TANGLED HEARTS
- PROPER CHANCE.
While waiting for Aaron outside, her phone starts going off and it’s calls from Isabelle, Chase must have gone back to report and like a good spokesperson she is now calling to find out what happened. She has a good mind to block her but she just settles for silencing her calls for the time being. She will decide what to do when she has calmed down, she’s too angry to have an adult conversation with her, she might end up saying things she shouldn’t say.
Isabelle calls four more times and Amerie rejects each call, letting her know that she know that she doesn’t want to talk to her but Isabelle being Isabelle, she goes on to text.
“You didn’t have to leave like that, Amerie. I know you’re upset, please come back and let’s talk about what happened. I’ll send Chase and Rom away and it’ll be just us girls, I’m sorry.”
Amerie blueticks this message. That’s the thing about Isabelle, she will pretend to be acknowledging that you are upset and even apologize for it and then go do something stupid. Something like organizing a double date including Chase, how dumb can one grown individual be? Another text comes through from Isabelle and this time she decides not to even open it, they can go on and have a good day, she refuses to be a part of this circus.
The only call she answers is the one coming from Aaron to let her know that he’s arrived and is in the parking space that she told him to go to. He directs her and steps out of the car and as soon as she’s in, she silences her phone “I’m sorry for the short notice,” she apologizes when they start moving.
“It’s not a problem, ma’am,”he calmly says and she doesn’t bother engaging in a conversation. The only thing on her mind is the stunt that Isabelle just pulled on her, for a thirty-one year old, that was quite childish and inconsiderate and why the hell is she pushing her to go back to Chase? What’s it to her? Oh wait, she knows. Isabelle cannot stand to be the only one who lets a man toy with her feelings, knowing that she’s not the only one going through such somehow validates this circus she’s allowing herself to be a part of, it makes it a normal thing to go through in life but Amerie won’t do that to herself, she deserves so much better… Even if she has to hop from one relationship to another to get the love that she longs for and deserves.
She shuts down all these thoughts about her scheming sister and focuses on her next destination, she hopes to find no surprises there.
.
.
.
It’s a Sunday and Shane’s initial plan was to have an easy going day before the week ahead. He’s used to his own company and will find things to keep himself busy with. Either working out in his home gym, tending to his garden outside or just focusing on his business. He always finds a way to keep his mind occupied and once in a while, he will choose to sleep in and have a lazy day. Sometimes a quiet life can be peaceful and other times it can be tormenting, he embraces both sides of the coin how he best can.
Today started out as a gym day for him, then he showered, made something to eat after the cleaning crew left and then he relaxed and enjoyed his own company up until his phone rang and flashed Amerie’s name. A call he wasn’t expecting because she was supposed to be out having fun with her sister.
After hearing the sound of her voice and listening to the lengths that her sister went to, the first thought that came to mind was to invite her over, he just knew that he wanted to see her and hold her. He has been missing her, he won’t lie and this whole thing of moving slowly is kind of taking its toll on him because he knows what he wants and it’s her. Then again, he needs to consider the fact that his heart chose someone who is fresh from a relationship that ended badly, he can understand why she sometimes holds out on him or looks at him like she’s not really registering the words that come out of his mouth. It will take more than words to convince Amerie that he’s not like her ex and he is prepared to put in the work.
He walks out when he sees that they are closer to the house. He has a tracker on all his cars, including the one that will now be used to transport Amerie. Aaron parks on the drive way and the backseat door open as he’s still walking toward the car. Amerie steps out and he has to do a double take at how gorgeous she looks even when she’s visibly upset. He walks to where they are and nods at Aaron as the car starts reversing out of the yard.
He’s still looking at her while she on the other hand is avoiding his eyes, they need to do something about this shyness. He stops moving and waits for her to reach him with one hand in his pants pocket and the other massaging his neat kept beard and smirks a little when she finally looks up at him, when she stops in front of him he pulls her into his arms and holds her for a moment longer before pecking her cheek before he lets go.
“Hey,” He smiles at her and she responds with a shy smile.
