Misguided Heart (8 page)

His door was open
, so I all but invited myself in. “Hey, I’m really sorry to just barge in unannounced, but I changed my mind. I want to spend tonight and tomorrow night with you. That is, if you still want to. I think I just got scared. I’m sorry.” I looked right at him as he stood up and made his way towards me. I slowly started backing up, not being able to judge the intensity in his eyes. He reached behind me and closed the door, and then bent me back and laid a great kiss, right on my lips.

“I’m glad you changed your mind.” He said as he open
ed the door and gently shooed me away.

I walked back to my office in a daze. Did that just really happen? He was an amazing kisser. If he did other things the way he kissed, I was in deep trouble. I was left longing for more and I can almost bet that was his plan all along. The day dragged on slower than usual. I needed to make sure that I had all the right materials to bring with me on my overnight weekend with
Sloan, so I left work about an hour early. I stopped by Victoria Secret and bought a matching navy lace bra and panty set. I hurried home and began packing everything I thought I would need. As I mentally checked things off of my list, I realized that I hadn’t even asked my neighbor to watch Bugsy yet. I quickly ran out the front door and next door to ask Molly if she would mind. She kindly obliged and I quickly ran back home to finish packing.

Sloan

Over the last week, Aston and I had become accustomed to our morning run-ins. I would pretend to run into her and then we would head across the street and grab some coffee before we started our day. It was nice and it felt good to actually get to know the woman I had all but been stalking for months now.

As much as it pained me to do it, I ended up having to cancel our coffee ritual the
Friday before the wedding. Unfortunately, the little blonde I had brought home the night before didn’t want to get her ass out of my fucking bed.

Once I finally made it into the office, Aston was nowhere to be found, so I naturally I found myself pacing my office in anticipation of her return. I knew I was a dick. Everything my fathe
r had ever said about me was true. I was a man whore and even though I was letting myself fall for this wonderful woman, I was still keeping her at a distance. When her face came into view, I waved her into my office praying she wouldn’t be able to tell that I had lied.

When she
entered my office, we did our usual pleasantries and then I was thrown when she asked me about my conference call. That was my lie that I had told her this morning, so stupid. As much as I wanted to be honest with her, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. It’s not like we were an item or anything, so I guess technically I didn’t owe her an explanation, right?

Asshole!

On my drive into work this morning, I had devised a plan to take whatever it was we had going on, to the next level. When I mentioned getting a hotel for the next two nights, I didn’t expect her to jump for joy, but I also didn’t expect her to all but kick me in the balls. You would have thought I just asked the girl to fucking marry me after one date.

Not likely!

Of course, she gave me some lame excuse about not having anyone to watch her dog. When I offered her a solution, she instantly shot me down. I wasn’t sure what her deal was all of a sudden, but my ego didn’t like the feeling. She did offer to stay the second night with me, but at that point, I was just irritated, so I sat down and started pretending to do some work on my computer, hoping she would get the hint. She must have, because seconds later she had vanished form my office.

I was fucking livid when I started replying to my daily emails. I had never had a woman say no to me, why would she be any different? I didn’t expect her to say yes lightly
, but I guess I had underestimated her ability to see through my cocky bullshit. Damn, she was such an infuriating woman.

A little while later
, my door was pushed open and her small beautiful face appeared. My entire body reacted and I gave into my primal need. After she told me she changed her mind, I walked straight over to her with one purpose. I was going to kiss the shit out of her and leave her yearning for more.

Mission accomplished!

Aston

It was almost eight thirty when Sloan finally knocked on the door. I made sure that I had my bags ready to go, and an extra key sitting on the kitchen counter for Molly when she came to let the dog out. I half ran to the door and greeted Sloan with a huge smile. He smiled back and my heart instantly melted.

“Let me take that for you.” He offered.

“Thanks, let me just grab my dress and shoes and we can be on our way.” I smiled.

