CORAL - Forever (A Romance Trilogy, Book 3) (10 page)

“No!” He snaps, instantly reading my mind.

“But I want you,” I say, trying to make my
eyes go all puppy dog like Tristan’s.

“And I want you, but no!” He is not to be
argued with.

“Ok, how about a kiss?” I say as innocently
as I can.

Tristan looks up at me, his eyes wide and
bleak. “Oh what you do to me,” he says leaning forward, his hands entwining in
my hair, his lips gently meeting mine, a soft moan coming from his throat.

My lips part, and our tongues gently and
softly tease one another…
oh I have missed this
… I run my fingers through
his hair, then take his face in my hands and kiss him more firmly. Tristan
pulls away, but I take hold of his shoulders to stop him from moving.

“Kiss me again, like that,” I whisper.

He takes my face in his hands, staring intensely
at me and we begin all over again…

I HAVE CHANGED INTO A PAIR OF JEANS
, and a t-shirt, brushed my hair and put on a little make-up. I
could make more of an effort, but in all honestly I’m bone tired again.
Besides, if I get dressed up, I’ll spoil the surprise for everyone. Since our
very sexy kissing – Tristan really is an excellent kisser – I seem to have
calmed down. I feel more balanced and I don’t feel angry anymore, it seems to
have magically disappeared.

So, while I was getting ready I went over
what I was thinking about earlier. Firstly, before everyone arrives, I need to
tell Tristan that I told Gladys that he proposed to me.
I wonder if he’ll be
mad about that?
Secondly, I haven’t told Tristan about Carlos and Rob. Thirdly,
and most importantly, I need to tell Tristan I want to marry him sooner rather
than later; so I’m going to need my engagement ring back.

I look down at my hands, suddenly realizing
what’s missing…
Shit!
Where’s my watch? And more importantly, where’s my
bracelet that Tristan bought me?
Have I lost it?

My heart starts hammering against my chest…
No!

“Ready?” Tristan asks as he walks towards
me with his arms open wide. I stare up at him from my seated position on the
bed. He instantly registers the panic on my face and bends down in front of me.
“What is it?” he softly asks.

“M-my bracelet…I think I’ve lost it,” I
whimper.

“No baby, it’s in the safe with your watch.
We can get them when we go downstairs.”

I sag with relief. “Thank god,” I whisper.

“You would have been upset if you’d lost
it?” He questions.

“Mortified,” I answer.

Tristan smiles shyly at me. “You really
liked it that much?”

“I love it, and it would have killed me to
lose it. Tristan, you picked that particular one for me, and I know you put a
lot of thought into it, that’s what makes it so special. I will always
cherish
it,” I say, feeling the weight of
my words.

“Baby, that is so sweet,” he says. I smile
shyly at him. “Shall we go?” he asks.

“Before we go down I need to tell you
something,” I say, patting the bed next to me.

“Ok.” Tristan sits next to me on the bed
and takes my hand in his.

“Ok, well firstly when Gladys came to see
me, she…” I shake my head and stare out the window. I feel nervous, so I take a
deep breath and continue. “I told her you proposed Tristan,” I add. He is
silent, so I turn and stare at him. “And I know Rob knows too,” I add, cocking
one eyebrow up.

“Ah, he told you,” he says.

“That you two argued, yes.”

“Are you mad I fought with him?”

“No. Surprised though…”

“He really cares about you.”

“I know.”

“Well I guess the cats out of the bag…” He
muses quietly.

“Are you mad?” I whisper, staring at the
floor.

“No, why would I be?” He softly says. Because
we’re arguing all the time, and because you’ve turned into Mr Snappy Pants!

“Because you seem to be…” I stop and stare up
at him. “When Gladys took me back to hers after the news about my mother, Rob
was there when I woke up. I finally found out why they disappeared,” I say.

“And?” Tristan prompts.

“Carlos found a lump, they had a biopsy
done and went away to wait for the results.” Tristan clutches my hand tighter.

“Is he ok?” He softly asks.

“Yes, thank god…he is. Rob told me it was
benign. Oh…and they’re adopting a baby from China – Carlos has always wanted a
family,” I add.

Tristan frowns at the last part. “That’s
good baby,” he says, but he seems miles away.

“Yeah…I haven’t really seen him since Rob
told me.” Tristan smiles at me, but it doesn’t reach his eyes; he’s being very
quiet again.

“And there’s one more thing…” I say feeling
really nervous. “I know we have a lot to talk about, and we seem to be
arguing…a lot, but my feelings haven’t changed Tristan. I love you, more now
than ever before, it feels stronger for some reason…” I take a deep breath and
slowly blow it out. “Did you hire the Wedding Planner?” I ask.

“No, I didn’t really have the time as all
hell broke loose,” he answers dryly. I nod and stare at my twisted fingers.
Come
on Coral, be brave!

“What is it?” he asks.

“I want to marry you Tristan, like today if
I could,” I say, laughing nervously.

“Really?” He says, his eyebrows raised in
surprise.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” I whisper, shrugging, then
wincing in pain –
Shouldn’t have done that!

“You don’t know?” He questions.

“I just want my life to start with you. I
want to be your wife and I want to call you my husband.” Tristan stares down at
the floor for a moment.

“And the honeymoon?” He asks.
Honeymoon?
I hadn’t thought of that.

“We can do that when I’m better,” I say,
Tristan looks a little shocked and confused. “Ok, I’ll be honest,” I say
cringing slightly.

Tristan instantly tenses up beside me.
“Honest?” He whispers.

“Yes,” I murmur.

“Ok,” he says, shifting slightly.

