Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
TRISTAN
“I think we need to get out of here, honey,” I drawl, tugging her to my side.
My eyes draw to the long slit at the front of her floor length, sparkly rose-gold dress.
It offers just the right amount of flesh to draw the eye to her cleavage, but giving only a hint of what is under the fabric.
And I can only imagine. Fuck, she looks hot.
“That sounds like a perfect idea.” She beams up at me like we really are lovers and not mortal enemies.
“Duty calls.” I shrug toward the idiot ex with a chip on his shoulder.
Even seeing him decades later hasn’t put a long enough gap between my utter dislike of him.
To make matters worse, knowing he’s here flaunting the woman he had an affair with while he was still married to Ali, makes my blood boil.
Ali and I may be archrivals, but I will fuck anyone up that tries to hurt her.
My attention is snapped back to the present when I feel Ali drag her fingers down my shirt to grapple my tie, giving it a little tug.
She pulls me in for another kiss while I steer her away from the still gaping pair.
Her mouth is needy and hot and everything I thought it would be.
This might just be for revenge’s sake tonight, and she may be slightly tipsy, but I can’t help but wonder what that sexy lipstick would be like all over me.
We pull apart after a moment, my body alight, my blood pounding in my veins, and my lips yearning for more of those soft, delectable kisses with the promise of so much more.
Especially when she looks up at me a little wind swept, and if I’m not mistaken, the gleam in her eye outshines the rosy glow to her cheeks.
“You’re a hot kisser,” she breathes, snagging her bottom lip between her teeth as she assesses me. Her eyes trailing down my body.
“So are you.”
“Touch me again, Lucas. I think they’re still watching.”
I grin. Hearing my name on her lips sparks that hot, uncontrollable fire deep within me.
Snaking an arm around her waist, I pull her to my side, my mouth finding the side of her neck with ease.
Boy oh boy, I never thought I’d be getting this up close and personal to my rival.
And she smells utterly divine. It’s a buttery mix tonight, with the same exotic sandalwood and vanilla scent I could smell last time.
As we head for the bar, my hand travels farther down to the small of her back and I swear I feel her shiver. To my delight, she doesn’t slap my hand away. Is she enjoying this as much as I am?
I can only imagine Gareth’s face behind me. I hope he’s fucking seething. He was intent on making Ali uncomfortable, in fact it was his whole MO. Not cool, Gareth.
I was surprised as anyone to even see Ali here in the first place.
When I looked across the room, the pretty sparkles on her dress caught my attention, but I didn’t even get to admire her, because I saw the rigid stance and the look on her face.
I knew I had to step in when I saw it was Gareth and his fiancé.
I wonder why she changed her mind about coming when she knew he’d be here?
We’re halfway across the floor to the bar when a woman intercepts us, and I sigh with frustration because I want to be alone with Ali for a second to catch my fucking breath.
“My, my, is that you, Tristan Lucas?” When I look down at her name tag, I scrunch my brow.
Julie doesn’t ring a bell, nor do I give a fuck about talking to her.
All that matters in this moment is Ali, and that she’s okay.
“You’re… together?” The words come out like it’s the most unfathomable thing she’s ever seen or heard in her life.
The way her eyes bulge and confusion furrows on her face attests to her words.
“Guilty as charged.” I momentarily loosen my grip around Ali’s side to hold up my palms. I hear a faint chuckle from Ali, who has her arm wrapped around me too, and isn’t letting go. Good, I like her touching me.
“So, this one of the Hollywood suits you mentioned earlier?” Julie glances at Ali suspiciously. “How times have changed.”
“In the flesh,” Ali concedes. “Remember what I said about the prawns?” I feel her hand reach for my tie again and it’s stirring more than I ever bargained for when I feel my dick twitch. Who am I kidding? I’ve been hard since she kissed me.
My brow furrows as I glance down at Ali. Prawns? She gives Julie a knowing nod and a secretive smile.
Julie balks. “But didn’t you hate each other in high school? Wait… I remember, you had a big time crush on Ali, right, Tristan?”
It’s coming back to me in slow, uncomfortable waves that Julie could very well have been the girl who loved to stir shit in high school. Jellyfish? Looks like nothing has changed there. “Everyone did, Julie . She was a knockout and still is.”
I feel Ali grip my side a little tighter, I think she’s trying to fight off laughter, or maybe hysteria I’m not sure.
“But she practically floated out of Palm Springs with the quarterback, and we all know how that turned out. Oh, by the way, he’s here.
With that floozy he was caught in bed with.
” She says the last part behind the back of her hand, like Ali isn’t even there.
That annoys me to no end. “He always did have a wandering eye. I’d avoid the east wing if I were you. ”
“Just stop it,” I bark.
