CORAL - Fallen (A Romance Trilogy, Book 2) (7 page)

Hysterical laughing now ensues –
Maybe
it’s because I feel good about sex again?

“What are you laughing at?” Tristan asks,
laughing too.

“I don’t know,” I cry out, rolling onto the
floor, laughing so hard that my belly is truly starting to ache. Tristan can’t
help but join in with me, laughter is too infectious like that.

WHEN WE FINALLY COMPOSE
ourselves and the laughing has ceased, Tristan helps me to my feet, he pulls
the condom off and throws it on the shower floor. We kiss each other ardently,
caressing, squeezing and appreciating each other’s body.

“Can I wash you?” Tristan asks. I find it
strange he would want to do that. Then I feel his erection grow against my
belly.

“Maybe another time,” I whisper against his
lips. “If you do, I don’t think we’ll get out of here.” Tristan grins cheekily
at me, and kisses me sweetly, then checks the time on his watch.

“I think you’re right.” He suddenly looks
serious. “We have ten minutes,” he adds.

“What?” I gasp, “I’ll never be ready on
time!” Tristan strokes my cheek it instantly calms me.

“You don’t need to be ready baby. We know
where everything is going. I can sort it, take your time.” I take a deep breath
feeling calmer. “May I?” Tristan says pointing to the shower.

“Be my guest,” I say gesturing for him to
go first.

Leaning back against the tiles, I watch him
shampoo his hair. I watch the bubbles ripple across his shoulders, down his
mighty fine pectorals, swimming into a v as they reach his slim abdomen, then
down to his impressive manly parts –
Boy I’m a lucky woman
.

Tristan winks at me as he sees me watching
him. “Enjoying yourself?” he chuckles.

“You have no idea,” I answer dryly, biting
my bottom lip. The urge to get down on my knees and taste him is...overwhelming.

“Later,” he admonishes, his eyes darkening.
I pout like a teenager. Tristan finishes up and pulls me under the shower. “Don’t
be too long,” he tells me sternly, then kisses me briefly before he leaves,
leaving me spent and sated.

Something deep within me blossoms. I can't
explain what it is, all I know is how it makes me feel, and I feel like I’m on
drugs, high as a kite. I sigh blissfully, I was intending to take a long lazy
shower, but now, all I want to do is be as quick as possible and be next to him
again. I’m really starting to feel kind of lost and empty when he’s isn’t next
to me.

I wonder to myself if that is a good thing,
if this ends, goes wrong, I don’t think it’s something I will ever recover from
– I push the mournful thought away and try to keep my mind focused, as George
has taught me, on the now and what Tristan and I will be getting up to today...

TEN MINUTES LATER AND I’M DONE
. Hair washed, body shaved in all the right places and buffed with
my shower cream and exfoliating sponge – now I feel refreshed. I have dressed
in my white skinny, three quarter length jeans, my mint camisole and my green
wedges to match.

I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror,
my cheeks look flushed – guess that’s all the sexing! Smiling broadly at
myself, I pick up my make-up bag and start putting on my face. I go through the
motions on autopilot, because I can’t stop thinking about what Tristan revealed
to me this morning. Quite frankly, I'm shocked that he’s been on his own for so
long, longer than me in-fact, and I can’t help wondering about this girl and
whether she did in fact cheat on him. Then I wonder who the confidant was. Who
told him that they were seen together? Must have been someone he really
trusted.

I brush the stupid thought away. If Tristan
had stayed with her he wouldn’t be here with me now, so I have to be thankful
to the confidant, whoever it was. Then I think about his broodiness last night,
that strange look he had. I have to wonder what was going through his mind? I
hope it doesn’t return, it gave me such a sinking feeling in the pit of my
stomach –
Stop Coral, don’t think like that!
– I shake my head at
myself, look up at my reflection and finish off my make-up, trying my best to
quiet the crazy talk going on in my head.

With my make-up done and my hair drying
naturally with a lovely wave, I walk back into the bedroom and pick up my handbag.
Finding my mobile, I quickly check my messages and see I have none from Rob or
Carlos -
I wonder if they’re ok?

