Scornfully Yours (Torn Series) (7 page)

     Amused, I graciously thanked him as he handed me a glass of wine. He sat on the larger rattan outdoor couch to my left. He leaned back and popped a cherry tomato in his mouth
. So fucking hot
, I thought and quickly looked away, a bit bothered.

     “Sooooo…what do you want to talk about Bass?”

     “You, anything and everything about you.” His magnetic gaze studied me.

     My throat ran dry as I felt the heated scrutiny of his blue eyes. God, help me. Why did this man affect me so much? I
just
met him for Pete’s sake!

     I took a careful sip, savored the smoothness of the wine as it went down before I went on.

     “Let’s see—I’m a college student at UCSB, major
undecided
for now. I love cheesy movies and have thing for athletes. I get emotional—especially a week or two before my period. I treasure those who are dear to me and eject the people who aren’t. I stock up all of my fortune cookies until I have over twenty of them and eat them all in one sitting. I come from a loving home—so I’m not emotionally crippled in that sense. The only issues I have with my parents are their persistent nagging for me to become a doctor. We have a family cat named Tumble, who I am chronically allergic to, but I love all the same. I have a ten-year old pillow—that I wash constantly, mind you—but can’t let go it. And yes it is a tad ratty—but I just can’t part with it.”

     He chuckled, “Ratty pillow, emotional, undecided and allergic to cats, gotcha.”

     “And you have a thing for athletes? Say David Beckham?”

     “Uh, who doesn’t have a
thing
for him?” I countered back, aghast at his question.

     Becks was
the
prime hotness. Tell me a single soul who didn’t pant and ogle at those delicious Armani ads, especially at
that
sexy package of his? Right, exactly my point.

     “So, actors…you don’t have a thing for?” He asked, his eyes peeked at me through his lashes–smoldering like the hot man that he was! His sex appeal was off the charts. And if I got to see his hot abs, I would devour this lovely creature and lick every ridge of those dang abs of his.

    
Wait
—was the great Bass Cole fishing for compliments?

     “No, not yet,” I pressed my lips together, hiding a smile.

     He grinned. “You are something else, aren’t you?” He placed his hands behind his head and I couldn’t help but gawk at his muscular arms. “Are you dating anyone, Em?”

     Playing forward, isn’t he?

     I shook my head, “No, not anymore more. It ended yesterday actually, if you really want to know.”

     “Oh, wow. I didn’t expect that,” he muttered.

     “Expect what?” I glanced at his boggled state. What did he mean by that?

     “That you’re out for a rebound.”

     Uh, what the hell?

     “
Who said I was on the rebound?
” I exasperatedly asked the mysterious man across me. Cece? It had to be Cece.

     “That’s just a given. A person is on a rebound a month after breaking it off with someone, especially if the person they broke it off with meant something more, then that’s another shitload of shenanigans.”

    
Okay…
he is complicated and odd to say the least.

     “Can I just say that…
you’re weird?
I never thought Bass Cole would be weird until this moment.”

     “Hah. You are too cute sometimes.”

     Gee, thanks.

      Looking cute is what I aimed for tonight.
Cute?
Cute is for kids, not a grown almost twenty-one year old woman!

     Diverting from the touchy-touchy subject, he continued on.

     “What are your favorite films?” He asked as he prepared crackers with cheese and olives on them. Placing them on a cocktail napkin, he handed it to me. I murmured my thanks. The man had such gracious manners—so unlike Carter.

     I took a small bite and spoke. “
Eurotrip
was a blast.
The Notebook, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Kingdom of Heaven, Defiance
and
Closer
to name a few.”

     “Interesting choices you have there. I like it. So, what did you like about Closer?” he inquired, pretty laidback as he watched me eat and talk.

     I shrugged, “What’s not to like? It was a great film with great actors. The story was moving and relatable.”

     “So, you
condone
cheating then?” he pressed, figuring me out.

     “No, I never said that. I don’t condone it. I meant it was relatable in a sense that our society made it somewhat okay. If a famous celebrity cheats on someone, they publicize it to the hilt and it’s portrayed as acceptable to some, I suppose. I wish they didn’t though because it sets a bad example to others.”

     “Good answer.”

     “Thank you,” I murmured and downed my drink. Excellent choice of wine, I lavished.

      This was surreal…

     “Tell me, why
The Notebook
?” He was still pressing for answers.

     “Because that movie was hella awesome!? But to answer your question, I love how committed the Hero was to his love. His unfaltering dedication to his promise he made years back was astounding. I mean—he truly, deeply loved her. It’s that kind of love that stays with you, you know? The kind where it haunts you and there was nowhere to hide…” I trailed off, my thoughts on Carter and my wasted love.

     My heart gripped me for a second. I thought back at how cold he was when he told me to gather my things and leave his house. I was instantly brought back to the present.

     “Have you had
that
kind of love?” He inquired, pressing me further.

     “I thought I did once, but it was a mirage…there was no point on holding on to it. Maybe one day…I’ll get to have it. I would consider myself lucky if it ever did, not a lot of people can say that they have though,” I glanced at him and asked, “What about you? Have you ever had it?
That kind of love I mean.
” I had to clarify it just in case he took my question as an innuendo. 

     He smiled at my question and his eyes glittered.

     “No, not yet. But if I do, I would embrace it and hold on to it for as long as I could. I haven’t loved a woman before. It’s not that I’m hiding from it, but it just hasn’t happened. But I do know that once I do, this woman would consume me and I would gladly surrender to it,
to her
. I would be enslaved to it and love her wholeheartedly, no holds barred,” Bass spoke with utmost depth and conviction.

