care of your itinerary. Just email me the necessary documents.”
“Thank you, Orlando. I’ll forever be indebted to you.”
“It’s nothing.” I shrugged.
My cell phone blared, disrupting our conversation. Arianna? My thumb swiped across the answer button before raising it to my ears.
“Arianna?” She didn’t call unless it was an emergency. The clocked ticked twelve. Shit. I didn’t realize how much time had passed.
“I need you, please…” Her sobbing voice shook me to my core.
What happened?
“I’m coming,” I said, eying my best friend. Dean gestured me to leave as if sensing my urgency and I took off into a sprint.
“Come to my room.” I didn’t like the panic in her voice.
“Almost there.”
Chapter – 9
Arianna’s strangled cries reached my ears before my gaze found her shaking form tripping over her dress. She clawed at her dress as her chest heaved. When I rushed inside her room, she crawled on the floor.
I dropped to my knees as I worked on her dress. The knots were tied too tightly and complicated to comprehend. It didn’t help that she writhed on the floor like a fish out of water.
A string of curses left my mouth when I couldn’t figure out how to remove the dress. I rushed to the bathroom, finding a pair of scissors in the cabinet. Arianna wheezed, her eyes rolling back to her skull, mouth wide open. The redness of her face was alarming.
I rushed to her and knelt before cutting through the fabric. Her strangled cries muffled the sound of the cloth being ripped apart. A loud gasp parted her lips as the dress loosened its grip around her chest. Her eyes were wide as she breathed in, taking several gulps of air.
“Easy there. Keep breathing, Arianna. I’m here,” I said, rubbing soothing circles on her back.
The beat of my heart was in rhythm with her loud breathing. I held her and felt my shoulders relax as redness of her face somewhat reduced and her breathing regulated. I rose to my feet when she staggered on her legs to stand, almost tripping again.
“Please get it off.” Panic once again rose in her voice.
“Okay, take it slow. It’s okay. I’m here for you.” I held her as a violent set of sob wracked her body. What happened? She was fine when I left her. Did someone say something?
“I hate him!” Her painful cry echoed the walls.
I had to avert my gaze when her bare skin came into view. I removed the remnants of the gown and other accessories, kicking it away.
“I hate that bastard.”
“Shh…” I cupped her face, my eyes boring into hers. Raw pain radiated on them. “It’s over now, Arianna.” Anger flared within me. I ground my jaws. Several questions nagged at me as she nodded.
“I let him do this to me,” she sniffled. “I hate the person I’ve become.”
What did he do now? Did he call again? She was smiling and was getting along with people.
“You’ve become stronger, Arianna. You’ve become a better person.”
“I don’t feel like it. One moment, I was happy for Rosie and Jeff. The next all I could see and think was him. The way he chose her. How he proposed to her.”
Rosie and Jeff? He must’ve proposed to her. Now, it made sense. It must’ve triggered her. It was the only convincing explanation.
Most of my tension left my shoulders. Now more relaxed, I noticed how she was bare from the hip above. She was still in my embrace, her breasts rubbing against mine. The sudden awareness in my lower half sent a painful reminder to my brain. Wrong timing.
Averting my gaze to her face, refusing to look away, I said, “We need to get you dressed. You’re cold.”
I didn’t wait for her to respond instead, dashed to her closet. Mourning the loss of her warmth, I chose a pair that appeared to be comfortable. On my way back, I kept my gaze trained on her face. She was quiet when I slipped the T-shirt over her head. She took the pajama bottoms from me, pulling it swiftly over her boxer panties. Distracting and tempting. Once again, I looked away.
“I’ll ask someone to bring dinner here.” I went toward the phone.
“I don’t want anything.” She walked to the bed, pausing to face me. “Lay with me.”
She appeared vulnerable than ever. I shrugged off my coat, removed my tie and shoes before climbing into the bed. Arianna crawled toward me, res
ting her head on my chest. A sigh broke out of my lips as I embraced her, pulling a blanket over us.
Her tears soaked my shirt and the wetness seeped to my skin.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured.
“For what?”
“For breaking down like that. I didn’t know what to do. I thought I was over him. I wasn’t expecting that Jeff proposing to Rosie would trigger me like that.”
“It’s okay to break down once in a while, Arianna. Pent-up emotions are more dangerous.”
“Did you break down?”
The question caught me off guard. For a moment, I wanted to snap at her and say no, but I bit the insides of my cheeks. This is Arianna. Her fingers stroked my chest.
“I did.” Her soft body pressed to my side. I took a deep breath and focused on her finger that now drew an unknown pattern on my skin.
“I never had panic attacks before. I ruined your time with Dean, didn't I?”
“No, you didn't.” Our eyes locked when she lifted her head. I couldn’t resist but brush her cheek with the back of my hand and pushed the loose strands of her hair out of her face. “I’m glad you called me when you did. You can call me anytime, Arianna. I promise to always be there for you.”
“Don't make promises if you can't keep them.” Pain flashed in her eyes.
“You know me better than that, Arianna. I don't make promises I don't intend to keep,” I said in a voice filled with determination. Our future was uncertain. But, I’ll always be there for her, no matter what.
“I'm confused, Orlando. I like what's between us, but I'm too scared to talk about it.”
I’m scared too.
She didn’t have to know that. “Then don't.”
“What's your advice?”
“Just follow your heart.” The words weren’t as convincing as it sounded even to me. It was easier said than done. The panic was slowly setting in now that things were getting serious. Am I ready for that?
“Okay.”
The tension coiling around my body relaxed. This was what I loved about her. Arianna knew when to drop a subject. Her eyes shifted to my lips. “I want to kiss you.”
“What's stopping you?” Desire and confusion flashed in her face.
Resisting Her (Moving On Duology Book 2) Page 8