Thirty-Nine
Georgia
“Who keeps calling you?” Tristan asked, tipping his coffee cup to his lips one morning in the kitchen. Every morning since we'd left Jacksonville a week ago, we'd spent together; either at his house or mine. This morning, we were at his house. I'd come over to hang curtains and put the final touches on our little remodel that had started with the salmon paint on the walls a few weeks ago.
“Georgia?” Tristan's deep voice cut through my thoughts.
“Hmm?” I lifted my eyes from my phone.
“Who keeps calling that you’re not answering?” He leaned against the counter, one palm supporting his body on the countertop, the other angled to his lips, coffee cup in hand. He looked edible. Sex on a stick personified. Just looking at him had my heart thudding. I was lost in him again.
“Don’t worry about it,” I murmured as I stepped closer to him, pressing my body against his, our hips flush. I wrapped one arm around his waist and pressed my lips to his in a delicate kiss.
“Mmm, I like you pressed against me first thing in the morning,” he muttered before wrapping his hand up in my hair and pulling me closer to delve into my mouth with his tongue. He devoured me. Licked me ravenously. I could feel his need growing between us. I would happily distract him like this every morning.
“Stop avoiding the question, beautiful,” he murmured against my lips.
I pulled away and rolled my eyes. “You didn’t seem to mind.”
“Your delicious body pressed against mine? I’ll never mind.” He snaked one hand up my torso to squeeze my breast. “But I still want an answer.”
“I don’t think you’ll like the answer,” I said as I leaned into him, attempting to distract him again by dusting my fingertips along the waist of his low-slung jeans.
“Who is it?” He pulled away as his mossy green eyes bore into me.
I huffed in exasperation. I didn’t want to tell him; in truth, I’d been trying to avoid it completely.
Tristan arched one eyebrow as he watched me.
“Kyle,” I murmured and averted my eyes. The silence echoed around his small kitchen. I shifted my legs and then chanced a glance at him. His face was hard as stone. His jaw was ticking, the only expression readable was the anger flaring in his eyes. “It’s not a big deal; I haven’t answered . . .” I trailed off. “Hey.” I pressed my body to his and ran a hand along his jaw. I pushed up on my tiptoes and nuzzled into his neck in the place that his delicious, fresh scent was the most concentrated. “It’s not a big deal.” I felt his body relax against mine.
“What does he want?” he muttered.
“I have to go get my stuff. I’ve put it off long enough. I also have to get Diva.” I hadn't known where I was going when I stormed out of the apartment I'd shared with Kyle, so I'd left some things behind until I was settled.
“Diva?”
“My cat.”
“You’ve got a cat?”
“Yeah, you don’t like cats?”
“On the contrary. I love pussies.” His lips lifted in the sexiest smirk I’d ever seen.
“You’ve got a dirty mouth.” I smacked him playfully.
“You love my dirty mouth and all the delicious things it can do to you.” His lips dusted along my ear. His breath tickled my neck and shot desire straight between my legs.
“No argument there,” I murmured.
“Didn’t think so. Now back to this pussy,” he whispered as he snaked a hand around my waist to grab my ass.
“I have to go get her. And the rest of my stuff,” I rambled, distracted by his hand kneading my ass cheek.
“Right. When do we go?” He slid his arm up the back of my shirt, pulling it up my back as his fingertips slid across my flesh.
“I . . . I . . .” I couldn’t think straight. “I have to go soon.”
“You mean ‘we.’” His lips sucked the flesh under my ear.
“No, you can’t.”
“Of course I can, and I will.” He sucked harder, his teeth nipping, a subtle warning not to disagree.
“No, you really can’t.” I pushed him away a little to catch his gaze. “Kyle will flip. He knows what happened with us this summer. And he was pissed when I left. We didn’t really leave on good terms and he’s been threatening—”
“He’s been threatening you?” His eyes hardened again. In an instant, just like that, he was back to pissed.
