Frayed

by Pamela Ann

  I was out on the patio playing Bejeweled Blitz when Taylor sought me out with an overly-excited grin on his face. “Come here, I have a surprise for you.” He held out his hand to me.

  Beaming, I placed mine in his before he dragged us out of the cottage. “What is it? It’s nothing weird, right?” I hoped it wasn’t.

  He led us down to the beach and started walking towards the right, the opposite direction of civilization. “Taylor?” I asked nervously when it started to get darker around us. The lights from the cottages where almost gone, but he kept walking ahead.

  “Calm down, I’m not going to murder you.”

  I smacked his stomach as he laughed at me. “That’s not funny, idiot. It’s just dark and I can’t see where we’re going. I’m scared that’s all.”

  “Aw, baby. You have nothing to be scared of when I’m with you. I promise I’ll protect you with my life, scouts honor.”

  I snorted at him. “Yeah right, there were no boy scouts at your boarding school in Switzerland!”

  He kept on laughing. “That’s right, there weren’t, but still, I mean it. We’re almost there now . , K k eep walking, lazy cat.”

  I was stunned when I saw what he had done for me. Ahead was a big bonfire, a sleeping bag, a large blanket laid out with food, wine and pastries, all surrounded with red rose petals. The heady scent lingered in the air. “I didn’t know you were so romantic,” I whispered in awe of the man who did all this for me. I took my sandals off and felt the soft petals on my feet as they sunk in the sand.

  “I hide that trait very well. It only comes out during the full moon.” He leaned over and kissed me passionately. “Do you like it? You said you wanted to do it under the stars and I wanted to be the one you got plenty of experience of that with.”

  No man has ever done anything this romantic for me. Not a one. I was unequivocally touched. “I love it, pretty boy. Thank you. Thank you!”

  “You’re very welcome. Let’s eat before I devour you instead of the food.” Taylor kissed my forehead before he led me towards the blanket that was covered in petals, too.

  While we sat, enjoying our wine, Taylor took a piece of charred beef in his fingers and fed me. “Taylor, did you forget forks?”

  “I didn’t, but I want to feed you with my hands. I want to feel your mouth suck and lick them while you enjoy the food.”

  Dear, Lordy. I was a sucker for th e i s e shit romantic gestures . “You’re on a roll tonight, aren’t you Mr. Boss?”

  “Boss will most definitely be rolling non-stop tonight. All night long, baby.”

  Tonight, it was just us. Not even my mind or conscience could intrude on our night together.

  He took his time undressing me, placing small kisses here and there until I was completely naked. My heart was beating erratically and I was mesmerized as he slowly undressed before me. His eyes never left mine.

  We stood gazing at each other, naked. The fire crackled close by, but all I saw was this man, who was bulldozing his way into me, pounding cracks into the solid barriers I had erected. It was like a magnetic force, it was too powerful to resist as we closed the gap. When our lips touched, I opened up to him. I kissed with everything that I was, everything he meant to me, and everything he’d made me feel. Beautiful, that’s what Taylor made me feel—truly, positively, exactly and irresistibly beautiful.

  We kissed as he slowly lowered me down on the blanket. He was atop me as his hands and lips were busy with my face and neck, kissing me like I was the most precious thing he’d ever held. “I want you,” I whispered against his mouth as I opened my legs wider to accommodate him. His hard length nestled in between my wet parted lips, but he didn’t seem too eager to move.

  “You will have me, I just want to savor you slowly, Trista. We have all night. I promise to make it worth your while if you let me take the lead, hmm?” I gave a frustrated groan as my hips started to move against his shaft, wetting it with my essence as he kissed me. “You’re not very good with instructions are you?”

  “Nah-uh.” He should know that by now.

  “Then let me show you how a man makes love to a woman, Trista. I’m challenged to change your mind.”

  And by God did he just. We made love with such slowness and sweetness, I was sure I was coming pure sugar.

  After coming apart four times in a row, I was sure my vocal cords were ready to join the opera house. My hazy mind diminished even more when Taylor’s eyes bored into mine. “I hope that someday you will find the happiness you desperately seek, Trista.”

  I hoped so, too. He had no idea how much.

