Redemption (Book 3) The Fixer Series

by Alyson Raynes

  I picked up my cell and hit re-dial on my phone. She answered on the first ring.

  “Hello?” she answered in her sweet, soft voice.

  “Hey, I saw that you called,” I said, trying not to sound too eager.

  “Yeah. I was calling to see if you wanted to hang out or do something tonight,” she said.

  “Can you hang on for just a sec?” I asked.

  “Sure,” she replied.

  I set the phone down on my bed to make it appear that I was checking my calendar. I was trying really hard not to come across as a complete douche bag, but that was exactly how I was feeling. I picked the phone back up.

  “You still there A.J.?” I asked.

  “Yep. I’m still here,” she said.

  “Good. It looks like I don’t have any plans this evening, so sure, it’d be great to hangout,” I said, fist- pumping the air.

  “Cool. What do you want to do?” she asked.

  “Why don’t we grab dinner and then we’ll figure it out from there. I’ll pick you up at six, okay?”

  “Six sounds great! I’ll text you my address. See you then,” she said and hung up.

  I sat and thought about what we could do after dinner and then it hit me. I just had to make sure that everything would be perfect and I knew just who I needed to call for help- Dylan, Brody and Christina.

  I spent the day finalizing the plans for my date with A.J. and everything was set and ready to go. Dylan, Brody and Christina had been more than willing to help execute my plan and Christina had even shared with me that it was one of the things A.J. had always dreamed of doing, but was too afraid to try. Perfect!

  I showered and dressed in a nice pair of black slacks, and a blue long-sleeved button up shirt and ran some gel through my hair. I packed a small bag with jeans, a t-shirt and socks. I put on my coat and headed down the stairs to my truck. Once again it was freezing ass cold, but it was winter in Colorado and it was nothing in comparison to the winters we had in Moscow. I let the truck warm up and programmed A.J.’s address into my GPS system.

  It took me thirty minutes to get to A.J.’s place and when she opened the door, I nearly devoured her on the spot. She looked downright adorable, standing there in a little black skirt, tights, boots and a black and red sweater. I leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips and then helped her put on her little, black pea coat. She grabbed her purse and the small bag that Christina had told her to pack with jeans, a t-shirt and socks. She had no idea where we were going after dinner. I opened the door and stood behind her as she locked the dead bolt.

  We arrived at dinner just in time for our reservation. I had decided to take her to a small restaurant just outside of Boulder that was known for its shrimp bowl. It was decorated and crafted in fine mahogany wood that lent a romantic feel to the dining area.

  As we approached the table, I took A.J.’s coat and pulled her chair out for her to sit. I hung our coats on the nearby coat hooks and took a seat across from her. Our waitress came by and lit the one, lonely candle that sat in the center of our table and then took our drink order. We both ordered a glass of white wine. Next came the shrimp bowl and then we placed our food order. I ordered the grilled salmon and A.J. ordered a steak.

  We sat talking and eating shrimp as we waited for our main course to arrive.

  “So, where are we going after this,” A.J. asked.

  “It’s a surprise. You wouldn’t want me to ruin it for you, would you?” I said, smiling at her.

  “No, I guess not but I thought maybe I could get it out of you,” she pouted, twirled her brown locks.

  “You don’t think I’m that easy now, do you?” I asked.

  She giggled, “Well… I was hoping, but I can see that you that you’re going to play hard to get,” she said taking another bite of her shrimp.

  “You never know. If you play your cards right, you might convince me to be easy,” I said, cocking my head and smiling.

  The waitress came once again and placed our food on the table.

  “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I purchased my dress for Friday night,” she noted, as she cut into her steak.

  “What color is it?” I asked.

  “Royal Blue.”

  “Perfect,” I said, taking a bite of my salmon. “I’ll make sure I match.”

  “What time should I be ready on Friday?” she asked taking another bite of her steak.

  “The charity ball starts at seven, so how about I pick you up around five? I have another surprise for you that I think you’ll really like,” I said, winking.

  “You’re just full of surprises aren’t you Tristan?”