“No, not like that. He’s just been threatening to throw everything out if I don’t come get it. He even said he would take Diva to the shelter. I don’t think he would, but he’s pissed. I can't bring you with me.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“Of course I have a choice. And that’s not it.” I crossed my arms and glared.
“Look, this isn’t coming out right.” His hand wrapped around my neck and he dusted his thumb along my bottom lip. He was trying to seduce me into not being mad at him, trying to seduce me into letting him have his way.
“Stop using your sexy skills to convince me.”
“Are they working?” His lips tilted on a grin. I rolled my eyes. They were so totally working. “Look, this isn’t coming out right. But,” he paused as his eyes searched mine for a moment, “the last time you left, it took you three months to come back.” His beautiful green eyes penetrated mine the entire time.
His words swept the breath from my lungs.
“Tristan.” I watched the pain register in his eyes, the memory of our time apart. “I’m coming back.” I pulled his head down to mine and rested our foreheads together. He didn’t respond. “Hey, do you believe that?” I pulled away and searched his eyes for his answer.
Forty
Tristan
Of course, I didn’t believe it. She’d made me believe she’d be back last time too. There was no way in fuck I was letting her go without me. And then some sick realization hit—I couldn’t go just to hold her hand. If she left me again, it was because she didn’t want me, but fuck that, because she was mine and I was hers. It wasn’t even an option anymore. Thanksgiving proved that. We belonged to each other.
The silence stretched between us in a silent standoff. I was searching for a sign that she would come back, that I could trust her. Even with Kyle.
“You said you always go back to him.”
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish desperate for air. I’d shocked her.
“How can I trust you when you said you always go back to him?” I could hear the hurt radiating in my own voice.
“Tristan.” She caressed my jaw with her palm. She was trying to ease the ache and it was working; her touch was intoxicating. “I can’t let you go just to babysit me.”
“Why not?”
She sighed in exasperation. She was crumbling; she was going to give in. Which was good, because she really didn’t have a choice in the matter.
“What would I tell him?”
“What do you mean?”
“About us? He’s going to want to know.”
“Fuck him. Tell him I’m your friend, your boyfriend, your lover, your neighbor; I don’t give a fuck. It’s not his business.”
“Are you those things?” she asked.
“Well, I hope I’m your friend, and based on the proximity of our respective houses, I think I’m your neighbor—” I grinned at her, watching her shift her body and avert her eyes.
“What about the others?” she finally whispered.
“You’re adorable when you’re uncomfortable.” My grin widened. Her eyes narrowed and she shot me a glare. “And you're irresistible when you’re angry.” I squeezed her ass cheek and caught her by surprise.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you love it.” I slid my hand down the curve of her ass and snaked my fingers between her legs.
“Irritating too,” she said just before her eyes fluttered back on a moan.
“I hope I’m all of those things, Georgia,” I said seriously, as I searched her beautiful f
ace. Her neck arched as I caressed the damp flesh between her legs.
“What?” she whimpered.
“Your friend, your boyfriend, your lover, your neighbor. I hope I’m all of those things.”
“Oh.” Her breath whooshed out. “My boyfriend?”
“If you’ll have me.” I grinned and caught her lips in a kiss. I was using my charm to convince her. I knew it and I did it without shame. I was playing the cards I’d been dealt, and I played them well. She fisted her hands in my hair and arched her body into mine. I caught her with an arm behind her back as she bowed and I took her lips, ravishing her. I kissed her like my life depended on it, because it did. My life depended on her being in it. On her answer. I couldn’t give her the option of saying no.
“I’m afraid,” she murmured as she pulled back to take a breath.
“Of?” I bent over her and captured her lips with mine again, snaking my hand down her thigh and hitching it over my hips.
“Us.”
“Why?” She was being candid, and I needed to take advantage. She held things inside so much. I needed her to talk. I needed to know what I was working with.
“Your history. Our history,” she breathed.
