by Ellen Hutton
Lucas stepped closer to her and she looked up at him. Her lips were pursed which he knew was a nervous habit, but he couldn’t focus because of the faint scent of cinnamon wafted up into his nose. He knew the smell came from the special shampoo she had refused to stop using. He wondered how it was that he knew a woman so well yet there was a chasm between them. Was there any solution to this problem? Did he even want to solve it?
He suddenly realized that he didn’t know what he wanted. Things had ended so abruptly for them, it had been a painful separation. As he looked into her captivating green eyes, he couldn’t help but wonder if there was anything left for them,
“Lucas” she whispered
He didn’t respond, he didn’t think. He simply lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on her parted lips. He heard her gasp, but she didn’t move away. When he moved away he saw the unguarded girl he once knew. He saw the love, the hope but then the girl was gone, and he saw the woman who was still a stranger. The woman he had hurt.
“I’m sorry” he whispered as if on instinct.
“Me too.” She whispered before turning and walking away. He looked after her as she walked away for the second time today. He wanted to reach out, he wanted to drag her back and plead with her to forgive him for what he had done in his stupidity. He wanted her to look at him the way she once did. He wanted the only woman he had ever loved to love him back; to be his again. Although these thoughts were illogical and he was pretty sure she was in a relationship with her boss, he felt that there was no way he should get over her if she was always there making him want her.
Chapter 9
“I miss you, mommy”
Scarlet smiled and blinked back her tears as she looked on at her son’s smiling face. She had set up a video chat with her sister and Logan.
“Hi, darling.” She cooed as she looked at his face which had a few paint splotches all over. If she knew her sister, they would be painting on canvas all day.
“When are you coming back?” he asked with his bright eyes flashing between her and what she presumed was his favorite cartoon.
“I’ll be back in a few days.” She responded, “how’s your sleepover with your aunt?”
“It’s the bestest.” He replied, “we painted some pictures for you.”
Scarlet cringed and only hoped that her apartment would still be liveable when they were finished with it.
“I hope you guys haven’t painted the walls.” She said,
“No, we laid out newspapers because aunty Cecile said you’d throw a fit if we messed up the floors” he replied proudly,
She smiled and shook her head. At least her sister was doing a good job to protect her apartment.
“Let me talk to Cecile please,” she said
A bit too eager, Logan handed the phone to her sister who was busy texting.
“Hey, sis.” She said
“Nice to see you two aren’t getting bored.” Scarlet replied, “how are things?”
“Things are great,” Cecile said, “we got a lot done today.”
“I bet.” She replied
“What’s going on with you and Lucas?” her sister asked
“Why do you think anything would be happening?” Scarlet asked a bit too defensively
Cecile looked at her with a raised brow and shook her head in disapproval.
“I knew you two couldn’t be in the same place and keep your hands to yourself,” she said
“I’m offended.” Scarlett replied, ”nothing has happened between us.”
“Is that so?” Cecile replied, “then why do you look so guilty?”
Scarlet shrugged but she knew it was useless to try and hide what had happened from her sister.
“We kissed.” She said silently
“Wait, what!” Cecile exclaimed, “you two did not kiss”
“It happened so fast I didn’t even see it coming,” Scarlet said in her defense.
“Wow, he kissed you?” her sister asked
“Yeah,” she replied, “it surprised me too.”
There was a sudden thud outside her door
“Hold on, I think someone may be at my door.” She said
She went to the door and flung it open. To her dismay, she wished she had checked the peephole. There was a messenger at the door across from her room and standing there with water dripping from his body was Lucas clad only in the skimpy towel that hung at his hips. Her traitorous mouth began watering instantly and she had no power to stop the sudden rush of desire that filled her. He turned and looked at her standing in the doorway and she thought he must have realized she was ogling him and then he smiled. Stepping back into her room, she slammed the door and pressed her back against it as if trying to force the wanton thoughts that had filled her from her mind.
“What is it?” Cecile asked, “you look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“A ghost of sorts” Scarlet replied,
“What does that even mean?” she asked
“I just saw Lucas in nothing but a towel” she replied, “his body is so perfect.”
“Wow, if that’s what seeing his body does to you, you may as well… you know” her sister said flashing her a wink.”
“Are you crazy?” Scarlet said as she crossed the room back to the couch where she had been sitting before. “I couldn’t ever let that man back into my life.”
“You two are many different people now,” Cecile said,
“I don’t think you even understand what you’re telling me to do,” Scarlet said,
“I’m not telling you to fall in love with him Scarlet” Cecile replied, “I’m telling you that you should show him the best night of his life, get it out of your system so that maybe you could move on.”
Scarlet was quiet. She hadn’t had many lovers since Lucas and the only word she could use to describe them was adequate. The fire she had once felt for Lucas was never there and she was eager to feel something like that again. If her sister was right, maybe the key was getting Lucas out of her system. It was a ridiculous idea and she could count the many different ways it would backfire.
