DISCLAIMER: See the first chapter if you don't already know.
A/N: OH MY GOSH!!! You guys are so awesome! I can't believe I got so many reviews from you already. Thank you so much! Those just made me want to give you guys more -- and fast! So, here it is ... here is the more ...
Also, I decided to use a scene from "The Third Lorelai" - you know, the scene with Rory and Tristan talking about the kiss. I just thought that it couldn't have been done any better. So, giving credit where credit is due (ASP), I am moving forward. Okay, read on!
* * * * * *
A Kiss Is Still A Kiss
PART II: Okay ... So This Wasn't Really A Resolution
" Who were you just talking to," Lorelai inquired nosily.
Rory kept her deer-in-the-headlights look to as much of a minimum as possible while hanging up the phone and appeared unaffected.
" No one."
" Liar."
" Excuse me, I do not lie."
" A liar is someone who lies and you lied so you are therefore a liar."
" No a liar is someone who makes a habit of lying, and I have no such habit."
" Well nonetheless, you *lied*."
" No I didn't."
" Yes you did."
" *No*."
" *Yes*."
" I did not lie, I merely said I was talking to no one, and that is completely true because the person I was talking to counts as no one, so I did not lie."
" You did just now, because if the person you were talking to was really no one, you wouldn't have been blushing when you got off the phone."
At this, Rory was silent.
" HA! I was right! I'm right, and you're wrong! For once I'm right, and you're wrong! God, where are those damn paparazzi when you need them?"
Lorelai grinned good-humouredly at her daughter's sudden shyness and walked more into the room.
" Aw sweetie, come on, we're friends, and friends share, right? So who were you talking to -- I promise I won't tell anyone."
" Oh that does wonders for my confidence, really," Rory snarked, flouncing on her bed.
" Was it a boy?"
" Perhaps."
" Was it a cute boy?"
" You could say that."
" Oh do tell - now what kind of cute is he? Like Justin Timberlake cute, or Tobey Maguire cute, or Brad Pitt cute?"
Rory wore a pensive face briefly then made a decision.
" He's ... well - he could definitely be in a boy-band."
" Boy band, eh? Huh ... and does this boy-band-looking mystery boy have a name," Lorelai questioned, now quite intrigued.
" He was born with one, yes," the younger Gilmore answered with purposeful vagueness.
" Haha, smarty, nice try."
" It was Tristan," Rory finally surrendered, her gaze dropping almost simultaneously with her posture.
If Lorelai was intrigued before, she was beside herself with delight now.
" Tristan? You mean Evil Tristan? Spawn of Satan Tristan? Obnoxious and cocky, over-confident Tristan? The same Tristan who made your first months at Chilton utterly and positively miserable? Are you planning on stopping me anytime soon with an affirmative answer?"
" Yes, I mean that Tristan," Rory gave in, though she rather enjoyed watching her mom go on and on about things for long periods of time.
" Uh-ha - so what did you and this Tristan talk about, hm?"
" Stuff."
" Stuff?"
" Yes."
" Okay, let's narrow it down here, what kind of stuff?"
" You know, like, stuff - Chilton stuff, and friend stuff, and ... kissing stuff ..."
Rory trailed off, not wanting her mom to hear her last words. She failed miserably you'd assess, since her mom hears everything.
" Excuse me, kissing, did you say," she clarified through squinted eyes. Rory knew that look - it was her thinking look. When Lorelai started thinking, it didn't turn out too pretty.
" Yes I did say," Rory hesitated.
" Kissing - as in your lips were actually on his, and there was movement involved?"
" I guess so."
" Did he stick his tongue in your mouth? Did you stick your tongue in his mouth? Was there tongue? How much tongue was it? Did he stick it down there so far that he was scraping the inner walls of your stomach? Details, Rory!"
Far-be-it from Lorelai to beat around the bush.
" No Mom, there was no tongue! It was a short kiss - nice, but short. Geez you have an active imagination."
