Distraction

by McPherson, Angela

  Like me, he'd only made one shot. When Alyssa's turn arrived, I knew from the way she held her stick she wouldn't make anything. Going against my better judgment, I decided to help her out.

  "Amazon, don't hold the stick that way or you'll..." She didn't give me the chance to correct her and scratched, as I figured she would.

  "Oopsie," she said, in a fake-ass innocent tone, then sat on the bar stool next to me. I glared, holding back a slew of interesting and creative insults.

  "Give her a break, Tristan." Elle chalked the end of her stick, eyeing the table. When she bent over, her dress rose, exposing more of her thigh. Out of nowhere, I felt a smack against my arm and snapped my head up. Alyssa shook her head when I gave her a “what the fuck was that for" look.

  "Tristan, you're up," Alyssa said, pointing to the table.

  "Do. Not. Hit. Me. Again."

  "Then behave," she retorted.

  I walked around the table, my jaw clenching as my grip tightened around the pool stick.

  "Two ball, side pocket," I called, and made my shot.

  "Lucky shot," Elle teased, leaning against the table with her arms crossed, showing more cleavage again.

  "Luck has nothing to do with it when you're as good as me."

  Elle rolled her eyes and Alyssa made gagging noises behind me.

  "Six ball, corner pocket." Again, I made another one in. “See?" I lined up for another.

  When I missed my bank shot, Elle walked in front of me, her floral scent driving me crazy. Alyssa missed, of course, and Green did too.

  "Ten ball, side pocket." Elle hovered over the table. I froze, watching her until the end of her stick rammed into the center of my stomach.

  "Ugh," I protested.

  "Tristan! Ohmygod. Are you okay? I thought you moved out of the way." Elle hurried toward me, helping me to the bar stool, beside a gloating Alyssa.

  "He's always in the way," Alyssa replied.

  "Alyssa, be nice." Elle turned back to me, her face scrunched like she'd sucked on a lemon. She looked so adorable when she was worried. "Seriously, are you all right?"

  "Can't hurt steel." I gave a short laugh-cough combo, holding my stomach tight. "Finish your shot." I straightened my spine and nodded toward the table.

  "Okay, fine, macho man."

  Bret hobbled over to the table. I forgot he'd left to grab another round. "Dude, I thought you were gonna hurl for a minute." He laughed, handing me a beer. I grabbed the cold bottle, taking a long drink before setting it on the table.

  "Yeah, well, she can hit pretty hard." I pressed my hand over the center of my stomach where Elle's stick rammed into it.

  "I'd remember that if I were you," Alyssa said with a crazy smile.

  I looked in Elle's direction, then wished I hadn't as Green pulled her to him and kissed her. The embrace lasted only a few seconds, but long enough to bring color to her cheeks when she backed away. I looked in a different direction and downed my full beer. The score had evened: Me one, Green one.

  Pissed, I ended up missing my next shot.

  When Elle's turn came up, she chalked the end of her stick before leaning over to get a better look. "Six ball, side pocket," she announced. As soon as the ball fell in the pocket, she blew invisible dust off the end of her stick. I swear to God I had an instant hard on.

  "That was sexy," Eric said, pulling her to him. Again.

  "What? Making my shot or blowing the end of my stick?" She choked, realizing what she'd said, and crimson rose from her face to her ears.

  "Both," Eric admitted with a throaty laugh that sent me into a near blackout rage of anger.

  Time to turn this shit up to see just how flustered I could get her.

  Elle walked over to the opposite side of the table, bending over to get a clear angle for her shot. I slipped behind her, and whispered in her ear, "Don't choke, Spud. Keep your mind clear." She sucked in her breath.

  “You need to move a little to your left." I grabbed her hips and inched her over. Her legs wobbled, and I held onto her tighter. “Perfect." I pulled away from her.

  "You're such a cheat. Move out of the way."

  "What? I'm just standing here. Am I a distraction?" I stepped back, crossed my arms over my chest, and grinned when shock colored her face.

