Resisting Her (Moving On Duology Book 2)

by Catherine Edward

  “Don't know. Maybe it’s because I’m afraid of rejection.”

  I swallowed. Doubt crossed her features and her gaze averted, almost making a move to pull away. How could I ever push her away? One look at her eyes and I found my confusion evaporating. The need to hold her and never let go grew stronger. But was I good? What if I broke her beyond repair?

  “I'll never reject you, Arianna. If you want to kiss me, then you should just do it.” I gave into that hurtful look. My helpless-self urged me to do anything to take away that pain. God knew if she wanted me to jump off the balcony at this moment I would. Didn’t she realize how much she had grown over me?

  When she climbed over me, I could sense her mental conflict. She leaned over, so slowly, pressing her lips on mine. So soft and warm. I sighed as her lips moved with slow, tentative movements. It took all my effort not to roll her over and pin her to the bed as I possessed her sweet little mouth.

  Take it slow. Take it slow. I repeated like a mantra.

  Arianna’s tongue darted out, flicking over my lips. I opened up, eager to deepen the kiss. She flattened her palm over my chest just as my hands encircled her, running all over her back. My head rose and I pushed my tongue deeper, claiming her mouth the way I liked. Arianna moaned out. My restraints were snapping one by one as I rolled us over, switching positions. My hands locked hers above her head and my hips pressed into hers. Her soft curves pressed against mine and her legs spread wide. Hips arched, grinding against my arousal.

  My control was thinning. The need to possess her grew as I left open-mouthed kisses along her jawline, settling down on the small spot on her neck. Her breasts heaved, demanding attention and I almost cupped them before the reality dawned on me.

  “We should stop.”

  This isn’t right. She was emotional. I shouldn’t take advantage of her like this. Her eyes blinked and a frown tugged at her lips. A look of dejection crossed her features before she masked it.

  “I want you. But we should give it more time.” It sounded as if I was trying to distract myself with reasons. But now that the lust had simmered, I sensed the fear clawing at my chest. I couldn’t let this happen. When our eyes met, guilt washed over me. I shouldn’t be leading her on like this.

  “Okay.” I sensed her disappointment and readied myself to face the outburst. Only it never came. She looked at me with those soulful, expressive eyes. “Can you hold me?”

  How—

  Arianna was confusing, yet understandable all at the same time. I expected her to be furious. I tilted my head waiting for some sort of reaction, but her expression did not change. She chewed her lower lip as hope flickered in her gaze.

  “Sure.” I settled beside her and she snuggled into my chest. However, it wasn’t helping as my own insecurities raised its ugly head once again. This was all a mistake. I can’t get intimate with her. What if she hated me after this? I was bad for her.

  “Good night, Orlando.”

  Her sleepy voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

  “Good night, Arianna.”

  I shouldn’t be here. The need to leave tugged at me, but she just turned and threw a leg over me and snuggled further into my chest, making it impossible to move. Her warm breath fanned at my chest. This was addicting. I have to do something before it ruined us both.

  Her panic attack was a rude awakening of what will happen if this didn’t work out in our favor. I meant what I said when I promised her. I’ll always be by her side if she needed me. Whether it would be as a friend or as a lover, I did not know. My emotions conflicted with each other. The positive side of the things looked promising, but the sudden doubt ate me from the inside.

  I spent the entire night, holding her and not sleeping for a second. My mind reeled with different possibilities of how this could turn up. I have to break it before it got out of our hands. I must get away from here and go on with my life and our lives would go back to the way it was.

  When the first rays of the sun peeked in, I slipped out of the bed with a heavy heart. Today, I’ll leave and I’ll never look back. I made my mind, despite the pain radiating along my chest. She’ll forgive me with time. It was now or never. I remembered the promise I made to Enrique, but if this happened, it’ll ruin everyone’s happiness.

  A soft moan reached my ears and I noticed her turning in the bed as I picked my coat from where I left it last night. I almost turned to get one last look at her face, but forced myself to stop, realizing I might never leave. This is for our own good. Believing this, I walked out, intending never to return.

