Fall Into Me (Heart of Stone) (8 page)

I
walked over to the woman and smiled, unsure of where I was supposed to try them
on. There didn't seem to be a dressing room in this area of the store. "Hi,
what's your name?"

"Regina, miss."

"Hi,
Regina. If you can just direct me to somewhere I can change, that would be
great."

"Of
course. Follow me."

As
I walked away, Tristan said, "I'll be out here waiting to see you in them.
When Felicia returns with your breakfast, I'll be sure to have her bring it
back."

I
tried on each dress and modeled them for Tristan, who loved them all. I
honestly couldn't choose which one I liked most and told him that when he
asked, figuring he'd choose one and make it easy, so he instructed the
saleswoman that we'd take all of them. When I protested, he merely pointed at
the pastries Felicia had brought back and told me to eat something.

Arguing
would have been pointless, so I enjoyed a cheese Danish and thanked Felicia,
who seemed surprised by my politeness.

"Next,
I thought we'd try something a little different," Regina said in a happy
voice. "Mr. Stone mentioned that you're looking for some lingerie."

I
looked over at Tristan, who grinned like a cat who'd just eaten a bird.
"Really?"

"I
think you'll like what I've picked out. I hung them in the dressing room for you,"
she continued.

"Okay.
Lingerie it is," I said as I flashed a smile at Tristan. "But I'm not
coming out here to model these."

The
dressing room was a well-lit, large room that reminded me of a movie star's
closet I once saw on one of those shows about famous people's homes. There were
built-in racks along three walls and a large built-in dresser on the wall next
to the door. In the corner of the room stood a tri-fold mirror so customers
could see how great they looked in any Le Ciel outfit from every possible
angle. Positioned in the middle of the room was a large, red padded ottoman
directly in front of the mirrors presumably to allow a person to relax in their
new outfit while still checking themselves out.

The
lingerie Regina had picked out was sexier than anything I'd ever slept in, and
as I held the first one up in front of me, I couldn't help but admit that it
was nicer than the shorts and T-shirt I usually wore to bed. I slipped out of
my jersey dress and slid the white silk lingerie over my head. It shimmied down
my body until the hem just touched the floor, and when I looked at how it hung
on me, I silently wondered if those high-heel slippers with feathers on top and
a long cigarette holder were requirements to wear it.

It
fit, so it went on the rack closest to the door and I turned back to grab a
much shorter and lacy babydoll set. This one was black and definitely sexier
than my usual bedtime attire. I took off my bra and slipped into the babydoll,
leaving my panties on instead of trying on the bottoms of the lingerie.
Stepping in front of the mirrors, I checked myself out and had to admit I
looked good. The babydoll pushed my breasts up until I had some very sexy
cleavage and the silk fabric draped nicely down to the top of my thighs.

I
heard the door open and was surprised to see Tristan walk in. Closing the door
behind him, he slid out of his suit coat, hung it on a satin covered hanger,
and walked over behind me. He cupped my shoulders and dipped his head to kiss
my neck as he whispered, "You look gorgeous. Do you like it?"

Blushing,
I nodded and stared at the erotic scene in the mirror. I looked ten times
sexier with him standing behind me nuzzling just below my ear. "I do. It's
very nice."

"I
don't think you remember, but you've been here before. The day after we were
first together, you came here to shop and I called you while you sat in this
very dressing room."

His
voice was laced with sensuality, and every word made my body come alive.
"What did you say?"

Looking
up from my neck, he stared at me in the mirror with eyes full of desire.
"I'd rather show you."

I
didn't answer as he led me to the overstuffed ottoman and dipped his head to
place a full kiss on my lips. Releasing my hand, he gently pressed on my
shoulders to lower me to the seat, smiling seductively at me as I looked up at
him.

"Lay
back, Nina."

I
did as he commanded, my legs shaking nervously as he slid his palms over my
thighs. Right there, in the dressing room at Le Ciel, Tristan was about to go
down on me with the saleswomen not more than a few yards away at most. My body
was a mixture of pure fear and uncontrollable excitement.

"Tristan,
what if the ladies..."

He
cut me off with a quick nip on my inner thigh as he pulled off my panties.
"Shhh. Don't worry about them."

That
was easier said than done. The fear that Regina or Felicia might barge in with
some great outfit for me to try on and see Tristan's head between my legs made
my stomach knot. I was no prude, but sex in public wasn't something I'd ever
done.

At
least I didn't think I'd ever done it.

"Nina,
relax and enjoy this. I've wanted to taste you since you walked in here this
morning. Did you know that?" As he spoke, his warm breath trailed against
my skin, making me want him more.

Before
I could even get a word out, he slid his tongue up to my clit and did this
flicking thing that nearly sent me straight to the moon. My back arched and a
moan that came from deep inside me escaped from my throat, but I didn't care at
that moment. Whatever fear I'd had about anyone knowing what Tristan and I were
up to evaporated into thin air with the first touch of his tongue to my pussy.

