What A Person Wants (15 page)

“Rhys, I told you to tell it to me plain. What are you trying to say? You want to divorce Tiffany and start a relationship with me? Are you jealous of me hanging out with Richie? What? What is it you want from me?”

Rhys inhaled deeply as he sat back and pulled me closer. I didn’t fight him. “I want you, Izzy. My marriage to Tiffany is over. I want you.
All
of you. I know I messed up letting you slip through my fingers, and yes, it does hurt sometimes to see how you and Richie act with each other. You smile more now. I notice how you take care of house and home, how affectionate you are with him. Hell, baby! Your style of dress has even changed for the better, and I’ve never seen you look so delicious before.”

His voice had dropped even lower and I found myself staring hard at his lips. Suddenly, I wanted to be kissed. I
needed
Rhys to lay his luscious lips on mine and make my knees weak without standing.  But in the back of my mind, all I could think was,
why now?

“Rhys, you’ve had me in your face for years. I’ve seen so many women come and go, and I was even in your wedding. I just broke up with my fiancé three weeks ago, and
now
is when you choose to tell me that you want me? What gives? Rhys, I don’t know. I can’t answer you.”

Everything in me wanted to say “yes” and give into the temptation that he was offering. Slowly, I stood up, leaving him on the couch, and gathered my things. It was time to go.

Seeing me slip on my shoes, Rhys jumped up and grabbed me, making me face him. “Why?” he asked. “Why are you leaving? Is it Richie? You’d rather be with him? Do you think you can make him into the man you thought Kyle was supposed to be?”

I snatched my arms back and stared at Rhys. That's when reality slapped me in the face. This wasn't about Tiffany or Kyle. This wasn't even about me and Rhys. It was Richie. For the first time, I saw just how much it hurt Rhys to know that Richie and I were close.

I cleared my throat. “Rhys, me telling you 'no' doesn’t have anything to do with Richie or Kyle! The fact of the matter is, is that we've known each other for years. I waited for you. From the beginning, you knew how I felt about you, but you didn’t want me in your life as your woman. I was only a friend to you. I accepted that. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I did it. I love you, Rhys,
so
much, but as a friend. I’m sorry, but you’re just too late.”

I grabbed my purse and proceeded to the door, leaving him behind me, silent. I could feel the tears burning behind my eyes, but I wouldn’t allow them to fall. Not now. Once upon a time, I would have given anything to hear sweet nothings from Rhys. I’d have given him the world if he had only asked for it, but he chose to ask too late. I played by the rules he had created for this friendship. Now that he’s unhappily married to someone else, he wishes he could go back and make things right with me. It doesn't work that way. I refused to backpedal and be someone's second choice.

I had made it to the front door when I was shoved against the wall in the foyer. Before I could protest or yell in surprise, Rhys’ firm lips were on mine, kissing me.

Ooh, to be kissed like this was heaven! He played my mouth like no other. He was strong, yet not too abrasive and, oh, so sensual. I couldn’t help it when my hands stole behind his head and held him tight against me. He wrapped his arms around me, his body pressing mine hard against the firm wall. I could feel all of him, and my body reacted. I twisted my hips against him and allowed him to kiss me deeper.

Rhys pulled away and said, “Izzy.
Isabel
, stay with me tonight. I’ll make up for all the times I wasn't there. You’ll never want for anything.  Just stay with me. Be with me.”

My mind swam with confusion and temptation. I didn’t know what to do. Just kissing Rhys brought back old feelings that I thought were buried deep and long gone, but here they were just as strong as ever. I wanted him. God, did I want him! But I simply didn’t know if this was what we needed at the moment.

He was my friend. My
married
friend.

I didn’t respond, at least not verbally. Rhys continued kissing me, his lips and soft tongue tasting my neck, face, lips and shoulders, all the while whispering how much he wanted me. My hands kept roaming around his body, relishing the feel of a strong man. But I still didn’t speak.

