Chapter 22

22

TRISTAN

I wake slowly, the morning sun filtering softly through the curtains. Nina is lying next to me, her hair fanned out across the pillow, golden strands catching the light like rays of sunshine. Her face is peaceful, serene, her pink lips slightly parted as she breathes deeply in sleep. As I watch her, that strange tug in my chest tightens again.

“What have you done to me?” I whisper into the morning quiet.

Carefully, I slip out of bed, trying not to disturb her sleep. On the bedside table, I scribble a note on a piece of paper:

I’m up early and went back to my room in case Dylan drags me on one of his ungodly morning runs. Didn’t want to wake you. I’ll see you at breakfast.

Love,

T

The “love” slips out before I can second guess it. But it feels right. Terrifying, but right. With one last glance at Nina’s sleeping form, I drop the note on my pillow and sneak silently out of her room.

Dylan doesn’t show up at my door like yesterday. I wait another hour before going down, still making it to breakfast before my sleeping beauty.

In the bright sunshine of the kitchen, I load up my plate with bacon and eggs Lisa just made. Nina walks in, radiant in a green sweater that makes her eyes sparkle. But her gaze hides a certain trepidation as she meets my eyes across the room. I can’t blame her—between my Neanderthal act of jealousy last night and the uncharacteristic signature of the note I left, she must be wondering what alien invaded my body.

“Morning,” she says cautiously, pouring herself a coffee. Her hair is down, the soft waves that drove me mad last night now thoroughly tousled. I long to wrap it around my fist once again, to expose her throat to me. Do everything we did the past two nights and so much more.

I’m like a man at an oasis in the desert, and Nina is a pool of sweet, fresh water. Only the more I drink, the thirstier I get.

“Sleep well?” I ask, trying to keep my tone light despite the tension buzzing between us.

She blinks rapidly, still looking unsure. Before she can respond, Dylan plops down beside me, oblivious to the charged undercurrents.

“Morning,” he says cheerfully. “Leave me some bacon, Eleven, will you?”

With my attention on Nina, I’ve ended up absent-mindedly hoarding all the bacon. I grab Dylan’s plate and transfer half to him.

I sneak another glance at Nina. She’s watching me too, with more than just questions in her gaze. That unnamed feeling in my chest expands, warm and bright as the midday sun.

As I eat breakfast, I only half-listen to the conversation flowing around me. My mind still reeling from the moments Nina and I stole upstairs. I’m jolted back to the present when Nina’s phone rings loudly, shattering the peaceful atmosphere.

She frowns at the screen before answering. “Hey, Agatha. What’s up?” Her eyes widen as she listens, and I lean forward, suddenly alert. “Wait, slow down. They said what?”

Nina’s mom shoots her a concerned look, but Nina waves her off, rising from the table to pace the kitchen. “No, no, don’t panic. I’m sure we can figure something out.”

She ends the call with a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “That was Agatha. Apparently, the delivery service just notified her that Zoe’s big Christmas present won’t arrive in time. Travel disruptions because of the weather, yadda, yadda… And she’s checked every store in town—no one has it in stock.”

“Oh, no,” her mom says. “Zoe will be so disappointed…”

Nina’s already tapping away on her phone. “Hold on, let me see…” She keeps frowning at her screen for a few minutes until her face lights up triumphantly. “Got it! There’s a toy store in New Haven that has one left. I can drive over and pick it up.”

Lisa scowls at that. “New Haven? Nina, that’s an hour away. And it snowed last night—the roads aren’t safe.”

“I’ll be fine, Mom. I’ve driven in worse.”

“I don’t like the thought of you going alone.”

Dylan clears his throat. “I’d go with you, sis, but I’m supposed to volunteer as Santa at the children’s hospital today.”

I see my chance and jump in smoothly. “I can take her.”

Four pairs of eyes swivel to me in surprise. Dylan looks torn between relief and concern. “You sure, man? I mean, I appreciate the offer, but… you two alone in a car? For hours? Is that really a good idea?”