  She snapped out of her stupor, gave me a flirty smile back, and raised a brow. Without looking at her target, Elle took her shot and nailed it. "Nope," she said stubbornly.

  The rest of the game played out the same. Every time Elle bent over, I couldn't stop myself from watching. I didn't even care that Alyssa had made only one of her shots.

  Green had the last shot, and Elle gave him a good luck kiss. He made it and won them the game. Asshole.

  "Bathroom break for the girls." Alyssa took Elle's arm, swiftly moving them away from the pool table.

  "Good game, man," I said when Eric sat across from me, taking over Alyssa's seat.

  "Thanks. You, too."

  Bret jumped in. "Daniels, don't get too comfy on the field. My ankle's almost good as new."

  I wanted to point out that I was better, but didn't.

  "Don't be scared," I joked, then took a sip of my beer and realized I'd finished it. "Hey, I'm gonna grab another beer. Y'all need one?"

  "As long as you're buying," Bret said, but Eric shook his head.

  "All right. I'll be back."

  In line, I stood behind some jerk-off who thought flirting with the bartender would get him a free drink. I would've intervened, but a bouncer moved him along instead.

  "Two longnecks," I ordered, fishing my wallet out of my pocket.

  "Your money isn't any good here, sugar." The bartender winked. When she handed me my beer, she gave me a napkin with her number on it. Yup, still got it.

  “Thanks." I tossed my cash into her tip jar.

  I turned back to the table. The line of people walking slowly in front of me made it hard to push through. I walked then stopped so many times I'd spilled half a beer on my shirt.

  I caught sight of Elle and Alyssa heading back and shifted around the slow-moving group in front of me. I moved close enough to hear them talking and figured I'd ask Elle to dance when I heard Alyssa asking Elle a question.

  "So, you gonna get hot and sweaty with Eric?"

  What the fuck kind of question was that? Instead of saying anything, I slowed my pace to hear Elle's answer.

  "We came really close, until my stomach decided to ruin the moment."

  I came to a standstill, allowing the person behind me to bump into my back.

  "Hey watch your fucking step, man," I said, spinning around, ready to pounce. The girl behind me looked ready to piss her pants. “Awe, shit. Sorry."

  She gave a nervous laugh. When I circled back around, Elle and Alyssa were gone. I moved along with the crowd, not in any hurry to be around Elle and her fucking date.

  "It's about time. Did you get lost?" Bret shook his head.

  I wasn't in the mood for his jokes. Alyssa's question replayed in my head, along with Elle's answer. If she hadn't drank so much she and Green would've gone–nope, not gonna go there.

  "Here, and next time get your own beer." I slammed the bottle down. Glass clinked against the table, sloshing beer on the surface.

  "Tristan, are you all right?"

  I looked at Elle. Her brows furrowed. "I'm awesome."

  Elle

  Eric and I danced on and off throughout the night. I tried to ignore Tristan's heated glares. He was obviously upset, I just didn't understand why. After the last song Eric and I finished dancing to, I walked back to Tristan and smiled. He glared back.

  Alright, enough of this shit.

  "You're acting like an ass." I had to lean in close to him so he could hear me.

  "Yeah, well, you're acting like a..." He didn't finish.

  I folded my arms across my chest as heat rushed to my cheeks. Asshole.

  "Care to elaborate?" I sat back in my chair.

  It was just the two of us sitt
ing at the table. Tristan said something, his face hard, but I couldn't make out his words from the loud music playing.

  "Whatever," I said, raising my voice. I pushed my chair out, ready to find Eric so he could take me home when he grabbed my arm.

  "Let me go." I jerked away, my sleeve tearing with the effort.

  Tristan removed his hand, shock mingling with his anger.

  "Outside, now!" I couldn't figure out what his problem was, but he'd gone too far. This dress was my favorite, expensive, and now ruined.

  The cool air hit my face as soon as the doors opened to outside. I walked farther away, and then spun around to face Tristan.

  "What is your problem?" My fists were balled so tightly the ends of my fingernails pierced my skin.

  Tristan's face turned red as his eyes darkened.