Suddenly, right before Rhys bent to kiss my lips again, my phone went off. The vibration and music from my cell phone was enough to jar Rhys and I back to reality. I took a step away from him and quickly grabbed for my phone. I didn't care who was calling; I was just grateful someone interrupted a situation that was moving way too fast.

It took a few seconds to successfully pull my phone from my pocket with shaky hands, and by the time I did, the caller had hung up. I swiped the screen on my phone and brought up my recent calls. It was Richie.

“Isabel?” Rhys asked tentatively.

I looked hard at the man who stood before me. I knew what he wanted, and I'd be damned if I didn’t desire the same thing. After all these years of wanting to be Rhys' woman, he was finally reciprocating my feelings. But Richie...

What the hell was I going to do?

RICHIE

As I sat in the Ruby Tuesdays in Hampton waiting for my so-called date to come back from the restroom, I tried to call Isabel. I don’t really know what had possessed me to do that since my date was due back to the table any minute. A phone call wasn’t very polite to have before dinner, but I did it anyway. I missed her.

She didn’t answer her phone too much these days, so I wasn’t surprised to get her voicemail. After leaving a simple message to call me back, I hung up.

“Richie!”

The abruptness in which my name was called made me turn in my seat to find the source of the voice. I was greeted to a vision of my date rushing back to the table looking as angry as a disturbed bull. Sharae was her name and we had met the day before at a gas station. She was cute and gave me the eye, so after having a so-so conversation while pumping gas, I asked her out. There wasn't anything particularly special about Sharae that made me ask for her number.  As much as I would hate to admit it out loud, this chick was just something to do.

“Richie!” she called again, just as loud and ghetto as before.

“What?” I moved to stand up from our booth and was treated to a smack in the face.

“OW! What the fuck, Sharae? What the hell did you do that for?” I asked holding my cheek. Thank god most of the restaurant was empty. Otherwise, I’d have been
really
embarrassed instead of just slightly embarrassed. I couldn’t believe this woman just hauled off and popped me in the face. Everything was fine before she went to the bathroom. Boring, but fine.

“Who do you think I am? Some stupid little girl you could play with and just toss out when you were done?”

“Sharae, what the fuck?” I repeated. I didn’t know what else to say or do. The few patrons of the restaurant and some employees stopped what they were doing to watch the show unfolding before them. I couldn’t get mad at them for being inquisitive. I was curious my damn self and I was the one getting bitch slapped in the middle of a damn Ruby Tuesdays!

“Sharae, I don’t have time for games. What’s going on? What the hell are you flying off the handle for?” I asked.

Sharae put her hands on her petite hips and gave me attitude. She was really tiny in stature, but I think she had a Napoleon complex thing going on because she was loud and boisterous.

“Uh uh! You’re not gonna play me Richie! I’m on to you. You think you can get a fuck out of me with some cheap food and shit? Nuh uh, nuh uh! I’m
classier
than that shit! I don’t just fuck with any ‘ole body and I ain’t fucking you! So you can keep your lousy hamburger ‘cause I’m out this bitch!”

I watched Sharae leave the restaurant popping her neck and running her mouth. I was left standing alone at the table with my mouth hanging open, people staring at me. I didn’t know what the hell had just happened. I wasn't trying to get with Sharae and I made no assumptions that I would be getting some ass. Hell, I just wanted to have dinner!

Just as I sat down and took a sip of my beer, my waitress came with our dinner. I sent it back to the kitchen to be wrapped up. I wasn’t about to stay here and bask in my humiliation.

I polished off the remainder of my beer and got my ATM card out of my wallet to pay for the food. That's when she slipped into the chair in front of me.

“Hi, Rich.”

“Oh, hell, Chloe! Look, I just had a date walk out on me. I’m really not in the mood to-"

“Oh, I know your little friend left. I ran into her in the restroom and she wasn’t too enthused to hear that you like to pick up women and beg for sex after you take them out to eat.”

