THE REJECTION

Chapter 6

I look from Gabriel to Brent.

They're both looking at me, waiting for me to move.

I don't have to think twice. I spare Gabriel an apologetic glance before I march to Brent. He grabs my hand when I make to walk past him to the elevator, and he pulls me to stand by his side as he channels his frustration to Gabriel.

He lifts my hand, which he is holding in his, and he waves it at Gabriel.

"Dude, do you see this? It's called a wedding ring, and it means that she is taken. When that happens, you stay the hell away from her."

Gabriel nods.

"I get it. Tell you what, I will stay away from your wife, but I have a bit of an advice to give you."

"And that is?"

"Your wife is a gem. She's pretty, smart and for some reason I do not understand, she likes you. However, women want men who can man up and take care of them. If you don't play gentleman to her, someone else will."

Brent shakes his head.

"Let's hope that the someone won't be you because I'll find you if you touch her, and I'll kill you. Thanks for the advice."

Gabriel grins before he nods at me.

"Goodnight Cami. I'll see you around."

Brent tugs me away. He releases my hand when we get in the elevator, and he stares at me as he tries to unlock his tensed jaw.

We don't exchange a word until we get to our hotel room. He opens the door then he stands aside to let me in, and he closes the door behind us once he's inside.

I stand uncertainly in the middle of the room. I'm waiting for him to start a probably well deserved lecture.

However, he doesn't say anything. He gets rid of his shirt and tosses it on the couch, then he pulls the duvet back and gets into bed.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. So he wants me to sleep on the couch? I probably deserve it.

"Where are you going?" He asks sharply when I make to walk to the couch.

I clear my throat.

"Um..couch."

"Come to bed."

"Mh?"

He moves slightly to create space.

"Come here."

I eye him uncertainly.

"Aren't you mad at me?"

"Cami, just lie down."

I slowly approach the bed and I sit on the edge. I heave my legs onto it, then I lie down facing away from Brent.

I'm still expecting to snap at me for sneaking out in the middle of the night.

He pulls the duvet over us before he turns off the bedside lamp, and I hold my breath when he rolls over and hooks an arm around my waist.

"Um, Brent?"

"Mh?" His breath is an inch away from my ear.

"What are you doing?"

"Just making sure you don't escape to find that guy once I fall asleep."

"What? You think I'd go to him?"

"You did it before." He holds me close to him, his fingers grazing my stomach over the shirt I'm still wearing. "Where was he taking you?"

"We were just going to take a walk at the beach."

"In the middle of the night?"

"I know that was reckless of me."

"Glad you noticed. Where is his wife?"

"She's not here. Her side piece interrupted the wedding."

"But he was wearing a ring."

"I didn't ask him why he kept it. Maybe he's a sentimental person. I mean, he's here on honeymoon all by himself. I think he just likes being nostalgic."

"He should keep his nostalgia to himself. You won't be part of that."

"What does that even mean?"

"Cami, we got married a few hours ago. Sneaking around with a guy in the middle of the night is not a nice thing to do. If you don't stay away from him, I'm going to make him stay away from you."

"Has it occurred to you that maybe you're not in a position to be barking out orders? You're f*****g a random girl but you're breathing fire just seeing me standing next to a guy? I'd be impressed if I wasn't disgusted by your double standards."

"Will you stay away from that guy if I let the random girl go?"

"You would do that?"

"Yeah. I would, and I will."

"Why? When we talked earlier tonight, you weren't quite flexible about that."

"The advice that your new friend gave me left me thinking. He was right. You're beautiful and if I don't watch my step, I'll lose you. If that happens, everything will go to s**t. Why does he think that you like me anyway?"

"I told him."

"You didn't tell me."

"It's not a big deal."

"It is. When you mentioned that you knew me back back in college, then my parents approached you and you readily agreed to marry me, I should have guessed that you weren't repulsed by my presence like I imagined. Cami, my goal in life is not to hurt you. Like that guy said, I'll man up and take care of you."

"How?"

"Well, for starters, I'll stop talking to that girl. She knows that I'm married now so she'll understand and keep distance."

"You told her that you were getting married?"

"Um..actually, she was at the wedding."

