17. Tristan
CHAPTER 17
TRISTAN
The past twenty-four hours have been some of the most tense of my life. I’ve been on multiple conference calls, including a few with my father and the President of the United States, along with the Prime Minister of England and the leaders of Scotland and Ireland. As of this moment, we’ve been able to stop the threat made, and while I want to feel relief in knowing we accomplished something, I know there will be another. In the political and world climate we live in, there will always be a threat. This was the first time I was included in the talks, and it brought forward the truth about the responsibility I’m going to have. This is one of the last times my father will take the lead. After I’m crowned, it will be me making these decisions. If that doesn’t scare a person, I don’t know what does.
“Will you be accompanying Ms. Amelia tonight?” Parker asks as he enters my office. I don’t know how he doesn’t look as tired as I do. He’s been with me every step of the way. Parker is a goddamn machine and even if I aspired to be like him, I think I would fall short.
I’m exhausted, haven’t showered or shaved since we left the beach, and truthfully all I want to do is go to sleep for about fifteen hours. However, being the king means I have to push all of that aside, even during this six-month period, and act as the responsible adult I am. Tradition says I can make her go on her own, while I continue to monitor the global situation, but the part of me that will be her husband knows I need to go with her. I should never expect her to do something on her own, especially this early in our relationship. I don’t want her to deal with the press on her own, or the questions she might get from others as to where I am.
Running a hand over my face, I sigh. “I will. How much time do I have?”
“Twenty-five minutes before you need to leave.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I send a message to my dad, telling him that I’ll be attending the charity function. I’m not precisely asking for his permission, but letting him know I won’t be readily available if a response from me is needed.
It’s a good idea for you and Amelia to attend. If word gets out about what’s happened, the world being enthralled with the two of you will help. I’ll take care of anything that happens while you’re there, and we’ll debrief if need be when you get back.
While I appreciate what he’s saying, part of me wanted him to say both Amelia and I needed to stay here. That we shouldn’t be out in public with the threat that’s been made. It’s not that I’m scared, I’m concerned. Even if we seem to have stopped what may happen, who’s to say they won’t try and hurt the future queen ?
“I’m going to go take a quick shower. Don’t let Amelia leave without me.”
“Will do.” Parker leaves quickly.
I want nothing more than to decompress after what I’ve been through, but duty calls, and I have a job to do. Even though I’m tired as hell, I take the stairs two at a time, entering our bedroom. Amelia isn’t here and I don’t expect her to be, even though I wish she was. Her quiet strength is needed right now. More for me than for anything else. With this being a huge event, I’m almost positive she’ll be down on the first floor, getting ready with Shannon.
There isn’t time for me to shave, or do anything other than shower and put on my suit. It’s almost robotic as I get in, washing off the best I can. The warm water does nothing to wake me up, and I’m half afraid I’m going to fall asleep at the worst time tonight. I’m clasping my cufflinks when I hear the door to the bedroom open. Glancing up, my mouth falls open at the vision standing in front of me.
“Lia…” The tone of my voice perfectly accentuates the awe I feel looking at her.
She smiles shyly, smoothing her hands down the puffy skirt of her dress. “Is it too much?”
I hold my finger up, turning it in a circle. “Let me see.”
Doing a little curtsy, she spins around. “What do you think?”
It shows off everything in a sensual way that’s not revealing. Only I know what’s underneath the clothing she wears, and the thought makes my chest puff out.
I’ve never been this guy. The one who gets all caught up in the woman he’s with. There’s never been a pride I had with the woman on my arm, but her? I have so much pride in being with her, I feel like I won’t fit through the damn door. If anyone were to ask me, she’s going to be the best part of me. This woman will make me a better man.
Walking over to her, I put my hand up to her cheek, cupping it. “You look absolutely gorgeous. This color sets off your eyes, I don’t know what they’ve done to your hair, but the way these little pieces”—I reach out with my free hand, twirling the strand around my finger—“hang down and brush your shoulders is sexy as hell.”
She blushes, leaning into my body, letting me take her weight. I hold her up firmly, the way the thought of her has held me up the past day I’ve spent without her. She must be wearing heels, because she comes higher than collarbone level with me. “You look handsome yourself.” She runs her hands along my shoulders before twining her arms around my neck. Casually I put my arms around her waist, holding her in the same familiar way she holds me. “I like the way you look normally, but when you put on a tux, Your Highness? You get this James Bond look about you, all sexy and mysterious. Especially when you have this sleepy look to you. How tired are you? And this beard? You look hot.”
The side of my mouth tilts up as she rubs her hands against my neck. I could purr as she digs those fingers into my tight muscles. This is how I want to spend the rest of the night. Relaxing with her hands all fucking over me. “Damn tired,” I groan when she hits a particular tense piece of tissue. She rubs, trying to get the knot out. “But not tired enough to waste the way you look tonight, Lia.”
Capturing my lips with hers, she kisses me softly before pulling back. She doesn’t let it get out of hand, which slightly disappoints me, but I let her pull away. Her eyes shine as she looks up at me. “What exactly does that mean?”
Licking my lips, I drown in the taste of her, move my hand around her cheek to her neck, pulling her closer to me. Inhaling, I let her scent wash over me. “It means.” I move my mouth close to her ear, whispering darkly, “I can’t wait to get you home and mess up this perfect hair you have. Can’t wait to see what you have on under this dress, and fucking can’t wait to smear this lipstick.”
Smearing her lipstick is going to become a favorite pastime of mine. Whenever she looks perfect, all I want to do is mess her up.
We’re both quiet as we stare at one another, and I wonder for a brief moment if I’ve gone too far. She’s not used to me, and I’m not exactly used to what she expects from me. Maybe I’ve overstepped. “Is that okay with you?”
Her cheeks are bright, her eyes slightly glassy when she looks back up at me. She takes a deep breath, seeming to try and compose herself. “More than okay, Tris. Let’s leave as soon as we can?”
The honesty in her gaze hits a piece of my heart that hasn’t been touched in a long time, and I find myself doing something I haven’t done since my mom was alive. On impulse, I hold out the pinkie of my right hand. She grins at me, holding hers up and hooking it around mine. Our pinkies entwine, her cool skin touching the warmth of mine.
“Pinkie promise, Lia, and I don’t make a pinkie promise I can’t deliver.”
Her eyes are round, almost as if she can’t believe what I’ve just done. And I get it, it’s such a juvenile promise to make, but it’s always been one I see as important. Back when I was small, this was the one promise I didn’t break to my mother. She taught me that each person has something they will never go against. This promise was ours, and I want to have the same kind of promise with Lia. Maybe I can’t voice the feelings to her yet, but I damn well can prove to her how much she means to me by my actions.
Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and I hope like hell she can read between these lines.
“We’re ready.” Parker enters the room, his eyes going to our entwined pinkies.
As I escort her out of the room, I wonder just how in the hell this woman got under my skin so quickly.