“That’s still a crazy idea,” Scarlet said, “I can’t sleep with him now or ever.”
“Think of it this way, you would get to be the one who ends it this time around,” Cecile said,
Scarlet’s mind lit up at the thoughts. She would be the one to end it. It was such a powerful thought and yet she didn’t understand why she yearned so much to be in that position of power. Lucas had left her but she could return the favor this time around. It was clear that he felt something for her, she could get what she wanted and leave; give him a taste of his own medicine.
“You really think it could work like that?” she asked
“Hey, it works for me,” he sister said with a cheeky wink.
“How is it that you’re the more experienced one?” she asked
“Well aside from Lucas, you’ve always been a saint” Cecile replied, “so I didn’t have much to live up to rebellion wise..”
Scarlet laughed, she had always been the saint of her parent’s two children. It was her desire to please them that had separated her from them all those years ago and the reason they had turned their backs on her when they found out about Logan. She was still saddened that her son would never know his grandparents, but she had come to terms with it long ago. She had her sister to lean on and Cecile had always been there for her. She may even eventually marry and then she could extend her family. She longed to feel that connection again.
Her mind wandered right back to Lucas. She needed to get him out of her system and if her sister was right, sleeping with him would be the best way. She would get it done, then she would move on.
“I’m going to do it.” She said
“That’s my girl!” her sister cheered, “you do still know how to do it right? Should I give you some pointers?”
Scarlet laughed and ended the call before her sister could begin ranting about sex in front of her son. The day ahead was going
to be a long one. The team was scheduled for a cruise and she had carefully chosen long white pants and a pink top for it. As she looked at the outfit, she decided to opt for teal shorts and a billowy white top that clung to her body when wet. She had no knowledge of seduction, but she knew what men liked and she would test her knowledge out today at Lucas’ expense to see how he would react.
Chapter 10
Lucas pulled a t-shirt from his suitcase and threw it across the room to Melvin who was clad only in his cargo shorts.
“Didn’t you get the memo about vacation wear?” he asked as Melvin tugged the shit over his head
“I thought you meant button down vacation wear.” Melvin replied, “how was I supposed to know you meant beach vacation wear.”
Lucas shook his head and walked over to the kitchen where he had been making himself a sandwich.
“So that girl I saw you with last night,” Melvin said,
“Yeah what about her?” Lucas asked
“What’s the deal man?” Melvin asked, “I know you’ve been hiding something from me.”
“There’s no deal. We’re old acquaintances.” He replied
“Hey, I have old acquaintances too” Melvin replied, “but I don’t look at them the way you look at her.”
“It’s more complicated than anonymous sex” he replied in criticism of Melvin’s preferred method of dating. He would never give the impression to anyone that Scarlet was a booty call.
“Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it” Melvin joked, “now come on, what’s going on between you and this girl. I saw when you kissed her you sly dog.”
Lucas was hoping that the impromptu kiss would have gone unseen, but he could always count on his friend to bring up the things he so desperately wanted to forget.
“It was nothing,” he replied, “just an impulsive action.”
“You two have some dark history huh” Melvin replied, “hey I have situations like that too. Things get crazy and a guy got to pull out you know.”
Lucas laughed, he didn’t know, and he was very sure that he did not want to know.
“So, what was she, like the one who took your virginity?” Melvin asked, “she looks the type, she’s foxy. I bet you can’t control a woman like that in bed.”
Lucas felt the vein in his neck twitch. This was something Melvin did, he told himself, the man was a pig.
“She’s not an object Melvin.” He replied, “she’s a beautiful woman who I had the misfortune of abandoning when we were children.”
“Yikes, that must have pissed her off.” His friend said, “so you haven’t seen her all these years?”
“No, I had no idea she had moved to the city. I didn’t think she would ever leave our hometown.” He said thinking about the way she had loved the little town where they both grew up. He knew she had envisioned settling down and raising a family there.
“She’s beautiful man if you don’t plan to you know, I wouldn’t mind taking my chances with her,” Melvin said,
“She’s far too good for you.” Lucas said giving his friend a warning look, “besides I’m going to try to make it right with her.”
Lucas meant it too. He wanted her business, but he needed to make up for the man he had been when they were younger. She deserved much better than he could ever be but at least he could fix that mistake before he decided to move on in life. She could choose to forgive him, or she could let him bear his shame for the rest of his life. He only needed to know that he had done right by her.
“You think that will win you the company?” Melvin asked bringing up the part of his father’s will that he would rather forget.
For the moment, he owned the company but if he didn’t live up to his father’s request, he would be fired as the CEO. He shook off the voice in the back of his head that wanted him to believe that he couldn’t do it. He had planned to do it and no matter what it took, he would get it done.
“I think that if we do this right and follow procedure there’s no reason we shouldn’t get it.” He replied
“Do you think your father knew she owned the company.”