  I didn’t see where I was going when I stumbled onto my estate supervisor. “Mr. Cortez, sir,” his panicked voice addressed. “I don’t know how she got in, but she’s here.”

  “Who?” My brows creased.

  “It’s Madam Cortez.” He wiped his forehead with a kerchief he always carried. “I swear I tried to stop her. But, she pushed me away.”

  She’s no longer a Cortez. Biting back the retort, I asked, “Where is she?”

  “In the living room.”

  My feet pounded on the ground as I headed to where she was. She had no business here. When I reached the living room, there she was, looking posh in her custom-made dress that reached her knees. “What are you doing here?”

  She turned around, sporting the same mocking smile, my biological mother. Her lips unnaturally full and cheekbones little higher than I last remembered. “Is that a way to greet your mother, Boy?”

  Her sneer did not affect me. “My mother is dead.”

  Her left brow arched. “Then who am I, huh? Stop behaving like your father. Do not disrespect me like this.” Her red-painted lips curled up with a hiss.

  “One must earn their respect and you do not deserve from either of us. Now, leave.” Isabela chuckled. If she tried to look like a villain, she failed. That laugh didn’t suit her. What did she do to her face?

  “I’m serious, Isabela. I won’t hesitate to remove you forcefully.”

  “I’m afraid you can’t do that, boy. I’m here with the court’s order.” She waved an envelope in front of my eyes. “My son is getting married and as his mother, I came here to attend the ceremony.”

  “You’re not invited,” I ground out, clenching my fists.

  She shrugged, examining her long manicured nails. “I don’t need an invitation. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m exhausted. We’ll talk once I’m rested.” She pushed past me, leaving me baffled.

  Once her figure disappeared from my vision, I eased my phone out of the pocket and quickly dialed the head of security.

  “Hello.” A stiff voice answered.

  “Marcus, what’s Isabela doing here in New Ikandas Estate?”.

  “It must be a mistake. Allow me to—”

  “I want her out of this property, now!” I cut him off and disconnected the call. I raked a hand through my morning hair. This was definitely not how I wanted to start my morning. Everything just added to my stress. The past few days had been good. Because of Arianna. My chest clenched and I forced my thoughts away from Arianna. No. Don’t go there.

  Despite my will, my thoughts rushed to her. The logical reasoning failed as I longed to return to her arms. I ran a hand over my face. Shit. God, help me.

  Chapter – 10

  “What now?” My patience was long lost when I attended the third call from Marcus that day. The long shower did not ease my tension. Outside, the morning scene was pleasant with a clear blue sky and estate staff buzzing around with the activities.

  “Sir, I have a suggestion.”

  “I’m listening.” The wind ruffled my hair as I paced the balcony.

  “We can use this opportunity to break into her home and find evidence.” Marcus sounded excited.

  This perked my interest. “But…” my voice drawled thinking about the possible outcome.

  “We have tried everything else. This is our best bet.”

  My heart raced. I ran a hand through my hair and pinched the bridge of
my nose. It was a risky business and illegal. But we must do it if that’s what it took to prove papa’s innocence. First, we needed to get our hands on that document.

  “We have trained men to pull this. There won’t be a trouble, I assure you,” Marcus pacified. The confidence in his tone boosted my own.

  It was true. The firm Marcus worked in specialized in this stuff. They worked with high-end celebrities and businessmen. From crazy stalkers to over-obsessed fans, it was their thing. “Okay. What do you want me to do?”

  “Keep her in the estate as long as possible. Is there anything we should know before we sent the teams?”

  “She has two apartments and a mansion in Linnesse.”

  “Got it. We’ll take care of it.” He disconnected the call as I stared at the ocean.

  Great. Now, we must babysit our mother dearest. I combed the still wet hair and threw on a random T-shirt and jeans I got the hold on first and rushed out.

