Page 51 of Fighting for Scarlett

CHAPTER TWELVE

January 16th

2:22 A.M.

“I'm sorry I didn't believe you,” Tate whispered as they slipped back onto the sidewalk.

Did he really think one little apology was going to be a balm for her anger?

If he did, he wasn’t as smart as she had given him credit for.

Scarlett was in full-on fury mode. Just because she was following Tate without argument didn't mean she wasn’t still furious with him. A simple apology just wasn’t going to cut it. She was thinking something more along the lines of getting down on his knees and begging for her forgiveness for accusing her of being a traitor and refusing to listen.

For having sex with her when he still thought she was guilty.

That was the biggest gut punch of all.

A part of her kept whispering reminders that he was only basing his decision on her guilt or innocence on the evidence he had. That email was damning, she got that, she really did, but maybe she’d just expected more from him. Thought their night together meant more. At least meant enough that he would give her the benefit of the doubt.

Still, she shut that thinking down real quick.

She was entitled to her anger, and more than that, she needed it. It was either be angry at everything and everyone who hadn't been on her side from the beginning or fall apart because everything that had happened really was too much for one person to handle, especially when the end didn't appear to be anywhere in sight.

If Tate was surprised that she didn't accept his apology, he didn't let on. Just kept his hold on her hand as they walked through the quiet streets. With the early hour, there was no one else about. The occasional car passed, and every time it did, Tate would pull her into his arms and pretend to kiss her.

At first, she just closed her eyes, kept her head down, and held her breath. Silently counting the seconds until he let go of her. It was a different kind of torture, being held so intimately by a man that she had at one time craved with every atom of her body, heart, mind, and soul.

When she thought about it like that it made her sound extra stupid.

One amazing night and she had been already planning what an amazing future they’d share.

No more being that naïve.

Love didn't really happen that way in real life. Movies, sure, books, absolutely, and songs too, but not in real life. In real life, people just took what they wanted from you and then left. You had to fight on your own to make something of yourself. Which is why she was sure there would be no more dating, and no more letting men get close until she learned to love herself, be happy and content with her own company.

By the fourth time Tate drew her into his arms for a fake kiss, Scarlett could no longer kid herself into believing she didn't want his touch. Didn't relish it. Wasn’t counting down the seconds until he could let her go but rather counting the seconds until he would hold her again.

She really had to be a glutton for punishment.

His touch soothed, comforted, and heated her blood, even though she was pretty sure he still had doubts about her and was yet to make up his mind if she was a criminal, a woman coerced into doing something wrong, or the innocent victim that she was.

Get over him.

He’s over you.

Was from the moment he snuck out of your house without so much as a goodbye.

Even if he thinks you're innocent he doesn’t want you.

Never did.

Yet, as the taillights of the car disappeared around the corner, Tate took his time releasing her. His fingers trailed down her back, making her shiver, and it had nothing to do with the light touches against her wounds. Sure, they hurt, but his touch … warmed. It was so gentle, so tender, and the way he looked down at her like he wanted to kiss her until both of them forgot their own names, and then wrap her up in bubble wrap and stash her someplace safe, told her that he felt more than he let on.

Was he running because he was afraid?

They hadn't talked a lot about their pasts so she didn't know much about Tate Laurier or his life.

If he had pushed her away out of fear, she could understand that. Didn't mean that hurting her because he was scared was okay, but she could understand it. There would even have been a time when she would have helped him with his fears if he would have just let her in.

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