“You never told me that, baby girl?” Christian’s voice floats my way as Jenny nudges me gently and nods across the aisle. I had finally gotten into my book after all and blanked them all out as I was pulled into a magical world of Vampires and Werewolves fighting over human girls. I look up nonplussed, catching Arrick glancing my way with that infuriating unreadable expression and yet a softness to his face that I haven’t seen in a long time. He almost looks a little bit happy and it just makes me feel shittier.
“What?” I look to Christian, who is now leaning with elbows on his table casually and pondering me with an open expression, everyone seems to be looking at me. Which only makes me feel more antsy and confused.
What did I miss?
“That you were some sort of adrenaline junkie adventurer, who used to do things like base jump and snowboard with Arry here. He says he even taught you some self-defense moves when
I unload my clothes from my bag into my wardrobe, alone in my bedroom while Jenny and Christian are being shown to guest rooms downstairs, after a less stressful drive from the airport. Jake had two cars waiting for us upon landing; thankfully Arrick went with his brother and Nate in the other car and left us three to head to my parents” home in peace. My head and heart still reeling with the after-effects of being so near him for that journey. I just feel drained, uptight and antsy, like I am all out of whack and I can’t get my act together. I need some cooling off time to breathe and accept the fact that YES, that asshole still fucks me up whether I like it or not.Whether he deserves it to or not!I’m taking some time out after being welcomed home by my mom and dad, getting my head together after seeing him again. I must admit, I need this more than I thought I would. Being around him still hurts more than it should, part of me aching for
The Huntsberger house is transformed, the huge adjoining dining room and family room has been emptied through the day and now styled with floral arrangements and seating which pours out into the gardens from the wall of veranda doors. It’s looking like a huge function room in any classy hotel. Leila has always insisted on using “home” for her parties. I think it’s the little bit of sentimentality and that this place signifies safety and happy memories for her. It also means strictly no paparazzi for any of the more well-known guests and we can monitor who gets to come in and let everyone relax to have an enjoyable time.Food is being laid out in the adjoining TV room, music blaring from the sound system outside and a huge marquee, housing a bar and extended lounging area is set up. I can see a wooden floor for dan
The now arriving others, as Leila does the rounds forcing couples this way are soon starting to surround us, and I try my hardest to relax, tell myself this will not be that bad, that I can endure this. I turn towards him when he draws me to the middle and hesitate, swallowing hard, breathing harder when faced with his body edging against mine and don’t know how else to play this, except look completely out of my depth.“Relax. It’s just a dance, sure Christian won’t mind.” Arrick says flatly, looking over my head as though watching people come onto the floor behind us. I guess he can see or sense my tension. My expression must be one of shell shock. We stand awkwardly for a moment before he slides his hand to my waist and tugs me into him, softly and slowly. Lifting his free hand and offering it to me, so I get the choice if I want to touch him again or not. I t
“Sophiee, you know I lurve you a million times over babes.” Leila slurs over the top of me, alcohol breath almost flooring me with its sheer toxicity, captured in her crazily strong embrace as we both sway. I’m a little worse for wear too, having drunk one too many champagne cocktails. The party is wearing down, but Leila is beyond wrecked and slobbering a gush of emotion all over me as I try to say my goodbyes to her.“Baby, come on, Sophs is being suffocated by the fumes coming off you.” Daniel is trying to extract his wife’s arms from me and guide her towards the door, “trying” being the word, as he fights with octopus limbs in a bid to coax her away. A lot of guests have departed already, and Leila is being taken home to pass out or get up to whatever they get up to when drunk and childless in an empty house for the night. I do not even want to know what my sister and her husband are into if I am being honest, the thought te
“I deserve that and more, Sophie. My life is nothing without you. You have no idea how many times a day I think about you, how much it eats me up every second that I made you leave me. How much I just want you back in my life, even if I only get to be friends.” He’s still sniffing back tears, making my heart ache harder and I am trying so hard to hold myself together. Guilt adding itself onto the list of crazy feelings and emotions piling up in my head. I am close to hysteria and about as near the cliff of insanity as one can get before leaping off.“You didn’t make me leave you. You chose someone else and then told me to go. There is an enormous difference. You can’t undo that.” I throw back, my voice equally ravaged with raw pain and tears, so it hurts my throat, losing all the resolve to stay aggressive and angry and becoming more and more weak and childlike, reverting to fragility I rarely show. Body in defensive mode and mo
Arrick moves into my mouth again, seemingly unable to stand the distance, kissing me as passionately as he can, hands ravaging my hair and throat in a bid to keep me close as humanly possible. I can’t withstand his kiss, how it makes me feel, from inside out, an ache and yearning, burning to an almost unbearable fever pitch. His tongue finds mine, pushing us further into the sort of kissing that leaves no misinterpretation to how much he wants to have sex with me. His hands moving down to cup my breast as he pushes against me, my work their way inside his shirt, unbuttoning as I go and revealing that expanse of hard naked torso and tattoos. He presses a knee between my thighs, the pressure making me writhe and grind back to him. We both know where this is heading, and I don’t even hesitate about whether I want it or not.He slides his leg further between my legs and moves in against me seductively teasing me sexually as his muscle rubs my softness. I let out a sof
“Sophie … Sophie? Look at me, come back to me.” His soft voice brings me back to my senses and I realize my legs are closed, my tense body held rigidly and curled up in the fetal position. He’s not inside me anymore and somehow, I’m being cradled in his arms, my face turned away from him. Beside him and gasping for breath, his arms around my upper body as he holds me tight against him and strokes the hair back from my tear-stained face. “Just breathe, slow and steady. You’re safe, it’s me, it’s Arry. You’re safe with me.” I zone back in, realizing I am gripping his arm with deadly intent, my nails digging in, yet he doesn’t seem to care. My face is soaked, and I am so dizzy I can barely get my head together. I don’t know where I went, or for how long I went there, but the taste of blood in my mouth shocks me and I’m confused and scared. My whole body shivering
A loud buzzing noise rouses me from the hazy darkness when I realize I am in a bed that’s not mine, a familiar arm tossed casually across my waist and sheets pulled up over me to my chin. Confused and disorientated, I blink my eyes open, blurriness clouding my instinct to be concerned and begin looking for the god-awful noise with a groan.Arrick groans next to me, reaching out to smack a nearby alarm clock and sends it crashing to the ground, except the noise perseveres and the next thing to meet hard floor is his cell as he swipes it off into the room, bringing silence once more.I sigh, a moment of relief, followed by the sudden realization that I am in bed with him, his bed, in his old room at his parents” house, and completely naked. Filtering through snippets of being kissed, undressed and “oh, my God” he had his tongue on my …I woosh awake fully, in utter shock, eyes snapping open properly as I turn my head to get a complet