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20.

Erin

I woke up in one of the hotel room beds. For the first few moments, I couldn’t recall how I’d gotten there. Then the events of last night came hurtling forward in vivid colour, and a pleasurable shiver washed over me.

Tristan

He lay beside me, his head resting on the pillow, his arm tight around my middle like a thick, heavy band. I savoured the feeling of being surrounded by him, safe and warm in the cocoon of his body. We faced each other, his breathing deep and even, and I took a moment to admire his classically handsome face, the adorable way his hair hung forward, all messy from sleep. I couldn’t resist gently sinking my fingers into it and pushing it back, away from his face.

Like this, there was an echo of the boy I’d once met, now grown into an irresistibly gorgeous man.

I wanted nothing more than to stay right here, but I hadn’t gone home last night, and Rua was all alone. I could of course text Fred or Nessa to go up and check on her, but then I’d have to explain why I’d been out all night, and no way was I ready for that conversation. It wasn’t that they’d disapprove. On the contrary, they’d be thrilled I’d gotten some action. But there was just something about people who’d known me as a kid now knowing about my love life as an adult that made me embarrassed, like I was still the eighteen-year-old they’d taken in.

Anyway, I needed to go back and feed my cat, fill her water bowl and clean out her litter tray. But there was no getting out from under Tristan without waking him. I shifted to the side, shimmying my backside across the bed, but his hold only tightened as he scooted forward, a gruff sound of complaint escaping him as he grumbled affectionately, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I need to go home and feed my cat,” I said, and that seemed to rouse him. Tristan blinked his eyes open, bleary from the early hour, his gaze heating when he saw I was naked, as was he. I felt him harden against my thigh and let out a soft laugh.

“The absolute cheek of your penis to show interest right now after how late you kept me up last night.”

Tristan’s low chuckle sent a tendril of pleasure through me as his hold loosened. “He’s a cheeky lad, all right.”

I climbed off the bed, shaking my head at him while he lay back, gaze devouring me while I searched for my clothes. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I wanted to let you sleep.”

“It’s fine,” he said past a yawn. “I needed to get up anyway. Lots to do.”

“It’s my day off, but I can come in and help if you need me,” I offered.

“Very kind of you, but no, you need your rest. This week is going to be busy. You should enjoy your time off while you can.”

“Okay, well, call me if anything comes up.”

I bent to kiss him. It was a light brushing of lips at first, but then unexpectedly, it deepened, desire coiling its web around us. I had just enough willpower to pull back. Tristan smiled wickedly. “Can’t blame me for trying.”

I laughed and continued getting dressed, paying a quick visit to the bathroom to pee and fix my hair before heading out. I was walking towards the door when Tristan got out of bed, stark naked, and strutted over to the bathroom, a smirk on his face as he went by.

I heard the water turn on for the shower and literally had to force my feet out the door. I shut it behind me, taking a deep breath, when I heard another door closing at the other end of the hallway. I froze, unsure what to do when Katy emerged, her hair a mess and her blouse hastily put on, the lower two buttons in the wrong holes. Last night’s makeup was smeared beneath her eyes as she ran her hand through her hair in an effort to neaten it.

Then someone else emerged, and my eyes went wide when I saw Lou. Well, it appeared his persistence had paid off. Either that or the two of them had gotten so drunk that their inhibitions fled the scene. She giggled, slapping him on the chest when he pinched her bottom and whispered something in her ear.

“I have to go,” she said, all flirtatious, and Lou gave her disappointed look before his eyes rose to meet mine.

“Oh, hey, Rinnie,” he said, not a single awkward bone in his body at the fact that we were all standing there in last night’s clothing. Not only that, the two of them definitely didn’t have permission to sleep in that room, or well, not sleep, as the case may be. The thing was, I was in absolutely no position to say a word since I was standing outside the room everyone knew Tristan slept in.

“Morning, Lou,” I replied, forcing a casual tone. “Katy.”

“Rinnie,” Katy said, going beet red as she glanced back at Lou. “Well, uh, goodbye,” she squeaked then hot footed it towards the elevator. I arched an eyebrow at Lou.

“Don’t give me that look, mother,” he said in amusement. “We used protection.”

I shook my head. “You’re consenting adults. It’s none of my business.”

“And likewise, whatever you were doing in our boss’s room last night is none of ours.”

He held my gaze in a stare down, and we came to a silent agreement that neither of us would be spreading gossip about how the other spent their night. “That’s correct.”

“Well, I need to go home and take a shower. See you bright and early on Monday,” he said before sauntering off.

At any other time, I might’ve been filled with anxiety and dread to have been caught doing the walk of shame from my boss’s bedroom by one of the biggest gossipmongers in the hotel. But I realised that, oddly, I wasn’t. What Tristan and I had felt right. There was nothing dirty or shameful or secretive about it. It was scary to admit it since we’d only just slept together, but I felt like I’d finally found my person.