by Kalia Lewis
“I think it’s time we talked about what happened ten years ago.”
Still in the emotional effect of that promise in his eyes, she was caught off guard. Shit! There would be no escape from this one. No Cara here to detour the conversation.
Desperate to steer it away from any conversation that would reveal April, she tried to end the subject before it even began. “It was such a long time ago Tristan. Why does it matter? Why do we need to rake over old ground? Just let it be.” Nervously, she rubbed her hands along her jean-clad thighs. Going down this route was not going to lead to a happy place.
He looked at her coolly. “No, I can’t let it be. That night has cost me dearly. My relationship with my grandfather has suffered and I’ve lost ten years of friendship with Wade. We all need some sort of closure.”
“Closure?” She was genuinely perplexed. “I don’t understand what you mean? You could have picked up the phone and spoken to Wade any time you liked!”
“And what would I have said? By the way, I took your sister’s virginity, but let’s not allow it to affect our relationship!” Sarcasm dripped from his voice.
“Well, there’s no need to say it like that!”
“How else is there to say it Annabelle. It was a one-night stand. Nothing came of it. If Wade had done that to my sister I would have knocked him to the other side of the world.”
Gawping at him in shock, she replied, “Is that all it was to you?”
He hadn’t meant to be so blasé. If she knew the truth of how much that one night affected him it would open up a whole new can of worms. It would be a confession that he could never take back and his defences and carefully organised future plans would crumble. No-one had ever been allowed that kind of power over him. “No, you know it was more than that. You were my friend too, but Wade would see it as a one-night conquest.”
Friend!
Opening and closing her mouth like a fish wasn’t very attractive, but she’d lived ten years in the shadow of that night, and now it had been reduced to a one-night stand with a friend! Building up her resolve, she closed her mouth, gritted her teeth and rolled her shoulders. “And now you want closure by doing what?”
A look of sadness swept across his face. “Wade was like a brother to me. I felt like I was lying to him, keeping something from him.” Grabbing the wheel, he watched his knuckles turn white. “I’m now thinking that to solve it you owe me an apology and Wade an explanation.”
Panic gripped her. “Excuse me! You’re asking me for an apology! You leave here ten years ago, never once coming back nor do you have the decency to pick up the phone, then you show up with your fiancée, storm into my shop, man-handle me and you want an apology from me! You’re a small minded man Tristan Hemsley-Ford!”
He clenched his hands even harder around the wheel. “Did you tell him about us?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
A picture of April came into her mind and she looked out of the window so that he wouldn’t see the pain in her eyes, “Because he doesn’t need to know about the details of my private life.”
“And that just about sums you up doesn’t it? A callous scheming bitch, whose actions caused untold loss and you just brush it off as if it means nothing!”
Is he for real? She looked at him disbelievingly. “How dare you call me that and have the audacity to blame me for the loss of your friendship! That is entirely your own fault. Wade tried to contact you, but you chose to ignore him!”
The heat in the car intensified as his eyes shifted from cool to blazing fire. “Damn it Annabelle! Admit that the fault is all yours!” He shook his finger at her. “You planned your seduction that night without even thinking about the consequences.”
Humiliation burned her cheeks. “Oh spare me the guilt trip! I happen to think about those consequences every day!” She was now livid. “And, you think for one minute that you can abduct me in the street, have the cheek to ask me for an apology and then demand that I’m the one to blame for your inability to communicate? Do you know what you are Tristan - you’re just a coward, a low-down, mean –”
“It’s not a request Annabelle,” he ground out with a deadly guttural purr.
Silence ensued as an unspoken warning hung in the air. Their eyes locked and suddenly she lunged for the door handle, but he anticipated her move and pressed the internal safety locking system.
“Let me out of here now!”
“Not until you admit what you’ve done and I get my apology.”
“You’ll be old and decrepit before I apologise or admit any blame to you!” she spat furiously at him whilst watching him defensively cross his arms over his pale blue shirt, revealing the contours of his taut chest as it heaved in anger. Progressively, she allowed her gaze to wander lower, over his flat abdomen towards his groin and muscular thighs as they gripped the seat. How could so much blazing passion be packed into one man? She blushed as she realised he’d caught her looking.
“See something you like?”
“Not really, you’re not my type.”
“That wasn’t the case ten years ago.” He raised his eyebrow at her mockingly. God, she was beautiful. He felt like wrenching her out of the car carrying her into that bloody meadow and making love to her until she cried with surrender.
Biting her lip she turned to look out of the passenger window. Her heart was racing and her hands were clammy.
Leaning over he cupped her chin in his hand and pulled her face round to look at him. Her eyes were wide like a doe caught in headlights and heat seeped into his thumb as it made circular movements against her jaw.
She gulped with tension.
“One way or another Annabelle, I will have my apology and Wade will hear an explanation, even if I have to seduce it out of you.”
She looked down at his lips and then flipped her eyes back to his in outrage; she knew exactly what those words threatened. “So sorry to disappoint you Tristan, but I no longer have a schoolgirl crush on the local gigolo. I’ve raised my standards since then.”