" So it was nice, huh?"
Rory nodded, biting her bottom lip but still not able to keep the grin from spreading over her face.
" W-well, when did this nice but short kiss happen," she asked eagerly.
" Friday at Madeline's Party."
(A/N: Just a minor thing really. See, this is the way I figure it. I don't know the exact time frame that "The Breakup, Part 2" happened as far as days are concerned, so let's just assume that Rory and Dean broke up on Thursday, and Madeline's Party was on Friday, leaving Saturday for the two of them to stew over their feelings, and Sunday for them to get together before school on Monday - yes? Excellent.)
" Wait, wasn't that the night you came home crying and wanting to wallow after a whole day of not wallowing?"
" Yes, that would be the night. It kind of just - happened."
" Well did you want it to happen?"
" I dunno ..."
" Cop out."
" It came out of nowhere, I didn't have time to think about what I wanted."
" Who kissed who?"
" He kissed me."
" But you kissed him back?"
" Yes."
Lorelai re-squinted her eyes and raised a brow, more for effect than for pensive purposes.
" I see. So he kissed you, and you kissed him back, and then you call him to ..."
There was a pause for Rory to fill in the blank.
" Talk about the kiss - oh crap! I have to go, I have to leave, he expected me, like, fifteen minutes ago, even though he has no reason to expect punctuality from me when he himself has his own time zone, and oh yeah, you don't mind if I take the jeep for a few hours, do you?"
Lorelai tried to make sense of her daughter in a torrent of minor primping and coat grabbing.
" W-leave, leave? Where are you going," she requested an explanation.
" To Tristan's house - I'll be back before dinner," Rory rationalized.
" B-b-but ..."
" Thanks Mom, I'll see you later!"
And with a wisking-away of the keys, Rory was out the door and gone.
" That girl needs to stop being so much like me."
* * * * * *
Winding around a very wind-y driveway, Rory crawled to a halt in front of the DuGrey mansion; well, it was just that -- a mansion. Large, immaculate, decorated with good taste (as far as the outside was concerned) -- yes, this was the world that she envisioned Tristan living in: a large world, very immaculate, and decorated with good taste. Of course, his family just oozed money, so he naturally was on the receiving end of such economic benefits as splurging and other excessive spending activities. No wonder he had the spoiled, rich, playboy routine down -- he lived it.
Dean was nothing like that; he had humble beginnings, and he had humble durings, and he would probably have humble endings as well -- the point being that he didn't need money or renown or a nice car to sweep her off her feet. Although, Dean didn't give her smoldering gazes that made her knees go weak, or kisses that made her rethink the meaning of the word 'kiss', and he certainly didn't imply sex into every conversation they had ... go figure.
Gathering up all her courage, she made the journey of required steps and rang the doorbell. Promptly, a short but poised elderly woman with what appeared to be some sort of doily on her head answered.
" H ..."
With one glance, the woman seemed to know who Rory was.
" Miss Rory Gilmore?"
" Yes," she concurred, a little uneasy.
" Good - my name is Gloria, Mr. Tristan is expecting you. Shall I show you to his room?"
Rory nodded while stepping in gratefully, and after the door had been shut behind her, the maid immediately walked in a quite brisk fashion across the foyer and up the grand staircase.
As Rory had originally thought, the outside of the mansion reflected its contents; just as immaculate, just as tastefully decorated, the walls covered with famous paintings, family portraits and other works of art. Out of the corner of her eye, Rory caught a flicker of blonde hair on the wall beside her, and she was drawn. Moving closer to the picture, she found out it was indeed Tristan; he was younger, but he still had his chiseled jaw and defiant glare. Yet one thing was amiss - his eyes; still the same striking cobalt-blue, but they betrayed the hard-ass image he toiled to uphold - he actually looked ... innocent.
" This way, Miss."
The voice of the maid stirred Rory from her reverie and she followed, making sure not to be distracted by anymore Tristan pictures.