“When you left to go back up north…and I
had a whole week to think about things…” I run my hand through my hair.
“Tristan, I was bricking it, I mean really, really, bricking it. I just
couldn’t see how two people, who hardly know each other, could seem so right
for each other…so quickly. I was going to talk to you about it when you got
back, hold off the wedding for a while, move in together, get to know one
another more…but then…” I take a deep breath.

“When Susannah shot me, all I could think
was that I saved you, that you would live. I wanted that more than anything
else, I couldn’t let her harm you, you’re too good a person and you do so much
good,” I say.

Tristan frowns at me. “I do good?” He
questions.

I nod once. “Joyce told Gladys, Gladys told
me,” I explain.

“Told you what?” He asks.

“Well, I already knew you like to help
others with affordable housing and all that, but I didn’t know how many other
charities you contribute too. So how could I, a person who hasn’t done anything
good for anyone else, how can my life be saved and yours ended? It just didn’t
seem right. That’s why I did what I did, why you had to come first. But since
being back here, in this house, with so many happy memories of us…of all we’ve
been through so far…I guess it’s my way of saying I’m ready and I don’t want to
look back. Plus, my over-active imagination will start giving me all the
reasons why I shouldn’t, when deep down inside I really want to.” I take
another deep breath.

“Tristan, I want you…I’ll always want you,
forever. Will you marry me in two weeks?”

“Two weeks?” He repeats, blinking rapidly
at me.

“Yes.” I firmly state. “I’ve thought about
it a lot, you know, what kind of wedding I want, and I’ve realised I don’t want
anything big, in fact, this house is perfect for the occasion.”

“Here?” He gasps, then swallows hard.

“Yes, and I want to ask Rob to be the Wedding
Planner,” I add. His mouth pops open several times as he tries to find his
words. It feels like I wait an eternity for him to say something.

“You think you’re life is more important
than mine?” He questions fiercely.
Oh, of all the things to say...

“Yes!” I sigh. “Jesus Tristan is that the
only thing you say, after everything I just told you?”

He shakes his head in disgust. “How can you
think that?” He gripes, disgusted.

I close my eyes and try to reign in my
escalating temper. “Tristan…please…” I whisper.

“Please what?” He asks, collapsing onto the
bed so he’s staring up at the ceiling. “I don’t know what else you want me to
say Coral. You’ve just admitted to wanting to call the wedding off, to
believing that your life is more important than mine, and that now you want to
get the wedding done and out of the way before you change your mind.”
Shit!
No, that’s not how I meant it
.

I carefully move and kneel next to him.
“That’s not how I meant it,” I say looking down at him.

“Then how did you mean it?” He questions.

I take a deep breath and place my hand over
his heart.

“Tristan, I don’t think you quite
understand. I have spent my whole life believing that I would die a lonely old
lady, my destiny was set in stone. I knew I would never be able to have what
other people have; it just wasn’t possible for me. Never, in a million years
did I think anyone could change that for me, but
you
have. So I’ve had
to do a lot of re-adjusting on my part, in my head, in my heart, re-examining
my beliefs…” I take a breath.

“I’m sorry Tristan, but we both agreed on
being open and honest with one another, I’ve just done that and you’re pissed
off about it?” I add.

“I’m not pissed that you’ve been honest,”
he retorts.

“You’re not?” I question. He shakes his
head from side to side.
Oh fuck this!

Gently straddling him, I lean forward,
place my head on his chest and try to hold him.

“I am sorry that I had doubts and I didn’t
tell you, but please believe me when I tell you they are gone. I have never
believed, or wanted anything, or anyone so badly before, not even my wish for a
family when I was a kid. This…you and me…beats that hands down.”

He slowly snakes his arms around me. “I
still can't believe you think your life is more important than mine,” he says
kissing the top of my head.

“Well, I do, so tough!” I tease.

“That’s ridiculous!” He scolds.

“Not to me.” I say, squeezing him tighter.
He sighs heavily, and I silently wait for him to say something.

“So…you wanted to wait to marry me, but now
you don’t?” He clarifies.

“Yes,” I whisper.

“You’re very confusing sometimes,” he says.

“I know,” I say frowning at his accuracy.

“You really want to be my wife?” He asks.

“More than ever,” I whisper closing my eyes.
“So I’ll be needing my ring back,” I add.

Tristan sighs heavily. “You really thought
you wouldn’t ever find anyone?” He asks.

“Never,” I whisper. “I thought I was too
fucked up.”

“Coral.” He takes my face in his hands,
staring intensely at me. “You are not fucked up,” he breathes, and gently
kisses me. Then carefully, he turns on his side so we are face to face. “Why
are you doing this? Are you scared you’ll change your mind?” He softly asks.

“No. I want you Tristan, only you. I…I want
to give you my whole heart. I want to build a life with you, build lots of
happy memories and fill up photo albums. I want to tie myself to you in every
way a person can, starting with a wedding.”

“Don’t you want to wait until you’re
better?”

“Tristan I’ve been waiting my whole life
for you, I just want it to start.”

He gasps, briefly closes his eyes then
leans down and softly kisses my lips. “Then marry you I shall, in two weeks
time,” he says, running a cool, soft finger down my cheek.

“Oh Tristan…I’m sorry,” I choke. “I made a
mess trying to figure everything out, but I know now, I’m just as sure about us
as you were from the beginning, and I can't wait to marry you, lover.”

“Lover?” He grins.

“Yeah…” I frown. “Just because we will be
married doesn’t mean we can't be lovers,” I say feeling shy. “I know how lucky
I am to be with you, like I’ve said already, you’re a real catch. You’re smart,
kind, funny and spontaneous, handsome and sexy…need I go on?” I question.

A grin starts to form across his beautiful
face. I can't help grinning back like a fool. “But we still have a lot to talk
about,” I add.

“I know,” he breathes, and I can see it
again in his eyes, something painful that he’s holding back, but I decide not
to push. For the moment, we both seem happier, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.