5 Nights (Sinful Delights Romance - Boxed Set) (57 page)

chapter Twenty-one

Redo

Scarlett slept in for the day and was shocked to roll over and see the alarm clock read three in afternoon.  David's home was incredible and leaving the softness of the four poster bed forced a soft groan from her lips.  She glanced around the elegance of the bedroom she'd been given and shook her head.  Several bags of clothing were placed inside the bedroom door and she walked over and went through them.

Something Janie had told her once, really hit home.  Money really wasn't everything, she recalled the words.  That had never really made sense to her until just now.  She took the clothes over to the bed and dumped them out, shaking her head at the three outfits.  Noticing the designer labels she knew it would take her a month to save up for clothes like these at her old job.

Walking into the bathroom, she could only marvel at the design.  It was definitely like nothing she'd ever seen before with a flat screen television hanging on the wall over the double sinks.  She tried to understand why anyone would need a laptop in the bathroom as her eyes moved around the large room noticing it balanced on a small glass desk in the corner.  Perhaps there was a thing as too much money for one's own good she thought as she stepped into the shower, gasping as the shower heads came out from all sides surrounding her.

She bathed off quickly, but noted the dozens of different marked fragrances of soaps and shampoos in the odd dispenser that looked like a huge egg in the stall.  Definitely overboard, she thought with a small grin.  She wondered what Rhett was doing today, and stopped herself at the wave of pain that shot through her over the thought.  Stepping out of the shower she found a towel and dried off briskly, trying to focus her mind on anything but him.

Job, she told herself, she needed to be looking for a new one this week.  That thought made the ache in her heart a little less painful and she took in a breath, not even realizing she'd been holding it.  Baby steps, she reminded herself.  She could do this, she would just have to think about other things that were important in her life.

Walking back into the bedroom she grabbed a pair of silky underwear with a matching bra set, and put them on.  David had done a great job with sizes she noted as she slid on a pair of walking shorts and a sports shirt.  Ironically they were both in white, and she couldn't help
but think of how that color really didn't suit who she was any longer.  Another pang of hurt moved through her mind.

She forced her legs to walk back to the bathroom and rummaged through the drawers until she found a comb and hair dryer.  Pulling the tangles from her hair, gave her something else to focus on for a few minutes.  She dried the long locks until they fell down to her waist. 

Pacing the floor for a few minutes after that task was done, she decided to brush her teeth.  Each step she took made her feel like she was more robot than human.  Do this step, so she wouldn't think about his face, think of this idea, so the scent of his aftershave wouldn't fill her mind for a second.  "This is crazy," looking at herself in the mirror she spoke out loud.

Walking out of the bedroom she glanced around at the beautiful decor and tried to lose herself in how perfect David's home was.  She found herself comparing it to Rhett's.  Stomping her foot she demanded that she stop thinking about him and heard Janie's voice.  Following that sound she walked into the kitchen. 

David had an apron on that said World's Best Chef, with a little cartoon character on it and she giggled loudly.  "Um nice shirt," biting her lip she tried to stop the laughter but it wasn't going to happen.

"Hey I'll have you know my mother sent this to me," he tried to look offended but couldn't stop his own laugh.  Janie joined in and they all were laughing together.  It felt so normal Scarlett thought as she held her sides, still trying to stop.  This was the type of relationship she wanted, she thought to herself.  David obviously
didn't have a problem dropping the sex stuff outside of the bedroom, she thought as her laughter ceased when Rhett filled her mind again.

Janie gave David a knowing look before turning back to Scarlett. "Come grab a sweet honey, David is making his famous Mushroom Ravioli, you don't want to miss it," she was determined to make her friend smile today and not let her drown in thoughts over Rhett.

"It sounds wonderful, I'm just not sure I could eat a bite,” she honestly didn't have an appetite at all at the moment.

"Okay but if you don't eat, my heart will be completely shattered and Janie will have to baby me all night to make me feel better."  David winked to let her know he was just joking around.  He hadn't known Scarlett that long, but he knew how important she was to Janie and he truly hoped they could be good friends.

"Alright, can't have you making Janie do all that work later," shaking her head she laughed.  David really did seem like a good guy and she was happy that Janie had found him. 

"Thanks Scarlett, you have no idea how whiny he can be when he doesn't get his way," Janie grinned and ran around to the other side of the island bar.

"Be glad my mushrooms might overcook or I'd take this spatula to that sexy little ass missy," shaking his head he chuckled.  "Seriously Scarlett, do you see what I put up with?"

"I think you guys really make the cutest couple," Scarlett hadn't meant to speak what she was thinking out loud and flushed.

"Don't tell him that Scarlett, his ego is already huge, I'm not sure if I can deal with him if it gets any bigger," Janie grinned and stuck out her tongue.

"Janie, baby you do know that I'm going to make you pay for every smart ass comment later tonight, right?" He lifted an eyebrow, trying to look stern but the apron just wasn't working to help him out much.

"Um Sir, you might want to take off the apron before you make threats like that," Scarlett giggled and joined in the teasing, feeling strangely comfortable with Janie's boyfriend.

"Two of you now," rolling his eyes he turned back to the stove, "there's no way I can ever win."  With an exaggerated sigh he focused on his food before chuckling deeply.

"I'm going to show Scarlett the garden while you finish up Mr. Chef of the year," Janie walked over and lifted up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"I'll be done in twenty minutes babe, you girls enjoy your walk." He winked and slid on his oven mitts, causing both of them to laugh again.  Waving around the spatula threateningly, he warned them off with a smirk.

