Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
If she had doubts, I had to take a step back.
Tristan: No pressure from me. Just know my door is always open if you decide you need me.
Emily: Everyone else in the world has the passcode to your room, so why not me, right?
Tristan: I can’t tell if you’re mad or joking.
Emily: I’m smiling.
Tristan: Phew.
Emily: You should try to rest.
Tristan: Yeah, you’re right. But just know that as I close my eyes, I’ll be thinking of you—what we did and what we didn’t do. And that will probably keep me up.
Emily: Goodnight, Tristan.
Tristan: ’Night, Emily. Sweet dreams.
CHAPTER 18
EMILY
I’d vowed to avoid Tristan tonight, if I could help it.
Staying away from him was one thing. Thinking about him constantly was another. I’d done nothing but that since our encounter at my mother’s house a couple of days ago.
His voice sounded fantastic during tonight’s performance in Louisiana—gritty yet velvety smooth, without the shakiness that had crept in previously. Tristan had a way of conveying emotion with every note, and tonight he seemed to be back at the top of his game.
Nonetheless, I found myself in an emotional tailspin. During the show, Tristan brought a woman from the audience onstage with him. That wasn’t anything new. He was known for doing that, and the crowd always went wild, every woman hoping she would be the one he chose, to have the opportunity to touch him. He’d sing a certain song and dance slowly with the woman, often with their bodies pressed together. It hadn’t bothered me before, but because of what had happened between us, or the fact that the fan he’d brought up tonight was especially attractive, this time things felt different. She was also aggressive, at one point grabbing his face and kissing him. It was clear Tristan hadn’t been expecting it, but he didn’t stop it either. A surge of jealousy tore through me, a reminder of how dangerous my feelings for him had become.
For the rest of the night, I felt sick. I helped load some things onto the buses after the show and prayed Tristan didn’t contact me tonight. I didn’t want him to sense that I was upset, nor did I think it was a good idea for me to be alone with him again.
We’d be playing two shows here in Louisiana, so tonight was a hotel night. After completing my post-show tasks, I went to my room and planned to take a shower and climb into bed.
But about 10:30, I received a text from Stephen.
Stephen: Tristan needs wart remover.
Emily: You’ve got to be kidding me.
Stephen: Not kidding you.
Could I make up an excuse and ask him to send someone else? I could say I was sick. My mind raced as I contemplated that. But alas, the urge to see Tristan overruled my better judgment.
Emily: On it.
“What do you have to get this time?” Layla asked as I rushed around to grab my things.
This one was so ridiculous that I didn’t want to tell her. “Just some random stuff,” I said. “Looks like Walmart closes at eleven, so I have to hurry.”
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach the entire way to the store. I soon returned with two different kinds of wart remover—just for the hell of it—and went to Tristan’s room.
This hotel didn’t have a penthouse suite with a code, so he was in a regular room and would have to let me in.
After I knocked, I heard his gruff voice on the other side of the door. “Who is it?”
“It’s the wart-remover express.”
He opened and flashed a mischievous grin. “You’re such a trooper.”
“And you’re a jackass.” I threw the bag at his chest.
“Just remember, the more embarrassing the item, the more I miss you.”
“Well, based on this, you must miss me a lot.”
“I did.” He snickered. “You’re lucky I didn’t order flavored lube. I debated it.”
“Do you need anything in particular?” My tone was abrupt. “Let me guess, you want to know how I thought you sounded tonight?”
His smile faded. “You really think that’s the only reason I called you here?”
Crossing my arms, I answered, “I think it’s one of the reasons, yeah.”
“You’re my reward for a job well done, remember?”
“I’m your reward for a job well done and your distraction from your problems. That’s a big responsibility and probably not healthy, Tristan.” My demeanor hardened further as I again thought about that woman onstage.
His brows drew in. “What’s wrong, Emily?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You’re not looking me in the eyes, and you seem upset. I want to kiss you, but I’m afraid you’ll bite my head off.”
“Haven’t you had enough kisses for one night?” I spat. He’d walked right into that one.
His expression darkened. “What do you mean?”
“Do you seriously not know?”
He shook his head.
“That woman you brought up onstage. You let her kiss you. Do you not fucking remember?”