Chapter – 12

“Hey, Rose, Jeff is looking for you,” Mike said, his free arm slung over my shoulder as he nursed a fancy drink.

“Oh, I’ll be right back.”

“So, what’s up, Ari?” Mike asked. “Or should I say, sister…”

“Mike…”

“I’m so happy for you, Ari.” He kissed my forehead. “I know I warned you before, but I see how much Orlando has changed. Hoping for the best for you two.”

“Thanks, Mike.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Look, I don’t know what future holds, but I can tell he would never hurt you like Brian did. I know that much.”

Before I could respond, the music stopped, and I saw Jeff climbing over a table. My eyes widened. Oh, my God! This is it. My phone. I patted down my hidden pockets, finding my phone in a hurry, not wanting to miss this beautiful moment. I’d been waiting for this for what felt like forever.

The crowd parted, clearing the path for Rosie as the lights dimmed. Two spotlights illuminated the couple as Jeff laughed nervously. Someone handed him a mic. “Rosalinda…” Jeff breathed. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment since last summer. Then I realized the time was always right, and I was a fool not to see it before.”

I couldn’t help the tears that stung my eyes—happy tears as I recorded everything.

“I’m one of the luckiest assholes in this world, literally. I was lost without you. I found my passion in you.” Jeff climbed down the table and made his way to the sobbing mess that was my friend. “Rosalinda Pike, my speech sucks, so I’ll stop right there and would like to ask the question that has been on my mind.” He went down on his knee and produced the ring I helped him choose. “Will you make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”

Rosie sobbed as she nodded vigorously. “Yes!” She jumped into his waiting arms and kissed him as he slipped the ring on her finger.

Tears now flowed freely down my cheeks as I recorded every moment. Suddenly, the scene changed in my mind’s eye, and it was Brian who knelt instead of Jeff. It was Alana who kissed him instead of me. I sucked in a sharp breath and blinked away my tears. Everything was coming back, crashing down on me.

Crap! I thought I was over this shit.

I made my way quickly back toward my room. The clothes were once again suffocating me. I blindly swiped my phone, finding Orlando’s number and calling him. I need him. Only Orlando seemed to chase away my demons.

“Arianna?”

“I need you, please…”

“I’m coming.”

“Come to my room.”

“Almost there.”

I tripped several times in my attempt to get to the safety of my room while I clawed at my dress, trying to loosen the knots that pressed at my chest. Just as I entered my room, Orlando rushed in. My vision blurred as I gasped for breath, crawling on the floor. I felt like a fish out of water.

Orlando got down on his knees, working on my dress, cursing when he couldn’t figure out which knot was where. It was all messed up. I saw him rush to the bathroom in my peripheral vision. When he returned, all I could hear for a while was the sound of clothes being ripped. He was cutting away the fabric and then used his hands to tear it.

Air rushed to my lungs, and I gulped greedily, gasping and breathing through my mouth. “Easy, there,” Orlando murmured. “Keep breathing, Arianna. I’m here.”

His hands now ran down my back, and I realized my top half was bare. I staggered to my feet, wanting to get rid of the clothing that still confined my lower half. “Please get it off.”

“Okay, take it slow. It’s okay. I’m here for you.” Orlando caught me before I could trip again. Violent sobs wracked my body as he worked on the rest of my clothing.

“I hate him!” I cried. Cold air from the air conditioner brushed my bare skin as Orlando carefully lifted my feet, removing the remnants of the gown. “I hate that bastard.”

“Shh…” Orlando cupped my face, his eyes boring into mine. “It’s over now, Arianna.”

I nodded as I concentrated on the gray of his eyes. “I let him do this to me.” I cried more. “I hate the person I’ve become.”

“You’ve become stronger, Arianna. You’ve become a better person.”

“I don’t feel like it.” I shook my head. “One moment, I was happy for Rosie and Jeff. The next, all I could see and think about was him. The way he chose her. How he proposed to her.”

Orlando was silent. His eyes scanned me. “We need to get you dressed. You’re cold.”

