Chuckling, I replied, “Yeah, pretty awesome, right?”
“Yes, very. Ok, well I’m gonna assume that Rat is fine since he is out of the hospital, so Max and I are coming to get you, Butterfly. We’ll be there in just a bit, wait for us in the lobby, okay?”
Even though it gutted me to leave Mason so soon, I needed to reassure Ash that he was who I was in love with and wanted to be with; there was no way I was arguing with him. After all he was right- Mase was fine; he had people there to take care of him and to make sure that he got back home okay. I needed to take care of myself and the functioning relationships I still had. I knocked on the bedroom door and despondent grey eyes greeted me.
“You don’t need to say anything, Angel. I heard,” he mumbles.
Seeing him like this was almost as heartbreaking as seeing him lying half dead in the hospital bed, completely dejected and crestfallen. I brought my hand to his cheek and my thumb caressed back and forth over his smooth skin. He closed his eyes and pressed his palm against my palm. Once again, tears streamed down my face as my heart broke for him . . . for me . . . for the us that could’ve been.
He opened his eyes and leaned forward until his forehead was pressed against mine. Staring deep into my eyes, he whispered, “Please don’t go, Angel. We can make this work, I know we can.”
His combination of his promising words, the look of determination of his face, and the feel of his breath on my lips was almost enough to convince me that he was right . . . almost. I inhaled a deep breath before speaking. “Mase, so much has happened between us. We can’t just pretend that it hasn’t. We can never get back to where we were.”
“We can be better than we were, Scarlett. Please just give me a chance.”
I brushed away the wetness from his cheekbone and I placed my finger over his lips as he was about to say something else. “I can’t Mase. I love you, but I just can’t. Please understand.”
Afraid that if he said anything else, I would break down and tell him that I would stay with him and give us a chance, I turned on my heel, grabbed my bag, and walked into the hotel hallway. Just before the door closed behind me, I heard him say, “I will never stop loving you, Angel.”
I made it to the elevator before I completely broke down sobbing. Leaning against the wall, I let it all out, and I stayed there until I had no more tears left to cry. I then slipped into the bathroom and washed my face the best I could, but there was no getting rid of the puffy red eyes that stared back at me in the mirror. I took several deep breaths and did my best to regain my composure before heading downstairs.
Thirty minutes later I was standing in the extravagant lobby, my bag at my feet, waiting for Ash to get there. As soon as I saw his long blond hair come through the main entrance, I took off running toward him. Nearly tackling him to the floor, I jumped on him and began kissing him all over his face. Laughing and squeezing me tightly, I knew he felt the same relief and comfort that I did being back in his arms. I saw Max standing a few feet away, giving us our space, he had a huge smile plastered on his face. I grinned back, thanking him silently for his support. Despite the numerous bumps and detours of the previous year and a half, I felt that I had finally found the path I was supposed to be on to find my happiness.
SHE IS LOVE—PARACHUTE
WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN—JASON WALKER
ASH
Seeing Scarlett’s face light up when she saw me caused my heart to swell until I thought it was going to burst. I had told her on the phone that I believed her, and I did for the most part, but her reaction to my arrival in the hotel lobby gave me the reassurance that I needed. After our somewhat obnoxious public display of affection, which I could’ve given two shits about, Max, Scarlett, and I headed straight to the airport. I wanted to get her as far away from him as soon as possible.
As we waited for our flight, we grabbed some food and drinks in one of the airport restaurants. I didn’t care that it was nine o’ clock in the morning, I needed a drink. I had been a tightly bundled ball of nerves for two days, and I finally felt that I could relax a bit. Max and I both had a couple Bloody Mary’s with our breakfast as she nursed her milk and sugar with a dash of coffee. It was in that moment I was reminded of how young Scarlett still was. Still just nineteen, out of her parents’ iron-clad restraints for only a year and a half, she had dealt with a lot in that short amount of time. Even though I was only three years older and had dealt with my fair share of life’s disappointments and misfortunes, just as everyone does, most people are taught to deal and cope with these things beginning at a young age. Her parents had really done a disservice to her keeping her sheltered from the reality of the world.
