Adrian's Wrath(14)

He let his thumbs caress the skin covering her dainty cheekbones and felt her lean into him more. Yes, that was what he needed. Tilting her head more to the side with his hands, he deepened the kiss until a little sound of need and want came from her throat. He could have been classified as a fucking saint right then for the self-control he exuded. The little sounds she made drove him crazy. His pants were unbelievably tight from the erection that was screaming to be let free.

“Adrian.” The way she said the word against his lips, all breathy and needy, had his cock throbbing against the fly of his jeans.

“Does it feel good, Brea?” That’s all he wanted to hear, that she felt good, that he made her feel good. She didn’t respond with words. Instead she pressed her mouth against his, giving him the answer he had been seeking. He moved his hands into her hair, gripping the silky blonde strands in his fists and bringing her impossibly close.

“Mmmm.”

Fuck. Yes. Had anything ever sounded sweeter? He didn’t think so. The sound of someone clearing their throat had Brea pulling away. He looked at her, her cheeks painted a pretty red color. She was embarrassed and he couldn’t help but smile. He turned and accepted the check from the waitress who looked just as embarrassed as Brea did. When they were alone again he took Brea’s hand in his and brought it to his mouth, laying a soft kiss on her palm.



* * * *



The dinner with Adrian had been nice, very nice, to Brea’s amazement. There wasn’t that angst feeling in the pit of her stomach, the fear that she might do something to upset him. There had always been those feelings when she was with Cameron, and it was refreshing to just be able to relax in the company of another human being.

Brea closed her car door and cranked the engine. She was proud of herself for opening up to someone after everything, and now here she was going to have lunch with Tristan, the woman that had saved her from a past that threatened to take control. This was a big step for Brea, and although she knew she needed to stay away from people so they didn’t get hurt, she owed some courtesy to Tristan.

She pulled into the parking lot of the small coffee shop where she was meeting Tristan. She could see the woman through the large front windows. Brea made her way inside and was immediately flagged down by a very smiley Tristan.

“Hey, girl.” Tristan stood and hugged Brea. It was strange have contact with someone after being isolated from it for so long. It was welcome but also set Brea’s nerves on edge.

“Hi.” Brea pulled the seat out and sat across from Tristan. The waitress came and they both ordered. The silence that descended at the table make Brea feel awkward, but she knew it was a stupid feeling. The woman sitting next to her had helped her far more than she probably realized.

“How are things going?” Brea was thankful when Tristan started the conversation because she knew if left up to her the awkwardness would have just increased.

Had she been isolated from people for so long that she didn’t even know how to communicate with them? “Good, thanks. What about you?” Brea knew Tristan was dating a fighter named Kash. The rumor mill at the club was notorious, but it was clear she was happy by the continuous grin on her face.

“Good, very good actually.” Their drinks came and there was a comfortable silence that descended at the table as both women enjoyed their coffee. “How are you really doing, Brea?”

Tristan’s question caught her off guard and she choked on her drink. “What do you mean? I told you I was fine.” Brea wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Listen, I didn’t ask you here today to pry, but I want you to know that if you ever want to talk I’m here.” She reached her hand across the table and placed it over Brea’s. The touch was soft but held a lot of emotion. “I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but I know a frightened woman when I see one. The pain and fear are written all over your face, sweetie.”

Brea had to look away as tears started to form in her eyes. Was she that transparent? She wasn’t ready to discuss her past with Tristan, but she wanted the woman to know she appreciated it.

“Thank you for the concern. You have no idea how much it means to me.” She lifted her eyes and saw the sympathy on Tristan’s face. “I’m not ready to talk about what happened, but if I need someone to turn to I’m glad I have you.” She smiled, hoping it seemed genuine even though a tidal wave of emotion and doubt was swimming through her.

Tristan returned her smile and squeezed her hand. “Anytime, day or night, okay?”

“Okay.” The rest of the visit was not spent talking about the past. Surprisingly she had a lot in common with Tristan. For the first time since she had been with Cameron, she was making friends. Albeit it was only one, it was still a step toward her future. A very uncertain future, but one nonetheless.