I wasn’t. But my breath hitched when he turned away from me. Realization of what he would’ve seen dawned as my hands flew to my bare chest. I vaguely remember the assistant stopping me from wearing my bra and dressing me up in a cotton petticoat instead. Oh, God!

Orlando was searching my closet while I stood rooted to the floor. Cover yourself with a blanket. It was too late, though. Orlando was already walking toward me with my t-shirt in his hand and his eyes fixed on my face. No words were spoken when he helped me with the t-shirt. His eyes were on my face the entire time while I admired the marble floor.

I took the pajama bottoms from his hand silently and pulled them over the boxer panties I insisted on wearing that evening, secretly glad at least that was modest.

“I’ll ask someone to bring dinner here.” He went to the phone.

“I don’t want anything,” I whispered. Exhaustion washed over me, and I was emotionally drained. The evening started off well, and I found enjoying myself after a while. I never had panic attacks before. “Lay with me.”

Orlando stopped, his face neutral. He shrugged off his coat and removed his tie and shoes before climbing into the bed. Without another word, I climbed beside him, resting my head on his chest. His one hand encircled my waist as the other pulled the blanket over us.

I snuggled further, letting my tears fall. I breathed in his cologne. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For breaking down like that. I didn’t know what to do,” I confessed. “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?”

“I did.”

I wanted to ask more but decided against it. We were quiet for a while. I sighed contentedly when his fingers massaged my scalp, absentmindedly running through my hair. I couldn’t help but compare Orlando and Brian again. How different they were. I tipped my head to see Orlando’s eyes closed. Two of his shirt buttons were open, revealing his tan skin. His free hand rested on his chest.

“I never had panic attacks before. I ruined your time with Dean, didn’t I?”

His eyes opened and focused on me. “No, you didn’t.” His knuckles brushed my cheek before pushing the loose strands out of my 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.”

“You know me better than that, Arianna. I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep.”

“I’m confused, Orlando. I like what’s between us, but I’m too scared to talk about it.”

“Then don’t.”

“What’s your advice?”

“Just follow your heart.” His voice was a few octaves lower.

Tears stung my eyes again. I wanted to kiss him right then. “Okay.” My gaze went to his lips, lingering longer than it should. When I shifted my focus, I found him watching me intently. “I want to kiss you,” I said, my voice husky.

“What’s stopping you?” he asked.

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

“I’ll never reject you, Arianna. If you want to kiss me, then you should just do it.”

His words were soothing, and once again, my lips stretched, forming a smile. I threw my leg over, climbing on top of him. When I closed the distance between our lips, I knew I wanted more. Orlando let me lead the kiss.

Soft and tentative at first.

My tongue darted out, tasting his firm lips. His mouth opened for me. He tasted like oranges. My hands pressed on his chest for balance as I adjusted my position. His hands encircled me, running over my back as his head rose to meet my lips.

This was nothing like when he kissed me the first time. I thought that was to distract me, and when he behaved as if nothing happened, I shrugged it off. But this was intense.

Consuming…

Claiming…

When he switched positions, I felt his growing hardness against my core. His hands held mine locked above my head. A soft moan escaped my lips when he rolled his hips. My legs spread wider, and my hip arched, trying to get him where I ached the most.

Orlando’s lips left mine to pepper kisses along my jaw. When they met the soft spot on my neck, I panted. His teeth scraped my skin, nipping before sucking at the same spot. One of his hands climbed lower, resting just below the swell of my breast. My nipples hardened as they brushed against his chest. I wanted to get closer to him; it wasn’t enough.

Then, abruptly, he stilled. “We should stop.”

I blinked, trying to rein in my raging hormones. Why would he want to stop now? It felt good.

“I want you. But we should give it more time.” Orlando was breathing harder.

“Okay.” Disappointment clouded me, but his words made sense. I didn’t want to be alone tonight. “Can you hold me?”

“Sure.” He cleared his throat before lying beside me. I turned over, pressing my back to him. He held me like he did when we slept in our tent.

“Good night, Orlando.”

“Good night, Arianna.”