Troubled Waters (Oceans of Love Book 1)
Page 7
“I burned my fingers. It’s not like I’m an invalid. I’m game if you guys are.”
“This is why I love her!” Bianca pointed a finger at Kelly. “The party don’t stop ‘cause of burns from a pot.” Jenna started beat-boxing as Bianca repeated the phrase.
Courtney held her stomach and wiped tears from her eyes. “Leave rapping to the professionals, Bee.”
“What are you talking about? I thought that was fantastic!” Bianca flung her hands over her shoulders as if she was flinging her hair. “Guys, come help me pick a wig. We’ll be right back. Benji, make sure Kel doesn’t lift a finger.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Benjamin saluted. When the girls giggled and trotted back to their room, he sighed. “She’s going to spend half-an-hour figuring out what wig goes with which outfit. Do you want to change too?”
“Do you think I should?” she asked, pulling at the hem of her blouse. The pink material went well with her white shorts and leather sandals. Kelly doubted Benjamin would take his sister to one of the many clubs that littered the shores of San Pedro. This outfit should be appropriate for a restaurant.
“That’s a loaded question.” Benjamin leaned back with his hands in the air. “You look great to me.”
Kelly laughed. “I can take your honesty.”
“I was being honest.”
She eyed him. “If you say so.”
“You won’t accept my compliment?”
“Not if I question its authenticity.”
“You are… a very beautiful woman,” Benjamin said, his eyebrow slightly arched.
She leaned back and folded her arms across her chest. “What about me do you find so attractive?”
Instead of being thrown aback by her question, he answered without hesitation. “I can give you the detailed list or the summary. There’s too much to fit in one conversation.”
She laughed. “Smooth, Mr. Levy.”
“Call me Benjamin.”
“Okay, Benjamin. Thank you for inviting me on this trip. I’m having a great time.” She meant that sincerely. Her desire for her boss was her problem, but the sights and adventures would not have been half as enjoyable without Bianca and her friends.
“Thank you for agreeing. My sister would have been crushed if you’d rejected us.”
“Who’s house is this anyway?” she asked, admiring the walls. “It doesn’t have any family pictures or anything.”
“It’s ours,” he said easily.
She froze and slowly turned back around to look at him. “Excuse me?”
“I told you it was our villa.”
“For the weekend,” Kelly gasped. “I had no idea that it was all for you.”
“It’s for the family. A manager usually stays here to watch over the property. It’s been such a long time since we’ve stopped in that it feels different somehow.” He glanced over the walls. “I’m sure Brandon and our mom would have enjoyed seeing it again.”
She was still reeling from his shocker of a revelation, but curiosity tugged and she had to ask. “Why didn’t your other family members come?”
“Brandon is too busy running the company,” he said. “He’s exactly what a big brother should be—responsible, strong-willed, and a workaholic. I’m just glad he’s taking it on so I don’t have to.”
“Don’t play humble. It’s only been a few days since you started at D&T, but I notice that you leave later than everybody in the office.”
“So you’ve been watching me?”
She stuttered. “Th-that’s not what I meant.”
“I’m only teasing, Kel.” The nickname slipped off his tongue and she found that she enjoyed hearing it. “I wonder when those kids will finish getting ready?” He glanced at his watch. “I don’t want to be out there too late.”
As if summoned by his words, Bianca and her friends sauntered toward them. Benjamin ushered Kelly to her feet and they sailed out the door to enjoy a breezy dinner by the seaside.
It wasn’t until she was getting ready for bed that night did she remember that he had never answered her question about his mother.
Because Of This Weekend
Kelly was sad to see the San Pedro pier growing smaller and smaller in the distance. She’d had a wonderful weekend and though she had passed out from overeating in her own room last night, the solitude had been tolerable and her sleep had been deep and sweet.
The roar of the boat engine interrupted her thoughts. She glanced up, noticing the grey clouds. The sky was overcast today, but the captain chased the sunshine until their vessel outran the gloom. She enjoyed the spray of the waves and closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of the briny sea.
The boat ride back home felt ten times faster than the ride to the island. One minute she closed her eyes in San Pedro and the next, she opened them in Belize City. Kelly shook her head, realizing that she’d become too spoiled in the space of a weekend.
The captain docked in the Belize Water Terminal and a crowd of tourists scrambled to be let off first. Benjamin waited until the stampede had passed before he gathered their luggage. Together, the attractive group turned every head as they strolled out of the building and huddled on the street.
“You’re coming with us to the airport, right Kel?” Jenna asked, looking at Kelly with her big brown eyes. The sunlight caught the upturned tip of her freckled nose and gave her a refreshingly innocent glow.
“I’m sorry, guys. I have to go home. There’s some work I have to catch up on.”
Bianca slammed her brother in the stomach and glared at him. “What kind of boss are you? Making Kel work overtime on a Sunday.”
“It’s not his fault,” Kelly said. “The deadline was set before your brother took his office. I’m really sorry, but it was great to meet you!”
Jenna, Courtney and Bianca did their best puppy-dog expression, but Kelly remained unmoved. Finally, sensing that they could not convince her to go, they crowded around her and hugged her tight.
