Teasing Hands (10 page)

“How long has it been?”

“Three glorious years.” Camden’s answer threw me for a loop. Was he that against being in a monogamous relationship?

“Explain.”

He scratched the short scruff on his jaw and watched my expressions. “Not much to explain, really. We married young—she was all I knew, and I hated her for that. My life at that moment was dictated by our relationship. She lived her life while I was fucked over and got no pussy in return.”

With those few words
, he destroyed a tiny part of my attraction to him. He reminded me of Hunter and the words he said to me before he left. All that mattered to them was having someone to fuck.

I love you, Mandi, but I need more. To explore what’s out there without worrying about you or us. I’m sorry, but I’m leaving  us behind when I get to New York.

“Are you listening to me?” Camden waved a hand across my face, snapping me back to the present.

“Sorry.” I spoke low and pulled a little bit away. The space was needed for me to clear the conflicted thoughts he created. “What were you saying
?”

“
We met in high school and started dating our sophomore year. She was sweet. Beautiful and fun. After graduation is where the problems began. She wanted to stay here and I wanted to join the Air Force. She hated the idea of us separating, and I understood because I was committed to her.”

“So what happened?” Grabbing my soda, I took a sip while trying to digest what he was trying to make me see.

“I stayed.” Camden's facial expression was soft, sincere. “At first, it was okay. We moved in together and were happy. She went to FIU while I took a job at The Ritz doing maintenance to keep us afloat. While she partied, I worked and came home tired.”

“Didn't she work to help out?” Shaking his head, he reached out and pulled me closer
, terminating the space I’d created between us.

“No, Olivia didn't work. She didn't cook or clean either…it was all on me, and I resented her for that.” In a sense, I could understand where he was coming from. Camden had been the giver and she took advantage,
creating the man before me.

“How long did it last?” Without meaning to, my hand reached out and caressed his cheek. He nuzzled the palm of my hand and then kissed it.

“Six years. For six years I put up with her neediness…her immaturity. I was done, and on our anniversary served her with the divorce papers.” You could feel the bitterness in his tone. While he may not love her, she left her mark for the rest of us to try and erase.

The question now was
: did I want to try and change his mind?

As the conversation progressed, we had pulled closer. Our for
eheads touched and our eyes spoke what neither said.

“How did she take it?” I whispered and kissed his lips once. A soft peck.

“She was relieved, said she had fallen in love with someone else.” What a fucking bitch. “Olivia used me, and I vowed after my divorce to never put myself in that position again.”

“Okay. I’ll take your explanation
, and I’ll even take it into consideration while making up my mind concerning us.”

Camden’s eyebrows knit together and his lips pursed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means…” I laughed dryly “…that while I understand, I don’t accept. I’m not her, and I refuse to pay for her stupidity.”

“Amanda
—”

Placing my finger over his lip, I cut him off.
“I’m not done, Camden. You have your reasons, and while they are valid, I’ll never be your booty call.”

“I’m not asking you to!” He slammed his hand down on the table between us
, causing me to jump. The couple a few tables over looked our way, but I waved their concern away.

“Then what are you asking of me?”

“Who says I’m asking you anything?”

Fuck this shit. I stood up from the table then and leaned toward him. The sudden movement caught him off guard, and a small flash of uncertainty flashed across his face.

“Right now,” I sneered and fisted his locks in my hands, “you remind me of him. Hunter’s an asshole, and you’re quickly earning the same title.” He went to speak, but I silenced him with a fierce kiss.

I took everything he didn't want to give me with that one kiss. Camden wanted me.

“You’re on borrowed time, Camden. Change my mind.” With that, I pushed him back in his seat and walked out the door. Let him make of that whatever he wanted.

11

I drove around the city after leaving Camden.

So many emotions surged through me
: confusion, anger, and at the end acceptance. Was the acceptance over the category he’d put me under? Not sure, but at the very least, I knew where I stood with him. It was up to me to continue or walk away.

Then there was my mother. How could she
, for even a miniscule of a second, entertain the idea I’d want Hunter back? Not in this lifetime or the next would that be possible.

You don’t purposely hurt what you claim to love.

“Mandi, is that you?” Mom called out from the living room as soon as I entered through the garage. She sounded happy and upbeat. Hunter was already here if the unknown car in our driveway was anything to go by. 

