To Love a Man (40 page)

She did what he asked as he slid back down that wall and took a seat then patted the space next to him.

“Now take a seat.”

Scarlett looked at him and sighed as she did what he asked again.

“I know things look grim but it’s when the clouds come and the storm is overhead that a rainbow is in the horizon.”

She gave him a sarcastic smirk.

“Really?”

“What?”

“Are you trying to run game on me or something because no grown man I know goes around talking about rainbows in the
horizon?”

Christian held up his hands.

“No I’m not. Sorry my mom says that to me when I am going through it and it helps so I thought it might help you.”

“Oh well thank you. And I do know that when the going gets tough a blessing is on the way. I have faith I just, everything is just weighing down on me, and it has been bad for so long and I do pray and fast but look at me. I broke down in an elevator with some man I just met.”

“Ok first I am not some man and well from what I see you have kept this inside for a while I’d rather you broke down in front of me than somewhere else.”

Scarlett smiled up to this man who seemed to come to her just when she needed him. As Christian wiped a fallen tear from her left eye, he couldn’t help but feel for her. He had fought the urge to hold her since she walked into the elevator. Now he couldn’t fight it any longer, he had to hold her. He pulled her to him and hugged her. She wrapped her arms around him and cried harder. He held her tight and honestly didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to help her and he knew exactly how he could.

“Scarlett.”

“I am so sorry for breaking down like that.” She said her face still buried in his chest. She felt so safe and secure and didn’t want to leave his firm body.

“It's no problem. I think I can help you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I believe everything happens for a reason and meeting you is one of those things. It just so happens I am the Vice president of Waters Empire.”

“Waters Empire?”

“Yeah not my choice for the name, that falls to my dad and mom.”

She looked
straight ahead wondering how this man’s wife or girlfriend would feel if she knew Scarlett was resting her head on his him. “How old are you?”

“29. Why?”

“You just don’t look like you’re that old.”

“Well are you really 26?”

“Yes. And breaking down like a school girl.”

“Everyone breaks down its normal. And crying cleanses the soul.”

“You are a really sweet guy.”

“Sweet is the new rough neck I thought you knew!”

Scarlett started to laugh at him and he shook his head.

“
Sorry girls like the big strong tough rough neck kinda guy so.”

“I will take sweet over rough and tough any day trust me.”

“Well that is me I like to think my parents raised me well.”

She relaxed a little bit in his arms. He kicked his long legs in front of him as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“I have to admit. It feels good to cry when you have a shoulder to cry on. To be able to let it all out. I can’t do it at home because once I start I won’t stop.”

“So tell me about your family.”

“You really wanna know?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.” he said looking down to her.

Her face lit up as she smiled. Christian realized in that moment her smile did something to him.

“Well Devon is 17 and is really talented. He dominates the court I guess they say. He’s a really smart kid and kind. He helps me a lot with the girls. He has this theory in his head that he is the man of the house.  He has felt that way since he was 12.”

“12.”

“Yeah he has always been that way, wanting to make sure that the girls and I are taken care of.”

“Sounds like a great kid.”

“He is. Now Maggie she is 15 and in her teenage phase where she just wants everything to go her way. The move hit her hard. I hated to do that to her but then she agreed with us it was what was best for mom. Now my Angel is a pistol just like me. So sweet and smart and was born with a smile and no matter what mood I'm in I can look at her and know everything is fine.”

Scarlett opened her purse and handed him a picture with Scarlett an older woman two young girls and a young man all smiling and all happy. Christian smiled.

“That is a beautiful family photo.”

“Thanks.”

“So she’s 9 and you are 26.”

“I got pregnant at 16 and had her a month before my 17
th
birthday.”

“Was she planned?”

“At 17?”

“Sorry I just.”

Scarlett shook her head. “Don't worry about it. I have gotten those questions before and the looks. Mostly thinking it's my fault.”

“I never thought that.”

“You don't have to pretend. I know what people think about me.”

“And what is that?”

“That I slept around until I got pregnant. Truth is I wasn’t like that. I’m not like that.”

“Ok so what about her father?”

“What about him?”

“Are you guys together?”

“No.”

“So he can’t he help you?”

“It will be a cold day in hell before I ask him for anything. I don't want nor need his help.”

Christian held his hands up.

“Ok.”

“I'm sorry it's just a bad situation I am still kind of raw about it.”

“That’s ok. I get it.”

“And what is it that you get?” she questioned.

“Whoa calm down I just meant that I get you are raw about it.”

Scarlett glanced up at him as her eyes softened.

“So what about you?”

“What about me?” he asked looking down to her.

“You’re 29 no wife no kids?”

She laid her head back on his shoulder as he loosened his tie more.

“I guess I am pretty picky when it comes to women. I would love to have a wife and kids but I gotta feel it.”

“And you haven’t?”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “Not that my mom hasn’t tried.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah my mom sets up business meetings that involve just me and the woman at a romantic restaurant. Or when I'm working late at night, she will send some woman over with a picnic. It’s kind of sad really.”

