Forever Yours (7 page)

Before she could open the curtains she heard a voice behind her, startling her. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Stella quickly let her arms fall and turned to see Tristan standing at the doorway holding a tray in his hand “Unless of course you want pictures of yourself dressed like that all over the media.” His eyes moved up and down her body, raising his eyebrow as he did this. She quickly looked down, realising she was still wearing his shirt, exposing her legs. She hadn’t even thought about the media being outside, waiting to take photos of him at any possible opportunity.

“Is it always like that? People waiting to snap pictures of you,” she asked.

“Unfortunately yes,” he sighed, walking over to the nearby table, placing the tray down. “But it comes with the territory. Breakfast?” he asked her, pointing to the tray on the table.

“Yes please,” Stella replied. She normally ate breakfast at seven in the
morning,
she could hear her tummy rumble at the mention of food.

They both sat down at the table across from each other, Stella picking out the bits of bacon to eat while Tristan sipped on his coffee. He looked towards the balcony sliding doors. “Sometimes it feels like I’m trapped in this bubble.
Everyone watching me, waiting for me to screw up, waiting for me to fail.
I think about running away and leaving it all behind.”

Stella could see the frown forming on his face. “So why don’t you?”

“I wish it was that easy. No matter where I go they will still follow me. They have a way of finding you when you think no one can.” He exhaled, “Plus I love singing, I don’t know if I could give it up, it’s the best thing I have in my life. Well, of course until now.” He smiled at her now. “You’re the first person in a long time that I feel safe with. That I don’t feel like you’re just with me because of what I am. You’re with me for me. I feel so happy with you, it’s like you’ve lit a fire inside of me. Made me feel alive again, made me feel like me. I can’t tell you how many people have used me for my fame.”

Stella couldn’t believe the way Tristan just laid it all on the table, so honest with his feelings. “Are you always so open with your feelings like this?” Stella questioned with a smile on her face, trying to lighten the mood.

Tristan laughed, “No never.” He grabbed her free hand. “But with you, it seems like all I want to do is bare my soul to you.”

“You really are a songwriter,” she laughed. Pulling her hand from his grip, she picked up the glass of orange juice and had a sip, her eye catching the picture on the chest of drawers.

“Why is that the only picture you have?” Stella said, pointing over to the picture.

“That was the very first time I sang on stage. The only people there were my family and friends. It was a surprise birthday present. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of the feeling I first felt singing on stage, it was exhilarating, complete happiness. It also brings me down to earth and lets me remember who I am and where I came from. To never let the fame go to my head,” he replied with certainty in his words.

They sat in silence for a while, both content eating and enjoying the moment. Stella recalled their first meeting, remembering how it seemed so strange to her, the way the other men had acted around him, it all making sense now.

“Why did you stay at my hotel that time, if you have this place?” she asked.

“I didn’t have this place then. I move around a lot so it never seemed necessary for me to have my own place. Until I met you of course, then I knew I wanted somewhere to stay near you so I could hopefully one day meet you again.”

She smiled, his response was not what she had expected to hear yet it was like music to her ears. He had wanted to see her
again,
he was willing to move here in the chance that they would meet again, it wasn’t just a one night stand for him.
Could this really be real?
Stella thought.
Could the Tristan Woods want to date plain old Stella Green?

“Have you called your sister yet to let her know you slept the night?” Tristan asked, pulling Stella out of her daydream.

“Shit!” Stella exclaimed as she shot up from her chair rushing to her handbag on the floor to retrieve her phone. She had completely forgotten to call Claire to let her know she was staying the night. She had been so caught up in the moment with Tristan last night it didn’t even register in her thoughts that Claire might be worried about her.

“You might also want to tell her you’ll be around there soon to pick a few things up before we head out for the day,” Tristan said to her as she pulled the phone from her bag.

Stella looked at Tristan confused “What? What are you talking about Tristan? Where am I going?”

