He starts driving again. He really is very good at it, and very fast – which again I’m surprised at. My control freak tendencies don’t make for a very good passenger, but with Tristan, I feel safe. I trust he won’t fuck it up.
Which makes me go back to this morning, and thinking about the whole wedding thing. I mean, it’s too early, of course it is, but I can't help thinking that Tristan should know that he’s changed my view of it all. So I decide that tonight, I’ll talk to him, tell him how I feel. Deep in thought, I hadn’t noticed that we are heading east out of Brighton.
“Going somewhere?” I ask.
“Indeed we are.” Tristan beams at me and clutches my hand.
“Will you tell me where?” I ask feeling a little apprehensive.
“Hastings.” Tristan turns to see my reaction. “Ever been?” he asks.
“No, I haven’t actually, you?” I say, staring at his profile.
“Just once for the day, I was a kid I don't remember it much.” He tells me.
“Did you plan this?” I ask narrowing my eyes at him.
“Yes.” He smiles widely at me. I knew it!
“When?” I ask, smiling back.
“Last night while you were preparing dinner,” he says smiling coyly. I didn’t think he was working!
“Why Hastings?” I ask.
Tristan smiles warmly at me. “Because it’s got culture, history and great beaches.”
“What and Brighton hasn’t?” I say dryly.
Tristan chuckles at that one. “What are you thinking? Do you want to go, or turn back?” he looks worried.
“No way, I’ve never been. I’d really like to see it,” I tell him.
“Good. It’s meant to have some really quaint little shops. I thought we might find something for the house.” Tristan looks across at me and smiles sweetly.
“Good idea batman,” I banter.
“Thanks Robin,” he chuckles.
I lean back into my plush bucket seat and enjoy the scenery. Leaving Brighton behind actually feels quite invigorating, refreshing; but more than anything, I’m just in awe to be spending the day with Mr Moneybags; he really is quite something…
IT HAS TAKEN US AN HOUT TO REACH HASTINGS. Tristan has spent the whole time throwing questions at me, all random stuff that comes up in everyday conversations like favourite colour, clothing, music, films, books and food. He’s been very careful not to ask questions about my past, which I really appreciate, I really want to enjoy today.
I sigh inwardly. I am doing my very best to block out the fact that we’ll both be back to work tomorrow, and Tristan will be gone all week. I can't even begin to think about how I’m going to feel when he’s gone. A shiver runs down my spine making me shudder – I stamp on that line on thinking, I want to enjoy today!
Then I remember I have legs-that-go-on-forever Susannah to deal with. I tried to convince Tristan as we got into bed last night that I was sure to work out the new programmes by myself, that Blondie didn’t need to come and train me, but he disagreed – Stupid Millionaire Mogul!
“I have one more question,” Tristan says, pulling into a car park right on the seafront.
“No!” I pout, I told him no more questions until I get a drink of some sort; my throat is so dry from talking so much.
We find a parking space away from all other vehicles, right at the far end. “Why are you parking so far away?” I ask.
“I don’t want any fucker scratching my car,” he growls.
“Oh!” That’s understandable, it’s not cheap.
Tristan gets out the car and walks around to my side, opening the door for me. “Please, just one more,” he asks as he takes my hand and helps me out of the car, it’s so low it’s not exactly easy to get in and out of.
“Fine!” I huff. I notice two security men patrolling the car park. I have to wonder if Tristan purposely found this one because of that? Then I wonder if you can search car parks on Google? I bet you can, I shake my head at my over-active imagination.
Tristan takes my hand and we start walking. “When we first met, you looked like you knew who you were meeting. It could have been Craig or Pete, but you knew who I was. How?” Holy crap! Of all the questions to ask me – I decide to lie.
“Joyce showed me a picture of you,” I squeak looking anywhere but at Tristan’s face.
We stop walking as we’ve reached the pay meter, Tristan puts the money in and the ticket pops out. Another security guard I hadn’t noticed appears out of nowhere making me jump as he greets Tristan. “Gorgeous car mate,” he says slapping him on the back. They start talking cars and engines. I’m glad of the interruption. Maybe Tristan will forget what he’s asked me? I turn around just in time to see him hand a twenty to the guard.
