Where are you now? //Tristan//

[Deleted]

Tristan was not usually a man so forward. If anything had been instilled permanently into his life, it was that only women with no self-confidence accepted men who were upfront with what they wanted. He had enough respect for women to not do that to them. He didn’t mind taking the time to get to know a woman. He could vouch from experience that it was usually better to do it. He had involved himself with a woman or two who he hadn’t taken the initiative to get to know, but managed to go wrong in those instances. The women he hadn’t chosen to know had turned out to be crazy, one which was already planning their marriage after three dates. It was after that particular woman that Tristan had set his foot firmly down and refused not to get involved without knowing who he was interested in first. Kea was the first girl in a very long time in which he barely knew. He had the basics down: name, age, occupation, but he had a feeling there was more to her and he yearned to find out exactly what it was that kept nagging at him. However, being this close to her pushed all thoughts aside. All Tristan wanted to do was kiss her. Her lips were so alluring and they beckoned to be captured by his own. He wanted nothing more to oblige.

The feel of her hand on his bare chest was not unwelcome. Tristan brought his hands up to both of her shoulders and grasped them lightly. ”There is something about you…” She could say that again. Chuckling, he nodded. It was nice to see that she was as intrigued by him as he was by her. Before he could response, her other hand went up to his neck and he felt his head being pulled at slightly. He hoped she wasn’t going to do what he figured what was going to be happening within seconds. Tristan wanted to be the one to make the first move. It was cliché, but he considered himself to be very old-fashioned. He was the type to put his jacket over a puddle for his date to walk over, pay for anything she ordered, walk her home and then go in for the first kiss. The women in his family had molded him into the perfect gentleman. It was twisted to think how they had shaped him to be what every single one of them pictured as the perfect significant other. Tristan had always been grateful for it. He had met some of the most amazing woman because of his training. He saw Kea as one to place in that category. No, she deserved her own. It baffled him that a woman he hardly knew was having such an impact on him. He wasn’t aware that something like that was even possible. He allowed his head to be further pulled in until their lips met.

Everything went silent. It was as if everything and everyone around them vanished. His irritation for not being the one to initiate the kiss subsided. If she wasn’t so bloody good at it, then he probably would have been more upset. The lust for one another was undeniable, but before it could go any further she pulled away. As he opened his eyes, Keara was still the only one he could see. Tristan couldn’t help but to smile at her as he tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear. He couldn’t deny that their kiss had him hooked in more than one way. She was the image of perfection. He could get lost in those caramel and red colored eyes for hours. Something about her had him transfixed. Like he was stuck in her trance. A woman had never been able to do this to him before. His mind was too focused on her though to even begin to understand what it could possibly be that had him so fixated. “You are a sneaky girl,” Tristan finally said, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek, “you should have remembered from Mirage that I’m old-school.” He was referring back to this kiss. Although he wasn’t mad still there was a pang of jealousy still coursing through his veins. His hand looked massive on her small face. He began to rub his thumb lightly across her soft skin, unable to take his eyes off of the vixen before him.

“Guess I’ll just have to make up for it.” Moving his hand behind her head Tristan raised her up as he lowered himself down to a level comfortable for the both of him. He ensnared her lips with his own and entwined her hair within his hand. He slid his other arm around her waist pulling her in closer to him. There was no space left behind them but it still wasn’t enough for him. His hand pressed into the small of her back. A hunger overcame him, one that couldn’t be satiated. He wanted to melt into her. It was hard to keep his free hand from sliding down to the back of her thigh and pick her up. The chance to cradle her in his arms was almost overbearing. Forcing himself to pull away Tristan lowered her back down gently. Dipping his hand into the water he proceeded to flatten down the tangled mass his hand had caused. He doubted she’d be upset that her hair looked messy even though they were in the water, but he’d stay on the safe side just in case. Girls were weird that way. Once he finished he lowered his body into the water until the water was just over his neck. He had no idea what could possibly top that but he was anxious to see if anything could. “Greeks know how to do it better,” he teased, throwing a wink in her direction.

[Keara Sonnet]

Even though, for just a moment during their kiss it felt like the entire world had drifted away into the deep dark abyss. Keara’s mind was so focused on Tristan that she didn’t realize the world still existed around her until the tide tossed a small amount of water onto her face. Her eyes stared up into his as she tried to understand how a human could captivate her. Though she always knew she was different from other vampires, no vampire in history had ever been influenced by a human from what she had heard. And the few that she had heard of were never this strongly influenced. Though Keara had moments in time where she sometimes imagined she was human, she never actually thought she was. In this moment, however, she began to think maybe there was something more to it. Maybe something about her was not completely vampire and that was why she was hooked. Maybe she actually did like him because part of her was human. Then she realized, who was she kidding. She sucked blood for a living. She was a vampire.

When he brought up the fact that he was old-school, her mind trailed elsewhere. She then realized how quickly she was moving. Her actions were never this sudden unless she was getting paid to do the work and that hadn’t happened for over 20 years. “I’m sorry. Normally I don’t do that,” she commented, biting down on her bottom lip lightly. She actually felt bad about it and that was when she began to wonder, why was he allowing it? If he was old-school as he stated, he would not be so willing to accept her affection before a proper date. Her mind began to trail to the thought that maybe he wasn’t controlling his own actions. Was she doing this to him? The thought was erased from her mind as Tristan’s hand caressed her cheek before moving behind her head. Before she could even react, he had her in his arms and his lips were on hers. Her back arched lightly as her arms wrapped around his neck, feeling his hand go through her wet hair. As he pulled her closer, the kiss deepened. She was lost in him, unable to think of anything else. The world had disappeared and for a moment, it was only Tristan and her in the entire world. She wasn’t vampire, he wasn’t human. She didn’t work for a club that hid vampires and werewolves, and he didn’t work for the ministry. They were just man and woman, engaged in activities that most people would consider inappropriate for a beach with children located on it.

Their kiss finally broke and he let her back down into the water gently. Her eyes went back and forth between his, only grinning when he commented about his Greek nature. The grin was fake, however. Though the kiss had made her forget about her thought of doing this to him, when it broke the thought rushed back into her head. She had no intentions of doing such a thing, however she never knew if she was or not. Unfortunately, it was the one thing she hadn’t mastered. No vampire in history had mastered not controlling human emotions. She wished someone had found a way because honestly, she wanted to know if this was real or not and without assurance that she was not doing this to him, she would never truly know. The only benefit: he didn’t know. At least, she hoped he didn’t.

“I must say, Greek’s definitely know how to turn the heat up a notch,” Keara replied, running a finger across her lips. She wanted to end it at this point and move on, forget it had ever happened and forget he ever existed. Even if she wasn’t affecting him, she did not like the unknowing feeling that she might be tugging at his heart strings. However, despite what she thought she wanted, something within her wanted him even more. The seductress in her was screaming to apparate to another more private location while the vampiress in her wanted her fangs to latch into his neck. Unknowing to her, the human side of her wanted just to enjoy the moment and take in every inch of his being. For once, her human side won out. “So, where do we go from here?” she asked, her hands finding his in the water before she slid her fingers in between his. It was ridiculous how small she was compared to him, but typical had never been Kea’s style.

