by Lane, Arie
Bentley
I don’t want to move once Tristan is done with me. I ache in all of the right ways. He left the room a couple of minutes ago, and I’m still in the exact same spot. When he comes back in the room, he’s sporting that Cheshire grin I love so damn much. My guess is he discovered my insanely huge shower with its waterfall cascades and shower nozzles in every direction.
He wraps an arm under my legs and curls the other around by lower back as he lifts me off the blanket. It’s one of the things I adore about him. He can be a total bad ass when he needs to be and kick the ever loving shit out of anyone who fucks with him, but when he comes to me, it’s like he flips a switch. He should be intimidating; he towers over me like a fucking giant, and the muscles in his arms could probably crush me. Yet I’m not even the slightest bit afraid of him. I’m the exact opposite; he’s the one person who makes me feel safe and guarded.
As he runs the soapy bath sponge against my skin, I realize the only thing I fear now is losing him. I fear that after all of the shit I’ve caused him to go through, and all of the shit he’s endured with me that he’ll decide I’m not enough for him and walk away. After all, he had me in his arms Christmas Eve and he left. He never even bothered to tell me why. For months,I had no idea where he was or what he was doing. No matter how many times he tells me he isn’t leaving, I’m not sure I believe it. I just can’t convince myself that this is the real deal. My mind is stuck in some kind of holding pattern.
“Tell me what’s going through that pretty head of yours baby? You’ve got storms in your eyes, and I don’t like it,” he says.
I want to confess my fears, but I know that he’ll just tell me I’m being irrational or emotional. There is no point in arguing with him. He is a master at making sure he gets his point across.
“Why did you leave?” I ask. It’s only part of what’s wrong, but it’s easier than explaining what is really bothering me. “After Christmas Eve, why did you leave again? You had been watching me. There’s no other way you could have known I was eyeing that bracelet. Why do all of that just to take off without saying a word?”
I turned away from him, not wanting him to see how much asking that hurt.
“I had to, Bentley.” He confesses. “It wasn’t because I didn’t want you, or us, or anything like that, so stop thinking whatever fucked up shit is going through your head. Aggie had a stroke that night. Cage called me and I didn’t think twice. She needed me. She has been the one person who has always been there for me and the moment that she needed me I wasn’t there. I hopped the next flight and didn’t leave her side until she was 100% again. I would still be there if she hadn’t threatened to beat some sense into me. Aggie reminded me that no matter where I felt I belonged, where my sense of duty believes I should be, I’d never be happy when my heart was someplace else. So I came back here for you, Bentley. I know you took it hard, and I’m sorry I didn’t call and explain, but I just couldn’t find the words. I didn’t want you to think that Aggie is more important to me than you. I know it was a mistake, but I don’t believe for one second that’s what’s really bothering you.”
I don’t want to lie to him so I just stay quiet. He’ll know I’m lying anyway. Apparently, I have a really shitty poker face. When we finish washing up, I’m exhausted and want nothing more than to crawl into bed. Tristan seems to have other plans though. The last thing I want to do is get dressed and he knows it, so we compromise. I get to wear another pair of fluffy fleece pants and a hoodie and he gets to not bitch about it. Although when I slip on a pair of toe socks, he starts laughing, and bites his tongue as I give him the stink eye.
The temperature has dropped several degrees in the time we were upstairs, and the last thing I want to do is venture outside. Why I can’t just stay in the warmth of my nice cozy house is beyond me. He seems intent on punishing me in some way by dragging my less than happy ass through the garden. As we come to the wrought iron fence that separates the garden from the beach I look at him curiously. I still haven’t made it down there yet since whenever I make plans, Mother Nature chooses that day to be a fickle twat and either makes it rain or snow on my intentions.
I’ve never been one for blindfolds. I don’t like not knowing where I am going or what’s coming. So I not very complacent about him tying the satin over my eyes. It’s not that I don’t trust him, but fate has already taught me it’s best to be prepared and know my surroundings.
I let him lead me through the rough sands and pebbles. Nothing however, could prepare me for when he took that blindfold off my face. I dumbfounded and instantly a hormonal fucking wreck. I can’t suppress the idiotic emotions and ridiculous tears flooding down my face. It’s beautiful.
I always read about romantic gestures, but as far as I was concerned, they only existed in books. Yet, here in front of me is something more romantic than anything I think I’ve ever read.
There is a table and two chairs sitting in the middle of the beach. Surrounding them are rose petals scattered in pink and red. There are candles in red and white glittering all around us and what looks like tiny rhinestones littering the ground causing the light to dance and sparkle around us.
Somewhere, a short distance away, soft music starts to play. I know by looking around there is no way he pulled this off by himself. I don’t care who he enlisted to help him though. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. It’s one of those moments I wish I could bottle up and save forever.
Between being wracked with tears from my emotional rollercoaster and the breeze kicking up, I’m freezing. Tristan wraps his arms around me and I turn in his arms to face him. I lace my fingers around his neck as he places a kiss on my forehead. I smile and sigh like some lovesick teenager. I’m completely lost in the moment. When I come back to reality, I find us swaying along to the love song that’s playing.
