Chapter Twenty-Two
Tristan
When Natalie finally left, I was all talked out and maybe even more confused. I knew how I felt about Emilia. I knew what it was. But I couldn’t act on it.
I wore jeans and a graphic tee shirt from one of my college clubs. I was surprised I still had them. But I didn’t feel like looking my best, or even decent. I knew once I saw her I would go crazy. But I didn’t expect this.
She was in a bright, pink sundress. She looked like a fucking jolly rancher and I wanted to suck the shit out of every inch of her luscious body. It wasn’t low cut, but her pert little breasts filled out the top, a small swell appearing. She tied up her hair, revealing every sinuous curve of her neck and chest. Her legs were smooth and creamy, complete with a pair of white flats. Why the fuck would she do that?
“Tristan!” Fuck, had I been staring?
I met her in her office, a small room in the back of her floral shop. The desk was big and white and took up most of the room, but it was speckled with small vases of flowers and a picture of her with a man with graying hair; he looked like her. Must be her dad.
“Yeah?”
She blinked at me like I was dumb. Perhaps I was. She moved around her desk, hips swaying, hair bobbing. She’s like a flower patch of joy, bringing sun into my life for the first time in I don’t know how long. Maybe never.
“I have a tentative idea—I say tentative because Gabriella said she might change it. And she’ll be here in a few minutes.” I furrowed my brow, I didn’t know she was coming.
I checked my phone. Turned out I had a few messages. Levi was saying he would be here. I had no clue, I was so distracted. With good reason, anyway.
“Okay. Levi is coming too.” I could leave. But I didn’t want to.
“So, how has your day been?” She asked me. A timid smile forming her face.
“Good. I slept in. As I always do since I don’t have a job.” I smirked. She shifted in her seat. I saw her looking at me, she made it obvious. Not just looking, checking me out. And it affected her. Her cheeks flushed, she rubbed her knees together. She wanted me—well, her body did.
“I thought you do those day trains.” I chuckled.
“Trades. But that’s nothing. It just keeps me busy. What about you?”
“I had a meeting with an investor, to get bigger space.” My first thought was I’ll buy you a bigger space. But I kept it to myself. She liked to do things on her own, that much was obvious. But that did explain why she was dressed so nicely. I couldn’t tell if she wore makeup, because her skin was so clear, but her freckles were very prevalent.
I wanted to kiss each one, memorize them.
“That sounds really exciting. I hope it goes well.”
Why were we ignoring it? This burn between us, we could set all these damn flowers on fire with how much we wanted each other. I wanted to shove every paper off her desk and take her against it. My cock was growing harder by the second, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. She was thinking about me too, but she hid it. Her body couldn’t though. Was she even wearing a bra? I could see her nipples poking through.
We were literally saved by the bell of the door opening. That little chime made me happy though, it stopped me from acting out my thoughts.
“Emilia?” I recognized Levi’s voice.
I stood just as he entered with Gab. Man, they looked happy. She was in her black scrubs as always, and he was in one of his three thousand-dollar suits. I know because I have the same one.
“Hey man.” I greeted him, and hugged Gab. I couldn’t get over how happy they looked. He would look at her and smile. Even as we sat down, when they were supposed to be looking at what baby doll showed them, they would exchange this look. I never had that with Vivian.
I would look at Emilia and she would look away. I should be happy she was avoiding this because I knew I wasn’t ready. But it was like my heart was begging for her to fix it.
“I think this is beautiful.” Emilia visibly relaxed at Gab’s approval. I noticed she was holding one of her sketch pads over her chest, probably to cover her nipples. I smiled at the thought.
“Thank you. And this is just for the rehearsal dinner. We can carry it through the wedding or change it completely, it’s up to you.” She smiled kindly. She beamed when she talked about this stuff, she really loved it.
It was how I was at work. Technology and I had always been friends. I understood, it understood me. I could control it, and I was good at it. If I didn’t program something at least once a day, I got a twitch. Mom said it was how I was, even as a kid. But now I was sitting at home in ratty clothes doing mostly nothing.
Emilia made me want to change that.
“We’ll have to think about it.” Gab and Levi looked at each other, but then both glanced at their watches. They really did only have a few minutes to spare.
“No problem. But I’ll go ahead and put this order in. The dinner is Saturday, right?” They stood up, and I stood too.
“Yes, oh and you are welcome to come. You can bring someone too.” Levi said to her, glancing at me. Asshole.
“That’s not necessary,” she countered.
“I insist, with how short notice this has all been. You deserve a good meal.”
She nodded and once they said their goodbyes, they left. I texted him for good measure.
Asshole.
“They really liked it. But they’ll have a laundry list for me tomorrow.” I said to Emilia.
She grinned and set her sketch pad back down. I assumed she just wanted me to see them and suffer. My feet moved me before I could step them. I was inches from her, trapping her between the desk and my chest. She looked up at me, eyes wide. God, she was so beautiful it took my breath away.
“You look beautiful today.” I told her. And I meant it. It wasn’t just some ploy.
“Thank you.” She blushed.
