Resisting Her (Moving On Duology Book 2)

by Catherine Edward

  A picture of a shirtless man greeted me on my Instagram account. In the photo, I stood facing the ocean, stretching my body as waves kissed my feet. It was surprising and heart-warming simultaneously.

  Noticing a good deal of hate-filled, jealous comments underneath, I typed a comment. Something I never did before. I never ever pressed that little heart button before because I didn’t want her to know I religiously followed her posts.

  _CortezO_: That’s encouraging.

  It was the same time she got out of the water, walking toward the shades. Water droplets cascaded around her body, making my insides jealous. Hands itched again to wipe them off her body.

  My sole attention was on her. The guys moved the table to the center and repositioned the chairs while I gawked. Arianna’s lips once again held that confident smile that was missing for a while. As she removed her shorts, my eyes trailed down the curves of her short frame.

  When her peach bottoms came into view, my breath hitched. I shouldn’t be looking at her that way, but I couldn’t help it. I was a moth attracted to her fire. My heart galloped within my chest, but there was no stopping the emotions now they were out of control. How long had it been since I felt anything for a woman?

  Arianna sat on one of the empty chairs, checking her phone. I knew the exact moment when she read my comment. The colors on her cheeks rose as she threw a secret glance my way. I wanted to trace that pink tint I loved so much. She averted her gaze to the floor, watching me in her peripheral vision when I went to sit beside her.

  Our phones beeped simultaneously with notifications as Chiara, Skyler and Rosalinda responded to the comments under Arianna’s Instagram post. They replied to each snide remark with a sarcastic response that made me laugh. Their friendship amazed me. These women made the Cortez household livelier. She inclined her body toward mine. With a smile, I typed a message to her.

  This bikini suits you well.

  The pink on her cheeks grew in my peripheral vision before our friends distracted us.

  An hour later, when Mike invited her for a round on the jet ski, she declined with a tight smile. She watched, clicking photos of them while I strode along the beach, barking orders to the security team stationed in the sea and on the shore. My heart lurched seeing Enrique on jet ski again. He is not drunk. And, Chiara was with him. But that wasn’t enough to calm my nerves.

  “The sun will set soon. Let's ride the jet ski and meet back at the yacht for dinner,” Enrique suggested. I wanted to say no, but held my tongue, knowing I shouldn’t control his decisions. There was a fine line between looking after someone and controlling their actions.

  “Orlando, hope you don't mind taking Ari with you,” Mike yelled as he dragged Skyler away. I welcomed the distraction and turned to see the horrified expression on her face. Is she afraid?

  “You don't have to...” Her trembling voice trailed. “I don't want to be trouble.” Hazel eyes darted to the sides and fingers fiddled with the hem of her trousers.

  Is she nervous because of me?

  “You’re no trouble.”

  Didn’t she want to ride with me? The thought was unsettling. I couldn’t stomach the simple fact. It could be something else. The reasoning wasn’t convincing enough when my own insecurities sprang free from the depths of my mind. Without another word, I turned and strode toward my jet ski, climbing on it. Am I misreading the signs? No. She wouldn’t be posting my photo on social media if she wasn’t interested, would she?

  My shoulders relaxed when I noticed her following me and it was then I realized I was gripping the handle too tight. Why am I angry? I had no answer. And, when she climbed, she didn’t make a move to hold me.

  “You'll have to hold me if you don't want to fall off.” Her hesitation could be because of fear, but she showed no fear when she bathed in the sea. Even now she appeared confident, showing only traces of discomfort. Rejection slipped my heart. It shouldn’t matter. She is just a friend. The reasoning once again failed. Her arms encircled my waist tentatively at first and then in a death grip as I accelerated the engine.

  The jet ski shot forward, full of life. The sound of its motor drowned the surrounding sounds as it ripped through the water. The feel of the wind on my face was exhilarating. Adrenaline rushed to my brain as simultaneously her scream ripped through the air, piercing my eardrums. Confused, I slowed the engine to a stop. Her grip was too tight that I couldn’t turn to face her. “Stop screaming! We are not moving.”