  I felt my cheeks flush. “Sometimes, I can be,” I responded. “Especially if I like the company I’m with. Actually A.J., I have a confession to make. I hope it doesn’t scare you away,” I said, hoping that what I was about to tell her wouldn’t make things awkward between us.

  “What’s that, Tristan?” she asked.

  “I know we’ve only just met and I’m not really into the mushy gushy shit, but I can’t help feeling a strong attraction to you. It isn’t just your beauty that I’m attracted to, but your kindness, your intelligence, and your heart. You’re the total package A.J. and I’d like the opportunity to get to know you better. I know that you’re leaving soon, but I was thinking that maybe we could try seeing each other on a regular basis. We could take turns flying out to see each other on the weekends. What do you think?” I asked.

  She sat across from me looking stunned before she replied.

  “It was the kiss, wasn’t it?” she said softly.

  “Yes,” I smiled, taking her hand in mine. “It was the kiss. I’ve never had those feelings before and it felt great. I knew that I was giving you my heart the moment my lips touched yours.”

  “I felt it too Tristan. I didn’t want to because I am leaving, but I felt it in my heart too, and it felt right. You’re all I’ve thought about for the past three days and when you didn’t call, I thought that maybe I had imagined it. I knew that one of us had to make the first move, so I broke down and called you,” she said, taking a sip of her wine.

  “So, does this mean you wanna give it a try?” I asked nervously.

  “Yes. I wanna try with you,” she said as she placed my hand over her heart.

  I leaned across the table and kissed her lips lightly. “Are you about ready to go so you can see your surprise,” I asked.

  “I’m ready whenever you are,” she said, flashing her beautiful smile.

  I paid the tab, got our coats and drove to our surprise destination. We weren’t far from school and after tonight, I hoped that A.J. would be sleeping over at my place in bed with me. This time, I wouldn’t have resist touching her and I was hard just thinking about it.

  I grabbed our bags out of the back and took A.J.’s hand and guided her into the ice arena.

  “What are we doing here?” she asked.

  “It’s a surprise, remember?” I said, taking her hand and leading her to the locker room. “You need to change into the clothes you packed and then you’ll want to put your coat back on, because it’s really cold out on the ice.”

  “Holy shit! We’re going ice skating,” she squealed.

  “Yep, and your skates are right over there,” I said, pointing to the bench across from where we were standing.

  “How did you know?” she asked. “I mean, how do you even know what size skates I wear?”

  “I had a little help from some friends,” I told her, pulling her close to me and kissing her forehead. Then I turned her around and smacked her on the ass. “Now go get ready, we have some skating to do.”

  “Um…Tristan?”

  “Yes A.J.”, I said seriously.

  “I don’t know how to skate. I’ve always wanted to, but I’ve always been too afraid,” she said with her head hung low.

  “Hey,” I said, moving my fingers down her cheek. “It’s okay. I’ll be with you every step of the way, guiding you and protectin
g you from any harm. There’s nothing to be afraid of, now go get ready.”

  I helped A.J. finish lacing up her skates, ensuring that they fit properly and slowly guided her to the ice rink.

  As we entered, the lights turned on. The lights had been changed to blue and illuminated off the floor beautifully. The Way You Look Tonight by Tony Bennett came through the speakers as little flakes of snow fell around us.

  I pulled her gently out onto the ice and held her close to ensure that she wouldn’t fall as we slow danced to our song. She really did look beautiful and I kissed her gently and deeply as we swayed gently to the soft melody of the song.

  As the song came to an end, we continued skating around the rink with me holding A.J., guiding her every step of the way. She laughed each time she would lose her balance, but she remained carefree, had fun and I couldn’t help but think I was falling in love with her, already.

  When we exited the ice there was a bouquet of a dozen red roses waiting for her. She turned to me, bringing my mouth to hers for another deep kiss. Then she took her cold hands and shoved them up under my coat and started laughing.

  I smacked her on the ass again and she stumbled as I caught her. I turned and held my thumb up to let Brody know that everything went as planned and to thank him for ensuring that everything was just perfect.