There was no way I could stop myself from reaching out and touching the blush of her cheekbones. She inhaled softly but leaned into my touch. Her eyelashes fanned over her cheeks as she did so. I cupped her cheek with my hand and brought her face up to kiss her.
“Tristan,” she leaned back. But she was still close enough I could feel her breath across my lips. She smelled like berries.
“Tell me to stop, and I’ll stop.”
Her breath quickened, but she didn’t.
She didn’t tell me to stop so I crushed my lips to hers. It had been too long. I felt her everywhere, in my fingertips and even my spine. Straight through to my cock that was rock hard in seconds. She deepened the kiss, her lips parting to make way for my tongue.
I kept on, kissing her, claiming her mouth until I needed air. I broke away, my lips went to her neck. She arched back as she caught her breath. I set her on the desk and brought my mouth lower; lower until my mouth closed around her nipple through her cotton dress. She strained a whimper as she bucked towards me.
I trailed my hand up her thigh, slowly until I reached her heated sex. I felt her through her cotton panties, soaking the fabric. I never thought cotton panties were sexy, but she sure does make them that way.
“Tristan, please. Touch me.”
I growled. Hearing her beg was like a fucking best-selling song. She took my shirt off and tossed it aside, raking her nails down my front until she undid my jeans. As she did that I granted her wish, pushing her panties aside to rub her slick folds. I avoided her clit, until she whimpered so loud it turned into strangled moans.
I tugged her dress down around her waist, revealing her pert nipples. Her nipples were hard, pointing towards me. I palmed her breast, working her clit harder, faster, until she was coming in my hand.
“Tristan…oh yes.” Her moan was breathless. And perfect.
But I needed to be inside of her. I kept my eyes on her as she took me from my briefs, wrapping her hand around the head of my cock and positioning me at her entrance. I saw the pleasure flow through her eyes as I entered her slowly. Every i
nch of me was coated by her, she clenched around me, making me groan; making my knees weak.
“Please fuck me.” She breathed.
I held her hips and started rocking into her. Going deep every time, until I was going faster, and faster. The desk shaking, the vases rattling. She leaned back, her tits bouncing with every thrust. It was a sight; her leaned back in ecstasy, her pussy pink and throbbing, closing around my cock like a vice. My balls tightened just at the sight of her rubbing her clit, fuck I loved when she did that. I leaned forward, caging her with my forearms on either side of her head as I kissed her. My tongue flying around hers, sucking on her lips until they were swollen.
Her legs tightened around my waist, I could go anywhere if I wanted to. Her other hand was in my hair, holding me close to her. I kissed her neck, her collarbone, and sucked each of her nipples generously until she came.
“Oh my…yes—yes!” She cried out, it spurred me on even more.
I felt it building up inside of me, but I was holding off because I didn’t know how she would react afterwards. I wanted to savor it. How tight she is, how perfect I fit. How good her soft body feels against mine. I buried my face in her neck as I climbed higher, and higher.
I thought the words; I’m in love with you. I have fallen so in love with you. But I couldn’t say them. I just came instead, shooting my load inside of her until I was empty and spent. Collapsing against her.
Flowers and sex still smelled pretty damned good.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Emilia
The mental kicks I was giving myself could permanently bruise me. I mean, I told myself not to do this. Not to get with him anymore, but I did. We had sex on my desk. And it was good. So damn good.
So, good I was screaming. What if a customer had walked in? I was being an idiot. He made me crazy. I have to be professional. I can’t keep doing this…
“Do you want to grab dinner?”
I was fixing myself up, making sure I at least looked like I hadn’t just had sex. I avoided his gaze because those emerald green eyes would make me do anything.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” I whispered. I felt his eyes on me, finally I turned to look at him.
His hair was disheveled, a messy mop of brown and blonde. His eyes still flashed with arousal, his full pink lips parted. He was so hard to resist.
“You’ll have sex with me, but you won’t have dinner with me?” His brows tightened as he gritted his jaw. Yeah, he wasn’t happy. But I didn’t know how else to look after myself. How else to make sure this didn’t affect my work anymore.
“It isn’t like that.” My voice was quiet but trembled with uncertainty. I had no idea what it was like. I didn’t have any idea of anything at this point.
“Really? Then what the hell is it like, Emilia?” His voice rose in the slightest. He was definitely pissed. My cheeks burned with all the attention being on me. I didn’t know what to say or do because everything got all mixed up. In my head and in my heart.
“I don’t know. I just know that I need to focus on work right now, but you’re…hard to resist.” I felt tears prick at my eyelashes. No. I couldn’t believe I was about to cry. I held back the tears trying to escape, burning the rims of my eyes. And the way he was looking at me, an intensity I couldn’t place.
“Right, it’s my fault then.” With anger, he snatched up his keys and wallet, not giving me another look. “Call me when it has something to do with work.”
I gasped as he left, shutting the door behind him with a slam. I let my tears fall then. From frustration and confusion. And I was so confused. I wanted him. I couldn’t resist him. But I knew I couldn’t be distracted from my work. Hell, I was aroused during a meeting with a client and had to cover it up with a sketchbook. A fucking sketchbook.
