Saving Camelot (#Once Upon Now)

Chapter 5

Gwen didn't want to wake up from the wonderful dream she was having, of laying in the arms of the man she loved. She felt safe and loved, and it was a feeling she hadn't had in a very long time. And when he kissed her, it was like all her synapses started firing up. He trailed his lips lazily along her throat, and she shivered in response. His lips pressed warmly into hers again, this time exerting more pressure, and she pressed herself more snugly against him, running her hands through his thick hair. She felt his hand caress her back before trailing down her bare thigh to lift it up over his hips, and suddenly she was very aware that she was not dreaming. The warm, male body surrounding hers was Art's!

She pulled away, gasping. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"I thought that was obvious, sweetheart," he murmured sleepily, trying to pull her back to him. But she scrambled out of the bed before he could do more than graze his lips across her shoulder. Her bare shoulder.

"Eek! Where are my clothes?" Gwen asked, pulling the bed sheet to cover herself when she realized she was only in her bra and panties. But she quickly stopped pulling on the sheet when she saw that she was inadvertently pulling away the only thing covering Art's nakedness. "And where are your clothes? How did I get undressed? Did you take my clothes off?"

"Relax," Art yawned. He sat up and Gwen tried not to stare at his bare chest. Those broad shoulders and washboard abs were the stuff of women's dreams. Yikes! She had to get out of here before she did something stupid, like climb back into bed with him. "We fell asleep on the couch, and I didn't want to wake you, so I carried you up to bed. I thought you'd be more comfortable without your shirt and jeans on, so I took them off, but that's all that happened."

"Good!" she exclaimed in relief, "Because that would have been the most foolish thing I could've done." She found her clothes and quickly put them back on.

"I don't think it would've been such a bad thing," he said, leaning back against the headboard. "There's no denying that we have chemistry."

"Chemistry or not, I am never getting involved with another cheater. So thanks, but no thanks."

"What the hell does that mean?" He got out of bed so fast, Gwen had to take a hasty step back. Thankfully, he was wearing a pair of boxers. "You're never getting involved with another cheater? So, what? Someone cheated on you in the past, and now you think I'm a cheater too? Why would you think that?"

He had his hands on his hips and he was glaring down at her, but she wasn't about to be intimated. She lifted her chin and crossed her arms. "I seem to recall a certain woman throwing herself into your arms, claiming to be your girlfriend."

Art looked confused until he realized what she meant. "You mean Morgan? I told you she wasn't my girlfriend. But clearly, you didn't believe me, so I'm telling you again, I did not have a girlfriend when we met."

"You're right, Art. I didn't believe you then, and I don't believe you now."

Art stiffened in anger, but before he could think of a retort, Gwen turned and left the room. What had just happened? One minute, Art was thinking he could spend the rest of his life with this woman, and the next thing he knew, he was being called a liar and a cheat. And the worst thing about it was, he couldn't tell her anything that would convince her that he was telling the truth.

***

They had breakfast in silence and finished up the rest of their office work with icy formality. By midday, they were done, and though Art offered to help around the farm again, Gwen politely refused. There was nothing left but for Art to leave.

"Before I go, I need to say my piece," he said, grabbing ahold of Gwen's arms. "I'm not your ex-boyfriend, or whoever it was who hurt you, and frankly, I'm offended that you won't believe me. But I guess I understand why you won't. Once bitten, twice shy and all that. But you can't keep shutting people out. You've got to learn to trust someone again, or you'll be alone for the rest of your life."