  Chapter 22

  Trista

  After having a quick lunch at one of the island’s taverna, Taylor was adamant we learned how to fish with nets when one of the old folks invited us to join them.

  “Hey! If the world ended tomorrow and we had to live like they did back in the Stone Age, I think it’s in our best interest to learn how to survive and catch fish. Since we both live close to the Pacific Ocean, it’s the most plausible solution. You’ll thank me for it. Get up off of your lazy bum now, Lady p Princess.” Taylor grabbed both of my hips and lifted me to stand. “I love it when you’re almost obedient.” He bent over and kissed me.

  So we learned to fish with nets, laughing and telling each other jokes as we stood there, the water almost to our chests as we waded about.

  “Our summer’s almost over. The month flew by quickly, huh?” Taylor closed our gap and pulled me close to his chest.

  There were things that needed to be addressed. “It did. School beckons. I’m actually excited to head back this time.” I was enveloped in his arms as I breathed him in. His scent mixed with the sea. I was going to miss this, but we hadn’t discussed what was to happen once we left Greece. I had told him that this was to be a one-time, summer fling, but I didn’t know if that was what I wanted anymore.

  The last four weeks were blissful and spending them with him made them all the better.

  “I know,” Taylor smiled down at me, melting everything around me as his lips came down on mine.

  We were walking back to the cottage, right after sundown, when I noticed a familiar figure waiting outside for someone.

  All blood left my face when I saw who it was.

  “So this is the man you’re fucking to forget me, Trista?”

  FUCK.

  Taylor started to move, but I pushed on his hard chest to stop him from doing so. That didn’t stop him from dishing out a threatened remark. “Watch your fucking mouth! I will knock you the fuck out the next time you insult her.” He spat, infuriated, at the unperturbed Harry. Taylor was in full protective mode.

  “Truth hurts, doesn’t it? Knowing how she is, I bet she screamed my name while you were doing her.” The evil smile vanished as his eyes leveled with Taylor. “She’s mine. You might’ve enjoyed her body for a few weeks, but that ends now.” Harry then turned to look at me. “You and I have a lot to talk about regarding our future. I came to ask you to marry me.”

  I gasped. No fucking way! My head shook in disbelief. “I don’t believe you.” Marry him? He was divorcing Becka? Oh, no. Fuck!

  From behind, Taylor grasped my hand, trying to pull me away. “Come with me. Let’s go.”

  My flabbergasted face never left Harry’s. My eyes bore questions while his eyes told me everything I needed to know. Everything I feared to know. He left my cousin, and their baby, for me. “You can’t do that, Harry. No…” He couldn’t have. For months, I had longed to be with him, but the consequences were too high. I had finally realized that.

  Now that my wish was to be granted, I was more than conflicted. Could I do it? Be with him knowing I’d made him leave Becka and their baby? It was abhorrent, but, back in the day, this wouldn’t even have been a question. I would’ve gone to hell and back just to be in his arms, to be with him and make him mine, forever. Married to Harry as my husband…

  Harry’s face didn’t falter as he responded. “It’s already done
. I love you and I’m risking it all to be with you, Trista.”

  Taylor tugged my arms and spun me around. “This man has done enough damage to last you a lifetime, Tris. Don’t give him another chance to hurt you.” Those green eyes looked desperate as he tried to reason with my heart and my mind. “Be with me, Trista.”

  No, don’t ruin this. Not right in front of Harry, I pleaded with my eyes. “Taylor, don’t do this—”

  From behind, Harry interrupted. “You heard her, lady. She’s basically telling you to go away.”

  No…wait. “Please…” Don’t go.

  Taylor’s nose flared while his eyes darkened. His hand was slowly letting go of mine.

  “Hey! What the hell is going on? Is this man Harry?” Lindsey sprinted from the tiny street along with Bass, Emma and Dimitris. “Leave her alone, you pig! You can’t just come here and expect her to come running back into your arms after you dumped her like she was a piece of paper. You need to leave!” Lindsey was ready to pummel Harry’s ass to the ground, but Emma held her back.

