Chapter 21: Explanations

Scott’s POV-

“Alright, thank you for telling me now instead of later. I had better get back to trying to get some work done before Willimina comes home,” My father said with another affectionate chuckle.
I said goodnight to my father and headed up the stairs, but instead of going to my room, I didn’t hesitate to go into Molly’s. I wanted to wait for her to get home, no matter how long it took.
I was grateful my father listened to me. But the thought of Molly having to face that man again on her own made me furious.
I wanted to care for and protect Molly. But I couldn't do so if she didn’t think she could lean on me. I needed to make sure she knew I was still here for her.
Sitting on her bed, I stared at her door and anxiously waited for it to open.
I went over so many arguments and conversations it was hard to keep track of them in my head. By the time Molly opened her door, I had worked myself up into a frenzy with our imagined talk.
The instant the door creaked open, I jumped up off her bed and met her on the other side.
“Why the hell didn’t you call me when he showed up?” I demanded to her wide-eyed surprised look.
Despite how upset I was, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she looked. Her hair was swept up in a haphazard ponytail that I couldn’t help wanting to tug on. She was dressed in a tight shirt that emphasized the hell out of her sexy cleavage. I had never considered myself a breast man, but Molly had a hell of a chest that I had to pretend like I wasn’t staring at half the time. I managed to take in her tight pants and pretty little toes that stuck out of her strappy sandals.
I almost had to give myself a mental slap in order to focus on Molly.
Her look of surprise turned to panic, and she quickly closed the door. “What are you doing here, Scott?”
“Answer my question first, Molly,” I said firmly.
Molly rolled her eyes slightly. “I didn’t call you, Scott, because I didn’t NEED you. I handled Jean-Pierre on my own. He went away... whining, yes, but he went away. I managed fine on my own.”
I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. “I never said you DIDN’T handle it well on your own, Molly. The point was you didn’t HAVE to. You are... I want... ugh!”
I threw my hands in the air and began pacing, unable to figure out exactly how to say what I wanted to say. I needed to do this with some iota of intelligence. Otherwise, I risked Molly rejecting me the way she did last night.
“Scott, you weren’t here. You were at your club, and there was really no chance to call you when he showed up. By the time I realized who it was, he was already in the house and in my face. But I handled it, okay?” Molly spoke up finally.
I felt a shock rush through me as I realized she sounded like she was trying to soothe me. Turning slightly, I looked into her eyes and saw concern. She was concerned that I would be upset. Well, she was right in that I was upset. But not for the reasons she thought that alone helped me calm down.
I stepped toward her, half expecting her to move away, but she didn’t. Putting my hands on her shoulders, I looked into her gorgeous eyes.
“Molly, baby, I have faith in you, and I know you are a very strong woman. Having butted heads with you on several occasions, I know how strong you can be,” I gave her a slight grin. “So, please know that I have no doubt you told Jean-Pierre to go to hell without skipping a beat.”
My words got the desired effect, and Molly gave me a sultry smile. “Yeah, I did.”
Chuckling, I took another step closer, and she still didn’t back off. “I have no doubt at all. But what I’m trying to say is that you don’t have to deal with this alone. I’m here, and I want to help you.”
She raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Why would you want to do that?”
I sighed heavily as I shook my head. “Molly, I have been helping you out since we met when you fell out of a tree. What makes you think I want to stop now?”
“I didn’t know you wanted to, to begin with,” Molly admitted. “I always thought you hated taking care of me. Bailing me out of tight spots and saving me. I just always thought I was like a burden to you.”
My gut twisted at her words. Molly had never been a burden to me. She had driven me crazy and made me worry. But it had never seemed like a burden to me. I just wanted to take care of her. I took another step toward her and was finally within reach of Molly. Reaching out to her, I pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her waist.
I slowly moved closer like she was a wounded dear that I was afraid to spook.
“Wh-what are you doing?” Molly asked in a breathless voice.
“Molly, you have never been a burden to me. Frustrating, yes. Aggravating, absolutely. But I never once wanted you gone, nor thought it was too much to help you,” I told her, making sure she heard my absolute certainty.
“You always seem so... disappointed in me. Like I was nothing but a screw-up,” Molly replied in a tiny voice.
I lifted a hand up and caressed her cheek. “Baby girl, I never thought of you as a screw-up. You mistake disappointment with me fighting the need I felt for you. Every time I wanted to touch you, taste you, tease you... I had to push you away before I lost control to do the right thing.”
Her sweet lips parted ever so slightly at my husky declaration. The ability to keep myself under control was getting harder and harder, especially if she kept looking at me like that.
“A-and now?” Molly whispered, her voice catching slightly.
That sweet, little catch was my undoing.
“Now... my control is breaking, and if you don’t want this, you need to tell me now. We have no agreement, and we’re not at the club, so just say no. But you better say it now,” I warned Molly softly as I slowly lowered my head.
Molly looked hesitant, but said nothing as I gently touched my lips against hers. As a kiss, it was nothing really, just a gentle brush. But I felt the power of it all the way through me. She moaned softly and pressed her body closer to me. That was all I needed to know that she truly wanted this too.

*Hey all, just letting you know that I'm taking a vacation with my son and I'll be back at the end of the month. Much love to you all! Leann*