Taking Her Curves (BBW Billionaire Erotic Romance) (4 page)

"I had thought you were certain when you
agreed to marriage..." He knelt before me, taking my hand.

"...You had me on the brink of orgasm the
entire time, Will... It's not the best state of mind to be in when
considering something like marriage." Even though he was still
close enough to me to warm me with his body heat, there felt like
their was only ice between us. "...Besides... there's more to it
than us. There's your family."

"Is this about her? I don't give a damn what
Allison thinks of us, Suzanne." He ran his hand through my hair,
and brought my eyes to his.

"...I do."

"Why on earth should you?"

"I...I care, Will. About you. And she's your
family. In today's world, 'til death do we part seems like a lie.
But Allison will always be your sister. I don't want to be the
poison that destroys a family." I stared down at the ring. It still
glistened, the newness shining through. "...There's no doubt in my
mind that you love me, Will. Be it as a lover, a soulmate...I don't
know. It's never been a question of your love..."

"I want you to be at my side for the rest of
my life. Is that not enough for you...?"

"...Please. No one thinks I deserve you. I
don't think I deserve you. To take your hand knowing what the
consequences to others would be... it seems greedy to me."

His eyes stared deep into mine. I closed my
own as I reached for that ring, and slid it slowly off of my
finger. It weighed a million pounds as I picked it up and lifted it
towards Will. He blurted out. "Suzanne, what...what are you
doing...?"

"...I can't accept this, Will. Not for what
it entails." I took his hands, and pressed them around it. "...I
want to, but I can't..."

"Then why don't you...All that matters is us,
Suzanne...why can't you hear me out...?"

I turned towards the papers in front of me,
so tempted to free him from me again...was I back to saving William
West from himself in my own despair...?

"You can't be considering my sister's offer.
I'll hunt you down. I'll find you, no matter where you go, because
it's you, I want, my curvy diamond, you, and only you."

It wasn't about money. It was about me and
Will...and how it was never a relationship that should have been. I
tossed the folder to the floor.

"Oh, thank you, you're coming your senses."
He leaned over to me to kiss me, but I wasn't receptive, rising to
my feet.

"Will...I love you so much. But...but I just
can't."

Tears. William West did not cry. But I had
reduced him to as such, and it devastated me in return.

***

Darkness, dustyness, the eerie chill of a
place furnished but so completely unlived in. My apartment... I
turned on the light, tossing off a jacket, and wandered to the
freezer, grabbing a thing of ice cream, collapsing onto the couch
with it.

I kept it. I never stayed here, always opting
to follow Will home to his fabulous mansion. I kept my things
there, I got dressed, I showered...I practically lived with him.
But I kept paying my rent. With the nice pay increases I had
received over our romance, I didn't even dread mailing in that
check. But I did so. It wasn't like my lease was so hard to escape
either.

I always knew it wasn't to be. That's why I
kept it...somewhere to come back to when it did happen. I expected
him to get tired of me, toss me away. Not for me to be so
completely crushed under my own lack of worth. I didn't deserve
someone like him. I was certain that he'd be happier without me, he
just needed to figure that out.

I spooned ice cream into my mouth slowly,
taking its flavor as the only joys in my life. What was next? Do I
just go into the office, do my work, collect my paycheck, try to go
on with whatever comes my way? Try to date someone who I felt I
deserved? Who did I deserve anyway? Ugh. More ice cream, faster,
dear brain freeze please silence my thoughts for however long you
can.

No more. My spoon scraped the bottom, and I
regretfully sighed as I dropped the carton onto the table. It
didn't last long, but what could I expect from month's old ice
cream? I picked up my phone. It was filled with messages from Will.
All wondering where I was, asking me what I was thinking... I
contemplated calling someone. My mother, Kat...even Will, telling
him I was sorry for freaking out, take me back, how much I loved
him, damn the consequences.

I couldn't though. I leaned back on the couch
and waited for sleep, the coolness of moisture rolling down my
cheeks.

***

Another week had passed. I was technically on
paid vacation, a paycheck appearing in my bank account. Spoiled,
being showed all the preference in the world. But after a week
moping around the house and the growing abyss of discarded pint
cartons, I realized I had to do something with my time.

Even if it meant facing Will.

The elevator dinged up the floors, dread
building as the numbers grew. It would soon reach the top, and make
me stare at the last thing I wanted to see.

I was mostly right.

"Allison..." I stepped off the elevator, and
was greeted by my once-fiance's big sister, arms crossed.

"...What are you doing here?" She sneered my
way.

"I'm getting back to work. Earning that
paycheck and all..."

"Will doesn't need you up here any more.
You'd only distract him."

"I'm his assistant, though."

"Not anymore you're not. I've decided to come
and visit my brother for an extended vacation, and give him
guidance in getting over his lost dog." Everything about her came
off as artificial to me.

I wanted to get angry. Punch her....but she
was right. "Fine. Look, you're getting what you want, could you be
nicer or something?"

"Will coddles all of you far too much." She
shook her head in disappointment. "You'll be happy to know I'm
helping him act his class. Setting him up with proper dates and
suitors worthy of the West name."

"...Whatever." I replied, half angry, half
mournful. I turned back into the elevator, and mashed the close
door button, wanting it to hurry up and get her out of my
sight.

As soon as they closed, I dropped to the
floor, my hands running through my hair trying to cope with the
stress of meeting that woman, contemplating fleeing home and
picking up more ice cream along the way.

