Tristan's Loins (13 page)

"Sure, I'll go. I have to make sure my dog is
taken care of for the night, but she should be fine."

"What's with the dog?" he asked.

"Jim's girlfriend developed allergies
overnight and he threatened to get rid of her."

"Nice guy," Axel commented dryly. "Ok, do
what you have to do. The movie starts at nine fifteen. I thought we
could go grab a pizza beforehand."

"You know where River Landings apartments
are, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"I'm in building five, apartment 205. What
time are you picking me up? "She asked glancing at the clock on her
bedside table. It was already after six.

"How about seven thirty?"

"See you then and he hung up.

Selene was determined to get out tonight and
enjoy Axel's company. Tristan's words troubled her. Knowing Axel
very much sucked up to his two daughters bothered her. She was
confidant she could handle herself with the two younger women, but
she would not kiss their ass like their dad did. If they did not
like her, oh well. She would find out soon if she continued to see
him.

She looked at her appearance in the vanity
mirror an hour later, pleased. She wore a beige sweater and jeans.
The brown knee boots were a nice alternative. It was chilly out
today. Daisy had her walk and was content to lay near the computer.
Selene turned down the sunshine on the computer for spite, but knew
Tristan had candles. Hearing his low chuckles and the girl’s
giggles made her seethe.

Selene pulled a brown leather jacket out of
her closet just as there was a knock at the door. Axel was fifteen
minutes early. She rushed out to living room to turn the sound down
on her computer too. Axel did not need to know one of her book
characters was getting it on with a serving wench on her computer
screen.

Axel looked really good, dressed in a button
up white shirt and a black leather coat and jeans. Daisy rushed the
door and sniffed him appreciatively. Her dog had taste. He smelled
wonderful.

Axel petted Daisy fondly, smiling as the lab
tried jumping up on him.

Selene pushed her dog down and spoke sternly
to her. "She'll calm down in a minute. This is all new to her. I'm
afraid she's a little excited to be back with her Mommy."

"What are you going to do if they find out
you have her, Selene?"

"My lease is up next month. I only took a
six-month lease here. I'm going to have to get a place where I can
have her."

Axel patted Daisy and looked around her
living room. "This is nice. Small, but nice."

"Yeah, I like it but they have a no pet
policy." Selene picked up her purse off the bar and put her keys
inside. "I just unpacked and now I'm moving again."

Axel opened the door and Selene locked it
behind her, but not before her eyes darted to the computer.
Imagining Tristan and the serving girl together was getting to her.
She pushed it away determinedly as she followed Axel to his truck
parked in the lot downstairs. He opened her door and got in the
other side. He was listening to a blues station. She sat back
comfortably in the truck.

Axel drove to BC's pizza, one of her favorite
places. They sat and drank beer while the pizza was being made.

"I'm glad my daughters bailed on me now," he
was saying, smiling at her. "I wanted to see you again,
Selene."

She was touched he thought enough of her to
seek her out so soon after lunch, but she very much felt like he
was moving in on her now. "Where did they go tonight?" she asked in
an effort to turn it away from where he was going.

Axel seemed to know she was avoiding the
issue of his interest in her. "They got invited to a party from
some friends from school."

"So you got left to your own devices?"

"Lucky me, you did not have plans," he said
quietly. "Did you get some writing done today?"

"Yeah, I did." She refused to say it was all
for nothing. "It's coming along."

"I hope to read it one of these days."

"The hard part is getting it written. Getting
published is another matter entirely," she said and grimaced. "I
heard it can take years sometimes to find an agent or a publisher.
It doesn't happen overnight."

Axel's hand reached out and covered hers.
"You got the hardest part over. Not everybody can write a book,
Selene. Give yourself that much."

Selene relaxed with Axel's comfort and
assurances. The pizza came then and they ate. She found herself
thinking about Tristan's situation despite the fact she was on a
date. It more than annoyed her now.