  Harry broke lose as he spat back at Lindsey, at us. “I hadn’t planned on leaving her. I swear! It just came out that way. Things got too complicated with the baby involved. It wasn’t supposed to end like that. We weren’t supposed to end at all.”

  Oh no!!! Not like this. I never intended for them to find out like this, most especially Taylor—who went completely still after I heard him take a sharp breath.

  “What baby is he talking about Trista?” Lindsey was looking at Harry and back to me. She looked alarmed and sad at the same time as she tried to comprehend everything at once.

  “Fuck. I’m sorry. I thought they knew. The way she verbally attacked me, I thought she knew.” Harry strode to my side and cupped my tear-stained face. “I’m sorry.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me? You should’ve told me…” Lindsey trailed off as her eyes immediately sought Emma’s. “Why aren’t you saying anything? You knew didn’t you?”

  Emma nodded, biting her lip as she looked at me. “I did, but it wasn’t my secret to tell, Linds.”

  Lindsey’s teary eyes darted to my bare stomach before she looked at my face. “Your stomach is still flat, and for the last few weeks, you have been with Taylor… so, I’m guessing, there’s no baby anymore, is there?”

  I shook my head in response, crying in earnest as my body started to shiver.

  “I’m sorry, Tris…” Lindsey started to cry, but Dimitris was there to gather her in his arms.

  After a full minute of silence, Harry started to move. “I’m going to take her inside. We have things to talk about. I hope you all understand that.” He addressed Emma and Lindsey, who both nodded at his statement.

  As Harry was guiding me towards the cottage, I chanced to look at Taylor. He was rooted to the spot, his head down and staring at the cemented road.

  Chapter 23

  Trista

  We were inside the living room as Harry waited for me to finish crying. As much as I tried to stop the tears, my tear ducts had their own agenda.

  “I’m sorry for outing you like that with your friends. I really thought they knew or I wouldn’t have said it like that. I’m so sorry.” Harry sat on his heels as he covered my hands with his. “I’m sorry for everything. I’ll make it up to you for the rest of my life if I have to.”

  He was here to ask me for marriage. How was that even possible after what I had been through? Now he was back and I didn’t know what to say or do. I was back to that old self. The overwhelming feeling of being around him again was decapitating me, making me mindless. Harry then did the craziest thing. He got on one knee and took out a mauve, velvet ring box. Oh. Hell!!!

  “Our love hasn’t been easy for us, but I believe in it. There’s more hardship ahead of us, but I know we can get through it as long as we have each other. I’ve been selfishly stupid and I will never forgive myself for walking out on you that night. I’ve regretted it every day. I didn’t know how I much love I had for you until I had lost you, Trista. I can’t stand not to have you in my life. You have me, my heart, forever. Marry me and I vow to be your loyal, loving husband, who will love and cherish you, for the rest of your life.” Harry, for the very first time, had tears in his eyes. His hands pried the box open to reveal a large, princess-cut, five-carat diamond ring on an eternity band. The ring was absolutely perfect.

  His proposal moved me, more than words could say, but doubts still lurked within me. The trust I once had for him was no longer present. “You have no idea how I’ve dreamt of this happening. I still love you, but I don’t know what to say right now. So much has happened. No promises or vows will ever change that.”

  “I understand and I don’t want to force you.” His finger took hold of the ring out of the box and placed it on my shaky ring finger. “Think about it. This ring was meant for you. I know I can’t stay here tonight and I have to get back home anyway.” Harry moved and sat next to me on the couch, seeking my lips as he slowly kissed me. “I’ll be waiting for you when you get home. I hope by then it will be enough time for you to think it through. I love you. In my heart, you knew you were the only one in it.”

  Sadly, I somehow did know, but before I managed to speak, the cottage door was violently opened, smacking against the wall. The loud bang echoed throughout the place. Taylor’s face clouded as he took in how close Harry was to my lips. His purposeful strides didn’t falter, his undaunted focus solely on Harry.

