Hook'd (18 page)

Reese strutted through the main lobby, her heels clicking against the tile floor with each step. She entered the elevator and pressed the button to close the doors.

"Wait! Hold that door!"

She peered ahead to find the board member, Tom, running towards her. She placed her hand between the doors to stop them from closing and he rushed inside.

"Thanks." He adjusted his blazer, out of breath. She pressed the button and the doors closed. "Typical Monday morning, you know? Nothing ever goes the way it's supposed to."

"Tell me about it." She sipped her coffee.

"Spent almost an hour trying to get those kids up for school. Didn't know how hard it is, till my wife left for her trip. Now, I know what she goes through on a regular basis," He gave a hearty laugh.

Reese said nothing. She really was in no mood for small talk. Especially about irrelevancies that had no bearing on her own life.

"So, how was your weekend?"

She spun her head. "Why?"

"Just asking." He raised his hands in surrender. She glared into his blue eyes, wondering if he had heard anything about what happened. Word traveled fast around here. And people loved to talk. "Didn't mean any harm by it."

She faced forward, drinking more of her coffee. "It was fine."

The doors opened and she stepped out.

How she made it to work was a fucking miracle. She spent her entire Sunday, recovering from her horrible hangover, and kicking herself for allowing her ass to drink like a damn fish. How did she allow herself to get to that point? She had embarrassed herself completely, and she regretted every moment of it. What pained her the most, was how she displayed such behavior in front of Cameron. She allowed him to get under her skin. To act out of character. All over his trifling ass.

Fuck him.

She was done. Whatever little...fling they had was completely over. He not only made her look like a fool, but made her feel like one too. He turned out to be everything she expected. She should've known. He was an immature, 20 something year old, with no sense of decency. And she was a grown ass woman. She refused to play those childish games.

She just prayed that none of this went out to the public. She kept checking online to see if the media had gotten wind of this story. She couldn't imagine if they had. Thankfully, nothing as of yet. But she was still on edge.

"Morning Ms. Wilson," Naomi welcomed from her desk.

"Naomi," she briefly responded, walking passed her.

"Uh, I was wondering if you had a minute. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Reese stopped.

"If you don't mind?" Naomi added.

With a sigh, she opened her office door. "Come in."

Naomi followed her into the office then closed the door, as Reese placed her bag and coffee on the desk.

"What is it?"

She stood against the door. "Uh, I know this is last minute to ask. But I was wondering if I could take the rest of the week off."

"Why?"

"Well..." She looked down at her heels.

"I'd appreciate it if you look at me while you spoke."

She had such a habit of doing that, and it got to her.

"Oh, sorry." Naomi met her gaze. "Well um, my mom is very sick. She has dementia and according to the doctor, she won't have that much time to live. So, I just wanted to spend as much time with her as I could. And also, this Thursday is her birthday and I was hoping to make her last one really special for her."

"This is very last minute, Naomi."

"I know—"

"And it's also a busy week. Not to mention the women's Domestic Violence Walk is this Thursday as well. Out of all weeks to take off, you choose this one."

"I know, believe me. And I understand if you refuse, but this would really mean a lot to me. I just want to make her last few moments worth it. We're just really close, you know?"

With a sigh, Reese stared out the window. "Fine."

Her brows shot up. "Really?"

She nodded. "Go spend time with your mom...you only get one."

"Thank you so much! I really appreciate this, you don't understand."

With a smile, Naomi left then shut the door behind her. Reese stood alone in her office, a hallow feeling deepening in her chest. Her eyes fell to her carefully organized desk, filled with stacked papers and folders, void of any pictures. Nothing like the offices of her peers, which were decorated with pictures of mothers, children, husbands or wives. Special photos she knew nothing of.

Sadness resonated within her, and she quickly brushed away her thoughts. She gathered her things and prepared for her board meeting.

Cam sat in his black Ferrari, staring at her two story suburban home. This was a bad idea. There was no way this would work. After everything that had occurred, he was probably the last person she wanted to see. And could he blame her? He shouldn't have played her the way he had.