I try to tell myself they’ve gone away on
holiday to try and renew their relationship or something, make amends, at least
I hope that’s what’s going on; and if it is, I hope they are having a good
time. Then I think of Bob –
Shit!
– I’ve just realised I won’t be there
tomorrow to cook him his Roast Dinner. I better call Gladys, see if she will
take one over to him, at least it will ease the guilt I'm feeling for not being
there for him.

“Hello?” A deep male voice answers the home
line.

“Malcolm?” I say, feeling surprised he’s
answered the line.

“Yes?” He says.

“It’s Coral.”

“Ah, hello darling.” He sounds genuinely
pleased to hear from me.

“Hi, is’ – “I’ll go get her for you. How
are you feeling, is your nose better?”

“Yes thanks, much better.”

“Good, glad to hear it. Darling, Coral’s on
the phone for you…” I can hear Gladys in the background, she sounds busy.

“Be quick darling, I’ve got bacon and eggs
on the go,” she says a little frantically

“Can you take Bob a dinner tomorrow?”

“Oh goodness poor Bob, I won't be here
darling.”
Damn it!

“It’s ok, I’ll sort it,” I gripe. “You’d
better go before your eggs burst,” I add.

“Bye darling.” She slams the phone down.

“Bye,” I mumble sarcastically to my mobile and
hang up. I guess I better talk to Tristan, I’ve got to get some decent food in
Bob somehow? Throwing my mobile in my bag, I skip down the stairs to find him.

Reaching the kitchen, I spy Tristan sat on
one of the breakfast stools, going through some paperwork. He hasn’t seen me so
I take a moment to appreciate him. He’s dressed in a fitted black t-shirt, dark
blue jeans, and a pair of trainers; he really does look too good to be true.

Just as I think, that he runs a hand
through his messed up hair, making my stomach flutter madly, I don’t know why
he hasn’t combed it into place, as is his usual style, but I don’t care, he
looks really hot – really hot and sexy and I like it, I like it a lot.

I’M SAT ON ONE OF THE BREAKFAST STOOLS
with my arms and legs wrapped around Tristan as he kisses me over
and over. He seems different today, like he’s gotten over his broodiness about
what I told him. I hope so, this Tristan I like, he’s playful and sexy and I
can’t get over how much he seems to like me, love me even?

“What are you thinking about?” he asks
kissing me again, his tongue softly lapping against mine, making my legs feel
wobbly even though I’m not standing.

“You,” I answer honestly.

“Me?” He says, surprised.

“Yeah,” I try to hide the sigh.

“What about me?” he enquires, kissing the
corner of my lips.

“Nothing…” I decide in that second not to
say anything, it may spoil his mood.

“Tell me,” he urges.

“I was just thinking...you’re different
today,” I say looking tentatively up at him, my mouth running away with me
again.

His eyes darken. “Different how?”

“In a good way,” I explain.

“You’re not going to tell me.” He guesses. I
shake my head at him. “I wish you would, I want you to be open Coral and really
tell me what’s going on in that head of yours. The more I know, the better my
chances of understanding you.”
Ok, that sounded like George!

“Oh!” I whisper.

“Yeah oh, so are you going to spill?” He
asks his eyes lightning as his mood elevates. I think about it for a few
seconds.

“It’s just, you seemed kind of distant last
night,” I say looking to the floor, shrugging slightly. Tristan sighs and
gently lifts my head, running a soft finger down my cheek I see his jaw clench
then release.

“I was mad, really, really fucking mad. To
be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever felt that mad, like I could annihilate an
entire village. When you told me...I just saw red. Of all the people for that
to happen to, you’re so sweet and beautiful, so kind, so strong and courageous.”
Tristan shakes his head in disgust. “I’ll never understand it men who rape, abuse
do all that kind of shit!” He breaks off, his cheeks flaming.

“I thought I would wake up to...” I trail
off. “I’m glad you’re back to being
you,
” I tell him, taking his face in
my hands and kissing his full lips.