“What do you mean?” I pulled my lips away from hers and searched out her beautiful browns. Her eyes were hooded with lust and her eyelashes were so long they shaded her high cheekbones. She was completely fucking breathtaking.
“I’m afraid . . . your history and what Kyle did to me . . . I’m just afraid.”
“Stop speaking in code, babe. What did Kyle do to you?”
Her chest continued to heave beneath me. She was still so turned on, it took every ounce of my energy not to forgo the conversation and take her right there on my floor. But I needed the answer. I needed to know what the obstacles were, if any.
“He cheated on me,” she murmured. Lust overrode any pain that she might have felt at saying those words.
“When?”
“For years, off and on. And with your history, I don’t know if I can trust—”
“Don’t do that. I’m not him. My history means shit. I would never, ever fucking cheat on you. You’re all I need. Do you hear me?” I tipped her chin up to meet my eyes. Her browns widened as she took me in. “I have never cheated on anyone and I’m not starting now. I told you—you’re it for me, end of story. Don’t put Kyle’s shit on me. He’s an idiot who didn’t know what he had. I can tell you, Georgia, I will never make that mistake with you. I know exactly what I have and she's loving, and empathetic, and beautiful and sexy and irresistible. And mine.” She stared at me as I finished. I waited breathlessly for her reaction. Finally, she took my head in her hands and pulled me to her in a ravenous kiss. I held her fiercely to my body as she crawled up me and locked her legs around my waist.
“I take it that’s a yes?” I murmured between kisses.
“Smart ass.” She nipped me playfully.
“You’ve got a dirty mouth too, beautiful.” I grinned at her. “Makes me hot as fuck.”
“Oh my God.” She laughed and pulled away from me.
“So no more taking it slow?”
She peered up at me through her eyelashes and shook her head, a soft smile spreading across her face. It took my fucking breath away.
“And your boyfriend is going with you to collect your things, including your pussy?” I arched a playful eyebrow at her. She narrowed her eyes at me as she tried to hide the smile tugging at her lips.
“That’s what I thought. Now make me breakfast, woman.”
“I don’t think so, dear.” She planted her hands on her hips after I'd released her from my iron grip. It was so fucking hot.
“I’ve got a conference call, and your man is starving.” I lifted my shirt and rubbed my stomach with a frown. Her eyes flickered down to land on my abs and I watched them darken with lust. So the girl had a thing for my abs? I'd have to remember to use that to my advantage next time around.
“What do you want?” she asked without tearing her eyes from my stomach. I laughed a full-bellied laugh and pulled her into my arms, kissing her forehead.
“Toast and orange juice is fine.” I couldn’t tear the grin from my face.
Owned me.
This girl completely fucking owned me and I loved every minute.
Forty-One
Tristan
“You ready for this?” I squeezed her knee as she directed me to Kyle’s apartment building in DC.
“As I’ll ever be,” she huffed and then opened the door of the Jeep.
“Hey.” I slipped a palm around her neck and brought her against me. I rested my forehead against hers as we huddled over the console. “Everything's going to be okay,” I murmured before brushing my lips against hers.
“Yep.” She nodded, but I could tell she was still worried. I frowned and massaged her neck before letting her go. We stepped out into the cold December air. She’d finally agreed to let me come up to DC with her to collect her things and now here we were, the weekend before Christmas, and I was about to see her douchebag ex for the first time since the summer.
Georgia finally confessed he’d been harassing her with phone calls and texts, threatening to come down, begging her to talk to him, insisting he would throw her stuff away or bring it to the beach house for her. Neither was a viable option. I didn't want him anywhere near her in North Carolina, especially if he was as unstable as he sounded.
We walked up the steps and took the elevator to his floor. She slowed as we approached the apartment door, hesitation and dread pouring off her body. I grabbed her hand in mine and brought her knuckles to my lips for a kiss.
“It’s going to be okay.”