  We grabbed our things and headed out.

  “It’s getting late. Do you want me to take you home or do you want to stay at my place?” I asked, turning the corner towards my apartment. “You can have my bed and I’ll sleep on the couch,” I offered.

  She giggled. “Let’s stay at your place. I am a little tired and your bed is really soft and warm. I appreciate you taking the couch, it’ll leave more room in the bed for me to sprawl out on,” she said as she rubbed my thigh.

  “If you want me to sleep on the couch, you should probably stop rubbing me. I can’t be held accountable for what I might do if you continue doing that,” I warned, imagining what it was going to be like touching her for the first time.

  We pulled up to my place and quickly ran up the stairs. I opened the door and it was quiet, so I assumed that Dylan and Christina were still out. It didn’t matter much anyway, since I’d had to listen to them for the past two years. I wanted some alone time with A.J. without the twenty questions I’d face the next morning.

  I shut the door behind us and took our coats, tossing them on the couch. I gently took A.J.’s hand and led her to my room. I shut and locked the door and went to town unwrapping her like a Christmas present because that’s exactly what she was, my Christmas present. An angel sent to heal my heart from all the pain I had felt over the last few years.

  As she lay sprawled out on my bed, I couldn’t help but admire her beauty. I wanted to savor every part of her body and I did. The need to fuck no longer entered my mind, but rather I wanted to make love for the first time. She was beautiful and I loved her slowly, thoroughly and she completely had my heart and I had hers.

  “I love you Tristan,” she said.

  “I love you too, baby,” I said, kissing her soft breasts and it was the first time I had ever said those words to a girl and actually meant them.

  We fell asleep in each other’s arms, our bodies close together. I didn’t want to let go and even though we were exclusive, I knew I’d be saying good-bye to her all too soon.

  Friday came and the time was nearing when I would pick A.J. up and take her to the charity ball as my date. Dylan and I rode together to pick up our tuxes and grabbed a quick bite to eat. I needed to get moving if I was going to pick my girl up on time.

  We returned home and I quickly showered, dried myself and put on my tux. I spent a little extra time putting gel in my hair and spiking the top more than I usually would. I looked pretty damn good even if I do say so myself.

  The limo was ready and waiting for me downstairs. The driver held the door open for me as I got in and I pulled out a glass, poured some whiskey and sipped it on the way to A.J.’s. I sent her a quick text to let her know that we were headed in her direction.

  Me: Be there soon, baby. Looking forward to seeing your beautiful face.

  A.J.: I’m ready whenever you are. I can’t wait to see you all dressed up.

  We pulled in just a little after 5 p.m. I got out of the car and walked to her door. There she stood, waiting for me. She was dressed in a royal blue, ball gown that accentuated her curves and matched her eyes. She was stunning. Her hair was pulled up and small curls draped down her neck. My breath hitched and I wanted to skip the damn ball and take her to bed. It seemed that was now our favorite past-time event. I loved spending all day and night in bed with her. I was truly pussy-whipped.

  I helped her with her faux fur coat and guided her to the limo. The driver held the door open for us as we entered and I gave him the directions to our destination.

  “It’s gonna be a little chilly where we’re going next, but I promise it will be worth it,” I said, holding her hand.

  “I’m not worried, Tristan, I know you’ll keep me warm,” she smiled at me.

  “You look beautiful tonight, A.J,” I stated, kissing the back of her hand.

  “You look beautiful too,” she said placing a kiss on my lips.

  I laughed. “Is it even possible for me to look beautiful A.J.? I’m a guy for crying out loud.”

  “Yes, you are,” she said in a sexy tone. “And yes, you are beautiful Tristan, both inside and out.”

  The car came to a stop, indicating that we had reached our destination. As we stepped outside, there was a white, horse drawn carriage waiting for us. The air was cold with snow gently falling all around us and there was enough clearing in the black sky where you could still see the stars. It was a beautiful night, one that I hoped she would never forget.