Julie’s eyes grow wide. “W—what?”
“You heard me. Enough with the snide comments that weren’t appreciated in high school, and they’re most certainly not appreciated now.” My voice is cold, and the level of feeling shocks me.
Julie’s fake smile turns a little nervous. “I was only joking.” She tries to wave it off.
“Do you know we all called you Jellyfish Julie in high school?” Ali blurts from nowhere, not pausing to let Julie get a word in before she continues. “And you know why that is?”
My lips twitch as Julie mouths Jellyfish Julie in confusion, looking clearly affronted. Her mouth opens, and a little noise escapes, but then she closes it again.
“I think we’ve rendered her speechless,” I sigh, bored and wanting to escape more than ever.
“What are y’all talking about?” A woman labelled Barbara comes bounding up before Ali can elaborate.
Why don’t I remember anyone from high school?
She’s clearly one of Julie’s posse members, with a very high blonde ponytail swinging from the top of her head that looks too painful to be real, but before anyone can answer, she surges on.
“Ooh, Tristan Lucas!” she coos, eyes wide when she sees me, eyeing me up and down and totally ignoring Ali. “Aren’t you like a billionaire?”
I pop a shoulder like it’s no big deal and shift a little uncomfortably.
“Didn’t you make the Forbes list last year?” she plows on when I lift a brow.
I run a hand over my face. “I did, as a matter of fact. So I guess I’m not doing too badly after all.”
“Not too badly!” Barbara guffaws giving Julie a nudge. She’s still trying to comprehend the Jellyfish comment and I too can’t get the name out of my head.
“Forbes?” Julie’s eyes are as round as saucers.
“That’s the one.”
“He also fucks as fast as he makes money,” Ali blurts as I turn to look at her.
Oh fuck, this is a side I’ve never seen to her and I think I love it.
“We all knew Tristan Lucas was destined for greatness. I mean look at him! He’s a work of art.
” She waves her hand up and down in front of me as if to gesture her point to the women.
They’re both standing agape now as they follow her hand.
“Yes, well, we can see that,” Barbara says. “But you two are together?” She points between the two of us with a long purple fingernail, raising her eyebrows, finally giving Ali a glance over.
“Just fucking,” we both say unison.
We both look at each other and laugh. Ali presses those hot lips together and squeezes me around the middle as the two women still come up blank.
“Speaking of which…” I grab Ali’s hand to get her to the safety of the bar.
“Wait, what was that jellyfish business?” Julie cries. “Is that true?”
We ignore her, laughing like school kids as I lead us to the bar. Ali signals the bartender for another glass of champagne and asks me what's my poison. I reluctantly release my grip on her to order a scotch, surprised by how much I don’t want to let her go.
“Okay. That was fucking intense,” I quip as she slides up onto a bar stool while our drinks are being poured. “No wonder I never come to these things.”
“Oh, tell me about it.”
“You really gave it to Jellyfish Julie .” I laugh. “That might shut her up until the next reunion.”
“Oh that woman! I didn’t even remember her at first, but as soon as she opened her mouth, it all came flooding back.” She glances up at me, her eyes shifting a little, sobering. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
I shrug. “It was nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. I can’t believe Gareth brought that witch, and he’s engaged.” Ali blows out a breath and slumps a little in her seat. As soon as the bartender hands the drinks over, she reaches for it and takes a long sip.
“He’s an asshole. You know it. I know it. I tell you what, though, there’s no way he was expecting you to throw your arms around me like that.” I chug back a sizeable mouthful of scotch and place the glass back on the bar. “And that kiss.” I can’t help but whistle through my teeth.
When I side-eye her with a tilt of my head, she smiles.
“I’m so sorry I did that. I mean, it was good…” she says. “More than good. Maybe it’s just what the doctor ordered to get back at that ass.”
I lift a brow. “Don’t ever be sorry for kissing me.”
“We’re supposed to hate each other,” she sighs. “But that’s exhausting.”
I wave it off as I knock down the last of my drink and signal for another. “Hate is such a strong response. We both have a competitive edge, that’s all it is. I like this playful side to you, even if it is champagne and ex-husband induced.”
“Hey, I can be more playful than you think. I was just shocked to see him, that’s all.” She twirls a finger around the rim of her glass. “But really, thank you, Tristan. I couldn’t face that bastard alone.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me. It’s just good to see you let your hair down.”
“Well, the night is still young.” Her lips twitch. “And we’ve already given some of our spectators something to gossip about.”
“That we have.” I raise my new glass to hers. “Bottoms up.”
She laughs as a little of the pink bubbly liquid tips over the side of her glass as she raises it to mine. “I’ll drink to that.”