Chapter 33: Chapter Thirty-three

RILEY

My phone was buzzing non-stop, pulling my attention away from my work at the office. I knew exactly who was behind it.

~He’s relentless.~

I picked up my phone, a small smile playing on my lips, and saw a barrage of text messages from “Asshole.”

~Who else could it be?~

Asshole

I want to take you and Abby out for dinner tonight.

Asshole

Please don’t say no

Riley

Like a date?

Asshole

Of course, baby.

Riley

You’ll need to get through my dad first.

My phone began to vibrate in my hands as he decided to call instead of replying to my text.

“Did you already spill the beans about me being in town?” Tristan’s voice boomed as soon as I picked up the call. I moved my phone a few inches away from my ear, stifling my laughter.

“Well, hello to you too,” I smirked, continuing to type on my computer.

“Riley, did you?” he asked again, his voice laced with panic and fear.

“Yeah, I told him last night. He wants to see you anyway, so tonight might be a good chance to clear the air,” I explained.

I heard him groan on the other side of the phone. “I’m not ready, sweetheart. I’m surprised I’m not six feet under already.”

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics.

He continued, “The things I do for you. Fine, I’ll meet him today. But if we patch things up and he forgives me, I want something in return.”

I furrowed my brow, puzzled. I had no clue what he was getting at.

“What?”

“I want you to spend the night with me. Just the two of us,” he responded, his voice deep and husky.

I forgot how to breathe for a moment. I licked my dry lips and squeezed my eyes shut as my mind filled with naughty thoughts about him.

“W-why do you want me to spend the night with you?” I asked, clearing my throat. Tristan was silent for a while before he replied.

“I’m not trying to get you in bed, Adams, even though that’s definitely on my mind. I mean, how can it not be? But I want to spend time with you alone. We can do whatever you want. Talk. Cuddle. Watch movies. Anything, you name it.”

I bit my lip, trying to hide my smile.

~God, he makes me feel like a giddy teenager.~

“How about I spend the night anyway?” I asked, a shy smile on my face, as I played with the computer mouse.

He went silent.

“Tristan?”

“I’m here. Damn, girl! You just take me by surprise every fucking time,” he chuckled over the phone, and my heart fluttered at the beautiful sound.

“See you at seven, then,” I whispered, ready to hang up. I didn’t want my boss to catch me flirting on the phone during work hours.

“Can’t wait, love you,” Tristan hung up, and I stared at my phone for a while before letting out a huge sigh.

When I told my dad about Tristan last night, he hadn’t been entirely thrilled. He’d asked the same question that had been circling in my mind since our kiss last night.

~What was my plan?~

Maybe tonight I could talk to him about the whole Abby situation and how we could make it work.

I wasn’t ready to move back to New York, but I wouldn’t want him to leave everything and start over in a new city either.

I knew he would agree if I asked him to, in a heartbeat, but that would be selfish of me.

At the same time, I didn’t want to lose him again, not when I’d just gotten him back.

~Stupid indecisive mind!~

Despite all the odds, a part of me wanted us to be a family.

Abby, Tristan, and I, together in a small house, living the life we’d missed out on all these years due to silly misunderstandings and immaturity.

I wiped away a lone tear that had escaped from the corner of my eye and shook my head, hoping for the best.

***

“Riley, are you ready?” my grandma called from downstairs.

I glanced at the clock. It was ten past seven.

“I’ll be down in a minute, Grandma!” I called back. I quickly smoothed out the red dress that stopped at my mid-thigh.

I knew I looked like I was trying too hard, with the dress and my makeup, but I wanted to look good for Tristan.

After all, it had been a long time since I’d been on a date. I ran a hand through my hair and looked at myself in the mirror, letting out a huge breath.

~Here we go!~

I grabbed my clutch purse and carefully descended the stairs in my heels, only to find my dad and Tristan laughing together and playing with Abby, who was now dressed in a cute pink skirt and a matching hairband.

~Aww, my poor heart!~

“Wow, Mommy, you look pretty!” Abby exclaimed, running toward me the minute she saw me.

I scooped her in my arms with a small chuckle and turned my attention to the men.

~What the hell is going on?~

I thought they would be at each other’s throats. Tristan kept staring at me, not blinking an eye, and I blushed a deep shade of red.

He was wearing a three-piece black suit with a black tie, and his hair was pushed back in a sexy manner.

I wanted to rip off his suit and have my way with him. He looked so fucking sexy, and the way he was staring at me intensely was not helping the situation at all.

“Dad, what is going on?” I asked, tearing my gaze away from Tristan.

Dad gave me a huge grin. “What can I say? This guy never gives up; he knows how to convince your old man.”

I looked at Tristan, who was still eyeing me up and down shamelessly, right in front of my father.

“Grandma, what happened?” I asked her. She just shrugged, giving me an “I have no idea” look.

