Forever Yours (3 page)

Claire stopped and turned when she heard Stella. “Where are you off to?” Stella sounded alarmed.

Turning to face her sister Claire smiled with delight. “I’m seeing Dave again. We’re going to go catch a movie, and maybe go out for a drink after then hopefully he’ll take me back to his place”

“Claire! Don’t you think you should take things slow?” Stella was shocked at her sister’s admission.

She laughed, “Oh Stella, if you saw him you’d be ripping his clothes off as fast as you could too.”

Stella rolled her eyes. There was no reasoning with her, she could try and protect her as much as she wanted, but when Claire got something in her mind there was no stopping her.

“Just be careful,” she cautioned.

“Of course I will.” Claire walked back to Stella, leaning down and gently kissed the top of her head. “You worry too much sis. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that, she was gone.

Stella turned her attention to the TV, switching it on and flicking through the channels, her mind drifting to thoughts of Tristan. She gave a small growl.
Get out of my head!
she
thought.

Fed up with herself not being able to control her thoughts she got up and moved to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable and go down to the hotel pool. She always found being near water cleared her mind.

The water was warm against her legs as she sat on the ledge, moving them back and forth in the water. She watched as the water rippled around her legs with each movement.

“I didn’t think anyone was allowed in here after seven o’clock.” She turned her head, startled and surprised by the voice. Tristan stood a couple of metres away from her, he was barefoot and wearing a black shirt with light grey board shorts, his eyes fixed on her. It was too dark to read his facial expressions as the pool area had all but a couple of lights on, to deter people from going swimming after hours, she guessed.

“I needed to think,” she said trying to hide her surprise. She pulled herself from his gaze and stared back down at the water. She had come to the pool hoping to clear her mind and rid herself of thoughts of Tristan, and now he was here. She knew you couldn’t visit the pool area after seven in the evening so she had thought she would be alone and undisturbed.

She felt him move behind her, slipping himself next to her and placing his legs into the pool next to her. She could smell his aftershave.

She let herself slowly take a look at him. His hair was its usual scruffy, sexy self and she noticed he had shaved off his beard. He looked just as mesmerising with or without his beard though.

“Thinking about what?” he asked her.

Her head quickly turning back towards the water, she didn’t want him to catch her staring.
You
, she secretly thought. “Life,” she murmured.

“Anything in particular?”

She was silent, taking in a deep breath and shook her head.

“You don’t give much away do you?” he asked, this time Stella raised her head to meet his gaze. His eyes felt like they were looking into her soul. Her blood started to pulse.

“I try not to.” Her eyes still locked on him.

“Well if you’re not going to tell me what’s bugging you, then can you at least tell me a bit about yourself?”

“There’s not much to tell.”

“Enlighten me,” he smiled.

She returned his smile then looked at her legs moving in the water. “I grew up on a farm with my parents and sister. After school I took a year off then went to university to study accounting. I moved to the city with my sister after I graduated to find a job in my career, four months later and I’m still working as an admin assistant and no job offers.”

“Accounting hey? Do you enjoy it?”

She shrugged. “I guess so. Never really gave much thought. I wanted to do a degree that I knew had security and comfort. It was a career that had little surprises, if any at all.”

“You don’t like surprises?” he questioned.

“I used to, but not anymore. My life has no room for surprises,” she said in a matter-of-fact way.

“Sounds boring,” he smirked.

She looked at him, shocked. What did he know, he didn’t know her. Who was he to judge her life? “Well it’s not, and it’s none of your business anyway!” She gave him a foul look.

“Ok enough serious talk,” he said, getting up onto his feet. “Let’s go for a swim.”

“Excuse me? I don’t think so.” She looked at him in disbelief. She was not about to go swimming with a guy she only just met last night, and who was already getting on her nerves.

“Why not?
No one’s around and the water is warm.”

“So?”

“So… You need a bit of adventure in your life.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.” She stood up before him, arms crossed over her chest.

He placed his hands on her
arms,
she felt her body quiver at his touch. Her legs started to give way, he held her tight, steading her.

“But I don’t have any swimmers,” she said quietly.

“And..?” he smiled, letting her go he took a step back and pulled his shirt over his head.

“I’m not going swimming naked!” she exclaimed. She knew nothing about this man but his name, she was not about to get naked in front of him.

“I didn’t say naked,” he assured her. “Well unless you want to of course?” He raised his eyebrow at her, grinning. She frowned at his comment, not thinking it was funny at all.

“Didn’t think so.
Just go in your underwear then,” he said.

Her head shook in disbelief, “I can’t do that.” She knew she shouldn’t be here with him, especially like this.

“Oh please
Stella,
they are pretty much the same thing as swimmers.”

She stood there for a while contemplating his offer. It had been a long time since she had done something spontaneous. She felt alive with him, daring even. The way he looked at her and touched her made her question everything. She didn’t like being intimate with men, she avoided it like the plague. Not because she didn’t like men, she did. She just didn’t trust them or herself for that matter. She had made the mistake of losing herself to a boyfriend years ago and it only ended in heartbreak, she wasn’t going to let that happen again. But staring at Tristan’s naked torso was making her heart race.
Surely a quick swim wouldn’t do any harm?
she
thought.

“Ok,” she reluctantly sighed. “But turn around. I don’t want you looking.” He smiled with instant satisfaction that he had won her over.

When his back was turned, she pulled her singlet top over her head and slid her shorts down. She was thankful at that moment that she was wearing her favourite black lacy bra and panties. That was one of the luxuries she did enjoy, buying beautiful underwear. Although she never intended anyone to see her in them, it gave her a sense of confidence in a way that she couldn’t explain.

Before Tristan could turn around to see if she had finished she dived into the pool. The water was warm just like Tristan had told her it would be.

