The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (28 page)

  
              “If I didn't know you I would say late twenties.” I scoffed. “I'd take it as a compliment. Most girls your age want to look older.”

  
              “Well I'm not most girls,” I said, crossing my arms.

  
              “So I've noticed,” he winked, leaning in closer. So close that everything inside of me started to stir. I thought he was going to kiss me but then Josie walked in.

  
              “Found it, but he didn't text me,” she pouted, sitting down next to me on the couch.

  
              “Right,” Tristan said, getting up. “His loss.” He made another drink for himself and then walked over to his bed and had a seat. “Now what do you girls want to do?”

  
              “How about Truth or Dare?” Josie suggested.

  
              “Josie, we're not twelve,” I said rolling my eyes.

  
              “I actually think it's a great idea,” Tristan chimed in.

  
              “You would.”

  
              “What's the matter, you too scared?” Tristan taunted, making me narrow my eyes at him.

  
              “No,” I said, sitting up taller. “I'll even go first.”

  
              “Truth or dare?” he challenged.

  
              “Truth,” I said.

  
              He left out a smug laugh and sat back. “Okay, when's the last time you did something that didn't require you to ask permission?” I knew this had to do with the conversation we had on our date about me not living my own life. The look on his face told me that's exactly what he was referring to.

  
              “Josie and I went skinny dipping this past summer with our friends,” I said proudly, proving to him I did what I want when I wanted.

  
              “I see you don’t quite exercise the prudence you claim to,” Tristan said with a teasing smile.

  
              “I never said I was a prude,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

  
              “Prove it,” he goaded.

  
              “I don't have to prove anything,” I said, accidentally spilling some of my drink on the floor.

  
              “You totally are a prude,” Josie hiccupped. She clenched her side, throwing herself into a fit of giggles.

  
              “Shut up,” I said, pushing her.

  
              Tristan lay back on his bed, putting his arms behind his head. “Wake me up when you girls are ready to have some fun.”

  
              “Fine, I change my mind. I pick dare.”

  
              Tristan, suddenly interested, sat up. “Okay, I dare you to kiss me.” His eyes locked on mine waiting for me to come up with an excuse to back down. I stood up, straightened out my shirt, and walked right over to him. His eyes widened in surprise as I bent down and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. 

     
              Not satisfied, he grabbed me, and pulled me down on top of him. I yelped throwing my arms out for balance. I pushed him away and he just laughed. “Ha-ha very funny,” I said, feeling myself start to blush. Josie just sat there shaking her head. I tried to get up but Tristan kept me pinned where I was.

  
              “You're more than welcome to join us,” Tristan said to Josie. I fought the urge to smack him.

  
              Surprising us both, Josie stood up and walked over to the bed. She pushed Tristan down and gave me a cunning smile prompting me to follow her lead. I knew Josie would never do anything like what Tristan was suggesting so I had to trust she had something else in mind.

  
              I took Tristan's drink from his hand and placed it on the floor while Josie pulled off his shirt. She gave me a sly look and I knew she definitely had something up her sleeve. Josie and I both ran our hands across his chest seductively. “Now we're talking,” Tristan said, trying to hide the surprised and somewhat nervous look on his face.

   
              Josie got up and retrieved a pair of handcuffs from the dresser. I saw them earlier, but tried hard not to think about what he had used them for. I scraped the image from my mind and watched as Josie cuffed his hands to the bed post. “I'll be right back,” she said, getting up and leaving the room.

  
              I had no idea what she was up to and was feeling nervous being left alone with Tristan again. The only upside was that he was handcuffed. Oddly that didn't make me feel any better. “So what do you plan to do with me now?” Tristan asked, his cocky smile dancing on his lips.

  
              “You'll see,” I teased.

             
Frankly I had no idea.

  
              Josie returned and knelt down on the other side of Tristan. She slipped a small plastic tube into my hand and I had to hide my smile. “What's that?” Tristan asked nervously.

  
              “Just sit back and relax,” Josie said, pushing him down. She turned to me with a slight nod. I uncapped the lipstick she slipped me and noticed she had one of her own. I gave Tristan my best devilish smile and started to create my own masterpiece all over his chest.

  
              “Hey!” he jerked back giving Josie the ammunition to join in. Josie and I laughed as we drew smiley faces and butterflies all over his upper body. To top it off Josie wrote ‘I like boys’ across the top of his chest sending us into a fit of giggles. “Ha-ha very funny. You had your fun can you please un-cuff me now?” Tristan didn't see the humor in our little prank. He pulled at his wrists hoping to break out of the cuffs.

  
              “Nope, not yet,” I said, having way too much fun. Josie and I both applied some lipstick to our lips each giving him a kiss on the cheek. I pulled out my cellphone and started to take pictures.

  
              He tried to turn his head. “Alright Ella, enough, it's not funny anymore,” he said, wrestling with the restraints.

