CHAPTER 22

Skye didn’t know where she was heading; she had no destination in mind. She just needed to put distance between Garret and herself. Rain splashed against the wet asphalt as Skye trampled through the rain. Overhead the storm was brewing, reaching boiling point. Lightning lit up the sky before thunder cracked like a whip, she jumped at the sound.

Her heart was already racing, tension coiled in every nerve ending. She felt the bile rise in her throat as she walked.

Pushing it down she forced herself to focus on the sidewalk, side stepping puddles and feeling the rain slowly seeping through her clothes. Even though it was summer, with the rain had come a chilly wind, slicing through the thin t-shirt she was wearing. Couldn’t she at least have grabbed a jacket? No! The cold would flush the heat away, the heat her body always started to build when Garret was near. She needed to think clearly.

She took a few deep breaths and jumped again as thunder roared overhead. With it came fat drops of rain, smashing down around her and on her.

The earthy scent of rain hitting ground drifted over her. As she felt calmness start to descend over her she started walking faster. Away from her apartment, away from Garret.

Why did it hurt so much to walk away from him? A week ago Skye had believed they could possibly have a future together, but after what happened on Wednesday she wasn’t so sure.

Why was he so rattled after seeing Vanessa? Would she be able to rattle him for the rest of his life? Skye understood and even empathized with the fact that his world had fell apart when he found out about Vanessa’s infidelity, but how could she give her heart to a man who still had feelings for another woman?

How could she live without Garret? To never have his hands roam over her body again, in either passion or slow purposeful strokes? To never have those deep blue eyes look into hers, straight into her soul? Heaviness settled on her heart, the thought alone was excruciating. The thought of living without him scared her enough to have anxiety clutch at her heart but could she allow Garret into her heart again?

Skye had enough to deal with without Garret. She didn’t need anxiety over his feelings for her. It would be best if she just sent him away for good. But who was she kidding? Garret was as much part of her improvement as the Hamptons. He had a way of calming her without making her feel stupid. Making her feel like a million bucks with one look or one touch, instead of feeling useless, like she had for most of her life.

She heard hurried steps thudding behind her and braced for attack. It might be the Hamptons but when was it ever a good idea for a woman to be walking alone in the dark at night?

As fear clawed up her spine, and her breath became trapped in her chest, the panic nearly took over until she heard her name.

“Skye.” She turned to find Garret standing behind her out of breath. She wanted to turn and run away from him, but on second thoughts she knew it would be childish. Raindrops were poised on his long dark lashes and his clear blue eyes focused on her. “Don’t do this.”

Licking the rain from her lips and narrowing her eyes Skye watched him. “Do what Garret? You needed time to think, I had no choice but to accept that, at least give me the same.”

“I can’t. And I was being a dick.” The one side of his mouth tugged at the corner. His warm hand closed around her cold upper arm. “God you’re freezing. Come back to the apartment so we can talk.” His voice was laced with urgency.

“No Garret.” She brushed away his hand, instantly missing the heat. “Don’t push this on me. You were being a dick, but at least I’m telling you I need some time.”

“Skye please, if you’re not coming back at least just listen. Give me a minute to explain.”

Her legs were poised to run, her heart pumping fast, but Skye knew if she didn’t stay and listen she would regret it. Maybe even for the rest of her life. “Fine you’ve got two minutes.”

“I was wrong, I’ve already admitted that.” Garret wiped the rain dripping from his hair out of his eyes and took her hand in his. His heat radiated through her. Her body was aquiver from the cold. “I realize you think that I still have feelings for Vanessa and that’s why I was upset, it isn’t that. I swear.” The urgency and honesty in his voice kept Skye from talking. Lightning whipped through the Skye, lighting his face momentarily. For the first time Skye saw something in Garret’s eyes she hadn’t before. Desperation. “I was upset because having her there made me feel weak. Weak for allowing myself to love, weak for having her cheat on me without knowing and even weaker for taking it so hard when I found out about it. I had never felt so weak in my entire life, until that day. That day I realized loving someone could destroy you.”

“Garret.” Skye shook her head; she didn’t want him to scratch scabs open for her part. Taking her other hand as well, Garret squeezed before continuing.

“I need to tell you this so you can understand. I was upset after she left on Wednesday because it made me realize that I was letting you in deep enough to hurt me. That scared the shit out of me. I didn’t want to go there again.”

Skye wanted to interrupt and tell him to go screw himself if he thought she was going to cheat, but Garret cocked his brow pleading her to hear him out.