I grabbed the beige plastic bag with my head turning dress inside and my silver Manolo Blahniks. I quickly checked the sliding glass door and turned to see
Sloan with his cell phone up to his ear. My heart sank and by the look on his face, I could tell that the night was not going to go as planned. I hurried over to the door, snatching up my purse on the way. I quickly locked the door behind me and started past Sloan towards his car when he grabbed my arm.

“I’m really sorry to do this to you, but my father just called and I need to run to the office for about an hour. Would you mind driving yourself to the hotel and I will meet you there?”

“Sloan, if this won’t work tonight it’s fine. I can just stay here and you can pick me up tomorrow for the wedding.” I tried to hide my disappointment.

“No, no I don’t want this to ruin our plans. I promise I will be there in two hours or so. Please just drive there and I will meet you.” His face dropped.

“Okay, I guess I will see you soon then.” I smiled.

He leaned over and kissed me quickly on the cheek as he handed off my luggage. I was extremely bummed out, but I did my best to not let him notice. I watched intently as he sauntered over to his car and took off out of my neighborhood almost lightning fast. I reached for my car keys in my purse and headed out to the garage. I climbed into the driver’s seat after hanging up my dress in the backseat. I sat there for at least ten minutes contemplating what exactly I was doing with my life. I mean people were getting married and I couldn’t even get a guy to stay the night with me. I suddenly had an empty feeling in my gut. My sickness had passed since this morning and I was thankful at this moment, because the images running through my head of me alone and old made me a bit queasy.

I put my car in drive and headed out towards the hotel. Sloan had made all of the reservations, so I had no idea where exactly we were staying. Sloan sent me a text with the address about fifteen minutes after he left and I just followed my Google map on my phone.  I arrived about twenty minutes later at the Chaparral Suites off of Scottsdale Road. The outside was absolutely breathtaking and I could only imagine what the room looked like. I slowly pulled into the valet parking and collected my things from the back seat. The nice young man working handed me my ticket and I drug my lackadaisical butt through the sliding glass doors. I finally made my way up to the hotel desk and immediately wondered if the reservation was under my name or Sloan’s. I sat there staring at my phone, debating whether or not to call Sloan and ask.

“Ma’am, can I help you?” A strange voice interrupted.

“Oh yes, I am so sorry. I’m checking in. I believe the reservation is under Sloan Holden.” I replied.

She tapped on her keys at least a dozen times before responding. “Oh yes, here it is Mrs. Holden. For two in the VIP one bedroom suite?” She asked.

My voice caught in my throat as the sound of her addressing me as Mrs. Holden ran through my brain. “Um, I’m not his wife.” I answered. “And, I am not quite sure what room he booked.” I shrugged.

“Okay well no problem. It looks like he has booked the VIP suite on the third floor. Here are your keys and I just need a quick signature on this page.” She replied while handing me a printed out paper.

I thanked her and turned. My heels clicked on the mud colored tile floor as I found my way over to the elevators on the South end of the building. The up arrow illuminated and I let out a sigh of boredom. I got lucky and didn’t have to wait long for the elevator. The doors opened a few seconds later and to my surprise I was the only one in it. I pushed the number 3 and leaned my head back against the wall. I stared at my dazed reflection in the mirrors above me. I looked haggard and rundown. The door opened and I bolted straight for the room.

I gradually walked into the eight hundred and some odd square foot suite. I blinked back to better see. The room was abso
lutely stunning. It had one king sized bed in a separate room of to the side with a beautiful satin burnt sienna comforter and black satin throw pillows. On the opposite side of the bed, stood a small kitchenette with fridge, microwave, coffee maker and a round oak table with matching chairs. The bathroom to my left had nothing but a beautiful modern art mirror with detached sink and vanity. To the right, a large garden hot tub and standard steel frame stall shower stood beckoning to me. I was in awe of this place. I swept my freshly manicured fingers across the satin comforter before placing my things neatly across from the bed.