[Deleted]

He couldn’t get over this strange feeling that had taken hold of him. The pull to her was almost too much for Tristan to handle. He had to keep his arms firmly at his side to prevent him from holding her again. It literally was like her body was a magnet and he was an object trapped in her magnetic field. Even now, he felt his arms shaking as he struggled to remain where he was. There was something so strange about this situation, that it almost didn’t even feel real. He wouldn’t have been surprised to wake up in a few seconds, discovering he had passed out on the beach which would have given him such a vivid fantasy. Though it was amazing how he could feel the waves breaking at his side. And the heat of the sun on his exposed head. If this was a dream, everything had been so real. Moving his arms behind him Tristan pinched a piece of skin on his elbow. The pain that resulted was legitimate. He was awake and this was all actually happening. It was overwhelming. He had no idea what Keara was doing to him, but it was unlike anything he had ever felt before. If he hadn’t felt such a strong sense of lush, it would have frightened him. He hated not knowing what why he was feeling the way that he did. The look on her face didn’t help matters either. The grin on her face didn’t seem sincere. Was she doing something to bewitch him other than using her stunning looks?

Tristan didn’t take the time to answer. Instead, he grinned at her response to his comment. Greek men were known for their charm, among other things. He would have to show her sometime if she gave him the opportunity. He felt his heart skip a beat as Keara found his hand underwater, entwining hers with his as she did. ”So, where do we go from here?” It was a very good question. And one that he had no response to. Where would they go from here? They barely knew each other outside of the basics. He couldn’t speak for her, but he did want to know what other secrets laid behind those stunning eyes of hers. The aura around her begged to be revealed and Tristan wanted to be the one to break it down. Gripping her hand a bit tighter he shrugged. Deciding that once again the space between them was too much he broke free of his forced hold and pulled her in closer to him. Removing his hand from hers, he slid his hand to the back of her thighs and lifted her to his chest. The feel of her hands around his neck felt natural as did the way her legs wrapped around his torso to keep herself from sliding off. Chuckling to himself Tristan held her tightly, but only to indicate that he had no intention of letting her wiggle away from him. She had known what she was getting herself into when she kissed him.

“That’s the million dollar question,” he responded after some time, “were still strangers to each other and yet, here we are acting like old friends completely infatuated with each other.” Infatuated was a strong word to use but there was no other that could describe their body language. “You intrigue me,” Tristan confessed, “and I want to know all about you. I want to know where you were born, your hopes and dreams, everything you want to share with me.” It was hard to stop the words from leaving his mouth, but they were flowing so freely as if under control by something else. No matter the attraction, normally he would have at least waited to give a girl this speech until the next date. The second was so soon. “However way you suppose we do that is fine by me. I know we’ve only known each other for a few weeks Keara, but today has only proven how strongly I feel about you. You are this magnet that pulls me in and I don’t want to resist. So, I think that if anyone should answer that question, it needs to be you. Are you willing to have me hang around you for awhile longer? Try me on for size?” Before allowing her to respond Tristan brought his lips forward to ensnare hers in another kiss. “Because,” he stated as he pulled back, “you should already know my feelings on the matter.”

[Keara Sonnet]

The sight from the beach must be a riot considering the vampire was much shorter than the wizard standing in front of her. The height difference was changed in a moment when he pulled her up his torso. Her hands remained where they had been previously and she wrapped her legs around him to keep herself in place. Out of every position she had been in with a man, this was the most comfortable place she had ever been. The tight grip he had on her only made her feel that much more protected. She loved men who knew how to handle the confidence that she normally radiated. Tristan was doing an amazing job doing just that. However, something still felt off despite the kiss they had just shared and his willingness to accept what they were doing.

Looking in Tristan’s eyes as he responded to her, she realized that they truly were strangers. Names and occupations had been shared, but what else did they really know about each other? He knew absolutely nothing about her and she had intended on keeping it that way until she knew she could trust him. They were acting like she would with Damien or Jackson, not even bothering to talk much before they got into it. More so, they were acting like she had fifty years ago when she had to sleep around to make a living for herself. It was amazing how many men would sleep with a girl who was actually 39 but only looked like she was maybe 15. They were moving at the same pace most men in today’s society moved. It seemed like in these days, no man cared about the women. They only cared about satisfying their own pleasure. It made her almost want to not even worry about Tristan’s comment but she knew he wasn’t like that. She knew he was old school and preferred to get to know people because he had given that impression in their first meeting. So why was this happening?

When he mentioned what he wanted to know about her, she froze up. Half of those things she didn’t want to share yet how could she not tell him if he asked? She was terrible at lying unless it was absolutely necessary and she really hated it when it was with someone who she actually wanted to talk to. Her lying technique usually got worse the more she liked the person. The conversation only got progressively hotter, yet worse as he continued to speak. He had to be in her trance because no self-respecting man would say that to her unless he was really that desperate. Tristan was not a man who resembled desperation and it did not wear well on his face. However he had a really good way of making her forget about her reservations on their relationship when his lips touched hers. The kiss drew her back into him and when he pulled back, she only longed for him to come right back to her. Why did he have to pull away? She loved it so much when they were so close. “I believe your feelings are coming across loud and clear.”

Her hunger told her to go back in for the kiss that she was longing for, but her humanity told her that she was insane for letting it go on like this. “Maybe we are moving fast, though,” she replied, hoping her words would convince him to put her down. If he didn’t, she wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to resist that digging feeling in her to climb all over him and do things that the public would probably not appreciate seeing. “Don’t get me wrong, I want this more than you can imagine, but I don’t want this happening for all the… wrong reasons,” she added, knowing he would have absolutely no idea what she was talking about. He wouldn’t ever understand unless she confessed her dark secret to him. That was definitely not a conversation for the second date.

“I want to know that you’re doing this because you honestly want to. Not because you feel like something is telling you that you have to.” Merlin, she was talking far too much and she was sure that would be exactly what he was thinking. She should be all over him right now with rare few words coming out of their lips; however she could not help but have a conscience when it came to this situation. She never moved quickly with guys that she liked, only with those that she was using for a one night stand. There were not many times in history when she had come across a male she actually like but in every instance, she attempted to make sure she did not sway them in her direction. However, if he assured her that he was doing this on his own free will, she would not deny him. Chances were she was being the paranoid vampire she was and unable to see that he actually did like her.

