Rigby looked her up and down, a smile tugging at his lips. “You look cute in your pajamas.”
“Thanks.” She’d briefly considered putting on regular clothes, but decided the large t-shirt and pj bottoms would have to do. “It wasn’t like I was planning on seeing anyone tonight,” she quipped, pulling at her shirt. The air had turned cooler, making Scarlett wish she’d brought a jacket. She hugged her arms.
“Are you cold?”
“A little,” she admitted.
He crooked a grin. “Want me to put an arm around you to keep you warm?”
It was absurd how fast a heat wave pummeled over her as her eyes rounded. “No, it’s okay, I’m good.” She could’ve added that thanks to his comment, she was no longer cold. She scooted backward, resting against the siding as she looked out over the dark yard, lit only by the occasional blinks of lightning bugs. The muffled cries of katydids chirping their monotonous rhythm was the only sound in the otherwise still evening. Scarlett looked up at the velvety sky and glittering stars. Moonlight spread across the rooftop bathing them in an iridescent silver. “I’d forgotten how nice it is out here.”
“Me too. Remember how we used to try and count all the stars?”
She chuckled. “That was a lifetime ago.” His proximity was doing crazy things to her nerves, heightening her senses.
He angled toward her, casting a sidelong glance. “Considering how weird things have been between us since I got back, I’m surprised you actually agreed to come out here with me.”
The comeback left her lips so quickly she hardly had time to process it. “And I’m surprised you were able to pry yourself away from Pepper McClain so soon. It’s only half past midnight.”
He laughed. “Ouch,” he yelped, but she saw the touch of admiration in his eyes. Rigby had always appreciated her candor, whereas Vernon thought her a little crass.
She drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Talk? Who said anything about talking,” he murmured, his voice going husky. “I thought we’d pick up where we left off the last time we were up here. Remember?”
An intense desire thrummed through her veins. Of course she remembered … every vivid detail of moments she’d spent with Rigby. Then she realized he was teasing her. She shoved him. “Stop.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Old habits are hard to break.”
“Yes … very,” she grumbled, then saw the look of surprise on his face. Her cheeks were scorching hot, and she got the feeling he could see right through her, that he knew how much she still cared for him.
“I read Maryanne Wheatley’s blog, saw the picture of us.” His eyes said everything his mouth wouldn’t.
Her throat went dry, her fear confirmed. He knew how she felt about him.
“Scarlett, why do you keep running away from me?”
She detested the treacherous moisture that filled her eyes, and blinked it away as quickly as she could. She turned to him, suddenly angry. “You left without a second glance, and I had to put my life back together.”
“I asked you to come with me.”
“And you waited all of … what? … two minutes after we broke up before you got together with Sadonna Roberts?” The words left a sour taste in her mouth.
He rocked back. “That’s not fair.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, life’s hardly fair! Trust me, I know.” She raked her hair out of her face, then felt him studying her. “What?” she demanded through clenched teeth.
He cocked his head, growing thoughtful. “Every time I talk to you, I get the feeling there’s something I’m missing. What is it that you’re not telling me?”
It shocked her that he’d read her so accurately. She drew back. “Nothing.”
He leaned forward, touching her arm, his fierce eyes cutting into hers. “Tell me.”
Out here in the protective cocoon of darkness, keeping up the pretense didn’t seem to matter anymore. Tears filled her eyes. “I came after you.”
His breath hitched. “What?”
“A month after you left, I followed you to Tampa.” The words got strangled as her throat constricted. She coughed to open it, swiping at the tear rolling down her cheek.
“I had no idea,” he sputtered.
“I know,” she barked. “I came to your apartment and saw you through the front window … with her.” She cringed, the image of Rigby kissing Sadonna seared into her mind.
A crazed look came into his eyes. “You broke up with me. I had no way of knowing that you’d ever come back.”
She glowered at him. “Yeah, that was obvious.” A wall of silence went up between them until finally Scarlett spoke, the need to get things out in the open stronger than the pride keeping her quiet. “You act like you’ve been pining away for me the past two years, but the only reason you even came back to Clementine is because you got suspended and had nowhere else to go. And because I happen to be here and I’m single … and since you’re single again, you’re trying to start things up.”
His jaw went slack. “That’s not true … entirely,” he added. “I came back to Clementine because I wanted to check on my grandmother, and I got the impression it was where I needed to be. When I saw you, something shifted inside me and I realized I still love you. That I’d never stopped loving you.”
His eyes battled hers, and she could tell he was sincere. But that didn’t erase all the obstacles between them.
Remorse settled over his features. “I had no idea you came to Tampa.”
She remained silent, staring unseeingly at the dark square of yard below them.
“When you refused to go with me, I was angry,” he continued. “And lonely. The pressure to perform was incredible, and I needed someone to confide in. Then I met Sadonna.”
Scarlett drew in a tight breath, jealousy spiking through her.
He paused, remembering. “I latched onto Sadonna because it helped temper the hurt of losing you.”