“Keep an eye on her for me?” I have to stop myself from laughing. Boys and their toys!
“No problem mate.” The security guard shakes Tristan’s hand.
I roll my eyes and we start walking back over to the car. I wait patiently while Tristan puts the ticket in the window. Then he walks over to me, takes hold of my hand and taking me by surprise, he pulls me up against him and kisses me like we haven’t kissed in days, finally dipping me down low so my hair touches the floor. I feel dizzy by the time he stops.
We start walking again, my hand in his, neither of us saying anything. I’m trying really hard to keep the stupid loved up grin off my face. Tristan glances at me, smiles deeply, shakes his head at me then chuckles too.
“Did you plan to park here?” I ask.
“I sure did?” He says.
“Why?” I chuckle.
“Because it’s the only car park with security, and I figured if I tipped them, they’d look after the car.” He says, shrugging slightly.
“Seriously?” I choke.
“Yes,” Tristan says firmly. “I really like my car!”
“Yeah I’ve noticed,” I add dryly.
“So where to my darling, the beach or a walk in town?” he asks animatedly. He looks excited, like a young school boy; it’s cute!
“Town, I’m thirsty!” I reiterate.
“Town it is!” Tristan squeezes my hand and we head in the direction of The Old Town.
WE LOCATE A QUAINT LITTLE CAFÉ. We have ordered some coffees and a bottle of water for me that I instantly glug back. Tristan has also ordered a Toasted Sandwich citing he is hungry again. I guess a couple of croissants aren’t enough to keep him going. I don’t know how he stays so slim with the amount he eats. I guess it must be swapping his workouts around like he told me.
“So, am I going to get the answer to my question?” He asks again, a slight smirk stretched across his face.
“I told you,” I say looking out the window at the shoppers melting in the heat.
“Don’t believe you!” He scoffs.
“Tough!” I retort.
“Tell me, please....” He leans forward, places his hand on my cheek and turns my head around to face him.
“It’s embarrassing,” I moan. I also don’t want him to know how badly I didn’t want a male boss.
“I won’t laugh.” He assures me.
“Yes you will!” I snort.
“No, I won’t.” He argues back, his voice firm.
“Fine!” I close my eyes and say it. “I Googled you,” I whisper, opening my eyes to stare out the window again. “This place is so nice, I bet it looks lovely in the winter with all the shop windows lit up,” I add trying to get off the subject.
“It certainly does.” I look up, and the lady who took our order is placing our coffees down.
“Thank you.” Tristan and I both thank her at the same time.
She smiles warmly at us both. “You’re welcome, toasty won’t be long love,” she says to Tristan.
“Ok, thank you.” Tristan smiles up at her, stopping her in her tracks. Jesus H Christ! She’s got be in her sixties and she’s blushing.
“No…no problem dear,” she says looking all flustered as she walks a
way. I want to roll my eyes, but I don’t. Tristan takes a sip of his coffee then places his cup down. He doesn’t say anything about the Google thing, which I’m glad of. That was a close one!
“And what about Mogul?” Tristan says pulling me from reverie. Shit! – I decide to act like I didn’t hear him. “Earlier today you called me Mogul,” he adds. I glance across at him. Tristan is smirking at me, his head cocked to the side.
“Uh-huh,” I take a sip of coffee and stare out the window. He lifts his chair and shuffles closer to me, when he reaches me, he pulls on my chin so I have to look at him; we are almost nose to nose.
“Why did you Google me?” Christ, I thought he’d dropped this one! I decide on the truth, he doesn’t need to know I was staring at him for hours after I found him.
“I was scared,” I whisper.
“Scared?” He repeats his brows pulled together.
“Yes,” I hiss, feeling annoyed we are having this conversation in public.
His eyes bore into me. “Of me?” He softly asks.
“No, of who you could be...” I sigh in frustration and run my hand through my hair. “I never wanted a male boss’ – “Most men are creepy to you,” Tristan interrupts.