[Deleted]

If he hadn’t made his intentions any clearer than what they were right now then Tristan had made one of those rare very bad calls. He was practically all over her. And nearly seconds away from having his way with her right then and there. He was relieved when she finally answered him. She seemed just as fixated on him as he was to her. He smiled, tucking another strand of wet hair behind her ear. Tristan couldn’t get over how beautiful she looked. Surrounded by the sunlight hitting the waves and making the area behind her look like sparkling diamonds, he envisioned her as a goddess on her throne. He was totally fine with being her throne. He’d be stupid to object to having such a vision of perfection sit on top of him. He smirked to himself at the dirty thought. Wrapping his arms a bit tighter around her Tristan just wanted to feel her skin closer to his. As much as he enjoyed her close company there was another part of him that stood outside of their tiny box, yelling at him to drop her and move on. It was sickened seeing him acting like some love-drunk fool. He wouldn’t deny that he was a romancer. Wooing women and making them feel like princesses was his specialty. This was a whole other level. He couldn’t get enough of her. Even now he still felt his fingers tip-toeing along the back of her thigh to absorb her into him. The other part of him screamed, warned him that he was treading into dangerous territory, but Tristan couldn’t see how. He didn’t have to fully understand her to know how wonderful she was inside and out.

”Maybe we are moving too fast though.” Tristan felt the bitter traces of rejection appear. “I don’t understand,” he told her, allowing her to see the confusion on his face. She had been the one to kiss him. Although he may have been the one to do so eventually, he hadn’t initiated it. “Don’t get me wrong, I want this more than you can imagine, but I don’t want this happening for all the… wrong reasons.” What was she talking about? How could it be wrong if they both felt it? Slowly, he slid her a little further away from him. If there was one thing Tristan didn’t appreciate it was being led on. He frowned as uncertainty washed over him. “What constitutes something being wrong to you? I[‘m sorry if I seem defensive Keara, but, you made the first move. I didn’t object because I thought it was what you wanted.” He felt embarrassed. Lowering his head to the water, he wished he could disappear underneath it. Anything to take away the humiliation of thinking that something was not what it had appeared to be. Tristan hoped that if he did attempt to drown himself that Keara wouldn’t make any effort to save him. He didn’t know what would be worse. This or having to be saved by the woman he had drowned himself for.

“I want to know that you’re doing this because you honestly want to. Not because you feel like something is telling you that you have to.” Perhaps he had been wrong about Keara. Maybe she was secretly crazy and so good at concealing it men didn’t realize it until the worse possible moment. Like now. Tristan slowly set her back down in the water and brought his hand behind his head, scratching at the back of it. It had been bizarre that he acted the way he did. Even he couldn’t deny that. Something in her had pulled him to her. It still wanted him. He wanted to obey and push any questions of concern to the side and finish what they had started then see where that led them. She was so hesitant towards him now though that he was unsure if they’d be able to start from where they had left off. Sighing, he ran a water-soaked hand down his face, regretting it as the salt water stung his eyes. He angrily flung the excess water from his hand. It didn’t do him much good now, but it was still an outlet for him. “Keara, ever since we met at Mirage I’ve been attracted to you. I’ve just been so busy with work, like I told you, that I haven’t been able to act on it until now. Unless you’re paying me for a fool, then I don’t get why you’re asking me this. I told you that I’m old school. I don’t lead girls on for my own amusement. If I wanted something different from you, I would assume it would have been laid on the floor first thing.” He hoped a fight wouldn’t result from what he said, but he needed his own answers.

[Keara Sonnet]

The moment Keara opened her mouth, she knew things were about to take a sharp turn from where they were currently at. His face fell, the smile disappearing as he immediately spoke up. “It is what I want, Tristan. You have no idea how much I’ve been thinking about doing this for the last two weeks,” she said, biting down on the inside of her lip, upset that she had said anything to begin with. How could she even begin to explain to him what she was thinking without blatantly saying that she was a vampire? That would ruin everything she had worked for since she was sure he would walk, or possibly run, away from her. She didn’t want him to know her dirty little secret that she was possibly leading him on with her seductress abilities even though she had no idea if she was or not. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. Her attraction to him was more than any other male in the past and she wanted to be with him. Hell, she had thought about him for the last two weeks non-stop with the exception of when she had actually talked to a human being. Those few occurrences were the only times he had left her mind and even then he had managed to creep his way into her brain. Why would she want to ruin all of that?

Keara was overly disappointed when Tristan set her back down into the water. She could tell she had just ruined it, though. His face showed that he was confused and so was she. With the way he was reacting, it made her feel like he was not under her spell. Most men that had been previously wouldn’t even let her go. They would hold on to her as tight as they could and not let her leave their sight until they got what they thought they deserved from. Normally they would not be able to do anything but it was surprising how much stronger someone got when they were being manipulated by a vampire. Granted, she could still put them down in a heartbeat, but they would always try the best they could to take her where they wanted to go. However, Tristan was showing opposite signs. He had put her down when she had mentioned them moving too fast, something no man had ever done in the past. It made her believe that he really had feelings for her, despite the fact that he didn’t even know her. Unfortunately that meant she had led him on and knocked him down but it wasn’t on purpose.

“I’m sorry. I know you’re old school and you’ve been busy, and all of that. I just…” Her words trailed off for a moment while she looked down at the water, trying to think of what she would even say to justify her actions. The only thing she could think of was to lay out her bloodtrait in front of him and give him everything she could about herself in order to ensure their relationship would have no more bumps in the road. In a moment, her hands found his and she lightly squeezed them as she looked up at him. There was only one thing she could think to do.

“My name is Keara Sonnet. I was born in Ravenna, Italy, I’m a Slytherin graduate, I hate fighting, and I’ve never been in a real relationship.” It was her hope that telling him things about her might fix what she had ruined; it was worth a try. She obviously would not be able to confess her vampirism to him just yet. He would never trust her and would probably just turn her into the Ministry no matter how he felt about her. “I’m afraid of hurting you, but I do know that there’s something about you that is really enthralling and I really want to get to know you more,” she continued, her grip on his hands lightening enough to where if he wanted to back off, he could. Her eyes searched his for any sign that he would forgive her for the words she had thrown out but she was not sure if they were even near that point now. “I’m sorry if I made you feel like I was leading you on because that wasn’t the case. I just… This is the most I’ve cared for someone in a while and I want to make sure that it’s real.”

[Deleted]

Tristan allowed her to take his hands into hers without resilience. He was still confused, but wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. She was a woman. All women were confusing. One minute they wanted one thing, the next something completely different. First impressions were not to be solely judged upon. He could speak from personal experience. In his first few years of dating, even a few rare occasions in between, he had made the mistake of assuming a girl to be completely different then how she had portrayed herself in the beginning. One girl in particular, Esmeralda, had seemed completely down to earth and a fellow Quidditch fan when he first met her at school. During their second meeting, Tristan quickly learned that she had her friends tell her what Quidditch was just so she had the nerve to talk to him. Any information on her supposed favorite teams had also been fed to her. Besides her lying, she had confessed that she had followed him to two of his classes that day and the previous. And that she saw a future for them. Granted she was sixteen and girls that age tended to fall in love easily, but even he knew that she was a psycho. It had taken a full month and a new Ravenclaw to get rid of her. Since then, he had been selective about females he chose to associate himself with. With Keara, he thought he had been careful, but the next few minutes would show him if he had been right or not.