His
hands caressed my abdomen as his mouth and tongue danced over my tender skin.
Every inch of my sex was treated to the most incredible sensations from that
expert tongue of his. I'd imagined that mouth that had delighted me with the
most delicious kisses would be just as wonderful between my legs, but this was
so much more than I could have dreamed of.

Running
my hands through his short hair, I pulled him into me. Taking my swollen clit
in his mouth, he sucked gently, making me ache for more when he pulled away.
Suddenly, I felt cold and alone. Opening my eyes, I lifted my head to see him
kneeling there staring at me.

"Wh...why
did you stop?"

"Tell
me you want me to continue, Nina."

"Of
course, I do," I whispered. "Don't tease me, Tristan."

He
winced ever so slightly and then that seductive look was back. As he leaned in
to go down on me again, he looked up at me with eyes full of emotion and whispered,
"I'd never tease you, Nina. Let me give you what you need."

And
then he did just that.

As
his tongue sent my body into overdrive, he slid one and then two fingers inside
me, touching a spot that made me cover my mouth so the rest of Le Ciel didn't
hear my cries of delight. Over and over, he stroked in and out of my body with
expert fingers as every inch of me craved more of his touch.

The
first ripple of my orgasm began deep inside and slowly weaved through me until
one last playful flick of his tongue made me come apart. I cried out without
any care for who heard me, moaning, "Don't stop," as I clawed at his
head to make the feeling continue.

He
rode my pussy with his mouth and tongue until there wasn't a tremor left in my
body. I was boneless when he moved away, the picture of satisfaction staring
down at me. Taking my hands in his, he pulled me up to kiss him, and I tasted
myself on his lips and tongue.

"I've
wanted to do that for a while," he whispered in a deep voice as he stroked
my cheek.

"I
can't believe I just had sex in a Midtown boutique dressing room. This is like
the on-the-ground version of the Mile High Club," I said with a giggle.

"That
reminds me. We're taking a trip after New Year's."

I
lowered my head, shaking no. "I could never have sex on an airplane,
Tristan. Where do those people do that, anyway? Aren't the bathrooms too tiny?"

"I
don't know. I've never been on a public airplane. We'll be traveling on my
private jet, so perhaps that will make your initiation into the Mile High Club
easier."

I
looked up, shocked. He had a private jet? I should have guessed that, but it
still sounded incredible that I knew someone with a private jet. That I was
dating someone with a private jet.

"Wow.
Is there anything you don't have?"

Those
deep brown eyes focused on mine. "Just one thing, but I'm working on
that."

The
idea that all he lacked in his life was my love made me feel like I was the
most important person in his world. With every moment that passed, I knew why
I'd fallen in love with him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with
Tristan Stone.

I
just had to let myself go this time too.

Chapter Eight

Nina

"Oh
my God! What are you doing here?"

Jordan opened her arms and pulled me into the apartment with a huge bear hug, crushing my
face against her shoulder. As she closed the door behind us, she released me
just long enough to decide she needed another hug.

"Come
here! I've missed you so much."

"I
did too. When Tristan and I went to the penthouse last night, I knew I wanted
to stop over and see how you're doing."

She
released me again and led the way to the living room. We sat down in our usual
seats and as she folded her legs under her, she stared at me. "You look
incredible, Nina. I know it's just been a few days since we saw each other, but
it feels like months."

"It
does. I thought it was just because I don't remember anything of the past four
years."

She
let out a big sigh. "Anything good happening on that front?"

Shaking
my head, I tried to hide my disappointment with a smile. "Not yet, but
Tristan keeps reminding me that the doctors said it might take a little
while."

"How
is that yummy man?"

I
felt my face warm and grinned. "He's fine."

"Oh,
he's definitely fine," she teased with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Changing
the subject, I asked, "So what's new with you? I came here to find out
about your life."

"My
life is nowhere as exciting as yours. Between that gorgeous man, your gorgeous
house, and all the wonderful things that come with both of those things, I wish
I had your life."

She
wasn't wrong. My life was perfect. Wonderful. Tristan was everything I'd ever
wanted in a man. The house was beyond stunning. A driver took me wherever I
wanted to go. And my boyfriend loved to spend money on me.

The
only problem was that I'd lost four years of my life and no matter what I did,
I missed them. I wanted to live in the present, but that void from my past
haunted me every moment of the day.

"I
know. It's great," I said as I looked away.

Jordan leaned forward and pressed her hand to my knee. "Oh, honey. I didn't mean to
say everything was perfect. I was just trying to be positive."

Her
frown told me she hadn't tried to be callous. "I know you didn't mean
anything by it. I should be happy with everything I have."