“Hi, I hope I didn’t disturb you,”
“I’m the one who asked you to come and I don’t think your company will ever qualify to be called a disturbance,” he tells her and she nods but says nothing “Shall we?” he takes her hand and leads the way inside the house.
“You have a gorgeous house,” Amerie says. She’s always know that waterfall country estate has the most beautiful houses but she’s never seen them up close and now that she’s in one she feels her thoughts about the houses were mild, what she’s seeing right now is absolutely amazing. From the front lawn and the detailed landscape, the design of the house itself too, it’s all top standard, the kind of houses you see on top billing and she didn’t expect less from a well established architect like Shane.
” I was thinking the same thing about you,” He responds and she raises her eyebrow in confusion.
“That I have a gorgeous house?” she snorts, he must be mocking her.
“That you are gorgeous,” he says while looking at her and it is another thing that makes her melt and leaves her tongue tied.
Shane proceeds to lead the way inside the house and he offers to give her a house tour later. For now, he just wants to sit with her so he takes her to his lounge room where he was seated, the sliding door is wide open and there’s fresh air coming in, from here, Amerie can spot the infinity pool that he has outside.
He sits first on the wide couch with his legs spread then he pulls her down so she can sit between his legs. He doesn’t have her entire back facing him, instead, she sits at an angle that allows them to have eye contact while having such close proximity. She doesn’t feel bothered with this, it’s actually comforting and she loves feeling him this close, a feeling he has too.
He takes one of her hands in his “How are you feeling now?”
“A lot better than I was when I called you,”
“You don’t have to pretend with me, Amerie. I hope you know that you can talk to me about anything, including your ex,”
As much as he’d rather not have known about this past relationship. He also doesn’t want her bottling up her feelings, he can take her venting about him, or at least he hopes he can.
” I’m not lying. I was angry, I still am. I’m more angry and disappointed at my sister than I am with him. I don’t expect much from him but my sister? She went too far,”
“I agree, she did,”
“And then she wanted us to proceed and watch movies like nothing is wrong, can you believe that?”
See? All he had to do was encourage her to talk and now it’s happening, she’s letting it all out and he’s realizing that Amerie doesn’t care about this boy, if anything, it’s her sister’s actions that are hurting her the most and he understands, you can’t have someone you trust turn and do something like this, she feels that her sister is invalidating her anger towards this guy and he worries that if she keeps pulling these stunts then Amerie will pull away from her,which would be a shame because it’s just the two of them, they have no other siblings.
“Maybe you need to have the talk with her again,”
“She’s not a child, Shane. I can’t keep repeating myself, it’s tiring and annoying and honestly, there is more to life than what she wants to subject me to,”he feels her tense up again. ” in fact, I don’t want to keep talking about this. I’m sorry for bringing up my past while I’m with you, I know it’s not ideal, ”
” I knew you were coming from a relationship when I asked you out and I knew it ended badly. I don’t mind you telling me what you are feeling,”
” Is this you being a good boyfriend? “she teasingly asks and he chortles at the term, the sudden movement of his body seems to be affecting her in ways she doesn’t think she can clearly communicate right now… Well atleast not yet.
” I think I’m a little too old to be considered a boyfriend, don’t you think? ”
“What would you rather be called because you’re not my husband,”
“I prefer being called your man, that is until we get married of course,” he says and she looks away.
“Thinking ahead already?”
“Thinking of the best outcome already, love,” he confirms and there’s this ping in her heart.
She looks him intently in the eyes then asks “Aren’t you scared that I’m using you as a rebound? “she asks lowly but their faces are so close there is no way he wouldn’t hear her.
” I’ve never thought that you are, and if you’re doing that then at least something good in a form of your healing will come out of this, “he humorously responds.
” Don’t joke like that, Shane. Toying with people’s hearts is never a good thing, no matter what you are going through,”
” Then you tell me, Amerie. Are you using me as a rebound? ”
” No, “she doesn’t hesitate” I’m genuinely attracted to you, ”
” So my looks pulled you in? Is it? “he asks with a smirk and she can’t even bring herself to looks away even has his face inches closer to hers.