  “Oh, God!”

  “No, no, no, no, no.”

  Her grip loosened and her breathing grew erratic. Eyes so wide, she acted as if she woke from a nightmare. Crap. I misread the signs.

  “Take me back!”

  Her panicked voice demanded. She was hyperventilating and I still couldn’t move. Nails scratched at my chest from where she gripped me.

  “Take me back.”

  “Oh, God! This is...”

  I had to do something. Her fear was squeezing my heart. Guilt washed over me. I should’ve checked if she was okay with the sea. I should’ve asked. My selfish, arrogant ass was too busy to notice it earlier.

  “Orlando...” Fear and panic poured out of her. Her face grew red and eyes wider.

  “Relax, Arianna.”

  “Please take me back.”

  “Okay. We can go back once you have calmed down,” I pacified.

  “I'm calm.” Her trembling voice claimed and her hold on me eased a bit. But I could still sense her fear.

  “I'm going to turn around and we’re going to go back, okay.” She pressed her cheek flush in my bare back as I gently patted her hands.

  “Okay.”

  “Wait!”

  “Now what?” I snapped, regretting it immediately. Crap. Once again, I felt like shit. It was my mistake she was in a situation like this. Her fear was the reason for hesitation. My anger at my own self got the best of me. Damn. I should fucking get hold of this temper.

  “I'll come to the front.”

  Her response took me by surprise. “You want to drive?” Now, that amused me. Why else would she want to come to the front?

  “No. It's just... I'm scared.”

  Well…if she came to the front her view to the sea won’t help her. Then, an idea popped in my head. As genuine it was at first, my evil twin poked its head from inside.

  Our group was nowhere in the vicinity. The security guards watched us from a short distance. A wave of my hand would get their boat closer, but for some selfish reason, I didn’t want to do that. Her hold on me tightened when I tried to loosen her grip.

  “You do realize that you can only move if you let go of me, right?” The ski bobbed in the water and her hold tightened more. I shouldn’t enjoy this, but I did. I liked the way she held onto me. “I suggest you close your eyes.” Fuck. My voice grew husky. Not something I did intentionally.

  Arianna obeyed immediately. I turned my upper torso and lifted her. With her eyes closed, her hands looped around my neck, unwilling to let go as I adjusted her on my lap. Slender thighs pressed against my strong ones. I could feel the slight tremor in them. Despite the situation we were in, I couldn’t help but admire how it felt to hold her that way. It has been years since I held a woman so close. Her breathing fanned my face. What would she do when she realizes how close she is?

  “Can we go now?” I asked, sensing the slight shiver of her body.

  Her eyes snapped open, her gaze doing a quick sweep around us before trailing down my naked chest. “Why aren't you wearing a life jacket?”

  “I don't need one.”

  “What if you fall?”

  “Why did you come if you’re afraid of the water?”

  Her lips quirked, eliciting a nervous laugh. “I'm not usually afraid. Being out here in the open makes me uneasy.” Teeth nipped at her lower lip, something she often did.

  “Now that your position is changed, do you think we can go for a round?” I asked, swallowing the urge to trace her cheek.

 
“I don't know.” Her tone unsure, her nervous gaze flicked around us.

  “Hold on to me. If you aren't comfortable, then we head back to the shore, okay?” We could go back. If we did, she’d miss what I wanted to show her. It was Enrique’s plan and I couldn’t wait for it.

  “Okay.” She inched closer.

  When the engine powered up, she buried her face into the crook of my neck and her hands wrapped around my torso. Crap. I could go on like this forever. My heart skipped a beat and had been erratic the entire time she held me like that.

  “Orlando... we are... oh, God!”

  Her trembling voice once again stuttered with fear after a few minutes. With a soft chuckle, I shut off the power. We were here already.

  “What's happening?”

  She looked around.

  “I forgot to check the fuel tank.” Instead of offering comfort, I teased. My action surprised me. With Arianna, I had no answer to several questions.

  “What? You forgot to check your fuel tank?”