I am a hopeless romantic, that I’ll never deny. I used to sit next to my radio and listen to the music countdown at night, and cry like a baby when the sappy love song I was rooting for made it to number one. I am also 'old school.' Some of the best love songs are from the 90s and I have no shame in listening to them still today. Of course, I have my favorites, but I’ve only ever confessed them once.
When I was a kid, I used to keep a diary. It was my only outlet for all of the shit that I endured, and it kept my silly treasured secrets. It was lost somewhere through the years, and I hadn’t ever thought twice about it until the song that started playing. I thought it was wholly coincidence until he started singing the words in my ear.
Tristan has so many fucking talents, but listening to that man sing ‘I Can Love You Like That,’ by All 4 One, just topped my favorites list. He is breathtakingly sexy, and I’m a blubbering idiot who is now a snot-faced mess, ruining his shirt as he sings one of my favorite songs to me. I never want this night to end. I thought I felt like Cinderella on Christmas Eve. He just made that look like amateur night. I don’t know why anyone would think I deserve this man, but I never want to let him go.
I am hesitant to move as he pulls me over to the table. Who the fuck would possibly want to eat? The only thing I want to do is remain in his arms where I can pretend this night is never going to end. He helps me into my seat before pulling his around so he’s sitting next to me instead of across from me. Lifting the silver dome tray, I chuckle at the display in front of me.
Tristan isn’t a huge fan of fish, but he knows sushi is my favorite. There on the tray is an array of different sushi forming a heart. It even had an arrow through it made of chicken tempura. It’s completely absurd. There is no way the two of us will eat all of these pieces and the notion that he would stomach eating food I know he doesn’t really care for is unbelievable. He never stops ceasing to amaze me.
I go to take a place off of the dish, but he gives my hand a playful slap and tssks me. I shake my head and laugh as he brings the piece to my lips and placed it in my mouth.
Chapter 18
Tristan
/> I don’t think either one of us could eat another bite. I don’t push her to eat more since I’m growing antsy as it is. I haven’t given her gift to her yet because I’m sure how she’ll react. She always makes such a big deal over gifts, even if they are small and I want this night to really be special. I thought I knew all there is to know about Bentley, but I never knew about her interest in the sky. I learned about her obsession with the stars through Marco. He told me how she would sit in her window at night and just stare up at the sky. He said ever since she was a little girl, she would make wishes on them. So I decided to gift her with her very own star on which she can make all her wishes.
I cross over to her and pull her up to walk along the shore as I mentally try to locate her star in the sky to make sure I get it right.
“Bentley, I want you to make a wish, any wish.”
“A wish?” She questions while giving me a strange look.
She then does exactly what I expected her to. She looks up at the sky, then closes her eyes tight and makes her silent wish. When she opens her eyes, I’m standing in front of her with a long thin box.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, My Love,” I say before handing her the box.
“Tristan,” she replies, while shaking her head and trying to remove the lid from the box.
I know she is puzzled as she pulls the piece of paper out and tries to read it. It takes her a moment before her eyes adjust to see the writing in the darkness.
“I don’t understand. This is from the star registry.”
“That’s correct,” I say, while looking up into the sky. “If I got the coordinates correct, I believe that star right there belongs to you. It’s a little piece of heaven all your own on which you can make all of your wishes.”
I don’t remember the walk back to the house or much of anything else after that, well other than her being a sobbing mess. She was shaking like a leaf when I carried her back inside and up to her room, and I spent the rest of the night making love to the woman I can’t live without. I’m less than thrilled with her though when I wake up without her lying next to me. The woman seriously needs to learn the meaning of sleeping in.
I storm down the stairs with the intention of demanding she get her sexy ass back in bed, only I’m stopped short by the sounds of several women’s laughter. I don’t want to say something to embarrass her so I go to head back up the steps when a voice catches me off guard, never mind the fact that I’m not dressed. I bounce into the kitchen and catch four women gossiping. Each turn to face me and it’s then that I realize I’m in nothing more than white cotton boxers, and I’m sporting major morning wood.
I can only imagine the horrified look that comes across my face as Aggie turns to see me in all my glory. It is probably the only moment in my life where I want to flee like a dog with my tail between my legs. The only problem is that I can’t. I’m frozen in place as I watch all but Bentley’s face blush scarlet. Aggie is scolding my state of undress but I don’t hear it; I’m too much in shock.
Bentley walks over to me and on tippy toes slips an apron over my head. It doesn’t do much for my embarrassment but it hangs low enough to cover me. I don’t move from the spot I’m standing in as she goes into another room and comes back with a pair of lounge pants. I carefully put them on so as not to give anyone another peep show.
Once I don’t feel so naked, I find my voice again. “Aggie, what are you doing here?” I question. Not that I don’t want to see her, I just don’t know how she got here. Bentley has never met her, so there is no way she’d bring her here, is there?
“What do you mean what am I doing here? Your lovely girlfriend flew me out here. A better question is why are you tramping around her house in your skivvies? Don’t you know there are other women here? Where is your sense of modesty?” she scolds.
