“Hell yeah. I’m getting lucky tonight,” I said, reaching for her hand.
Wade pulled me to a stop and shook his head. “Damn, Trevor. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
He shrugged and then leaned in closer. “Scarlett?”
I tossed my head back and laughed—even her name felt like a knife in my chest. I acted like I wasn’t slowly dying inside. I’d tried calling her earlier when I was still sober. I wanted to stop by and talk, but she sent me to voicemail. Like she did every time I called her. She’d been avoiding me ever since that day she saw me talking to Traci Stephens, Sierra’s best friend, and the maid of honor in Brad’s wedding.
We’d all met that day to talk about the destination wedding Brad and Sierra were having. I hadn’t met Traci before and she was flirting with me something fierce. I gave her some harmless flirting back, with no intentions of doing anything. Scarlett had seen it all go down. I knew what it looked like. I also knew I was a motherfucker for the way I had treated Scarlett a month before that. It was the last time we’d slept together, and the only time I’d ever been reckless while having sex. The memory of that night came crashing back to me.
I vowed to myself I wasn’t going to sleep with her again, but I saw her out running near her house. And there was no way I could stop the attraction I had toward Scarlett. I’d tried to push her away, but she always pulled me back. I felt things for her I’d never felt with another woman, and I had told her that, more than once.
Parking in front of her house, I got out and made my way up the porch. All I wanted to do was talk to her. She’d been so upset with me the night after she admitted her feelings, and I basically told her there could never be anything between us. I couldn’t tell her that I was scared to death. If I gave her my heart, I’d be giving her the power to destroy me.
I hadn’t been able to sleep the whole night. All I saw was the hurt in her eyes when I told her I could never settle down. That I wasn’t a one-woman kind of guy. She nodded and walked to her front door. When she turned back to me, I saw it in her eyes. She was giving up on us.
“It’s over, Trevor. I’m not doing this anymore. I need you to leave and not come back.”
Scarlett’s words were haunting, keeping me from sleeping.
That day I saw her out running, I waited until she went inside her house, then knocked. When Scarlett answered, I pulled her into my arms and kissed the living fuck out of her. Soon we were in her house, clothes being ripped off on the way to her bedroom. We didn’t fuck that day. We made love. I went slow, and it had never felt so good in my entire life to be with a woman. It was too late before I realized why it felt so damn amazing. We’d gotten so caught up in each other we had made love without a condom.
When I realized what I’d done, I jumped out of the bed. I never even looked back at her after I got dressed and rushed out of her house. The only thing I heard was a sob coming from her as she called out my name.
Asshole.
I was a fucking asshole.
I shook the memory away and slapped Wade on the back. “Dude, Scarlett is done with me, and I’m done with her.”
“You’re done with her?” he asked, anger filling his eyes. “Was she a used piece of furniture or something?”
Anger hit my chest and nearly knocked me on my ass. “You know what? Fuck you, dude. You don’t know anything.”
Wade’s hands slipped into his pockets as he looked at the girl to my side. “I know if you leave here with her, you’re going to regret it.”
Forcing myself to smile, I lied. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”
As the blonde and I walked toward my truck, Wade’s words hit me again.
“You’re going to regret it.”
The stripper was all over me. Her hand landed on my deflated cock that wasn’t the least bit interested as she pushed me against the truck and licked my neck.
“I can’t wait to have your strong arms holding me up while you pound into me,” she said against my lips.
What in the hell am I doing?
I didn’t want this. No, I did want it. I wanted to fuck her brains out; I wanted to fuck someone’s memory out of my own head, but a part of me wanted to push her away. I was so fucking confused, but once I came to my senses, I knew what I needed to do.
I needed this woman to get the hell away from me right now.
Pulling my mouth from hers, I saw her out of the corner of my eye.
Scarlett.
I pushed the stripper away and shouted, “Enough.” When I turned to look at Scarlett, she was leaving. A guy was walking with her, his hand on her lower back, guiding her away from me. He whispered something to her as they kept moving.
“Scarlett? Scarlett! Wait!” I shouted as I made my way toward her. “Please, wait! I wasn’t going to do anything with her.”
The guilt hit me right in the gut. I had let this woman touch and kiss all over me not two seconds ago.
When the guy glanced over his shoulder, I stopped in my tracks.
Eric.
The guy from Maebh’s restaurant. He shot me a dirty look, ushered Scarlett into her car, and climbed into the driver’s seat. My eyes darted over to her. She was crying. My legs felt like they were going to give out when I saw exactly how hard she was crying.
“Scarlett!” I screamed, causing her to look up and then say something to Eric. The bastard pulled out and did a U-turn on Main. I stood there and watched her car until I could no longer see the red taillights anymore.
Dragging my hands over my face, I let out a frustrated groan. “What did I do? What the fuck did I just do?”
“So, are we leaving or not?” The stripper’s voice pulled me out of my daze.
Turning, I took her by the arm and led her back to the bar. “I’m leaving, but without you.”
“What the fuck is this shit?” she demanded.
We ran into Wade as we walked back into the bar.
He looked surprised to see us. “What happened?”