I stopped and stared at Chloe Childs. She was looking gorgeous as always, but her usual arrogant expression was gone.

“What in the world are you talking about, Chloe? What did you say to that girl?”

Chloe gave me a sweet, yet tired smile and replied, “I came in a little while ago to pick up dinner and saw the two of you sitting together. You looked bored, so I figured I’d help you out. Once I saw her get up to go to the restroom, I followed her and told her I was an ex-booty call who only got a hamburger from you along with a 'short' night of nothing.”

I didn’t know what to say. I sat in the booth wanting to get mad at her for embarrassing me in the middle of the date. But truth be told, I
was
bored and Sharae wasn’t classy enough to get anything more than a hamburger from me.
Well I’ll be damned!
Chloe actually helped me out this time.

I chuckled and gave her thanks. She smiled brighter and said “welcome.” After I quieted down, I took a good look at my ex. She wore a simple tee shirt and jeans, hair down and wavy, little makeup, and light jewelry. All in all, she didn’t look like herself. But the most telling thing about her was her face. She looked…
calm.
There was no attitude, no annoying smirk; nothing. It was a bit unnerving and I couldn't help but wonder what she was up to.

Chloe noticed me checking her out. “What’s wrong, Richie? You’re looking at me funny.”

“It’s just…I’m not used to seeing you this dressed down and lacking an attitude. Right now, you’re like the Anti-Chloe.”

She grinned and cocked her head to the side. “I’m not all bitchiness and fashion, Rich. You know that better than anyone.”

I nodded. “You’re right,” I agreed. “But it has been a long time since I’ve seen this side of you. I’m starting to wonder if there’s a catch.”

“Catch? What do you mean by that?”

“You pop up here, in Ruby Tuesdays of all places, looking like an average woman and not a video vixen, and get me out of a date I didn’t want to finish in the first place. You must want something.”

I hit the nail on the head because Chloe immediately cast her eyes down. I waited patiently for an answer, already half assuming that what she would want would be my penis by the end of the night.

“Well,” she began, “I don’t really want to have dinner alone tonight. I have nothing going on and that little girl you brought here is so not on your level. Really slumming it out there, huh?”

“Chloe-”

“I just thought we could have dinner, spend some time. No catch. I miss you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. When Chloe Childs wasn’t spending her time being a fashion plate or getting into trouble as a sport, she was a lot of fun to be around. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t miss that part of her.

“Chloe, you have to understand my situation here.”

Perplexed, she cocked her head to the side and asked me what my situation was.

“I don’t trust you,” I answered matter-of-factly.

She let out a frustrated sigh and crossed her arms. The waitress came back delivering my freshly wrapped, uneaten dinner and left with my credit card. Waiting until no one was around, Chloe then replied, “‘You don’t trust me’? Really? Why would you even say something like that?”

Before I could do more than open my mouth, Chloe held up her hand and said, “Don’t answer that. Look, Richie, I know I can be a handful, but I’m not asking for the world. Just some time. You never have time for me anymore and I miss you. I miss my friend.”

“Friend? You never considered me a friend before. You had me thinking for so long that I was just a piece of dick with a bankroll. All the shit you’ve done to me, now you come and say you miss me being your friend. Come on now. Be honest with yourself. What do you really want?”

“I don’t know how else to explain it, Richie.” Chloe sat back in her chair and surveyed the empty restaurant. “Let’s just have dinner, hang out and enjoy each other’s company. I don’t have anyone else.”

“Ah! Now it’s starting to make sense. I’m your backup.”

I started to get up since the waitress was returning with my credit card and payment receipt. From the stern expression on her face, she couldn’t wait for me to go. I guess I was upsetting the atmosphere in the room with my drama. I didn’t care. I was hungry, irritated and confused as hell by Chloe’s confession. Once again she proved that I was just something to do.
Typical.