AN: Okay, here is the latest installment. A big thank you to M for the help. Again I don't own the characters or actual idea behind the story, I just have the privilege of tweaking it to fit my storyline.
P.S. – For the next chapter you can read it in its entirety on my blog, the address is located on my profile page. The reason for this is because it has a steamy sex scene, if I do say so myself. So not to perturb certain readers, I will only post the PG version here. Thanks again for the reviews. Hope you like this chapter.
Chapter 4
Sometime during the mind-blowing kiss, Rory's arms had slid around Tristan's neck. They only broke apart for a much-needed breather. Tristan immediately bent down to continue the kiss.
He slid his arm down her back, sending his hand to lie possessively over her rear. When he had first approached her, it hadn't been his intention to kiss her, but the need overwhelmed him like an uncontrollable reflex.
Caught off guard by her sweet clean taste, Tristan deepened the kiss. He inhaled her like a drowning man taking his first breath of air. She had become an addiction. She swamped his senses.
He felt her shudder in his arms. Everything seemed to fade away; for once the city was silent. It was just the two of them silently communicating their wants and desires.
They finally broke apart when breathing became a necessity. Looking into her wide stormy eyes, they both panted, trying to catch their breath after that soul-searching kiss.
Rory unconsciously licked her lips. She could taste him. "Junior? What, what are…?"
Watching her lick her lips broke the tenuous grasp he had on his control. The only thought running through his mind was the need to kiss her.
There was no control behind this kiss. It was uninhibited and spectacular. He pulled her roughly against him. Cradling her neck, slowly rubbing circles on the sensitive skin with his thumbs. She gasped against his lips. When he finally released her, he was trembling more than she was.
Rory took ragged breaths as he stepped back from her. "God, you make me so hot, babe." Cupping the baby-softness of her cheek, he ran his thumb over her swollen lips. "I'm glad you gave me your number so I could find you."
"So am I. You have no idea how much."
Grinning at her, "Oh, I think I do. Seeing you pleases me. And I do what pleases me." This was his new bad-boy mantra.
"I do?" she asked on a sigh.
He could seriously stare into those bottomless blue eyes all night. "Yeah, and don't you forget it."
Stepping back he grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the car door to close it. Walking up to her front door she turned to look at him, "Not that I don't like surprises, but what are you doing here?"
Watching as she unlocked and opened the door, "I'm here because I'm going to take you to dinner tonight," he said in a commanding voice. It sounded impulsive, like he hadn't planned it.
"Well, it's pretty short notice for a dinner date."
"Yeah, well spontaneous is my middle name."
Laughing she nodded, "Yeah, who needs plans? What we need is fun and freedom. So where are we going?"
"Don't know where yet. But, I'm sure we'll have fun deciding."
"Okay, let me shower and change."
"You go shower, but don't get dressed yet because I have something for you to wear."
"You do? What is it? Let me see."
Laughing at the excitement evident on her face, "I'll go grab it while you are in the shower." Turning her around, he gently steered her up the stairs. "It'll be here when you get out."
Shaking her head at his underhandedness, Rory ran up the stairs to quickly shower.
Meanwhile, Tristan ran out to the Porsche to grab the gift box.
After he walked back inside he satisfied his urge to know more about Rory. While looking around the living room, he noticed that while stylish, her furniture was of quality with clean lines. Most of it was neutral in color, but he could see that she used splashes of color as accents. It reminded him of her personality. She came across as a calm, cool and collected woman, but if you looked closely and got to know her you saw her as a fun-loving, charismatic woman. She was the splash of color that brought life to the room.
There was a gorgeous rug over the hardwood floor and numerous picture frames of family and friends placed on different surfaces. Instead of typical roses, she had lively Gerber Daisies.
As he was browsing through her rather eclectic CD collection he heard the shower turn off. He couldn't help but think about Rory and the fact that she was warm, wet and naked. He stood there holding the new Foo Fighters cd, trying to get the image of her out of his mind.
The sound of the bathroom door opening and footsteps caused him to tense up even further.
"Junior?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, I just wanted to be sure you where still here. Let me grab my ro…robe."
The sound of one of the stairs creaking caused him to look over at her.
If he had thought she was beautiful before, he was only kidding himself. Words couldn't do her justice. She had on a silky turquoise bathrobe, which made her eyes luminous. Her faced was flushed from the heat of her shower and her scent was driving him crazy. It was a heady, sweet floral scent that he associated with Hawaii. He kept thinking of gardenias, white sandy beaches and the ocean. The closer he got, the stronger it became.
Clearing his throat, "Hey."
Rory tried to calm the butterflies that had taken flight in her stomach. "Hi," looking around the room she noticed a silver box sitting on the coffee table, "is that for me?"
"Yes. Open it."
Rory walked over to the box and sat down to open it. Not knowing what to expect heightened her excitement. Once opened, she tore away the tissue paper.
Tristan could tell she liked her gift. All he had to do was watch her eyes. They were so expressive. "I had to guess at the size. How did I do?"
"Oh, I think you're right on the money."
"Good. Go change so we can head out."