She couldn’t stop tears from rolling down her cheeks. As hard as it was to hear Rigby admit these things, she’d done much the same thing with Vernon. She swiped her tears with the heels of her hands as she took a deep breath. “I read that you punched that reporter because he said slanderous things about Sadonna.” She had to force her next words out. “You must’ve loved her very much.”
His expression grew grim. “I thought I did, but it didn’t take long to realize I’d made a terrible mistake.” He sighed heavily. “I hoped Sadonna would be my reprieve from the craziness.” A humorless laugh escaped his lips. “You can’t imagine the pressure I’m constantly under to perform. I’ve gotten used to it now, but two years ago when it all hit … I’d just left Clementine. I wasn’t equipped to deal with stardom—the fans chanting my name in the stands, women constantly throwing themselves at me.”
Her eyes widened as her voice rose. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“What?”
“Women constantly throwing themselves at you? Really? Cry me a handful,” she said tartly. “Poor Rocket,” she purred, “the big football star that had a hard time dealing with being a superstar and knowing how to spend his next check.” She arched an eyebrow, giving him a steely look. “You’ve always been cocky, but that’s over-the-top, even for you.” She moved to stand, disgust rankling her gut. How could she have been so stupid to come out here with him tonight? He had an ego the size of Texas.
Panic coated his voice. “Wait a minute. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just trying to explain where I was coming from.”
She chuckled dryly. “Yeah, I’m beginning to understand.”
“Please, sit back down and let me finish. Please … just hear me out.”
“Fine,” she huffed.
“Look, I know I have a lot of faults, and I know how that sounded, but I was trying to make you understand why I married Sadonna. I cared about Sadonna a great deal, but I know now that I wasn’t in love with her. The
re’s only been one woman I’ve loved with my whole heart and soul.”
The words seeped into her, and she couldn’t deny that she craved hearing them. She sat there, processing it all.
“Well, say something,” he prompted.
She tilted her head. “Okay, if you weren’t defending Sadonna’s honor, then why did you punch the reporter?” She saw the sheepish look on his face and knew. “You lost your temper, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” he admitted. “He was goading me, insulting my manhood, and I rose to the bait.”
“You’ve always been a hot-head. Remember the time you almost pummeled Jimmy Morgan because he was making wolf calls at me on the football field?”
“Yep, and I would have … had you not talked me out of it, told me he wasn’t worth the trouble.” He gave her an appraising look. “You were always my anchor. Don’t you see? The two of us are good together.”
She rubbed a hand across her forehead as a deep weariness settled over her. Rigby was the most persuasive man on the planet. If she sat here much longer listening to his reasoning, she’d be throwing her arms around him, kissing him until the sun came up. But where would that get her? “I don’t know what to make of all this,” she said quietly, then regretted her words when she saw hope spring in his eyes.
“All I’m asking for is a chance. I know you’re engaged to Vernie, but I just can’t see the two of you working out.”
“Vernie and I aren’t engaged,” she fired back.
“Don’t you mean Vernon?” he corrected, grinning.
A laugh broke through her throat before she could stop it. “Yeah, that’s what I meant.”
“You’re not engaged?”
“No, Vernon’s asked me a few times, but I told him I wasn’t ready to make that kind of commitment. I suspect Vernon dropped a few hints in a certain direction, hoping it would push me towards the idea.” She chuckled dryly. “Let’s face it, when you tell Maryanne Wheatley, the mouth of the South, anything, rumors are bound to fly. I’m surprised she hasn’t blasted it all over her blog.”
“So, you’re not engaged,” he mused, a goofy grin spilling over his face.
“Nope, but that doesn’t mean I’m available either.”
A wicked grin curved his lips. “You know how much I love a challenge.”
“Yes, believe me, I know. You didn’t get the name Rocket for no reason.” She grew reflective. “I’ve always admired that, you know.”
He tipped his head. “What?”
“The way you set a goal, then charge through the obstacles, not letting anything get in your way.”
“Thanks.”
“But, it also scared me a little,” she admitted.
“Why?”
She hugged her arms. “I guess, I’m just more of a play-it-safe girl.”
His eyes widened in mock surprise. “What? You?”
She shoved him. “Seriously. I’ve never had the luxury of pushing past all barriers to get what I want. There were too many other factors and people to consider.”
His brows furrowed. “Meaning that I’m selfish?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I just see the world differently, that’s all.”
A deep hurt settled into his eyes. “Is that why you wouldn’t come with me?”
No matter how far forward she and Rigby went, they always came back to the same point. “Yeah,” she admitted, “partly.”
“What else?”
She tensed. “I just didn’t know if I could handle being the star football player’s wife.” She gave him a sad smile. “I suppose I was afraid Scarlett Foster would get lost in the shuffle.”
“I never saw it that way,” he uttered. “You are an amazing person in your own right. You always have been.” His voice hitched. “I loved you.” His eyes pled with hers. “I still love you,” he added.