"Are you crazy? I wouldn't be surprised to learn that you were in the sacristy making out with her while I was in the car headed to church!"

He freezes.

Shit!

"Brent?"

"Mh?"

"You were indeed making out with her in the sacristy just before the wedding, weren't you?"

"Cami.."

"Don't Cami me. Yes or no."

"It was a goodbye kiss."

"What?"

"We both agreed that it was never going to happen again. She knew that once I was married, I couldn't keep seeing her so I owed her that one last kiss."

"When we talked about her earlier tonight, you weren't in the mood to let her go for good."

"I wasn't sure if I could just move on from her that easily."

"Then?"

"Then I woke up and you were gone. I thought that you left and I went bat crap crazy. I called the front desk to see if you left and I was told that you were in the reception with a guy. Then I met him and he basically told me that I should appreciate what I have before it becomes what I had. I'm not an asshole, Cami. I don't want to hurt you or lose you, arranged marriage or not. You told that guy that you like me, so all I have to do is make sure that you don't stop feeling that way."

I smile to myself in the dark.

"Who are you and what have you done to Brent?"

He chuckles lightly.

"Earlier tonight, you suggested that we could become friends before we figure out this marriage thing. I want us to be friends for now. We'll be there for each other and we'll decide how to live together without you sneaking out on me."

"And you won't talk to that girl at all?"

"I won't. Scouts honor."

"In exchange for what?"

"Nothing. I just decided to give us a chance and see how it goes."

"And you won't change your mind?"

"Cami, give me the benefit of doubt for once."

I take in a deep breath before I close my eyes.

"So what happens now?"

"Now we sleep, and when we wake up, I'll take you to the beach."

"Okay."

"Turn around."

I slowly turn around until I'm lying fully in his arms. He places his hand loosely on my hip, and my heart does a little flip.

Imagine the guy you've been crushing on all your adult life holding you like a little, fragile baby?

"You smell of alcohol." His voice is disapproving.

"I had a few tequila shots."

"That guy tried to get you drunk?"

"The guy's name is Gabriel, and he didn't get me drunk. I did that on my own."

"We have a mini-bar in here."

"I know. I was just trying to get some air. I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Cami, my parents are very overbearing. Once we go back home, please do me a favour and try not to get drunk randomly, especially in bars. Keeping their name clean is one of their main goal in life, and you're bearing that name now, so you have the burden of trying not to tarnish it. Can you do that for me?"

I nod.

"Absolutely. Why are your parents so controlling?"

"I'm not the son they wanted. They keep comparing me with Max because he's perfect and that sucks big time. They want me to be like them."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? They're quite unlikable."

"Once I start working for them, they'll leave me alone."

"No, they won't. Your Mom will keep demanding for babies and for everything to go her way."

"If you're worried about my Mom, I'll keep her away from you. We won't be staying with them so you'll have minimum contact with her. About babies, we won't have them just to please my Mom. We will have a baby when we decide that we want one."

I gaze at his face which is slightly illuminated by the security lights streaking through the window. I place my hand on his jaw and my fingers trace his smooth cheek.

"Thanks, Brent. I imagined that this marriage would be a total nightmare. Now I'm not sure anymore."

"It won't be." He kisses the tip of my nose. "Sleep. It's very late."

"I have one last question."

"Mh?"

"Why did you stop being friends with Clay?"

"I slept with a girl that he wanted. Since then, he thinks that I'm an asshole."

***

I stretch as my eyes c***k open.

I wince at the intense light in the room, burying my face in the pillow.

"Cami, wake up. It's nine."

"Nine? I slept the whole day."

"It's nine in the morning."

I groan as I open my eyes a little bit. Brent is seated on the couch with his macbook on his lap, and he's busy typing away.

"Can I sleep in?"

He shakes his head without shifting his gaze from the computer screen.

"No. Take a shower. We'll have breakfast in the hotel downstairs then we'll go to the beach."

I take a shower then I wear a sundress over my bikini. We use the stairs to the ground floor then we walk into the restaurant.

We're looking through the menu when when someone taps me on the shoulder.

"Do you two mind some company?"

I look up.

Gabriel.