Cherished (Wanted 4)

“Scott, Trey called the house. He said you were listed. I answered and agreed to meet him at the café.”

Scott sat there, just staring at me.

“Being alone in the bedroom for those few hours, I really had time to think. That day when Trey had…well, when he touched me like he did…”

Scott closed his eyes, and I felt his grip tighten on my hips before he let go.

“That whole night, all I wanted to do was go back to my room and shower. I felt like I had been violated somehow even though I had asked him…to make me forget.”

I saw the tears building in his eyes, and it was killing me, knowing that this conversation was hurting him.

“You don’t feel that way about someone if you love him…or have feelings for him. I know now that it was my guilt that was eating away at me. It was playing with my emotions. Scott, I. Love. You. Only you.”

Scott cleared his throat. “Why did you kiss him good-bye?”

“Guilt. I felt so bad for leaving him. I guess, in a sense, I formed a friendship with him because I knew he was hurting like I was. He knew how it felt to hurt so deeply. Once I started thinking more and more about that night when I’d walked in and seen Chelsea, the more and more I started to try to pull away from Trey…until one day, it just hit me. I needed you. I needed to talk to you, and I had to talk to you right then. I freaked out the night the storm hit because I couldn’t get a hold of you, and I was so afraid. That next morning…when I said good-bye to him…I just didn’t want to break his heart again. Does that make sense? He tried to deepen the kiss, but I pushed him away. I don’t have those feelings for him. I care about him but only as a friend.”

Scott looked into my eyes and then looked away. He stared down at the floor for a good two minutes before he glanced back at me. “Yeah…that makes sense. I get what you’re saying. But why do you need me to go to the café with you? Are you afraid to see him alone? Afraid of what you might feel when you see him?”

I smiled and shook my head. “No. I want you there because I love you. I want Trey to see that I have no secrets with you, and I want to do this together. I don’t want to be away from you for another minute.”

The smile that spread across his face caused me to giggle. He reached up and ran his hand along my jawline, and I felt the butterflies in my stomach.

“Are you feeling okay, baby? You don’t want to meet him tomorrow?” Scott asked.

“No. I’d rather just do this now, so he understands once and for all that he was only ever just a friend.”

Scott nodded. “Well then, let’s go.”

I slowly got up, and I instantly missed the warmth of Scott’s body up against mine. I put my panties on while I watched Scott pull up his pants. I wanted him again. I glanced over at the clock, and we were already late for meeting Trey as it was. Scott reached out for my hand, and we walked through the house and out to the truck.

He pulled me closer to him and said, “Love muscle.”

I looked at him, surprised. “Huh?”

Scott smiled that drop-me-to-my-knees smile. “My first suggestion for a word other than penis—love muscle.”

I tossed my head back and laughed. “I’ve got one,” I said.

He held open the truck door and helped me up into his truck.

“Baby maker,” I said as I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.

“Hell yeah, it is!” Scott said with a laugh.

By the time we walked into the café, we were almost an hour late. I looked around for Trey, and my heart sank. He was talking to Chelsea.

Good god. My worst nightmares are coming true all at once.

“Shit,” Scott whispered. He leaned down and said, “What do you want me to do?”

I watched as Trey talked and laughed with Chelsea. A part of me was bothered by seeing him talking to her, but it wasn’t jealousy. It was hate. I had nothing but pure hate for this woman who clearly was going to do everything she could to try to hurt me.

Well, no more. I’m done.

I smiled and looked at Scott. “Nothing. Let’s go say hi.”

I walked up to the table, and the moment Chelsea saw Scott and me, the smile from her face vanished. Trey turned, and his smile vanished just as fast.