Drawn to You: Volume 3
Copyright © 2015 Vanessa Booke
All Rights Reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, brands, media, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Editing Provided by Rogena Mitchell-Jones Manuscript Service
Cover Design by Studio 22 Cover Designs
Formatting by ShoutLines Design
Dedication
To my sister, Krystal.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Acknowledgments
Other Books by Vanessa Booke
About the Author
Emily
Spending my birthday weekend in Tristan’s arms was not how I imagined this trip would go.
His warm hands slide across my stomach as he molds my back against his chest. I lean into the sensation letting my body take in the warmth of his touch. My insides instantly heat as his hand roams over my hip and lightly squeezes it. Only hours ago our bodies were colliding in a rhythmic motion that left me reeling and in a breathless state.
Now, Tristan’s touch is a clear reminder the lines between us have blurred once again. The ache across my bottom is yet another piece of evidence that last night wasn’t a dream. I smile at the memory of Tristan’s hand coming down hard on me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t relish the thought of sharing that experience with him again. What’s wrong with me? Now I like being spanked?
“Good morning, pet.”
I look back to find Tristan staring at me intently. His hazel eyes assess me with curiosity. I’m not sure how it’s possible, but he looks even more handsome with bed hair. Black strands fall back just above his ear giving him a rather rogue appearance.
“Good morning,” I say, slowly gathering the covers around me to shield my nakedness from the man behind me. The situation is foreign to me. Not that I’m ever used to being naked around anyone. The few times I have been never ended well. Tristan slowly slips from the bed and stands to dress. Despite the intimacy we shared last night, I can’t help but feel embarrassed at the sight of his cock standing erect. I blush as he turns and catches my gaze. A ghost of a smile graces his lips as he walks toward me. His movement is almost predatory.
“I’ve seen that curious look before. Several years ago,” he says.
I know exactly what he’s referring to. I begin to pull a satin nightie on, but before I have a chance to finish dressing, Tristan yanks me up against him. I nearly moan at the sensation of his erection pressing into my backside. His breath tickles my neck as his hands slide up to my shoulders.
“Last night should’ve never happened.”
My heart leaps into my throat as his words vex me. The only thing that softens the blow is Tristan’s fingers. They trace the skin just above my collarbone as he slowly draws circles across it.
“But I’m glad it did,” he reluctantly admits.
The raspy gruff of Tristan’s voice sends shivers down my skin as he places one hot kiss on my shoulder. Relief floods through me at his confession. I’ve wanted this, whatever this is, for so many years. I would be naive to think everything is going to fall together now. I gasp as Tristan grabs me and captures my ear between his teeth. A shockwave of pleasure spills over me as I feel his hot breath against my skin. I’m not sure how much longer I can take him touching me without turning around and attacking him. He reaches down and traces over the fabric of my nightie.
“I might leave early today to go back to the city,” he says, letting me go.
“So soon?” I blurt. I can’t hide my disappointment even if I wanted to. Is this his way of making a clean break from last night?
“Sebastian Wolfe wants to meet so he can choose a few of my paintings for the fundraiser he’s hosting.”
Sebastian? I blush at the memory of the mysterious Dom I briefly met at The Pleasure Chest and Tristan’s apartment. Something tells me the paintings he’ll be observing aren’t the usual kind that you find at a fundraiser.
“I hope your meeting goes well,” I say, trying my best not to sound disappointed.
Tristan smiles before quickly finishing dressing.
“I’m going to go back to my room and shower,” he says.
Shit. I hadn’t thought of anyone being home until this very moment. The room Tristan and I are in feels detached from the rest of the world around us. Sometime during the night, we moved from his room to mine. Thankfully, mine is positioned on the other side of the hallway from where my brother sleeps. Oh, God. If Nicholas finds out about what happened last night…I’m not even sure what he would do.
“You should go before my brother finds you here,” I say.
A chuckle escapes Tristan’s lips.
“Don’t worry, pet. No one will keep me from you.”
I look over to find Tristan’s heated gaze watching me with intensity as I dress.
“In fact, I think I’ll shower with you,” he says.
My heart catapults in my throat as he walks over toward me and captures my lips. The kiss is torturously slow at first, but it increases each moment with a renewed intensity. I feel his hands running through my hair and then down my ass. It isn’t long before we’re both crashing back onto the bed. My head spins with thoughts of Tristan taking me once again.
“I need you,” he says, breaking the kiss.
I bite back a moan as his lips graze my down my neck.
“I need you, too.”
Tristan’s erection digs into my stomach as he grinds his hips, leaving me breathless and gasping for him. I’ve never been so turned on without even taking off my clothes.