  "That guy is wrong for you. I figured you wouldn't be stupid enough to fall for his bullshit. Apparently not." We both stood in the parking lot glaring at one another.

  "Who I date is none of your damned business." I didn't care if anyone heard me shouting back at him.

  "That guy just wants to get in your pants, and you're going along with it." Tristan's body shook with every word he spoke, his voice becoming slow and even–a sure sign he was good and pissed.

  "Who I sleep with is so not your concern. And maybe I know what he wants and don't care. Did you think of that, Tristan?" I didn't mean what I'd said, but he gave up the right to be concerned when he continually chose to be with other women.

  "I'm heading out. I'll call you tomorrow." Eric's calm voice startled me.

  If he was leaving, so was I. No way in hell would I be staying with Tristan. “I’m coming with you."

  Eric walked over and pulled me to his chest, whispering in my ear, "He's your best friend and he's hurting. Yeah, he’s acting like a class-A jerk, but don't let him get to you. You work this out."

  Eric moved back, but kept his hands on my shoulders. "We can do this again, but not until you settle whatever this is between you two." I knew what he meant and wanted to correct him, but he kissed my forehead and then turned around, heading to his car, leaving me alone.

  "That was the first honest, decent thing outta baseball boy's mouth."

  I spun on my heels and shoved Tristan as hard as I could. "Right now, I hate you. Do you understand that? I. Hate. You." I stormed away, grabbing the door handle to his car, but finding it locked.

  Tristan didn't say a word. He simply unlocked the door and moved around to unlock his, slamming it once inside. I paused, taking a few calming breaths before climbing in.

  We drove in complete silence. No matter how much I hated fighting with him, I refused to apologize. I wasn’t the one being a jerk. The way he yelled at me crossed the line.

  I didn't notice where Tristan had taken us until he pulled into his driveway. Tristan shut off the engine, and jumped out, slamming the door.

  I stopped him. "What the hell are you doing? Take me home."

  He didn't answer. Instead, he walked into his house.

  "Tristan!" Oh, the nerve of him. Kellie did herself favor by leaving him.

  Shit. Regret for even thinking that cinched my heart. But the regret didn’t push away the anger. If he wanted a fight, I’d give him one. Shoving out of the car, I raced to the front door, ready and willing to start throwing shit. This time, I’d find something a lot heavier than Kellie’s panties to shove in his face.

  I followed the lights down the hall to his room. Pushing the door open, I didn't find him. Then I heard water sputter behind the bathroom door.

  Fine, I'd wait him out. I looked down at my ripped sleeve, remembering fury in Tristan's eyes when he tried to stop me from walking away. Ass. He owed me some clothes.

  I opened a dresser drawer, pulling out a folded T-shirt and a pair of boxers cluttered with tiny Tasmanian devils.

  I'd bought them for him some years back after he scored the winning touchdown against our rival high school team. I told him he resembled the cartoon character when he ran for the fifty-yard touchdown.

  I'd just finished slipping the shirt over my head when a cloud of steam poured from the bathroom door, carrying the familiar cool scent of Tristan's aftershave. When the steam settled, Tristan walked out wearing only a white towel around his waist. Holy shit.

  His tanned skin and sculpted abdomen glistened with water droplets. My eyes slowly moved up. His nearly black hair was a tousled mess from the shower. When my eyes finally traveled to his face, my own face burned. A crooked smile cornered on his lips.

  "Why didn't you get dressed before you came out of the bathroom?" I resisted the need to turn around or look at his perfect chest again.

  "Last time I checked this was my room. If you don't like what you see," he spread his muscular arms open wide, "you can turn around or leave."

  His hand moved to the white towel around his waist and all the feelings I'd suppressed, all the times I almost told him how I felt, boiled to the top. Like a volcano, I erupted.

  "You have no right to say that to me, Tristan Wade Daniels. All these years I've watched you date, hell, I was going to be part of your stupid wedding, which I might add, didn't work out for you." My remark hit low, but I was too pissed to care.

  "I've been there for you. Helped you without any questions asked, and for what?" My anger continued to build and the words released out in a rush.

