CORAL (A Romance Trilogy, Book 1) (42 page)

“You know, I never thought I
would meet someone like you, maybe it’s the age difference, I don’t know? Point
is, I love that you have all those qualities and more. I will always know where
I stand with you. There’s no pretence, no bull-shit, no secrets. You’re a
straight up guy Tristan, and for me, that’s like a dream come true...” I gaze
down at his lips. “I’m glad all those women let you go.” I say breathlessly.

His eyes are seeing straight
through me again. I can feel the pull resonating from him, my heart is
hammering, my stomach is swarming with butterflies and my soul feels like it’s
just expanded a thousand fold.

“You know I’m in love with you
don’t you.” Tristan says his voice all low and husky. My mouth pops open in
shock. Did he really just say that? I scowl at him. He can’t be, we don’t know
each other.
This is weird.

Tristan shakes his head. “I know
that sounds odd, coming from someone you hardly know, but there isn’t anything
in the world I wouldn’t do for you, whatever you want, it is yours.”

Holy fuck!
I let out a raspy breath, lean my forehead against his, and close
my eyes. I feel his hands make their way through my hair, his thumbs stroking
my cheeks, and in that moment I know I have to tell him, I have to let him
know. I pull my head up from his and open my eyes.

“I’m warning you Tristan, I don’t
really know how to be close to you...I don’t even know if I can be...intimate.”
I say, my voice sounding raspy and breathless.

Tristan closes his eyes and
exhales slowly. “Coral, don’t you know?” he whispers huskily, opening his eyes
as he does. “Just being with you is enough – more than enough. I want to be
your man baby, you just have to say yes and I’ll show you, I’ll show you how
you can build trust with me, how I’ll protect you. We can take this real slow,
day by day. I’m yours,” he adds, gently stroking my hair as he does. I place my
hand against his cheek. This feels so deep already, it’s really scaring me.

“Hey,” Tristan lifts my chin. “I
don’t want to frighten you off. Did I just do that?” He questions.

“Kind off…” I whisper, trying to
pull my gaze away from his.

“Shit!” Tristan runs his hand
through his hair in frustration. I instantly feel bad, I’m sat on his lap
telling him how great he is – which he is – and then I’m half running out the
door when he declares himself to me –
Fuck it!
– I have to stop all this
bullshit.

I place my other hand against his
cheek, run my thumb across his bottom lip and stare down at his parted lips. I
will be brave. I will kiss this man and see once and for all if I can really do
this, the moment is just too beautiful to pass by.

I lean down, my lips inches from
his – “Hello?”
Knock, knock, knock.

“You have got to be kidding me,”
I hiss. “It’s Gladys,” I add gritting my teeth. Tristan nods, understanding
that like it or not, she will be coming in.

I feel myself deflate like a
balloon. I get up from his lap, walk over to the door, pull the curtain across
and open the door to Gladys and Malcolm.

“Ooh, do I smell Roast Dinner?”
She slurs, leaning in to kiss my cheek.
Oh great! She’s tipsy we’ll never
get rid of her now!

“Yes,” I sigh, smiling
tentatively at Malcolm. “Hi Malcolm.”

“Hello Coral.” He leans down and
kisses my cheek as they both walk in. Gladys stops in her tracks as she notices
Tristan standing to his feet.

“Oh! I didn’t think you’d have
company?” Gladys says looking from me to Tristan to Malcolm.

“Hello Gladys.” Tristan says,
leaning in he kisses her cheek then shakes Malcolm’s hand.

I close the door and walk over to
the kitchenette. “Would you like a glass of wine or coff’ – “Ooh wine please.”
Gladys interrupts me plonking herself down on the sofa.

“Malcolm?” I ask as I give Gladys
a small glass of wine.

“Coffee thank you Coral. How are
you feeling?” I smile at Malcolm, how sweet of him to ask.

“Much better thank you, I’ve been
in very good hands.” I smile shyly at Tristan, he smiles shyly back at me,
in-fact I think he looks a little uncomfortable.

“That’s good to hear, although
your nose still looks very sore,” he adds.