  My appetite was long gone as I stared at her at the breakfast table. Uneasiness churned my stomach. Bile rose from the pits of my intestines and it was a hard task to pretend to eat and keep the contents down. Papa and Enrique weren’t thrilled with the plan, but agreed to put up with her until we heard from Marcus. But nothing prepared me for this moment. Isabela staying here in the estate meant we would see more of her.

  “Good morning.” A cheerful voice perked my senses and before I pulled the leash, my gaze was on her.

  Arianna didn’t change her nightclothes. The T-shirt she wore strained, outlining her pebbled nipples, reminding me of how deliciously close she was to me last night. Awareness shot to my nether region. Her attire was simple, but it was enough to stir my desire. My gaze swept over her shapely legs as she grabbed a piece of bacon from Mike’s plate before taking a seat beside me. Mike filled her plate while she grabbed another piece of bacon, eating it with half-closed eyes.

  “What a tramp!” said an annoying voice. My head snapped toward the woman I despised so much. Her make-up caked face twisted with a scowl. “You call this thing your girlfriend? What a shame to the Cortez family.”

  I ground my teeth as my eyes narrowed at her. Hands clenched under the table as I fought for control. It would take at least two days for Marcus to search for her properties. I had to keep her occupied until he did.

  “And who might you be?” Arianna asked. Her eyes now sober and staring at Isabela with confusion.

  “You dare to question me, slut. What did you do to my son?”

  Fuck it. No one insulted her that way. My grip tightened around the glass of juice I was drinking. “Enough! You'll not disrespect our guests. And you are not welcome here.”

  “Did you forget who I am?” Her features contorted.

  The nerve of her. After what she did to us, she still thought she had a rightful place in Cortez household.

  “Of course, not.” How could I forget the woman who ruined my childhood? How could I forgive the one woman, who ruined our chances of happiness as a family? “I don't forget the ones who betrayed me, especially you.”

  “You–”

  “Enough, Isabela!” Papa’s voice boomed, making everyone silent. “Leave before we forcefully remove you from the property.”

  “You can't do that, Husband. I have a court order.”

  Wrong. He wasn’t her husband anymore.

  “Not for long,” I hissed and stormed out before I did something that jeopardized our mission. My brain didn’t follow my vision and my mind reeled as my feet progressed in search of fresh air. When I reached the rooftop garden, my lungs gasped inhaling the fresh salty air as I tried to reign in my emotions that were haywire.

  I lost the track of time as I stood there, eyes not focusing on the restless sea.

  “Hey.” Her voice sounded distant, pulling my mind from whatever place it was in.

  “What are you doing here?” I didn’t turn to look at Arianna. I can’t deal with her now. She must leave or I could hurt her. Anger at Isabela bubbled like molten lava. The need to lash out or punch something burned hot. I wasn’t a pleasant man to be around with when I was furious.

  “Just coming to check if you were okay.” Her voice rang with a concern I did not deserve.

  “I'm not okay.”

  “I can see that.”

  I could sense her hesitation and knew she wouldn’t leave. Arianna wasn’t the one to leave her friends when they needed her. Why doesn’t she get it? I wanted to be alone and don’t need her help. No one can help me. This won’t work. How do I tell I’m not good for her? It wasn’t just Isabela who’s making me upset. When she stepped into the dining room my plans to leave her got sabotaged. The mere sight of her intensified the feelings I had developed for her. The more I saw her, I wanted, no, I needed her.

  “I want to be alone.”

  “I'm not leaving. You're either telling me what's going on in your mind or eating that breakfast with me.” Her determined voice irked me.

  Stubborn female. “Don't push me, Ari.” I turned around to look at those wide hazel eyes filled with worry. Regret washed over me the moment those words left my mouth. For a moment, I thought she’d tear up. She’d leave. Instead, I noticed the small unfazed smile lifting the corners of her lips.

  “I told you everything, Orlando. You were there to hold me when I needed someone. It's only fair that I wanted to be there for you.”

  A sudden warmth rushed to my chest. No. This is too dangerous. It’s now or never. “I don't need anyone.” My sound, lower than before, rang with a defeat. Crap. That didn’t go as planned. Instead of yelling out it in anger and driving her away, it came out voicing the longing deep in my heart. I clenched my fists and looked away. Did she notice my weakening resolve?