Stop it, Suzanne, you wallowed in self-pity
enough for the week. Move on, get over it. You wanted to save his
family. Maybe this'll let them mend those fences.

The elevator started dinging again, and the
door opened, as I rushed to my feet.

"...Suzie?" A much friendlier face now
entered my sight.

"Hi Kat..."

I stepped off it, to letting the elevator
continue past us, finding my way to a cubicle wall for emotional
and physical support. Kat stayed close to me. "You haven't answered
my phone calls all week. What's going on now?"

"...I turned my phone off."

"...Why? I thought you loved our chats. It's
so not you to play elusive, Suzie."

"It's... It's Will."

She blew a raspberry with her tongue. "Of
course it's him. It's always him with you."

"We're done, Kat. It's over."

Kat hit the wall, lounging on it beside me.
"Explains why he's been holed up in his office all week. West is
usually more hands on, out and mingling with his employees."

"It was never meant to be..." I sulked down,
letting my thoughts spill out of my mind.

My friend rolled her entire head, and then
shaking it. "...No, you wait a second. We've been through this
before. You think it's all over, and it turns out it's just your
self-esteem issues and you haven't even talked to the guy. Have you
spoke to West about this, or you just being your usual pouty
self?"

"I told him face to face. Returned the ring.
He didn't want me to leave..."

One of Kat's eyes squinted at me. "Wait...you
just flat out called off your own engagement to the guy your head
over heels in love with, still are given your bout to start bawling
your eyes out...when he flat out didn't want you to?"

"...It's complicated!"

"What is it? Cheating on you? Drinking
problem? ...turns out he's gay and just wanted you to be his
beard?"

"The guy barely drinks at all, has only shown
me dedication...and if he's gay, he's the finest actor I've ever
known."

"I'm running out of possible explanations
here. He farts all the time whenever you're alone? He squeals like
a pig during sex?"

"It's nothing like that, Kat." I turned away
from her gaze. "It's...just not to be. Will is a massively
successful businessman with international renown. I'm some nobody
girl from the Midwest. That couple goes together like peanut butter
and spaghetti."

"I've tried that. It's not too bad actually.
I...wasn't in the best mindset at the time."

"...Not the point, Kat. The point is that we
don't belong together. The papers say so. Will's sister says so.
The world says so."

"Pfft. Who gives a crap what people
think...?"

"...It's complicated."

"People only say that when they can't even
believe their own excuses. It's complicated might as well be it's
bullshit."

I let my head hang. "You're supposed to be
going on and on about what an untrustworthy Satan William West is,
Kat..."

"Blah. I want you to go and be happy. Seeing
you sob, moan, and cry bums me out. Contagious depression or
something. If that means you being with the devil himself, so be
it."

"It's harder than just wanting something,
Kat." I breathed a moment. "His sister would disown him for
marrying me. I don't want a broken family on my conscience."

"Oh come on..." She scornfully rolled her
eyes. "If a family would be broken by that, it's already busted
beyond repair."

"There's always hope, Kat. They're spending
time together. It can only help."

"So you're going to stew here because she
says no?" She shook her head as she took a few steps away. "I'm
telling you flat out to go with your heart and you do this. You can
take a horse to water, tell them the water is perfectly fine and
good for them, but they can be stubborn and still not drink. Or
that's how I believe it goes anyway."

"My mind's been made up, Kat. You're a
darling...just...I can't."

"You're frustrating as hell, Suzie..."

She stormed off away from me. I frustrated
myself sometimes.

***

Work hard. Work so you can forget. That was
the goal. I didn't want to leave the job. It paid well. The
benefits were great. It kept important people to me near by.

Vice President of Human Resources...given it
was my only job title now, I immersed myself further, dealing with
payroll and the like, but interviews were still my thing.

"Suzanne..." I looked up from my computer,
and found Allison entering my office. My face scrunched with scorn.
"Have some new hires for you to process."

"I'm typically suppose to interview them
first. See if they would be a good fit for the company."

"Not necessary. I've handpicked these
individuals fresh out of the best and most prestigious business
schools in the country. They are a perfect fit for William's new
personal assistant."

"...I thought you wanted to do it yourself."
My voice went meek.

"Me? I'm above such grunt work. Besides, I
have my own empire to run, I can't be getting my brother coffee for
the rest of my life. He needs...a partner to do that." She grinned.
"Come in, Amanda."

Behind her walked in a beautiful leggy
blonde, looking like she belonged on a runway in Paris more than
running copies at a financial institution. Everything was perfect,
manufactured, make up, the dress she wore, her hair. Everything I
was not... my replacement.

"Amanda here was valedictorian at Yale, and
her family wants her to get a better hold for business so that she
may more excellently take over the reins of her own dynasty when
the time comes. I informed them that studying so very...closely...
to William West would be a great experience."

"Good Afternoon...Suzanne, was it...?" Amanda
approached me, and put out a hand. It lacked malice, unlike
everything Allison projected. I accepted it, realizing there was no
point in hostility.

"Yes, nice to meet you, Amanda." Shaking the
hand of your replacement, both professionally... and so obviously
personally.

"She's hired, of course. I didn't pay her way
here for you to turn her down. Just add her to the records. Have a
wonderful day, Suzanne..." Allison grinned as she and Amanda
departed my office.

Twist that knife, why don't you, Ally?