by Penny Dee
When Colton left for the evening, she asked me to stay and eat dinner with her. Dinner turned in to me reading to her until she fell asleep which wasn’t until late in the evening. Still seething from my argument with Heath, I wasn’t eager to return home and was pleased for the distraction. It was easy to fall asleep on the plush sofa in her impressive suite, which was more luxurious than some five star hotels.
I woke up startled when Colton appeared, freshly showered and bearing a Starbucks for me. I was surprised to see it was after eight o’clock.
“Oh hell, my cell has died,” I said, noticing the blank screen. In my rush to get away from Heath and our argument I hadn’t made sure my phone was charged.
“You can charge it in my rental.”
“That’s okay Colton. I can get a cab home.”
“Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t see a lady to her door?” he drawled. “Let me drop you home Harlow, I promise I won’t bite.”
After we bid Poppy a goodbye and I promised to make more effort to keep in touch, Colton and I left in his rented Audi Spyder and headed south. I plugged my cell into his phone charger and was disappointed to see nothing from Heath. He was obviously still sulking.
I considered texting him but thought better of it. Still annoyed by his words and his lack of trust in me, I needed to get my head right first. Once I’d calmed down I would ring him. Maybe we could talk and I could still fly to Vegas for their performance at the festival.
“Where are we going?” I asked Colton when he missed the turnoff to my street.
“I really appreciate you taking time out to visit Poppy. Your visit meant a lot to her and I know it’s come at a cost. So I’m taking you for breakfast.”
“I should really just get home.”
He looked at me. “Please, let me do this and then I’ll leave you alone. I promise.”
I half smiled. “Fine. Breakfast, but then I need to get home, okay?”
He took me to The Vine, a fine dining restaurant near the beach. I had to admit, it was a welcome distraction from worrying about my argument with Heath. It also gave us a chance to clear the air regarding our break up. And if I was honest, it was nice to wrap up the loose ends of our relationship.
When breakfast was finished and Colton paid, we left the restaurant. He opened the wrought iron gates for me to step through and followed me down the short pathway towards the street.
As we stepped out onto the pavement, Colton surprised the hell out of me by pulling me to him and crashing his lips onto mine. Caught off guard I fell against him, allowing him—not by choice—a moment longer to kiss me. His mouth worked to open my mine and he thrust his tongue in. From a distance I’m sure we looked like two lovers embraced in a loving and mutual kiss. But it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Mustering up my strength, I pushed free, but not before he had given me a long, passionate kiss.
I shoved him with the palm of both hands. “Get off me!” Then, without thinking, I drew back my arm and punched him hard in the jaw. He collapsed like a house of cards.
Stunned, I glared down at him sprawled on his ass on the pavement.
Colton’s eyes crinkled into slits and he burst into laughter. “You should see your face.”
“You should see yours!” I reproached him.
He rubbed his jaw. “You can take the girl out of the south … but not the south out of the girl …”
“You deserved it,” I snapped. “You promised you wouldn’t bite!”
“But I said nothing about kissing you.”
He planted his palms flat on the concrete and tilted his head back in laughter.
“Oh come on Harlow—two years we spent together. You can’t blame me for trying to get one last kiss in.” He grinned and extended an arm for me to help him up.
I couldn’t help but smile and offered him my hand. I pulled him to his feet. But I was ready to deck him again if he tried anything foolish like kissing me again.
We stood across from each other. Colton’s laughter faded and he looked serious, his good looks softening into a reflective smile. “Do you love him?”
I didn’t have to think about the answer. “I do.”
“Then why are you still here?”
“Because I’m a stubborn fool. And a stupid teenager who needs to grow up,” I answered honestly. “But I love him, Colton. I love him more than I could have ever imagined.”
He nodded resignedly. “Can I at least drive you home, to say sorry for my behavior?”
“You can do me one better,” I said.
“What?”
“You can drive me to the airport.” I looped my arms through his and laughed as we descended the steps to the sidewalk below, suddenly excited by the afternoon that lay out before me. “Because I’m heading to Vegas to see my boyfriend.”
I hated that Heath and I had fought and that he’d left angry at me. If I flew out to see him … the gesture might repair some of the damage to our relationship. It would reassure him that he had nothing to worry about.
Further along the sidewalk, Colton paused to rub his chin.
“Jesus,” he muttered, “You punch like Tyson.”
I smiled, but it quickly faded when I saw the swelling at the corner of his mouth and the red mark on his cheek. I reached up but stopped short of touching him.
“Oh Colton … I didn’t mean to—”
He raised a hand and his lips curled into a swollen, but friendly smile. “You kiss it better and we’re even.”
I raised a brow, not wanting to kiss anyone but Heath.
I rolled my eyes. “Fine!” And on tiptoes, I quickly kissed the red mark on his cheek.
He didn’t try to turn his face so his lips met mine; he simply kept his cheek turned, and then grinned.
I took his chin, turned his head to face me, and said, “Our last kiss, okay?”
His eyes grew serious and he nodded. “I know it’s over, Harlow. It has been for a while. Thanks to my stupidity. And now you’re in love with another guy.”