  I helped my girl into the carriage and covered her with a wool blanket and then climbed in next to her. I pulled her close, cuddling her as the carriage began to move taking us to the ball at the Prescott Mansion. We didn’t say a word, but we took in the scenes around us and held each other as tightly as we could.

  Everyone was awaiting our arrival at the mansion. As the carriage pulled up, Dylan and Christina came to greet us.

  “Wow! You look beautiful A.J.,” Christina said.

  “So do you Christina,” A.J. said, giving her friend a hug.

  “You two look really happy,” Christina said, pointing at us.

  I smiled, nodding my head yes. “We are very happy.”

  “You guys want to go inside? It’s freezing out here,” I said pointing inside the mansion.

  Dylan laughed, “Dude, for somebody who comes from one of the coldest places on Earth, you sure bitch about the cold an awful lot.”

  “Fuck off,” I said. “Maybe I secretly hate the cold and should re-think where my next move should be,” I said, smacking Dylan on the back.

  “Point well made my friend,” he agreed.

  Mrs. Prescott was in the dining room waiting for us and was overjoyed to see me with a girl. She took my hand and pulled me aside.

  “You really like this one, don’t you Tristan?” she asked.

  “Yes ma’am, I do,” I replied.

  “I can tell. There’s something different in the way that you are around her. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you’re in love with her. And judging by the way she’s looking at you, I’d say she’s in love with you, too.”

  “You know me all too well, Mrs. Prescott. I do love her, but she’s moving to New York in less than a week and I don’t know how long our relationship will last once she moves. We’ve agreed to fly back and forth and the weekends, but it’s hard to be away from someone for long periods of time,” I said, feeling a little sad.

  “Oh Tristan, if you truly love her and she truly loves you, you’ll both find a way to make it work. And from what I can see, I know you both love each other. Do whatever you have to, to make it work. Relationships are hard whether you’re in the same state or not. I’ll do wh
atever I can to help,” she said, giving me a hug.

  “Thank you ma’am, I appreciate that.”

  “Oh and Tristan…stop calling me ma’am. It makes me feel old as dirt. Call me Momma Prescott or something like that. We’ve known each other far too long to be this damn formal,” she said as she grabbed a drink off a tray as the waiter walked by.

  I laughed, “Okay…Momma Prescott it is.”

  “That’s better, now go back to your girl before she thinks I’m trying to steal you,” she laughed.

  I walked over to where I had left A.J. but couldn’t find her. I asked Christina if she had seen where she’d went and she pointed me in the right direction.

  She was on her phone. I could see the panic and the sadness in her eyes as she hung up.

  “What is it?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”

  Tears fell down her face. “No. That was the agency. Alyson Raynes needs me in New York on Sunday.”

  “Well, that’s no surprise baby. You already knew that,” I said, as I wiped her tears.

  “No Tristan. You don’t understand. Not next Sunday, this Sunday,” she said, using her fingers to wipe her under her eyes.

  “Oh. Well, I guess you have to go sooner than you planned then,” I said trying to figure out what to say next.

  “I don’t want to leave you Tristan but I can’t miss out on this opportunity either,” she said as tears started flowing down her cheeks once again.

  “Listen, A.J., I have an idea. But let’s get through tonight first and then I’ll tell you my plan. I think you’ll like it and it’ll work great for both of us,” I said kissing her cheek as I wiped her tears. “Now, let me see you smile.” She did and she was beautiful even though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. At that moment I would take whatever I could get.

  “Flight 287, Denver to New York will be boarding in fifteen minutes. Please make sure you have your boarding pass with you as you board the plane,” the airline stewardess called out over the intercom. We sat waiting to board the plane that would take us to New York. A.J. had insisted on stopping in the little bookstore on the concourse to ensure she had enough reading material for our flight. I laughed when she purchased three books, thinking that she would read them all on this one flight. She was adamant about these three books in particular because Christina had apparently read and loved them. The first book we had to locate was Deception by Alyson Raynes and Clarity by Michelle Escamilla. They all told a story about some ‘super hot’ guy, she explained.