~Weird!~

“I’ll deal with this later. I’ll be home by eight-thirty with Abby, guys,” I said. Grandma gave me a thumbs-up and a knowing wink.

“Take good care of them, son.” My dad patted Tristan’s back.

I was burning with curiosity.

~How could he forgive him just like that?~

We exited the house, neither of us uttering a word. I buckled Abby into the backseat and then slid into the front seat of the car Tristan had arranged for us.

“You rented a car?” I asked once he was settled in. He gave a small nod and a frown.

He hadn’t commented on my appearance, and now he was giving me curt responses.

“How did things go with my dad?” I finally asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

“I told him my intentions, and he seemed pretty convinced.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

~What a vague response.~

~Alright then. If that’s how it’s going to be.~

I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. He was barely acknowledging me. He couldn’t even hold a proper conversation with me.

Soon, we arrived at a stunning restaurant named Oceana. He had reserved a table for us on the patio with a breathtaking view of the lake.

The sky was a canvas of vibrant colors, painted by the setting sun.

“It’s beautiful, Daddy. Can we go near the lake?” Abby asked as we settled in.

I grinned at her adorable expression. “No, sweetheart. We can’t go down there, but we can stand over there.”

He pointed to the edge of the patio and helped her with her napkin. I watched them.

Even though a small part of me was slightly jealous that he wasn’t paying me any attention, I loved the way he was with our daughter.

He was so attentive and patient with her.

We had a wonderful time together, even though there wasn’t a hint of romance involved.

I shared stories about Abby from the past four years, and he listened to me—and to Abby’s endless questions—with love and affection in his eyes.

~God, I wish this moment could last forever.~

Once we finished eating, Tristan paid the bill. Then we took some pictures against the beautiful backdrop.

He tightened his hold on my waist as we took a selfie, and I let out a small gasp.

That was the first physical contact we’d had all evening, and my aroused self was thrilled even at the slightest touch.

By the time we got back to the car, Abby was exhausted, almost ready to fall asleep.

After ensuring she was safely buckled in the backseat, we started the car and headed back to my house to drop her off.

“I had a good time. Thanks for dinner,” I said.

“Me too, babe.” He smiled at me, then glanced in the rearview mirror. I followed his gaze to see Abby sound asleep.

“Looks like you and her have become best friends,” I remarked.

He raised his eyebrows, trying to suppress his smile. “Are you jealous, sweetheart?” he asked, chuckling softly.

I scoffed. “Yeah, right.”

“This is interesting,” he chuckled. I rolled my eyes and stared out the window. The rest of the ride was quiet, and I leaned back in my seat, feeling at ease.

After dropping Abby off at my house and making sure she was tucked into bed, I went back outside where Tristan was waiting in his car.

“All good?” he asked.

I shot him a glare. “Yes,” I snapped. I was annoyed now. He was still only concerned about her, not me.

I knew I was being petty, but I couldn’t help it.

“Damn, what’s with the attitude?” he asked, starting the car. I stayed silent, and he continued driving without another word.

After a few minutes, he slammed on the brakes and placed his hand on my thigh, causing me to jump.

“What is it? Why are you upset now?” Tristan asked.

“I’m not upset.”

“Then talk to me.”

“You’re one to talk. Am I finally visible to you now?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

He burst out laughing. “Are you upset because of that? God, you are so fucking adorable,” he said between laughs. He tried to unbuckle my seatbelt, but I stopped him.

“Leave me alone,” I mumbled, turning my head away. He began to stroke my thigh, his fingers slowly moving further up.

My breathing became heavy and I looked at him.

“Did you want me to tell you how fucking sexy you looked in front of Abby? Or how much I wanted to fuck you all evening?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I swallowed hard. “What?”

“I wanted to control myself in front of our daughter, Riley. You have no idea how hard it was. I’ve wanted to fuck you so badly, since the minute I saw you walk down the stairs. I’ve been waiting to get you alone so I can do this.”

I stared into his mesmerizing green eyes.

“D-Do what?” I asked. His gaze dropped to my lips.

“This.” He grabbed my face and kissed me with such force and desire that I was left breathless.

He swiftly unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled me onto his lap.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back while he ran his fingers up my thighs, pushing my dress further up.

My pussy was already soaking wet. I sucked on his lower lip, biting it, and he let out a soft growl. I smiled in satisfaction.

“Jesus Christ, you are going to be the death of me, woman,” he groaned against my neck, kissing my cleavage and squeezing my breasts through my dress.

I started to remove his tie, but he stopped me, panting heavily.

“No...not here. Let’s go back to my hotel, baby,” he said, his voice strained.

He was probably right. We were in plain sight here on the road.

I nodded, licking my lips, and climbed off his lap.

“I’m going to ravish you in exactly ten minutes.” Tristan smirked and started the car, while I blushed for what felt like the millionth time that day.

~Holy hell, that was so hot.~

~I can’t wait to be alone with him.~