I nodded, our faces still close. “Very much.”
He smiled and gently rubbed my arm. “I’m happy for you. You deserve someone who is going to make you happy. He does make you happy doesn’t he?”
“More than anything.”
He looked disappointed, but nodded and offered me a closed-lip smile.
“Come on,” he said taking my hand, “Let’s get you to the airport. I’ve kept you from your beau long enough.”
Chapter Fourteen
HEATH
The pain was unbearable. Like nothing I had ever felt. It started at my toes and overcame me, not stopping until it exploded out of my ears. I flinched.
Anger followed not long after, chasing it through every nerve and fiber of my body. I wanted to break every bone in his goddamn body. I wanted to scream at him to get his hands off my girl.
I wanted him to feel the same agony I felt coursing through me as I realized Harlow no longer wanted me. That she had chosen this asshole over me.
Christ it hurt. And I had no idea of how to handle it.
I thrust my fist against the dashboard, the pain shooting up my wrist but barely registering against the heartache in my chest and the storm in my mind.
I tore my eyes away from them and buried my face in my hands. The scream inside my head was overwhelming. It fractured me, allowing my grief to spill free. I became aware of my rapidly beating heart and the quickened pulse in my neck.
Harlow didn’t want me. She wanted him. And when she knew I was back in town, she would break up with me and tell me she was going back to him.
My heart tripped on that last thought and I felt frantic.
My girl didn’t want me anymore.
Minutes passed with my head in my hands before I finally raised my face again. I tried not to look at them but my eyes sought them out before I could stop.
They were off the pathway now and descending the steps to the sidewalk below. They wer
e laughing. In fact, Harlow looked highly amused. She had her arm looped through his and looked like a woman in love. She was beaming with it.
Goddamn beaming with it!
Was she really that relieved to be back with him?
Self-preservation kicked in and I briefly wondered if what I was seeing was true. Perhaps there was a perfectly reasonable explanation? No, there was no perfectly reasonable explanation for some guy to put his lips all over my girl.
As much as my heart wanted me to, I couldn’t deny that they looked like reunited lovers. And as if to confirm my fears, when I looked up they had stopped further down the sidewalk and she was kissing his mother fucking cheek and he was gently rubbing her arm. Jesus, the way she was looking at him as they spoke broke my heart and a part of me began to die.
I didn’t need to see any more. It was already taking all my strength to stop myself from ripping off the car door and tearing down the street to knock him off his feet. And two months ago that was probably what I would have done.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply, fighting off the heartache that was spreading through me.
The moment I’d always dreaded but had somehow expected, was here; Harlow had finally realized I wasn’t good enough for her and had gone back to her rich prince.
Even with my mind crazy with hurt, I realized it was much better to be angry because anger was much stronger than heartache. If I could hold on to my anger, I reasoned, this was going to hurt less. And watching them walk away in the Californian sunshine, it wasn’t hard to focus on my anger.
On autopilot, I drove back to the airport and like a zombie, purchased a ticket back to Vegas.
Suspended in a daze, all I could see was Harlow in Colton’s arms. Even the not-so-subtle interest of the flight attendant as she greeted me barely registered on my radar.
I sank into my seat and glared out the window.
Just before takeoff, a stunning woman with long black hair and penetrating blue eyes slipped into the seat next to me. She smelt like jasmine and offered me a sparkling smile. She was pure Vegas and definitely my type.
Or at least, my type-right-now.
Our flight was delayed fifty minutes but thankfully the flight attendant brought around the drinks trolley because the air conditioning was playing up and it was getting hot and stuffy. I bought myself and the girl next to me a drink, followed by several more. I knew I shouldn’t. I did dumb shit on alcohol. But seeing my girl in the arms of her ex-boyfriend made for a good excuse to break the rules. I was going to do my best to drink the visions of her with her ex out of my head.
With so much time to kill during the delay, and a few bourbons mixed in, there was a lot of flirting and inappropriate innuendo and banter back and forth with the girl next to me. At one stage she even rested her hand on my thigh and gave me a seductive wink.
By the time we took off, I was on my way to being numb drunk. Fifteen minutes later, my co-passenger and I were becoming a part of the exclusive mile high club in the first class toilet cubicle to the front of the plane. She straddled me with her long legs and climbed on top of the erection she had so expertly rolled a condom onto.
Bourbon swirled in me as her tongue filled my mouth and I filled her. With an unrestrained moan, she sank onto me, her hands holding my face as she kissed me, moaning into my mouth.
Anger erupted inside of me, restless and prickly, swirling and mixing with the bourbon. In my alcohol soaked mind this was revenge on Harlow for ditching me for that asshole. I didn’t need her. I could have any woman I wanted.
If she wanted to be with someone else, then so the fuck what?
Wasn’t this proof that I didn’t need her?
I ripped open the girl’s shirt, popping buttons along the way. Her big, beautiful breasts spilled free and I buried my face in them as she continued to ride me. My tongue found a nipple and she sighed, moaning as she rocked against me, grinding herself and sucking me deeply into her.