She nodded and then dropped my hand from hers. She tapped softly at the door.
“Georgia, God, it’s so good to see you.” Kyle swung the door open and looked about to embrace Georgia before his eyes landed on me. Confusion and then anger flared. His jaw hardened. “What’s he doing here?” he asked, without tearing his gaze from mine. I clenched my fists at my sides. So he wasn’t going to make this easy.
“He’s here to help.”
“I could have helped. We didn’t need him, Georgia.” Kyle tore his eyes from mine and back to her. He stretched his arms and scooped her against his body in a hug that was more than friendly and lasted way too fucking long in my opinion. I narrowed my eyes and waited for her to push him away. She recoiled as he slid his hands up her back and then his gaze caught mine again. The asshole was doing this for my benefit. I clenched my teeth, waiting for her to take action because if she didn’t, I was going to fucking annihilate this guy and not think twice about it.
Finally, Georgia pushed him away with a weak smile. He moved aside and we strode into the apartment. A white puffball of a cat sauntered up and curled itself around Georgia’s legs.
“Hey, sweetheart, I've missed you.” My beautiful girlfriend nuzzled into the cat’s fur while Kyle watched her and I watched him. Georgia showered attention on her pussy for a few minutes, which made me a sick fuck because I kind of liked the sound of that, before glancing around the apartment.
“I thought you had my stuff in boxes?” She tilted her head and looked at Kyle.
“A few things, I didn’t have time—”
“You said you were throwing out everything if I wasn’t here to get it this weekend.” Her gaze cut to him and I was sure she was shooting daggers. She was pissed and I was ready for her to lay into him. I also wondered if Kyle got turned on as much as I did when she was all angry and hot. And then I was pissed again and wanted to kidnap her and her pussy and leave everything else behind, mostly Kyle.
“I wouldn’t have. I just wanted to see you. We need to talk, which is why I’m kinda fucking pissed that you brought this guy. He your bodyguard? Come on, Georgia. We were together for years, and you just left. I wanted to talk and you never answered my calls. You owe me a conversation.”
“She owes you nothing,” I spat.
&n
bsp; His eyebrow arched at me. “Not your concern, buddy. Just talk to me for a minute, in private.” He glanced from her to me.
“Not happening.” I stepped closer to her.
“Okay, stop with the pissing contest. I’ll talk to you for a minute, Kyle, but that’s it. I’m here to get my stuff and I’m leaving.”
“Sure, babe.” Kyle placed a hand at her back and guided her down a hallway, a sneer on his face as he glanced back at me. What was she thinking? I was here so she wouldn’t have to be alone with him. I was her fucking boyfriend and here she was ducking off into a room to have private time with her ex? Not fucking cool. My blood was boiling.
And then I remembered all the things she’d said to me about her past and Kyle’s place in it. Like it or not, he’d played a big part of who she was, so I needed to let her talk to him if she felt she needed to for the sake of closure and all that. Only my stomach was rolling at the thought of him convincing her to stay.
I looked around the apartment they'd shared and found it hollow. Perfect—like out of a magazine. So perfect, as if no one lived there. Her beach house was so much more her; it looked like whoever lived here was void of personality. I couldn’t even pick out what might be Georgia’s. I took a few steps farther into the living room and my eyes landed on the mantle with framed pictures: her and Kyle together, Drew and Silas in college, the four of them, a young couple with a baby in their arms. I squinted and held the last picture up; it looked like the baby could be Georgia, presumably with her parents. She was a sweet baby with the roundest cheeks I’d ever seen. Chubby legs and a shock of dark hair. Her mom’s bright smile mirrored her own. She was the spitting image of her mother, except for her eyes. Her dad had shocking dark eyes and heavily lined eyelashes. He sat on a bench, his wife at his side, a protective arm wrapped around her shoulder and a squirming baby Georgia in her arms. So unaware of the pain that would hit them nearly a decade later. A night when Georgia’s parents would be ripped from her life.
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