" Here we are; just knock and I'm sure he'll be prompt in answering. Do let me know if you need anything, dear," Gloria offered generously.
" Of course," Rory agreed with a smile and was then left alone in front of Tristan's bedroom door.
The hallway became very stuffy all of a sudden; her palms went into instant clammy mode, and Rory almost banged her head against the wall to reclaim her bearings. Deciding against it, she rapped lightly on the wooden entrance and awaited a response.
When none came, she knocked again ... still nothing. Though she didn't feel right just entering somebody else's room without an invitation, the suspense of the moment was killing her. So, she just opened the door and peeked in.
There sat Tristan - clad in a wife-beater (or as my best friend so eloquently put, a 'manly white tank top') and jeans, lying on his bed with one arm behind his head, accentuating his bicep, and one across his stomach, holding what looked like a portable CD player. He was indeed listening to something; his eyes were closed, his head bopped to a certain rhythm, and his fingers tapped on the disc man as he mouthed the words to a song only he could hear through his earphones. He looked positively adorable, and Rory felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth.
As Rory stepped more into the space, Tristan discerned another presence in his room, his eyes flying open. Removing his earphones, his Rory-reflex kicked in and then came the smirk - not that it was unattractive, oh no, it was completely attractive; but she had begun to know it as the beginning of innuendo and sexual connotations of all colors, shapes and sizes. Surprisingly enough, she didn't mind so much now, taking into account the way he was dressed and how good he looked in what he was dressed in.
" Mary."
The ice having been broken, she rolled her eyes and came fully into the room.
" I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear me - and it was open so I just came in," she explained, not that she need to.
Tristan got up to put his CD player on his dresser across from his bed then walked over to in front of where Rory was standing, shoving both hands deep into his jean pockets. She looked up to find him looking down at her, his head kind of tilted to the side as if to be observing her like -- something to be observed; her eye contact with him brought a smile to his face, and she glanced down bashfully.
" There something wrong?"
She looked up at his inquiry and caught the tail end of his eyebrows drawn together and him slowly licking his lips.
*Stop that -- right now, just stop it. It must be stopped; there is no staring at Tristan's mouth, it just can't happen. No staring ...*
" Why would you think that?"
" Well, usually every time I come in contact with you, you're either prattling on about some topic of interest or you're telling me to leave you alone, or fall off the face of the earth, or crawl back into my hole. Now you're being all quiet, so I wondered ..."
" Can't I be quiet," she asked, trying to think of how he'd gotten such an accurate picture of her.
" Of course not."
" I can so be quiet."
" No you can't."
" Can."
" I believe you are being the opposite of quiet as we speak."
Rory's normally-wide eyes were lessened to slits for a brief moment, and Tristan thought he had succeeded in angering her. But the feeling left when Rory noticed the amusement in his eyes.
" You're just trying to get a rise out of me -- and I won't be bothered," she told him, a look of triumph portrayed with her chin jutting out in noncompliance.
He chuckled lightly, knowing he'd been found out.
" Oh I'm sure you wouldn't dream of it."
" How do you know what I dream about?"
" I don't see how you could dream about anything else, what with your thoughts so consumed with ravishing my naked body."
She mentally kicked herself again, knowing she'd thrown that one right down the center.
" You wish."
" On a star every night. So, shall I give you the tour?"
" Isn't it all the same? Same furniture, same artwork, same statement of, 'Oh no, you could never have this, thanks for trying'; would I really be missing out on that much, I don't think so," she droned, her shoulders slumping.
" We have a library bigger than Chilton's in the solarium."
" Lead the way."
Grinning at how easy it was to bait this girl into doing things by simply knowing her weaknesses, he walked out the door she opened, a curious Rory in tow.
LATER .........
" How many books are in here?"
Tristan looked over his broad shoulder at her query and shrugged.
" I've never counted actually - I have a life."
Rory shot daggers out of her eyes at his snide remark but knew he meant in jest.