Once she started speaking though, all of the anger and confusion began to subside. The Italy part he liked considering that the country was a neighbor of his. The Slytherin part not so much. Tristan found it surprising that she had come from that house though. Besides her vixen-like ways, there was nothing else about her that seemed to hold any of the house’s usual traits. Perhaps that had been all it took. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t getting the full story. He could only hope that Keara would fess up to whatever it was in time. He wasn’t one to pry into other’s life for his own selfish reasons. However, he could always use his Ministry connections if the feeling ever got too overwhelming. Shaking his head, he continued to listen to her speak. He was getting ahead of himself. His mind was still trying to catch up to everything that she was saying. His little love spell in the water had managed to get him all discombobulated. Though as soon as her voice took on a different tone, Tristan was able to focus on everything that she was saying to him. He smiled, happy that she did want to get to know him. Personally, he didn’t think he was a bad catch. He was good-looking, built, tall and a gentlemen. Ladies had always told him how rare his kind was. He couldn’t help to quirk a brow at her mention of hurting him. What could she possibly do that would make him upset enough to bring this up in the first place? Keara was a mystery to him, but there was something about her that made him want to solve it.

He cleared his throat once she had finished talking. Tristan did appreciate the honesty, even if she found some way to weave a little more confusion into her words. Honestly, all that mattered to him was that she did want to continue having something to do with him. His ego and, after earlier, his heart would have taken a bit hit. Romance was something he did his best not to play around with. He had been the victim and the perpetrator in scenarios involving it. He had always heeded the advice of his sisters, and it was looking like this occasion may call for it. Tightening his grip around her hands Tristan ran his thumbs over the tops of hers. He didn’t say anything for a minute or two, just took in the beauty that radiated back to him. Even when she looked guilty she looked so damn beautiful. “I’m Tristan Stavros,” he finally started, “I was born in Athens, Greece. Quidditch is my life regardless of whether or not I can play it anymore. I have five sisters and one mother who have been my encyclopedia on women. It’s safe to say that if I did something to screw this up..” He trailed off, motioning between the two of them. “I’d have my ears chewed off.” Tristan chuckled to himself at the thought of his sisters all ganging up on him to voice their displeasure with any and all of his failure. “But on a better note, I like candlelit dinners, spoiling girls silly and listening to romantic music while staring off into the distance.” He laughed at his playfulness. He felt the need to lighten up the mood just a bit.

When he had finished, Tristan raised his hand to her cheek and stepped closer to her. “Listen to me Keara. I understand how confusing this all is. We’ve only met once and yet we’re acting like we’ve been friends for much longer. There’s still so much we have to discover about each other, but you’ve got to understand that I want to take that time only if you do. I have all the patience in the world if you want to take a step back and let nature take its course. Things happen for a reason Keara. This…” He motioned between them again. “Had to have happened for a reason.” He stroked at her cheek as he smiled down at her. “If you’re worried about the height difference, I will buy you a whole closet full of heels to wear when we are out and about and will stick to the flattest shoes I can to keep the balance. If you’re worried about my job, well, I can make no guarantees with that, but I can make an attempt to get my hours cut down as best as I can so we will be able to make that time to continue getting to know each other.” Tristan knew how hard of a promise it would be to uphold, but he would have to do his damndest. This wasn’t a girl he wanted to let slip out of his grasp. Chuckling again as another joke came to mind, he pulled her in closer to him. “As long as you aren’t a vampire or something, I think we’ll be fine.” He appreciated the concerns that she had, it made him happy that she had no intention on hurting him, but he didn’t want her to worry so early in whatever this was that they had.

Lowering his face to hers, Tristan kissed her and did so with every fiber of his being to know he meant every word that he had just said to her.

[Keara Sonnet]

Keara’s eyes searched his, hoping that somehow, someway they were going to move on from her moment of hesitation. Though she was still slightly worried about having some influence over his feelings despite his prior comment of saying he wanted this, she was willing to push her worries aside to enjoy his company instead. She was not willing to let her hesitation about her vampire abilities take over from a situation that could be practically perfect. When he tightened his grip on her hands and began to speak, her lips turned up slightly into a smile. Talking was a good thing and his tone had completely turned around. At least it looked like they were going to be able to move on. Now as long as she could keep her concerns to herself, things would be able to work out between the two of them.

The talk about the five sisters slightly dampened her mood. If she hurt him, she was going to have to answer to a lot of women… She never did well with women. However, when he continued, she couldn’t help but chuckle. It was good to know that things went both ways. Sounded like his sisters were the big part of his attitude when he was around her. She would have to remember to thank them one day for molding him so well. The candlelit dinners, romantic music, and even the spoiling were all traits that Keara would never have grabbed from his appearance but they were all things that she couldn’t help but love about him. Even though his sisters and mother had taught him how to treat a woman, she still could not imagine that one man could have all of these traits? No man she had ever met was this perfect. She was starting to wonder if this was just too good to be true. Maybe she was caught in someone’s spell, imagining everything htat was going on. With her luck, she’d be on the beach getting the worst burn she’s had in the years since she learned there was a potion to keep her from scorching in the sun. It did a great job of making sure she didn’t turn to ash the moment she hit direct sunlight but it never did well at keeping her from actually getting a burn if she was out there too long.

When his hand rose to her cheek, however, she was brought back to reality. She wasn’t in a spell, this was all real and she knew it. As his body moved closer to hers, her eyes lit up, even more so when he began speaking. She almost forgot he was even speaking for a moment, just taking the pleasure in having his hand on her cheek. It took a lot of her strength not to just kiss him to make him shut up so they could move on from her ridiculous thoughts from before and on to the relationship that was so obviously brewing between them. He even knew it, motioning between the two of them to indicate that he knew something was going on and it was for a reason. Everything happened for a reason. When he mentioned the shoes, she only grinned, shaking her head no to that problem. His job came up and she shook her head again. “Though I think your job is way too rough on you, I’m not going to ask you to change for me, Tristan.” The truth was, she never wanted anyone to change for her, or for anyone in that matter. What was the point in being you if you changed for absolutely everyone who didn’t like something about you? She would work around anything if it meant he got to stay exactly who he was. She liked him for him. Not for what she wanted of him.

His next comment could have been left out. That she did not take so kindly to. She did not let her smile falter, however. In due time she would tell him about her deep, dark secret and she hoped that when that time came he would be okay enough with her to not go running. If time still did not allow him to be okay with what she was, then there was an extreme possibility that the two really were not meant to be together. It would be the true test of them one day and honestly, she wasn’t sure what was going to happen and she did not quite care too much at this point. Right now, it was all just a game and she was ready to play along until the buzzer ended it and brought them back to the real world. A moment later it was like halftime had ended as his lips touched hers. The emotion coming from him flooded into her, almost like he was her bridge to humanity, her drug. Kea’s arms wrapped around his neck once more as she returned the kiss, not willing to let him go this time. Any thoughts that she was bringing this on had flown out the window at this point. The game was just beginning and she was going to play it to the best of her ability, even despite the upset chatter she could hear from mothers on the beach whose children were apparently watching every movement they made. Pulling away from him slightly, she looked up at him and smiled. “So I wonder if we should take this somewhere a little more… private,” she commented, motioning over to the beach where they had a small audience with prying eyes.

