“How did you know I was stood here?”
He looked at her over his shoulder. “I have my ways.” Tristan winked, dished up some food on a plate and placed their meal on the table. “I heard you sigh from the doorway.” She was shocked he answered her question.
Taking a seat at the table she stared down at the meal in front of her. Something was wrapped inside beef and cooked in a tomato sauce. Buttered pasta was served on the side.
“What is this?” she asked.
“Something I love to cook myself. I used spinach and cheese wrapped in beef and cooked in a spicy sauce. I love it. What do you think?” he asked.
She loved to bake, but most of her meals were always quickly thrown together. Cutting a piece of beef she took a quick taste and was surprised by the explosion of flavour on the tongue.
“Wow, this is amazing,” she said. In no time at all she finished her plate. Tristan watched her with a smile on his lips. “What?”
“It’s nice to see food being appreciated.”
He refused her help cleaning the dishes. She sat down at the table watching him. When he finished he led her through to the sitting room. Tristan didn’t push for anything. He sat down on the sofa beside her. Taking control of the remote he flicked through the channels and settled on a romantic comedy.
She settled down into the soft cushions and was about to fall asleep when he hurled her onto his lap. Vicki didn’t have the energy to fight him. His hard body surrounded her. For once she wanted to relax in his warmth knowing he wasn’t going to push her away at the nearest opportunity.
“I’ve got you,” Tristan said. He stroked her hair with one hand and with the other he caressed her thigh. She moaned as pleasure gripped her in the pit of her stomach.
“You’re really staying?” she asked, letting out a yawn as she spoke.
Tristan chuckled. The sound vibrated out from his chest. “Yes, I’m really staying. I called my lawyer, and he’s going to start proceedings. He thinks it could be a smooth divorce because of our separation.”
Vicki rested her hand against his chest. “Do you want the divorce?”
“There is only one other thing I’ve ever wanted more than my divorce and that’s you.”
Love and hope filled her up. Wrapping her arms around Tristan’s neck she gave him a brief kiss.
His arms moved to her back and pulled her close. Vicki tensed as his lips pressed more urgently against hers.
She pushed him away first. “What’s the matter?” he asked.
“I’m not ready for this. I don’t know if I can trust you.”
“I said you can trust me.”
“All the other times before you pushed me away, and I don’t know what to believe.”
Tristan let out a sigh. He stroked her cheek. She saw the sadness lurking in his eyes.
“I really hurt you with my actions.” He made the words sound more like a statement than a question. “I promise I’ll do everything to make it up to you.”
Vicki believed every word he said.
Chapter Nine
Over the next few days Tristan spent every opportunity presented to him to show Vicki his true feelings. He went to the florist and sent her flowers, picking out the reddest roses he could find. Nothing was ever too much for him. Stefan spent a great deal of time trying to woo Marla on the front desk. Tristan used the other man to find out exactly what Vicki liked. He intended on getting her weight back in check and also showing her with words and actions exactly how he felt.
He knew she wasn’t ready to hear his true feelings of love. Treading carefully with Vicki was important to him. Kate hadn’t left town. He’d watched her walking around the town square talking on her cell phone. She was being difficult to divorce. He didn’t understand why Kate was being a hard-ass over their divorce. They hadn’t lived together, and they certainly weren’t compatible in the bedroom department. There was nothing keeping them together, not even love or hatred.
Tristan hung up the phone after ordering lunch for Vicki and himself. She worked for Stefan throughout the week. Instead of her eating at Stefan’s house he made sure to collect her so she’d spend lunch with him.
Vicki wouldn’t budge on working for Stefan. She refused to go back to The Dugout, even though he’d talked to Steve, who would have Vicki back in a heartbeat.
Shaking his head, he opened the file in front of him on several of the business propositions for the fair this coming weekend.
“Tristan, some man is here to see you. He says it’s important,” Marla said. Her hands were fisted at her side.
“Who is it?”
“Cameron Jones,” the male voice said, interrupting Marla’s introduction.