I stare back at him with wide eyed worry. “You really do listen,” I whisper, glancing at the couple sitting near us.
“Yes I do, and I’m sorry for interrupting you. I won’t again, please continue.” God damn it! It’s so hard to be mad at him when he’s so bloody polite like that!
“Basically that’s why I like where I work, Joyce is – sorry was my boss. Everything was comfortable, controlled.” I take another sip of coffee.
“And then I come along,” he says smiling boyishly at me again.
“Yeah…” I roll my eyes and smile at him, then frown remembering how I felt only two short weeks ago. “I had to see you weren’t some creepy fat cat in a suit,” I tell him.
“What would you have done if I was?” He asks, drinking more coffee.
“Left,” I answer immediately.
“You wouldn’t have given it a go anyway?” He asks, surprised.
“Tristan I...” I run my hand through my hair then start blurting it all out. “It’s like…like I have a built in radar for creepy, slimy, bad men. I can tell them a mile away, almost as though I can smell the creepiness oozing out of them.” I take a deep breath, clear my throat and carry on drinking my coffee.
“Why?” I ignore that one. “And Mogul?” He asks jumping to the next question, but it’s not a better one!
I decide on the truth. “I was mad at you for putting the idea in Joyce’s head about selling. It was a nickname I made up for you. I hated you before I’d even met you, hated you for taking Joyce away, of making my controlled, comfortable life turn on it’s head.” I bob my tongue out at him then smile.
Tristan’s eyes widen and darken as he stares back at me, then he swallows hard and takes my hand in his. “Coral, I didn’t put the idea in her head, Joyce asked me?” he tells me, his cheeks flaming too.
“What?” I whisper, I feel all the blood drain out of my face. I don't believe this! Why is everyone lying to me? Tristan entwines our fingertips and softly squeezes, making me feel calmer, then continues.
“Joyce asked me if I knew about anyone wanting to buy at the moment, I asked her why, she told me about her plans’ – “What, what do you mean, her plans?” I interrupt.
“Here’s your ham and cheese toasty love.” The lady places Tristan’s food in front of him.
“Thank you,” he glances up at her then his eyes flash back to me. “Coral,” he whispers, I think he thinks I’m about to have a full scale meltdown.
“She lied to me,” I hiss.
“How?” he asks with wide eyes.
“She told me that you’d heard about John and made her an offer, but you didn’t?” I squeak.
“No, I didn’t,” he answers firmly – I absolutely believe him.
“What the fuck is going on? Why would Joyce lie to me?” I say, feeling incensed.
“I don't know baby.” His thumb starts making small circular movements across my knuckles, trying to calm me, ease me.
“Everyone’s lying to me,” I hiss, fighting back the tears.
He leans forward, softly kisses my cheek then whispers in my ear. “I’m not.” I gasp and choke back my tears, gripping his hand more firmly.
“I know,” I whisper back, then lean forward and stroke his cheek. “That’s how I know I can depend on you, rely on you. I know you value honesty.” I croak.
“Yes, I do baby,” he says.
For once in my life, I actually feel like letting something go, instead of it pissing me off all day. Tristan will be gone tomorrow, we have so little time, and I don’t want to spend today feeling pissed. I want to enjoy Tristan for as long as I can, I want to make the most of the time we have together.
“Fuck it,” I hiss. “I’m not letting anything spoil this day, what’s done is done, right?”
Tristan looks amazed. “Yeah…can’t change the past baby.”
“Or people lying either,” I add.
“Nope, can’t change that.” He adds. I feel satisfied I can handle it. I mean, it seems everyone bar Tristan is keeping something from me nowadays. I take a deep breath and another sip of coffee feeling satisfied that I have my emotions in check.
“Eat your Toasty babes, it’ll go cold.” Tristan smiles and leans in for a kiss, I peck his lips then get up and order two more coffees.