I almost lost my head in my meeting with my investor that morning. Getting distracted, thinking of Tristan. Something had to give.
I busied myself with work until I left at sundown. I finally stopped crying, but I was still confused and angry. Sad, too; because I felt like Tristan didn’t want me anymore. I understood. I’d strung him along, and he didn’t need that. Not after what his ex did to him.
Once I got home, I called Ivy, knowing she would have something helpful to say.
“Hey, I was just about to call you.” She sounded so happy. I didn’t want to dampen her mood with my shit.
“Really? I was wondering if you want to come over for dinner.” I was never good at hiding my feelings.
“Sure. But what’s wrong?” She asked me.
“Nothing. Honest. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up before she could pry. I took a quick shower and got dressed in a soft pair of leggings and a large tee shirt. I officially looked like a relationship just ended, even though it wasn’t really a relationship.
The feelings were real though. I burned for him and ached. I had dreamed of him every night since that ball. I was sure I would tonight to. He just drew me in with his charisma, honesty, and good looks of course. He’d been hurt, and he deserved…he deserved something good. I definitely wasn’t giving that to him.
Ivy knocked rapidly, pulling me from my cloud of thoughts.
I opened up and she was complete with two boxes of pan pizza. She could read my mind, it was proven.
“Hey, how was your day?” I feigned my best smile, but she was still eyeing me.
“Great… yours?”
I shrugged.
“I met with the bride and groom, from that wedding. They liked my plans.”
“Oh, that’s good! When is the wedding?”
She got plates and cups out, I helped myself to three slices and some soda.
“Weekend after next. The rehearsal dinner is this weekend. They said I could bring someone, so you want to come?” She shot me a look as she sat with me on the couch.
“Sure, but you have to tell me what’s going on first.”
I sighed, I guessed I should start from the beginning, so I did.
“How could I have missed all of this in a week?!?” She exclaimed.
I just shrugged. I never told her about seeing him again because I thought it would make it too real. But she had been busy this week anyway, so I hadn’t actually seen her.
“But when I saw him today we had sex again, despite what I said. I couldn’t resist him…but he left angry. With good reason. He doesn’t want to get played again. I don’t know what to do.”
“Well it’s obvious you like him. So, you should consider his feelings, you don’t know what you want so don’t go to him again until you do.” She really was the voice of reason.
“I know. I want to be professional, but I want him too. And I don’t want to choose.” She nodded, understanding as she thought more.
“But this wedding won’t last forever? What about after?”
That would be ideal. But I still had to stay focused. On getting a new shop, getting my funding for it. Growing my client base. I still had Sasha. But she couldn’t float me forever. And I had my walk-ins. But I could have even more if I was in a better part of town. There was too much to do that couldn’t involve the natural distraction a relationship would bring.
“I don’t know, I still have to stay focused. My career has been exploding since that gala, I want to capitalize on that.”
“But you like him. He won’t stick around forever.”
I nodded in agreement. He wouldn’t.
“So, you need to figure out how much you really like him. Maybe you’re even…”
“No, don’t say it. Please.”
She held her hands out in defense, dropping the subject.
“Well I’m here for you.”
I nodded, thanking her. I really needed that. Even when she brought it up I couldn’t entertain it. It would be too real and way too hard.
So, we just ate pizza like pigs and watched trash television. It was perfect. My hands itched to text Tristan. To at least apologize. I hadn’t realized how mu
ch I was hurting him and confusing myself. But it would just open the floodgates. He even said to only call him when it was about the wedding. It hurt, but it was what I wanted.
Wasn’t it?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Emilia
A week felt like an eternity. I kept busy packing new orders and talking with Gabriella a lot. But I heard nothing from Tristan.
I supposed I should be relieved, it was what I wanted. He didn’t speak to me at all, but I had gotten used to his morning texts and daily antics. I had gotten used to him.
I thought not being involved with anyone would make my work better, but it seemed my arrangements were only getting worse. It was like I met him that first night, and my work got better. Then I decided I couldn’t be with him, and my arrangements lost their luster. I heard some customers talking about it in hushed whispers around the flower shop.
And Gabriella sent back four of my wedding ideas. We were going back and forth for the past three days over email. She finally told me she would just discuss it with me tonight when I dropped off the flowers for the bridal shower. She was having it at her mother’s house.
Anything relating to the wedding made me think of Tristan, but I was somehow relieved I wouldn’t see him tonight since it was the bridal shower. I was even curious to see what kind of friends she had and wondered if she was as picky with them as she was with me.
I thought I would be the same way with my wedding anyway, it was her special day after all. So, everything should be perfect. And I was happy to oblige to help her with that.
I walked to the bus station to go down to the rental place where I rented a truck out to transport all the flowers. Gabriella confirmed she paid the retailer, so I picked up everything I needed and headed her way.
The truck was full when I arrived at her mother’s estate. And I do mean estate. It was huge. The front of the house looked like a castle with its pillars and semi-circle outputs. It was an old cream color, lined with darker trim. The van looked out of place even at the service entrance—they had a service entrance.
7+Us Makes Nine: A Nanny Single Dad Romance (Baby Makes Three) Page 54