Lucas was suddenly struck by the question. Did his father know that she owned the company? His request had been so strange and unnerving, but Lucas hadn’t given it much thought. He didn’t consider it before because he had been shocked to see her himself. If his father had known she owned the company, he would never have insisted that he try to buy it. His father would have never approved of him going anywhere near her.
“I don’t think so,” he replied, “maybe he just wanted to give me a challenge. It was a popular company in his circle and he might have just wanted to expand it for himself.”
Melvin shrugged.
“He’s dead now so what can we do?” his friend said nonchalantly, “all I can say is that you need to figure out what’s going on between you and this girl before you lose it complexly.”
“That’s tree.” He replied, “The only way to get this company from her is to get on her good side.”
“You know what a woman’s best side is right?”
Lucas cringed. He would have to invest more on sensitivity classes for his friend and most of the other men who worked for him. They all saw women as objects, he had never seen them in the light. He could only attribute it to the friendship he had built with his best childhood friend. It was for that reason he was trying to hard to rebuild the company he had been given. The policies that currently existed were too archaic and didn’t leave space for modernization.
“I don’t think sex will solve anything,” Lucas replied,
“It may not, but it might help you to loosen up a bit.” Melvin replied, “and who’s to say she doesn’t want it just as much as you?”
Lucas’ mind flashed back to earlier when she had opened her door when the messenger came to his door. He hadn’t been dressed but he didn’t expect anyone to burst open their door. She had looked at him the way he envisioned a predator eyed their prey and it was the most amusing thing. It was so out of character and yet she had been shamelessly lusting after him.
“If it’s what she wants I have no objections.” He said, in fact he would make every effort to satisfy her if she would let him.
“Oh, it’s what she wants,” Melvin said slapping him on the shoulder, “you two are like two charged up bunnies waiting to go at it.”
Lucas scoffed.
“I would love to argue with you Melvin, but we have a cruise on the harbor that we can’t miss.”
“Excellent vacation you planned by the way.” Melvin said drowning the drink he had fixed for himself, “your father would have never thought of something like this.”
Lucas smiled, Melvin didn’t know how much that meant to him. His father had once been a great man and a great boss but as he got older, or maybe as Lucas got wiser, he had become more of a tyrant who many of his employees despised.
“Thanks man,” Lucas replied,
“We should get going if we want to catch the shuttle to the coast,” Melvin said
Lucas needed and pulled out his phone to check the time. They were due to begin their cruise in fifteen minutes which left them five minutes to gather in the lobby. He sent out a message to all those who had signed up for the excursion and made his way to the door. As he opened it, he noticed Scarlet standing at her door. She was wearing a pair of shorts that clung to her hips and revealed miles of long tanned legs. Her hair fanned out over her shoulder creating a beautiful halo which was further illuminated by the sun rays peeking through the window at the end of the hallway. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat.
“Ready?” she asked with a glint of something unfamiliar in her eyes.
“As ready as I will ever be.” He managed to blurt out.”
Chapter 11
Scarlet let out a deep breath and inhaled the salty sea-air as they sped through the crashing waves. There was nothing before them but miles and miles of seawater. She looked up at the clear skies and let the warmth of the
sun wash over her.
“Beautiful day huh.” She turned and looked over at Lucas who looked positively divine in the tight polo shirt and cargo shorts he wore.
“Yes, “she replied, “it’s stunning here.”
“Is it everything you thought it would be?” he asked
“Everything and more” she replied, “although I didn’t factor in the mosquitoes.”
Lucas laughed, and she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her lips. She could tell he was affected by her outfit by the way he had stared at her in awe earlier. She was proud that she had managed to throw him off the way he had thrown her off earlier.
“So, would you come back?” he asked
“Of course,” she replied, “but I’d have to bring,”
She was about to say that she’d have to bring her son but then she stopped. She had to be more careful around Lucas.
“You’d have to bring Ethan?” he asked
She looked at him and realized he must have been looking for some insight into her relationship with her partner.
“No, I think Ethan would rather to come here with his husband,” she replied, “I meant I would have to come back with my sister. She loves the Caribbean and she’s studying in the city right now.”
“I didn’t know your sister was in the city.” He said,
“Yeah, she got an art scholarship.” She replied, “she wants to become a painter.”
“What about the rest of your family?” he asked, “how are they doing?”
“They’re good.” She replied nodding away the painful memories, “we keep in contact every now and then.”
It was a blatant lie, but she didn’t want to tell him that they had all but disowned her because then he would want to know why that was. She had always been a favorite of her family and their hometown at large.
“I’m happy to hear that.” He replied, “I think about visiting there sometimes but I,”
“I understand.” She replied not wanting him to continue, “sometimes when you leave it makes no sense to go back.”
“Scarlet,” he said
She turned to look at him and she saw the yearning in his eyes. It was the same yeaning she felt and a yearning that made her eager to be alone somewhere with him.
