Jilted at the Altar

Chapter Twenty

Dalton pulled her close as he deepened the kiss. Her soft curves molded against his hard planes.

Ariella went on her tip toes and wound her arms around his back, her nails digging into his back, pulling him closer.

Suddenly Dalton pulled back, breathing hard. He stepped back, putting a suitable distance between them to gain his senses back. He looked at her swollen lips and flushed face.

What the fuck did he think he was doing? She was broken over another man and he was kissing her senseless.

"Jesus" Dalton muttered and turned around.

Ariella touched her lips, her nerves still zinging from his kiss. She looked at him. He was partially turned towards the door. What was she just felt when he kissed her? It had unhinged her. However it was wrong on so many levels.

"I am not thinking straight" She thought to herself.

"I am sorry. This should not have happened" Dalton said as he leaned down and picked up a bathrobe, holding it out for her. She took the robe and pulled it on.

Dalton ran a hand through his hair and Ariella blushed when she saw the nail marks she had left on his chest and back. Suddenly it was like she was looking at this man like she hadn't thought about before. She noticed his intensely good looks. The way his green eyes burned with passion; his tall, lean and muscular body, tanned to a gorgeous bronze.

"What am I doing?" She thought to herself as she averted her eyes but she couldn't help but avert back her eyes to Dalton who still stood there waiting for her to say something.

"You should get in bed. I will be next door if you need anything" He said and without looking at her again walked out of her room.

Ariella stared after him and then trudged to her bed. She lifted the covers and got in. Why had she provoked him and kissed him with such passion? It was like he had worshipped her with that one kiss, his strong hands grasping her waist.

She closed her eyes. She was just acting out because of what happened with Kaden, she thought trying to make sense of her action. She was furious at his betrayal. The anger that had washed over her had swept away the sorrow and ache. She wanted answers from him.

Dalton went into his room but couldn't bring himself to get into bed. Only he knew the type of restrain it took on his behalf to not haul her across the hall into his bed. His body was all wound up that he decided to hit the gym. He walked into the room down the hallway that had the gym set up. He plugged in his phone and blasted his favorite song and started working off the excess tension.

Ariella flipped over in her bed. She was getting restless and she knew that now she had lost her mind. Kaden's betrayal had taken a backseat on her thoughts and Dalton's whispered words and kiss were in the forefront. The fire that burned within her from his touch had stirred her.

"No Ariella, get a grip. It's the hormones" she thought to herself. After all, she was pregnant.

Dalton counted the last set of pushups and winced. The sweat pouring of this body was burning at the scratches Ariella had made. He knew she was acting out of hurt and Kaden's betrayal. She had kissed him and tempted him because she wanted to get back at Kaden. He wiped his forehead with a hand towel and gripped the overhead bar to start his chin ups. He shouldn't think too much into this because it was only going to mess with his head. The realization that she hadn't kissed him out of want for him was enough for him already.

Ariella sat up in bed. Enough was enough. She had enough. She spent two months wallowing and crying, destroying her life for a man who walked out after eight years of false promises. She had endangered her child's life for him. She needed to be strong. She had involved Dalton in this. She shouldn't have behaved the way she did with him but the way he had kissed her...

Ariella got out of bed. She reached for a glass of water by her bedside and knocked it over.

"Shit" She cursed and decided to go to the kitchen.

She stepped out into the corridor but paused when she heard music coming from down the corridor. She hadn't really seen the entire penthouse. She walked towards the room. The door was ajar and she peeked in. She watched as Dalton lifted his body straight up the bar and lowered himself again, his body carved to perfection. Suddenly his eyes rested on hers.

Dalton lowered himself when he found her eyes on him. She was standing at the door, still in her bathrobe.

He walked to the table and wiped himself with a towel.

"I am sorry. I just...the music..."

Dalton walked towards the wall where his phone was mounted next to the sound system, his eyes still on her. 

Ariella watched him, why was she suddenly so attracted to him. Her heart was in overdrive seeing him in his workout shorts with a towel draped around his neck.

Dalton intended to turn off the music but his finger hovered over his playlist when he saw a song, he hit play and James Arthur's voice surrounded them.

He placed the phone back and walked up to Ariella.

"I was just heading—"

Dalton pressed a finger against her lip, cutting off her sentence.

Something had shifted between them; they both could feel it. It was no longer a distant friendship. There was this pull between them that was driving Dalton insane and being ignored by Ariella. He knew her because he was in love with her. He had observed her all these years, heard her likes and dislikes from Kaden. On the other hand Ariella just knew him as Kaden's best friend.

 Within these moments, feeling her eyes on him, he decided it was time to put it straight with her.  

"Why are we ignoring this?" He whispered as he his fingers traced her jaw.

"There is nothing to ignore" Ariella replied, her voice husky.

"Really?"

Ariella stared at him as James Arthur crooned Naked and in that moment she realized, listening to that song, what was going on; the way he looked at her, the way he had kissed her, the words he uttered to her.

"No" Ariella shook her head and stepped back. She was not ready for this.

"Ari..."

"Look, I am not...I want to move on...but it different to say something and...it is going to take time...I..."

Dalton gently took her hand and pulled her against him.

"I am not forcing you for anything Ariella but I can't hide it anymore. I wish I hadn't hidden this years ago, before Kaden even approached you but that is in the past. I just want you to know that I am in love with you and I am right here waiting for you. I don't want you to push me away and keep me at an arm's distance. I will be anything you want me to be. I will wait, wait for you to grieve your loss, leash out the anger and then come to terms with it. I am here, for you and the baby" Dalton leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

He pulled back and smiled at her.

"I will always be here"

Please do Comment and Vote!