Sighing, I threw my keys on the counter and walked through the hallway toward the formal living room. They all sat there. All three looked up as I entered.

“Honey, look who came by to see you?” Mom’s smile was huge, all teeth and eyes shining. 

“I see.” The smile fell from her face at my bitter response. Good. Maybe she’
d realize how much of a fucked situation she’d put me in.

Looking over at
Dad, he was smiling at me with sympathy in his eyes and shaking his head. The action spoke volumes to me. He wasn’t happy with Hunter’s presence and only tolerated this because of my mother.

“Amanda.” My eyes snapped back to hers. “Aren’t you going to say hello to our guest
?”

An exasperated chuckle passed through my lips. “Do I have a choice in the matter or is this your way of telling me I need to?”

“Young lady—”

“Save it,” I snapped
, and she recoiled. I’d never raised my voice to her, but this was beyond parenting. She’d meddled. Thought she could decide for me, and on this, I wouldn’t back down.

I felt betrayed and rightfully so.

“Mandi, respect.” Dad’s voice was firm and left no room for argument. “I understand you’re upset—”

“Bruce!”

“Susana, let me finish.” Mom sat back against the couch with a huff. “She has every right to be upset when you bring,” he pointed an angry finger at Hunter, “this man into our home. You should’ve asked her, not assumed that she’d be happy. Don’t forget that he left her.”

“Mr. Brooks
, I know that I screwed up, but I love her.”

Did
Hunter think his words would simplify his actions? Love. Fuck his love. His actions in the past spoke louder than any declaration ever could.

I rolled my eyes at his audacity. “No
, you don’t.”

“Mandi, can we please go outside and talk? Please
. Just hear me out, and then I’ll leave.” My head was shaking in a negative when Mom jumped in and answered for me.

“She’d love to
, and you’re staying for dinner...right?” What the fuck?

“Susana
, enough!” Dad stood up and yelled. We were all shocked—he never yelled, much less at her. “You will not push her—don’t forget who you should be loyal to out of the two.”

“I just want her happy,” she snapped back. “Don’t you remember how good they were together? What’s wrong with wanting my little girl to have what I have with you?”

This was quickly getting out of hand. Fighting wasn’t the norm in this house, and it wall all due to the stupid prick sitting on the couch smiling at me.

“Enough.” I
was seething and walked up to Hunter. “You should leave. There’s nothing for you here.”

His smile dropped and his eyes narrowed. “Is there someone else?”

My parents ceased their arguing and turned to look at me. How do I explain that there is, but isn’t? That in reality, I have no clue if continuing to see Camden would be a good thing.

I pointed my finger in Hunter’s smug face.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.”

“Who? Why haven’t you told me?” Mom gasped and took a tentative step toward me. Her tone held curiosity and a mild recrimination. As if I owed her this information.

“You want the honest truth?” She nodded and waited for my reply while I turned to face her. Nothing sucked more than having to hurt your parents’ feelings, but she needed to learn. I was an adult and should be respected. “It isn’t any of your business.”

“What’s gotten into you?” Her hand reached out to grasp my shoulder, but I took a step back.

“How about the fact that you thought bringing him into my home would be okay? Or maybe the fact that you are so desperate to see us together that you never cared if this would hurt me?”

“Mandi, don’t be so hard on her—” Hunter began, but my angry glare cut him off.

“Outside, now.” Turning away from Hunter, I walked up to Dad and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be a minute.”

“You sure, Mandi? You don’t owe him a thing
.” He searched my face for any sign of doubt, he found none. There was rage and hurt, but those would help me with what lay ahead.

“I’m sure.” Mom stood a few feet away from
Dad with a sad look on her face. My chest ached at her expression. “Mom.” At the sound of my voice, her eyes met mine. “I love you.”

“I love you
, too.” Her whispered and dejected words made my veins throb with the ire I held within me.

“We’ll talk when I get back in, okay?” Nodding
, she turned her attention to Hunter, but I cut her off before she could speak.  “He won’t be back.” I left no room for argument before walking to the front door and opening it wide. “Let’s go. I don’t have all day.”

I didn’t stop until I reached his car and leaned against it
—there was no point in hiding my intentions. After our talk he needed to leave. Hunter had caused me more problems in one day than I remember having in the last year.

“Say what you have t
o, and leave.” Hunter stopped beside me and mirrored my position. Together we watched the sun set, something that in the past we loved to do. Now his mere presence bothered me.