“We’ll follow you on social media,” Courtney promised.
“And we’ll work on our cooking for next time,” Jenna said.
“I’ll see you at home,” Bianca sniffed. “But I’m still sad.”
She waved them off and started to walk away when she felt a touch on her arm. Benjamin looked down at her, his expression soft.
“Do you want me to drop you home first?”
“It’s okay. I can take a taxi. I don’t want the girls to miss their flight. They have school tomorrow.”
“Still…”
She took his palm and closed his fingers around his car keys. “Go. I’m a grown woman. I can catch a taxi and make it home without supervision.”
He grunted and held out his hand.
“What?” Kelly asked, wondering if he wanted compensation for the meals. She was about to shuffle in her purse for money, when he bent over and slid his hands into the back pocket of her jeans, his fingers barely grazing her butt.
Her body seized and the flood of attraction surged over her again, nearly knocking her backward. While Kelly’s eyelashes fluttered and her pulse soared, Benjamin calmly typed his number into her phone and handed it back to her.
“Text me so I know you’ve reached safely.”
“But I—”
“That’s an order.”
She scrunched her nose, but nodded. “Alright. Fine.”
He grinned and slid his sunshades over his face, smug in his victory. Kelly promised herself she wouldn’t yield so quickly next time and watched Benjamin walk to his car. At last she turned on her heels and flagged a taxi.
As the vehicle moved off, she leaned back and ruminated over her weekend. In the space of twenty-eight hours, Benjamin Levy had treated her like a girlfriend more than any other man she’d dated or slept with. Including Clayton.
Whether his interest was of a sexual nature or not, the way he took care of her indicated that he was open to a relationship—at least on an emotional level.
She giggled to herself,
ignoring the look the taxi driver sent her in the rearview mirror. It was strange to connect with and grow emotionally with a man before any real physical contact.
Kelly was, indeed, in another galaxy.
But… she kind of liked it.
The taxi slowed down in front of her apartment building and she hauled the fare from her purse.
“Do you need help with your luggage?” the elderly man asked.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you.” Kelly gathered her things from the trunk and walked into the lobby.
“Finally!” She stiffened as a pair of hands flew out of nowhere and hauled her back. Clayton’s wet lips descended on her neck as he dropped kisses on her skin. “I’ve been calling and calling you. Why didn’t you pick up?”
She elbowed him so that he let her go. “What are you doing here, Clayton?”
“Waiting for you,” he said. “Do you know how stupid I looked sitting here on the stairs all night?”
She groaned, recognizing how awkward things would have been if Benjamin and Bianca had come home with her instead of separating at the terminal.
“Let’s move this to my apartment,” Kelly said, hefting her suitcase.
“I’ll take that for you, babe.” Clayton grabbed her bag and her hand as they climbed the stairs.
When they were safely inside, she whirled on him. “We need to talk.”
“About what?” he asked, walking toward her with his eyes on her blouse. “Man, girl. I love it when you dress like a prude. Makes me want you more.”
Kelly knew he was barely listening to her, but she attempted to articulate her feelings anyway. “I told you. I don’t like it when you call me in front of your wife. If you want to be with me, then be with me. I’m tired of this side-chick gig.”
“Just wait a little longer, honey,” Clayton said, his arms outstretched. “I promise. You’re the one for me.”
“Clayton…”
“We’re fighting now more than ever. She thought our second baby girl would keep us together, but it didn’t work. We’re just creating a violent environment for those kids. It would be better for everyone if we split up. I’m serious this time.”
He backed her up against the wall and started nuzzling her neck, but Kelly insisted on the conversation.
“I’ve heard that excuse before. I’ve been patient for years, Clayton. Four long years of not being able to hold your hand on the street or tell my friends about you or post pictures online.”
“Mm-hm.” He started fumbling with his belt. “I hear you, babe.”
“I need more of a commitment than ‘mm-hm’,” she said as he tugged on her shirt.
“Yeah.” Clayton tossed half-heartedly. “How’s that?”
She opened her mouth to reply, but he slammed his lips against hers and stuffed his tongue down her throat. The invasion was unwelcome and his rough handling felt disrespectful after Benjamin’s tender care.
“Get off!” Kelly roared and pushed Clayton with all her might. He staggered backward and watched her with lust-filled eyes.
“What’s wrong, baby? I’ve got protection.”
“I don’t… I can’t do this right now.”
“What?” Disappointment crumpled his features, but Clayton brightened moments later. “How bout I give you a massage? That always helps you to get in the mood.”
“You’re not listening to me, Clayton. All you can think about is sex.”
“I’m a man.” He thumped his chest. “Damn right that’s all we think about. What’s your problem? Since when did you get so stuck up?”
“I am not stuck up.”
“What? All of a sudden you want to ‘talk’ before we have sex? You never asked for all that emotional stuff before. That’s why we’re so good together.”
“All that emotional stuff?” She gasped, barely able to comprehend the level of Clayton’s selfishness. Had he always been this way or had her eyes been opened for the first time?