Janie wrapped her arm around Scarlett's and she led her toward the back door.   They walked down a long flight of concrete stairs until they were a good distance from the door. "I figured you might need some girl time," she sat down on one of the cushioned couches overlooking a huge fire pit and Scarlett joined her.

"I'm going to be fine Janie, it's just going to take some getting used to," she didn't want to have this conversation yet.  Her mind was doing everything it could to forget him at the moment.

"I know you Scarlett, you'll analyze this to death.  I just don't want you to torture yourself about what you could have done differently, because this wasn't your fault, okay."  She knew her best friend better than anyone else and it would be just like her to turn this all on her own bad judgment.

"I can't do this right now Janie, you have no idea how hard it is for me not to call him up and tell him how sorry I am."  Just thinking about doing that had her heart aching again.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about, you don't have anything to be sorry for."  She knew Scarlett was hurting, and knew she didn't want to talk but if she didn't she would find a way to excuse everything that he'd done and go back, there wasn't a doubt in her mind.

"You said it yourself Janie, neither of us really knew what we were getting into with this," she wanted to forgive him, it was killing her to sit here knowing that she'd never touch him again.

"Scarlett, do you think anything has changed?  You still aren't ready for his games, he has no idea obviously how to train you.  He needs an experienced submissive who can tell him to kiss her ass when he steps over her boundaries.  And you deserve someone a hell of a lot more willing to take his time and lead you into this slowly."

"So you're saying I should just go find some random stranger to train me, just so I know what to expect?"  She wasn't sure she'd ever be with another man that way.  She did know she damn sure wouldn't trust another man to lead her into the stuff she and Rhett had shared.

"No, not a total stranger Scarlett, that definitely isn't what I'm suggesting."  She wasn't even really sure what she was saying except for this.  "Rhett has proven that he's no good for you honey, and I just don't want you to do this to yourself again."

"I know you're right Janie, it's just hard as hell to think of never talking to him again," hard didn't even begin to describe the overwhelming sense of agony that thought sent through her heart.  Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them away rapidly.  "I really can't talk about this right now."

Janie saw her pain and wanted to crush Rhett's skull.  "I'm sorry honey, I wish I could take it all away, but I can't."  She had no idea how to help her friend and it was frustrating to watch her suffer like this.

"I know you can't Janie, seriously I just need some time and to focus my mind on something else until I can breathe without thinking about him."  That was a close to the truth as she could get and she had to wonder if that day would ever come.  It didn't seem likely at the moment.

"Well we could take another vacation?" Janie waggled her eyebrows trying to lighten the situation.

"I'm still recovering from the last one, but I'm thinking a job hunt might be a great idea."  She noted Janie rolling her eyes and shook her head.  "Come on Janie, we
should actually find something useful to do with our degrees.

"I'll help you look Scarlett, but I have no intention of jumping on that until the summer is over."

"Well I'll definitely take the help," finding a job in Chicago wasn't exactly easy these days.

"We should probably get back in before David thinks I've abandoned him and demands I serve us dinner in the nude or something." Janie laughed and rolled her eyes.

"He would do that?"  She didn't know David that well so what he would or wouldn't do wasn't known to her.

Janie busted out in laughter.  "No, but hmm maybe I should talk to him about that one day.  That could actually be a fun little fantasy to play out."

Scarlett fought to keep the hurt look from her face as she thought there would be no fantasies for her any longer.  "Let's go inside, wouldn't want to be the reason you become the hired help."  It took everything she had in her to keep up the pretense for her friend.

David's Mushroom Ravioli was delicious and they enjoyed the meal together in companionable silence.  When they had eaten, Scarlett asked to be driven back to the house so she could start getting things organized and Janie remembered that they were supposed to have a delivery today, it was well after four in the afternoon already.

"Don't worry baby, I took care of it," David grinned and shook his head.  "I sent Jackson over early this morning to wait, couldn't have you two girls living there without something to sit on the next time I visit."  Jackson was his newest employee and he'd hired him as a favor to his cook, since she was his son and didn't have a job.  He really wasn't sure what capacity he would use him in yet, so he gave him small tasks.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me," Janie walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

"Can I ask you guys something without offending you?"  Scarlett was really floored by how casual they acted around each other.

"Absolutely Scarlett, what's on your mind?"  David asked keeping an arm wrapped around Janie's waist.

"Well, why doesn't she call you Sir all the time?" 

David chuckled.  "I don't live this all the time, Scarlett.  I enjoy playing in the dungeon occasionally, and so does Janie, but I just consider it fun not really a 24/7 lifestyle."

"So Janie can pretty much do what she wants?"  She was really confused, especially to his reference earlier about taking it out on her tonight.

"Janie and I came to an agreement about what we wanted from each other, I believe she showed you the contract?"  At her nod, he smiled and continued.  "Outside of the boundaries we agreed on, she can do whatever she wants.  And even those boundaries are up for negotiation.  The entire thing about our relationship, Scarlett is it's a conscious choice for her and I that we agreed on together."

"I guess I'm really shocked that you two seem to really have a lot of fun together, but there's still a Master sub relationship in the dungeon."

"Well honestly Scarlett, Rhett hasn't shown you much else.  There are so many different ways that people choose to live this out.  Every one of them will tell you the other persons view is wrong.  The truth is, if it works for the couple then it really doesn't matter what anyone outside that relationship believes."  Janie winked and looked up at David with adoring eyes.

"Thanks for being so open about your relationship, I know it's none of my business."  She wasn't usually so vocal about issues concerning relationships, but the differences between what they had and how she and Rhett had related, really was interesting.