“I don’t think you’re going to cheat on me Skye, it’s just I thought I knew what love feels like, it’s wonderful, thrilling, even exhilarating but when it’s betrayed it’s hell. I’ve been through that hell once, even though I know now Vanessa never loved me. I don’t want to face that hell again. That’s why I had to run, why I had to leave you.”

“Garret, you want me to give you another chance, but you’re admitting you never want to love someone again to the point where it leaves you weak.”

Garret smiled slowly and pulled her into his arms. “No, what I’m saying is I thought I knew what love is. How weak love can make you. But loving you doesn’t leave me weak Skye, it consumes me.” He brushed a strand of wet hair clinging to her cheek away before grazing her lips with his thumb. “I realized that without you I wouldn’t be going through hell, I’d be lost. You’ve found a way past all the barriers I’ve carefully constructed around my heart and made it yours. Three days without you was worse than two years recovering from my break up with Vanessa. That’s what I needed to tell you.” Garret paused making sure she understood. “I thought I loved her, but now I know it was an infatuation or something like that. What I feel for you is more real, more important, it’s just more Skye.”

Skye felt a tear slip down her cheek and hoped Garret didn’t see it through the rain still pouring over them. As he continued, the tears started streaming freely.

“You’re more. When we’re together, I feel whole. I feel loved. I feel like we have a future and I’m sorry it took me three days to figure it out. Please don’t tell me you’ll need another to figure it out yourself?”

Skye laughed before she sobered through the tears. “Garret I feel the same, but you’ve still got issues with trust and I’ve got my OCD. This won’t work. Sooner or later our issues will start to push us apart.”

Garret smiled slowly and stepped forward, pulling Skye flush with his body. “I disagree Skye; I think our issues brought us together. From the first night I saw you across the pool I knew there was something different about you, and I was right. You’re the most honest, sensitive and caring person I know. How could something pull me away from you?”

Skye felt a sob escape and knew if there was any chance for this relationship to become something more than it was, she had to be sure. “And how about the first time I break down at a family dinner, a public place or even at home? How long before my anxiety starts to interfere with your day? Before my OCD starts’ driving you mad like it does me?”

Garret’s mouth was inches from hers, she could smell his aftershave through the rain, felt his warm breath on her lips. “If you break down, I’ll pick you up always. And as for your OCD I believe we’ve found a way to distract you from it whenever it becomes overwhelming.”

A blush flushed Skye’s cheeks at the memory of clothes strewn over the floor, glass littering the living room and still she had made love to Garret without a thought to either. “And Vanessa?” Her voice cracked but she had to know.

“Vanessa who? Garret asked as he claimed her mouth. Skye expected a hungry kiss but instead he softly pressed his lips against hers. The touch was hesitant and held promise as he brushed his lips over hers.

Skye forgot about the rain, the thunder and the cold and could only feel Garret’s mouth slowly claiming hers.

He teased the seam of her mouth a probing tongue, until she couldn’t resist any longer. Skye let him in, absorbing his taste, the texture of his tongue and cried as he filled her heart with love.

She could taster her own tears as she moved closer to him. Garret wrapped his arms around her as he slowly stroked her tongue. His fingers moved into her wet hair moving forward until he cupped her face.

He drew away from her as thunder roared. “Don’t ever run away from me again. I won’t survive without you.” Skye saw the desperation again in his eyes as his voice echoed the words.

“Don’t you ever disappear on me again.” Skye said holding her own.

Garret smiled at her before saying through the sheet of rain between them. “Your place or mine?”

Skye laughed, a sound she hadn’t heard sound so happy in days. “Mine.”

Taking her hand Garret started running to her place, pulling her behind. The sound of their laughter echoing through the rain and thunder. Skye had never been happier in her life.

As the door slammed closed behind them Skye couldn’t help the laughter that shook her body. She and Garret looked like a couple of wet dogs dripping inside her doorway.

She looked at Garret who had stopped laughing. His gaze focused on her chest. Through the confusion and turmoil Skye didn’t realize she had ran into the rain with a white shirt, not bothering with a bra. The material was now completely transparent. Her dusky areolas were clearly visible through the shirt, her nipples straining against the shirt from the cold

As Garret’s eyes moved over her body, Skye felt her breasts go heavy with desire. She expected him to ravish her any second now.

She didn’t know about him, but right now she needed his actions to reflect his words of love.

Garret smiled slowly when his eyes reached hers and took her hand. “Do you have a bathroom in this place?”

