After the Storm

Chapter 11 - Rusty

I shouldn't have kissed him. I should have stuck to the friend's zone. When he kissed my cheek, I melted against him. The way he kissed set my skin on fire. I have never had a single kiss turn me on as much as Wyatt's did. I wanted to rip his clothes off, run my tongue from his neck to his cock. I wanted to feel him on top of me, inside me. I wanted to fall asleep and wake in his arms. I knew Wyatt wasn't the type of guy that wanted a relationship, yet I still wanted him. I thought about giving in to a one-night stand, but knew I would get hurt. When he walked away my heart sank into my chest. I didn't know what to expect when we kissed, but I didn't expect him to just walk away. I needed to move past this incident and have fun while I was still on vacation.

The next morning I was walking out to get the mail when Clarke pulled up.

"Morning Clarke!"

"Hey, morning. Are you sore from surfing?"

"A little," I smiled.

"That's normal. It gets better if you surf more often. Anytime you want to go, let me know," he smiled, unloading his truck.

"Thanks, I will." I started walking to the mailbox when I heard him call my name.

"Rusty?"

I turned around, "yeah?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out Friday night. I know a great-"

"I'd love to," I interrupted because Clarke was a great guy and I wanted to have fun. Clarke wasn't complicated or stubborn. He was nice and he wanted to go out.

"Really, you don't want to know where?"

"Nope, surprise me!" I smiled.

"You got it," he smiled and walked into the back yard.

It was Friday and I hadn't spoken to Wyatt since he left me feeling like an idiot when I kissed him. Grace stopped by a few times during the week to swim in the pool and watch movies. I wanted Wyatt, but not how he wanted me. I couldn't deal with Wyatt's mood swings. One minute he was sweet and the next he was an asshole, brooding in his office. I told Grace about my date with Clarke and she was excited. She told me to call her as soon as I got home, she wanted to hear all about it.

Clarke picked me up at seven in the evening and we went to this new restaurant downtown. I guess his cousin was the chef and he was able to get the best table in the place when most people are waiting months to get on the reservation list. The restaurant was sexy and I say sexy because it was decorated in reds, blacks, and golds. The waitresses looked like pinup models and the waiters looked like models themselves. Clarke and I were seated in the corner where we could see the entire restaurant. We ordered our drinks and as I looked around the restaurant I see Wyatt. He's staring at me from across the room and I'm staring at the woman hanging on his arm. I know I have no right to be upset, but I am because he really is emotionless. I'm sitting here with a nice guy while all I could think about was Wyatt. I so desperately want to get him out of my head. I break my stare from Wyatt and look at Clarke.

"You look beautiful tonight," he smiled.

"Thank you! This is a great restaurant, I can't wait to taste the food."

"I can tell you the food is phenomenal. My cousin is a true culinary artist. I hope you don't mind, but he is cooking us something special tonight."

"Seriously? Wow, I am even more excited," I smiled.

"Good, and if you're still having a good time I was hoping-"

"Hello, Clarke, Rusty," Wyatt interrupted, placing his hand on Clarke's shoulder. I looked up at him and gave him a look of anger. How dare he walk over here and interrupt our date. He had his chance and he walked away.

"Mr. Collins," Clarke smiled up at him. "Having dinner?"

"Yes," he smirked and looked me up and down.

"You look beautiful tonight, Rusty."

"Thank you, Clarke was just telling me that," I smiled at Clarke.

"I'm sure he was. Anyways I wanted to say hello."

"Well, you did. Have a nice dinner, don't leave your date waiting, Wyatt, it's rude," I spoke in a clipped tone.

"You as well," he said with a tight lip and walked away.

"Everything okay, Rusty?" Clarke asked sensing my annoyance with Wyatt.

"Perfectly. So tell me about surfing, how did you learn?" I asked, quickly changing the subject.

I learned a lot about Clarke that night. He was the youngest of three brothers, all who surfed and played water polo. He was born and raised in Encinitas and grew up on the beach. He is finishing up his degree in Marine Biology and wants to work on research vessels along the Pacific Coast studying fish migration patterns. We ate, drank and laughed. I didn't once look over at Wyatt, but I couldn't stop thinking about him. I felt horrible because Clarke was everything I should desire, but Wyatt hijacked my thoughts.

After dinner, Clarke took me to a nightclub up the street. The place was crowded and everyone was on the dancefloor dancing to the newest hit song. We had been dancing for over an hour when I needed a break. I told him I was going to the restroom and would be right back. As I was walking down the hallway, I felt a hand grip my upper arm and yank me into a closet. I screamed and was silenced by his hand over my mouth. He turned me around and staring at me was Wyatt.

"What the fuck, Wyatt?" I yelled.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he smiled.

"I don't know why you're smiling, but this isn't funny."

"What are you doing?" he asked wrapping his hands around my hips.

"What am I doing? I'm having fun with Clarke."

"Do you really like him?"

"He's a great guy, he knows how to have fun and he doesn't have mood swings."

"I don't like it," he said walking me backwards until my back hit a wall of shelving.

"I don't care what you like, Wyatt. You're also on a date."

"No I'm not, not anymore," he murmured against my ear.

"You can't do this, Wyatt. You walked away," I said placing my hands on his chest and pushing him back.

"I know, but I made a mistake, I want you, Rusty," he breathed.

"Why? Because someone else wants me?"

"No, because I can't stop thinking about you, about your lips, how your tongue tastes, I want to taste the rest of you."

"I can't stop thinking-" I started to say, but Wyatt's lips stopped me. His kiss was hard and forceful. His tongue parted my lips and teased my tongue, begging for a reaction. I knew if his hands reached into my panties he would find me soaking wet. My tongue met his and we kissed like our lives depended on it. His hands gripped my ass and squeezed hard while my hands laced through his hair and tugged. I poured all the frustration I had been feeling into this one kiss. I heard him growl deep in his throat. Suddenly, I remembered Clarke, sweet Clarke, waiting for me and here I was making out with Wyatt in a damn closet. I pushed him back and straightened my skirt.

"No, Wyatt, you had your chance," I breathed, trying to catch my breath.

"I want you Rusty, and I know you want me," he said stepping closer to me.

"Not like you want me, I refuse to be another one of your one night stands," I said walking around him towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"It's my turn to walk away. This never should have happened. We don't want the same things," I sighed and walked out the door. Wyatt wanted a one night stand, a night of passion, but I wanted a lifetime of love and devotion. If I spent one night with Wyatt, I would walk away with a broken heart. I met Clarke back at the bar and told him I wasn't feeling good. It wasn't fair to Clarke that I was thinking about Wyatt when I was out on a date with him. Wyatt's touch set my soul on fire and I didn't want to put it out. I knew what I felt for Wyatt was love but I couldn't be with someone who didn't love me back. So far this vacation wasn't turning out how I hoped it would.