Heat in the Hamptons

Chapter 9

James felt useless, standing there watching Addison breathe.

When she felt steady, she stood up. She grabbed one of her backpacks and started throwing some undergarments into it.

She walked to the counter and grabbed her essential items. Toothbrush, deodorant, hairbrush, etc.

She slung the backpack on her back and grabbed one of the suitcases and walked past James, nearly bumping him except he moved at the last moment.

She walked out of the bathroom, the bedroom, and to the stairs.

The thud, thud, thud of the suitcase as it rolled behind her was the only sound in the house. James followed her silently.

She got to the living room and grabbed her laptop and charger.

She moved to the front door.

"Addison please, I am begging you, don't do this." His voice was wavering.

She turned around and shoved her laptop into her purse where it lay on the entry table. She turned to him, her arms empty and fallen at her sides.

"I love you so much James."

James smiled, "I love you so much too, baby."

"I love you so much that I let you talk me into selling my apartment. Because I trusted you would love me forever." She said, jabbing an accusatory finger at him. His smile faltered. "I loved you so much I apparently didn't notice that you were sleeping with my best friend." She threw her hands up, aghast. "For a year and a half you begged me to sell my apartment, you promised me everything would be okay. For almost a year of that time, you were actively sleeping with Megan." Addison looked down. "I will never understand how you could do that to me."

James knew he was losing her. He didn't know what to do to stop it.

"I will never understand how you can stand there and claim you love me," She choked out, beginning to cry, "And also be sleeping with someone else." She looked up to meet his eyes. "Or how you could stand by and watch me sell my safety net, when you knew I was so afraid to do that. You can say you love me, James," Tears were spilling down her cheeks. "But I don't believe you."

"Addy, I do love you, so much." He took a step closer to her. "I need you to know that."

She shook her head as she bit her lips to stop the cries from escaping.

James did the only thing he could think to do to show her how much he loved her.

"Addy." He said, she met his eyes as he took something out of his pocket. "I love you so much, that the day after our six month anniversary, when you were at work that Saturday, I went to the jewelry store and bought this." James opened a ring box that he had just pulled from his pocket. When he opened it, he revealed an engagement ring with a massive diamond. "Because I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you just six months in."

Addison's eyes widened at the sight of the ring. She was speechless, her mouth agape as she looked up at him.

James took his chance. He closed the distance between them and grabbed her face, pulling it up to his until their lips met.

Addison was stunned as she felt his lips on hers, but the feel of his body against hers was familiar, so for a moment she kissed him back.

He deepened the kiss, opening her mouth and slipping his tongue in. His hands moved down to her waist as he pushed her back against the door she stood in front of, melding their bodies together. He bit her lower lip and an involuntary moan escaped her, her hips naturally bucking towards him.

And that's when her eyes snapped open. She pushed James with all of her strength, which is a significant amount, and he stumbled back a few steps.

James stared at her, confused.

"Addy, I want to marry you."

Addison released an exasperated shout.

James' eyes widened.

"Maybe I wanted to marry you too, James. Approximately 24 hours ago, before I knew who you really were." She threw her arms down in a jerking motion, frustrated.

"Baby, I'm the same person."

The rage within her was so severe Addison had to release it. She picked up the vase on the entry table next to her and threw it across the room until it hit a wall.

The sound of the crash calmed her down a bit. James stood in shock, Addison had never showed this kind of anger.

She took a slow, deep breath and looked back up at him, her eyes burning through his body.

"I will never forgive you, and I will never marry you. I would never be with someone who is so manipulative that he would present an engagement ring to the woman he had been cheating on, just so she wouldn't walk out his door."

She calmly grabbed her purse and keys, and rolled the suitcase outside.