Rory looked up, into Tristan's captivating blue eyes; had that really just happened?

She could still taste his sweet lips; but the tender, pleasant expression on Tristan's face was now replaced with a quizzical one, and Rory could tell he was completely confused; unsure of what Rory, the girl who had seemed to hate the very sight of him, meant by kissing him.

"Err –Tristan – " Rory tried to find the words, but what could she say to him? This all happened so unexpectedly, she felt as though she was looking at it all from outside herself, like she wasn't really in control of her actions- or emotions.

Tristan saw the perplexity on Rory's face, and realized just how closely and tightly he was holding onto her; so he loosened his hold on her waist, just a little, and put only a small distance between them; enough room now, so that he could look at her face clearly- that face, he thought to himself; those beautiful eyes, sweet lips and her blushing cheeks- he was mesmerized.

Rory's eyes rolled down to the floor, trying to avoid Tristan's eyes, which were now staring powerfully at her face; what was he looking at? Does he hate me? Oh god, why did I kiss you? - Rory's thoughts were racing- but she had no need to panic or regret what she had just done- because she didn't know it, but Tristan was falling in love with her.

Suddenly they both became aware that they had been standing in the middle of Tristan's lounge room, a crowd of people all around them, holding each other in their arms after just having an intense kiss, for quite a length of time.

Tristan let out a nervous sigh, with a hint of laughter.

"Maybe- I mean if you want to!" he laughed again, tensely, "we can go outside- or…" he paused for a moment, looking deeply into Rory's eyes, and decided against inviting her into his room- he didn't want that from her, not like with the other girls he'd been with.

"Outside, do you want to go outside?" he finally released the words out into the open, and waited for Rory's reply.

She smiled, a little anxiously, "Ok" she said, breathlessly.

Tristan was bursting inside, maybe, after all that hoping and fantasising- maybe he actually had half a chance with this girl! Hell, she'd just kissed him, with no 'hello?' or 'How are you?' no warning at all- that had to mean something!

He pulled himself away from her completely, took her hand lightly in his, and escorted her around the crowds of people- outside to his courtyard.

The fresh air was a comfort from the stuffy, smoke filled house; but there was no lighting outside, most of the guests were around the sides of the house, none were out the back in the courtyard.

"You can sit here," Tristan said, pulling out a white deck chair, apart of a larger set, which included a nice white table and several other identical chairs.

Rory sat down tentatively, and turned around, but Tristan wasn't there.

"Tristan?" Rory called out, quietly but nervously.

Suddenly beams of little white lights lit up the courtyard; Rory turned her head, looking out at the neat littler garden in front of her; a dozen trees each sprinkled with small fairy lights which lit up the entire courtyard- there was a hint of romance in the air.

Tristan appeared, having just returned from behind a large wall, which had a small shed behind it.

"Sorry, had to get some light going out here" he said, walking towards Rory and pulling a seat out for himself, and sitting down opposite her.

"It's beautiful- but I bet you do this for all the girls" Rory teased with a small smile on her face, but Tristan didn't seem very amused, infact he looked a little hurt.

"What was that, in there, Rory?" he asked, looking away from her; he couldn't stand it if the answer wasn't the one he wanted to hear.

Rory didn't know what to say, she was thinking of simply excusing the kiss by saying she'd had a bit of vodka and wasn't exactly 'with it'.

But she didn't want to lie, not to him, not now- for some reason, it meant a lot to her that she tell him what was on her mind- no, what her heart was telling her to say.

"God, I wish I knew." She looked over at him, wanting to see the expression on his face- he was still looking away, but she could see he didn't like where this was going "I was looking forward to this all day, and I couldn't figure out why. And I couldn't figure out why I was thinking about you all day either" she looked over once more, only to see he was now looking up at her, intensely, urging her to go on.

"And then when I got here, I just had to see you- and, well when I did- I don't know what happened" Rory didn't quite know what else to add on, so she left it there, floating around in the air, and waited for Tristan's response.

"I love you" Tristan whispered, so quietly, that Rory almost didn't hear him.

But she did; "Excuse me?" she said, looking at him quizzically; what did that mean? Is he drunk? She thought to herself.

Tristan sat back in his chair, and looked out to the courtyard, how was he going to explain this? Did he really want to lay all his feelings out in front of her?

"God Rory! You knew I had feelings for you!" he said, why was she

making him explain this? Couldn't she see how uncomfortable all this made him?

"You have feelings for a lot of girls, Tristan, what makes me any different? Hell! You've probably told all the girls you've been with that you love them, just to get them into bed!" Rory spat back, and raised herself a little form her seat, about to leave.

"Surprisingly enough, the honest truth is that even though I have been with a lot of girls- I have never felt this way about any of them- the way I feel about you- it's love" Tristan said, hoping she'd sit back down.

Rory looked over at him, and sat back down.

"I don't know what I feel," she said, looking away from his face "but I think- maybe –I might have feelings for you, but not love" she said, finally.

Tristan's heart leapt "I don't expect you to return those feelings Rory, but – god! When I look at you my heart aches! Can you just give me a chance?" Tristan asked, pleadingly; but Rory still 1didnt look at him.

"I could make you happy- we could be happy" Tristan said, leaning forward and cupping Rory's hands in his own.

Rory looked at him; that face, she thought; but she was scared, because she knew, if she gave herself half the chance, she could fall deeply in love with this guy- but would he hurt her?

"I will never hurt you Rory" Tristan said soothingly.

God! It was like he was reading her mind!

She leaned forward, seductively, and kissed him hard on the mouth "You better not!" she said teasingly.

A million thoughts were going through Tristan's head, and he pulled away from Rory's entrancing kiss for a moment, cupped his hands around her cheeks.

"I finally have my dream girl," he whispered, looking deeply into her eyes, and he went on kissing her.