CHAPTER 32:
Where She Has Her First Fight With Him
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"Why didn't you tell me about your scholarship?" I repeated the words when he didn't answer me the first time.
His expression grew stone cold.
"How do you know about that?" His words were like ice. I could feel my heart sinking into the pit of my stomach.
My hands curled into fists. "Seriously?" I demanded. "That's how you choose to respond?"
I scrambled off the bed. My body trembled with anger.
Archer stood up, his huge frame towered over me. For the first time, I found our height difference absolutely infuriating.
"How else do you expect me to respond?" He demanded, and although his voice was soft, I could tell that he was angry.
His words were my tipping point. I could feel my anger spike. I was too angry to talk rationally right now. I needed to walk away before I said something I regretted later. I turned away from him and started towards the door. But as soon as I pulled the door open Archer's hand planted firmly on the wooden surface forcing it closed. I felt the heat of his body against my back.
"Where do you think you're going?" His furious voice demanded.
"I'm too angry to talk to you right now." I gritted out.
His hands grasped my waist and he turned me to face him.
Archer's arms caged me in. His head bent down to look at me. He still looked angry but his eyes were softer.
"You know that no matter how angry I get I would never do anything to hurt you, right?" His voice was hoarse.
My eyes widened at his words.
I swallowed. I knew that already but hearing him say those words out loud seemed to heal something inside me.
Tears blurred my vision as I nodded up at him.
"I need you to say it, baby." He murmured.
I swallowed thickly, "I trust you, Archer." I whispered.
"Good." He responded. His hands on my waist tightened. "From now on, no matter how angry either of us gets, we don't run away from arguments." He stared at me intently, waiting for my response.
I could only nod.
"Now, I want you to think carefully before answering me." He spoke evenly, "Why are you so angry I didn't tell you about my scholarship?"
I could feel the hurt and anger I'd felt earlier returning. "Because-" I started to say but suddenly felt like I couldn't say the words out loud.
Archer's expression hardened once again, "Because what?" He demanded.
When I didn't answer he let out an exasperated sigh and stepped away from me. He ran his hand through his hair in agitation.
"God damn it, Fallon." He breathed out. His eyes locked on me, his gaze intense. "Why don't you ever want to discuss our future?"
"Are you kidding me right now?" I scoffed in disbelief. "I've told you like a thousand times what I plan to do in the future, how I want to leave Long Beach and go to Florida to see my brother and maybe even consider settling there-"
"You've talked about your future Fallon, not our future." Archer's voice suddenly cut me off.
The roaring anger I'd been feeling earlier suddenly died down, replaced by shock and disbelief.
Archer shook his head, "You think I don't notice how you always conveniently leave me out when you're talking about your future?" He took a step away from me. "Why do you do that Fallon?" He demanded. "Why do you never include me? Why don't you ever ask me to come with you?" His words grew quieter. He sounded so hurt. Each word was like a knife straight to my chest
"Archer-" I started but he cut me off.
"Am I not good enough to be with you? Is that it?" He demanded, his voice shook.
Every particle in me seemed to whither and die when he said those words.
"I'm the one who's not good enough for you!" The words tore out of me leaving a gaping hole in my chest.
I could feel the blood rushing in my ears, my heart thudded wildly. "I don't want you to ruin your life because of me," I whispered.
"What?" He choked out.
"Not accepting the scholarship and choosing to come with me to Florida would be a mistake," I whispered.
Archer's lips twisted into a hollow smile.
"You know, there's one thing in my life that I despise more than anything else, it's people trying to decide what I get to do with my life. Whether it's my dad wanting me to be a lawyer, or my mother trying to force me into going out with girls she thinks are a suitable match, or if it's the people around me who expect me to behave a certain way." If Archer had looked angry before he looked absolutely livid now. "You know how that makes me feel because I've told you. Yet here you are trying to make my choice for me. You are not responsible for the consequences of the decisions I make for myself Fallon Chambers."
Realization finally sunk in. I could feel the tears starting to trail down my cheeks. "I'm sorry." My lips trembled. "You're right. I'm just scared Archer."
In a moment he was right in front of me. His fingers grasped my chin, tilting my head up to look at him.