As Stella reached the surface she heard a splash behind her, turning to see where Tristan had gone she felt hands grab at her waist as he emerged from the water taking a deep breath. She quickly treaded water backwards to pull herself from his grip.

The pool lights sent little light through the pool, but she was able to see part of his upper body through the water, it was just as jaw dropping as she remembered. She knew he too would be able to see her chest in the water, but he did not draw his attention to it, which gave her a sense of relief.

A look of gratification spread across his face. “See. Refreshing isn’t it?”

“Yes.” She didn’t know what else to say, her heart was pounding from her chest, she could feel the close proximity between her and Tristan and the effect it had on her.

They both moved their arms back and forth in the water trying to keep them afloat.

She was curious as to why he had come down to the pool area too. “Why were you down here tonight?”

“Doing the same as you.
Thinking about life, questioning the choices I’ve made, wondering if it was the right decision or not.”

“And was it?”

“I’m still not sure.”

There was silence between them, both not knowing what to say to each other. Tristan moved himself through the water so he was but a metre a part from her. She noticed her breathing had changed, Tristan’s had also quickened. She could feel his eyes moving over her, seeing the outline of her body through the water. Her hair floating in the water resting on her shoulders, droplets of water falling down her face.

They both suddenly jerked in the water when they heard a voice nearby. They looked over across the far side of the pool. They could see a torch light shining just beyond the BBQ area, a figure of a man behind it.

“Shit, its security,
hide
!” she exclaimed, grabbing Tristan’s wrist, pulling him through the water. Once he started to swim by himself she let go and they quickly hid behind the large pillar. She pushed her back towards the edge, as Tristan came in front of her, protecting himself from being spotted. They were just able to stand, as that part of the pool was shallower than the rest. Their bodies were pressed together, her breasts touching his chest. One of his arms wrapped around her while he held his finger on her lips, motioning her to be quiet. She could feel the fabric of his board shorts pressing against her thighs.

Shit!
she
thought.
What about our clothes?

He pulled his finger away from her mouth as he leaned closer so his head was over her shoulder. She could feel his breath on her skin. They were quiet, not daring to make a sound. She could see the torch shinning over the pool towards them, and just when she thought they would be found out, it pulled away. Her heart was pounding out of her
chest,
the close proximity was making her want to touch him, to kiss him. They focused themselves on the footsteps becoming softer as the man moved away. Tristan moved his head around the pillar, still holding a firm grip on Stella.

Tristan pulled his head back, his face was now only inches away. “He’s gone.” But neither of them pulled away. He stroked his hand through her hair; cupping her head in his palm, he tilted his head towards her, his breath on her lips. She moved her head up, closing the gap between them. He moved his mouth on hers; she responded instantly, her mouth moving with his. Their kiss growing stronger as each movement crossed their lips. She wrapped her arms around his waist, his hand feeling her waist through the water.

He slowly pulled his lips from her. “You’re so beautiful Stella,” he breathed.

Sudden realization of what was happening came over Stella. She couldn’t do
this,
it was too much, too soon. “I can’t… I can’t do this.” She pulled away and started swimming towards the edge of the pool.

“Stella. Wait, please,” Tristan called from behind her.

She quickly pulled herself out of the pool, picking up her clothes from the ground attempting to cover herself.

Tristan was out of the pool in a flash. “Stella, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just want to go back to my unit,” she murmured.

The look of rejection covered his face. “At least let me walk you back then?”

She wanted to say no, tell him to go away, but she didn’t. She knew she couldn’t do this, knew he would be leaving soon and going back to wherever he came from, but the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. “Ok,” she reluctantly agreed. He picked up his shirt and they walked off through the hotel grounds, up a flight of stairs and to her unit in silence. Both were dripping wet, but neither one uttering a word.

She reached her unit door, grabbing a key from her pants pocket she opened it up, trying not to turn her back on Tristan, as she was still in her wet underwear.

“I’ll see you later,” was all that she could say. He nodded in response as she backed into the doorway, and once inside she moved to the side and closed the door. She pushed her back up against the door. What had happened? They had kissed and it was nothing like she had felt before. She wanted him. She needed him. But she knew she was too stubborn to do anything about it.

Tristan stood there for a moment. Surely that wasn’t it? She had to feel it too, the chemistry between them, the intense need to have each other. She was like no other woman he had met. They couldn’t just end it at that.

Stella heard the knock on the door behind
her,
she turned to open the door. Just as the door opened, Tristan grabbed her face in his hands kissing her passionately. He pushed her though the door, kicking it closed with his foot. He pressed her against the wall, her clothes dropping to the floor. She grabbed his body, running her hands over his back. She wanted this so badly. He picked her up by her backside, her legs wrapping around his waist. He moved his head to her neck trailing kisses all over it as he moved down the unit’s hallway, pushing the next door open.

Stella quickly registered where she was. “Not this room. I’m the next one down,” she quickly said.

He swiftly moved from the room down the hallway, Stella now staring at his face, he gently let her slide down his body so her feet were on the ground.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea Tristan,” she whispered.

He stared at her. “Do you want to?”

She knew she wanted to be with him. Wanted his arms around her, but a part of her was scared. Scared of what might happen, scared of how he affected her in ways she had never felt before. Scared of how her body responded to his touch. ”Yes…But…” she whispered.

He stroked her cheek. “I know we hardly know each other, and tomorrow I’ll be leaving. But I’ve never felt so…drawn to someone. It’s like I need you. I need to feel you.” He kissed her jawline, whispering in her ear, “You’re beautiful.”

Stella felt her body react, her neck moving into his kiss. It was now or never. She was either going to let herself submit to her feelings, her lust for him and explore her inner passion with him, leaving herself questioning herself and her emotions. Or she was going to stop now and walk away, forever left wondering what if?