It was frenzied and sticky. The cubicle was small, cramped and hotter than hell. She rode me like an expert, sliding up the length of me and plunging back down to the hilt. I grabbed her legs and pulled her hard against me, pumping into her, trying to reach that moment of purity where my mind would only feel pleasure.
“I’m going to come … oh baby, I’m—” she cried out with her orgasm and I followed moments later, pumping into her angrily, blinded by the pleasure of my climax and the rage it collided with.
My heart thundered with unrestrained fury but even in that moment of blinding, angry pleasure, all I could see was Harlow in Colton’s arms. I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes closed tighter, a guttural, agonized growl erupting from deep within me.
When we stilled my co-passenger looked down at me with her sultry eyes and smiled seductively. “Now that’s one way to pass the time,” she said, breathlessly. She shook her long hair out behind her and gave me a long hot kiss.
Thankfully she didn’t seem intent on hanging around. She climbed off me, replaced her thong and straightened her skirt. Then she shot me another sexy look, licked her lips and winked at me, and disappeared out the door.
I took a moment to think. Bourbon spun around in my head, making me hazy, although, it wasn’t enough to dull the ache in my chest or erase the realization that Harlow had picked that douche bag over me.
A quick glance in the mirror prompted me to smooth down my ruffled hair with my hands and without warning my face crumpled. I covered my eyes and held back a flood of emotion rising behind my usually unreadable face. I sucked in a deep breath. Jesus! I needed more alcohol or I was going to start crying.
Fighting off the pain and the tears, I mentally sought out the anger. If I could stay angry, I would be okay.
Back in my seat, I caught the drinks trolley again and threw back another bourbon. The girl—whose name I couldn’t remember—was thankfully not clingy or a talker. For the rest of the flight she spared me the unwanted small talk and after we landed she simply handed me her business card and said, “Maybe next time I can buy you a drink.”
It was late afternoon when I left the airport and despite being tanked, stopped at the bar in the hotel lobby for another round. I just wanted the pain to go away so I put away several more bourbons, and by the time I made it back my room I was fall down drunk.
I called Armie and left some ridiculously garbled message about not being able to make it to the meet and greet. Then letting my phone drop to the floor, I fell onto the bed and passed out.
It hurt less this way.
* * * * *
HARLOW
My plane landed in Vegas just after seven. With only an overnight bag I jumped straight into a cab out the front of the airport.
Earlier I had spoken to Piper and she’d told me where the guys were staying. As far as she knew, Heath was in his room, sleeping off a hangover that had kept him from some kind of publicity commitment. That explained why I hadn’t heard from him.
That, and he was probably still pissed at me.
It was getting dark when arrived at the hotel and the sky was a deep sapphire. The cab parked beside a row of palm trees and I was suddenly overcome with butterflies in my stomach, wondering if I had done the right thing in showing up unannounced.
I followed Piper’s instructions and took the elevator to Heath’s room and knocked on his door. When there was no answer I knocked again.
Again, there was no answer and I wondered if he had gone out, and what I was going to do until he came back.
Just as I was about to turn and walk away, the door cracked open and Heath’s rumpled face appeared in the doorway.
He didn’t say anything when he saw me but his brows pulled into a frown. I swallowed hard and my heart was stopped by the cold look on his face. He was still pissed at me.
“Hey … surprise,” I said quietly, instantly afraid I’d done the wrong thing in coming.
“Harlow.” His tone made my stomach churn.
Was he annoyed at me for turning up un
announced? Or was he still angry from our argument?
Oh God, did he have a girl in there with him?
“Are you okay?” I asked, suddenly feeling sick. “Do you want me to go?”
His sleepy eyes darkened. “Sorry, I just woke up.”
Pushing open the door he stepped aside for me to enter. The room was dark except for a light coming from the bathroom. Across the room the bed was made but I could see the dent from his body on top of the quilt.
Once he had closed the door behind us, I dropped my bag on the floor and put my arms around him. His familiar warmth was comforting and even though he hesitated when my lips found his, they soon parted and tangled with mine in a deep kiss. Strong arms came around me to pull me against him. He squeezed me tight and then let me go.
“I’m sorry about the argument,” I said. “I should’ve put you first and I’m sorry that I didn’t.”
“Harlow …” he went to say something, but stopped.
He moved away and sat on the bed, and I felt the cold trickle of foreboding in my veins.
Something was wrong.
Something big stood between us.
Something I couldn’t see but I could definitely feel.
“Heath?”
Unsure of what was going on I sat next to him. But the unseen presence between us was unnerving. I turned his head to look at me but he pulled away and abruptly stood up, walking towards the bathroom.
I felt the sting of his rejection but worse, I felt the rising anxiety that things were about to fall apart.
“What’s going on with you? Do you want me to leave?”
He stopped in the doorway to the bathroom, with his back to me. His head dropped as he gripped the doorframe. His strong back muscles rolled underneath tight skin.
“Don’t torture me Harlow. Get it over and done with.” He said quietly.
“What are you talking about?”
He swung around. “What are you doing here?”
Totally taken back by his words and his behavior towards me, I couldn’t hide my confusion. “I wanted to see you.”