He took in a deep breath and groaned low. Almost too low for me to hear. “You still smell sweet,
like the same lotion I used to buy you at the store in Sunset Place.”

“I wore that scent before I met you
. It’s never changed.” My voice was just as low as his was. The anger had ebbed a bit, but what lingered now was mixed with what felt familiar. He was familiar to me.

We’d spent years together. Hunter was my first boyfriend. My first kiss
. The first and only man to make love to me.

His shoulders sagged as he turned to face me. “I’m sorry, Mandi. So sorry.”

Nodding, I acknowledged his apology but made no move to verbally tell him he was forgiven. It was too soon, and one measly apology wasn’t changing what he’d put me through.

After he left
, I doubted myself. Why didn’t he love me enough to work through the separation? Fuck that. I would’ve changed schools to be with him if he would’ve just asked.

Instead
, he pushed me away. One day we were together and the next he was gone, and I was left crying over my first love. It had hurt. Still did in a sense.

“Why are you here, Hunter? Be honest with me. You left to study music and spread your wings. What happened?”

Hunter took a hold of my hand, and I let him. He squeezed it and pulled me to sit on the trunk of his car. Once situated, we leaned back and looked up and at the sky. I sensed he was trying to gather his thoughts.

I was trying not to think of Camden. Would he be infuriated with me if he knew I was with Hunter? Sitting close enough
that our knees touched and about to reminisce about our past relationship?

“New York wasn’t what I expected. Not one bit
,” Hunter began, bringing my attention to him. “I missed you the moment I got off the plane.”

“Funny,” I deadpanned, “because I didn’t hear from you for almost six months to the date that you left.”

He hopped off the trunk and paced in front of me. Agitated. “Would you have talked to me if I called? Be honest here.”

“Yes.” It wasn’t a lie either. I waited for that phone call for weeks after he left.

“Fuck,” Hunter shouted into the open night and came to stand before me. He reached out with the tips of his fingers to caress my face; I pulled back before he could. The act felt wrong. It wasn’t his touch I wanted.

“Hunter, why are you here?” His hazel eyes met mine. They burned with fire and desire. I’d seen that look many times in the past.  Where it once incensed my own need for his touch, I now felt cold.

“What’s Camden to you? Are you just fucking him?”

How motherfucking dare he
? “Get the fuck off my property, Hunter. I don’t want you here.” He reached for me again, this time, his hands caging my face between them. “Get off.”

“No. Not until you tell me the truth
.”

“Fuck you
,” I spat and pulled his hands away. With my knee, I pushed him back and hopped off the car. “You have no right to ask. Remember, it was you who left while I stayed here, waiting for you to tell me it was a mistake. That you loved me!”

“I still love you,” he yelled back. “That was the biggest mistake of my life, Mandi. Young and dumb are the only way to describe my reasoning, but it’s the God’s honest truth. All I wanted was to just be me, without the
you
attached for once. We’d spent those last two years together, and I was selfishly thinking about having fun and seeing what college had to offer. I made a mistake. Why can’t you accept that?”

I spun back around to face him,
my eyes shooting daggers his way. “Goddamn selfish prick. You left me so you could fuck your way through the NYU female student body. Jesus.” There was no need to continue rehashing this shit. It wouldn’t change my thoughts on him. He broke my heart for pure vain and selfish reasons.

“But I’m here now, Mandi. We loved each other
!”

The nerve of this ass. He stopped my pacing
, reaching out and pulling me to him by the elbow.

“Don’t,” I begged and pushed him away with the arm he wasn’t holding. “Just don’t.”

“Mandi, can’t you see I came back for you? For us?” With one strong pull, he had me in his arms. Our bodies were pressed together, his head coming toward me. Eyes focused on my lips. “I love you.”

I slapped him before his lips touched mine. “But I don’t
love you.” Hunter stood frozen; his arms loosened enough for me to escape his embrace. “Like I said inside, there’s nothing for you here. Leave.”

“Amanda
,” he called once more, but I ignored him and walked straight back into the house. I didn’t wait for him to leave, didn’t care if he spent the entire night outside. Hunter Knox was no longer my problem.

The house was quiet as I entered. All the lights, except for the one just inside the entrance
, were off. It was just as well—I had nothing left in me today.

Between Hunter, my mother, and Camden…I was done
.