"Bullshit.
You're allowed to be unhappy about not remembering one-sixth of your damn life.
Just know that whatever you want to ask about the last four years, I'm here as
your own personal encyclopedia." Tapping her finger to her forehead, she
added, "I've got everything stored right up here."

Biting
my lip, I considered what part of my past I wanted to know about the most.
There was really no question. My father's death.

"Jordan, what happened to my father?" I asked in a quiet voice, as if no one else knew
about his passing.

She
inhaled deeply and blew the air out of her lungs in a hard wooosh. "Oh,
honey. I was afraid you were going to ask that. It was tough on you. I can tell
you that."

"What
happened? He was so young."

She
shook her head and frowned. "You and Kim never found out what really
happened. All I know is this. He was in Newark investigating some story and was
found dead in a parking garage."

"Shot?"

Nodding,
she answered quietly, "Yeah. The police said he was murdered execution
style."

Tears
welled in my eyes. "Oh my God! Why would someone do that to him? He was a
writer who investigated things like small town politics. Who kills someone over
nepotism on the town council?"

I
couldn't hold back the tears as I had since my sister had told me about my
father's death. They poured down over my cheeks as I buried my face in my
hands, and my body heaved with each sob. My father was murdered and I'd
forgotten the whole thing!

Jordan sat down beside me and took me in her arms. "Let it out, sweetie. You have to
let it out or you'll get like you did then."

Another
thing I couldn't remember.

I
buried my face in her shoulder and did exactly that. I let all the sadness out
until I couldn't cry anymore. Until I felt hollow and empty.

Pulling
away from Jordan, I asked, "What do you mean I'll get like I did then?
What happened to me then?"

She
smoothed the hair from my forehead and wiped her thumb under my eyes. "It
was pretty bad. You didn't get out of bed for weeks. Thank God your professors
were understanding since it was your senior year because day after day, no
matter how I tried, you wouldn't do anything but lay in bed. Sometimes you
cried. Other times you just stared up at the ceiling or off in the
distance."

"For
how long?"

"Honey,
it went on for a long time. Even after you came back to life, I was worried you
might never be the same old Nina again."

"I
wish I knew who that same old Nina was now," I admitted sadly. "I
feel like I'm missing so much of me."

"You're
still you, Nina. It's all in there. It's just a matter of it coming out."

I
sat back against the couch cushions and hung my head. Just thinking about my
father's death was exhausting. It was like he'd just died that day and not
years before. My heart hurt at Jordan's description of his murder.

Looking
up, I asked, "Am I really the same? Of anybody, you'd know. Am I? What was
I like when I got into that accident?"

"Blissfully
happy. I'd never seen you as happy as when you were with Tristan. I mean, I
don't want to say it was perfect. Nothing is. But you were as happy as anyone
could want to be."

"Is
he as incredible as I think he is?"

"Yeah.
He is. When you moved in with him, he paid the rest of your portion of the rent
for the year. When that weird guy attacked us on the front steps, he let me stay
at his hotel in a gorgeous suite for weeks because you asked him to. You were
worried for my safety, and he didn't blink an eye. You wanted something and he
made it happen."

"Why
don't I remember any of that? Why can't I remember how much in love with him I
was? Don't you think I'd remember that? I mean, I can understand not wanting to
remember my father's death, but Tristan is wonderful. And the rest of those
four years couldn't have been all bad. Were they?"

"No.
They weren't all bad. We had some really fun times once you got back to being
yourself. Two single girls living in New York. Good times."

Her
smile faded as the words trailed off. She was hiding something. It hadn't been
all good times.

"What
aren't you telling me, Jordan?"

"It's
not important. Your life was as good as anyone who's just out of college and
trying to make it on their own."

"But?"

"But
nothing. You were happy."

Everything
in her face said otherwise, though. What had been so bad about my life?

"Tell
me, Jordan. I need to know."

She
got up from the couch and walked toward the kitchen. "Jordan, tell me!" I called after her.

She
stopped dead in the living room doorway and with her back to me asked, "Cal. Do you remember him?"

"Of
course. I was crazy about him."

Turning
around, she looked at me with pain in her eyes. "Do you remember what
happened between the two of you?"

I
thought about what I knew about Cal. "We broke it off because he had the
chance to study abroad in Spain for a year. He was a junior and it was the
chance of a lifetime, so we broke up. But it wasn't anything awful."

"That
wasn't the end of it. He came back and you two began seeing each other again,
but he wasn't the same guy. Whatever he did in Europe, he came back a real
asshole."

"What
are you saying?"

She
walked away into the kitchen, and I followed her, needing to know what the hell
she was talking about. Standing with her back to me, she shook her head.
"It was bad, Nina. He was a real shit. You were crazy about him, madly in
love, and he..."

She
stopped and said nothing for a long time.

"He
what?" I finally demanded.