The stripper walked away, but not before calling me a few names.
“Scarlett…she saw me with the stripper.”
Wade groaned. “Damnit, Trevor. I told you not to do it.”
My hand rubbed my buzz cut. “I wasn’t going to. I was about to tell her I changed my mind, but Scarlett saw her kissing me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “It takes two to kiss, dickhead.”
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “She was with Eric.”
Wade’s head pulled back in surprise. “Eric, from Maebh’s place?”
“Yeah, and they looked pretty cozy together. He was driving her car.”
“What are you going to do?” he asked, worry in his voice.
“I’m too drunk to drive. I need you to take me to her house.”
“What? Trevor, maybe you need to go home and sleep this shit off. Talk to her when you’re sober.”
“Please, Wade. Please.”
He sighed. “Fine. Let’s go before I change my mind.”
Ten minutes later, he pulled up to Scarlett’s house and parked out front. Her BMW was in her driveway and a weird feeling hit my chest. What if she was with Eric in the house? Were they dating? Was he just a friend?
“Is Scarlett dating Eric?” I asked while staring at her front door.
“Not that I know of.”
Pushing the passenger door open, I stumbled out of the truck.
“Shit, Trevor, you’re more drunk than I thought. This is a bad idea.”
I kept walking but felt Wade behind me.
Knocking, I pulled in a deep breath. It opened, and Scarlett gasped at the sight of me. Then her eyes went past me to Wade.
“He was too drunk to drive over here and asked me to bring him. Sorry, Scarlett, I was afraid if I didn’t bring him he’d try and drive.”
She smiled slightly at Wade, but it faded when she looked at me.
“I wasn’t going to sleep with her.”
&
nbsp; “I don’t care, Trevor. You’ve made things clear where we stand when you walked away that night.”
Shaking my head, I took a step closer, but she backed away with fear in her eyes. I stopped instantly.
Why in the hell is she afraid of me?
“I’ve been trying to call you. Why won’t you let me talk to you?”
Tears filled her eyes, but she did a damn good job of keeping them at bay.
“Actions speak louder than words, Trevor, and I’ve seen plenty of action from you the last few months, with other women.”
“Scarlett, I haven’t been with anyone but you in months.”
A shocked expression covered her beautiful face. Then she looked at Wade and then over her shoulder to someone else in her house.
“Now is not the time to talk, Trevor.”
I took a few steps closer and saw him.
“What the fuck is he doing here?”
“Trev, let’s go. Y’all can talk tomorrow,” Wade said.
“It’s none of your business why I’m here,” Eric said in his stupid English accent.
My eyes swung back to Scarlett. She turned to Eric. “Please stop, Eric. You’re making this worse.”
“Are you fucking him?” I asked, my fists balled up.
“Trevor!” Wade said, pulling my shoulder.
“What?” Scarlett said, hurt laced in her words. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no. I’m not a whore like you. He’s been here for me when I needed a friend.”
Eric had the decency not to smirk at that remark. He looked away from us and walked back into the room.
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you.” My voice sounded desperate. “Why won’t you talk to me?”
Her hand covered her mouth, holding back a sob as a tear slipped free.
“Scarlett,” I whispered as I walked closer. She dropped her hand, and I cupped her face. “Please, please talk to me.”
She pushed me away and shook her head.
“Wade, please get him out of here. He’s won’t even remember any of this tomorrow.”
Anger filled my entire body. “The fuck I won’t! I’m not that drunk. Scarlett, please let me talk to you. I didn’t mean any of what I said that night.”
She stared like she wanted to believe the words coming from my mouth—but deep inside—she didn’t.
“Eric, please help Wade with Trevor.”
Eric started toward me, and I pointed to him. “You come anywhere near me, and I’ll punch the fuck out of you, you motherfucker.”
Wade jerked me back, causing me to stumble. It was enough to get me out of the door and for Scarlett to shut it.
“Scarlett!” I yelled, but Wade stood in front of me.
“Stop it. Trevor, this is not the right time. Dude, for the love of God, let’s get out of here. Talk to her when your liquid courage doesn’t make you sound like a pussy.”
I stared at my best friend. “I’ve lost her, haven’t I?”
He shook his head and grabbed my arm, guiding me toward his truck.
“I don’t know. I do know this isn’t going to help win her back.”
By the time Wade had driven me to the ranch and my place, I felt like I had sobered up. My head was pounding and I couldn’t get Scarlett’s face out of my mind.
“You need help getting in?” Wade asked.
I sat there for a few moments, not able to move.
I’ve lost her.
“Trevor?”
“Nah, I’m good, bro. Thanks for bringing me home.”
I went to get out of the truck, but he reached for my arm.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think she’s dating him, Trevor.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I forced a smile. “Thanks again, man. I appreciate it.”
I slowly made my way into the house, walking straight to the bar and pouring a shot of whiskey.
After I threw it back in one gulp, I set the shot glass on the bar and whispered, “I’ve lost her.”
Sitting on the sofa, I held the cup of hot tea in my hand and stared out the back window. A bird was currently eating away at the feeder in front of my large picture window that looked out over the massive backyard.
