Chapter 3

Three

The lookof shock and surprise on her face would be funny if she didn't also look so miserable.

It's breaking my heart how sad and upset she is. I don't care why she left. Knowing the reason why isn't going to make the years go away. It's not going to erase the pain we feel, so what does it matter.

"Gillian, can I speak to Scarlett alone?"

Without taking her eyes off me, Gillian leans over and whispers in Scarlett's ear. Scarlett nods and Gillian begins to leave the room. As she passes, she says in a low whisper, "You hurt her, my husband will make you disappear."

I nod in understanding. I'm not doubting Archer's capabilities or that he knows someone who "knows a guy." I'll try and stay firmly on his good side.

I sit in the chair in front of Scarlett's desk and take a deep breath. My hands shake with the desire to touch her and hold her. She's so close for the first time in so long. I wouldn't have thought it possible but she's more beautiful than she was at eighteen. Her body is fuller, rounder, and more perfect. Her face is that of a woman instead of a girl, one that has experienced life and enjoyed herself. A few laugh lines are starting to appear around her eyes, but they make her sexier. I just wish I had been the one to make her laugh. Her hair, originally a strawberry blond color she hated in conjunction with her name, is now a deep scarlet red. Dying it was something she always said she wanted to do to embrace her true nature.

"Hello, Scarlett." My voice is strained as I greet her. "I've missed you."

"Oh, Knox."

That's all she gets out before she bursts into tears. I jump into action, going to her side of the desk and pulling her into my arms. This might be the only time I get this honor. I'm going to hold her while she lets everything out, if she lets me.

"Is this okay, baby?"

She nods burying her head into the crook of my shoulder. The tears are still flowing, but she's calmed down now that she's in my arms.

"Scarlett, you know everything is going to be okay, right?"

A muffled answer comes from the beautiful woman in my arms.

Laughing, I tilt her head back, "I didn't quite hear that."

"I don't know if it'll all be okay, Knox. Things are so messed up but thank you for not hating me."

She still looks so sad. We'll have to get to the bottom of what happened all those years ago and why she left. It was devastating, to both of us it seems. We can't be anything today until we get passed it, but I want her to know that I do want there to be an us moving forward.

I lean toward her, giving her time to push me away or tell me no. When our lips are almost touching, I ask, "Scarlett, baby, can I kiss you?"

"Please," falls from her lips as she closes the gap between us, and our lips connect.

This kiss is a rediscovery of something lost and an awakening of long-denied feelings. Her lips are soft and perfect against mine and when I move my tongue along the seam, asking for entrance, she grants it with a moan. The sound going straight to my cock.

Scarlett moves on my lap to straddle my legs pulling her skirt up around her waist. I can feel her heat through my gym pants as I push myself against her sensitive pussy. I know we shouldn't do this. Taking this any further is foolish, but she feels so good as she moves against my body.

"Knox?" she whimpers. "This is a bad idea, right?"

"Probably, but I don't think I care. You feel so good, baby. I want to feel you. I want to hear you."

"I want you to touch me, Knox. I want you inside me. It's been so long since I've felt good." She raises up a little on her knees and grabs the waistband of my pants pulling them down far enough to release my cock. It's already dripping pre-come and harder than I remember being since I was a teenager.

"Fuck, you have me so hard, Scarlett. I want to feel your pussy wrapped around my cock. Are you wet, baby?"

I push the scrap of fabric that barely covers her to the side and slide my fingers through her wet slit, circling her clit and sliding two fingers inside her to pump once, then twice. I pull my fingers out and lick her delicious taste off. Scarlett watches my every move. Her eyes dilate and she loses her balance in the chair falling forward.

"We need to move to your couch." I stand, wiggling until my pants are all the way down and stepping out of them. Good thing Scarlett wasn't paying attention because I'm sure that wasn't hot. I carry her over to her couch, making a quick detour to lock her office door, and then sit her down on the couch. I quickly strip the rest of my clothes and lay on the other end. Pulling her body over mine.

"Are you sure this is what you want, baby? We can stop at any time."

"I'm sure, Knox." She turns and asks me to unzip her dress. "I want to be naked too."

"I'm definitely not going to complain about that."

Her dress falls off leaving her in a sexy, white bra and panty set which I quickly remove.

All I can do is stare when she is completely naked. "You are so fucking, gorgeous."

She tries to cover up her breasts and I move her hands. "Some things aren't the same, Knox."

"I know, you've gotten sexier." I pull her toward me and put the tip of one breast in my mouth sucking it in while pinching the tip of the other. She grinds herself down on my cock trying to create friction against her clit. I switch nipples and she huffs in frustration. "Is there something you need, baby?"

"I want you to put this big, fat cock in me. And take me hard and deep." Her innocent look doing nothing to hide what saying those dirty words do to her.

"As you wish," I answer with a wink. Lining up the head of my cock with her slick opening I slowly enter her, but then she takes over and speeds things up.

"I'm not a teenager anymore," she says with a bitterness that I don't understand.

"Okay, baby, get ready." If she wants it hard, then she'll get it hard.

Our bodies seem to remember each other, moving in a rhythm we both find instantly. Faster and harder than I ever remember it being between us, but sexy as fuck.

"I'm gonna come, Knox," she whispers as her body tightens around my cock. She screams into a pillow on the couch as I find release inside her.

I lean up to kiss her and she draws back. What the fuck?

"Knox, we need to talk."

Oh, fuck no. She's gonna tell me this was a mistake. That she's got a man or that this was just a one-time thing. I fucked up and she's gonna break my heart again. No, I'm not gonna wait around for that shit.

I look down at my watch. "Hey, I'm late for a meeting. Can we get together for coffee or something? I really need to go. It was great seeing you again. I'm sure I'll see you around town."

I quickly pull my clothes and even though I need to get out of this office, I help her zip up her dress. I make my way out of her office and the building without running into Gillian or her husband who's probably going to murder me. Joke's on Archer, he couldn't possibly make me feel worse than I do now.

I pull out my phone and make a call.

"Knox St. James office," my sister answers.

"Hey, Clara, can you do me a favor?"

"Knox? Where have you been? You disappeared yesterday after seeing Jovie and no one has heard from you since. When you didn't show up for work this morning I thought Dad was going to send out a search party. Are you okay?"

My family is very close and normally I love it, but not when they‘re all in my business.

"I'm fine. I'm just not going to be in the office for a couple of days. If it's something important that can't wait, you can email it to me, but if it can be put off till next week reschedule everything, please."

"Knox, you're scaring me. You never take off work. Can I come over and check on you? I won't say anything to our brothers or Mom. I just want to make sure you're okay."

Tension rolls through my body. I don't want to see anyone. Clara was too young the first time my heart was broken by Scarlett Hunter to really know what was happening, she just knew I was too sad to play. This time she'll understand, and she might try to defend my honor or some shit. My little sister is a force to be reckoned with. She's also not going to stop until she has her way.

"Okay, Clara, but just you. I don't want the idiot brigade coming over."

"Okay, I'll come over after work. I love you, Knox."

"Love you too, Clara Bear."

We hang up and I get in my car. I need a couple of days to figure out what just happened and if it's worth trying to fight for Scarlett or if I'm destined to love a woman who doesn't love me back.