Sure, she was usually down to get it on when he dropped by, but it wasn’t because she didn’t long for a deeper relationship. It was because she never knew when he’d take off again.
“I can’t believe this.”
“Can’t believe what?” Clayton laughed, but there was no humor behind it. “So you can’t tell everyone about us or hold my hand on the street. Do you think that defines a relationship? Do you think that’s what love is about? I love you, Kelly. More than anything in the world. When you’re in love, you have to make sacrifices.”
He advanced again, probably expecting her resolve to melt and her panties to drop because of those three little words.
And if she hadn’t met Benjamin, they would have.
Kelly held up a hand to keep him from coming close to her. She was thinking clearly for the first time in forever and the anger bubbling in her soul couldn’t be contained.
“Make sacrifices? Are you kidding me? I’m the only one making sacrifices, Clayton. You have your wife at home, your kids who adore you and you have me—waiting for you here, wasting time on you when I could be out there finding a man who really cares about me.”
Seeing that his approach wasn’t working, Clayton dropped to his knees. “Kelly, please don’t think that way. I’m with Leshawna because of my kids. Our marriage ended ages ago. Being with you… that’s the only time I’m really happy. I’m sorry that it’s hard on you, but you can’t give up on us. You can’t throw four years out the window like that, baby.”
“Get out, Clayton.”
“What?”
“Get. Out.”
He shook his head and gathered his clothes and belt. “You’re mine, you hear?” Clayton hissed as she opened the door and pointed to it. “You’ll come crawling back, Kelly.”
“Don’t hold your breath.” She slammed the door behind him.
Rough Handling
Kelly needed a stiff drink. No, not just one. She needed a barrel. Her skin crawled and anger roared in her head. Rage bottled up inside, and she only knew of one solution that could get it out.
“Come on, pick up,” Kelly said, pacing her living room. “Rene, I need you to pick up.”
The dial rang and rang. It was Sunday evening. Her best friend was probably sleeping or spending the afternoon with her large extended family. Kelly cursed and slammed her phone against the chair.
Holding her head in her hands, she did her best to calm down. That was hard to do when the object of her fury wasn’t Clayton… it was herself. She’d broken up with her man before, but never with such conviction—never with such resolve.
Nights would get lonely. Memories would creep back in when she was at her lowest—Kelly had been through the cycle before, but if she went back to Clayton this time, she was nothing but a desperate piece of crap.
How much more obvious could his lack of interest in her be? Oh, he had a ton of love for her body. He praised her adventurous style in bed. Worshipped the way she was down for whatever he wanted her to do. But when it came to caring about her, Clayton couldn’t give a flying fig.
“Idiot!” Kelly screamed to her empty apartment. “Four freaking years and you’re just seeing this? Four freaking years and you’re just noticing all he sees is your vagina? You can get attention like that from any man on the street! Idiot!” She picked up a pillow and threw it across the room.
Her fingers shook. A drink. A drink would make her feel better. And a dance. She glanced at the clock on the wall and groaned. The club was scanty on Sunday afternoon. The clients were too busy pretending to be pious after church.
Even the trashier bars—where just kissing someone there would mean catching a sexually transmitted disease—wouldn’t pick up until after ten. Forget dancing. Forget drinking. She didn’t like getting drunk anyway and wouldn’t start down that road now for scum like Clayton.
Kelly decided to try the next best thing. She stormed into her room, threw on a sports bra and yoga pants, knelt at the foyer to tie her running shoes, and took the stairs two at a time.
The air was cool, but her excessive pace caused sweat to form on her neck and back. Her ponytail bounced and came undone, but she ignored it and kept pushing. Her lungs burned and her chest felt like it would cave in, but Kelly refused to stop.
She turned onto Marine Street, a residential area filled with modest homes and lower-middle-class families. A dog barked, warning of her approach. The silence of the street was eerie and the waning sunlight emphasized the desolateness of the area.
Kelly’s confidence in her figure did not negate the fact that modesty had its place. Whether she liked it or not, running around in a sports bra alone, with night approaching, was a recipe for disaster.
She stopped abruptly and swiveled to return home when a door banged and a woman came flying out of a green bungalow across the street. Her blue shirt hung off one shoulder, the collar excessively stretched as if someone had pulled on it. Her jean shorts were unbuttoned and the flaps opened wide.
Just ignore it, Kelly. It’s none of your business.
She turned away and took a step forward when she heard the door slamming against the wall again. This time, heavy footsteps thundered onto the porch and approached the street.
Kelly felt someone tug on her arm and spun to find the woman she’d spotted a moment ago hanging behind her. She was young, not a day over eighteen with tan skin, big brown eyes, and long, brown hair. Kelly gasped when she saw the bruises on the girl’s face and wrist.
“Help,” she wheezed, a slight accent coating her words. “Please.”
Frozen, Kelly simply stood there while the girl’s—she assumed—boyfriend strode up to them. He roughly took the lady’s arm and dragged her away without acknowledging Kelly’s presence.
The girl’s pitiful whimpering coupled with the guy’s cold behavior thrust her into action. She ran after them and grabbed the woman’s other hand to keep her from being taken away.