Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 64979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
“At whose expense, Tristian?”
“Kit—”
“At some point, not now, but at some point, I need you to tell me why you just left like that.”
It was my turn to inhale a deep breath. “Everything happened so fast at your debutante ball.”
“I remember.”
“You were so fucking mad at me. I didn—”
“I was angrier after you left without even saying goodbye.”
“Given the choice, you think I would have left like that?”
“Choice?” Her eyebrows pinched together. “What do you mean by that?”
“It was a long time ago. Why do you want to rehash the past when we can’t change anything?”
“Because it’s staring me in the face every time I look at you. You broke my heart, Tristian. And I need to know why, so I can work on forgiving you.”
“It’s not going to change anything, kitten. We’ve still lost twenty years not being together.”
“Then why didn’t you come back for me?” Her eyes became glossy. “I waited for you, every day, for years. I waited for you to come back to me.”
“Belle…”
“You know I didn’t just lose a boyfriend that night. I lost you as my best friend too. I didn’t have anyone after you left. Do you understand how hard that was for me? You took it all away without even explaining why.” She couldn’t control her tears as they slid down her cheeks.
I kissed them away, whispering, “I’m sorry, kitten. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“I thought… I don’t know… It just didn’t feel like we were going to end like that.”
“I know, but we had so much against us back then. You know that as much as I do.”
“If that’s the case, then why did you pursue me? Why would you make me fall in love with you?”
I shook my head. “I have no excuse for myself. The only thing I have for you is my profound regret of what could have been if I had come back to you.”
“Why did you leave me in the first place?”
“Trust me, I didn’t want to.”
“Then why did you?”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means exactly what I’m saying. I left to protect you.”
“From what?”
Looking deep into her eyes, I declared…
“From the shitty decisions I made before I met you.”
Chapter 18
—Tristian—
Despite our afternoon ending on an unpleasant note, the rest of the day progressed nicely. After I promised I’d tell her the truth when I was ready, she let it go. Which was enough to silence her insecurities for a little while. Since I wanted to continue our date, I reserved us a table out on the beach with music for a late dinner and drinks.
We laughed.
We drank.
She danced, and I watched with a drink in my hand.
“Come on, dance with me!”
I grabbed her arm and tugged her to my face. “Not when you’re dancing for me.”
She smiled, beaming.
With a sway of her hips, she snapped her fingers and slowly rocked her body in a circle until her ass was in my face. She got down low, and I took a swig of whiskey to resist the urge to bite her luscious ass.
The crazy part about Belle was that she truly had no concept of how much she governed a room. All eyes were on her. Men and women. There was this energy that radiated off her. This confidence and sex appeal you didn’t learn. It was something you were born with. She didn’t have to try. It was just there.
It came so natural to her. Luring you in with a look…
A smile.
A slight movement in her body.
She was captivating. Exuding sexuality. A magnetic pull that forced you in without even realizing it. In that moment, as much as I tried to ignore the thoughts hovering, I couldn’t. I watched how she danced, how her tits bounced, her ass shook, and how her hands worked their way up her body.
She was addicting.
Controlling my thoughts, my actions, my decisions.
Consuming every last part of me.
Especially how I wanted to end the night.
With her on top of me.
“Come here.” I motioned with my finger.
She deviously smirked, and I pulled her toward me, making her straddle my lap.
“You’re going to get us kicked out.”
“Faster I can take you home then.”
“Home? Is that what you think it is for me?”
“What else would it be?”
Her lips were close to my mouth.
Her perfect tits were pressed against my chest.
“I don’t know yet.”
“I know you do.”
She didn’t say a word, but she didn’t have to.
Her eyes spoke for themselves.
“You tired?”
She shook her head no.
“Good.”
By the time we walked into the bungalow, it was well after two in the morning, and I still didn’t want the night to end. With her heels in her hand, I guided her out to the balcony to lay on the loungers. Along the way, she grabbed a bottle of wine off the counter.
The full moon was bright and daunting, illuminating the whole night sky.