Nina rolls her eyes. “We’re adults, Dylan. We can handle a short road trip without killing each other.” She cuts her gaze to me, and for a second, I swear I see a flicker of anticipation. “Right, Montgomery?”

I flash her a grin. “Scout’s honor. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Dylan still looks skeptical, but he relents with a shrug. “Alright then. Guess that’s settled.” He points a warning finger at me. “But if there’s so much as a scratch on her when you get back…”

If only he knew about all the marks I already left.

“Relax, man,” I say, standing and gripping his shoulders from behind. “It’s not her you should worry about.” I give him a light squeeze. “And I can be the bigger person. Promise.” I throw in a little jab so as not to sound too eager.

Nina flashes me a merciless grin. “You mean the bigger jerk?”

“Come on, Nina, play nice,” I tease her. “It’s for a good cause.”

Nina’s already grabbing her coat and keys. “Let’s get moving. I don’t want to risk that toy selling out.”

I shove my hands in my pockets, slightly too eager to rile her up. “Then call the store and ask them to put it on hold.”

“They’re not open yet, genius, but they will be by the time we get there.”

At our bickering, Dylan drags a hand over his face. Just as we head out of the kitchen, I hear him mutter, “Let’s hope one of them doesn’t come back in a body bag.”

A silent huff escapes me, amusement mixed with guilt that me killing his sister is the last thing he should worry about. Unless too many orgasms are a health concern.

In the car, the silence stretches between me and Nina as I navigate the snow-dusted roads, the only sound the rhythmic thrum of the engine and the gentle crunch of the tires.

Nina stares out the passenger window, her expression unreadable. I drum my fingers against the steering wheel, searching for the right words to break the ice.

“Listen, about last night…” I begin, risking a glance in her direction. “The whole caveman act. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Nina turns to face me, her expression guarded. “What did you mean when you said…” She pauses, worrying her bottom lip. “When you said no one else could kiss me?”

My grip tightens on the wheel. “Just that, Thompson.” I keep my gaze fixed on the road ahead, but I can feel the weight of her stare. “I’ve no idea what this thing between us is, but while it lasts, I want you to be mine and mine only, and to be yours.”

In my peripheral vision, I see her jaw drop. Slowly, hesitantly, she reaches out and places her hand over mine. “I feel the same. But what about Dylan?”

I lace my fingers through hers, savoring the warmth of her skin. “When there’s something to tell him, we’ll tell him.” I sense her disappointment at my answer, so I stroke her palm with my thumb. “We don’t need to rush anything.”

She nods, going back to staring out the window pensively. “Okay. We’ll figure it out as we go.”

The rest of the drive passes in comfortable silence, our hands remaining intertwined on the armrest.

As we enter New Haven, a newfound sense of freedom washes over me. Here, away from the watchful eyes of her family, I can finally express how I feel about her out in the open.

We collect Zoe’s present from the mall, but it’s obvious neither of us is in a hurry to get back. Out of the toy store, I pull Nina close, capturing her lips in a searing kiss right there in the middle of the busy shopping center. She melts into me, her arms winding around my neck, and for a moment, the rest of the world falls away.

Hand in hand, we explore the mall, ducking into shops and cafes whenever the mood strikes. We take silly selfies in front of the winter wonderland in the center of the plaza. Nina’s laughter rings out like music and does funny things to me.

We stop for lunch at a burger joint. As Nina reads the menu, I marvel at how much I know about her and yet, how little. I know what she’s going to order before she tells our server: one cheeseburger with double bacon, a large Diet Coke, and curly fries.

“I’ll have a cheeseburger with extra bacon, a large Diet Coke, and fries.” She promptly echoes my thoughts.

“Regular or curly?”

“Curly, please.”

Nailed it!

I give the server my order, and as he scurries away, Nina’s phone chimes with a text. She replies then focuses her attention back on me. She’s about to talk when the phone pings again.

Nina lets out a frustrated huff and winces apologetically. “Sorry,” she says, rummaging through her shopping bags and taking out Zoe’s present. “Agatha needs photographic evidence that we got the right starter chemist set, the one with the pink beakers.”