“It’s getting better. Did you
have a nice time with your daughters?” I hand him his coffee as he sits next to
Gladys. Malcolm tells me all about his daughters, their husbands and their
children, so he’s a Grandpa too. I pick up my wine and sit next to Gladys.

I’m trying not to glare at her,
even though I want to have it out with her as to why she didn’t tell me about
Malcolm when she told Debs. Tristan comes and sits next to me on the arm of the
sofa, I love that he wants to do that, be so close to me.

“So, what have you two been doing
today?” Gladys slurs. I go to answer but Tristan beats me to it, and goes into
an animated story about our day. Gladys is mesmerized, blinking rapidly as she
watches Tristan –
So it’s not just me…

“Tristan, I have to say thank you
again for looking after Coral so well,” she says hugging and kissing me.
Malcolm narrows his eyes at my uncomfortable reaction, then stands walks over
to the patio door, and calls Tristan over.
Subtle Malcolm, very subtle!

They begin chatting away so I use
it as my opportunity to probe Gladys. “So Debs came round today,” I casually
say.

“Oh, how lovely, you two rarely
see each other anymore.”

“Kind of difficult when she’s got
a kid and a husband to look after,” I bite. “Which reminds me, she let it slip
that she already knew about Malcolm.” I add. Gladys’s face falls, I can see
she’s trying hard to hide her true feelings, to put a mask on. “So you want to
tell me why she knew and I didn’t?” I ask. Gladys is silent. “Mom,” I say using
that word feels wrong. “I’m really upset she knew and I didn’t,” I add softly,
I don’t want to upset her, but she needs to know what she did was wrong.

Gladys takes hold of my hand and
squeezes it. “I’m sorry darling…it’s just...well you don’t take too well to
change,” she says.

“I know that, but just because
you started seeing someone doesn’t mean everything has to change,” I answer. A
guilty look appears on her face. “And now I know Debs is selling up too, you
both are. Is there something else I don’t know about?” I ask just as I did with
Debs.

“No, no...o-of course not,” she
stutters looking totally uncomfortable which just confirms there is.

“Please Mom, tell me,” I whisper.
“I won’t freak out,” I add. Our eyes meet and I know in that instance I am
right. Something big is going down, and I don’t know about it, she’s having the
exact same reaction as Debs.

“Oh darling it’s lovely hearing
you call me that,” she squeaks. “Anyway how about you and Tristan?” she
whispers so he can’t hear, totally changing the subject. “He’s a real dish
darling, you’ve done very well there. Are you going to start seeing each
other?” she asks.

I sigh heavily she’s not going to
tell me. “Yeah…” I answer glumly.

“Oh that’s wonderful dear,” she
beams enthusiastically.

“Yeah...he’s really...” I can’t
think of the right word to describe who he is to me. My anchor, my north, my
south. In such a short space of time, he’s become my home.

“Well, you just be sure to take
care of him. Men need looking after just as much as us girls,” she tells me. I
nod silently. Gladys drains the rest of her wine and stands up. “Well, we’d
better be off,” she says nervously. I frown deeply at her odd behaviour and
look across at Tristan, the moment our eyes meet he frowns too, he knows
something’s up.

“Already darling, but we’ve only
just got here?” Malcolm argues.

“Malcolm!” Gladys warns. “I’m
tired, please take me home.”

Malcolm blushes a little. “Of
course darling.” He places his coffee in the kitchen sink and walks over to me.
He holds out his hands to me, I use them to pull up off the sofa.

“Thanks.” I squeak.

“Bye Coral,” he says kissing me
on the cheek again. “Sorry it was such a short visit.”

I try to smile at him. “Don’t
worry about it,” I mumble. Tristan comes and stands next to me, placing his
arms around my waist as he does. It feels so good that he’s here next to me.

“Bye darling,” Gladys gushes
kissing me on the cheek. I show no enthusiasm. Malcolm looks confused from me
to Gladys to Tristan. “Nice to see you again Tristan,” she beams kissing him on
both cheeks. “Look after that daughter of mine,” she adds.

“I fully intend to,” he offers
and shakes Malcolm’s hand again.