She just sat there, not sure how to respond. She’d craved hearing those words for so long, and while they soaked in replenishing her thirsty heart, her head argued that it would never work. She’d come so far, built a new life for herself. This place … the restaurant, her grandfather … her life was here. And there was Vernon to consider. Suddenly she was angry at Rigby for waltzing into town and unearthing feelings she’d buried a long time ago. She was also angry at her herself for having so little self-control where Rigby was concerned. He was her own personal brand of alcohol. Oh, she could stay on the wagon for a while, but then he always came back around to tempt her. She glared at him. “Did you really think you could bat those baby-blue eyes at me and I’d just melt at your feet like in some sappy romance novel?”
“I—I don’t know what I thought.” She caught the trace of desperation in his voice as he peered into her eyes, his voice dropping to a throaty whisper. “You can’t deny this thing between us, Scarlett. It’s there, as strong as ever, just as it’s always been.”
Tears gathered in her eyes. “Please, Rigby, don’t do this.”
“Do what … this?” He leaned in close, causing her to draw in a quick breath. The tenderness swirling in his mesmerizing eyes struck something deep inside her, and she got the feeling he knew her pain, felt her apprehension. “Or this?” he traced the curve of her cheek with the tip of his finger. “As hard as I try, I can never get you out of my system. It’s always been you. We belong together.”
A single tear escaped the corner of her eye and dribbled down her cheek. Tenderly he touched it.
“I can’t go through the pain again.” Her voice trembled. “It’s too much.”
“But you can’t be afraid to love … to really live.”
“I don’t—”
Her protest was snuffed out as his lips claimed hers, sending a heady rush singing through her veins. He encircled her waist, pulling her closer. “Rigby,” she murmured, threading her fingers through his hair as delicious spirals circled down her spine. She was shocked at her own eager response to the feel of his lips. It’s what she’d wanted for so long, and the real thing was so much better than her daydreams. A feeling of completeness whipped through her, as the past and present meshed together in a burst of glorious color.
Then her head managed to gain control of the situation as she realized what she was doing. She went stiff in his arms, drawing back as guilt pummeled over her. What would Vernon think if he saw her out here with Rigby? He’d been so kind and patient, giving her all the space she needed to figure things out.
“What’s wrong?”
Her hand seemed to have a mind of its own as she slapped him across the jaw.
He rocked back, his eyes narrowing. “What was that for?”
“You had no right to kiss me like that.” She hated Rigby in that moment because he was everything she’d ever wanted, so much more so than Vernon could ever be. And yet he’d hurt her so deeply, she’d never be whole again.
He let out a stunned laugh. “From where I’m sitting, you were doing your fair share of kissing too.”
She grunted. “You’re such a Neanderthal.”
A quirky smile formed over his lips. “Admit it. You liked it as much as I did.”
Her eyes flew open as she gasped. “How dare you.”
The last thing she expected him to do was start laughing, but that’s exactly what he did.
She made a face. “What’s so funny?”
“Do you remember the first time you slapped me?”
Heat crept up her face. “I can’t believe you’re dredging this up,” she muttered, but couldn’t stop a smile from creeping over her lips.
“Let’s see … you were fifteen.”
She relaxed. “And you were sixteen.”
“We were going through that junior high phase where we were fighting all the time.”
She raised an eyebrow. “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
He ignored the jab and continued. “I’d gone out on a few dates with Lisa Crenshaw.”
She scowled. “I’ve never liked that debutant.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, that’s what you called her then … a spoiled, rich, debutant.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I did?”
He laughed. “Yes, I was in the backyard—” he pointed “—over there, and you marched over and told me you thought I was the biggest moron on the planet and if I had an ounce of sense in my pea-sized brain I’d stop seeing her because she’d been going around the entire school, running her mouth about how we’d been kissing behind the bleachers.”
“I remember.”
He grinned. “And I said I hadn’t kissed her yet.”
“And I said I didn’t believe you.”
His eyes captured hers. “Yeah, because …”
She blinked rapidly. “I don’t remember.”
He leaned in closer, his voice going soft. “Because you didn’t believe I was sixteen and had never been kissed.” He fingered a tendril of her hair. “I told you that when I had my first kiss, it would be with someone I cared about, not the likes of Lisa Crenshaw.”
“And I said, what if that someone was me?” She held his gaze. “Then you kissed me.”
“And you kissed me back.” A smile played on his lips. “Then you slapped me, just as you did a minute ago and ran off.”
She chuckled. “You deserved it then, just like you deserved it a minute ago.”
He pointed. “After you left, I carved our names on that tree.”
She swallowed. “I know, they’re still there.”
He touched her arm. “You can slap me all you want, but please don’t run away. I need you.”
She shook her head. “That’s not fair.”
“You said earlier that life wasn’t fair.”
She hated when he used her words against her.
“Look, I’ll make you a deal.”
“Oh, no. I’m not falling for that again. The last time ‘we made a deal’,” she made air quotes. “I ended up kissing you in front of the entire town.”
He grinned. “You know, I really don’t see a problem here.”
She made a face. “You wouldn’t. And then there was the other time we made a deal. I skipped school and ran off to the beach with you, I ended up grounded for a month.”
The Perfect Catch (Last Play Romance (A Bachelor Billionaire Companion) Book 9) Page 10