  Her reaction was hilarious. It was a task to not laugh and ruin the moment. My hands cupped her face and stopped her from looking around. “Don't look.”

  “I...I...”

  “Arianna...”

  Her fear rose, I could see it in her eyes. But somehow I knew she wouldn’t regret coming here. Her lips were parted as her gaze scanned the background again. While a part of me knew I should take her back, another part of me wanted to show the beauty that was worth the effort. She was safe in my arms and I said to myself it was okay. She’d relax once she saw there was no danger here.

  “Look at me.”

  “I don't want to die yet,” she squeaked.

  “You won't.”

  My jaws clenched. I didn’t bring her here to die. No. Her breath fanned my lips and before I could stop, I kissed her.

  Soft. That was the first thought that surfaced in my mind. She wasn’t responding. Her body was stiff in my arms and regret filled me. I knew I should stop. Still, due to the unrelenting greed, my tongue darted out briefly tasting her. When I pulled away, her eyes were wide open and she blinked as if to clear her vision. Her breath whooshed out.

  “Turn around.” I hid my guilt and disappointment. I wanted to apologize, but no words formed. What the fuck did I do? Now she would hate me.

  “Huh?”

  Her eyes blinked again.

  “Unhook your legs from my waist.”

  The simple kiss had my heart racing. Clearing my throat, I pulled on the emotionless mask, acting normal.

  “Oh.”

  There it was again, the pink tint on her cheeks as she averted her gaze. Relief flooded me as she fumbled. Her face was redder and I knew it wasn’t due to anger. No. She’d be frying me over a saucepan and seasoning me with pepper and salt if she was furious. Arianna was silent. And, that silence spoke volumes. She was also blushing. Her pale skin made it so obvious.

  She hadn’t berated me for the kiss yet. Growing bolder by the minute, I demanded, “Stand up and keep your eyes on me.”

  When she turned, an awestruck look crossed her face. Together, we looked at the orange hues of the setting sun. It was a vision to behold. The sight was serene with no interruption of mankind. Just nature and us.

  “It's so beautiful,” she whispered, admiring the sunset while I admired the way it illuminated her skin with a golden glow.

  “It is,” I said, inhaling her natural flowery scent mixed with the salty tint of the sea.

  She turned and, our eyes locked. Her lips parted as the heat rose within me. With her body pressed so tight against mine, awareness shoot to my lower half. My gaze zeroed in on her lips. I wanted to kiss her again.

  A warning bell rang somewhere in my mind, but didn’t I cross the threshold already? I’ve already kissed her once. What difference was this second going to make? A lot. Hopefully, it would be for good.

  This time when our lips met, she kissed me back. Her hands tugged at my hair and her tongue pushed past my lips, meeting mine. The sunset and the gentle breeze were long forgotten as I held on to her, knowing it would be hard for me to let go now.

  Chapter – 6

  Silent waves kissed the sand as if they hadn’t met in a long time. So perfect and delicate. The night was calming with a gentle breeze that played with the strands of my hair. I haven’t known peace for a long time.

  Every night I came here to forget things. To numb my bones. But tonight was different.

  Tonight, I came here to reminisce of the evening. My gaze kept going to the narrow path that opened to the beach. What’s she doing now? The temptation grew deeper, gnawing at my insides to check on her. Just get a look. Now that I knew how she felt in my arms, I wanted to hold her again.

  Alive.

  When our lips connected, the carefully erected walls of eleven years crumbled with a roar. Emotions poured in like the water out of the floodgates. She made my hormones rage with a simple smile. Now, as I sat with a goofy grin on this cold bench, longing for another encounter, I never thought I’d feel like my old self again.

  One kiss made me giddy like a teenager having his first kiss. As I contemplated the kiss, hope bloomed in my heart. It’s a risk I’m willing to take after eleven years of isolation. I lost several emotions in those years, buried deep in the bottom of my heart.

  The sloppy first kiss, shared under a maple tree during one of the summer camps at sixteen was just a vague memory now. The kiss resulted from curiosity was chaste and the girl fled the scene as soon as we broke apart. She never saw me eye to eye again for reasons I never found out. And Kenzie was a subject I don’t wish to broach. The mere memory of her was nauseating.