Tristan did not hesitate. Winning this battle was one step closer to winning the war. Pulling her forward by her chin he swooped down and claimed her lips in his.
Gasping in surprise, she felt him slip in beyond her defences and claim her mouth for himself. Time stilled, as if ten years had been stripped away and it was happening all over again. No-one had ever kissed her like Tristan, with so much urgency and ardour. Grabbing him by the shirt with one hand, she ran her other hand through his hair, pulling him further into her so that their lips quickly became a fusion of fierce passion and a pool of heat liquefied in her lower abdomen.
A low moan escaped her as she felt his other hand slide along her thigh and up against her waist as he tried to pull her closer, but the seatbelt restricted his movements.
A dog barking outside brought her back to her senses and she tried to pull away. “Please stop Tristan. I don’t want this. I don’t want you and what we’re doing isn’t right. I have a life now and I really don’t need any complications.”
Breathing heavily, he locked his hand at the back of her head, put his forehead on hers and met her eye-to-eye. “You can’t hide it Annabelle, I know you want this.” He smiled wickedly. “And I know of ways to touch you that would have you pleading for more.”
Her insides flipped with remembrance and her eyes flared back at his with defiance. “Well, I suggest you get your fiancée's permission first!” she replied in feigned sweetness.
Grimacing, Tristan let go of her and with a final look that conveyed his intention of getting his own way, he started the engine and drove them back to the village.
As soon as the car came to an abrupt stop, Annabelle shot out of it and sniped at him, “It was just one night Tristan when I was young and impressionable. It meant nothing, so please, just let it go!” Slamming the car door, she watched him as he screeched the tyres and sped away.
Tristan once again banged at the steering wheel in f
rustration.
What was he doing?
Replaying that night over in his mind, he questioned his options.
Could he have pushed her off and said no?
Even now his traitorous body was burning with desire. In truth, her proximity engulfed him and all he wanted to do was sink into her womanly softness.
What exactly was it about her that drove him to distraction? Everything in his life was coming together from years of perfect planning, but this one feisty red-head kept getting in the way! Why did she push his buttons and make him question his life? From the very first day he’d laid eyes on her she’d gotten under his skin and riled a reaction out of him. All of his corporate training had been centred around keeping his cool, waiting, watching and then jumping ruthlessly when action was called for, but she made him want to lose his composure and let the tiny flame that burned inside of him erupt!
So it meant nothing to her, did it? He smiled knowingly, she was a liar, she couldn’t hide the desire that he saw in her eyes. Perhaps a repeat performance could be arranged.
Damn! What was he thinking? He was getting married in three months! This madness was going to have to end! Cursing loudly, he roughly manoeuvred the car into the driveway. Somehow he was going to have to get Annabelle Summers out from under his skin.
Chapter 5
It was Saturday and she was sitting in the shop at an ungodly hour. All night she felt as though she’d been caught up in a fever. Getting any sleep was about as realistic as winning the lottery. After rising before dawn and downing several cups of coffee she decided to come to the office and catch up on her work.
For her, June was going to be a busy month for weddings and she was always prepared for even the slightest hitch. The fact that she was a perfectionist, able to act on the spur of the moment and reliable, gave her the reputation she needed, but this morning she just sat there drumming her fingers on the desk and staring into space. All night long she’d replayed the scene in the car over and over and now her nerves had reached breaking point.
Was it really her fault that Tristan hadn't spoken to Wade for ten years? Picking up a pen she chewed the end of it. He was right on one point though, she’d planned that night ten years ago without even thinking of the consequences, but upon reflection, if she could go back she wouldn’t change a thing. April had made these last ten years a life worth living.
But now here he was, landing right back in her life and bringing with him a total bombshell! She couldn’t believe he was the fiancé. Of all the weddings she’d dreamt of organising, his wasn’t on the list. Bubbles of emotion threatened to rise up from somewhere deep inside of her. Was she jealous, upset, shocked? Absolutely! By shutting out media reports about him and pushing him to the side, she’d been able to get by and handle not having him in her life, but seeing him again, breathing him in and feeling his lips on hers had opened up a whole package of feelings.
Not only was he as she remembered, but he was more. There was an edge to him now that wasn’t there ten years ago. In his youth he felt more naïve and less sharp, now she sensed a restraint in him – a holding back of the full force of his power. She shivered. What would he be like now if he lost his control? Thinking about the only time she could ever recall seeing him without any barriers took her right back to that night again. Once she’d set her seduction in motion would she have had the power to stop him? Would she have wanted him to stop? No, the feel of his lips roving over hers had set her ablaze. It was sensational.
Tenderly, he began to kiss down her body, gently nipping and sucking at her sensitive skin and sliding off the piece of flimsy silk to kiss her soft curls. Parting her legs he dipped in his tongue to caress her most sensitive core.
She drew in a sharp breath. “No...I.” Feeling vulnerable, she tensed at the intimacy and tried to pull away.
Holding her hips still, he kissed her hot skin. “Let me in Ma Belle.”
