Sweet Alibi (45 page)

Forty-Seven

Georgia

“Hey, love.” I heard Silas’s voice loud and clear over the phone.

“Wrong person.” Tristan grinned. “But it’s great to hear your voice too.” A sexy smile tipped his mouth. I wanted him to hang up on my best friend immediately so I could attack those lips. It had been a few days and I still hadn’t spoken to Tristan much about the letter but my mind had been consumed by it. The nightmares had returned; the previous two nights I'd woken up in a cold sweat, memories of that night playing on repeat in my mind. It was the first time I'd had a nightmare since coming back to the beach and now here I was, thrown back into the darkness.
 

I tried to keep my mind off the parole hearing during the day by marketing the rental. I’d posted it on some websites and had a local realtor who specialized in summer rentals walk through. I had inheritance and life insurance money in the bank account, but I'd been taking so much from it over the last year that I needed to start renting this house and get some funds going back in.

“Here she is.” Tristan handed the phone to me. I placed a peck on his cheek and then put the phone to my ear.

“How’s it going, baby girl?” I heard the grin in Silas’s voice from across the phone line. I pictured his brown eyes dancing, his blond hair styled just perfectly. My mood instantly lifted.

“It’s okay.”

“That doesn’t sound like okay.”

I sighed and picked at the frayed edges of a hole in my jeans.

“Spill, love.” Silas hit me with the sternest voice he could muster. It worked like a charm.

“I got a letter.” I turned to frown at Tristan. I really didn’t want to get into this at all. He rubbed my leg. I’d only just gotten it a few days ago, spilled my guts to Drew last night, still hadn’t spoken much to Tristan about it, and yet here I was. I heaved a sigh and lifted off the couch, headed for the kitchen and a bottle of wine.

Tristan followed me in and took the bottle from my hands, mouthing that he’d take care of it. I smiled at him thankfully before I started in on the letter I’d received and how I was feeling. Tristan tried not to hover, although he rubbed my neck every now and again when I was especially tense. That was until the wine seeped through my veins and had tingles lighting up my body.

I relaxed as I finished my story, telling him I needed to go back to DC for the hearing in May, a few months from now. My best friend listened patiently, murmuring and offering comfort when necessary.

“I wish you were here,” I finished dejectedly.

“Me too, love,” Silas answered.

“So enough of this sad stuff. Can we talk about you? How’s Justin?” I took a long draw of my wine.

“Well, we’re moving down there.”

“What?” I squeaked.

“I’m letting the lease go on my place. Moving in with Justin in the spring.”

‘Oh God, Silas! I’m so excited.”

“We can’t be apart, love. Not good for either one of us.” Silas laughed.

“Definitely not. So I guess that means you two are doing well?”

There was a long pause.

Too long.

“Silas?”

“I have something else to tell you.”

“Okay . . .”

“You’re not going to like it.”

“Okay . . .”

“You may want to kick my ass.”

I groaned. “Silas, please just tell me.”

“Justin and I sort of . . . eloped.”

My heartbeat thudded in my ears. I shook my head in confusion, my wine glass suspended halfway to my lips. I couldn’t have heard that right. Silas—my commitment-phobic best friend—married? To someone he’d been dating for just a few months?

“Say something, love.”

“I don’t think I can.”

“Shit, I’m sorry, Georgia. When we were in Mexico for spring break, it just happened. We were having such a great time; it was perfect. The sun was out, the water was warm, the bed was big. He just asked me and I said yes. We did it an hour later on the beach. I don’t think he was expecting to do it. It just happened, Georgia, and I knew you would be pissed that I did it without you, but it felt so right,” he finally finished.

“I . . . I don’t even know what to say.” I was still in shock. My brain wasn’t computing what he was telling me.

“Congratulations, maybe?” Silas asked.

“God, I’m sorry. Congratulations. Of course, congratulations. I’m thrilled for you. I’m sad I wasn’t there, but I’m thrilled. Just shocked.”

“I know. This doesn’t seem like me, but Justin, he’s—”

“He’s perfect,” I finished, a grin pulling at my cheeks. “God, Silas. You’re married.” Tears sprang to my eyes when I thought of my best friend finding someone he loved so completely that he promised to spend his life with him.

“I know.” I could hear him tearing up on the other end. “You’re making me cry, Georgia.”

“I’m crying too.” Emotion shook my body as tears streamed down my face. I wiped them with the back of one hand.

Tristan came up and wrapped both his arms around my body from behind. “Congrats, Silas,” he muttered into the phone before tucking his face into my neck and kissing at the overheated flesh.

“Tell your hunk of a boyfriend thanks,” Silas said.

“Hey, you’re a taken man now.” I laughed.

“Just ’cause I’m off the market doesn’t mean I’m dead.”

“Heard that.” Tristan pulled his sensual lips from my neck and sang into the phone before attacking my lobe with his teeth.

“God, wait, you let me ramble on and on about my bullshit and here you’d gotten married, Silas?” I felt so selfish.

“You needed to get it out. I understand.”

“It’s not anywhere near as important as your news. You should have stopped me.”

“It is important, love. But thanks. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Another happy tear trickled down my cheek. Silas had been through so much over the years, been so ravaged by the pain and judgment put on him by his parents, it was overwhelming that he’d finally loved himself enough to give his heart to another. I wouldn’t have thought it possible a year ago, but now, it did feel right.

“I’m going to let you get back to what you were doing. I can hear him sucking on you.”

I laughed as tears rolled down my cheeks. “See you soon?”

“See you soon, love.”

“Silas?”

“Yeah?”

“Congratulations again.”

