Finding Love's Wings (24 page)

I smile at the sight of her. Her skin is still pale and glowing slightly from the natural light entering the room from the open patio doors.
 

"I'm going to go down to the beach and I was wondering if you wanted to join me," she says.
 

I smile. "How was your massage?"

She grins. "It was perfect. I feel nice and relaxed. Thank you." After a brief pause she adds, "But you really don't need to keep buying things for me."

I know my face falls. She really has a hard time accepting gifts and I need to break her of that. I have more money than I know what to do with, and spending a little here and there on her to make her happy is just part of the whole Tristan package. “You work hard at what you're doing for me; you deserve far more than what I am giving you."

"That's really not the point, Tristan. I'm not interested in what's in your bank account." Her eyes move up and down my body, taking in my tight t-shirt and shorts.

"I know you’re not interested in my bank account, Sweets, and it has nothing to do with why I've done the things I've done today. I felt it was important to show you, some way, that I truly appreciate what you've done for me, and on your vacation no less."
 

She just nods. I can tell that she is lost in thought – about what I have no clue. She continues to rake her eyes over me from head to toe. It's almost an absentminded thing she seems to be doing, but it gives me an idea.
 

"Instead of going to the beach, I have a better idea. Why don't I have Tyson call for some room service? I'll change into my suit, and we can use the pool up here."

She beams at me. "I like the sound of that."
 

"Good, then make yourself at home and I'll go and change." I start to turn and call out, "Tyson?"
 

He appears before me about ten seconds later, "Yes, boss?" I frown at him. "Tristan," he corrects himself.

"Cami and I are going to go hang out on the patio and indulge in the pool. Would you mind calling room service for some champagne and finger foods?"

"Of course. Any particular kind of champagne?"

"Bolli, please."

"Got it." He nods, turns on his heel, and heads back into his room.

"You're welcome to join us, Tyson," Cami calls out in his direction.
 

"Thank you, Cami," Tyson shouts back, but I know better than to expect him to join us.
 

"I'll be right back. Make yourself at home, Sweets."

I change into my trunks and head out to the pool. When I get there, Cami's already in the water. The way she moves is almost stealthy and cat-like. She's leaking sex appeal all over the pool. I drop my towel and dive in next to her. When I surface, she’s staring at me.
 

"What?" I ask, curious as to what’s on her mind.
 

"Nothing, really. You’re just extremely sexy. It's hard to look away."

Well then. "I can say the same thing about you." She smiles. I slowly prowl toward her. By the time I reach her, she's giggling. She pushes away from the wall and embraces me by wrapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. She is too short to reach the bottom of the five-foot deep part of the pool comfortably, and I'm more than happy to have her body wrapped around mine as tight as a glove. Her body is pressed so tight that I can feel every contour of her body against mine. Including the warmth radiating from her sex. Against the coolness of the water, it's very warm.
 

"Hi, beautiful," I breathe.

"Hi beautiful yourself," she whispers as she begins to gently rub her nose against mine. I match her movements.
 

"I love Eskimo kisses." I smile and kiss her gently but swiftly, trying hard to behave myself.
 

"Have you seen the view from the edge?" I ask. She shakes her head and I wade over to the pool’s edge. The view is fantastic from up here, made that much better now that I have Cami to look at as well. It's very close to – if not after – noon, and the sun is high in the sky. The ocean is electric blue and crystal clear. You can see the outlines of the reef that surround most of the island.
 

"It's beautiful," she breathes.
 

"I've made arrangements to have dinner downstairs tonight, if that's okay with you?"

"It's fine with me," Cami says. "Though I was kind of hoping to stay in tonight."
 

"I am never opposed to staying in. However, I wanted to take you downstairs tonight because after tomorrow I plan to stay hidden from view. The less chance of people seeing me here means the more likely I'm going to be able to stay out of the public eye." I look into her eyes. "All I want is to keep this as private as possible – for you, for me, and for all of our friends who will be here on Wednesday."