“Is your drink really that interesting?” Scarlett’s voice broke through my thoughts. My eyes snapped up to hers and she had this cute little smirk on her face. “You’ve been staring at it and stirring it with that celery stalk for the better part of five minutes while Max and I have been arguing if window or aisle seats are better. We really need you to be the tie breaker on this one, if we can tear you away from your precious Mary.”
I snickered as I looked back down at my drink and saw that my hand was still swirling the green stalk in a circular motion. Quickly pulling it away and grabbing the glass, I took a long drink before pushing my serious thoughts from my mind and enjoying the company of my two closest friends.
“Well, there really is no argument. The window seat is by far the more superior of the seats on a plane,” I said matter-of-factly.
“How can you say that?” she exclaimed. “If you have an aisle seat, you don’t have squeeze past anyone when you need to get up for the bathroom, you don’t feel claustrophobic being squeezed between two people or a person and a wall, and most importantly, if there’s a need for evacuation, you’re the first to get your ass to the exit doors.” Max rolled his eyes, as she had apparently already spouted off these reasons to him.
“Scarlett, honey,” I began, knowing how much she hated to be called honey. I couldn’t help but laugh as she wrinkled up her nose at the word, giving me exactly the reaction I knew she would have. “If you have a window seat, no one squeezes over you to go to the bathroom . . . no one’s ass is in your face; it’s your ass in someone else’s face, so who cares. Secondly, you don’t feel claustrophobic at all because you can look out the window!! And to your last point, I don’t get on a plane thinking about the possibility of a crash. If a tin can is going to fall out of the sky and land either in water or on land, I don’t think chances of survival are very good no matter what seat I’m in. In addition to all of that, the window seat gives you the luxury of seeing and connecting to the beautiful earth below you. Have you ever flown into a big city like New York or Vegas late at night and seen the lights from the plane window? Or ever looked down as you fly over a large body of water and thought about the expansive marine wildlife that is below you? Or ever wonder how so much of the land seems to be divided into perfect squares? Or . . .”
“Okay, okay!! You win, the window seat is the best,” she interrupted, rolling her eyes.
Max started cracking up laughing at her obvious attempt at agreeing just to get me to shut up. “Well done, man. She’s one stubborn little bratty flamingo.”
Scarlett couldn’t help but giggle at his ridiculous flamingo comment as she punched him in his arm. “And just for all that, I’m sitting by the window on the way home. You two can fight over middle and aisle.”
We spent the next hour continuing the light-hearted conversation, none of us wanting to venture into the topic of why we were all there. I knew that she and I still needed to have a very serious conversation, but it wasn’t the time or place to do it. For the moment, I just wanted to enjoy the smiles and laughter.
SCARLETT
From the time Ash had picked me up at the hotel, he had not stopped touching me. He was either holding my hand or had his hand on my leg or his hand at the base of my back . . . some sort of physical contact at all times. It was almost as if sub
consciously he needed to feel me to remind himself that I was there with him. And even though I loved how it made me feel cherished, it also made me sad that he was that insecure in our relationship. I knew it was my fault that he felt that way, and I knew that it was my job to fix it. We still had a lot to talk about; I needed to be honest about the lingering feelings I had about Mase, and also express to him the difference in my love for the two of them. However, at the end of the day, words were just that . . . words. They meant nothing without the actions to back them up. It was time to show Ash Walker that he was who I wanted in my life.
Once we landed in Houston, Ash drove Max and me to our apartment. As we approached the complex, an uncomfortable silence fell over us. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to go home or to stay with me, to talk or not talk. I kept waiting for him to make some reference to what he was planning on doing, but instead he just clammed up. I figured that was a good of time as any to start showing him how I felt, even if I was moderately scared of rejection.
He pulled the car into a parking spot and Max jumped out of the back seat, escaping the evident awkwardness. “I’d really like if you’d stay with me tonight,” I said quietly, staying in the passenger seat.
