Give in to Me (Heart of Stone #3)(38)
Author: K.M. Scott

He leaned back away from me, and I saw the icy veil he wore so often descend over his features. “So what things do you have to tell me?”

“What’s that face for?” I teased, nervous about what I had to tell him.

“I’m just wondering what else you have to say.”

He wasn’t stupid. He knew I had something to confess in addition to everything else we’d already talked about. It was probably written all over my face. Swallowing hard, I said, “Just one more thing. About that kiss with Gage…”

“What about it?” he asked flatly, his eyes boring holes in me with their accusatory stare.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’re the one who made me do it.”

“I really don’t want to talk about that, Nina. The idea of another man kissing you isn’t something I ever want to think about again.”

“Fine. I can certainly understand. I don’t like thinking about you kissing that cheap waitress at Top that night either.”

I was messing this up big time. Instead of simply telling him I’d kissed Gage and it meant nothing, I’d ventured into the jealous waters of “you did this and I did that.” Never a good place to stumble into.

Tristan simply continued to stare at me as he waited for me to continue, very wisely saying nothing about the Brandi kiss. “I just want to clear the air so we never have to talk about this again. You kissed her, which bothers me, and I kissed him, which obviously upsets you.”

“Then we never have to speak of it again. It was only once, and I didn’t even kiss her back. Gage was only once, and it was just acting, so that’s that.”

I nervously bit my bottom lip and struggled to work up the courage to tell the man I loved that I’d kissed another man and it had nothing to do with acting. “It happened another time. Neither one of us meant it. I was upset about you finally texting me back only to tell me to kiss him. It meant nothing, but I don’t want this to be between us.”

When all the words had finally left my mouth, I held my breath and waited for their meaning to sink in. Tristan said nothing, but stared straight ahead, his face emotionless. I knew he’d heard me, but his lack of response confused me.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting for him to say anything, he turned toward me and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, he shook his head. “I know I put you in that position and I know I have no right to be angry, but I am. I can’t stand the idea of you with him. I need to know just one thing. Did you sleep with him?”

“No. I swear, Tristan. It was one kiss. That’s it.”

“Then I don’t want to hear about it again.”

Never before in my life had any words sounded so final. His expression hardened for just a moment, as if he were working it out in his mind, and then he was back to being that same man I’d fallen in love with.

So ready to move on, I asked, “So, what should we do today?”

Tristan brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it. “I think it’s time for my resurrection, don’t you?”

***

I followed him through the front door of the house, noticing he stopped for just a moment to look around the enormous entryway. Quickly, I headed to our room to change into some fresh clothes. Tristan changed into his usual suit and tie and waited for me. When I was ready, he grasped my hand, clutching it as if for support, and guided me to his office where Daryl, Jensen, West, and Varo sat waiting for us. Tristan took his place behind his desk, and I stood beside him as each of the men in front of us waited for him to begin. Pulling me close so I sat on the arm of his chair, he rested his hand across the top of my thigh. “Surprised to see me, gentlemen?”

I scanned each of their faces, and except for Daryl, all of them looked stunned to see Tristan sitting there before them. Daryl must not have let them in on the secret.

“We didn’t realize you were back,” Varo said quietly.

Smiling, Tristan directed his attention to the man I’d explained less than an hour earlier was the one I’d kissed. “Well, I am back, so you can go back to being merely the bodyguard. Thanks for your service, though. I’m sure Nina appreciates your diligence.”

And with that, I knew Tristan wasn’t quite as comfortable with my confession as I’d hoped. Varo understood his meaning instantly, if the look of shock all over his face was any indication. I felt bad about that. He’d been a good guy about everything. He hadn’t even been the one who did the kissing. It had been all my fault. I gave him a weak smile, hoping it made up for Tristan’s sharp words.

“And West, I’m concerned with how you guard Nina. I’ve told both of you I want you to stay in the background.”

West looked to Varo on his left and then back at Tristan. “We always are. If she hadn’t been told that we were guarding her, she still wouldn’t know.”

“Really? I watched you and your giant form spy on me behind trees half your size one afternoon recently. Didn’t realize I was Ethan, the gardener, did you? If that’s any indication of how you stay out of sight, I’m not impressed.”

West grimaced as if in pain as Tristan dressed him down. I considered coming to his defense since I’d never noticed either him or Varo around me any time I went out, but the sharpness of the rebuke told me to not get involved. Tristan continued to explain how clumsy West had been one day as he’d attempted to spy on the new gardener, delineating each problem he’d seen as the bodyguard’s embarrassment and anger simmered.

“From now on, gentlemen, you are to be neither seen nor heard as you guard the most important person in my world. Am I clear?”

Both Varo and West nodded their understanding of Tristan’s decree and quickly rose to leave when he waved his hand to signal they were dismissed. As they reached the door, he snapped, “And make sure the hole in the fence at the back of the property is fixed. You’re supposed to be our security here.”

Leaning down near his ear, I whispered, “Was it necessary to be like that with them? They’re supposed to want to save me, if I ever need it. I’m not sure after that little pep talk they’d want to get me drink of water if I was in the middle of the desert.”

Turning his face toward me, he smiled. “Don’t worry. They just hate me right now. They’ll get over it.”

I leaned away from him and studied this new Tristan. “Are you always like this with the people who work for you, Mr. Stone?”