She
spun around and I couldn't tell if she was angry or upset. "He fucked you
up really bad, Nina. You didn't just break up another time. He broke your
heart. You told him you loved him and what did he do? He cheated on you that
very fucking night!"

My
memory of Cal wasn't of a love meant for the ages, but I had no idea what she
was talking about. I'd been disappointed when we broke up so he could go to Spain, but I understood why. The person she was describing wasn't the person I'd cared
about, though.

"I
can't believe that. Cal and I had been fun together. I never thought it was
going to be a forever thing, but we had fun. We cared about each other."

"Well,
it wasn't like that when you got back together. He was a real dick. He left you
in pieces, Nina. Pieces. It was like it was when your father died all over
again. Even worse, if you ask Kim."

"Why?
What happened?"

Jordan's body sagged under the weight of what she was saying. "You said some things about
wanting to die. I don't think you ever really meant it, but it was a lot to
deal with. I was afraid for a long time that you might do something."

"Tell
me everything. I need to know."

"Honey,
it's in the past, and in my opinion, that bullshit can stay there. Don't do
this."

I
knew she was trying to protect me, but I needed to fill in the huge blank spots
in my memory. I needed to begin to figure out why my mind was keeping me in the
dark about so much time.

"Jordan, I need to know what my mind's keeping from me. What happened to make me say I
wanted to die?"

"You
told him you loved him. For the first time, you actually weren't afraid to take
that leap. You remember what you were like when we first started school, right?
You were always beautiful and sweet, but you never had the guts to go out on a
limb and tell someone you loved them. It was probably because of how you lost
your mother. And Cal knew that. He knew how much it meant that you were finally
able to open up and say you loved him. And what did he do with that gift? He
ripped it to shreds."

I
did remember being afraid to tell boyfriends how I felt about them. While every
other girl in high school had been dying to tell their boyfriends they loved
them, I dreaded it. It terrified me. They might leave and then where would I
be? I'd never told Cal I loved him.

At
least I didn't remember telling him. Now Jordan was saying that the only time
she knew of me saying I love you to anyone other than Tristan had ended in
disaster. My stomach felt like it was twisting into knots.

She
wrapped her arms around me. "Honey, don't get down about it. Cal was an asshole. He didn't deserve you. He deserved the girl who used him and threw him
away three months later."

I
pushed her away and shook my head. "I need to know what happened. What did
he do?"

"Don't
do this. It's not going to make anything better."

"Jordan, this is part of my life I don't remember. I have to know."

Sighing
heavily, she nodded. "He'd been cheating on you the whole time. We went
out for a drink because you were so happy that you'd finally told him how you
felt and we saw him with some cheap blonde. It was terrible. You confronted him
all in tears, and she was more than happy to tell you how long they'd been
seeing each other. He tried to deny it, but it was no use. The proof was
standing there in front of you basically throwing it in your face."

God,
had I never had any luck with men? Cal had been the one man I'd remembered in
all this as a decent person, and now that was all wrong too.

Jordan smoothed my hair away from my face. Her expression was so sad. "You never meant
that you wanted to die, honey. That was just something you said because you
were feeling down. I know how it feels. It hurts like hell when you care about
someone and they betray you. We've all been through it, and sometimes when
we're feeling our worst, we say things we don't mean."

"I
don't want to die, Jordan. Even when I've felt like I was totally lost these
past few weeks, I never wanted to end it."

"I
think Tristan's a big part of that, Nina. He's a good man. And I swear to you on
a stack of Bibles that he's crazy about you."

"I
know. There's no need to sell him to me. I can see it."

She
looked away from me and said quietly, "I'm worried you won't give him a
chance now."

"Why?"

Turning
to face me, she knitted her brows in concern. "Because of what I told you.
I don't want you to think you're just unlucky with men."

It
was as if Jordan was reading my mind. The only happy memory I'd had concerning
the opposite sex, other than Tristan, was Cal. Now that he had turned out to be
just like every other male I'd ever been with that I could remember, all I
could think of was that I was jinxed in the realm of love.

"Me
unlucky? Look at my life. No worries about luck there," I said with as
much bravado I could muster, not even convincing myself. I forced a smile as I
looked at my cell phone for the time. "I guess it's time to go."

"Okay,
honey. Okay."

I
knew Jordan didn't believe me, but like the best friend she was, she didn't say
a thing. She knew talking about it wasn't going to help now. "Tristan and
I would like you and Justin to join us for New Year's. We'll be at the
penthouse and it would mean so much to me if we could all hang out."

The
darkness that had covered her features lifted and her genuine smile lit up the
room. "That would be great! If his penthouse is anything like that suite
he put me up in, it'll be incredible."

I
couldn't help but grin. Tristan's penthouse was stunning, and I couldn't wait
to show it off to Jordan. Just the view was going to blow her away.