He turned to look at me, his blue eyes bright and hopeful. “Are you sure? I didn’t know if you needed some time alone or . . . whatever,” he replied as he ran his fingers nervously through his hair.
I shook my head no. “I never want to be without you, Ash, especially not tonight.”
He didn’t wait another second. Smiling, he turned the key, killing the engine, and hopped out of the car. He raced around the front of the car to my door, where he opened it and in a silly accent said, “Madame, please allow me to escort you into your estate.”
I threw my head back in laughter at his antics, but placed my hand in his allowing him to help me from the car. Upon entering the apartment, Max was nowhere to be seen so I assumed he was hiding in his room, and quite honestly, I couldn’t blame him. He and I really needed to have a Chocolate Bar session soon, but there was only one thing on my mind at that moment.
Ash and I headed straight for my bedroom, and closed the door behind us. Wasting no time, I slipped my shoes off and pulled my shirt over my head. He stood there staring at me, and I wasn’t sure if he was just watching me or was uncertain about what exactly I had in mind. I walked up to him, standing in my bra and jeans, and grabbed the hem of his shirt and raised it up and over his head. Once he was shirtless, a mischievous grin spread across his face and he reached down to unbutton and unzip my jeans. Biting my lip as the anticipation began to grow inside of me, I followed suit and unfastened his belt and pants, never once tearing our gaze from one another’s. He kicked off his shoes and allowed his pants to fall to the floor, then stepped out of them, as I shimmied out of mine.
We stood there nearly naked for several minutes, never speaking a word, but saying so much to one another. Finally, he brought his hands up to cup my face and leaned down until his face was so close to mine that I could feel his breath on my lips. “I’m so glad you’re home, Butterfly,” he whispered, ever so softly. Then he pressed his lips to mine, firmly and with purpose, taking control of my entire body and soul.
Quickly we stripped out of the minimal clothing we still had on, and found our way into my bed. Beginning with my mouth, Ash took his time kissing every inch of my body. His tender lips caressed my delicate skin as I melted into a pool of lust under this lean, muscular frame. The minute his mouth hit my throbbing clit, I could no longer control myself. As good as it felt when he licked and sucked on me, I needed to feel him inside me. My whimpering turned into begging as I tugged on his hair. “Ash . . . please . . . you . . . me . . . inside . . . now.” Those were the only words I could manage to form in between the moans that kept escaping my lips.
Needing to feel me as badly as I needed him, he didn’t torture me long. Moments later he slid his way back up my body until he was eye level with me. Hovering over me, the warmth of his love filling my heart, he brushed a strand of my hair off of my face and tucked it behind my ear as he lowered his mouth to mine. Gently, he pulled my bottom lip in between his, sucking slightly, at the same time that he slid his hard cock into my drenched slit satisfying the ache deep inside me.
Completely captivated by the passion, it didn’t take me long to reach my peak and to take the ecstasy-filled tumble down. Feeling and hearing my orgasm sent Ash over the edge right behind me. My walls clenched tight around him as I felt his body go rigid and then as he released himself inside of me. He collapsed on top of me, gasping for breath, as I locked my arms and legs tightly around his body holding him close. We were a mess of sweaty perfection, and I was glad to be home.
STAY CLOSE, DON’T GO—SECONDHAND SERENADE
THREE LITTLE BIRDS—BOB MARLEY
THE LAST TIME—TAYLOR SWIFT/ GARY LIGHTBODY
MASON
Watching Scarlett walk out of my hotel suite was even harder than watching her leave me at the wedding. At the wedding I had been angry and raw, a bit out of control, but in the hotel I was just completely devastated. I walked back into the bedroom and sat down on the bed, lost in what to do next. The previous couple of months my life had gone to shit. Ever since I had moved to Austin, in what was supposed to be my huge step toward the life I had always wanted, everything had just fallen apart. I had lost sight of the things that were supposed to be important in my life—Scarlett, my music, and my brother, and traded them in for cheap fixes in alcohol, drugs, and groupies. I had apparently almost died, but I honestly didn’t feel any different physically just days later, so I wasn’t convinced it was as serious as they had all made it out to be. The worst part of it all was thinking that Scarlett had come back, that we were going to give it another shot, only to be shattered when she walked away again.
