Free Web NovelChapter 73: Comforting (2)
"Ian, let go of me before you lose your hands," Scarlet warned, tempted to pinch his cheeks to put an end to his smile.
He had taken full advantage of her fall to hold her on top of him. Now Scarlet wished she had hit the floor instead. That would have been less painful than the position she was in now.
Having to watch on as Ian enjoyed their position, grinning ear to ear as though he had won big. He didn’t know he had won himself a death wish.
Scarlet would love to wipe the smile from his face or rock the chair so they would both fall.
"What? I didn’t hear you," Ian replied, tightening his hold on Scarlet. She couldn’t be freed so soon when a rare opportunity had fallen upon him. "Stay like this a little longer, Scarlet. I’ve been having a terrible day."
Scarlet placed her hands on Ian’s chest to push herself up. What was it with these men mistaking her job? "I am not the person who fixes when anyone has a bad day. I can do you a favour by sending you there."
Ian knew better than to accept her offer as the chance of him returning from wherever she wanted to send him was low.
"Finally got to touch my chest. Enjoying it?" Ian questioned, laughing after Scarlet moved her hands. "You’re already cheering me up. Just stay a little longer. Moving around so much isn’t helping you or me."
"Why didn’t I just leave?" Scarlet regretted wanting to move the book to help him sleep better.
If she had stuck to not worrying about what he was doing, she wouldn’t be like this. Someone’s smile had never bothered her so much as Ian’s did.
"Because you care for me. Now, isn’t my lap comfortable? Come up further. You’ve wiggled yourself down. Need help?" Ian asked, pretending to move his hands.
"Let your hand go any lower and you will lose it," Scarlet said, moving her right hand to touch his left arm. "Why don’t you just go home to rest? Afraid the ghosts will get you?"
"I am not afraid of what you or anyone thinks lies there. Besides, I have my feisty little knight in shining armour to come to save me. Can you stay still for a few minutes for me to rest?" Ian asked, closing his eyes.
Scarlet couldn’t believe that Ian would go back to sleep with her still in his arms. She was close to either biting or pinching him so she could get out of his hold. "Ian, I am free to move my foot in an area that will hurt you. Whatever was troubling you before would be the least of your concerns."
Ian opened his eyes right away after the threat. "You’ll regret it if you kick me there. Think of the children."
Scarlet’s annoyance grew with his ridiculous answer. She moved her right leg and as soon as she did so, Ian let go of her. Scarlet didn’t waste a second to stand up and fix her clothes.
Still, before Scarlet could move away from Ian, he grabbed her hand.
"If I wanted someone needy around, I would have stayed home with Sunny. She won’t like you if you keep trying to steal her place. Let go of my hand Ian," said Scarlet.
"I truly am having a terrible day, Scarlet. Would you mind staying close to be my distraction?" Ian asked, finding comfort in holding her hand.
Scarlet being annoyed or angry was funny to him.
Scarlet didn’t forcibly take her hand away from Ian. "Did your family trouble you? Layla or Hank?"
"Hmm," Ian answered instead of giving a proper answer. "Can’t my lovely partner just stay by my side without having to hear the full story yet?"
"I am getting the feeling that the terrible day you are having is a lie. I am going to sit where all your other guests sit," Scarlet replied, yanking her hand from Ian’s hold.
Scarlet went to where she sat the last time she was here to have tea. "You should warn your workers not to let anyone in without your permission. Luckily, it was me."
"I’ve instructed them to let you in when you come to visit," Ian answered.
"What if it is a day that you are upset with me and you do not want to see me?" Scarlet asked.
"On that kind of day, I look forward to what you would do to get back on my good side. I won’t be turning you away so don’t expect it," Ian said, getting up from his seat to be closer to Scarlet. "Did you like the flowers that I sent? Are they still alive somewhere on your estate or were they thrown away?"
"They are alive in my bedroom but don’t expect them to stay there long. I won’t be good at tending to them. I will meet you on the days that I have already told you that we will meet. That is why I didn’t answer your invitation. Why did you want me to meet with you then?" Scarlet asked, curious as to what she missed.
"I just wanted to see you, Scarlet. I have not given up on getting you out of the estate once in a while so you are not alone," Ian answered.
"I am not alone on the estate as there is now someone staying with me so you do not need to worry. We do not have an arrangement for us to just meet because you don’t want me to be alone. I have work to do and parties to attend. Since you are not in a good mood, I will leave since there-" freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
"Stay, Scarlet. Just give me a moment to place myself back in a good mood. I was better but then you ruined it by running away from me. Why don’t you come back here?" Ian asked, tapping his leg. He laughed at how annoyed Scarlet was with his request.
"You are hardly serious when we are alone," Scarlet noted. "Tell me what bothers you and I just might feel sorry enough for you to try comforting you. I will continue to think that you are lying just to have me near you if you keep me in the dark."
"Two days ago, I received a gift from that woman. Ashes in a box and it has upset me that I do not know what those ashes are. That along with a few customers was a headache. It seems your husband has been speaking of me to his peers," Ian revealed.
This news didn’t come as a surprise to Scarlet since Jack had been coming to her about Ian from the moment he learned there was a man in her life. If she were Ian, she would be annoyed too.
Scarlet was curious if Jack had truly lost all thinking to be going around speaking about the man she was said to be with now. Was Jack looking to create a new scandal?
Jack was engaged to a woman already pregnant. Getting involved with the suitors of his ex-wife was a perfect start for gossip.
"I’m sorry about him," Scarlet apologised.
"Don’t. If I were him, I would be jealous that another man was around you. Though, I wouldn’t have lost you in the first place. You don’t mind if I end his curiosity if he seeks me out here, do you? The only man I expect to question my place next to you is your father," said Ian.
"By ending his curiosity, I hope that you don’t mean to kill him. You would stray away from your plans with your family should you harm Jack because his family will be looking for you. If you have something to say to silence him, then please, go ahead," Scarlet urged Ian as Jack needed a wake-up call. "Are you going to sleep again?"
"Go home if you are tired," she added.
Ian laid down on the couch to get a little rest before having to get up to make Scarlet’s tea. "Only if you will join me at home. You can pick your spot on my bed."
"I will not," Scarlet answered.
She should have left but seeing that something was bothering him, she decided to stay. If he slept long, she would leave to not disturb him.
Now she saw what it was like when she would not leave her office and go to bed when she was tired. Her mother would be shocked to learn that there was someone in this town worse than her at going to bed.
"It has been bothering me for two days straight that the ashes might belong to Noelle," Ian confessed, turning to look at Scarlet. freewebnoveℓ.com
"She is the only thing that they can use to upset me so if you wouldn’t mind, I would love for you to come near to distract me," he said, holding out his hand for her to come to him.