We walk the few steps to the
patio door, Tristan pulls it open and lets them both out they both wave, then
turn and walk out of view.

I try to control the anger I feel
rearing up inside of me. So, to try and take my mind of it I decide to clean
the kitchen up. As Tristan shuts the door, locks it and pulls the curtain back
across, I’m already at the kitchen rinsing everything off before I start washing
up.

“Hey,” I feel Tristan behind me.
His arms wrap around my waist, his head rests on my shoulder. “You want to talk
about it?” I shake my head rapidly.

“I....not now,” I answer my voice
wobbling with anger.

“Coral it’s not good to bottle
things up’ – “Tristan please, I’m trying really hard to use all the techniques
I’ve learned in therapy so I don’t let the anger take over. Please give me some
space, let me calm down.” I beg.

“Oh ok,” he says. “Shall I dry?”
I know he’s smiling. I stop what I’m doing and turn my head around. I can’t
help smiling back at him.

“How about some music?” I say.

“Ok,” he chuckles.

“My MP3 player is on the side,
next to the amp.” I gesture with my chin.

As I’m filling the sink with hot
soapy water, UB40s Can’t help falling in Love starts playing. It instantly
lifts me.
I wonder if Tristan picked this one on purpose?
Tristan is
back just as I’ve washed the first plate up.

“Tea towels?” he asks.

I point to the cupboard next to
me, I watch him bend down and pull out a clean one. I can see all the muscles
in his back ripple through his t-shirt. It sends shock waves down to my nether
regions. I clamp my legs together and try to ignore it.

“You like reggae?” Tristan asks
taking the plate off me. But my mind is already undressing him. Kissing him all
over and wondering what he will taste like, and whether he will fit me like a
glove; like he was made for me.

“Coral?” He prompts.

“Hmm?” I turn and lock eyes with
him.

“You ok?” he chuckles.

“Uh-huh.” I can’t seem to make my
brain work properly.

“Reggae?” he asks again.

“Oh right, yeah…I really like
it,” I answer dreamily…

IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG TO CLEAN UP THE KITCHEN
and as I check myself, I notice my anger at Gladys has completely
dissipated. Tristan must be some kind of drug to me or something? I think I’m
getting very, very addicted.

“So what would you like to do
now?” he asks. Oh boy! I wish he hadn’t just asked that question. How about I’d
like to rip your clothes off and make passionate love to you – But I know I
look hideous at the moment and I want it to be right, to be special. “Coral.”
Tristan takes my face in his hands. “Where are you?” I clear my throat and try
to settle my rapidly beating heart.

“Sorry...I just...” I smile up at
him. The room fills with that same bubble of electric. I feel the pull from him
so I lean up on my tip toes so I can reach his lips –
Tap, tap, tap – Who
the fuck is it now?

“I’ll get it,” I say gritting my
teeth. As I pull the curtain across I see it’s Bob with his empty plate. “Hey
Bob,” I say as I open the door.

“Delicious as usual Coral, just
like you,” he croons.

I roll my eyes and take the empty
plate off him. “You want to come in?” I ask.

He shakes his head at me. “No
thanks, I’ve got Top-Gear recorded,” he says his eyes twinkling.

“Oh ok, enjoy,” I smile. Bob
leans forward and for the first time ever, he pecks me on the cheek. “Aren’t I
the lucky girl,” I giggle. His cheeks blush, as he smiles back at me then he
clocks Tristan inside and narrows his eyes.

“Looks like I’ve got some
competition,” he croaks.

I glance at Tristan and raise my
eyebrows, trying my best not to burst into a fit of giggles. “I think you may
have Bob, but don’t worry you’ll always be my favourite,” I say squeezing his
wrinkly hand. Bob looks back at me in the most peculiar way. I think he is
actually serious, and in fairness, if Bob was my age I think I would be hard
pressed to ignore him. He was a real dish in his younger days. “Want me to get
you anything?” I ask.

“No darling you’ve done enough,”
he smiles and walks off. I watch him get inside his studio, then I shut the
patio door, and pull the curtains across.