“What do you want?” Her eyes narrowed as she spoke.
“I’ve been calling for days! Where have you been?” He sounded exasperated. He’s has some nerve taking that tone with me after what he did.
“How are my whereabouts any of your business anymore?”
“Aw, don’t be like that, honey. I’ve been worried sick about you! I called your mama’s house, and she didn’t even know exactly where you were. I went to your place, and it was dead silent.”
“Too bad you weren’t so concerned about me when you fucked a random girl,” Scarlett replied and added a cynical laugh.
He huffed in annoyance. “I made a mistake. How long are you going to make me pay for it?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Come on, sweetie…stop this mess and take me back already.”
Scarlett’s jaw dropped and she sat in shocked silence, feeling as if someone had punched her in the gut. Is that how he always saw me…a spineless pushover he could treat any old way? “Never gonna happen.”
“I know I did wrong, but you have to believe me. I didn’t set out to cheat. It was just an accident.”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head in astonishment. “An accident? I guess you slipped and your dick landed inside her?”
Robert laughed and Scarlett gritted her teeth, infuriated by his audacity.
“Robert, you’re a total, piece of shit. You don’t deserve me.”
That comment put an end to his laughter and invoked his nasty temper. “What? Don’t go getting ahead of yourself now! You lost a little weight and are looking a lot better but don’t start acting like you’re too cute for me now.”
Nostrils flaring, Scarlett let him have it. “Bitch, I’ve been too cute for you for a long damn time. I just didn’t know it. Never call me again!” While ignoring his raised voice and indignant screaming, she slammed down the receiver. She picked it back up and slammed it down again, smacking it against the base several times before jumping to her feet, her fists balled tight. Son of a bitch! Why did I ever put up with him talking to me that way?
She plopped her rear back down on the couch. He was always quick to raise his voice but even though his bark was bad, Robert’s bite was nonexistent at least as far as she could tell. Normally, he saw reason after a short bout of venting and a cool-down period but he always insisted on having things his way.
Scarlett gritted her teeth as her cell phone started ringing. Unbelievable! She just told him to get lost. She’d give him a piece of her mind this time! After digging in her purse, she pulled out her iPhone with its girly, blinged-up case and answered without looking at the display. “Are you deaf or just stupid? I just said not to call me anymore!”
“Scarlett?” The voice on the end was low and had a cute, Appalachian twang.
“Oh, Davis, it’s you.” She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment even as an excited giddiness fluttered in her belly.
“Hey, I was thinking you probably had time to get home by now and I was getting a little worried.”
Scarlett bit down on her bottom lip. She wasn’t use to a man doting on her and hadn’t realized how inconsiderate she was being. “I’m so sorry. I should have called you as soon as I walked in the door. I haven’t been home long and I was so tired, I just kind of collapsed.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mean to crowd you. I just needed to make sure my lil’ filly got home alright. It’s a long drive, and the mountains can be tough to navigate in the winter.”
“You’re not crowding me. Thanks for caring.” Her heart was pitter-pattering.
“Of course, I care. I feel a lot better now that I’ve heard your voice. Now I just wish I could put my arms around you.”
“Yeah, me too.” Scarlett closed her eyes, and she could practically feel his big, strong hands clasping her hips and moving down to grab her ass. “I wish I could have taken you home with me.”
“That would have been nice,” he said softly. Even his voice was sexy and sweet. “So are you sure you’re okay. You sounded awful riled up when you answered.”
“Oh, sorry about that…just not in the mood for telemarketers,” she fibbed. Scarlett didn’t want to tell her new man that her old one had humiliated her so badly she had been too embarrassed to celebrate Christmas with her family. Before Davis could question her further, she changed the subject.
“So, Davis, what are you doing next week for New Year’s?”
“Well, usually, I just hang out with family, have a few beers and set off some fireworks.”
“I’m sure that’s a lot of fun but do you think you could miss out on it and come to my company’s New Year’s party with me? The big boss goes all out—good food, champagne, loud music, ridiculous games and lots of silly hats and noisemakers.”
“I’d be a fool to turn down all that but if I’m going to come all that way, you have to promise me a New Year’s kiss.”
“I think that can be arranged.” Scarlett smiled to herself, trying to still the skyrockets going off inside her.
“Then it’s a date,” he promised.
Chapter Two
It took a couple of extra cups of coffee, but Scarlett managed to get through her first day back at work and was actually rather productive, but the most difficult part of her return was staring her right in the face. After taking a deep breath, she knocked on the back door of her parents’ two-story, Georgian-style home before entering and stepping into the dining