I understood what she said about so much happening between us, but I didn’t agree that it was more than we could handle. I was willing to forgive her for all that she had done wrong, but seemingly she couldn’t do the same. I believed that she loved me; regardless of her fuck ups, her heart was pure and her intentions were good. I always knew that Ash had some sort of hold on her, but I had truly believed that our love was true and we could overcome that. Obviously I had been wrong.
Sighing, I looked at the side of the bed that she had laid on the night before, where for a few short minutes I had tasted her sweet flesh against my lips once again. I didn’t want to accept that it would be the last time I would hold her so intimately, despite the reality that it most likely was. I had wanted so badly to go after her, to beg her one last time, but in spite of my complete mental and physical breakdown, I still held some semblance of pride. A few minutes after she left, I thought I heard crying in the hallway, but I resisted the urge to see if it was her. It absolutely killed me to see her cry, even knowing that it was her decision to walk away, I still hated that she was distraught.
A knock on my door pulled me from my depressing thoughts. Both Marcus and Cruz were standing there with concerned looks on their face as I threw the door open.
“Come on in to the suite of despair,” I said with a forced laugh. I motioned them in with my hand and walked toward the kitchenette. “Can I grab y’all a drink?”
I reached for the bottle of Jack Daniels and three rocks glasses without waiting for an answer. I poured three double shots and slid them each a glass
“No,” Marcus said firmly as he slammed his hand on the countertop.
I looked up at him confused. “No? What’s your deal, dude? You’ve been nothing but a dick since you’ve gotten here.”
“Are you serious, Rat? I just flew halfway across the country, on Christmas no less, to see my baby brother lying in a coma in a hospital bed because he overdosed!! And you’re going to ask me what my fucking problem is?!” His face was beet red as he lectured me. “You really need to take a step back and reevaluate your situation. You’ve had your head so far up that girl’s ass you don’t know what the hell
’s going on. Ever since she came into your life you’ve completely lost all sense of reality. And yet today she has fucked you over once again because here you sit wallowing in your sorrows while she just skipped out of the lobby kissing emo boy.”
“Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!” I screamed at him. “Ever since the day she walked into Empty’s, my life has finally made sense. I was doing all this shit before she was around and none of you seemed to care then . . . She makes me want to be a better person; can’t you see that?”
He slid the still full glass back toward me and turned around to leave. “You need help little brother,” he said as he walked to the door. “And I hate to break it to you, but your precious little angel can’t fix this. As a matter of fact, she’s really no angel at all.”
I looked up at Cruz who had been silent throughout. I was so livid I could barely speak. I assumed it was his turn to pile on, but instead he just followed Marcus out the door without saying a word.
I looked down at the three glasses in front of me. I knew I had a problem, I knew I needed to push them away, but I couldn’t do it alone. A mixture of emotions coursed through my body—rage, despair, sadness, frustration, and most of all loneliness. There I stood all alone, and yet once again, my old friend Jack was there to pick me up. I hurriedly downed all three drinks, allowing the warmth of the whiskey to flow freely through my veins and numb the cold, empty feeling away.
As I slammed the final glass onto the countertop, I mumbled to myself, “She is too an angel. She’s my angel.”
SCARLETT
Ash and I spent the rest of the afternoon and night in my bed, only getting up to use the bathroom and get food. We made love several times around watching some old movies, but neither of us ventured into deep conversation. Several times I found myself wondering how Mase was doing or when he was coming home, but each time that I did, I consciously pulled my thoughts back to my surroundings. I didn’t think that Ash noticed anything wrong or off, but each time my mind began to wander, I would curl up into Ash and kiss him to remind me of why I’d made the decision I had.