  Above my head, the stars shimmered in the sky reminding me of her smile. Arianna…

  A smile tugged at my lips. Kissing her reminded me of what I’ve been missing all these years. Could she be the one for me? Love burned us both. Time and trust invested in the wrong person had ruined our hopes for love. Again, that made us perfect.

  Arianna made me feel a lot of things. Her simple touch stirred the need to love and be loved. My heart suddenly clenched. Not love. Not again.

  The joy and exhilaration from moments ago slowly drained. My conflicted emotions unsettled my mind.

  Deep within my gut claimed she wouldn’t hurt me the way my ex did. The kiss had been perfect in every sense. The initial tentativeness transformed into a fierce need in less than half a minute. Arianna never once complained. She’d encouraged me with her moans. I’d known how she felt the entire time. Her reddened face and the shy smile—a moment to cherish for years to come.

  My feelings toward her weren’t innocent anymore. The need to possess her and make her mine grew with ferocity. The cold breeze brushed against my heated skin, soothing the ache. It wasn't just lust, not something I could discard as a pure sexual desire. Though I didn’t want to accept, I longed for her company. And that scared me the most. Her presence eased my mind.

  Arianna understood me in more ways than one. Last night was proof of that. She wanted to know my past, but she had soon realized I wasn’t willing to share the details. She handled the situation better than anyone. I loved that she respected my privacy and, trying to offer me comfort.

  When I returned to the mansion, I stopped by her door, contemplating if I should knock. What if she’s sleeping? With a shake of my head, I walked away. Tomorrow, I’ll talk to her.

  ***

  The day kept me busy and I barely got a glimpse of her. Cracking the neck to release some tension, I pocketed the phone and looked around. The party planner breezed around the property like a busy bee, ordering the workers.

  “Sir, we’re almost done with the decorations,” Sheila announced. Her heels clucked as she approached me.

  “What about the caterers? Is everything ready?”

  “Yes, sir.” She fiddled with the ring on her left ring finger and disconnected an incoming call before focusing her gaze on me.

  Sheila was the most talented a
nd dedicated professional I could ask for. She’d joined our organization as an intern and had come a long way since then. Her fiancé headed the finance team was another asset to our organization. I never bothered with fraternization between the staff, not unless their relationship became a nuisance to the business.

  “All right, take the rest of the day off and thanks for arranging everything at such short notice.”

  “It’s nothing.” Her shoulders lifted into a shrug as relief lifted her features. “Mr. Waylon asked for a meeting again.”

  “Not interested.” I haven’t decided what I wanted to do with them yet. The deal has to wait until the wedding.

  “Okay. I’ll see you later.” She nodded curtly.

  “Sure.”

  Her heels clicked away as I turned to face the banquet hall again.

  “I should’ve eloped with her when I had the chance,” Enrique grumbled behind me, eyeing the arrangements with a grim face. “I hate these business gatherings.”

  “It’s your engagement party.” A chuckle that vibrated within my chest. He threw me an incredulous look before shaking his head.

  “Yeah, for the business associates. I get that part.” He cocked his head to the side. “Something has gotten into you. Are you all right?”

  I boomed with laughter. “Wipe that look off your face. You act as if I’m an alien. I’m perfectly fine.”

  “That’s because you look like one when you laugh. And you… laughed. Like, actually laughed.” He frowned, his gaze searching my face. “It’s been a while.” A flash of emotion crossed his face. He blinked away the moisture gathering in his eyes and a dashing smile replaced the frown. “It suits you better than the constipated look you carry every day. Who knew a kiss could change a person overnight.”

  “Hey!”

  “What?” He shrugged both his shoulders, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets. “I saw nothing.” He was backing away. His lips twitched. “And, I definitely didn’t see you sticking your tongue down her throat.”

  Heat rushed to my neck and he took off in a full sprint before I could catch him. With a shake of my head, I headed to my room.