[Deleted]

From what Tristan had seen of Keara so far, she had a trait that he rarely saw in other girls with looks like hers. Selflessness. She hadn’t demanded him pay for her tab at Mirage. She hadn’t been angry with him for not posting her and making her the center of his world. With his confusion at sudden change of heart, he now knew that she thought she was doing it to protect him and his feelings. When she mentioned his job, he couldn’t help but to smile as she asked him not to change his hours for her. If this had been any other girl, Tristan was sure the answer would have been different. Maybe something along the lines of “You better” or “That’s great, now take me shopping so I can spend all of your money”. He was more than thankful that she was sincere. That’s all he had ever wanted in a woman. Looks and personality were nice, but he preferred knowing the real woman within. He was grateful that Keara had put the important things out on the table from the get go. He had shifted through them and liked what he saw enough to want to know even more about her. Judging from her reactions, so did Keara. They had taken two steps back a few minutes ago, but her smile indicated they had jumped forward a few feet. That was fine with him. Tristan thought it was time to put formalities on the back burner for a little bit anyway. He had enough on his plate with the last two days of Quidditch tryouts. He needed some fun.

He slid his hand back behind her head to pull her closer to him as she returned his kiss. She drove him crazy. Inappropriate thoughts were running rampant through his brain and he wanted to do nothing more than act on them. Though he seriously doubted their fun would go over well with the families on the beach. Also, even though Keara wasn’t his, he didn’t want other blokes getting a view of her. Her body was a temple that only the most deserving explorer could venture into. Tristan’s selfishness knew that there was not another suitable candidate for the task. Earlier, he had been dead set on showing her the romantic side of him, but as soon as the comment about privacy had left her mouth the game plan had changed. She wanted to see the other and he was fine with that. He would have been stupid if he did. If she wanted to see his other talents, then he would in no way prevent her from seeing. His sister’s would have been furious for acting like a dog, but they weren’t here. And when it all boiled down to it, he was his own man who made his own decisions. He was the only one in each situation he found himself in that could make the call. They weren’t here to bash him for being a pig and wooing her the right way. Really, he wanted to do what she wanted to do so that had to have counted for something.

“Seems appropriate.” It would still take some time for him to be notified whether or not his application at the condominiums had been accepted, but Tristan doubted she’d be offended if he offered up his suite to her. Looking back towards the resort, he motioned his head over to it. “Conveniently, they’ve got me held up at the Resort. I could give you a tour of my room if you’d like,” he suggested, giving her a wink. He was sure she’d catch his drift. He hoped she would at least. Back when he was at school, there had been a girl he was trying to bed who seemed to have wanted the same. He had offered to show her his dorm, but she stupidly asked why he would want to show her his dorm. She had seen the boy’s dorms before. He had then left her sitting in the common room by herself. Without waiting for a response, Tristan grabbed her hand and began to lead her out of the water. He grinned at the angry mothers and envious girls staring daggers into the woman whose hand he held. The disgust made him want to rip off her clothes right then and there just to rub it in their faces, but Keara had asked for privacy and he would abide by her wish. His khakis were soaked and clinging to his skin as they stepped out of the water. “I need to get out of these wet pants,” he remarked, continuing them to her nearing towel. When they finally reached it, Tristan bent down and began picking up her things and his. He wouldn’t allow her to carry her own things in his presence.

Draping the towel and his shirt over his shoulder, he cradled the rest of her items in his left arm, leaving the right open for her petite frame. “Have I got everything?” Tristan asked, looking around their feet for any dropped items. Confident there was nothing else, he turned around to face her, throwing her cover over to her. “Think those mums would appreciate some modesty,” he teased, “though I personally think you have nothing to hide.” Once she had finished, he extended his arm to the side. “Onwards then? We can always take a romantic stroll through the Park and Gardens if you’d like.” Guilt demanded he at very least offer his amorous side one last time to her. He looked down to his watch playfully. “Time says I’ve got about an hour and fifteen minutes before I have to slave away under this hot sun again so make a good decision.”

[Keara Sonnet]

The prying eyes of onlookers was starting to creep her out. Why didn’t people just keep to themselves? Couldn’t they go about doing their own thing? Honestly, Keara would have been perfectly fine staying in the water with Tristan all day, but only if they had their own private beach. Seclusion made things like that much easier to handle. She was not one to go flaunting out in public. Well, at least not anymore. Forty years ago would be another story however this was here and now. When he mentioned being in the resort, she couldn’t help but grin. “Perfect,” she commented, “I’ve always enjoyed tours.” Her tone was flirty, only adding to the fact that she was very enthusiastic about continuing this conversation elsewhere. His hand encased hers as they walked out of the water, immediately feeling every mother about ready to jump on her and claw her to death. Then she noticed that it wasn’t because of their actions in the water. Well, not completely. The bulk of the looks were more along the lines of killing her to get to him. That caused sort of a giggle to come from her as they made it to the blanket. Oh how she loved it when people were jealous. It just showed how flawed the human race was that they believed in such superficial things such as looks. She wasn’t going to even regard the fact that he did happen to be high on the rating scale. That was just a side benefit of his personality. Yeah, let’s go with that.

When he made a comment about needing to get out of his wet pants, Keara could swear she had just seen the women flinch as if they were thinking on running over. She was sure those that were more interested in getting with Tristan were thinking that they could be helpful in that avenue. Then there were still those mothers on the beach that were even more disgusted with the two. “I’m sure we could arrange that,” Keara commented, watching as he picked up their things. Once again she could swear that the women watching had moved in their direction a little more. It was like a game of green light, red light. It took everything in her power not to turn him around and kiss him right then and there just to see how much more they would move to get closer to their chance in getting a kiss. However she decided to contain herself. “Have I got everything?” “Yup, I believe so,” she responded, sliding on her cover as he handed it over. Keara was perfectly fine with staying uncovered with the way these women were acting, however the few women on the beach who were mothers and were upset at the amount of skin she was showing did not deserve her taunting. They did nothing wrong except being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, in their honor, she covered herself up with the slip that acted as a mini-dress. It was see-through, but it left more to the imagination than her previous attire did.