The movie was average and Selene hardly
touched the popcorn, feeling none of her earlier enthusiasm. Axel
watched the movie, oblivious, as she was miles away from Trillium,
thinking about the man trapped in her computer. Selene knew it was
crazy to think about his demand she write him into her world. It
could not be possible, but yet she was able to write things into
his. What was happening was real. She knew she was not insane now.
There was no explanation for Tristan's presence. Some magic was at
work here, but she knew not what.

In addition, if she was honest, the thought
of having Tristan in front of her in the flesh was a heady
prospect. Dismayed Tristan was overpowering her date, she pushed
all thoughts of him out of her mind, determined to enjoy Axel's
company.

The movie ended and they walked out to the
truck. He glanced at her as they headed back to her apartment. "So
what did you think of the movie?"

"It was good," she offered and saw his look
of disbelief.

"Admit it; it was not good at all. I don't
pick them very well. You might have suggested something."

"No, really, it was fine, Axel. I just have a
lot on my mind," Selene reassured him. "I'm worried my neighbors
will turn me in because of Daisy. It got a little ugly when I went
to pick her up. I should not let it get to me."

"He's got a rude one coming, Selene. Pity the
guy, I do."

"I'm a little short of feelings for Jim. Pity
isn't high on my list," Selene replied bitterly.

"That little girl's going to burn him bad and
you can laugh at him," Axel informed her. "You already got your
revenge. Just sit back and enjoy it."

"Sorry I'm not much of a date tonight."

"Selene, I enjoy your company," Axel told her
quietly. "I know what you’re going through. I said I wouldn't push
you and I won't. It was enough you agreed to come tonight. We both
know you were looking for excuses to say no."

"Was it obvious?"

"Selene, I have been where you’re at. I could
tell you what comes next, but people need to find out for
themselves. Just don't do what I did and close yourself off. Right
now you need to get out and realize it was not you that failed at
your marriage." He reached over and grabbed her hand out of her
lap. "I won't push. I can handle being friends right now if it's
all your up for."

"I'm so glad you said that." Selene relaxed
visibly. "I have to get my life together."

"Your life is fine. It's your head that's
messed up," he said and grinned in amusement at her annoyed
expression. "I'm just saying there's nothing wrong with you going
out and having fun right now. Cut yourself a break."

Axel walked her up to her door and gave her a
slow, seeking kiss at her door. His hands fell away from her and he
walked back to the stairs. A part of her wanted to invite him in.
The other part knew it was too soon. She went in and snuck Daisy
out for a walk. She returned to the apartment and walked over to
check her messages. Darcy called, but there was still no word from
Maggie. It was obvious she was mad at them both.

Selene knew Maggie expected them to clamor
around her now, but she refused to indulge her desire to go on a
manhunt. Maggie needed to take a breather from guys right now.

Selene walked to the computer and turned up
the sunshine and volume. A hand covered her mouth as she saw
Tristan walking naked across the room, his hard muscular body
gleaming in the firelight. The maid was sleeping. He was drinking a
beer from the twelve pack. He had an angry expression as he walked
to the window and shut it in her face.

"I guess you’re mad at me." She spoke
quietly, conscious of the sleeping maid.

"I don't think mad is the appropriate word,
Selene."

"Tristan, what you ask of me might not even
be possible," she said softly. "You might well be getting all
worked up for no reason."

"I’m not angry because of that," he growled
and whipped open the window, glaring up at her. "I’m mad you sent
me the maid to pacify me while you go off with that weakling! I had
no use for her tonight, if you must know! You will not even try to
bring me into your world. You have the power to free me from this
room and you will not do it!"

Selene saw the fury in his face and realized
how upset he was. His hurt was obvious. She did not know what to
say to appease him. Unless she was willing to abandon her book, he
would not relent in his desire to remain.

Worse, she tried to write beyond his stay at
the castle and a block was in place she could not get past. She
could not go ahead and could not change the past. They were both
trapped here. For some reason, she believed there was a purpose for
Tristan's presence and it had more to do with her situation than
his.

"We will talk tomorrow. I'm tired,
Tristan."