“You know I’ll probably be...well, I’ll try
not to be...” He says shaking his head again.

“What?” I whisper.

“Over protective.” He replies grudgingly. A
part of me feels really good about that, as long as Tristan doesn’t take it too
far and become a complete ogre.
No way, I won’t let that happen, I’ll tell
him before it gets that far.

“What are you thinking?” He asks examining
my face.

“That I love that you want to protect me so
much,” I whisper, leaning my forehead against his.

Tristan seems relieved. “You’ll tell me
won’t you, if I start to smother you, you know get a little’ – “Yes,” I say,
finishing his sentence for him. “I know what you’re trying to say, and no, I
won’t put up with it if you go too far, which I’m sure you won’t,” I say
lifting my head and gazing into his warm chocolate eyes.

“Somehow I get the feeling you will
definitely put me in my place if I go too far,” he says. “You have far too much
spark and fire in you to be that kind of woman,” he adds.

“Damn right,” I say punching him playfully.
“I’ll kick your ass,” I add chuckling hard.

“Oh really?” He says, his eyes glinting
wickedly.

I don’t have time to react. Tristan launches
me over his shoulder and playfully slaps my backside. I yelp in surprise and slap
his ass back. Then he throws me onto the beanbag, landing on top of me as he
does, then he decides to tickle me – Launching one of my worst triggers!

“Stop!” I scream in panic. My heart is
hammering and my head feels woozy.

Tristan leans back, his hands held up
showing me he won’t touch me. “What did I do wrong?” He questions.

I stagger to my feet, my breathing erratic
and wipe at the sheen of cold sweat that has formed on my brow. “I’m sorry,” I
pant, bending down to put my hands on my knees, trying to ease the spinning
head.

“Me too,” he says. I look down at Tristan
he’s frozen in place, carefully watching me –
Shit!

“Tristan you can get up...I’m sorry, I’m
sorry...” I say clutching my throat, swallowing hard against the bile that’s
risen.

Tristan slowly stands and walks with gentle,
soft steps until he reaches me. “You don’t like tickling?” he surmises. I shake
my head unable to answer him. “Why?” He softly asks.

Someone knocks the front door, saving me
from his question.

“I need some fresh air,” I say. Tristan
looks torn like doesn’t want to leave me, then he nods at me and reluctantly,
he turns and stalks towards the front door.

I step outside where I know I won’t be seen
by the delivery guys and lean my head against the wall. I take a deep breath and
close my eyes. I feel the panic subside, only to be over taken by anger –
Fuckers!
– If they hadn’t have done what they did to me when I was a child, that moment
wouldn’t have been ruined. It would have been a normal playful thing that
couples do, not’ – “Coral?” I flick my eyes open. Tristan is in front of me his
hand held out, giving me a choice to take it or not, as I look up into his eyes
I can see the confusion, the frustration, there’s nothing he can do. I take
hold of his hand and still myself, closing my eyes I take a moment to bask in
the glorious feeling of his hand grasping mine.

“Open your eyes beautiful,” he tells me. I
gaze up at his warm eyes. “Ok?” He asks watching carefully for my response.

“Yeah,” I sigh, wondering what Tristan’s
really thinking –
She’s a nutball and I’m running for the trees, surely?

“What are you thinking?” He asks, echoing
my thoughts.

I laugh sarcastically at that one then
frown. “That I’m just waiting for the moment when you say you’ve had enough and
you leave,” I whisper softly. My stomach rolling at the very thought of it.

“You’ll be waiting a long time,” he tells
me caressing my cheek. “Are you ok?” he adds. I nod silently at him. “Want to
talk about it?” I shake my head. Tristan looks irritated for a moment then
adjusts himself so that his facial features form a panting combusting smile. “As
you wish,” he says.

I gaze up at him in awe. There is no way I
would let that go, I’d be too intrigued as to why the person reacted that way.
But I can’t help grinning back at him, it’s almost as though it happens all by
itself, like my face has nothing to do with it.