When he offered his arm, she gladly took it as they began walking towards the resort, most of the women around them heaving a sigh as they went back to whatever they had been doing. If they had stayed much longer she was sure they would have carried him away to some secret location against his will. Sad thing was he wasn’t the one with the seduction powers, it was her. Apparently Greeks were just as much seducers as vampires. “Parks and gardens could be fun,” she said, feeling as her feet reached the edge of the sandy beach. Then he spoke up about how much time he had to go until he had to return to work. She looked up at him with a slight bit of a pout to her expression. “Am I going to have to retract that statement about making you change your hours? Because I’m quite sure that an hour and fifteen minutes is not enough time for the two of us to spend together today,” she commented as they reached the edge of the resort’s building structure. Here was where they chose the path of either the suites or the gardens. “Because if you’re honestly going to say that you have to go back to work,” she added, moving in front of him and sliding her arms around his neck. Both of them were still dripping from their clothes and pressing up against him only reminded her of that. “I might have to say that the parks and gardens will have to wait for another occasion,” she finished, reaching up and giving him another kiss on the lips.

[Deleted]

It didn’t seem possible for Tristan’s day to get any better than this. Not only had Keara saved him from the rest of his day lacking excitement, but she was undoubtedly going to help make work a little more tolerable when he got back to it. He couldn’t help but to grin as they walked. Being here with her now felt natural. This was the most at ease he had been all week. He was grateful for it. Work hadn’t been hectic by any means, just boring and stressful considering what was going to happen if they weren’t able to find any talent by the end of it. Mostly because he knew that the whole process would have to be repeated with either the same athletes or foreign ones. Tristan wasn’t sure how well he’d be able to deal with foreign players. He didn’t have anything against them by any means, but it was no secret that each country treated Quidditch differently. He also didn’t want to deal with some of the notorious attitudes that some countries were infamous for. He had heard that Bulgarians in particular always had a chip on their shoulders. Bulgarian players would almost certainly be on the list to be called. A sour interaction between him and one of them that used to go to Galaxia had left a bad taste in his mouth. Tristan knew that it would be hard to put bitter feelings aside to judge them fairly even if they were amazing players. Greeks were stubborn creatures when they needed to be.

When Keara mentioned the parks and gardens, Tristan’s grin faltered slightly. While he knew he would have a good time with her no matter what she chose, the man side of him had his mind set on his suite. He didn’t want to seem impatient though or cast any doubt on his mind on exactly what he wanted from her. The fact of the matter was that he did have interest in her. Their moment at the Waterfront was proof enough of that. At the same time, he was a man. He had needs and he wanted them met. Keara was the only one he wanted to satiate them. When she brought up the limited amount of time they had, a frown replaced the grin he had. She didn’t know how badly he wished his time could be extended. He’d much rather be exploring the island or testing the comfort of his bed with her instead of locked up inside of a Quidditch pitch scouting. The Ministry wasn’t as lenient as other jobs might have been. Even though he was in a position of authority, the higher ups expected him to be a leader, to set an example. Being late and showing up when he wanted to was not setting a good example. Sighing, Tristan brought his hand up to his head and ran it through his hair. “No,” he finally responded as they stopped, “I’m not going to ask you to do that. This week is just time-consuming. I’m scouting for the Austrian Quidditch Team for the World Cup in a few months. I think their behind schedule because we’ve been at the pitch from early morning to late night for the past few days. I’ve never scouted before, but I don’t think that’s all that normal.” He glanced off into the direction of the pitch. “If that’s the case, they wouldn’t be too keen on me being late if they’re trying to get things done.” Tristan hated sounding so responsible.

The grin reappeared on his face once he felt Keara’s arms around his neck. Pulling her in to him, Tristan looped his arms around her petite frame. He was thoroughly excited that the idea of spending what little time they had in his suite was what he had been hoping to hear. He returned her kiss with passion, hoping to give her a taste of what else he had in store for her. “I’m glad you said that,” he started, pulling back “because I think we should have some alone time for ourselves.” He winked at her before resuming the walk back to the suites. His steps were quicker, urgently wanting to get to his room and hang the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door handle. Tristan could tell that she wanted the same since her small legs were nearly matching his own steps. They arrived at the entrance a minute or two later. Holding the door open for Keara, he waited until she was through before he followed suit. He then led them in the direction of the elevators. As they waited, he kept one arm around her waist. The numbers seemed to be dwindling down slower than the previous one. Sighing out of frustration, he kept his eyes focused. Three floors left. He was only too relieved to hear the small ding that sounded as the elevator doors opened. He pulled her inside, caressing her cheek as the doors closed behind them. “You sure you want to do this? We can wait you know. I don’t want you to feel like we’re rushing into anything. I’m not going to lose interest if you have any sort of doubt in your mind. I just want you to be honest with me.”

[Keara Sonnet]

Keara was more than pleased when Tristan pulled her in closer to him, returning her kiss. She could feel his emotion in the kiss, only making her crave him even more. He was obviously thinking along the same lines as she was. He wanted to get this party moving as much as she did and he was willing to skip the niceties to get there. The parks and gardens walk would just have to wait until they had more time to spend together. She was still upset about his unwillingness to ditch his job for the rest of the evening to spend time with her; however she admired his work ethic. Most men would not keep their plans even for a woman of her stature, but Tristan was dead set on doing his job and getting it done in a timely manner. There were not many people that had that attitude. If Keara wasn’t on vacation from Der Keller, she would probably do the same thing as him if she was on call. Her job usually came first and most people close to her knew that. Tristan would learn in time when she went back to her job after this little vacation. But until then, she was going to make sure she enjoyed as much of her time off as she could. The chance rarely came around and she was not going to let it slip through her fingers.

When he pulled back from her, she bit down on the inside of her lip softly to avoid from moving right back in his direction. Instead, he pulled her in the direction of the building, opening the door to allow her to enter into the enclosed area. He followed shortly behind as they made their way to the elevator. Glancing around, Keara took in the establishment. She had not usually paid attention to this section of Ilfracombe. Most of her time had been spent at the bar or at the club, never in the area that contained the suites. It was elegant, just like the rest of the island was. When the elevator arrived, Keara was almost caught off guard by the hastiness of Tristan to get into the elevator but she was sure it was because she had been distracted by their surroundings. Being in such an elegant location when normally she was in the rat hole of Drear Alley definitely livened the mood. The feel of his hand against her cheek and the other on the small of her back only made her want to speed up the elevator. She glanced behind her at the button he had pushed and noticed that it was more towards the top, meaning they had quite the elevator ride ahead of them. Turning back towards him she couldn’t help but smile when he began talking. Obviously what she had said earlier hadn’t gone off his mind. She was going to have to change that.