The way things had spiraled out of control, it was best to go their separate ways. Things had gotten way too messy between them. Plus, out of respect for Yasmine, he should really let her go. But...something wouldn’t let him. He needed to talk to her. To see her. To make things right.

Cam shut off his engine and stepped out of the car. The cool winds brushed his skin, as he walked up the brick driveway toward her home. She lived in a quieted, residential area in New Rochelle, not too far from the busy city. A little too quiet for his taste. Having grown up in the inner city all of his life, he preferred the busy streets, the chaotic noise, the endless ruckus of pedestrians.

He had been here many times, but only to pick her up and take her to his apartment. He never stepped foot inside. And she never offered either. Which he found odd as well, but he never pushed it.

When he stepped on the porch, he rang the doorbell. As he waited, he looked around the ghostly neighborhood, dimly lit by the dull streetlights. Damn. It was dark as shit.

When the door swung open, he turned his head, to find her standing at the entrance. He was taken aback by her appearance. Her face was bare of any make-up, just the features she was blessed with. And in that moment, he realized that this was his first time seeing her without make up. And damn…she was even more beautiful. That beautiful brown skin of hers shined like a piece of gold under the light of her foyer, bringing out those bold features he fell in love with. He then took notice to her attire. A purple silk gown adorned her frame, displaying those slender arms, curvature shape of her breasts, and those long cinnamon hued legs that kept calling his name. He didn’t understand how someone could look so perfect.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

He snapped out of his thoughts, only to meet her piercing glare. The fiery rage in her eyes was enough to give him second thoughts.

"Uh, I know it's late. But I was hoping if we could talk."

"You have some nerve showing up at my door, this time of the hour."

"Look, I know things got hectic the other night. And I just wanna apologize on my part. I was wrong for the way I acted, and I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I wasn't hurt," she retorted.

"Well, if at any point you were, I'm sorry."

She scoffed, looking away.

"Farah's just a friend." She grimaced at the mention of her. He added, "We have nothing going on between us."

"Look, I don't give a damn about you and her. You both could go to hell for all I care." She slammed the door, and his head jerked at the noise.

He stood there in shock.

Did she really just....?

Wow. He had never in his life had a woman slam a door in his face. Ever. He let out a deep breath, trying to keep his cool.

He knocked on the door. "Reese."

"Leave!"

"Just hear me out."

"If you don't leave in the next minute, I'm calling the police."

"Whoa, whoa whoa!"

The police?

"Alright, now you're taking this too far."

"Try me and see if I won't call them over, this minute. I'll have them lock your ass up for trespassing!"

He gritted his teeth, tempted to say 'fuck it' and go home. He didn't have time for the dramatics. But then again, that was what she would've wanted. He knew what she was doing. She was running away from him, instead of facing the truth. And he wouldn't let her off the hook that easy.

"Look just cut the dramatics alright," he snapped, annoyed. "Open up the door."

Silence.

"Reese."

He waited, as he began to count to ten. If she didn't open the door soon, he was walking off.  There was no way he was begging her.

When he got no response, he shook his head and turned away.

Fuck it.

The door swung open and he stopped in his tracks.

"What do you want, Cameron?" she spewed in a brusque tone.

He let out a deep breath of relief, and turned around.

"Can I come in for a minute?"

"No."

He paused at her cold response. "Uh, okay then."

She crossed her arms. "You have one minute before I shut this door a second time."

Gotdamn! Why did she have to be so fucking difficult?

"Look, I don't want there to be any bad blood between us. We both did some things I'm sure we're not proud of, but I think it's time we just put it behind us and stop all the games."

"Games?"

"Yeah, we're both playing around like we're still in high school. We're obviously both feeling each other, so—"

She burst into laughter and he frowned.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"You actually think I have feelings for you?"

"Are you saying you don’t?"

"No, I don't."

"So, that wasn't why you was drunk off your ass the other night, acting the way you did?"