  One of her shoulders lifted into a shrug in my peripheral vision. “I'm not leaving.”

  “Then, I'll leave.” There was no way of winning this argument. I tried to walk around her to leave, only to be stopped by her grip. Her slender fingers curled around my wrist, warming my skin. “Ari—”

  She pulled my head down as she raised herself on her toes. Her lips soon pressed against mine. Warm and soft. Fuck. I knew how she tasted. She’d taste sweet like honeydew melons and strawberries. The flavors of the candies she liked to munch on.

  The mild fragrance of her facewash infiltrated my senses. The resolve to push her away from my life was the stupidest thing I ever thought of. An urge to hit myself harder grew as her soft curves wrapped around me.

  Her warm breath mingled with mine. How do I forget this? How do I stay away? How do I live knowing that I let her slip once again? Gone was my determination to move away from her. The need to make her mine pushed its way up. It stomped the other emotions down.

  My arms tightened around her small frame as if they had a mind of their own before traveling down to grab her ass. I lifted her, urging her to hook her legs around my waist as I possessed her mouth.

  So perfect. A hand gripped her soft brown hair, tipping her head. Her soft moan was electrifying. My cock strained. The throb was something I hadn’t experienced since Kenzie. It hurt to the point of explosion. The desire was so intense that I could imagine only Arianna. The kiss washed away all the insecurities and doubts I had in mind.

  The sensation of her soft little hands exploring my hard muscles was exhilarating. Suddenly, her lips stopped moving as if having second thoughts. That one second was enough to douse me in ice water and remind me why I can’t let this happen. But how could I say no this girl?

  “We can’t do this.” I beat her to it. Or, so I thought. Her lips were swollen from our kiss. A sight that aroused me to no extent. I had to avert my gaze and put distance. Instead, I rested my forehead against hers, inhaling.

  “Why not? We’re adults.”

  Fuck me. “What if we can’t be more?”

  “I don’t expect more. I like what we have now and I don’t want to ruin it.”

  You don’t understand. How can she not expect more? Her expression was sinc
ere. It wasn’t something I expected from her. She doesn’t know what she was talking about. It must be the crush talk. What if I can’t meet her expectations? What’ll happen when she realized—I was quick to rein in my thoughts from going there. The hardness in my lower region went down at the thought.

  “I’m not sure. I want you, Arianna and it scares me.” It was time she learned the truth, only I wasn’t sure how to tell her. “You wanted to know my story.” Her eyes widened and I could see the answer in them. The memory of that cursed day pushed to the surface of my mind.

  I had to clench my jaws and focus on the warm breathing, fanning on my lips to shove away from her words. “My trust was betrayed by someone I loved. She said and did things that destroyed me, left me scarred. I don’t know if I’ll ever be someone you want.” It wasn’t something I wanted to remember. “You deserve someone better than me.”

  Her head shook in denial. “I thought Brian was better, but look where it got me. Can’t we just live in the moment?”

  “I should have kept my distance from you, but when I saw your pain, I couldn’t help reaching out. I feel like I’m taking advantage of this situation, Arianna.” It was the truth. I have kept my distance from her until she came back, missing that vibrant smile she always sported. The lectures I had given myself about why she didn’t deserve me flew out of the window right then. When I saw her tears, I was ready to do anything to stop them.

  “You’re not,” she whispered. “I’m a willing participant.”

  Crap. Don’t say such things, Ari. Don’t give me hope. She doesn’t get it. Arianna doesn’t understand the threat she posed to my heart. Her mere presence had changed my life upside down. A kiss with her had unlocked the locked away emotions within my heart.

  “You don’t understand. I refuse to use you as a distraction.” If I touched her, then I won’t be able to let her go.

  “Orlando…”

  “I might be scarred, Arianna. But, I know better than to use you just because you are willingly giving yourself to me. No, I won’t do that to you. You’re not someone I want to fuck.”