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It felt like every brush, every subtle stroke, every tiny nudge was another drop of water onto our garden, vibrant red roses opening their thick and velvety petals whenever our bodies connected.
It was magical. I just wished I could enjoy it without the heavy cloud that hung above us since the start of our relationship.
“Think we got enough?” Tristan asked.
“I think we got what we needed.” I rose, Tristan following. His elbow brushed mine—sparks. “I’m going to speak to the hotel and see if I can get any surveillance footage from the day Mason was there. We’ve got a decent description with an identifying feature, and we know how to contact Mason now.”
“I can’t believe he stayed at the same hotel we’re in. Jesus Christ.” Tristan gave a self-deprecating laugh, like wind being sucked out of a balloon. “What are the odds?”
“Not sure. I was never big into gambling. Or math.”
“Good, me either. Guess that’s why I stuck to working with words instead.” Tristan scratched at the back of his neck, the wings on his forearm tattoo flexing with his arm. “We can’t stay there. Not anymore.”
“That’s fine. I can look into other hotels.”
Tristan shook his head, hand falling on my wrist. More sparks. Fiery and bright, shooting up and down the entire length of my body. “No, no more hotels. I want to start getting things back to normal, and that means no more housekeeping.”
“I was just getting used to it, too.” I slanted my grin, cocked my head, stole a kiss.
Fireworks.
“How about I stay over your place and pay you back by making the bed, then?” Tristan’s smile was wide. It was just us in the courtyard, but looking down into those warm brown eyes made it feel like the entire world was emptied out except for us. He was perfection, in every sense of the word. How the hell had I been able to resist the pull I felt toward him from the second we met? The circumstances were complete and utter shit, but the result of us meeting was turning out to be beauty shining through the chaos.
“I can think of a couple other ways you can repay me,” I said, teasing Tristan with a nibble on his lower lip. Having him stay over my place was exactly what I wanted. It wasn’t as impenetrable as the hotel, but I’d installed a new security system that kept watch over the entire property, not just the front door. I also put in a fence crowned with sharp iron peaks that made it impossible to climb. I didn’t care that I was slowly turning my house into a fortress. It gave me a greater peace of mind knowing that Tristan would be safe, and that’s all that mattered, aesthetics and landscaping be damned.
“Come,” I said, my stomach rumbling. “Let’s get some lunch and talk about things that don’t have to do with the case. It’s been a long few days.”
“It sure fucking has,” Tristan said, leaning into me as we walked into the Mandarin Hotel, slipping back into its dark hallways and red satin walls. We decided to treat ourselves and have lunch there, where we sat in a booth underneath a plume of peacock feathers placed in the center of a golden frame.
I flexed my neck as I looked over the menu. “God, I could use a good massage.”
“I’ve been told I have golden hands,” Tristan smirked at me from across the table. His dark red polo shirt was nearly the exact same shade of red as the booth we sat in.
“Then maybe that’s how you can pay for your room and board,” I shot back before stretching my legs out under the table. I found his, resting my ankle against him. “Start with the knots in my shoulder.”
“And work my way down?”
“Exactly,” I said, hooking my foot against his leg. He cocked his head, brown eyes searching mine. He was so fucking handsome, with his short dark hair that was starting to grow back after a recent haircut, the top curls coming out tight, shining under the golden lighting of the hotel restaurant. I loved waking up to him nestled into me, that soft head of hair tickling my chin. I’d wake him up with kisses, which would slowly (and sometimes quickly) evolve into much more.
Things changed since we had made us official. There was no more beating around the bush, no more testing the temperature between us. It was now full throttle, like someone had slammed down on the gas and launched us forward. We fucked without reservations, giving it all to each other, letting the other take what they wanted. It was beautiful and primal and so fucking blissful.
As we looked through the menus and made our orders, still playing footsie with each other under the table, even as the waiter joked with us about the catch of the day, I realized then that I had found my one. He checked off all the boxes for me and made me happy in a way that I could barely even comprehend.
I realized then that I would do anything to keep him safe.
I’d die for him if I had to. No doubt about it.
25
TRISTAN HALL
Staying backat Gabe’s wasn’t as scary as I’d made it out to be in my head. Admittedly, the first couple of nights were pretty difficult. I felt like a kid again, but I had to ask Gabriel to leave the light on for the first night. He didn’t even think twice about it, getting up from the bed and flicking it on before climbing back in, his arms forming a cave I could escape into and feel safe in.
It was nice. Beyond nice. It felt like I was slowly crawling out of my own grave. I had been so close to giving up, losing the spark and just turning into a monotonous robot. But Gabriel came into my life and changed all that. I wasexcitedabout life for once. It reflected in my work, my diet, my exercise.
I wanted to thank him somehow. Nothing I could do would really encompass how grateful I was that Gabe was mine, but I had to at least try. That’s why, as he was showering and getting ready for tonight’s book club, I went out to the front and grabbed the Amazon order I had gotten delivered, dragging it into the garage and hiding the box behind a dusty corner.
With the box hidden, I went back into the house, going to the steam-filled bathroom, where Gabe was toweling himself off. All six feet and three inches of himself, dripping and shining under the white vanity lights. I shook my head, unable to comprehend how the hell I’d landed such a hot hunk of a man.