     That’s quite intense and deep.

     That lucky woman would be very lucky indeed. Imagine all this hot goodness as yours to conquer and behold?

     Jealous much, Emma? I cringed at my stupid thoughts. Was I drunk already? Surely because my mind couldn’t be tamed. It just kept on wandering about.

     “Do you want to drive somewhere, Em? We can go wherever you like.” He considered.

     “It’s okay. I kind of like it here. It’s very peaceful. I’d like to stay here if you don’t mind?” I didn’t want to leave the beautiful scene before me.

     The scene was ‘the view on the patio’ and the beautiful man before me.

“Throughout life you will meet one person who is unlike any other. This person is one you could forever talk to. They understand you in a way that no one else does or even could. This person is your soul mate, your best friend. Don’t ever let them go, for they’re your guardian angel sent from heaven above.”

-
Author Unknown

     It was six in the morning and we were still on the patio, lounging and talking. The fireplace still strongly burned, giving us enough heat from the chilly early morning that settled in.

     He was kind enough to grab two blankets to keep us warm. He moved another chaise lounge and placed it next to mine. He even arranged it facing the view of the city as we tucked ourselves in the nice warmth of the blanket, side by side. Bass took the courtesy of brewing us coffee and we drank it quietly.

     It was a comfortable silence.

     Until I die, if we become friends or not, I would never forget this sweet moment with Bass Cole. The man sure knew how to make a first impression.

     He kept to his word. He was a true gentleman the whole time with me. The entire time, we just chatted on and on about whatever subject we could think of. I didn’t know there was a guy out there who liked to talk. Most men I knew didn’t care for idle chitchat. Imagine my surprise when this hottie turned out to be different. Bass certainly was different from the guys I knew.

     “Sunrise should be out soon. I want you to see it. It’s really beautiful,” he murmured out of the blue.

     I glanced at him, wondering if I heard him right. He loves watching sunrises?

     “I can hear you thinking, you know. It’s not easy to have my kind of success and not have a problem with sleeping. So on nights I have a hard time sleeping, I come out here and wait for the sun to come up.
And no
—I haven’t shared my sunrise with anyone else. You’re my first, Emma Anderson.” Bass gave me a quick glance and I gave him a smile.

     I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it felt good.

     The sun was brimming behind the mountains beyond. It’s blinding yellow heat, glistened from afar as it slowly moved upwards towards the sky. This was Mother Nature at her finest. How many times have I enjoyed a sunrise or let alone a sunset? Try never? Little gifts such as these should be admired and not be taken for granted.

      Bass took my hand, placed it inside the comforter, and held it against his chest. I didn’t mind it because it felt, comfortable? It was as if we had done this before, an odd feeling really.

     After the sunrise, we were still cuddling and I wondered why I didn’t feel a bit sleepy. “Aren’t you tired, yet? Don’t you have a movie to shoot or other things actors do?”

     “I just finished filming two weeks ago and got back in L.A. about a week prior. I have no plans on this very bright, sunny Sunday. Feel like joining me on my lazy Sunday?” he invited.

     As tempted as I am, I should say no. I barely knew him. Surely, spending too much time with him so soon would be a bad idea?  “I don’t think so. I bet my friends are wondering where I am.”

     “Don’t worry. They know you’re with me. I told Cece I was taking you somewhere.”

Oh. He was that sure I was leaving with him?

     “Are you always this forward? Towards women, I mean?” I wanted to figure him out. To find out what his motives were.

     “Of course, but you’re the only one I chased after, especially after you ditched me and dumped me to your friend, Cece. I don’t have to work all that hard to get women, to be honest. But I couldn’t let you walk out of that door. I don’t know why, but I just knew I couldn’t. That’s crazy talk, isn’t it? Here I was, had barely spoken a few words to you and yet I was captivated.”

     His words…made me feel
something
. Scared wasn’t the word, but somewhere in between…
safe?
Yeah, along the lines of safe.

     “Could it be your brushed rejection or aloofness that made you different? No clue. One thing I do know—is that your pure beauty compelled me to you. You’re honesty and depth bounded me even
further. It’s frightening and at the same time fascinating. I couldn’t let you walk away knowing that.”     

     Oh my God, what a fucking speech! Who says those things?

    
An Oscar winner, perhaps?

     “What do you want from me, Bass?” Eyeing him with determined regard as he silently studied me. His azure eyes locking with mine wouldn’t let me go. I felt their pulling, powerful intensity, their spell weaving through me and my guard.

     “I want to get to know you, Emma.”

     Okay, that’s easy. I could work with that.

     “So, you want to get to know me only,
right?
And this is not some ploy to get me into bed?” I turned to my side, clearly facing his perfect sculpted face, inches apart from me, as my eyes studied his damning profile. And what a fucking profile! His face was perfectly sculpted. Each curve was honed with perfection. His lips, his straight nose, perfect brows. He even had thick long lashes. I think his lashes were a tad longer than mine! How annoying is that?

      If there was a man who could make me get over
The Carter Mason Fever
, Bass was it and I knew it too. But would be using him, wouldn’t it?

     But people do it all the time…why question the dating karma cycle? Good point.

     Bass cleared his throat before he spoke, “
Hell
, I do want you in my bed. But I’m not dumb to not notice that you wouldn’t be up for that. I wouldn’t even insult you by trying to get into your pants knowing that bit of information. Apart from that, I do want to get to know you. The
real
you, what makes you tick and stuff. Simple as that—nothing scary or anything.”