While Rory went upstairs to change, Tristan continued looking at her pictures. Two specific ones caught his attention. One was of Rory in a snowsuit and another where she was sitting at a beach bonfire.
"I'm ready." Anticipating the look on Junior's face, Rory waited for him to turn.
She felt naked as she strutted in the delicate outfit. The brown halter-top was soft against her skin. The delicate crocheted diamond patterns strategically accentuated her curves, leaving little to the imagination. The little bow at her nape just made the whole outfit downright sexy. It didn't help that the emerald green silk handkerchief skirt that completed the dress drew attention to her shapely calves. On a mannequin, it was exotic. On her, it was erotic.
Tristan's breath caught in his chest. "You're stunning."
"Thanks. I should have told you earlier that you look great, too."
Jess was right. She was checking him out. Not used to being blatantly critiqued, he felt self-conscious in the tight black slacks and grey shirt. He tried to divert her attention.
Holding up the picture of her in the snowsuit, "Is this of you in Utah?"
"Yes. It was taken last year. Have you ever been?"
"Yeah. I've gone there a couple of times."
"Skiing?"
"Yeah, why?"
With a dubious expression marring her face she said, "You don't seem the type."
Damn it. I'm already messing up. Think. THINK….SNOWBOARDING!
"Oh well, I actually snowboard when I'm there."
Seeing a look of understanding cross her face, Tristan allowed himself to smile. Thank goodness he remembered Jess throwing himself down the mountain on a snowboard.
"Really. That takes a lot of skill and you have to be fearless."
Bluffing his way through the conversation he steered her out of the house.
"Yeah. The rush I get going down the mountain is hard to beat. Knowing that I have only myself to rely on. No poles or blades to help, just one board. It's such natural high. Have you ever tried it before?"
Rory chuckled self-depreciatingly, "Oh no. The extent I exert myself is a couple runs down the bunny slope. Then I retire to the lodge fire with a book and warm drink."
Smiling at her, Tristan could only thank god he hadn't screwed up enough for her to realize that he was lying. By the time the conversation ended, they were at his car.
"Wow, this is a great car."
"Thanks. I like 'er."
Once they were both situated in the car he pulled into traffic with no clear destination in mind.
"Thank you again, for my dress. No one has ever done anything like this for me."
"You're welcome. You do look beautiful. How about we go show you off at this Latin club I know?"
"Okay."
The city lights looked brighter than ever before. Rory was nearly vibrating with the excitement and a dash of nerves. Before she knew it, Junior had pulled over and was getting out of the car. Taking his hand, she allowed his to guide her inside.
A throbbing Latin mix greeted them as they walked into the club. Tristan could appreciate all kinds of music. From what he could tell of Rory's cd collection so could she. Because it was so loud, Tristan had to speak directly into Rory's ear to be heard, "Let's find a table."
Rory felt a little out of her realm of comfort. Never before had she been to such a club. The air positively crackled with energy, the music was loud, the patrons colorful and lively. Nodding her head, she started scanning the area for an available table.
Tristan saw a table in a dark corner of the club. He slid his hand to the small of her back. The silky feel of her skin momentarily distracting him.
Rory looked into Junior's eyes. The feel of his thumb rhythmically stroking her back was wreaking havoc over her body. Her skin felt hyperaware of the heat emanating from his body. His eye color had changed to a deeper blue.
Clearing his throat, "I see one over there," he nodded in the direction of the vacant table.
The crowded club gave Tristan the opportunity to keep Rory crushed alongside him. They skirted the dance floor where a massive jumble of writhing bodies moved to the beat. Envisioning Rory out there moving her body to the thumping beat got Tristan excited, he couldn't wait to get her on the dance floor.
Waiting until they were seated, Tristan asked, "Do you know what you want to drink?"
"Umm, I don't know."
"Let's start with mojitos, since we are surrounded by Latin heat."
"Okay, I'm game. I've never had them, but I heard they were good."
"They're good, but they do pack a kick." Nodding in the direction of the dance floor, "Do you want to take a spin?"
Rory focused her attention on the dancers. She saw how beautiful the women were. More than once on their walk to the table, she noticed woman after woman checking Junior out.
Thinking to herself, those are the type of women that belong with him; women who are fun, ready for anything at a moments notice. Not someone who had to talk herself into a simple dance. What happens if I'm too nervous, or I look like a fool?
Tristan could see a gamut of emotions play over her face. Realizing that she was uncomfortable, he leaned near to tell her that it was all right. Maybe they should go elsewhere, but the waitress and the arrival of their drinks interrupted him.
While Tristan was settling the bill for their drinks, Rory had seen the disappointment on his face. She was having an internal struggle with her conscious, which sounded remarkably like her mother.
He's regretting that he went to all this trouble.
You wanted this didn't you? ------Yes, but..
No, buts. He chose you. You're going to ruin this before it has a chance to go anywhere. You wanted to take a chance. You don't know that you can't fly, unless you try.
As Rory finished her inner pep talk, she saw that the waitress tried to slip a napkin with her number to Junior.