“It’s a surprise. But we will need to drop by your place to get some more clothes for you. Can’t have you walking around in the clothes you wore last night,” he snickered. “Plus it’s still pretty cold
outside,
you’ll need warm clothes where we’re going.”

A surprise?
Stella thought. Stella wasn’t a fan of surprises. She liked to be in control of her life and know what she was doing each day. Being with Tristan however, she had endured many surprises already and had liked every one. With him she was a different person. She felt more relaxed, comfortable, and most importantly happy. “You’re not going to tell me where we are going, and what we plan on doing?”

“No, it wouldn’t be a surprise then would it?” he replied, smiling from ear to ear. He raised himself from his chair and strolled across the room, proceeding towards the door to the lounge room. “We leave in ten Stella, so you better get a move on,” he called over his shoulder, before walking out of Stella’s view.

She felt like she should be angry that he just assumed she had nothing planned and wanted to spend the day with him, but she couldn’t help but feel excited and curious of his plans intended for her. She held her phone in front of her noticing there were several calls and messages from Claire asking where she was and if she was coming home, then a cheeky one asking her what Tristan looked like naked. She dialled Claire’s number, not knowing if she would be angry or proud of her, for Claire had done the same thing many times, and Tristan wasn’t just any guy. He was
Tristan Woods
the famous singer/song writer as Claire so happily pointed out.

“Well hello there stranger, I’m gathering your alive and well then?” Claire sounded amused when she answered the phone. Stella felt a weight lift from her shoulders, she wasn’t mad, thank goodness.

“Hey Claire.
Yeah I’m at Tristan’s now, everything’s alright. I had turned my phone on silent when we were at the concert and I had…well….um lost track of time.” She struggled finding the right words to explain her situation.

“If that’s what you want to call it!” She could hear Claire laughing on the other side of the line. “What was he like Stella? Was he even better than I imagined?”

Stella knew what she was talking about and there was no way she was about to have this conversation with her, especially when Tristan was in the other room. “Claire
forget
it! I’m not talking to you about this!”

“Please Stella! I’m your
sister,
I need to know these things!”

“No you don’t Claire, and I’m not going to tell you either.”

 “Suit yourself. But we all know you’ll eventually tell me.” She laughed again, not deterred by Stella’s determination to not reveal anything about last night. “When are you getting home anyway?”

Stella welcomed the change of conversation. “I’m actually about to come by now and pick up a few things. Tristan’s taking me out for the
day,
I don’t know where we’re going through because apparently it’s a surprise.”

“Oh Stella!
How exciting! He is so romantic!” Claire exclaimed.

“How do you know it’s going to be romantic? It could be shovelling horse shit for all we know.”

“It’s
the
Tristan Woods we’re talking about here Stella! He is the epitome of romance. Hell, he only needs to say a few words and women fall at his feet, overwhelmed with love.”

“More like infatuation,” Stella grunted. The thought of other women all over Tristan made her uncomfortable and sick. “Anyway I have to go Claire, see you soon.”

“Ok, but I want to hear all about it when you get here! Bye
Stel
.”

“Bye Claire.” Stella hoped her sister could tell by the irritation in her voice that she had no intention in talking to her about it. Not just yet anyway, not until Stella knew herself what was happening with Tristan and their relationship. As she hung up the phone, she knew she was going to need to get in and out of her unit as fast as she could to avoid Claire’s never-ending interrogation.

***

“That was quick,” Tristan said as Stella slipped into the backseat of the car wearing her jeans and a jumper with her swimmers underneath.

Tristan hadn’t told her any more information as to where they were going, but when they had arrived at Stella’s hotel he’d told her to wear swimmers. Stella had argued with Tristan then, claiming there was no way she was going swimming in the middle of winter. But somehow he had convinced her to wear them anyway, and no matter how hard she tried to disagree with him, she couldn’t find it in herself to say no, so she put them on anyway.