" Oh yes, how could I have forgotten? Entertaining your string of women must no doubt be tiring. I don't know how you can still stand after it all," she quipped.
" It's hard really, but I manage. Besides, no one could be more exhausting than you are, and I haven't even had my way with you yet," he returned, drawing from his endless supply of one-track mind comments.
" And you never will - not while I'm still alive and breathing, at least."
" The night is young."
" It's the middle of the afternoon."
" Minor technicality - so we're supposed to talk?"
She ducked her head shyly.
" Yeah. Look about the other night...."
" Look, I was upset over Summer," he interrupted.
" Yes and I was upset over Dean," she agreed.
" So, then it doesn't mean anything -- right?"
" Right."
" So then - right, so then that's it. We chalk it up to a bad night," Tristan rationalized, though his mind was screaming the opposite.
" Okay....I'm sorry I cried."
He looked off in the distance momentarily, not wanting to remember.
" No problem."
" I swear it had nothing to do with the kiss," she tried to convince him.
Laughing a light, somewhat-bitter laugh, he licked his lips again and looked at his shoes.
" I kiss you, you cried - that had to have something to do with the kiss."
" No! I cried because I was confused -- because I hadn't cried. I didn't cry because of the kiss. It was a nice kiss."
Tristan's mouth almost dropped open at her admittance.
" Yeah," he clarified.
" Very nice - not at all crying material," she said with the utmost sincerity.
" Really?"
" Absolutely."
He moved a few steps closer, his hands shoved down in his pockets and that insufferable sexy grin on his handsome face. Rory found that being in close proximity with Tristan was a bad idea - completely detrimental to the health and all, y'know?
" Wanna try it again?"
She almost choked on her breath after his direct questioning and quite obviously faltered in her quick response reflex.
" Um - I don't think that would be a good idea."
His grin increased in its sexiness and he got closer still.
" And why is that," he asked, loving to see her squirm.
" Because ... I mean we already established that our first kiss was a mistake, so why would we try it again - right," she inquired of him more than herself - she already knew she wanted to do it.
" I don't remember saying it was a mistake, Rory."
The way he said her name sent visible chills down her spine, only increased by the way his fingertips felt their way across her cheek, brushing away an errant strand of hair and hooking it behind her reddening ear.
Yes, he was definitely leaning in - leaning ... leaning some more ... and a little more ...
When his lips touched hers, she felt like she was going to faint; there shouldn't be so much electricity in one kiss, it's just too dangerous. Cautiously, Tristan brought his other hand out of his pocket and cradled Rory's neck so as to get the best angle to deepen the kiss; he nipped at her lip then swept his tongue across her mouth, physically asking for entrance, and no one was more surprised than him when she gave it to him.
Her stomach tightened, and she let out a willing yet fully innocent sigh, placing her hands around his slender yet muscled waist. She was certain that his kissing technique was just that - a refined skill, something he'd perfected over time and used on an endless amount of girls. But she didn't care; he was kissing her right now, and it was positively amazing.
Desperate for air, they broke apart but remained in each others' hold, their foreheads pressed together. So this was the feeling someone had when they said they'd die happy.
* * * * * *
Well that's all! I hope my work was satisfactory and that you guys enjoyed it, because I enjoyed writing it -- I guess I would since It took me a few days, right? Anyways, have a good one, and please R&R!
Speaking of which, thank you so much to all the reviewers:
tearose, Zoey, Muisje, klm111a, klara, Tristanlover59, Intuition, LittleAngelInLove, piper-h-99, Trory4ever, Surya, LizDarcy, Orangefish018, bibleboymary4ever, Julianne, Bridget, colleen, LandonLover, Amber and Alece
You guys are so awesome! Thanx for the support, and keep reading!
(P.S. -- This is a re-post, 'cuz I was rushing to get my update online while I was at school. So for those who have reviewed since then -- Surya and arina -- I am not forgetting you! And I changed the chapter last minute too. Okay, bye now!)
