Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Officially His Girlfriend
“Coffee?” Scarlett said, raising the mug in her hand. She entered Kaleb‘s study that afternoon while the man was busy going over some documents.
“Thank you, my kitten. Come here,” he said while winking at her. He then urged her to take the seat in front of him
Putting the warm beverage on the desk, Scarlett informed, “Liam is sleeping. He is still tired from yesterday. I thought you didn‘t work on Sundays.”
“Hmmm.” Kaleb reached for the coffee and replied, “Most times, it can’t be helped, but I at least bring work home. Though, this is not work. I’m reviewing what Archer has planned for taking down your former manager, Miss Cook, at the herbal twist restaurant.”
“You are what? You don’t have to -”
“Of course, I do. I’m not letting this go, Scarlett. God knows what would have happened to you if you did not have the courage to kick that man‘s balls,” Kaleb responded. He took a sip of his coffee and said,” And no, you can‘t make me change my mind. After your manager, I‘m going after Mister Sanders. How dare he even thought of touching you?”
The thought of another man touching Scarlett made Kaleb enraged, he would stop at nothing to put down a small–time businessman such as Mister Sanders.
Scarlett tried to sway him against it, but after another round of debating with him, she realized that Kaleb had already made his decision. She sighed in surrender and decided to bring up another matter that she meant to handle on her own. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“About this Tuesday, Kaleb, you really do not have to come. I can... go there by myself,” she said. “I don‘t want you to get involved with the drama of my family. It‘s just so shameful for you to witness –”
“I‘m going to be there for you, Scarlett. I won‘t let them bully you as they had done in the past. You will have to accept that with me into your life, I‘m going to interfere with these matters,” Kaleb insisted. His elbows rested on the surface of the table while his fists carried his chin.
“And I‘m not doing this because I think you are weak. You are definitely not. After what you have been through, I think you are the strongest woman I know,” Kaleb added. “I want to protect you, and I am doing this because you are important to me and to Liam. Do you understand me, kitten?”
It was with the way Kaleb explained it that Scarlett formed a smile on her face. She thought he certainly knew how to convince her. Just as she was about to express her gratitude, Kaleb‘s phone rang.
“Dylan, how have you been?” Kaleb said on the phone. His eyes were gleaming as his smile reached his ears. “Haha! I honestly forgot, Dylan. I‘ve been really busy. It‘s good to hear from you.”
“Saturday? Okay. I‘ll see you at your birthday party,” Kaleb responded. His eyes wandered to Scarlett, and h e returned, “No. No, man. Don‘t set me up with another woman. I am with someone.”
He leaned back. His handsome face was still amused at his chat when he explained to his friend, “I have a girlfriend. I‘ll bring her on your birthday and you will absolutely meet her.”
In the next few seconds, Scarlett observed how Kaleb was so enthralled by the phone call. She speculated about what they were chatting about and she especially wondered who Kaleb was referring to as his girlfriend. She thought, ‘Well, it better be damn me… We just made out last night, and we both got off!
Her mind thought back to that morning and recalled how he addressed her as the same after speaking
with Luca. Thus, she was ninety-nine percent sure that she was the declared girlfriend.
They never communicated about what happened last night. While Kaleb was extra sweet that day, the man did not label what happened between them. Scarlett, on the other hand, was not in a hurry to put a name to their intimacy. At least at that point, it did not bother her yet.
When Kaleb ended the call with his friend, he said to her, “That was an old friend, Dylan. It‘s his birthday party this Saturday. He tried to set me up with a woman, but I told him I already have you. I told him I‘d bring you along. I hope that‘s fine. You don‘t have anything planned out for next weekend?”
Scarlett’s eyes widened. She pursed her lips before asking, “So, girlfriend, huh? We are… together?”
“Yes,” he slowly answered. “Why?”
“We – we, um. We never really talked about it, so I did not know when we decided we were officially in a relationship – me, your girlfriend,” she carefully replied.
What Scarlett witnessed next was not exactly what she expected. Kaleb became extra defensive. His eyes thinned at her and in a serious tone, he called her name, “Scarlett.”
He rose from his seat and walked around his table, taking the chair in front of her. Only then did he point out, “After what happened last night? You dare not think of committing to a relationship?”
“You kissed me and you took advantage of me!” Kaleb narrated.
Scarlett‘s mouth fell open. She thought, ‘Wait, it was you who kissed me first!
“1.” Scarlett was taken aback. Kaleb was justifying himself like she had taken his virginity! ‘Shouldn‘t these words come from me?‘
He was at it so anxiously that she could not even speak.
A hiss left Kaleb‘s lips as he resumed, “Did you forget how you touched my chest with your hands? And you cuddled with me to sleep!”
Scarlett, “...”
“You can‘t possibly just leave it at that. Scarlett, you have to take responsibility for what you did to me!” H e declared as he leaned forward and rested his hands on the sides of her seat. “After last night, we are a couple and that‘s final!”
It could not be helped. Scarlett fell into a hysterical laugh. She realized that Kaleb was attempting to corner her again like she had fallen into his trap last night!
“My kitten, I‘m not being funny here,” Kaleb warned. He maintained to contain her in between his arms, his sharp eyes remained to pierce through her frame.
“Okay – okay!” Scarlett was so amused that the corners of her eyes watered. “I wasn’t necessarily going to deny it. I – I just wanted to clarify things. We never really agreed together on it!”
“Oh, for a moment, you scared me there, Kitten.“ Kaleb sat back up, sucking a deep breath. He wiped the sweat that had earlier formed on his forehead before a smile became painted on his face. “Sometimes, your reluctance worries me.”
“You are right, though. I decided for both of us.” Observing how Scarlett seemed accepting of his judgment, he leaned back down. His athletic face formed a sexy smirk, and he said, “I’m sorry. I wished w e had a proper date instead of having gone to the park with Liam. I would have asked you formally back then.”
“I promise to take you out on another date and I’ll leave Liam with my sister,” he added. “For now, bear with this simple gesture of formally making you mine.”
Kaleb reached for Scarlett‘s hand and pecked on her knuckles. His blue eyes studied her flushing face, and he inquired, “Will you, Scarlett Barnes... officially be my girlfriend?”
“Kaleb, I don’t know what I‘m feeling about this or about us, only that. I know that I like you madly,” Scarlett admitted. “I’ve locked my heart off for some time. I’ve been hurt, and I will have trust issues and insecurities because of it, too. Are you willing to bear everything for me?”
“For now, my kitten, I‘ll take whatever you can give me. I will wait until you are ready to trust me fully, love me and eventually accept my proposal of marriage,” Kaleb said outright.
Seeing how there was no hint of hesitation in his eyes, Scarlett nervously smiled and agreed, “Then I’ll be your girlfriend.”
Hearing that, Kaleb closed the gap between them, his lips crashing into hers. He felt he was the happies man on earth.