“Fuck, I want to spank you again and bury my cock inside you.”
Despite the deep tenor of Tristan’s voice, I don’t blush at his words. Instead, I swivel my hips into his as he grinds his erection against me again. Last night was the first time anyone has ever spanked me, and I can’t help but hope it won’t be the last. It’s strange to admit, but I loved the explosive sensation that rippled through me when Tristan did it. I’m not even sure why that is, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting more. I slide up my nightie at the feeling of his erection rubbing against my thigh. He moans in approval.
“Why are you so fucking beautiful?”
Tristan’s words both shock and amaze me. I watch with anticipation as he takes charge and pushes me back aga
inst his bed. My heart swells as he looks down at me with a blinding smile. The sight of it renders me speechless, and it only widens at my silence. There’s a wild look about Tristan as his hair sits ruffled back on his head. His light bronze skin blends perfectly with his hazel eyes.
“I wish we were back at my studio,” he says with a growl. “I have some chains that you would look lovely in.”
Whoa, chains?
Tristan smiles as if reading my racing thoughts. I wish we could stay here. I’m afraid the moment we walk out of this room, everything will change. Reality sinks in even further as each minute passes. Unfortunately, we can’t stay in here forever.
“What are you thinking about?” Tristan asks, pulling back.
I hesitate at first to answer him, but after several seconds, I give myself permission to touch him. His eyes widen as I reach out and trace my hand from his neck, over his chest, and down to his abs. Me being here with him feels so surreal. It’s difficult to even wrap my head around the idea. Tristan’s ragged breathing turns heavier.
“I keep thinking about how much I wish you would’ve never left.”
Tristan stops touching me and pulls back. He sits on his heels and watches me from the edge of the bed. The pensive look on his face immediately makes me regret bringing up the topic. It takes him several seconds before he finally answers me.
“I can’t take the past back, but I can tell you there wasn’t a day I didn’t think about you.”
I want to believe his words. I want to know they’re true, but I was the only one he pushed away.
“Why did you stay away from me?” I blurt. “Nick still had you, but you completely cut me off.”
A sea of emotions washes over Tristan’s face.
“I couldn’t have you…”
“What’s different now? I ask.
His face suddenly grows serious.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about.”
My chest aches as Tristan reaches out and brushes back a blonde strand of my hair. He’s all I’ve ever wanted. I tried to forget him over the years, but trying to forget him only made me think about him more. You exhaust more energy attempting to forget someone than letting it occur naturally. I’ve only managed to etch him further into my heart.
“So tell me…” I plead.
A loud rapping on the door interrupts us. My gaze goes flying to it as I stumble backward on the bed.
“Morning, sunshine!”
Ceci’s bright voice calls to me through the door. My heart skips a beat as the doorknob jiggles. Did we lock it? A streak of panic goes off like a flare gun as we both scramble to gather our clothes. Oh, God. I nearly fall off of the bed as I scramble for my clothes. Tristan wrangles on a pair of black jeans and a tight black t-shirt. After a few seconds, he helps me slip my nightie back on.
“Emily, why is your door locked?” Ceci calls.
“I’m getting dressed,” I blurt.
I turn my gaze to Tristan as he watches me frantically pace the room.
“What are we going to do? If Ceci finds out, she’ll tell Nicholas,” I say.
“I’ll go out the window,” he chuckles.
I hurry to get Tristan out of my room, practically pushing him out the bedroom window. The irritated look on his face is almost comical, but I’m willing to bet he’ll find a way to make me pay for it later. A grin appears on his face before he leans toward me and smashes his lips against mine. He’s gone by the time I open my eyes, but the butterflies that fill my stomach linger.
Emily
My head is still reeling from Tristan’s kiss as my best friend comes crashing into my room. Ceci’s eyes light up with a look of mischief as she watches me flipping through the latest issue of Stars. I self-consciously brush my face, weary that I’ve left some kind of trace of Tristan’s lips on me. My cheeks warm just thinking about Tristan’s touch on my skin. I’m not sure how I’ve gone without it for so long. I clear my throat, but that only makes her stare at me more intently.
“So how was it?” she asks, jumping on my bed with a handful of black licorice. A streak of anxiety fills me. Shit. Does Ceci know something? Did she see Tristan leaving my room? I close my magazine and turn my full attention to her. She smiles as her eyes gleam with interest while a million thoughts float through my mind as she waits with baited breath. What if she does know? Hell, I don’t even know what’s going on between Tristan and me. How am I going to explain it to someone else?
“Dang, that good?” Ceci says, chewing on the several strands of black licorice in her hand. I haven’t seen her look this excited since I announced I was going to try online dating. It seems like her short-term relationships aren’t excitement enough.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say.