He said nothing, sitting in the chair in
front of the fire, a pensive expression on his face. Selene did not
want to leave him that way, but she could not give into him either.
Something had to give.

"Good night, Selene." He tossed back the
beer. "Sleep well."

Selene turned down the light and walked away
from her desk, feeling desolate to leave him in such a dark mood.
So many thoughts tumbled in her mind. She was unable to sleep. She
traced her steps out to the living room. Daisy turned traitor and
lay by her desk, sensing Tristan. She grabbed her flash drive.

She pulled her laptop off the bar and headed
to her room. Her manuscript stared back at her. Her hands trembled
as she typed, feeling ridiculous to think anything would happen.
The scene she wrote was Tristan waking and opening the door to his
hallway to lead into her apartment. She felt gooseflesh on her arms
as she hit save and closed the document. Then she waited. She
changed into sleep pants and a loose tee and paced, wondering how
long it would take.

A noise in the living room alerted her. Daisy
growled. She stepped out of her bedroom, eyes anxious and scanning
the room. Her eyes were wide as she saw the old, rustic doorway
that had formed in the wall of her apartment, light around it's
edges. Her hand went to her mouth in wonder as the door opened.

Selene felt something akin to disbelief as
Tristan stepped through the door and into her apartment. Daisy
assured her he was real, running to him and sniffing at him. He
only had eyes for Selene. He had since dressed since she spoke to
him. His tall powerful form was clothed the sword left behind
thankfully.

"It is real," he mused, reaching out to touch
the lamp on her end table, his blue eyes filled with wonder and
returning to hers. "You’re more beautiful in person."

Selene would have replied but she was too
stunned as he closed the door and turned to face her, his handsome
face intent. She took a step back, her heart in her throat.

He saw her hesitancy and grinned maddeningly.
"You look scared, Selene. I’ll not hurt you."

"This can't be happening." Tristan was
walking towards her, his eyes even bluer in real life. He towered
over her as he came to stand before her. His large hand reached out
to grasp her hand. She watched in stupefied horror as he brought
her hand to his lips.

"This is happening, Selene," he replied
softly and his lips brushed the back of her hand. "I’m here."

"But ...how...how is this possible?" she
babbled and looked him over with startled eyes, taking in his
powerful build with a weak feeling in her limbs.

"Do not question the magic that has allowed
me to come to you, Selene," he said solemnly as he pulled her
towards him. "You created me for yourself, not Rhiannon, Selene.
Admit it; you have no wish to see me with her?"

Selene shook her head and was unable to speak
as he pulled her up tightly against his hard chest, her heart
hammering in her chest. Excitement leapt to every sense she had.
His powerful hands molded her to his hard length. She hung in his
arms, staring up at him in startled dismay as his lips lowered to
hers.

At the first touch of his lips, she felt a
dam open up inside of her. His lips were hungry and seeking,
parting hers, tasting of the beer he had drunk before he arrived.
His hands were seeking, and lifted her up high against his chest.
He captured her lips in a slow burning kiss. She wrapped her arms
around his neck with a soft moan, kissing him back.

His tongue stroked hers slowly as he walked
with her, towards the room she had just vacated. Selene was dazed
as he kissed her, feeling her whole body shake from the
overwhelming feel of his body against hers.

Tristan never broke the kiss as he kicked her
door shut, bearing her to her bed. She knew she should stop him,
but she had no words as his powerful body came down with hers onto
her mattress, his mouth working over hers with feverish
intensity.

Selene no longer wanted him to stop. Urgent
gasps escaped her as his mouth lowered to her neck, breathing her
in. She shuddered as stabs of longing so powerful beckoned for him
to continue. His hands lifted the t-shirt and jerked it off. He was
exploring her breasts with such heated pressure she cried out and
held his golden head to her, arching under his mouth.

"You’re so beautiful, Selene," he whispered
against her tingling peaks, pulling one with his lips and swirling
his tongue around it, making her whimper in need. "I have thought
of nothing but you since I heard your voice. I have wanted you
so."