A/N: OH MY GOSH!!! You guys are so awesome! I can't believe I got so many reviews from you already. Thank you so much! Those just made me want to give you guys more -- and fast! So, here it is ... here is the more ...
Also, I decided to use a scene from "The Third Lorelai" - you know, the scene with Rory and Tristan talking about the kiss. I just thought that it couldn't have been done any better. So, giving credit where credit is due (ASP), I am moving forward. Okay, read on!
* * * * * *
A Kiss Is Still A Kiss
PART II: Okay ... So This Wasn't Really A Resolution
" Who were you just talking to," Lorelai inquired nosily.
Rory kept her deer-in-the-headlights look to as much of a minimum as possible while hanging up the phone and appeared unaffected.
" No one."
" Liar."
" Excuse me, I do not lie."
" A liar is someone who lies and you lied so you are therefore a liar."
" No a liar is someone who makes a habit of lying, and I have no such habit."
" Well nonetheless, you *lied*."
" No I didn't."
" Yes you did."
" *No*."
" *Yes*."
" I did not lie, I merely said I was talking to no one, and that is completely true because the person I was talking to counts as no one, so I did not lie."
" You did just now, because if the person you were talking to was really no one, you wouldn't have been blushing when you got off the phone."
At this, Rory was silent.
" HA! I was right! I'm right, and you're wrong! For once I'm right, and you're wrong! God, where are those damn paparazzi when you need them?"
Lorelai grinned good-humouredly at her daughter's sudden shyness and walked more into the room.
" Aw sweetie, come on, we're friends, and friends share, right? So who were you talking to -- I promise I won't tell anyone."
" Oh that does wonders for my confidence, really," Rory snarked, flouncing on her bed.
" Was it a boy?"
" Perhaps."
" Was it a cute boy?"
" You could say that."
" Oh do tell - now what kind of cute is he? Like Justin Timberlake cute, or Tobey Maguire cute, or Brad Pitt cute?"
Rory wore a pensive face briefly then made a decision.
" He's ... well - he could definitely be in a boy-band."
" Boy band, eh? Huh ... and does this boy-band-looking mystery boy have a name," Lorelai questioned, now quite intrigued.
" He was born with one, yes," the younger Gilmore answered with purposeful vagueness.
" Haha, smarty, nice try."
" It was Tristan," Rory finally surrendered, her gaze dropping almost simultaneously with her posture.
If Lorelai was intrigued before, she was beside herself with delight now.
" Tristan? You mean Evil Tristan? Spawn of Satan Tristan? Obnoxious and cocky, over-confident Tristan? The same Tristan who made your first months at Chilton utterly and positively miserable? Are you planning on stopping me anytime soon with an affirmative answer?"
" Yes, I mean that Tristan," Rory gave in, though she rather enjoyed watching her mom go on and on about things for long periods of time.
" Uh-ha - so what did you and this Tristan talk about, hm?"
" Stuff."
" Stuff?"
" Yes."
" Okay, let's narrow it down here, what kind of stuff?"
" You know, like, stuff - Chilton stuff, and friend stuff, and ... kissing stuff ..."
Rory trailed off, not wanting her mom to hear her last words. She failed miserably you'd assess, since her mom hears everything.
" Excuse me, kissing, did you say," she clarified through squinted eyes. Rory knew that look - it was her thinking look. When Lorelai started thinking, it didn't turn out too pretty.
" Yes I did say," Rory hesitated.
" Kissing - as in your lips were actually on his, and there was movement involved?"
" I guess so."
" Did he stick his tongue in your mouth? Did you stick your tongue in his mouth? Was there tongue? How much tongue was it? Did he stick it down there so far that he was scraping the inner walls of your stomach? Details, Rory!"
Far-be-it from Lorelai to beat around the bush.
" No Mom, there was no tongue! It was a short kiss - nice, but short. Geez you have an active imagination."
" So it was nice, huh?"