“Shut up and kiss me,” Keara said, glad to see the grin spread across his lips before he pulled her in closer. Her arms wrapped around his neck as their lips met once more. Talking was far too overrated, plus the more he talked, the more she felt obligated to tell him her secret. He was not privy to that information just yet. Maybe a few more dates and she would feel comfortable but after the scare she had earlier with him about ready to leave her in the water, she was not about to ruin anything just yet. They needed to get more comfortable with one another before she dropped that bombshell on him. The bell for the elevator dinged behind her and she almost did not even hear it. Her attention had been so grabbed by Tristan that she could have missed it if it wasn’t for the clearing of someone’s throat behind her. Pulling away from Tristan slightly, she glanced behind her shoulder to see an older woman standing there, waiting to get into the elevator. Chuckling softly, she grabbed Tristan’s hand and walked out of the elevator, letting out a laugh when the elevator door shut and it took the old woman to her next destination. “I hope we actually made it to the right floor,” she laughed, glancing around the floor before looking back to him. She hadn’t actually studied the button he had pushed nor had she thought of that before she pulled him from the elevator. All she knew was there had been an old woman staring at them and obviously enjoying it a tad too much since Keara was sure they had stood there for a few moments before the woman had announced her arrival. “I hope she didn’t just cause us to take a little longer to get to our destination. If not, we might just have to borrow someone else’s room.”

[Deleted]

”Shut up and kiss me.”

Tristan didn’t need to be told twice. He moved his hand from her cheek to the back of her head. Lowering himself down to her, he captured her lips with his own and began kissing her eagerly. His other hand pushed her even closer to his body. He wanted to sink into hers, making them become one. If this was only a sample of what was to come then he hoped the bloody elevator would hurry the hell up. He was ready to do whatever he wanted with Keara and not be judged for it. The things he had on his mind would probably make even the most experienced playboy blush. Smiling against her lips Tristan briefly paused to look up and towards the small black display above the doors. They were on the third, three more to go until they were to his floor. From there it would only be a short walk to his suite and an even shorter walk to his bed. Turning his eyes back to Keara he rested his brow on hers for only a moment. “Not too much longer.” The anticipation was getting to him. He may have been a gentleman, but he was also a man. A man very interested in a beautiful woman who was making it exceedingly difficult for him to keep his hands from going to inappropriate places. They were in an elevator, but he doubted that other resort guests would be too pleased if they were waiting for the elevator and were suddenly exposed to the indecency Tristan was sure the two of them could get into. And he did enjoy the lavish suite the Ministry was paying for.

Their lips found each other’s again and continued finding each other until the elevator stopped and the bell dinged. Even then they continued exploring each other until Keara pulled back. Raising an eyebrow Tristan looked in the direction she was. An old woman stood outside, waiting to get in. Laughing, he excused the two of them as Keara led him out of the elevator. “We did make it to the right floor,” he assured her, looking around the hallway. “At least I’m pretty sure it is. Unless all of the floors look the same which is another likely option.” He quickly looked to the top of the elevator again. He managed to see the number 6 illuminated before the down arrows replaced it. He had no doubt that they had been on the right floor but it was relieving to be assured so he didn’t have to look like an idiot. With Keara’s next comment though, he probably could have tripped over his own shoes and not been embarrassed. She was just as impatient as Tristan was. Even better for him. Making sure her hand was firmly grasped in his he moved to the right and then moved to the left. His room was a little further on down the middle of the hallway. For him it only took a few large steps but since Keara was smaller than him, hers were doubled. He’d apologize for it later. When 623 came into view he stopped and let go of her hand just to get his room key from his pocket. Once he grabbed it, he brought it back to the door handle and slid the card into the slot, opening it instantly as the light turned green. Looking back to Keara, he grinned . “Ready?” Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her in and grabbed the Do Not Disturb sign from the back of his door handle and moved it to the front. The things he was about to do to her where things that needed no interruption.

[[[ ------- ]]]

He was fifteen minutes late but he didn’t care. The past hour and a half had been worth it. Tristan hadn’t been expecting to be disappointing, but from the moment the two of them were in his temporary bed Keara had exceeded any expectations he could have possibly have. She had been indescribable, unnatural even, but he had no complaints. His mind had been blown and as he lay with one hand behind his bed and the other stroking Keara’s hair, he couldn’t keep the grin from his face even if he wanted to. As he had hoped, the events of his time with Keara were going to make things much more tolerable for whatever would be waiting for him on the Quidditch pitch later on. Probably the entire week if he was honest with himself. Lowering his face to her head, Tristan gave her a kiss on the back of her head. He wished he could stay here with her all day. All week. All month. Lying in bed with her was giving him a peace that his life hadn’t seen in several months now, specifically since the workload at the Ministry had increased. With her it seemed like nothing else mattered. He would give up everything just to remain here with her. With that in mind though he needed to force himself to focus. He would undoubtedly be chewed out the moment he stepped foot on the pitch. Then again, perhaps they’d be so mad they’d send him back to his suite for the day to make him think about what he had done. It was a stretch, but he’d hope for the best. He was sure that Keara would be able to rearrange her schedule for him if the opportunity arose simply because of the idea she had of his hours as it was. Tristan also doubted she’d be able to refuse starting back where they had left off.

His hand cupped her chin and brought her lips to his. Another passionate kiss was bestowed before he released her. “I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as I did,” he said to her, lightly lifting her body from his. Tristan’s hands went to both sides of his body, pushing himself from the mattress. Arms above his head, he stretched and sighed in relief once a few of the bones had popped. “Quite the workout.” Chuckling, he looked back to the bedside clock. Almost twenty minutes late now. He slid his legs off to the side of the bed until both feet were firmly on the floor. A groan left his lips. Merlin was he going to hear it. ”It’s very unprofessional behavior Mr. Stavros. The Ministry expects better out of its public servants.” He rolled his eyes at the thought. Yet temptation wasn’t through with him. Turning back to face Keara, he grinned before crawling back over to her and hovering above her body. He lowered himself just enough for their lips to meet. The fire hadn’t left either one of them. He was happy. Tristan had always heard good things about his bedroom skills, but the need for Keara’s approval was overwhelming. She was perfect and deserved to be with nothing less. His arms were nearly ready to give out from him when an angry knock sounded from the door. Pulling his face away from hers, he looked to the door. More knocks sounded. ”Mr. Stavros!” Shit. The Ministry had sent for him. Groaning, he rolled off of her back to the edge of the bed. ”Mr. Stavros!”

Finding his boxers at the base of the bed, he quickly slid into them. “I’m coming!” Tristan yelled in response. He moved at light speed to obtain the rest of his clothing. If there was one thing he knew, members of the Ministry didn’t like to be kept waiting for anything, especially when they were out on location. As he finished buckling his belt, he pulled his shirt over his head and ran a hand through his hair. “I hate doing this to you Keara, and I feel awful for asking you to do this, but you’re going to have to see yourself out. If they see me with you things are not going to go well for me especially since you’re the reason why I’m late.” He wasn’t scolding her, just hoping she would understand why he had to make a hasty exit. He didn’t want her to think that she was just some booty call because she was far from it. Keara had imprinted herself in his mind whether she liked it or not. It was going to be difficult to get rid of him that easily. As another set of knocks resounded through the suite, Tristan grabbed his dislodged Ministry badge from the floor and put it over his head. Once assured he had everything, he strolled over to his bed and gave his woman a short, but meaningful kiss. “I’m so sorry,” he told her, rubbing her cheek, “but I promise to make it up to you. No lies this time. You’re more than welcome to stay here, but if you need to go I understand. I should be back around eight o’clock tonight if you want to come visit. The Ministry has me on strict lockdown to avoid any interference from foreign officials. It’s anywhere on the island or nowhere.” Planting one final kiss on her forehead, Tristan walked to the door and placed his hand on the doorknob. He looked back to her. She looked like an angel sitting there with his sheets wrapped around her tiny frame. Heaven was on his bed and he prayed that it would be waiting for him whenever they allowed him to come back. He sent one more wink in her direction before opening the door and stepping out.