“Well I mean, you kind of did ask nicely too,” her eyes drop to his lips and she mindlessy licks her lower lip.
“What else?”
“What else?”
“Yes, what else pulled you in?”
“I don’t know, but it’s something… I couldn’t stop thinking about you, I still can’t but I’m scared that this is just a phase and eventually you’ll get bored so I’m finding it hard to fully give in, I don’t want to keep that from you,” she confesses, she won’t confess that dating an older man has been a fantasy that she now gets to fully experience.
“Thank you for telling me and I know that you’re not in a position to trust words right but I do want to say this, I’m not trying to deceive you, I’m not perfect and I’m sure my flaws will show from time to time but one thing I will not do is intentionally hurt you. I know that cheating is a deal breaker for you and I respect that because I wouldn’t want my woman to cheat on in too, we both deserve better than that, we also deserve a chance at true happiness without reservations, don’t you think? ”
” Yes, we do… And I want to agree but I don’t want to be at risk of getting my heart broken, Shane and I don’t want you to make promises because my heart will break if you start breaking those promises…”
” At the same time, you also won’t know how great we can be if you don’t give us a proper chance, ”
” That is true,” she cups his cheek with her hand and their eyes bore into each other, she feels it coming, she feels herself throwing caution to the wind. One would say there are many things wrong with this situation or that it’s too soon but she doesn’t feel like it, she feels like she will kick herself if she doesn’t give Shane a chance, she doesn’t want to be left wondering what could have been and Leona was right, there really is no waiting period. She’s an adult and can decide to go with what her heart is longing for and at this moment it’s Shane.
Now, with their lips almost touching, he tortures her by making her wait because she will not be the one to close this remaining gap. She wants to, but she won’t be the one to do it and luckily he decides to.
On his couch, they share their first kiss. It’s slow and sweet, there is absolutely no rush and the focus is in them, just the two of them and the feel of their lips on each other. When she parts her lips, allowing him to slide his tongue in, he also has a hand at the back of her neck and keeps her in place as he deepens the kiss and does the tongue dance with her while their eyes are shut. They kiss until they start running out of breath and only then do they pull away from each other. Both breathing hards, their eyes are locked together and Shane smiles when he sees how flustered she looks as she breather out with her mouth. She wants more of that.
“Are you hungry?” he asks her.
“Yes, I haven’t eaten anything today,”
“And why would you do that, Amerie?” it almost sounds like he’s scolding her.
“I thought I’d eat at the mall…”
“You need to eat, Love. Come, I’ll make you something to eat.” she first gets up so he can stand too and then he leads the way to the kitchen, tells her to grab a seat by the kitchen island then he offers her something to drink before he starts moving around in his spacious and fancy kitchen.
He is not a fan of take out and at the same time, he doesn’t enjoy standing by the stove for hours so he has invested in cook books that help him make quick and delicious meals and that’s what he’s doing right now, a simple creamy pasta and shredded chicken. He knows the recipe by head now so he just gets started. He keeps catching Amerie stealing looks and she quickly looks away when he makes direct eye contact. Once everything is on the stove. He turns his attention to her, he spins her chair around so her back can be against the island and then he stands between her legs, her dress has been pulled up and when he puts his hands on her bare thighs she sucks in a good amount of breath.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks her.
“I’m thinking that I want you to kiss me again,” she responds honestly and he doesn’t need to be told twice before claiming her lips again. She gasps when he pulls her closer unexpectedly and her thighs rub against his leather belt and he slides his tongue into her warm mouth and begins feeding off her kisses like a starved man. Amerie isn’t sure about what’s setting her off the most, his hands on her thighs, the leather belt she rubbing against or how Shane is dominating the kiss while she gets the feel of his trimmed beard, everything about this is so hot for her that she loses control for a moment and moans into his mouth, setting off his on flames too and he holds on even tightly to her, it takes a lot of self-control for both of them to pull away and when they do, desire is painted all over their eyes.
Shane is the first one to break the spell “Let’s get you fed,” he pecks her lips and she’s left sitting there, legs still spread and her fingers feeling on her lips and she shuts her eyes to think about just how aroused she is right now.