She stares at me with a look of disbelief.
“Um, a hot bartender with tattoos sound familiar?”
Relief washes over me. For a second there, I thought she might have seen Tristan leaving my room.
“Oh, Tyler?” I ask. “No, I left Oasis alone.”
Ceci's eyebrows quirk up at me in surprise. I’m sure she doesn’t believe me albeit I’m telling the truth.
“I’m not buying it.”
I laugh. “I guess you were too busy flirting to even really notice.”
A strange look crosses her face as she turns to me.
“No, to be honest, the only guy I wanted to flirt with was Tristan,” she admits. “Unfortunately, he seemed a little preoccupied.”
My heart sinks at her confession. I really didn’t think Ceci’s interest in Tristan would last so long. She has the attention span of a squirrel when it comes to men. Thank God she didn’t see what happened between Tristan and me at the club.
“Emily, you’re not saying anything.”
I blush. What can I say without hurting her feelings? I’ve never laid claim to Tristan. She doesn’t even know the history between us. The only soul I’ve told is Augie and that’s because if I didn’t tell someone, I would’ve exploded.
“Um…”
Ceci rolls her eyes at me as she paces back and forth across my guest bedroom.
“Um? That’s all you’re going to say? Look, I know you don’t look at him like that, but I think he’s sex on a stick.”
I’ve never felt so weird hearing Ceci objectify any guy except Tristan. He’s more than just sex to me, although I would be an idiot to say that isn’t important. I’ve always felt a connection to him. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t help but imagine myself as the woman he was sleeping with whenever he would bring someone home. I couldn’t be her, so I lived vicariously through each one.
“It’s not that. I just…”
“You think he’s too good for me?” Ceci asks.
The words hang in the air for what seems like minutes. A look of annoyance crosses her face as she waits for my reply. Yes. My heart squeezes at the thought. Before I can summon up the strength to say something, Ceci leaves the room in an angry huff and slamming the door behind her. I watch with a heavy heart as my best friend walks out.
A sense of dread fills me as I mull over Ceci’s words. The last thing I wanted was to hurt my best friend, but I don’t want to see her anywhere near Tristan. Just the thought of them together is enough to make me sick.
My cellphone vibrates on my lap.
I look down to find my roommates broad grin staring back at me as his name flashes across the screen. I swipe my phone open, desperate to talk to him.
“Augie, thanks for calling me back.”
“Of course, what’s wrong? You sounded upset on the voicemail.”
A small sense of relief fills me with the sound of my roommate's voice. Although nothing seems to make sense right now, I take comfort in the fact that he's always been there for me. I laugh at the thought of how ridiculous I must’ve sounded leaving him my message. Deciphering my babble should be part of our college course electives.
“I slept with him," I blurt.
“...
Tristan?”
My eyes begin to water. Within forty-eight hours, the world seems to be running upside down on its axis. I’m not even sure how to function throughout the day. Am I supposed to pretend like nothing is happening between Tristan and me? What does this mean when we go back to the city? Was I just a distraction for him?
“Yes, Tristan."
“Why does it sound like you’re crying? Did he do something wrong? Tell me. I have no problem kicking his ass. Even if he does have a lot more muscle mass than me…God, I’m so jealous of his six-pack. I—”
“Augie!”
I bite my thumb as I wait for him to continue his questioning. My eyes scan the doorway for any sign of Ceci or my brother standing nearby.
“Right, fuck, sorry. Did he mess up?”
"No. At least not yet."
Augie sighs on the other end of the phone.
“Well, then, what is it?”
“I’m afraid he’s going to leave, and I won’t be able to walk away from this in one piece.”
My hands begin to shake at the thought of watching Tristan walk out of my life again.
“Who says he’ll leave?”
“He will.”
The last time Tristan left, he did it at the worse possible moment. I needed him. More than anyone, I needed him.
“I know why you’re saying that, but try not to over think things.”
Easier said than done.
“Okay, I’ll try.”
“I’ll see you Tuesday?”
“Yes, I’ll see you then.”
Tristan
The taste of Emily’s lips stains my soul.
A light feeling fills my chest as I run across the wet sand. Sweat pools at the back of my neck, but the wind quickly offers relief as it whips around me. My lungs take in the cool mist as heavy waves crash only a few feet away. A million thoughts race through my mind as my lungs burn from the cold air.
This morning I woke with a start that felt like a shot of adrenaline coursing through my veins. My head is still swimming with flashes of her in the sheets beneath me. Last night, I crossed the line between Emily and me again. As much as I know I shouldn’t have, I wanted to. I still want to.
Drawn to You: Volume 3 Page 1