Skye smiled and led him towards her small bathroom. There was a bath, a small basin and a toilet, all ghastly blue porcelain that must’ve been trendy in the nineties when the apartment building had been built. She had modernized it a bit with simplistic towels and white curtains with blue flowers. The box of toiletries still stood on the floor next to the bath. Skye had been planning on packing it away when she took her first bath later tonight.

Apparently that was going to be now. And not alone.

Garret looked from the bath to Skye and smiled. “This is going to be fun.” He slowly reached for the hem of Skye’s shirt and pulled it over her head.

Skye couldn’t help the soft gasp that escaped as the wet material was lifted from her skin. She had no control over the second gasp either as Garret’s hot wet mouth enclosed her nipple either.

Feeling anticipation bubble up inside her, Sky stepped away from him. “It’s cold, at least let me run the bath first.”

Garret smiled at her nefariously. “Don’t take too long.”

Skye stepped past him and opened the taps. Bending over she searched through the box for her special occasion bubbles. She was certain this applied. As she closed her hand around the bottle she cried out. Garret had slipped his hand between her legs and rubbed against her throbbing core through the wet jean. The friction was amazing. “Garret,” she said on a sigh.

“Yes, Skye?” He asked innocently.

“If you want to get me naked, you better stop doing that.” Skye said as her tummy started tumbling effervescently.

“You want me to stop?” His voice was low, behind her ear.

“Yes.”

Garret stopped his assault and stepped away, allowing Skye to pour the bubbles under the running water. As the strong fragrance magnolia and vanilla started drifting through the bathroom Skye turned around.

Garret’s eyes were focused on her. He slowly ran his tongue over his lip, as he watched her. An answering arrow of arousal shot straight into her belly, she wanted to lick his lips.

His hands reached for her waist and undid the fastening before starting to tug it down.

Skye couldn’t help but laugh at the struggle. Never had it been easy to remove wet clothes, wet denim was another story all together. She started to giggle as Garret tugged and tugged at the wet material around her ankle before she eventually fell with her bum on the toilet seat. Another tug and it was off, leaving her wet and wearing only her panties on the toilet seat.

Without thinking she reached for Garret’s waist and tugged and pulled until she had rid him of his jeans. Laughter drifted through the bathroom along with the scents of the bubble bath by the time Garret was naked.

Skye checked the temperature of the water with her hand and turned to Garret. “It’s ready.”

His eyes darkened as his gaze travelled over her bare torso and settled on her panties. “Strip.”

Skye felt desire warm her blood at his firm tone and abided. She slipped out of her wet panties she handed them to Garret. He took them in one hand before helping Skye step into the bath with another.

Skye quivered with anticipation as Garret stepped into the bath behind her. The warm water drew the chill from her bones as Garret’s firm hands grabbed her hips and pulled her back. His strong thighs coming around her as he settled into the tub.

She lay back with her wet hair against his hard chest and felt her breath hitch as his hands found her breasts. He slowly circled them with his thumbs as his lips feasted on her neck.

Closing her eyes she found his firm thighs in the water and began kneading them. Behind her back she could feel his cock stir and stiffen even more.

Garret’s hands left her breasts; Skye missed his hands as soon as the cold air kissed her breasts. Suddenly she felt hot water pouring over her hair, the last remnants of rain and sadness being washed away. Garret cupped his hands and kept pouring the water over her hair until he was sure she wasn’t cold any more.

“Thank you.” Skye said softly and tried to sit up to reach for shampoo when Garret pulled her back against him.

“Not yet.”

Grateful for the reprieve Skye rested her head against his chest again, hands on his thighs and started kneading higher. She could feel expectation building in the air even as Garret’s hands came around and found the curls guarding her feminity.

He rubbed her until she felt like she was about to explode, before he slowly parted her folds with two fingers.

Suddenly Skye wanted to get out of the bath. She wanted him inside her, she wanted rub herself against his hand, and the bath was just too small. Skye was still working up an excuse to get out when she felt Garret’s lips against her neck and hear him softly whisper. “In case you didn’t get it earlier, I love you.”

Warmth spread through her body as happy bubbles drifted and burst in her chest. Garret Roth loved her. She understood it wouldn’t be an easy road, but at least it would be with Garret.

She turned her head slightly and met his lips with her own. Soon the fingers between her legs were forgotten, his arousal pressing into back a distant memory as Garret kissed her.

His mouth tasted of home, of love and of promises. Skye relished every stroke, every soft murmur and gave as much as she could to make him understand she felt the same.

Something was different about the way he kissed, Skye tried to figure out what it was until understanding dawned.

He was making love to her soul.