“She just wants you to give her lots of grandkids.”

“Yeah that’s not gonna happen. Maybe for Chris but not me.”

“Chris?”

“My brother.”

“Oh is he married?”

“No but he is in love. My mom won’t have it though.”

“Why not?”

“His girlfriend isn’t who my mom would want for a daughter in law. She wants someone who is more in the public eye someone who comes from money.”

“Why?”

“She feels if we marry women who come from money they aren’t with us just for our money.”

“Well that’s true.”

“Yeah, but there’s something about a rich, annoying spoiled little daddy’s girl that bothers me.”

Scarlett laughed.

“They can’t all be that bad.”

“Trust me they are. This one girl actually got mad at me because I picked her up in my car and not a limo.”

He made a face and spoke in a high-pitched girl’s voice.

“Daddy says never trust a man who drives his own car.”

Scarlett giggled.

“Wow they really talk like that?”

Christian sighed laughing. “Yeah truthfully it’s pretty nice to talk to someone who has more on her mind than what she is gonna wear tomorrow or make some poor man buy.”

“Yeah you don't have to worry about that with me. I don’t really have much to begin with and what I do have I earn it and I like to earn it I feel like I actually deserve it when I do.”

“I could tell. You seem to be down to earth.”

“I am.”

As they sat in silence Scarlett inhaled his scent of sandalwood and spice a smell that made her feel at ease and at peace. Christian was everything she could ever want in a man and if she was looking she would be praying to the Lord that he would feel the same, but sitting in the elevator with a man who made her feel safe and secure just made her ache for companionship in a way she hadn’t in years.

And soon
curiosity got the best of her as she craved more from him. She wanted to know his likes and dislikes she wanted to know his soul. As her inner self fought with her heart struggling to fine the words to say to this man who was so caring and so sexy he reached for her left hand and latched his hand to hers.

“
Are you ok?”

“
Yes.” She said sleepily realizing for the first time since they had been stuck that she was sleepy.

“
What is running through that pretty head of yours?”

She sighed as his fingers caressed her hand sending jolts to places she wished would stop throbbing.
She sighed clearing her throat.

“So what kind of women are you interested in?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean if your mom keeps getting it wrong explain to me why. What is your type?”

You
he thought with a smile. She was a type he never knew he had, but sitting in the elevator with her and listening to her story made him want to hold her and caress her. Smelling her scent and feeling sparks of passion shoot through him every time he touched her or she moved. He had to readjust himself so she wouldn’t see the effect she was having on his manhood. “I think you are the first person to ever ask me that.”

“So you have no idea?”

“I’m thinking give me a minute.”

She smiled as he breathed trying to figure out what he wanted in a woman and then realizing that he was sitting next to the woman of his dreams. “Well I guess I am looking for a friend.”

“A friend?” she asked smiling.

“Yeah someone I can talk to about anything and everything. Someone who sees I am so much more than this company and the money I have. I just want someone to want me for who I am sound weird huh?”

“No it sounds like you know what you want you just haven’t found it yet.”

He smiled to himself realizing that he had found it. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What are you looking for in a man?”

Scarlett snorted. “Oh no, I am not looking for anything because I have too much to worry about.”

“But if you didn't have anything to worry about what would you want?”

“I guess the same thing as you.”

“You guess?”

She looked up to him then leaned back against him. “Yeah I want a friend, someone who I can tell my secrets too and know they won’t judge me. My past is so complicated that I am almost afraid to try again.”

“Why?”

She looked at her watch.

“Wow I can’t believe it’s been an hour and a half and we are still stuck here.”

“Is it that bad being here with me?”

She sighed. “No, talking to you is really calming and I almost forgot we were stuck.”

“That’s good. I see you tend to change the subject when you don't wanna answer.”

She sat up and straightened out her suit jacket as Christian stared at her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing I just realized I spent an hour imposing on you.”

“It wasn’t bothering me I kind of enjoyed it. You make me feel needed.”

“
Really and you like feeling that way?”

He grinned opening his arms to her.

“I like feeling that way with you.”

She leaned back into his arms and took a breath.

“I still don’t know what I am gonna do. I really needed the money you know?”

“
Let’s not think about this now. For now how about you just relax who knows how long we are going to be in here.”

She bit her bottom lip sitting next to him was testing every boundary she had. His hard lean body called to her in ways no man ever had. She wanted his soft hands to caress her and kiss her and she shook her head trying to erase the feelings inside her.

As they sat in comfortable silence Christian felt Scarlett doze off and he smiled to himself hearing the slight snore come from her lips. He suddenly felt complete not caring if the doors ever opened. He could sit in that spot holding her forever and he suddenly realized what he was missing. Chris always told him when he found someone special he would know immediately and as he was sitting there staring down at Scarlett’s sleeping face he just wanted to protect her.

As he removed a stray hair from her face the lights came on in the elevator and it began to sway. Scarlett awoke and held on to Christian as it began to move upward. Christian smiled.