Forever and Always (2 page)

“
I make fun of you because
I love you. Think about it that way.”

“
That doesn’t help.” I
smiled.

“
How about some dessert,
then?” he asked.

“
Well, I just had a
milkshake.”

Sean smiled. “Then let me take you out
for a drink.”

“
Are you trying to get me
drunk?”

He shrugged. “We’ll see what
happens.”

“
I’m going to shower and
change,” I said. “Please make yourself at home.”

“
Thank God,” Sean said. “I
was worried that you were going to go out like that.”

I grabbed his stomach and tickled him.
“You got me,” he laughed. “But you know I think you’re beautiful no
matter what you wear, even my old college jersey.”

“
Well, I’m a hot piece of
ass,” I said as I walked away.

“
You are
my
hot piece of ass
now.”

I turned around and looked at him
before I disappeared in the hallway. “I like it.”

“
Good,” he said. “Get used
to it.”

I showered then changed my clothes,
wearing a tight fitting dress that accentuated the curves of my
body. After I applied my makeup, I looked in the mirror and felt
satisfied. I looked like a million bucks.

When I came back into the living room,
Ryan and Cortland were sitting on the couch with Sean, and they all
looked at me when I walked into the room. Sean was blatantly
staring at me with a hungry expression.

He stood up and walked towards me.
“You look—”

“
You better get it right
this time.” I smiled.

Sean smiled at me. “Like a wild, sexy
beast.”

“
Thank you,” I said. “That
was just the compliment I was looking for.”

Sean laughed. “Are you ready to
go?”

“
Where are you guys
going?” Ryan asked.

“
Well, since this fatty
already ate and stuffed herself with a milkshake, I am taking her
out for a drink.”

“
My sister can be a
garbage disposal,” Ryan said.

“
Now look who’s being a
brat,” I said to my brother.

He laughed then looked at Sean. “Good
luck with her.”

“
Thanks.” Sean laughed. “I
think I’m going to need it.”

“
When did this turn into a
Scarlet-bashing?” I asked.

Sean kissed me on my head. “It’s only
because we love you.”

I looked at him. “Well, maybe you
should try hating me instead.”

“
Let’s go,” Sean said. He
turned to Ryan. “I’ll have her home in a few hours.”

“
She’s your problem now,”
Ryan said. “The weight is off my shoulders.”

I rolled my eyes and Sean wrapped his
arm around me as we walked to the street. We took a cab to the main
strip. Sean and I arrived at a classy piano bar and we took a seat
at a table in the corner. A waitress stopped by and took our drink
order. I ordered a glass of wine and Sean ordered a
beer.

For a long time, Sean just stared at
me from across the table without saying anything. I met his look
with a smile, waiting for him to speak.

“
I can’t believe how
beautiful you are,” he said. “I don’t know how I was so oblivious
before.”

The waitress returned with our
beverages then walked away. “That’s because you’re an idiot.” He
smiled at my comment. I sipped my wine as I looked at him. “You
aren’t bad to look at either.”

Sean laughed. “So I tell you how
beautiful you are and all I get is, ‘you aren’t bad to look
at?’”

I shrugged. “I think you are the most
handsome man I’ve ever seen.”

Sean nodded. “That’s
better.”

“
I mean it.”

“
I know you
do.”

He drank from his beer while he
continued to stare at me. I met his look with a smirk on my lips. I
enjoyed the attention he was giving me. Other men I had met often
seemed immediately smitten with me, but Sean never was, but now the
man was infatuated with me. I loved it. When I walked into the bar,
heads immediately turned to look at me and I knew Sean noticed it.
A few men were still staring.

Sean noticed the gawking. “Now I’m
going to have to deal with people looking at my girlfriend all the
time.”

I shrugged. “Get used to
it.”

He laughed. “You aren’t conceited at
all.”

“
You are confusing
arrogance with confidence.”

Sean smiled at me then looked down at
his glass. “I’m glad that you are doing so well. Ryan told me how
hurt you were when you arrived here. I’m really grateful that he
took care of you.”

“
When did he tell you
that?” I asked.

Sean sighed. “I’ve been calling him to
check on you—make sure you were okay.”

I stared at him for a moment. “You’ve
been doing that the whole time?”

He nodded. “I would have called you
instead, but I knew you didn’t want to speak with me—and rightfully
so.”

“
I had no
idea.”

“
I called him the day
after you left, wanting to make sure you were with him—somewhere
safe. I admit I was hurt that you just took off without saying a
word to me. I was ready to apologize for everything after I cooled
off for a day, but you were already on the other side of the
country.”

I felt horrible. “I’m sorry,
Sean.”

“
It’s not your fault,” he
said. “I understood why you left. I was the one who messed
everything up.”

“
Please don’t blame
yourself. In the end, if that hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t be
together now. I guess it was the greatest thing that ever happened
to us—for me, at least.”

Sean rested his hand on top of mine.
“This is the best thing that has ever happened to me
too.”

I immediately thought of Penelope, but
I didn’t want to ask him about her. They hadn’t been broken up very
long, so it was unrealistic that he would be completely over her,
but I didn’t want to hear him say it. I decided to leave it alone.
He would forget about her eventually, and I didn’t want to wait
anyway. We were both happiest when we were together.

“
When did you know?” I
asked.

A man in a suit approached a piano on
the stage and began to play softly. The light music echoed around
the room. The tables were filled with couples talking privately,
and the dim lighting of the bar made everyone feel
relaxed.