  "Do you think it's been fun or easy for me to watch girls throw themselves at you while you took every bit they had to offer? I'm the person who walked you to the school nurse after you threw up your lunch in the second grade.

  "I'm the one who let you crawl into my window in the middle of the night when your dad made you feel like crap. I'm the one who has loved you because of who you are, and not because of your ability to score touchdowns or the social status of your last name."

  By the time tears made their way to the surface, it was too late to hold them in. Through my water-filled eyes, the blank expression on Tristan's face shattered the rest of me.

  I pivoted and ran for the door, seconds away from falling apart completely. When I reached the door, a strong hand shut it in front of me. My breathing turned into hard, fast pants. I felt like every piece of my heart had been destroyed.

  Tristan's fist slammed into the door in front of me. I jumped, pressing myself against his bare chest. I froze and so did he, heavy silence standing between us.

  In the strained stillness, I tried to shift away, but his fisted hand against the door moved to my shoulder, holding me in place. His raspy breath tickled my ear, sending an electric current racing through my system. His other hand found my shoulder and he slowly circled me toward him.

  His warm, honey eyes searched mine and then his hands moved from my shoulders, cupping the sides of my tear-streaked face.

  Chapter 21

  Tristan

  Surprised didn’t even begin to describe what raced through my head when Elle said the three words I craved to hear. I love you. Words tipped the end of my tongue but I couldn't speak. When she ran, I panicked. If she left, I’d probably lose her forever. Instinct took over, and I chased her. To lose her now… Hell, no.

  Frantically, I searched her face until I reached her wounded eyes, and my insides knotted with uncertainty. I claimed her lips with mine, fitting perfectly together. Her mouth opened, and the salty taste of her tears forced reality into the room. As much as I wanted the kiss to linger, I had to make her understand how much I wanted her, and only her. Reluctantly, I backed away.

  "I've loved you since we were kids. I wanted it to be me instead of that dick, Mark James, on your first date. I've wanted you so fucking bad, but I never told you how I felt because the thought of losing you, even as a friend, terrified me."

  Her green, shock-filled eyes pooled with tears again. I did the only thing I thought would make her believe me. My hand wrapped around the back of her head, fingers weaving through her hair. I inched her closer until I felt her soft lips against mine.r />
  The kiss started in a slow exploration. The moment my tongue met hers, her breath caught and her body shivered. My heart raced like a jackhammer when her fingers spread through my wet hair and the kiss deepened.

  Damn she felt good, and tasted even better. Her lips were soft, but eager for more. Her hair felt like smooth silk beneath my hand. I wrapped my other arm around her waist and pulled her tighter against me, only it wasn't enough. I wanted more.

  I thought this was it, the moment, until her body tensed. I carefully moved away, but not wanting to separate completely, I rested my forehead against hers. The only sound in my room came from us as we gasped for breath.

  "Elle," I whispered, and then pulled back to look into her eyes. I knew she wanted this. The way her body pressed against mine, her kiss was just as hungry. She couldn't deny this. But she lowered my hands from her face and backed away anyhow.

  "What's wrong?"

  Her bottom lip trembled. "Tristan, why now? Why is it when I'm finally with someone–someone I like–do you tell me how you feel?"

  For the first time in my life, I felt literal pain in my chest. I stepped forward, but she held her hand up to stop me.

  "No, please. I can't."

  She can't? What? "I love you. I always have. Maybe it took seeing you with someone else, and me in the middle of a fucked up engagement to tell you how I felt. But isn't it better to know than go on wondering like I have?" I clarified, "like we both have?"

  Elle released a shaky sigh. "But that's just the thing. You waited until I was happy to tell me. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, but I won’t be second to someone else. And there has always been someone else. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to see me." She pressed her hand against her chest, directly over her heart, crushing mine in the process.

  I closed the distance, but didn't touch her, even though everything in me wanted to kiss her again, remind her what she felt, too. Still, I didn't touch her.

  "I may have shitty timing, but I can’t take not being with you anymore. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"