An overwhelming sense of despair and disappointment nearly drowned her. She decides that she needed to do something or run the risk of missing out on this experience. She took a rather large gulp of her mojito, liquid courage, and snagged the napkin with the number in one hand and Juniors hand in the other.
"Excuse me. Am I invisible, or are you blind? We are sitting together, we came in Together, we are TOGETHER! Is that so hard to understand?"
Shocked, the bottle blond waitress stammered, "N..no."
"Well then, you can take your useless napkin with you because we won't be needing it our you for the rest of the evening."
With her heart pounding and adrenaline thrumming through her system Rory watched the waitress scurry away. Turning she saw Juniors face change from a look of astonishment to that of amusement. Rory felt her face flush. She couldn't believe that she had actually done that; she had made a complete fool of herself.
Tristan sat there with a small grin. Reaching over he cupped Rory's face in his hands, pulling her closer. Resting his forehead against hers he looked into her eyes, "Thank you. You saved me from having to tell her that I wasn't interested." Capturing her lips in a swoon-worthy kiss, Tristan went about reassuring her.
Rory pulled back panting. "Really? I'm sorry; I just couldn't believe she would do that. I mean I understand why she did, because, I mean you are hot…" Closing her eyes in embarrassment, "I said that out loud didn't I?"
Placing a soft kiss on her pink lips, "Yes. But I'm glad you think I'm hot. Because if you hadn't noticed so are you. Didn't you notice all the men who will be complaining of whiplash tomorrow?"
"What?"
"Once they saw you, almost every guy; gay or straight, did a double take when you walked by. You and that dress have been tormenting me all night. Seeing the line of your back, the way your top plays peek-a-boo with your curves and that skirt. Lets just say I would worship at your mountain any day."
Laughing at his cheesy line, Rory finished her mojito. She stood up and extended her hand to him, "How about that dance?"
Grinning up at her Tristan followed her onto the dance floor.
The music had changed to a seductive song. The pulsing beat pulled to Rory's inner vixen. She moved with lithe grace, whipping her hips and arms to the pulsing music. Tristan had seen many sides to the enigma in front of him, but his uninhibited innately sexual being called to something deep within himself. Her chocolate hair swung around her shoulders, her eyes fastened on his, hot and dark and full of promise. Electricity shot between their swaying bodies.
Near by dancers kept casting glances at her. At the moment every man in the room might have fought to have her. But she was looking at him. The dance went on with her teasing and seducing him. She was luring him. The harder she danced the hotter she became, releasing her sweet scent.
Moving to the beat, Rory slid the palm of one hand up her leg, raising her skirt, flashing a taught firm thigh. Tristan's body tightened at the sight. Smiling seductively she let the hem flutter back down and quickly did a spin. Plastering her back up against Junior's torso. Using him as a dance pole, she leaned back, swiveling her hips in semi-circles. Rory melted against him, feeling how she affected him.
With need pumping through him Tristan clamped hot hands over her hipbones, guiding her in a rhythm all their own. Each brush only sent them higher. This dance was for them alone, a prelude of how they would come together.
Before the last beat played Tristan was leading Rory off the dance floor and out the door.
Hot and panting, from the dance and their quick exit they stood waiting for the car to be brought around. The slight wind felt like a caress over her heated skin causing Rory to shiver.
Tristan felt her tremble; sliding her closer to him he grabbed her in a warm embrace. She felt protected in his arms. Wrapping her arms around his waist she burrowed into his
warmth.
He nuzzled the top of her head, "What do you say if we grab some takeout and wine and go back to your place?"
Plucking at the silky material of his shirt she murmured, "I think I would like that."
"Good because I want you all to myself. Seeing the way those other men were looking at you was driving me crazy."
Smiling shyly up at him, "I'm glad, since I went a little crazy earlier. That waitress probably thought I was psychotic."
Chuckling, Tristan lifted her face up until they made eye contact, "She must have been a little psycho herself if she thought I would be interested in her, while I have the most beautiful woman in the city with me. I want you to know, that I plan on making myself a nuisance because you intrigue me."
Flushed with pleasure at his words, "Well, I guess I welcome the nuisance because I like you too. But, I don't know how you can be intrigued by me. I'm just your average person, with a higher than normal addiction to quality literature."
Once he had helped her into the car, they set out to get Chinese.
While Junior was inside ordering, Rory waited in the car thinking about the whirlwind day she had had. Junior was such a surprise. Sometimes he was right on target when she envisioned her dream bad-boy. Showing up unannounced, whisking her off to a club. Other times he was more sensitive than she expected and a lot more observant. She hadn't expected that he would know of the ski lodge she had visited. Taking in the lavishness of his car, she realized that she didn't really know what he did, was he just working at Vinyl, or did he work somewhere else…There was so much to learn about him.
Tristan glanced out the widow at Rory; she had surprised him at the club. Who would have ever guessed that beneath her button down shirts and suits was a woman ready to get a little wild. The sheer abandonment on her face while dancing would forever be one of his favorite images. He was so glad that the night had been a success, so far, with only one slip in his façade. Now, if he could keep it up and let her gradually see whom he really was. There was so much he wanted to know about her and tell her.