Sean met my gaze. “I don’t know,” he
said. “I think I’ve always known. Even before you left, I started
to realize how much I needed you—always. When we were apart, I
thought about you constantly and realized how much I missed you. It
was the morning after you left that I went to your apartment to try
to work things out. I wanted to be with you then, but when I found
that you were already gone, I knew how much I’d hurt you. Ryan and
I thought it was best if I left you alone.”

I nodded. “That makes sense. I was in
a really dark place, but Ryan helped me out of it. I think I’m a
stronger person from the experience.”

“
I can tell,” he
said.

“
How are things at work?”
I asked as I drank from my wine.

“
It’s fine,” he
said.

“
Did you play racquetball
with your boss?”

“
No.” Sean laughed. “After
he realized you weren’t coming, he called it off and started to
ignore me at work.”

“
That’s
ridiculous.”

Sean nodded. “There is a fine line
between sex and politics.”

“
Was he actually expecting
to sleep with me?” I asked. “That’s disturbing.”

“
No. He just likes to be
around pretty women. It makes him look better—more
powerful.”

“
Men,” I said in a
disgusted voice. “And I can’t believe you tried to set me up with
one.”

“
Brian isn’t like that,”
he said. “He just acts weird around you.”

“
Are you going to tell him
that I’m your girlfriend?”

He nodded. “I’m going to
tell anyone who will listen—
twice
.”

I laughed and almost spilled my wine.
“You’re sweet.”

“
Only for you,” he
said.

The memory of him sleeping with Janice
came back to my mind, along with the hurt and the betrayal. I
wondered if he continued to sleep with her after I left, but I
decided not to ask.

“
Have you talked to
Janice?” I asked.

Sean looked uncomfortable at the
mention of her. “Yes,” he said. “She’s really worried about you.
She wanted me to tell you that she’s sorry and that she loves you.
You are still her best friend.”

I nodded. “Maybe I should call
her.”

“
You should,” Sean said.
“I know you’re mad at her, but she feels horrible about what
happened. In her defense, you lied to her about your feelings for
me. I think you should give her a chance.”

I sighed. “I think you’re
right.”

“
Thank you,” he said. “And
Scarlet, I want you to know that I didn’t sleep with anyone when we
were apart—that includes Janice.”

The news made me happy, but I tried to
hide my glee. It was obvious how much he loved me by staying
faithful to me even though we weren’t together. Guilt flooded my
mind when I thought about Cortland. I didn’t know if I should tell
him. I didn’t respond to his words and Sean didn’t ask me if I had
slept with anyone, thankfully. I wasn’t sure what my answer would
have been.

“
Are you ready to go?” he
asked. “It’s almost midnight—three in New York.”

“
Sure,” I said. “You must
be tired.”

Sean dropped the money on the table
and we left, taking a taxi back to the apartment. Sean wrapped his
arm around my shoulder and I placed my hand on his thigh. We were
really a couple and it felt right—perfect.

When we got back to the apartment,
Ryan was already in his room sleeping. I walked towards my bedroom,
but Sean moved into the living room.

“
What are you doing?” I
asked.

“
Getting ready for bed,”
he said.

“
You’re coming into my
room with me,” I said. “You aren’t sleeping on the
couch.”

“
I don’t mind,” he
said.

I walked over to him and grabbed his
hand. “Don’t be annoying, Sean. Come to bed with me.”

Sean didn’t move. “Scarlet, I don’t
think I should.” I sat down beside him and rested my hand on top of
his.

“
Why not?” I
asked.

Sean sighed. “I know if I sleep next
to you, I’m going to make a move.”

“
I want you to.” I
smiled.

“
I want to take this
slow,” he said. “I don’t want to mess this up again. Besides, your
brother is in the next room.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s had girls over
before. And we’ve already slept together, Sean. I really want to do
it again.” I ran my hand up his thigh and he closed his
eyes.

Sean stopped my hand. “I love you,
Scarlet, and I respect you. I’m willing to wait until you’re
ready.”

“
I am
ready
, Sean.”

“
Let’s give it some
time.”

“
Are you afraid to be with
me?” I asked sadly.

He shook his head. “Absolutely not,”
he said quickly. “Believe me, I want you, Scarlet. Seeing you
wearing that dress tonight made me want to take you in the middle
of that bar, but I can’t rush this because I love you. I don’t want
to jump into something you aren’t ready for, even if you say you
are. I know how much I hurt you, and I want make sure that you
trust me before we begin a physical relationship.”

“
I do trust you, Sean.
Stop being a prude.”

Sean laughed. “You have no idea how
much I don’t want to be,” he said. “I’ve thought about making love
to you since the first time I had you. You never told me you were
amazing in bed.”

“
Well, it never came up.”
I smiled.

Sean kissed my forehead. “Don’t doubt
my desire for you. I just want to treat you right.”

I sighed. “Fine,” I said.

Sean smiled at me. “I love that you
want me so much.”

“
Well, you know your way
around the bedroom, too. And I love you, Sean. I want to make love
to the man I’m in love with.”

“
You’ll get your chance,”
he said as he patted my thigh.

“
Can I at least kiss
you?”

“
If you can control
yourself.” He smiled.

“
Look who’s conceited
now,” I said.

Sean grabbed my face and kissed me,
moving my lips slowly with his own. His fingers glided through my
hair as he parted my lips with his tongue, and I felt myself gasp
involuntarily. I forgot how great of a kisser he was. My hands were
running through his hair by their own will. Sean laid me back on
the couch, spreading my legs with his hips. He glided his hand down
my legs and massaged my calf then moved his hands back to my face.
My fingers scratched his back as we kissed on the couch. I wanted
more, but I knew he would never give it to me. Sean didn’t touch my
breasts or the area between my legs as he caressed the rest of my
body. Finally, he broke our kiss and stared at me.