A tear slipped down my cheek, and I didn’t have the energy to wipe it away.
The knock on my front door startled me out of my daze. I froze. What if it was Trevor?
I knew I had to talk to him. I’d been avoiding him, fearing the moment he found out I was pregnant. I had no idea how he would react. Would he freak out like he did when he realized we had made love without a condom? Would he pull me into his arms and tell me everything would be okay? Or would he simply tell me I was on my own?
I knew the last one would never happen. I just didn’t believe the second would happen either.
My doorbell rang again, and I heard Amelia’s voice. I sprung up, nearly spilling my tea before setting it on the coffee table and rushing to the front door.
What if something had happened to Trevor?
Ugh, why do I even care?
I was reminded why I cared as a wave a nausea hit me.
I opened the door and forced a smile, pushing down the urge to throw up.
“Hey, is everything okay?” I asked.
Her bright smile seemed forced, but she didn’t seem like she was coming with bad news.
“Wade told me what happened last night. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
Her gaze looked past me and into the house.
“I’m not with Eric, and he’s not here.”
Relief washed over her face as I gestured for her to come in.
“Scarlett, I’m not sure what is or isn’t going on between you and my brother, but Wade said he’s never seen Trevor act the way he was acting last night. He said he seemed destroyed at the thought of you with another man.”
“Maybe you should be talking to your brother and not me.”
I covered my mouth as I closed my eyes. I was never rude like this. With a quick shake of my head, I dropped my hand and looked at Amelia. Her red hair was pulled into a ponytail and there was a glow about her. One that I recognized when I looked at my own face in the mirror. For a brief moment, I wondered if she might be pregnant as well.
“I’m sorry. That was rude. I don’t know what came over me and caused me to act like that. I’ve been working long hours at the courthouse, I think it’s catching up to me.”
She gave me a gentle smile. “I know what came over you. A Parker man.”
Sighing, I headed toward the kitchen. “You’ve got that right. Hot tea?”
“Oh, that sounds amazing. You wouldn’t happen to have peppermint? My stomach is…a bit upset.”
“Mine too. Each morning I have to have a cup or I’m throwing…” I trailed off my words and froze in place for a few seconds.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Turning, I smiled, but Amelia was staring at me. The look on her face seemed to be one of shock. As if we both had come to the same conclusion at the same time.
“Are you pregnant?” we both asked at once.
Amelia smiled, and I turned white as a ghost.
“Yes! I’m around thirteen weeks. We just found out and haven’t told anyone!” Amelia squealed with delight.
I forced a smile and wrapped her up in to my arms. “Congratulations, Amelia. I bet Wade is over the moon.”
She hugged me back tightly before pulling away. “He is. I’m due not too far behind Harley, April 30. My parents are going to be in grandchild heaven next year.”
I swallowed hard, the back of my throat cramped as I held my tears back. Then Amelia’s smile faded, and she grabbed my hands.
“Scarlett.”
Her voice cracked, and I knew she was reading me like an open book.
“Oh, Scarlett, is it Trevor’s baby?”
My chin trembled, and I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I finally was able to nod a couple of times.
Amelia pulled me back into her arms, and I
let the flood gates open. I wasn’t sure how long I cried in her arms, but it felt good that someone else knew. As of right now, it was only Maebh, Cord, and Eric. I hadn’t told anyone else. Not even my parents. I couldn’t take my father’s disappointment right now.
“Shhh, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”
My body shook as another round of sobs hit me.
“Come on, let’s sit down.” Amelia’s voice was strong and sure. That only made me feel more like an idiot. I wasn’t this type of woman. I wasn’t weak. I was strong, but this…all of this was throwing me, and I had no idea what to do about any of it.
“I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break down like that,” I said, taking the tissue Amelia had snagged on the way to the living room.
“I take it Trevor doesn’t know.”
“No. The only people who know are Maebh, Cord, Eric, and now you.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Cord and Maebh know?”
“I ran into them at the doctor’s office and, well, let’s just say I had a breakdown. Maebh was the first person I told, and I swore her to secrecy, but she told Cord. Unfortunately, she was in Eric’s office when she told him. She hadn’t seen him in there.”
Amelia smiled sweetly. “So that sort of makes sense why Eric was with you last night.”
“I was with Maebh last night. Eric was just walking me to my car when I saw Trevor with…um…some girl.”
She nodded. “He told Wade he wasn’t planning on being with her, if that helps any.”
I dragged in a deep breath. “It’s hard to see the man you’re in love with and whose baby your carrying hanging all over other women. Flirting with them, and not wanting to be with you.”
Amelia took my hands. “I don’t think Trevor feels that way.”
“The night we made this baby, he realized we had forgotten a condom and he freaked. He got up and left like it never happened. He didn’t say a word to me when he walked out. What’s he going to do when he finds out, Amelia? I’m scared to death he’ll think I’m trying to trap him.”
She scoffed. “He was the one who didn’t remember the condom. I know my brother, Scarlett. He wouldn’t abandon you or this child.”
Reckless Love Page 2