Rory nodded, biting her bottom lip but still not able to keep the grin from spreading over her face.
" W-well, when did this nice but short kiss happen," she asked eagerly.
" Friday at Madeline's Party."
(A/N: Just a minor thing really. See, this is the way I figure it. I don't know the exact time frame that "The Breakup, Part 2" happened as far as days are concerned, so let's just assume that Rory and Dean broke up on Thursday, and Madeline's Party was on Friday, leaving Saturday for the two of them to stew over their feelings, and Sunday for them to get together before school on Monday - yes? Excellent.)
" Wait, wasn't that the night you came home crying and wanting to wallow after a whole day of not wallowing?"
" Yes, that would be the night. It kind of just - happened."
" Well did you want it to happen?"
" I dunno ..."
" Cop out."
" It came out of nowhere, I didn't have time to think about what I wanted."
" Who kissed who?"
" He kissed me."
" But you kissed him back?"
" Yes."
Lorelai re-squinted her eyes and raised a brow, more for effect than for pensive purposes.
" I see. So he kissed you, and you kissed him back, and then you call him to ..."
There was a pause for Rory to fill in the blank.
" Talk about the kiss - oh crap! I have to go, I have to leave, he expected me, like, fifteen minutes ago, even though he has no reason to expect punctuality from me when he himself has his own time zone, and oh yeah, you don't mind if I take the jeep for a few hours, do you?"
Lorelai tried to make sense of her daughter in a torrent of minor primping and coat grabbing.
" W-leave, leave? Where are you going," she requested an explanation.
" To Tristan's house - I'll be back before dinner," Rory rationalized.
" B-b-but ..."
" Thanks Mom, I'll see you later!"
And with a wisking-away of the keys, Rory was out the door and gone.
" That girl needs to stop being so much like me."
* * * * * *
Winding around a very wind-y driveway, Rory crawled to a halt in front of the DuGrey mansion; well, it was just that -- a mansion. Large, immaculate, decorated with good taste (as far as the outside was concerned) -- yes, this was the world that she envisioned Tristan living in: a large world, very immaculate, and decorated with good taste. Of course, his family just oozed money, so he naturally was on the receiving end of such economic benefits as splurging and other excessive spending activities. No wonder he had the spoiled, rich, playboy routine down -- he lived it.
Dean was nothing like that; he had humble beginnings, and he had humble durings, and he would probably have humble endings as well -- the point being that he didn't need money or renown or a nice car to sweep her off her feet. Although, Dean didn't give her smoldering gazes that made her knees go weak, or kisses that made her rethink the meaning of the word 'kiss', and he certainly didn't imply sex into every conversation they had ... go figure.
Gathering up all her courage, she made the journey of required steps and rang the doorbell. Promptly, a short but poised elderly woman with what appeared to be some sort of doily on her head answered.
" H ..."
With one glance, the woman seemed to know who Rory was.
" Miss Rory Gilmore?"
" Yes," she concurred, a little uneasy.
" Good - my name is Gloria, Mr. Tristan is expecting you. Shall I show you to his room?"
Rory nodded while stepping in gratefully, and after the door had been shut behind her, the maid immediately walked in a quite brisk fashion across the foyer and up the grand staircase.
As Rory had originally thought, the outside of the mansion reflected its contents; just as immaculate, just as tastefully decorated, the walls covered with famous paintings, family portraits and other works of art. Out of the corner of her eye, Rory caught a flicker of blonde hair on the wall beside her, and she was drawn. Moving closer to the picture, she found out it was indeed Tristan; he was younger, but he still had his chiseled jaw and defiant glare. Yet one thing was amiss - his eyes; still the same striking cobalt-blue, but they betrayed the hard-ass image he toiled to uphold - he actually looked ... innocent.
" This way, Miss."
The voice of the maid stirred Rory from her reverie and she followed, making sure not to be distracted by anymore Tristan pictures.