“Actually I forgot that anyone would be here. No one else lives here except Bentley, so it didn’t occur to me that anyone would be here now. Of course, if she actually knew the meaning of sleeping in, I wouldn’t be tramping around nearly naked.”
“Not everyone feels the need to sleep in until noon, Mister,” Bentley remarks.
I look over at the clock and see it flashing 12:02. Holy shit! I can’t even remember the last time I slept until noon. My internal alarm clock usually has me up by 9:00AM sharp unless I have a reason to sleep in. I stand there as Bentley comes around the corner and stand on her toes to plant a kiss on my cheek.
“I wanted to surprise you. I haven’t had a chance to meet Aggie yet and I knew how much she means to you so I used my contacts to get in touch with her.”
I laugh at hearing her say she used her contacts when what she really means is she called Cage or Jacob and demanded the information she wanted. She turns back to face the three women as I wrap my arms around her from behind and kiss her temple. Just when I think I’m done being surprised by her, she finds a new way to knock me off my feet.
We're both facing Aggie as I make unnecessary introductions. “Aggie this is Bentley, the woman who managed to turn my world completely upside down, break my heart, kick my ass, and then show me what it truly means to be in love.” I squeeze Bentley tightly to me before continuing, and motion to Aggie. “Bentley, this is Aggie, the woman who taught me what it is to be a man. She taught me what is important in life, what’s worth fighting for, and that when you love someone as much as I love you, that there is no room for foolish pride. Of course when I say foolish pride, I’m referring to yours,” I joke while poking her side.
Aggie lets out a small dramatic huff, “Enough with the mushy shit, we’ve spent the last three hours catching up while your lazy ass slept. I probably know more about this woman than you do, and I also know just how much of a dick you’ve been when not under my supervision. Now get over here, give me a hug and eat your damn breakfast. I don’t give a rat's ass if it’s cold, you should have been down here at a decent time.”
I chuckle at her for scolding me and smile at the fact that she and Bentley seem to already be getting along. I know she already has Aggie’s approval, but I also know it didn’t come easily. Aggie has always been very picky when it comes to me and women. Bentley will be the first one she hasn’t hated and done everything to drive away. But Aggie also knows Bentley is it for me. Bentley might not know it yet, but I think I have a better shot of convincing her with Aggie around.
Bentley
I love having Aggie around. She and Dante are like Frick and Frack. Those two swap embarrassing stories about Tristan and me, and then use them against us. Every time she tries to tell me something humiliating Tristan did he tries to blackmail her back into secrecy, then Dante chimes in to finish the story. I don’t have many embarrassing moments which I’m lucky for, but I know both Tristan and Dante have retold the horrors I’ve gone through.
Marco stops in a couple of times and day and he and Aggie have taken a liking to each other. I often walk into a room and see them chatting away like old friends. I learned from Mrs. Anders that he never really took to anyone after Wendy died, and even though Aggie is like fifteen years his senior, they seem to have a lot in common.
Aggie has been making plans to go back to her niece’s home when I ask her to stay. I’m not surprised that she turns down my offer for her to stay with us, but I am when she accepts my father’s offer to stay with him. It makes Tristan a little uncomfortable, but I remind him that they are both adults and that at this point; it is nothing more than friendship. Aggie has told me about her husband, and listening to her speak of him I know she’s never consider being in another relationship. I know Marco feels the same even though Wendy died over twenty years ago. I don’t fault them for wanting companionship and I let Tristan know I’ll kick his ass if he tries to ruin it.
I’ve grown pretty close to the people who surround me. Maddie and I have been spending loads of time together since Valentine's Day. I think she’s thanked me a dozen freaking times for the flowers I bought her. She reminds me of what Cora was like sho
rtly before she disappeared, with one exception. Cora never did the whole hushing about secrets thing. Since Tristan and Dante returned to Florida to deal with the gym, and won’t be back for another week, she has also become my partner in crime. I know it makes her feel awkward, but I just don’t see her and Mrs. Anders as employees. They have become my family, and I treat them they way I would’ve liked my family to treat me.
Tristan returned a couple days ago, but Dante stayed behind to deal with the paperwork on the gym. Luckily they found a buyer who is willing to pay what they are asking, so they will be able to open a gym here. Dante asked for a small allowance from the sale though, so he can get a place of his own. Apparently he feels living with me lowers his chances of finding himself a new piece of eye-candy. Tristan seems thrilled with the idea of one less person in the house, and even suggests finding Cage an apartment as well. Cage has been miserable with nothing to do out here, and with Aggie staying with Marco, he doesn’t really have anywhere else to go. I suggest that we might want to hire some security. Tristan thinks the idea is ridiculous until I inform him about crazy Sylvia. That and I pull him aside to remind him of Cage’s predicament. After some slight blackmailing, I get him to agree to let me hire Cage on as security and in turn Cage can live in the pool house. He seems really pleased with the idea and decides to drag Tristan out to find some much needed things for his bachelor pad, as he calls it.