HASTINGS IS BEAUTIFUL. We have walked through the Old Town, strolled down George Street, the High Street and All Saints, which are full to the brim of historical things to see and do; and all the quirky tiny passage ways to walk around are just delightful. There is history everywhere you turn, old houses with the history of the smugglers, the Museum and the Smugglers Cave’s.
It has great cafés and restaurants and the pubs look really oldy-worldy too, I want to come back in the winter. Tristan agreed it’s a must, and that we should stay at the oldest place we can find, a weekend here would be so much fun.
And to make our day even more magical we’ve bought two really lovely boat paintings for the house by a local artist, the way he captured the light is what made us both gravitate towards his work, and we both agreed they would look lovely in the bedroom.
“Have you ever had a photo-shoot done, professionally?” Tristan asks me as we stroll hand in hand through the streets.
“No,” I chuckle. “Why would I want to do that?” I balk.
“Because one day when you’re wrinkly, you might want to look back on how utterly breathtaking you really are.” He says his eyes warm and sincere.
I shake my head at him. “I think you’re biased!”
“Really?” He counteracts, his head cocked to the side.
“Yes.” I scoff.
“Look behind you.” I turn around and see the reason for his question. I am stood looking at the shop front of a photography studio.
I turn back around and shake my head at him. “No, no way!” I’m too late. Tristan picks me up by the waist, takes the couple of steps needed to reach the door, swings it open, steps inside and puts me down. “I won’t do it,” I pout, crossing my arms.
He completely ignores me and turns to the man behind the counter, who looks a little shocked at us bursting into his store. “Good afternoon, any chance of a couple of photos to take away?” Tristan asks in his persuasive way.
“Yes, of course.” The man ushers us into a back room. It has white walls and a white floor. He places a stool in the centre of the room, and starts to set up his camera. Tristan starts dragging me towards the stool.
“Tristan,” I moan.
“Don't argue it’s happening,” he growls.
“Only if you’re with me,” I say and pull him along with me.
“Ok, all ready?” The camera man asks.
Tristan sits on the stool and pulls me down so I’m sitting on his left leg, at an angle. “Th
is was supposed to be just you,” he scolds mulishly.
I place my arm around his neck and shake my head at him. “Believe me, these photos will look so much better with you in them.” He frowns at me and shakes his head.
For some reason, our earlier conversation starts running through my head. I decide to be truthful with him, shock him, so I lean down so I’m right next to his ear.
“Oh and by the way,” I whisper. “When I Googled you. I hadn’t even met you, yet I spent ages staring at all your pictures, I thought you were the most handsome man I had ever seen.” I hear his breath catch. I sit back up and stare down at him; it’s definitely had the desired effect.
His cheeks have flushed, his lips are parted and his eyes are wide, deepening, growing darker as the seconds tick by - Ha it worked!
“Eyes to the camera please, say cheese.” I turn and smile at the camera, the flash blinding me then turn to see Tristan still staring up at me, he’s totally speechless. Ha! That means I’ll have that photo, and I’ll always remember what I said to him, right then, the look on his face is priceless.
Finally he speaks. “Oh you did, did you?” he whispers all seductively.
I gaze down at him, feeling brave. “Yes, I did.” He places his hand on my cheek and pulls my head down so his lips are at my ear.
“I knew I was right, you even loved me back then,” he whispers.
My mouth gapes open, I guess it’s my turn to look shocked. The photographer keeps snapping away, as Tristan smiles up at me with that sexy grin of his, I can't help but smile back.
Suddenly the atmosphere between us changes, charges; filling the room with an invisible force of electricity. Tristan is looking up at me in that hypnotic way of his, my breathing alters as my heart begins to pound against my chest. Whoa!
Tristan takes my hand and places it against his heart; it’s beating just as fast as mine. I can feel the pull from him, his eyes darkening pulling me into his hypnotic gaze, I'm aware that there’s still a flash going off, but I don't take any notice of it.
“See the effect you have on me,” he whispers, his eyes dark and dilated.
I nod once. “It’s the same effect you have on me.”
CORAL - Fallen (A Romance Trilogy, Book 2) Page 13
