Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Faye
“This is my favorite place in the house,” Tristan says as we step into the attic, although it’s hardly an attic.
There are no spiderwebs or Christmas decorations packed into boxes up here.
It’s as luxurious as the rest of the house with a giant telescope pointed up at the retractable glass skylight.
“Tristan,” I say wearily as I stay in the doorway, keeping my distance. “Why are we here?”
“You said you loved looking at the stars,” he says. “Can’t get a better view than right here.”
He pushes a button and the skylight silently opens, revealing an abundance of stars shining in the night sky. It really is beautiful.
I should just leave, but I’ve never looked into a telescope like this and it’s right there… One peek won’t hurt.
I slip in to take a closer look, keeping my distance from the gorgeous man in the black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up his forearms, messy hair, and lusty eyes.
I’m here to admire the stars, not him.
“I love coming up here,” he says. “You know, contemplating my small place in the massive universe.”
“Which star is your favorite?” I ask as I look up at the sky.
“Um… all of them,” Tristan says in a low tone. “Too many good ones to pick from.”
I snicker. He doesn’t know any of their names. I bet Owen could name me each individual star and constellation, explaining their chemical makeup as well as the origin of their discovery.
But I don’t think Tristan brought me up here for an astronomy lesson.
I look at him as he leans down and puts his eye to the eyepiece. Not long ago, this is exactly the kind of guy I would have been attracted to. Hot, confident, not particularly nice or smart, and operating a business that sounds like a disastrous Ponzi scheme that’s most likely illegal.
Now, all I see is a world of hurt, frustration, and disappointment wrapped up in a beautiful package.
How could I have ever found that sexy?
“Want to see Jupiter?” he asks as I’m about to leave.
“Okay,” I say, carefully heading over. “I’ll take a quick look.”
“Look, touch,” he says in a throaty voice. “If you see something that catches your eye, you’re free to look or touch it anywhere you want.”
I know he’s not talking about the telescope. He didn’t bring me up here to look at stars.
I keep a wary eye on him as I tuck my hair back and lean over, pressing my eye to the eyepiece.
“Wow,” I whisper when I see Jupiter. I recognize it at once with the orange and beige stripes, and the Great Red Spot, although the image is a little fuzzy. I’ve never seen it in real life before. Only in pictures. It’s beautiful.
And the first thought I have is to go and get Owen. He would love to see this.
I can even picture him looking at it—that vein on his temple pulsing like it always does when he thinks too hard, his lips pursed, his mind completely focused.
He would probably give me a thirty-minute lecture on the planet and absolutely none of it would be even remotely romantic, but it would be completely fascinating.
“It’s beautiful,” I say, pulling away.
Tristan smiles at me. “You’re beautiful.”
He steps closer. I step back.
“Tristan. What are you doing?”
His eyes drift to my mouth as he pushes back his hair and sighs like it’s a move he’s mastered on hundreds of girls who came before me and will continue to perfect on hundreds more after I’m long gone.
“Scarlett,” he whispers leaning in. “I’m falling for you.”
“Oh, really?” I say, fighting the urge to laugh. He doesn’t know anything about me.
“I can’t stop thinking about you. Are you thinking about me?”
The only one I’m thinking about is Owen.
Even now, I can’t get him out of my head.
The feeling of his hand entangled with mine, the feeling of sitting on his lap, and of course, the feeling of his lips as I kissed him.
I can still picture the stunned look on his face after.
I thought he’d be incensed after that kiss, or at least be wiping his mouth to get my cooties off him, but he was anything but angry. He looked dazed. In a good way.
“I’m not,” I say truthfully.
He gives me his best dazzling smile. It does nothing to me. Nothing.
“I think we should kiss.”
I shake my head as I turn to the door. “Not happening, Tristan. I’m leaving.”
“I won’t say a thing,” he says. “I’ve been with lots of married women. I don’t kiss and tell.”
“You just did.”
“But I don’t give names.” He runs his hand through his hair all sensually, which I’m sure has sealed the deal many times before. Not this time.
This is the same brand of asshole I’ve been all too familiar with.
Tristan is Alex with better cheekbones and a bigger boat.
But he’s the same kind of guy underneath all that expensive hair product. The kind who doesn’t respect me. Who doesn’t even particularly like me. How can I expect romance when I keep mistaking guys like that for romantic?
“Come on,” he says with a scoff. “You’re going to pass this up for that guy?”
“That guy?” I repeat, staring him down. “You mean my husband?”
He just shakes his head and stares at me in disbelief.
“That guy is not only a genius,” I say, feeling myself getting all worked up.
“But he’s one of the most thoughtful men I’ve ever met.
He is only here because it mattered to his brothers.
That guy might be awkward and blunt and constantly be saying the wrong thing, but he has a good heart and the entire time I’ve known him, he’s never once put me down or made me feel like I was less than what I am. ”
My body is all tense and my voice is shaking slightly, but I don’t care. What was I even thinking setting foot in here with him? I should have recognized what kind of guy he was the second I met him.
“Owen is a good man and any woman would be lucky to have him.”
Tristan lets out a sigh and rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”
I march to the stairs and then turn around, glaring at him. “You know, you shouldn’t hit on married women. It’s bad karma to break up marriages.”
He shakes his head in disbelief. “You’re going to lecture me? After you’ve been checking me out all day? You’re the one that’s married by the way.”
“I was not checking you out.”
Maybe I noticed him, but that doesn’t mean I want him.
“Oh please. You almost fell off the boat twice you were checking me out so hard.”
“I have bad balance. It’s true! I was terrible in gym class. I was always chosen last.”
“Then why are you still here, Scarlett?” he says, strutting around the telescope and walking up to me with those heated eyes running up and down my body. “Alone. With another man?”
I suck in a breath as he gets closer, giving me one last chance.
But I don’t want it.
I’m done getting involved with guys like him. Now and forever.
“Goodnight, Tristan.”
He calls after me as I hurry down the stairs. I don’t look back.
I feel like I’ve wasted years on pricks like Tristan. Like Alex. Guys who make me feel terrible. Guys who put me down. Guys who make me feel bad about myself. Guys who smother my potential.
I’m done with it all.
I hurry through the quiet house and head straight for our room.
Owen is sitting on the bed, staring out the dark window when I come in.
“Are you okay?” he asks when he sees me.
For some reason, it makes me want to cry.
“Yeah,” I say as I go to him. I climb onto the bed and lie down, resting my head on his lap.
“Oh,” he says, clearly shocked. He shifts his weight, but doesn’t try to move me. “There’s no one around. You don’t have to…”
“I know.”
I just rest my head on his lap, wishing I could replay the past few hours. I’d spend a lot less time noticing Tristan and a lot more time paying attention to the man right here.
Owen exhales long and hard and then starts gently stroking the side of my head, running his fingertips through my hair.
I spot his reflection in the mirror on the dresser.
He’s smiling.