“Thanks,” he murmured before hanging up the phone. I set my cell on the counter and spun around on the stool to land in Tristan’s arms.

“I can’t believe he got married.”

“Why?” Tristan whispered as he made his way up the column of my neck, sucking on my flesh as he went. I arched away from him to get his attention.

“Because it’s Silas. He’s such a slut.”

“
Was
a slut. Find the right person and suddenly it becomes not so hard to change your habits.” He latched onto my neck and ran his hands up my shirt. His words didn’t have time to resonate because he overwhelmed my body with his lips as I locked my arms around his neck and gave into his sensual assault.

Forty-Eight

Georgia

“This has got to stop, seriously.” Tristan arched one eyebrow at me as I sat curled in his lap on the couch watching
The Notebook
while a light spring rain pattered against the windows.

“What are you talking about?” I grinned up at him as he stroked his long fingers through my thick hair.

“I’m talking about the sappy shit. It’s got to end. I can’t take it for another minute.” He pushed himself off the couch and snagged the remote on his way.

“Hey! You can’t deprive me of Nick,” I screamed and darted for him as he flicked to an action movie.

“The sappy shit is only for girls who aren't getting any, and you’re getting it, right here.” He poked his thumb at his chest.

I rolled my eyes. “You are so full of yourself.”

“Call it like I see it.” He lifted one shoulder.

“So do I, and I’m callin’ bullshit.” I angled around a corner of the island in my quest to get the remote back.

“Oh, I don’t think so.” He walked backward with the sexiest smirk lighting his face. “I’m quite sure I keep you satisfied in all departments.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me.

“You are so corny.” I shook my head and lunged for the remote in his hands. He dropped it on the countertop and caught me in his arms, pulling me tight to his body and wrapping one warm palm around my neck. Leaning in, he took my lips in a predatory kiss. I moaned into his mouth and arched my body into him. I was putty in his hands. His lips, his deft fingers, that smile had me melting in a puddle at his feet and he knew it.

“You don’t play fair.” I pulled away from his lips.

“Playing fair is overrated. I know my talents and I use them to my advantage.” He arched my neck to the side and sucked on the flesh. I moaned and savored his lips on my skin. “You’re so beautiful, Georgia. Have I told you that? Because I need to each and every single day. You’re so beautiful and I can’t get enough of you.”

I groaned in response as he pushed me back against the counter. I was pinned between the hard granite and the wall of his chest, and it was heaven. With one hand at the small of my back, he bent me backward and slid his hand up my chest and along my throat, arching my neck to reveal more flesh to him.

He trailed his lips along my skin and murmured, “I can’t get enough of my lips on you. Tasting you. Exploring your beautiful body. I want to be inside you every day. I ache when we’re apart.”

“Oh God,” I moaned and hooked my legs around his waist, pressing my body into his, rubbing and grinding, seeking relief from the tension that was building.

“Let's get married,” he blurted as he ran a hand up and under my shirt.

“What?” My eyes fluttered open. I must have been hearing things. There was no way Tristan just asked me to marry him. Not after we’d only been together a few months. Not after we’d started out on such rocky ground.

“Marry me. I want you every single day for the rest of my life. My day isn’t complete until I wake up to your beautiful face. Your smart mouth. I need it to keep me in line.” A sexy smirk danced across his face.

“Okay, I agree with that last part, but are you nuts?” I shoved him off me.

“Head over heels for you,” he murmured and sucked my earlobe into his mouth.

“Stop, you’re trying to use your talents to sway me.” I giggled and pushed him off me again.

“Whatever it takes, baby.” He grinned unapologetically.

“I’m not marrying you.”

I watched hurt flash across his eyes.

 
“I don’t mean that. I mean, I’m not marrying you
now
.”

“Why?” He watched me, the most endearing, perplexed look on his face, as if he really didn’t understand why I would say no.

“I’ll ask again: are you nuts?”

“I already told you, I’m head over heels for you. Completely drunk on you. If I know one thing for sure, it’s that you and I are it. I told you—you own me.” His voice lowered as he finished.

“I know, but—”

“No buts. It is what it is.” He snaked his hands around my waist and pushed his hips into me. “Say no all you want, Georgia, but I’m not taking it back. You’re mine.”

“Are you saying this because you’re worried because of the letter? Because I have to go back to DC?”

“No fucking way. Not even close. Don’t read more into it than what it is. I want you, end of story.”

“You always want me,” I murmured, referring to his hard as steel erection pressed between us.

“No hiding it, no denying it.” He dipped his head to catch my lips with his. “Come on. Silas and Justin tied the knot.”

I heaved a sigh. “You are relentless.”

“I like getting my way.” He kissed me: exploring, tasting, owning. I popped the button on his jeans and slid them and his briefs over his thighs before I took his cock in my hand.

“I like getting my way too.” I peered up at him from beneath my lashes before dropping down on my knees and lapping at his throbbing dick.

“Fuck.” He sifted his hands through my hair as I worked up and down his length.

“Hands off,” I instructed between licks. “Put them on the counter.” This was about me being in control and denying him what he wanted.

Forty-Nine
Tristan

“Christ, Georgia,” I groaned and clutched at the edge of the counter. She sucked so fucking hard, I thought my mind would explode. I wouldn’t last more than a few more strokes, and I knew this was a power play on her part. She was trying to divert my mind from my impromptu proposal and fuck if it wasn’t working. She did own me. And she was just proving that ten times over by dropping on her knees and putting her mouth on me.

“Fuck, I need to touch you,” I moaned and threw my head back, the muscles taut in my throat, my breathing heavy, my chest wracked with desperate pants.

“Can’t get everything you want,” she mumbled around a mouthful of my dick.