A Wedding Affair (The Wedding Affair) (21 page)

I lay on the Persian rug hugging
his jacket close to me as it smells of him. I look up at the length of this monstrosity that is The Steinway nine foot Concert Grand, it goes on forever its long, and bold presence is intimidating, the dominance and power is earth shattering under Tristan's tutelage, what he does to me with his manipulation of the keys…

he soothed the beast in me, that was hostel and angry wi
th him,
oh God in heaven what is this man doing to me?

He plays beautifully, my eyes well up as he builds up to the climax, then rings out with such power and dexterity, refined determination, line by line, note by note it’s as if this piece is his apology
to me for all the hell he's put me through, I feel his pain in every aching note, then It hits me, his sorrowful plea as he gently brings the piece to an end, my tears fall at the strike of the last few notes, they linger and echo between us until they are diminished and it is just the two of us again. I quickly whip my tears.

Tristan Bac
h, wine maker, Chef, and musical artiste.

“Hey Aria, what are you doing down here?” I sniffle and smile he is dumb founded I know in my heart that what he just played was
us. All the ups and downs of this poignant piece, the beautiful music that speaks… is us.

“Tristan that was beautiful”

“When words fail music speaks”

H
e comes and lies down next to me, we both look up at the underbelly of this massive piano and it is simply magnificent, with its impressive size and over all depth, it is just overwhelming, as it takes me by surprise that Tristan can play with such vigor, with such poise and dare I say love, his performance was complete grandeur, I am awed by this man. Tristan proceeds to tells me how his grandmother insisted that he take piano lesson when he was six years old proclaiming
you are a Bach and all Bach’s play the piano
and how he hid from her and all the tricks he played on his teacher. He makes me laugh from his antics as a little boy and my tears are gone.

“
I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TIME IT WAS”
he looks at his Tag Heuer watch, and we get out from under the piano.

“Thank you for playing for me” I glance at the music, it’s still on the first page, wow he played the whole piece by memory,
oh that is so hot!

“
Come we have to be going, let me grab my tuxedo and we can get ready at your place”

I hand him his jacket he s
lips it on and leads me over to the door, I turn back and give the room one last look, I will never see this room again. That notion pains a bit.

I acquiesce to his demands, we walk out to the foyer where Cheswick is.

“So you two are off?” Tristan is coy, gauging my reaction to Cheswick.

“We have tickets I’ll grab my things and be right down, Cheswick keep her company
if you would please?” he struts up the stairs, even in lasts night clothes he is beautiful.

“I
t was so nice to have finally put a face to the fair Aria.”

I smile, I have never met a butler before but as butlers go he is a wonderful delight.  I get the feeling he is
more a father figure to Tristan- although he has a dad he grew up with, this man is far more involved in Tristan’s life.

“V
ery nice to have met you Cheswick, thank you for lunch it was wonderful, I love baking bread as well”

“Miss Aria, I look forward to breaking bread with you”

he warms my heart, I glance up and our eyes lock, Tristan saunters down the stairs with a garment bag over his shoulder, his shaving kit in his hand and a smile on his face.

Wow my heart just skipped a beat. That dark silky hair moves with e
very step he takes towards me. He is
ever so handsome.

Tristan hands his things to Cheswick, who puts them in the car, we
leave out the front door, Tristan opens my door for me, I wave good bye to Cheswick, this is the only time I will ever see him. That saddens me as well.

“Sir? Tickets” Tristan pats his breast pocket
of his jacket smiling at Cheswick. He gets in the driver side and we pull around the huge fountain that is marble or stone, it is a sculpture of vines and grapes and the water flows in three tier, it is over twenty feet in height, and twenty feet round in reminds me of the fountain that Tristan and I use to drink by when we first met.

I kind of
want to sit on the edge and put my feet in, but the last time I did that Tristan and I wound up soaking wet.
Shit shit shit what the fuck am I doing?

Tristan pulls out into traffic and heads back onto I-9
0 West back towards my house. I turn my phone on to see if there are any message from Ian, no just regular email no missed calls, Ian doesn’t like to text, he would rather talk on the phone he has a cell but he is not the electronic person at all, which for me is good I guess.

“I
s he checking up on you?” I smirk at Tristan accusation.

“Ian is not like that, he is not a tex
t-ter or electronic guru”

“Looks like I’ve got you all to myself tonight?” oh where oh where is my common sense?
Shit where are my morals? Same place I left my brains, drunk at the bar!

-------<>-------

Back at my house
I can’t deny it, I am excited about tonight I have a new dress that is dying to go out and shoes that match perfectly, oh yeah and Rod Stewart, this is going to be fun, I mean I spent all afternoon with Tristan and he didn’t try anything so I think I am safe.

I feel wonderful, I'm showered, buffed and all my bits and pieces have been attended to.

I have decided to wear my new Black silk taffeta cocktail dress, with matching wrap that is lines in white satin the contrast is just striking.

T
he dress has tiny straps, the bodice is fitted the skirt comes just about to my knee, it hugs me in the right places and forgives me in the wrong places. I love Chanel that way.

My lingerie drawers over
flow these days, we finally have a lingerie store in Tower Centre, got to admit I went a bit crazy in there.