" Here we are; just knock and I'm sure he'll be prompt in answering. Do let me know if you need anything, dear," Gloria offered generously.
" Of course," Rory agreed with a smile and was then left alone in front of Tristan's bedroom door.
The hallway became very stuffy all of a sudden; her palms went into instant clammy mode, and Rory almost banged her head against the wall to reclaim her bearings. Deciding against it, she rapped lightly on the wooden entrance and awaited a response.
When none came, she knocked again ... still nothing. Though she didn't feel right just entering somebody else's room without an invitation, the suspense of the moment was killing her. So, she just opened the door and peeked in.
There sat Tristan - clad in a wife-beater (or as my best friend so eloquently put, a 'manly white tank top') and jeans, lying on his bed with one arm behind his head, accentuating his bicep, and one across his stomach, holding what looked like a portable CD player. He was indeed listening to something; his eyes were closed, his head bopped to a certain rhythm, and his fingers tapped on the disc man as he mouthed the words to a song only he could hear through his earphones. He looked positively adorable, and Rory felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth.
As Rory stepped more into the space, Tristan discerned another presence in his room, his eyes flying open. Removing his earphones, his Rory-reflex kicked in and then came the smirk - not that it was unattractive, oh no, it was completely attractive; but she had begun to know it as the beginning of innuendo and sexual connotations of all colors, shapes and sizes. Surprisingly enough, she didn't mind so much now, taking into account the way he was dressed and how good he looked in what he was dressed in.
" Mary."
The ice having been broken, she rolled her eyes and came fully into the room.
" I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear me - and it was open so I just came in," she explained, not that she need to.
Tristan got up to put his CD player on his dresser across from his bed then walked over to in front of where Rory was standing, shoving both hands deep into his jean pockets. She looked up to find him looking down at her, his head kind of tilted to the side as if to be observing her like -- something to be observed; her eye contact with him brought a smile to his face, and she glanced down bashfully.
" There something wrong?"
She looked up at his inquiry and caught the tail end of his eyebrows drawn together and him slowly licking his lips.
*Stop that -- right now, just stop it. It must be stopped; there is no staring at Tristan's mouth, it just can't happen. No staring ...*
" Why would you think that?"
" Well, usually every time I come in contact with you, you're either prattling on about some topic of interest or you're telling me to leave you alone, or fall off the face of the earth, or crawl back into my hole. Now you're being all quiet, so I wondered ..."
" Can't I be quiet," she asked, trying to think of how he'd gotten such an accurate picture of her.
" Of course not."
" I can so be quiet."
" No you can't."
" Can."
" I believe you are being the opposite of quiet as we speak."
Rory's normally-wide eyes were lessened to slits for a brief moment, and Tristan thought he had succeeded in angering her. But the feeling left when Rory noticed the amusement in his eyes.
" You're just trying to get a rise out of me -- and I won't be bothered," she told him, a look of triumph portrayed with her chin jutting out in noncompliance.
He chuckled lightly, knowing he'd been found out.
" Oh I'm sure you wouldn't dream of it."
" How do you know what I dream about?"
" I don't see how you could dream about anything else, what with your thoughts so consumed with ravishing my naked body."
She mentally kicked herself again, knowing she'd thrown that one right down the center.
" You wish."
" On a star every night. So, shall I give you the tour?"
" Isn't it all the same? Same furniture, same artwork, same statement of, 'Oh no, you could never have this, thanks for trying'; would I really be missing out on that much, I don't think so," she droned, her shoulders slumping.
" We have a library bigger than Chilton's in the solarium."
" Lead the way."
Grinning at how easy it was to bait this girl into doing things by simply knowing her weaknesses, he walked out the door she opened, a curious Rory in tow.
LATER .........
" How many books are in here?"
Tristan looked over his broad shoulder at her query and shrugged.
" I've never counted actually - I have a life."
Rory shot daggers out of her eyes at his snide remark but knew he meant in jest.