Her response is a look of pure adoration. The small, quiet "thank you" that follows is completely unnecessary; it's all there in her face.
 

"My world outside of this hotel is a madhouse, Cami. I will do whatever I can to protect you from that scrutiny." I speak softly and she nods.
 

"I'm willing to take the chance, Tristan. I am not made of glass."
 

"I know, Sweets, but I will not have them attempting to drag your good name through the mud." I smile at her, though in my chest I feel a fierce protectiveness.
 

"And for that I respect and commend you," she whispers as she starts to kiss me. This kiss is different: deeper, sensual, and so full of desire that I instantly become hard as a rock.

Cami senses my desire, and I feel her tongue on my lips, seeking, wanting entrance. Mmm, it feels good, but not ye—
 

Just then she flicks her hips at me and I moan as her sex grinds against my now throbbing erection, and her tongue is on mine. My head is swimming and I'm lost to her touch. Every inch of skin connected with hers is on fire, sending shivers through my body.
 

I slowly slide my hands up her back, careful not to catch her corset, until I find the back of her bikini top. Sliding my fingers along the string, I find the knot, and I hear her gasp.
 

Her hands fist into my hair, tugging hard, and I feel her pull her body up higher on mine, pushing her breasts closer to my mouth. An invitation?
 

I tug on the end of one of the strings and it comes undone. The water quickly pushes her top up and off. I feel one of her hands release my hair as I start seeking the strings that create the top of her halter. She beats me there, quickly pulling, and in an instant, her breasts are bare and pressed against my chest. Her barbells are cold, and my own nipples harden and my cock twitches.
 

I pull back to take in the sight of her, sucking a sharp deep breath between my teeth. "Jesus," I growl, and she pulls herself up higher and it’s right there: a glorious, rose-colored nipple. I can't resist; I flick my tongue across it.
 

"Ah!" she moans. The sound is so hot with desire that my dick lets loose a gob of sticky pre-cum into my shorts. I lick again, this time pulling her nipple into my mouth, and she writhes against me. "Don't...ah...don't stop," she breathes, hot, heavy, and needy.
 

I pull my lips away from her nipple and lick again, kissing my way up from the swell of her breast to running kisses along the hollow of her throat, her jaw – I nip it with my teeth and she groans. Finding her lips again, I pull her tighter against me, pressing her breasts against my chest.
 

I kiss her, breathless and wanting. "Not—" I say, still kissing her. "Here." I kiss her again. "Not now."

She catches my meaning and ever so slightly backs off the ferocity of her kiss, but she doesn't stop. It sends a shudder through me to realize that it won't last too much longer. I can't keep holding back. But not in the pool.
 

Sometime later that evening Cami and I manage to untangle ourselves from one another and head downstairs for dinner. Cami looks stunning in her mini skirt and backless top. It doesn't seem to matter what this woman wears, she always wears it with pride and looks stunning.
 

During dinner we talk about music, and I'm surprised to find that we like a lot of the same artists. She asks me to tell her something that she can't find out about me on the Internet, and when I tell her I'm a huge football fan, it turns out we're both Baltimore Ravens fans and absolutely hate the Steelers. We both decide that we should try and get to a Steelers versus Ravens game this fall. The idea of fall plans excites me more than anything. It makes me hopeful that she really wants this to continue after our vacation together.
 

Emboldened by this, I ask her about coming to New York.

She takes a sip of her Cosmo, compliments of Jessie just a few moments ago. "Why do you want me in New York?" she asks.
 

Because I'm pretty sure that I will be an anger ball without you there, I think. Out loud I say, "Well, most of all, I want you there because something about being with you calms me. I don't feel anxious about anything, and I find it truly difficult to be nervous around you."

"I have a hard time picturing you as nervous." She smiles reassuringly.

"Well, I am not usually the nervous type. But I'm not a fan of crowds, and these premieres bring them out in droves." I sigh. "The girls get crazy, and all the screaming and hollering just gets overwhelming."

