Page 141 of The Tempted
Why the fuck was I still here? I must like being tortured because there’s no other way to describe what it’s like watching Anthony playing on the floor under a Christmas tree. Torture. I had barely made it through dinner, sitting across from him feeling his eyes on me as I took turns feeding Luca and myself. It would’ve been rude of me to run the fuck out the door the moment the dishes were clean so I stayed out of respect for Maria.
That was two hours ago.
Two cupcakes later and four glasses of wine, I couldn’t even drive home now if I wanted to, so I poured myself another glass and damned myself, Anthony and Christmas to hell.
“There was something I’ve been trying to tell you guys since dinner but I kept putting it off,” Maria announced as she took a seat beside me on the couch. Oh good, a distraction from the hot piece of ass rolling around the floor with a baby. What was it about men and babies? It was such a turn on I thought as I licked my lips and continued to stare at Anthony.
Anthony sat up, pulling Luca onto his lap and gave his mother his undivided attention. The universe was playing some cruel joke on me by giving me this taste of the family I could’ve had.
“I’m moving,” Maria declared softly. I quickly took a detour and left Fantasy Island, turning around to stare mindlessly at Maria.
“What do you mean you’re moving?” Anthony asked calmly.
“I’m going to move upstate, not too far from Lauren.”
“Riverdale. It’s a town over from where I am now,” Lauren added.
“How far away is that? You know what never mind, a better question is, why are you moving all of a sudden?” I asked, placing my wine glass down on the end table.
“I think it’ a great idea,” Anthony said slowly, and I pierced him with a look filled with annoyance.
“Of course, you would,” I laughed in his face. “One more person who cares about you out of your hair,” I looked around the room, eyes wide with sarcasm, and turned back to him. “Looks like I’m the only one left. Sorry I’m not moving anytime soon but I bet if you talk to good ole’ daddy dearest he can send you up the river again.”
“Yeah, maybe you shouldn’t have brought it up tonight,” Lauren said to her mother.
“Lauren, take the baby,” Anthony requested, fixing his eyes on me.
“No.” I protested.
“No?” Lauren asked, not sure who she should listen to.
“Take the baby,” he demanded, his tone becoming increasingly more irritable. Lauren lifted Luca from Anthony’s lap and in one swift motion he was on his feet. Show off.
“Maybe I should’ve waited until New Year’s,” Maria mumbled beside me.
“Adrianna, a word,” Anthony said in a gruff tone.
“No,” I said defiantly.
“A word. Now.”
I was way passed drunk and teetering on the edge of obliterated because I stood and followed him into the kitchen.
“You want to talk about it?” He asked and I turned around at the sound of his steady voice and accepted the challenge.
“Sure, let’s talk,” I said, crossing my arms under my breasts. “Where should we begin?”
“How about we start with why you sneaked out of my bed and left my apartment?”
“Oh, so we’re going to do this?” I shook my head and laughed sarcastically before my eyes angrily peered into his. “You’re just pissed I beat you to the punch.”
“You didn’t give me a chance,” he said raising his voice, taking a step closer.
“You’re right I absolutely didn’t give you a chance to break my heart again. Come on, Anthony we both know that wasn’t going to be our happy ending,” I spat.
“Our happy ending,” he repeated my words as he took another step closer, backing me into a corner, the edge of the counter top digging into my back. “I wasn’t so sure you wanted one with me anymore Reese’s,” he said softly, brushing my hair away from my face. I closed my eyes momentarily basking in the soft caress of his hand against my cheek.
“That’s all I ever wanted,” I whispered.
His lips curved and his eyes melted for me the way they used to before our love became tainted. “Good to know, Reese’s.” He leaned down and pressed his lips lightly to mine. “Don’t give up on happily ever after,” he whispered against my mouth before pulling away.
I stared at him blankly not knowing how to process his words but knowing I would only be wasting my time giving them any thought. Anthony glanced down at his watch briefly and then back to me.
“Merry Christmas, Reese’s.”
Before I could answer him, he turned around, grabbed his leather jacket from the back of one of the chairs, and strutted back into the living room. He bid goodbye to his mom and sister as I remained in the kitchen. Actions spoke louder than words and Anthony’s screamed that we were nothing more than a thing of the past. I wiped the tears from my eyes, realizing how many years I had wasted pining for a love that would never work and decided that getting over Anthony was going to be my New Year’s Resolution.