"Scared of what, Sunshine?" He murmured.
"That I'd plan my entire life around you and then suddenly you'd realize that you're better off without me and leave," I whispered. "I wouldn't have been able to get through that so I think I just shut down and avoided thinking about a future with you all together but that was selfish of me. I didn't consider how I was hurting you in the process. I'm sorry I made you feel like I didn't want a future together. I'm so sorry Archer."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in the crook of his neck. Inhaling his familiar scent soothed me. "I want to be with you," I whispered. "I want to grow old with you, Archer Hastings." I breathed against his skin.
He melted into my embrace his fingers stoked my hair. He pressed a kiss onto the top of my head.
"If you'd started the conversation with that I would have told you that I applied for admission to the University of Florida last month."
My whole body froze in shock. I leaned back to look at him, my eyes searching his face.
"I got wait-listed. I was waiting for their final decision before telling you." He told me with a gentle smile.
He pulled me to him, his lips brushing against mine gently.
"I'm crazy about you Fallon Chambers." He breathed. "I would follow you to the ends of this earth if I have to."
I love you.
The words were at the tip of my lips.
I wanted to say them.
But I didn't.
"Coward."
The voice inside my voice accused.
Instead, I told him, "Even if you don't get in, my dream of moving to Florida can wait. I can stay with you here while you get your degree."
"But you hate it here." Archer rubbed his thumb against my jaw affectionately.
"That was before I met you. The last couple of months that I spent with you have been the best days of my life. I don't think I've ever been happier." I smiled at him. "I'm starting to realize that the only instance I could possibly hate a place is because you're not there with me."
He didn't answer me but he pressed his lips against my forehead. His lips peppered kisses over my eyes, my nose, my cheeks, across my chin.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, moving up to the tips of my toes. Finally, his lips closed over mine. I let out a breathy moan.
His kiss was gentle and steady. My lips opened on their own accord allowing him to deepen the kiss. His tongue rubbed against mine seductively making my core throb. His hands traveled down to grab my ass as he hoisted me up.
He pressed me against the wall as our kisses grew more desperate. His lips finally broke away from mine leaving me gasping for air. I whimpered when his lips closed over the sensitive flesh between my shoulder and neck. His hand yanked at the collar of the white button-down I was wearing, sending buttons flying everywhere. I was too aroused to care. His hands parted my shirt down the middle exposing my breasts.
I'd always been flat-chested and my small breasts were something I'd always been insecure about.
But the way Archer's eyes heated when he looked at me and the primal groan that left his lips at the sight of my bare breasts had me feeling like the most beautiful woman in the world. His head suddenly dropped to my chest as his hands and lips took turns tormenting my over-sensitized nipples.
I tugged at his hair, forcing his head up. "I need you. Now. Please." I whimpered desperately.
His eyes were wild, his lips curled up into a heated smirk. "Whatever you want, princess."
I gasped when his hand closed over the waistband of my panties and tugged so hard that they ripped clean off. My hands reached into the waistband of his sweats and we both groaned when my fingers wrapped around his throbbing member.
I took him out of his pants and positioned him against my entrance. Without any warning, his hips suddenly thrust upwards, completely filling me.
"Oh God." I breathed. "Oh God, Archer."
He started to move. Slow, sensual thrusts that kept me right on edge, driving me insane.
"Please." I pleaded. I didn't know what I was begging for but Archer seemed to get the message because suddenly he was hoisting me higher. The angle made him go deeper making me cry out.
"Just like that. You're so fucking beautiful." He growled in my ear.
One of his hands wrapped under my knee as he pushed it up. He started moving faster, going deeper with each stroke.
I felt my orgasm building.
"I need you to let go, baby." He groaned.
I screamed as I climaxed, wave after wave of bliss hit me.
Archer's hips pistoned into me frantically before finally reaching his peak. His hips pumped into me lazily a couple more times before his legs finally seemed to give way. The two of us slid to the floor, with my body sprawled on top of his. Both of us were breathing hard.
I ran a finger over his chest lazily. "Did we just have our first fight?" I giggled.
Suddenly his chest moved as he chuckled huskily.
"If this is how we make up. I think I don't mind getting into more fights with you, Fallon Chambers."