He was greeted with the face of a very irritated assistant to one of his superiors. ”Mr. Stavros, I’ve been sent to come and pick you up. My boss is extremely upset that you’re late in attending your duties as an official of the Ministry.” Tristan scoffed. “What else is new?” Unprofessional yes, but he was already on a roll. The assistant began walking towards the elevators, motioning him to follow and he ruefully followed. It was hard not to look back at his door and envision the beauty atop the mountain of sheets and pillows. All he could do now was hope for the best and hope that she understood. He didn’t want to leave her. Hell, if she couldn’t tell after he had just been sent for then he didn’t know what else could convince her. As if on cue, the elevator opened as they approached the area. Stepping in, Tristan rubbed at the back of his head once the doors closed. Unhappy as he was that he had to leave Keara and wouldn’t be lectured for his irresponsibility, he wouldn’t have changed anything. The smug smile on his face while the elevator began lowering itself was enough proof of that.

[Keara Sonnet]

The grin on Keara’s face only became wider when he informed her that they had luckily made it to the correct floor before the woman had interrupted them. At least that meant they were that much closer to making it to the room. They made their way down the hall and in quite a hurry. If someone were to walk out of their room, they would probably think there was a fire happening down the hall which they were jogging away from. But, rather, there was no alarm, no reason to fret, just two people who were really waiting to get their hands around one another. Somehow she doubted anyone would be leaving their rooms at any time. Rather, she doubted anyone was even in their rooms. Silence was all around them, the only noise being the echoing of the footsteps and the dinging of the elevator as it brought the old lady down to the bottom floor. Most everyone was out and about, enjoying the weather or at work, suffering the pain of being stuck indoors. No one would be coming around unless it was the cleaning crew. When they arrived at the door, Keara lingered back a moment as Tristan fumbled for the key card, slipping it into the door the moment he found it. Her grin still had yet to leave her lips and when he turned around and posed a question, she bit her lip lightly, allowing herself to be pulled into the room.

<<---->>

The sheets were surprisingly comfortable; however Kea shouldn’t be so surprised with the cost tagged on the room. With how much one had to pay for one of these suites, they might as well have made the furniture out of gold and the sheets out of the purist silk they could find. She had no doubt in her mind that was what they had done. Her arm was lying across Tristan’s bare chest, her head resting on his shoulder while his arm was wrapped across her body. Her eyes were closed as she felt his hand run across her hair and his lips come down to the top of her head. The feeling of his chest rising and falling underneath her was comforting but the last thing she wanted was for the last hour to end. He was nothing short of spectacular in absolutely every aspect and she couldn’t have been happier that they had chosen to make their way to his room rather than stay out on the beach or take a walk through the gardens. She was quite sure if she said something, he would attribute it to his Greek heritage, but she was sure that there was much more to it than that. The way he treated her, actually like a woman rather than a piece of meat, was probably a large part of it. That probably had a lot to do with the way he was raised; he had sisters and a mother who had taught him how to treat a woman. There were not many men in the world who could say the same. Keara was just happy that she had found one of the only ones.

The feeling of his hand around her chin made her smile as she looked up at him and was greeting with another one of his kisses, something she was sure she would never get tired of. “Of course,” she said, moving off of his body and wrapping herself around the sheets, one leg sliding out from underneath the covers. “Quite the workout.” Keara chuckled right along with him but it did not last long. His eyes had gone towards the clock, prompting her eyes to follow in the same direction. A soft sigh left her lips as she realized he had been watching the clock since they had relaxed on the bed, knowing full well that he was late. Though she was thankful he hadn’t left already because he was already late, she was still upset that he was considering leaving at this point. There had been a bit of hope within her that she could convince him to stick around and not to go back to work but that had obviously not happened. Propping herself up on one elbow, her eyes followed him as he got off the bed. “You don’t have to leave, you know. I’m sure they can get things done without you,” she commented, grinning as he crawled back into the bed. She fell back onto the bed and watched as his face appeared above her, his lips coming down as hers went up to meet his. Her hand was about to reach up and find his neck, pulling him down into her when a knock came on the door. Her eyes shut in frustration as she felt him pull away and get off the bed.

She could hear him rustling around, grabbing on his clothes as fast as he could possibly manage. Propping herself up again, this time on both elbows, she watched as he hopped around, trying to get his pants on. It was surprising how graceful he was despite the rush he was in with the male knocking at the door. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to go to the door and shove the man down the hall, telling him not to come back, however she knew Tristan had a job. She knew he had somewhere he had to be. He was responsible for his job and she acknowledged that, but that did not mean she would be happy about it. “I hate doing this to you Keara, and I feel awful for asking you to do this, but you’re going to have to see yourself out. If they see me with you things are not going to go well for me especially since you’re the reason why I’m late.” See herself out? Well that was a first. Sitting up completely, she pulled in her knees to her chest as she watched him finish getting ready. The Ministry badge went over her head and she realized that he was definitely going to leave. Nothing was going to stop him from leaving her. “Don’t worry, I understand,” she said, offering him a sympathetic smile as she watched him make his way back over to her. Once again, their lips had met, but this was one of the shortest kisses she had received yet. It only left her wanting more.

His mention of being back in the room by eight made her feel a little bit better about him leaving. At least she knew when he would be back and she could be here waiting for him. However, she wasn’t going to inform him of that. No, she would step out for a while, possibly go to the Estate for a freshening up, get some clothes, maybe something special just for him and waste some time before getting back here just before he got off work. Then she would surprise him. Maybe hide out in the bathroom until he made his way into the room and step out at just the right moment. Yeah, that’s what she would do. She offered him one last smile as he looked back just before stepping through the door and walking down the hall with the man who had come to retrieve him. Sighing softly, Keara untangled herself from the sheets and placed her feet onto the ground, glancing around to see where her bikini had gone. She then saw the small pieces of fabric crumpled in the corner. It only took her a few seconds to get them slipped on and slide her cover over her shoulders. The day was still so young and there were such good prospects for the rest of it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a spare key card for the room and grabbed it, glad to have a way back into the room without having to break in. Sliding the door open, Keara slipped her head out of the room and glanced down the hall to be sure that the two men had disappeared. Sure enough, both had already made their way down the elevator. Making her way in the same direction, Keara made her way down to the lobby fireplace. Floo network was her choice of transportation today, not in the mood to splinch any part of herself. In a few hours she would be making the trip back here by the same method, the thought causing a smile to form across her lips.