She had tried to be as quick as possible getting ready at her place, not just because of the excitement she felt in anticipation of Tristan’s surprise, but also to try and avoid her sister’s interrogation of the details of last night’s encounter with Tristan.

“Any longer and Claire would have tied me to a chair to find out about what happened between you and I last night.”

Tristan laughed. “I figured as much.”

Stella gave a confused look at Tristan. He barely even knew Claire, he had met her briefly at the concert, and he didn’t know her enough to make such an accusation, even if he was right. “What’s that meant to mean?”

Tristan sighed, “It’s just when you got knocked out at the concert, she was, well… how do I put this… very forthcoming.” He shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

It was not unlike her sister to throw herself at a guy, especially a famous singer. But she cringed at the thought of Claire all over Tristan. “She threw herself at you?”

Tristan nodded.

“And what did you do?” A knot formed in her heart. Had he flirted back?
Please, please, please say nothing happened!
Stella thought, wishing she hadn’t even asked.

“I did nothing.” Tristan sensed her discomfort in the conversation. “When the girl of my dreams lies unconscious in front of me and I have just spent the last three months thinking about her and praying I would meet her again,
do
you really think I would just disregard all of that for a girl making advances towards me?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, would you?”

Tristan looked at Stella in disbelief. “Women throw themselves at me all the time Stella. I’m constantly surrounded by people who only want me because of who I am.” He paused taking a deep breath.

“When I met you Stella, you were different. You didn’t know who I was, and you didn’t care. You wanted me for me.
None of the other crap.
Do you know how hard it is to find someone like you? And even when I thought I had found someone in the past, I never felt the way I feel when I’m with you. Everything about you makes me feel
alive,
your very touch sends me into overdrive. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I have this undying urge to be with you.
To have you, to hold you.”
He paused once more grabbing her chin in his hand.
“To protect you.”

She felt the truth in his words and moved her face to his, gently kissing his lips, savouring the moment. When she moved her head back, so they faced each other, and she was still close enough to feel his breath on her face. “I’m glad you chose me,” she whispered.

He grinned, “She was never an option.”

Relief swept through Stella. She was glad nothing had happened between her sister and Tristan. She also felt pleased with herself as Claire was always looked at as the prettier sister, she had beautiful blonde hair and a perfect complexion, and every guy she had ever met couldn’t keep their eyes off her.

Claire had thrown herself at Tristan though and he had chosen Stella.

Tristan’s eyes were focused on the road ahead. “We’ll be there soon.” He turned to her, grabbing her hand, kissing it then gently placing it on his knee.

Where they were going she had no idea, but as long as it meant she would be with Tristan she couldn’t care less.

***

Tristan studied Stella’s face as she climbed the rocky hill. She had asked him several times where they were going during the lengthy car ride and again during their walk through the forest, but he wouldn’t let on any information. He didn’t want her over analysing his intentions and finding a reason not to go with him.

Following the worn track before them, which Tristan had walked many times before, he knew they were nearly there. Ben turned his head back to Tristan nodding at him, letting him know they were close. . It was Ben’s day off today, but he had insisted on coming with them today. Tristan had a bigger fan base in his hometown and they already had two of his usual security take leave, only leaving Sam on duty today. Ben never allowed Tristan to go anywhere without at least two people protecting him. So he generously offered to join them today.

Even Ben was pleased he had found Stella again. He’d never seen Tristan so inspired before and it was really paying off in his career.

Tristan noticed Stella’s awkward glances at Ben and Sam when he had shown affection towards her this morning in front of them. Tristan had learnt through the years to become accustomed to them being there and barely even took notice, but Stella he realised, was still very new to it, and Tristan’s way of life.

“Don’t worry, we’re nearly there,” Tristan reassured Stella as they continued down the beaten path.

Tristan wanted to know more about Stella. His thoughts had been on her and only her since the night they first met. He wanted to learn all about her life, but he knew it would be hard for them to go anywhere in the city without being followed so he needed to go somewhere private so they could talk and get to know each other.