  Harry stood up and yelled at Taylor. “Listen, this is none of your busin—”

  Taylor didn’t care to speak before his knuckles connected to Harry’s jaw, twice, before Harry was knocked back on the floor. Harry tried to stop Taylor, but the man was blinded with rage. “How the fuck do you figure you can just barge in here after you left her to wither and rot with guilt?” His other fist connected to the unaffected jaw before he angrily grabbed Harry’s chin and spat at him. I screamed in the background, however Taylor wasn’t able to hear me through his pounding. “Men like you don’t deserve to live.” Taylor was about to punch him again, but Bass and Lindsey rushed to his side and tried to hold him down.

  “That’s enough. That man got your message.” Bass pointed at the bruised and bloodied face of Harry.

  The thunderous face Taylor gave me then stilled my heart. I had never seen a man so possessed with violent anger than this man before me now. “Of all the things to be embarrassed about, Trista, you should be more embarrassed to love a weak man who couldn’t even protect you. Married or not—a man’s love is supposed to protect a woman, not hurt them with it.” He turned back to Harry, “That’s where you miserably failed.” His eyes caught the ring on my finger. “Unfuckingbelievable!” He said out loud before he strode out of the cottage.

  Dimitris picked up the semiconscious Harry. “Let’s get him cleaned up and I’ll have my pilot fly him out of here.”

  “Is he okay? He doesn’t look it.” Lindsey scanned his face when Dimitris and Bass placed him on a chair while Emma was busy getting stuff to clean his wounds.

  Dimitris busted out a cruel laugh before he planted a chaste kiss on Lindsey’s forehead. “He should be grateful he only had to face Taylor. Bass and I were more than happy to help out, but I think Taylor did a good job beating the unforgivable ass.”

  After Emma handed the guys what they needed to clean his cuts and bruises, the ladies came over to me, since I was in bright utter shock. “Here’s some iced water. Drink some, please.”

  “Taylor acted like any man would. He cares for you. You shouldn’t be mad at him.” Lindsey soothed my back while Emma wiped my tear-stained face with a cold cloth.

  “I’m not mad at him. I’m just…” Everything. I was feeling everything at the moment.

  The guys again promised to fly Harry off of the island. Harry, though, didn’t leave until he made me promise that I would give him an answer when I arrived back home. Once he left, I knew there was one thing I needed to do, seek out the man who helped me.
r />   ***

  I found his dark figure in the alcove, sitting gloomily. The moonlight gave his form an untouchable look of beauty. Without glancing at me, he spoke out loud. “I’m leaving tomorrow.”

  “You’re really leaving? You don’t have to.”

  He nodded, staring at the dark sea. “Guess you’re back together?” There was a tinge of sadness in his voice.

  I so badly wanted to erase it, but in my confused state, I didn’t know how. “No. I’m still thinking about it. I’ve waited for this all year, but now that it’s here, I don’t know what to think of it; to be really honest with you.”

  “I’m sure you’re just overwhelmed. You’ll be jumping for joy once the shock settles. If he really makes you happy, then that’s where you should be; with him.”

  He never failed to address my happiness and I knew he meant well, but this wasn’t the time for that. I needed answers. “Taylor, about what you said earlier before everyone got back—”

  Taylor sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling wildly before he responded. “That was random. I didn’t mean to put you in an awkward position.”

  It might’ve been random, but his eyes told me differently. “Did you mean them though?”

  “Sadly, yes, I did. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. I’ll get over it. I’m sure you understand why I can’t stay here even if you girls are leaving in a couple of days. I was supposed to visit my brother in Paris a couple of weeks ago anyway, but I’ve been stalling.”

  He never once mentioned anything about leaving to go to Paris, ever. “What? Why would you do that?”

  Taylor shrugged, still not looking at me. “Shit happened.”

  I wanted to say more, but I didn’t know what. Everything would’ve sounded so trite. “Taylor—”

  “Really, Trista. I’m sick of talking.” Taylor decided to stand up and quietly placed his hands in his pocket. He stood tall, handsome and suddenly in control. I stared back at his intimidating form, wanting to say a lot, yet I didn’t know where to start. Taylor had been there for me even if I hadn’t asked him to. He had been there and offered to be my pillar of strength, for weeks I had been dependent on him. The very thought of that made me feel scared. He was leaving and I wouldn’t have him around to push me back into sanity if I needed it. I would have to stand on my own feet.