This scene takes place one morning after Tristan moves into Audley’s apartment. Though I love this scene, it didn’t contribute to the book as far as progressing the story, even if it did entertain me. Far be it from me to deny it from anyone else, especially if they find it just as entertaining.
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Audley opened his eyes to grey morning light feeling like he’d just barely closed them before his alarm went off. He hated having to get up when he ached with tiredness, but he had to get moving because Tristan would be up soon, too. It was his job to protect her and that couldn’t wait until he’d had more than three hours of sleep. He sat up lifted his arms out in front of him and cocked his head sideways, stretching and popping his neck. For half a second he considered flopping back onto the bed and going back to sleep, but then he caught an aromatic whiff of coffee and he had new motivation to get moving. He stood, stretched again, and walked out of his room not bothering to put on a shirt. It was his house and sweat pants were decent enough.
He doubted he’d see Tristan anyway. Since their impassioned kiss the only time she spent alone with him was during training and any conversations were kept to the subject of training or work schedules. The abrupt change in her manner toward him concerned and annoyed him at the same time. He wondered if he’d misinterpreted her feelings, because his may have overwhelmed them both when he’d kissed her. Uncertainty was something else that didn’t sit well with him and he shoved all his annoyingly nagging thoughts to the back of his mind as he quietly walked down the hallway.
Soft sounds came from the kitchen and the aroma of coffee got stronger. Tristan didn’t get up before him. It was her way to sleep until the last minute then rush to get dressed and out the door. She wasn’t a morning person.
He crept around the corner and carefully took up post leaning against the wall that opened into his kitchen. He was less than three feet from her, had a perfect view of her profile from head to toe, and since she didn’t notice his presence, he took the opportunity to simply watch her. She wore a pair of black shorts and an electric orange sleeveless top while clutching a coffee cup to her chest with both hands. Her wavy hair had a messy wildness to it that belayed a sleepless night and there were dark circles under her half closed eyes. She stood staring at the coffee maker as it dripped its dark ambrosia into a glass carafe. Occasionally, she’d sway as if she was about to fall onto the floor and sleep there but she remained standing and fixated on getting her coffee. As tired as they both obviously were, he was still captivated by her glowing alabaster skin, shapely long legs and curvy body that he knew fit his liking perfectly.
“You’re up early,” he said announcing his presence. She let out a small squeak then stiffened and shied a step away.
“I… I couldn’t sleep,” she stammered in a raspy voice without looking at him. They fell into a short silence and he had the feeling that she was hoping he’d leave her alone. He probably should have, but he liked the view too much. He liked her too much.
The coffee maker made a sucking sound warning that it was almost done and Tristan shifted her weight back and forth from one foot to the other. When it finished she hurriedly reached out and grabbed the pot. “Why are you avoiding me?” he asked bluntly giving in to his need to know. Finally he had her full attention and she turned to him with the pot of coffee in one hand and her cup in the other. He heard her breath catch as her eyes traveled up and down his body then stopped somewhere at his chest.
She opened her mouth to say something, but only managed an “uh,” before she closed it.
“No particular reason then?” He pushed off the door frame, stepped forward, took both the pot and the cup from her before he poured some of the coffee into it. He reached around her and put the pot back in its cradle then took a sip from the cup. “I guess we don’t have to stop for coffee this morning.” He lifted the cup to her in a mock salute noticing that her eyes still hadn’t gone back to his face. “I’ll see you in an hour.” He turned and left the kitchen with a rare smile on his face.
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Like I said entertaining, right?
The art was done by http://artipelago.deviantart.com/