Blasphemous (Torn #3)(2)
“Someday, someone might come into your life and love you the way you’ve always wanted. If your someday was yesterday, learn. If your someday is tomorrow, hope. If your someday is today, cherish.”
- Author Unknown
Emma
The sun was barely up when I landed back in Aspasia. After eight weeks of using the deathtrap transportation, I finally got over my fear of it.
My phone was incessantly beeping when I came out of the helicopter. Automatically, I fished for it in my purse. With my fingers, I tucked a strand of blonde hair behind my ear as I checked the message.
Mom: Your phone wouldn’t take voicemails, apparently. You should get that checked, or better yet, have your dad do it. We miss you. Call us, kiddo.
I was in London all weekend with Lindsey and Trista—and with an unexpected ex to boot. My thoughts dwelled on the events that occurred this weekend when I suddenly felt strong arms wrap around my hips, lifting me off the ground. I squealed with delight, knowing whose arms those belonged to.
“Miss me?” Bass asked in that sexy bedroom voice of his as he nuzzled my neck, seeking for the soft spot where he usually made me weak in the knees.
Being with Bass was always like this. I always felt like fainting, weak and deliriously happy.
“Yes, very much,” I whispered breathlessly. I was out of breath due to the fact that I really did miss him and also because I was contemplating telling him that Carter was in London. “How was Paris?” He, along with Dimitris Kosta and Taylor Montgomery, were partying all weekend. With women, I was sure of that.
The gorgeous man spun me around, granting me a view of his handsome self. His striking eyes probed into my soul, reaching in, pulling on my heartstrings. “Paris was lonely without you. I was tempted to come see you, but I knew you girls wanted to spend some time together. So, as much as I wanted to, I stayed on the other side of the English Channel.”
Bass was truly great—no, make that phenomenal—with melting me inside out. Here I was, lacking sleep, and still he managed to wake me up with mere words. I wanted to ask about women in Paris, but I was hesitant. Why? Maybe because Bass and I hadn’t really discussed our relationship, or that we never brought it up after that first time we agreed with this sexual arrangement. Every time I thought about it, I got antsy and so I tried to ignore the subject.
Because whatever this was between us, I wanted it.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I lavished the feeling of his body against mine. It seemed that my emotions connected with his because, when he finally kissed me, I was transported into another world where no one existed except this very man. This was where I wanted to be. In his arms I felt safe, cherished, and treasured, but most of all, he never took me for granted.
Bass was the first one to pull away, smiling as he planted a few more chaste kisses on my lips. “You look sleepy. Partied that hard, huh?”
If he only knew, I thought with guilt.
He kissed my forehead before escorting me towards our ride. “Good thing you’re not filming today because, by the looks of it, you’ll be sleeping the day away.”
Hear, hear. I yawned before responding to him. “That’s the plan.”
After the quick ride from the airstrip to the cottage, I was ready to pass out. I was dizzy from no sleep last night, plus I had barely gotten any the night before.
“How was London? You had loads of fun?” he asked as he opened the door and entered our cottage with my things in hand.
How was London? Tricky question there, really. Well, it was a nightmare. One I did not see coming, but I wasn’t going to tell him about it at this instant. Maybe later, when the time was right. “It was not what I expected, but it was fun nonetheless.” It really was, for the most part. The other, where Carter was in the equation, was trivial to say the least.
I was adamant to give back all the things he had given me—most especially that token of utter mind-f*uk, his great-great-grandmother’s ring. Hell, he didn’t want any of it anyway. So, I had to drag most of that crap with me, hidden of course. Being this secretive made me feel edgy, but it was hard to open the toxic can of worms with Bass.
This unprecedented situation wouldn’t have been such a major deal if that interview we did a couple of weeks back didn’t plant a seed of doubt in Bass’s mind. Imagine my horror when they pulled out old pictures of Carter and me together. It shouldn’t have mattered since Carter and I were through. Maybe not a lot of people know about it, but certainly everyone that I loved knew about it. More importantly, Bass knew it. However, those old, blasted pictures sprouted old doubts from Bass and I wasn’t about to bring it back to the surface after the weekend I had.
We entered my bedroom where he gradually placed my things on the opposite side of the room. I watched in fascination as he moved about before joining me on the bed. “The girls left okay?” he asked while those magnetic eyes roved over my face, lingering.
My cheeks burned from the intensity of his gaze. I had to lick my lips before responding to him. “They did. I just hope that Trista will make the right choice.” I was worried about her. Apart from the mess with Harry, her other baby revelation, simply broke my heart. I was protective of her and I didn’t want her to hurt. If Harry was the one who made her happy, though, then I will—though reluctantly—support her on that. I may not agree to most of her decisions, but I was her friend and friends don’t judge each other. They listen and hold you when you’re falling apart. They tell you that everything is going to be okay, even if it isn’t. They’re there to make you feel better, through thick and thin. That’s what true friendship is and that’s what I had with those women.