I flung my tired body back against the pillow top mattress and lay there staring at the ceiling for no apparent reason. My eyes began to feel heavy and I rolled onto my side to check the time on the hotel alarm clock. It was now quarter to ten and I suddenly became enraged.  He promised me that he would only be gone an hour or so and it was now an hour and a half later. I rummaged through my purse searching for my cell phone. Maybe, just maybe, he had sent me a text or even tried to call and I just didn’t hear it. I clutched my iPhone so hard in my hand I swear I could’ve broken it in two. I clicked the bottom button and the phone’s background illuminated with no sign of a missed call or text message.

My fingers quickly touched the buttons on the screen as I sent a not so nice text message to this so-called wonderful man. I pressed the send button and fell back on the bed in anger. I shook my head and began to feel low when I decided I would call Shelby and see what she was up to. I waited ten agonizing minutes for a text message back from Sloan before calling her. Of course, she picked up after one ring.

“Hey, hey, hey pretty lady what are you up to?” She screamed into the receiver.

I could hear loud music playing and people shouting in the background. “Where are you?” I shouted back.

“What?” She bellowed.

“Where are you?” I took it up a couple of notches.

“Oh, sorry it’s so loud in here. I am up at Toby Keith’s Bar with Davis and some of his friends. Are you at the hotel yet?”

“Yeah, I am here, but he is not.” I tried to hide the rage in my voice even though I knew Shelby would have heard it anyway.

“Well, then bring your little ass up here and hang out. I don’t want any excuses from you Aston, just slip on something cute and leave a note. I’ll see ya in a few.”

The line went dead and I knew that unless I did as she said, she would be calling back every half hour trying to convince me otherwise. I lingered on the bed for a couple minutes staring at my phone, wishing for it to ring I suppose, but when it didn’t I drug my lazy body to the bathroom to freshen up my makeup. About ten minutes later, I heard the text message sound coming from my phone. With a sudden burst of energy I ran to the bed and saw that it was only Shelby. I quickly sent her a text back letting her know that I was headed out the door in twenty and I would see her soon.

I went back to the bathroom, swiped some
lip-gloss across my pouty lips and brushed through my long light blonde hair. I hadn’t brought too many clothes to use as backups, so I would have to try to put something together. Toby Keith’s was a pretty laid back bar. I came across a pair of my True Religion jeans that I had packed, just in case I suppose. My subconscious must know my luck, and me better than I knew it myself. I slipped them on and buttoned the silver button and pulled my black sequined stripped Heidi Klum tank over my head. I slipped on my silver Manolo heels that seemingly matched quite well, examined myself in the mirror one last time and headed out to my car. It was one of the warmest nights of the summer so far and the heat smacked me in the face like a hot oven when first opened. I inhaled a deep humid breath and on my way I was.

I pulled into the over crowded parking lot at Toby Keith’s about thirty minutes later and instantly sent a text to Shelby. I told her it was going to be near impossible to find her but I was headed to the door anyway. A moment later Shelby was bouncing up to me with a drunken smile plastered on her face, and I knew I was in for a long night.

“Hi my love, it took you long enough.” She scolded while embracing me in a huge bear hug.

“Sorry hun, I had to make sure I looked my best.” I said jokingly as I struck a model type pose.

We both broke out into high-pitched laughter and headed towards the table that she and Davis had been occupying. I said a quick hello to Davis and headed up to the bar for a beer.

“Oh, no you don’t.” I heard Shelby’s voice scream in my ear. “It’s all about the shots tonight. We are celebrating your ex and his, whatever she is, getting married and you finally being free of him. WHOOO HOO!” Her voice echoed loudly.

“I don’t know Shelby. I have to be able to drive back to the hotel later.” I sounded like those prissy girls in high school who were too good to get drunk because of what people might think, even though they were the ones throwing the party. “You know what never mind, let’s do this!” I shouted and downed my first shot.