  
              “I think it is.” Josie and I hopped on either side of him to take a picture of all three of us. This would definitely come in handy if I ever needed to blackmail him. Looking at the pictures Josie and I collapsed to the floor with belly clutching laughter.

  
              “Okay seriously, fun time is over now. Can you please let me go?” Tristan pleaded.

  
              I swiped a tear from my eye from laughing so hard. Then I walked over to the nightstand to get the key, but didn't find one. “Where's the key?”

  
              “It was with the cuffs,” Tristan said.

  
              “Sorry, there's no key here.”

  
              “Ha-ha very funny Ella.”

                 “I'm not kidding.” Josie got up and joined me over by the dresser to help me look, but we both came up empty. “I think you're stuck.”

  
              He jerked at the cuffs again trying to break free, but all that did was cause them to tighten more around his wrists. “I got it!” Josie shouted.

  
              “You found the key?” Tristan asked, craning his neck to look.

  
              “No, but I know someone who might have one.” Josie smiled as if a light bulb just went on inside her head. “George! He carries a set of cuffs with him. He should have a key.”

  
              “Great idea,” I agreed.

  
              “Um...ladies, I prefer not to involve anyone else if possible,” Tristan said, voice pleading. We ignored him, too excited by our bright idea. We raced out of the room. “Ella! Josie!” Tristan called after us with desperation in his voice. Hoping we'd come to our senses and not involve anyone else, but that was not happening.

  
              When we asked George to help us, he was a little surprised at the request. We left out a few of the details. When we returned to the room with George, Tristan blushed, embarrassed. George didn't say anything. He just looked at us, then back at Tristan, shaking his head. Josie and I had a hard time containing our laughter, but we controlled it the best we could.

  
              George even chuckled a little when he un-cuffed Tristan and tried to hide it with a cough. He nodded at us on his way out still not saying a word. I closed the door and Josie and I started to bust up laughing.

  
              “Ha-ha, you got me. You're so clever,” Tristan mocked, rubbing his wrists. He walked over to what I thought was a closet.

  
              “No way! You got your own bathroom?” I got up to investigate closer.

  
              “And this surprises you?” he asked, raising a brow.

  
              “With you, nothing surprises me anymore.”

  
              “Care to join me in the shower?” he asked with a sly smile, pulling me into the bathroom with him.

  
              “Nice try,” I said, pushing him back and closing the door on him.

  
              “Someday Ella, someday,” he sang. I just shook my head and joined Josie over by the bar as she made herself another drink. She made me one and then we headed back over to the couch to have a seat to wait until Tristan was finished cleaning up.

  
              Tristan stepped out of the bathroom lipstick free and made himself a drink. “Alright, now it's my turn,” he said, looking at the two of us. Josie and I froze for a minute, worried what he could possibly come up with. “Grab your coat and shoes,” he smiled. “We're going on a little trip.”

  
              “Will we be coming back from this trip?” I joked nervously. Tristan laughed and finished his drink in one gulp, not making me feel any better. Josie leapt off the couch ready for anything. I, on the other hand, was not so eager. “No worries love. Trust me,” Tristan winked, extending a hand to help me up.

  
              I watched for a change of expression, one that would tip me off and let me know if he was up to something. But his face stayed the same. He wore a sweet and innocent smile that scared me more than anything.

  
              “C'mon Ella!” Josie called, already out the door.

  
              Tristan leaned in closely and whispered, “I dare you.”

  
              I stared him down and finished off my drink. Determined to prove to him I wasn't the prude he thought I was. “Fine,” I said, getting up from the couch. “Let's go.”

Chapter
fifteen

I met Josie in our room and put on some shoes and my new jacket. Tristan waited for us outside in the hall where he handed us each a flashlight. I was starting to think this little adventure might not be a good idea, but Josie and Tristan we already out the door and I did not want to be left behind.

  
              We ran into Josie's new boy toy out on the quad. “Billy!” Josie squealed, jumping on him and almost knocking him over.

  
              “Hey, I was just on my way to see you,” he said, giving Josie a kiss. “Tristan, my brother.” He nodded and shook Tristan's hand. He turned to me and looked at me funny.

  
              “What?” I said, returning his awkward stare.

  
              “You look familiar,” he replied.

  
              “This is my roommate and BFF Ella,” Josie said, finally getting down.

  
              “Oh, that explains it,” he said, blushing. “We haven't officially met. I'm Billy.”

  
              “Ella,” I said, not understanding what he meant by officially. Josie cleared her throat and looked at me. I stared back at her wondering what the hell she was trying to tell me when it clicked. “Oh,” was all I said, now realizing. Billy was with Josie the night I walked in on them. I could feel my cheeks start to get hot with embarrassment. I looked down at my feet not able to meet his eyes anymore.

  
              “We're taking a little trip. Care to join us Brother Billy?” Tristan asked, sensing the slight awkwardness.

  
              Josie nodded her head like a bobble head. “Sure, I'm always up for an adventure,” he said, giving Josie an adoring look. She looped her arm through his and leaned up against him.