" Oh yes, how could I have forgotten? Entertaining your string of women must no doubt be tiring. I don't know how you can still stand after it all," she quipped.
" It's hard really, but I manage. Besides, no one could be more exhausting than you are, and I haven't even had my way with you yet," he returned, drawing from his endless supply of one-track mind comments.
" And you never will - not while I'm still alive and breathing, at least."
" The night is young."
" It's the middle of the afternoon."
" Minor technicality - so we're supposed to talk?"
She ducked her head shyly.
" Yeah. Look about the other night...."
" Look, I was upset over Summer," he interrupted.
" Yes and I was upset over Dean," she agreed.
" So, then it doesn't mean anything -- right?"
" Right."
" So then - right, so then that's it. We chalk it up to a bad night," Tristan rationalized, though his mind was screaming the opposite.
" Okay....I'm sorry I cried."
He looked off in the distance momentarily, not wanting to remember.
" No problem."
" I swear it had nothing to do with the kiss," she tried to convince him.
Laughing a light, somewhat-bitter laugh, he licked his lips again and looked at his shoes.
" I kiss you, you cried - that had to have something to do with the kiss."
" No! I cried because I was confused -- because I hadn't cried. I didn't cry because of the kiss. It was a nice kiss."
Tristan's mouth almost dropped open at her admittance.
" Yeah," he clarified.
" Very nice - not at all crying material," she said with the utmost sincerity.
" Really?"
" Absolutely."
He moved a few steps closer, his hands shoved down in his pockets and that insufferable sexy grin on his handsome face. Rory found that being in close proximity with Tristan was a bad idea - completely detrimental to the health and all, y'know?
" Wanna try it again?"
She almost choked on her breath after his direct questioning and quite obviously faltered in her quick response reflex.
" Um - I don't think that would be a good idea."
His grin increased in its sexiness and he got closer still.
" And why is that," he asked, loving to see her squirm.
" Because ... I mean we already established that our first kiss was a mistake, so why would we try it again - right," she inquired of him more than herself - she already knew she wanted to do it.
" I don't remember saying it was a mistake, Rory."
The way he said her name sent visible chills down her spine, only increased by the way his fingertips felt their way across her cheek, brushing away an errant strand of hair and hooking it behind her reddening ear.
Yes, he was definitely leaning in - leaning ... leaning some more ... and a little more ...
When his lips touched hers, she felt like she was going to faint; there shouldn't be so much electricity in one kiss, it's just too dangerous. Cautiously, Tristan brought his other hand out of his pocket and cradled Rory's neck so as to get the best angle to deepen the kiss; he nipped at her lip then swept his tongue across her mouth, physically asking for entrance, and no one was more surprised than him when she gave it to him.
Her stomach tightened, and she let out a willing yet fully innocent sigh, placing her hands around his slender yet muscled waist. She was certain that his kissing technique was just that - a refined skill, something he'd perfected over time and used on an endless amount of girls. But she didn't care; he was kissing her right now, and it was positively amazing.
Desperate for air, they broke apart but remained in each others' hold, their foreheads pressed together. So this was the feeling someone had when they said they'd die happy.
* * * * * *
Well that's all! I hope my work was satisfactory and that you guys enjoyed it, because I enjoyed writing it -- I guess I would since It took me a few days, right? Anyways, have a good one, and please R&R!
Speaking of which, thank you so much to all the reviewers:
tearose, Zoey, Muisje, klm111a, klara, Tristanlover59, Intuition, LittleAngelInLove, piper-h-99, Trory4ever, Surya, LizDarcy, Orangefish018, bibleboymary4ever, Julianne, Bridget, colleen, LandonLover, Amber and Alece
You guys are so awesome! Thanx for the support, and keep reading!
(P.S. -- This is a re-post, 'cuz I was rushing to get my update online while I was at school. So for those who have reviewed since then -- Surya and arina -- I am not forgetting you! And I changed the chapter last minute too. Okay, bye now!)