"I can understand how that would bother you. The idea of it scares the hell out of me. I've been to a couple of premieres before, but never via the red carpet. Bobbie used to walk the carpet all the time, but mostly after Mom passed and usually on the arm of some woman he was dating. If I was invited, I was brought in the back doors."
 

"You know, it's interesting. Bobbie did a lot to try and keep girls and people at bay unless he thought they were of some benefit to me. Directors, producers, casting directors, and the like. He had a way of instilling fear into me in regards to people outside of Hollywood. Girls and women in particular. He said that all they were ever after was my character and money, not me and who I am. It didn't take long for me to realize that he was right. It started after the first movie came out." I roll my eyes. "At first it bothered me, but then it became second nature. People loved me for the role I played and not really who I was."

"The only reason I knew who you were was because of the supermarket tabloids and the pictures that they would print of you. It was strange the way that those images made me feel. And then my reaction to the headlines. I'd get really worked up over some of the nastier ones." She takes a sip of her Cosmo and clears her throat. "I knew that none of them were true. Or at least they were getting twisted to the point of out of control."

"Why would you get upset?"

"Because they were running a perfectly good person through the ringer for no good reason other than to sell magazines!"

I can't help but laugh. She's the anger ball here. But it warms my heart. Something she said about getting angry sends a thrill through me, knowing that before she even met me four days ago, she was defending me.
 

"That is about the reality of it,” I say. “Some stories had some true undertones. But the majority of them were blown way out of proportion."

"Do you really need me there in N.Y.C. with you next week?" She says as she sets down her silverware and looking at me.

The abrupt change of subject surprises me, but I don't hesitate. "Absolutely."

"All right, I will come with you to New York. I will coordinate with Trinity to see what I can do besides be your arm candy."

"Cami, you will never be arm candy." My tone is sharp.

She looks at me, wide-eyed at my reaction. The thought of her thinking of herself like that makes me ill. It is in this moment that I begin to realize that there is going to be so much more between Cami and me than there ever was with Layla. My eyes sting slightly, looking at her is like looking at an angel and I quickly realize that she is exactly the person I need beside me. Guiding me wherever I go. My desire for her spikes anew.

"Would you like to take a walk on the beach?" I ask, hoping that a change of scenery will help cool my desire a bit.
 

She smiles. "Absolutely," she says, and drains her glass.

Standing, I reach for her hand and she takes it. I can’t help drinking in the sight of her as she stands. I take in her shoes, then her shins, her knees, her skirt. Then my eyes slowly wander up past her stomach and breasts, shoulders, neck, jaw, then, looking straight into her eyes.
 

As we walk through the doors onto the deck, I quickly realize the mistake of being on the beach. It's deserted.

PART TWENTY-TWO

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We walk along the surf until we reach the opposite end of the island from the hotel. While the hotel is visible behind us, it's peaceful and quiet over here. The moon is high and bright, lighting up the beach, which is mostly deserted; there are just a few couples milling about. Most of them are heading away from us, back toward the hotel.
 

It's getting to the point of no return, desire turning to need. I'm so afraid that I will end up hurting myself emotionally, that I’ll end up trying to be with a man even if the feelings are not reciprocated. But something about his reaction regarding the arm candy comment tells me that we are both in similar places emotionally, and about this I'm overjoyed.

Both of us are quiet now, thinking. I want to ask Tristan what's on his mind, but I think it's better if I just leave him to his thoughts. I don't want to pry, and when he's ready to talk to me he will. I have no doubt.

Suddenly Tristan comes to a stop, tugging on our linked hands, pulling me into him. Then he releases my hand and reaches up to grab my arms. Tightening his grip, he pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arms around me so tight he's nearly crushing me. But I don't mind. I like being this close to him. My ear is pressed against his chest. I can feel his heart pounding out a rhythm, faster than I would have thought just from walking. My own heart is starting to push the blood behind my ears so fast it's starting to match the pace of his.