Page 88 of Apparently, I’m A B!tch

Chapter45

Tristan

Saturday night

I paced the shop,looking around at the scraped walls, constructed shelves and kitsch replica belongings lining the wooden floor.

I asked Nikki to come back here once she served the papers. If she came, it would be the first time she’d set foot in here since Rochelle lied to her about me. It’d begun as the best night of my life until then. But if she came here tonight, maybe we could rebuild things the way they should’ve been in the first place.

Nerves bounced around in my stomach, making it difficult to sit still, and even more difficult to pick a project and stick with it. I couldn’t paint, I couldn’t work on Extra Shot, I couldn’t clean or tidy up. Not right now. Not until she showed up and we could put all this behind us.

The door jingled open and my neck snapped at the sound. Nikki and I locked eyes, and when she offered me a small smile, I grinned in return.

“I have to admit, that was kind of fun,” she said, shutting the door behind her.

I stepped closer, taking in her curves and lines, but also the light in her eyes and her tentative, yet joyful, smile.

“Was it?”

She nodded, and my eyes traced her tongue as she ran it against her upper lip.

“She wound up throwing a drink at some guy named Roger, and stormed out.”

I let out a laugh of surprise. “Was she violent?”

“I was kind of expecting her to be. I knew I wanted to be. After what she did to you? I wanted to…” She let the thought trail off and took a breath. “She was more embarrassed, though. And very angry at this Roger guy.”

“Her ex-husband.”

“I thought he might’ve been. Oh, Carlos and Kenny were there. They’ve agreed to add their testimonials to your case file.”

“That’s… amazing, Nikki. Thank you.”

She paused and looked up at me, her expression shifting to something more pained. “I’m sorry, Tristan. I really am. I should’ve believed you when you first told me about Rochelle. I should’ve known something was off.”

I stepped closer and wrapped my fingers around her arms, looking down into her face. “I understand why you didn’t believe me, Nikki. I get it. I do. There’s no reason to be sorry.”

“But I am. Can you forgive me?”

She lifted her hand, twisted the fabric of my tee between her fingers and stepped closer, biting her bottom lip. A shiver ran down my spine as her hand slid from my tee and down my torso. She hooked one of her fingers through my belt-loop and gave a slight tug, instantly sending a rush of blood to my cock.

“I… yes, of course. Does this mean–Do you trust me again?”

She looked up at me and nodded, putting a hand to my chest as she asked, “Is this okay?”

I took a breath and dared to slide my hands to her waist. Drawing her against me, I whispered, “Anything you want to do to me is more than okay, Nikki.”

I lowered my mouth to hers, finding her lips parting for me, her tongue eager to tease mine. The taste of her sent a shockwave through my skin. Nikki molded herself to me, and I ran my hands down her waist to cup the soft curve of her ass. She gasped as I circled my thumbs, toying with the seam of her lacy thong, dragging her closer.

She took her finger from my belt-loop and dipped lower, tracing the shape of me through my jeans. I hardened at her touch and growled into her mouth. She flattened her palm against me, sliding her hand along my clothed hardness with a torturous amount of friction.

My blood was pounding through my skin, her soft purrs were filling my ears. I wanted to tear her clothes off now. I wanted her naked, writhing underneath me, toes curling from pleasure. I craved her. I craved her smell, her noises, the feel of her silken skin. I wanted to be inside her as she came around me.

I bent and gathered her into my arms, hauling her over my shoulder so her gorgeous ass was pointed at my ceiling. I was taking her to bed now.

She laughed and let out a whoop of surprise. “Wait, wait! Tristy, please.”

I was about to round the counter, but at her plea I stopped and reluctantly ground out, “Is something wrong?”