I am dressed in
thigh-highs in flesh color, a black satin and lace bustier and matching panties. I slip on my black satin Louie Vuitton heel and I am ready to see Rod, I hope this number gets his attention!

I grab a black evening bag from my array of choices, this one is shaped like a tube of red lipstick. It was given to me by my dear friend Erika. One last glance in the mirror, my dark hair is blo
w-dried straight. It hangs down my back, my makeup is simple, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick in a natural shade of Chanel and very little blush, I’m flush enough today.

Tristan is
getting ready in the spare bedroom which is my old bedroom when I was a kid. I walk pass the room and he is not in there the door is open he must be downstairs.

I find him outside he is on his cell having a cigarette.

“Yes that is fine, It will be a late check in”

H
e finishes up his call and turns to me, he pushes his phone in his pocket and walks over to me.

“Aria, you are a vision!” I have to say he cleans up nicer than I, single breasted dinner jacket, dress shoes, just a hint of a
white handkerchief at the breast pocket, this is gonna be an test of will over his sexing skills. And by will, I mean will I make it through this evening or will I succumb to his sexing skills…hmm

“Thank you, Tristan and may I say 'there are dinner jackets and then there are
dinner jackets,
this is definitely the later,'
nice very nice
” I move around him and check him out thoroughly then stopping in front of him.

“May I? Your tie…here” he takes
my bag for me

“chin up”
God he smells great, he is clean shaven, in a tux and wearing my heart out. I fix his attempt and now his tie is perfect, I run my French tip nail through his black hair.

“V
ery nice, you look very dashing”

“A complime
nt from you Aria? The Gods must be smiling on me tonight” I shake my head at him this might not be that bad. We walk towards the car at the drive.

“
Come” the way he says it is suggestive, he holds open my door for me and we get into my car and head out.

Chapter 12

YOU GO TO MY HEAD

Severance Hall is home of the Cleveland Orchestra, I know this place all too well my father was a bass player for twenty some years here in this beautiful music hall before he died, not to mention his father was a bass player in the orchestra pits at The Palace Theatre downtown, when sound came out they all lost their jobs go figure. Musicians have always been in my family on both sides, so are steep in music.

Our family has always attended concerts here.
My brothers have all taken music lessons here at the Music School Settlement, we have always spent time here at University Circle, even I have spent many nights here with Tristan Bach walking through the park, and drinking at our fountain which is directly across the street mind you.

It feels like New Year’s Eve, everyone is all dressed up
, the crowd has gathered in the entry by the bar and we see a few people that we know, Tristan introduces me to some of his customers from the restaurant, interesting to see who Tristan associates with these days considering he was the player at the bars and clubs when I met him, never thought this was his scene, but he looks very comfortable with his hand at the small of my back, driving me crazy.

I am not too sure if this is wise
, but I see some of my clients from my store, they are mostly CEO’s, CFO’s and a lot of the faculty from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, a few from the banking industry as well as Jacqueline Gerber from WCLV she is a hoot.

“Aria darling who may I ask is this?”
before I can say anything Tristan speaks

“
Jacqueline Gerber, Tristan Bach it’s nice to finally put a face to the sexy voice” see what I mean this is him at mock

“Oh Aria he’s a keeper”
yeah you keep him
, just then she was hauled off for a photo op.

“How do you know her Aria?”

“We occasionally catch one another at things like this, she is going to have questions for me about you”

“Hello Tristan” Tristan
looks over my head to the long leggy blond who is behind me, he pulls me to his side and acts very territorial.

“Elle Roberts”

“Tristan didn’t think you were coming tonight”

“
Well I believe we have Miss Macy to thank for that, Aria Macy Elle Roberts” someone called her and was at her arm to haul her off, an older salt and peppered well-dressed somebody.

“Who is that?”

“A mistake waiting to happen” he is curt and coy all of a sudden.

“Yeah I’m sure she would love to be your mistake”

“Yeah but I wanna be yours” as he runs his hand up and down my back very seductively.

“You already are Bach
, you already are” the looks we are throwing one another are insane.

“No wonder you are so edgy
, sexual frustration” I give up as I smile and sip my vodka

I do recognize a fe
w clients but their names I can’t recall, and before I can even fade into the crowd I am spotted by one of my customers that has a tooth ache for me, he has been sweet on me for a few months now.

“Aria, nice to see you this evening” T
ristan has a firm hold on me as I say hello to a very handsome dark haired gentleman dressed in one of my suits.

“Preston Langley
, very nice to see you this evening, I would like you to meet Tristan Bach an old friend”

They shake hands and exchange a small smile, jeez
this is uncomfortable being out with Tristan like this?

“Aria it is so nice to see you
, you are beautiful as ever” I smile at him and Tristan is now pulling me close to him,
not the place to be an ass Tristan jeez

“You too, had no idea you a fan of the Or
chestra?”

“Now see you would know these things if you let me take you out once in a while, tell me how did you get her here?” Oh no he did not just do that. I smile and I am nervous this is getting crazy.

“Took her keys, she’s been at my beck and call for past two days now” I am relieved maybe this will stop Preston’s advances. Tristan is sexy, sarcastic and smug I do love the bad boy in him.

“I
see, good to see you Aria, um Miss Macy and Mr. Bach” Preston sees his party wishes us well as he walks away.