The drawled out sound of her pet name caused her to relax and Tristan began to knead her with his tongue. The sensation was unlike anything she’d ever felt and she writhed and moaned under him in response. Tantalising pressure began to rise through her body and the intense feeling kept escalating, into what she did not know, but she did not want it to stop. “Oh, please…don’t stop…” Grasping his hair, she pushed herself onto him until the fever couldn’t be kept at bay any longer and it shot through her. Torrential waves of sublime power engulfed her body and she cried out as her mind shattered into a thousand pieces.
At what point Tristan wrenched off his shoes and trousers she wasn’t sure. Only the pressure of his knee between her legs became apparent as he encouraged her to open wider whilst shifting his weight to lie on top of her.
Wriggling her hips, she could feel the tip of his erection at her entrance and she tried to get closer to it. “Tristan, I need you now,” she rasped.
Looking deeply into his heavily hooded eyes, she saw the raging tumult of his emotions, as bit-by-bit he pushed against her and coaxed her open.
A little embarrassed at the intensity on his face, she looked away as her body stretched to greet his manhood. How could something feel so wonderful and strange at the same time?
Tristan groaned before surging all the way in. Shocked at the stinging sensation, she flicked her head round and buried her face in his shoulder.
He stilled as something tried to register through his fog of passion, but he’d gone past the moment of return.
Allowing his passion to fuel his movements, he began an assault of rhythm that rocked against her sensitive clitoris and her breath caught in her throat.
Annabelle dug her nails into his arms as the sharp pain subsided into waves of intense pleasure. Intuitively, she shifted and raised her legs around his hips just as his lips lowered and conquered hers.
Groaning deeply, she matched him in movement and he lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. Never had anything felt so incredibly glorious. She felt so powerful as her muscles clenched against his hardness inside and she felt the exact point of when he began to lose control, raising the tempo higher with each thrust, panting in unison as the pressure built up.
Arching her back she threw back her head as his lips pinched and nipped her neck and then cried out in wonder as the fire once again rushed forth and exploded. He gave a final thrust and called out her name as he released himself into her.
Angry with her traitorous thoughts, she threw the pen to the other side of the room! Why was she punishing herself again? Sighing heavily, she absently toyed with a loose button on her bright pink shirt. She’d dressed in a daze this morning. The thrown together ensemble was odd to say the least, old khaki linens with silver stilettos and a frazzle of wild auburn hair fanning around her face. She felt how she looked, out of control.
Why did it have to be him?
What was it about him that drew out the worst in her and also the best? He irritated her, yet at the same time he made her want to fling herself at him and rip his clothes off! If only she’d reached out to him sooner ten years ago. Leaving it until his last night had not given her enough time to share her feelings. If she had, maybe he would have realised that he felt something for her?
Looking at a picture of April on her desk, she followed the contours of her daughter's face with her fingertip.
Moping about the past won’t change anything. In her perfect dreams he would never have left or he would have taken her with him, but he hadn’t loved her back then and he didn’t love her now. For God’s sake he was about to get married to someone else! There was nothing she could do and she had to accept that and let it go. A sob escaped from her and she put her hand to her mouth to keep down an unexpected torrent of pain.
Turning the picture face down so she wouldn’t have to see him staring back at her through the image of April, she blew her nose, squared her shoulders and mentally shut a door on the past. Maybe they did need closure? Maybe his marriage to someone else will set her free to live and find someone of her own. Her
lip wobbled at the thought and she picked up a file. Burying herself in work was just what she needed to put him completely out of her mind.
It had just turned eight-thirty when she heard the shop bell go. Lifting her head to smile at the prospective client and let them know that she was closed until nine, her heart lurched forward and the smile froze on her face. Looming in the doorway was Tristan and he had a dangerous look in his eyes. He shut the door behind him.
This was not good. Not good at all.
“Annabelle, we have to talk.”
“If I give you an apology will you go away?”
“No”
“I thought not.” She felt vulnerable and her abdomen tightened in anxiety. The reality of their situation was that he was getting married and she’d hid a huge secret from him. If he found out he would want to be in April’s life, but him being married to someone else, living another life and maybe having further children was more than what she could handle. It was time to take control of the situation and play it cool, be business orientated and leave the past in the past. “So, what do you want this time?”
He leisurely leaned his tall muscular frame against the door and watched her as she blinked in quick succession. “Perhaps what I want will need a little coaxing and taming?”
Her breath quickened. It was folly for her to think that his relaxed appearance actually meant that he was calm and collective. No, she was acutely aware of the waves of potent magnetic heat pouring from him, filling the room. Attempting to swallow past the dry lump forming in her throat she watched him as he slowly and deliberately crossed his arms.
Taking in the movement, her eyes leisurely roamed down the expanse of his wide chest, savouring every contour of his body encased in a black Italian cut suit. If she opened her mouth now she would be virtually panting! He reminded her of a powerful black panther as it silently and calmly creeps upon its prey. She shivered, all that male testosterone packed into one form, utterly lethal, it really shouldn’t be allowed!