She takes a picture and sends it to her cousin. “Sorry, my family can be intense.”

“Your family is perfect,” I say, a little too vehemently.

Nina blinks at me.

“I wish I had a family like yours,” I explain. “My parents and I don’t have the best relationship.”

“Why?” Her question is careful.

Our food arrives, allowing me a moment to collect my thoughts before I reply. “I’m not sure they care much for me.”

Nina picks up a curly fry and holds it in the air. “I’m sure that’s not true. I remember them coming to your graduation, they looked so proud. And your dad gave you the apartment in New York as a graduation present.”

“My dad never misses an opportunity to network and my graduation was the perfect opportunity to catch up with his old Duke buddies.” I take a sip of Coke. “And as for the apartment, he likes to throw money at his guilt. My mom gets a new car every time he cheats on her. I got a penthouse for my shitty childhood. But it’s okay, it was a long time ago.”

Nina reaches for my hand across the table, her expression thunderous. “It’s not okay.” I like that she doesn’t give me pity back. Only burning indignation. “Your parents suck, but it’s their loss, not yours.”

And there it goes again, that overwhelming something expanding in my chest, growing, taking up all the space.

“Then let’s not waste time talking about them.” I brush the topic aside, not ready to reveal the extent of the trauma my childhood is for me. Years of feeling rejected, unwanted, insignificant.

Over the rest of lunch, we trade stories and barbs with the ease of a long-standing couple, learning more about each other than we have in years. I’ve known her forever, almost as long as I’ve known Dylan, but I realize now we’ve never really talked before. Not like today. I might’ve learned mundane things about her over the years like her food preferences, but so many parts of her remain a mystery. One I can’t wait to uncover.

As the afternoon stretches on, we linger in New Haven under the pretense of last-minute Christmas shopping. But all too soon, the sun begins to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in vivid shades of orange and pink. I glance at my watch and sigh, realizing we can’t put off the inevitable any longer. “We should probably head back,” I say, the idea of having to restrain myself from touching her whenever I want almost unbearable.

Nina nods, the light in her eyes dimming slightly. “I suppose you’re right.” She tucks a stray blonde lock behind her ear, and my fingers itch to trace the delicate shell of it—with the tip of my finger, with my mouth, with my teeth.

We walk back to the car in silence, our joined hands swinging between us. The weight of the cloak-and-dagger act that awaits us at home hangs over our heads, but I refuse to let it dim the perfect day we’ve shared. And the covert flirting is not all bad, there’s an added thrill to it.

As we pull out of the parking lot and onto the highway, I reach over and take Nina’s hand in mine once more. “Thank you for today,” I murmur, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles. “I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun.”

She beams at me, and even in the fading light, it’s brighter than the sun. “Me neither. It was like we were in our own little world.”

But with every mile that brings us closer to home, that world begins to shrink. The uninhibited laughter and casual touches that came so naturally in New Haven are replaced by the knowledge that we’ll soon have to slip back into our carefully crafted roles.

I clear my throat, trying to shake off the unease that’s settled in my gut. “So, what’s the plan when we get back?”

Nina sucks her bottom lip between her teeth, a habit I’ve come to recognize as a sign of nerves. “I guess we just act normal. Like nothing’s changed.”

The words are a punch to the gut, even though I know she doesn’t mean them the way they sound. Because everything has changed, and there’s no going back now.

I swallow hard and force a smile. “Right. Normal.” I give her hand a reassuring squeeze before reluctantly letting go as we turn onto the familiar street leading to her family’s house.

As I put the car in park and kill the engine, I allow myself one last moment of weakness. I lean over and press a soft kiss to Nina’s lips, pouring every ounce of longing and affection into the gentle caress. “Until tonight,” I whisper against her mouth.

She nods, her eyes shining with a mixture of desire and anticipation. “Until tonight.”

And then we’re stepping out of the car and back into the real world, the magic of our day in New Haven fading. But as we walk up the path to the front door, our hands brushing with each step, I cling to the promise of what’s coming—the stolen moments and secret touches that will sustain me until I can hold her in my arms again. Just a few hours until it gets dark.