"Please. That had nothing to do with my feelings for you."

"Really. So, what was it about?"

"I was just annoyed that you didn't have the decency to at least answer my calls."

"If you have no feelings for me, why would it matter If I answered your calls or not?"

"Because, it was rude. If you wanted to end this little...fling we have, the least you could've done was pick up the phone and tell me. Not flaunt your little Barbie around and pretend I wasn't there."

Her jealousy was so blatant it almost made him laugh. He truly wondered how someone could be so difficult. Any man with enough sense wouldn't put up with her ass. Yet, here he was, in the middle of the night. At her doorstep. Wanting to be around her. Drawn to her sexy ass.

He stepped to her and kissed her lips. He waited for her to resist, but she didn't. Instead, she melted at his touch, kissing him back. Their tongues caressed as moans slipped from their lips. He grasped her lower back, pulling her closer. With a moan, she stepped back.

She licked her lips, adjusting her silk gown. He watched her movements. The way she bit her lips, the way she breathed, the way her nipples poked through her silk gown, he knew she wanted him. He just didn't understand why she was fighting it.

"You need to leave."

He stepped closer. "Not until you tell the truth."

"The truth about what?"

"How you feel about me."

"I already said I don't—"

He kissed her again. She let out a soft moan. Grasping her waist, he guided her forward and pressed her up against the wall. Their tongues intertwined, igniting arousal in his jeans. Fired with lust, he placed kisses across her neck, and she rubbed his nape with a breathless moan. The sweet scent of her lotion aroused him even more and it pained him not to take her to her room and fuck her like he so desperately wanted. But, not this time. He needed her to face the truth. The very truth she was so damn scared of.

He pulled back. Pressing his hand against the wall, he towered over her frame. Her desire glazed eyes held his, as she bit her bottom lip.

"I want the truth, Reese," he demanded with a hardened stare. "No bullshit."

"There's nothing to say."

"Say how you feel."

She turned her head. "I don't feel anything."

"Yes you do." He turned her chin, forcing her to face him. "You felt it the first time we kissed."

She said nothing for a long time. The conflict burning in her eyes, as she battled with her heart so direly. She felt it. He knew she did.

She blinked away. "I said you need to leave."

Cam clenched his jaw, frustrated.

He had enough of this shit.

He turned away and headed to the door.

"Cameron, wait."

He stopped walking.

"What do you want from me?" She asked softly.

He faced her.

"There are a million other women who'd be dying to be with you. Why me?"

"Because, I know a good woman when I see one."

She stood there without a word. With a sigh, she turned her head.

"I'm 38 years old."

"So?"

"I'm too old for you."

"What makes you think you're too old for me?" He frowned.

"We're 11 years apart."

"And that's supposed to mean something to me?"

"Yes, it should. I'm sure you could find someone your own age."

"I can handle an older woman." He walked toward her. "I never had a problem with that."

She pressed her back against the wall, folding her arms. "Well, I know how you young men get. It might just be fun and games now, but eventually, it'll all start to get old and you'll want to venture off with another woman who's much younger and prettier—"

"Stop it," he cut her off.

Her mouth clamped shut.

"I don't give a fuck about your age. So, if that's your reason for pushing me away, it's not working." He stood before her. "I know you feel something between us, Reese. Whether you wanna admit it or not."

She averted her gaze with a sigh.

"Just be honest...for once," he pressed.

She lowered her head. "I tried so hard not to fall for you..."

"I know."

"I've been hurt too many times in the past. And I can't go through that again."

"I'm not tryna hurt you." He rubbed her face. "I just wanna get to know you. That's it."

A tear fell down her face, and he wiped it away.

"Let's stop fighting it. Let's just do what we feel," he whispered.

"This shit...scares me," she admitted lowly.

"Me too. But we don't gotta be together right now. We'll just keep things steady. Whatever you feel comfortable with."

She slowly nodded, whispering 'Okay'.

His heart eased with relief, and he kissed her lips.

"That's all I wanted to hear."