Tears of Endurance (Romantic Drama) Book #1 (9 page)

They both laughed and felt at ease with one another, especially after discovering their mutual love of art and photography.

“Ben is always trying to get me to show my own collection of photography, I think he’s my biggest fan.”

“
So who do you freelance for?” enquired Arianna curiously.

“
Local newspapers, magazines, some big and some small. Local companies and private individuals. It more than pays the bills and after years of hard work, I have built a respectable name for myself in the business. Play the long game I always say, and in the end, you will benefit from the fruits of your labour.”

Arianna was fascinated by Tristan. He was a very interesting guy and she was pleased they had a lot in common, as it would make it much easier for Ben if their relationship progressed, and she sincerely hoped it would. She couldn
’t wait to spend some time alone with Ben tonight.

“
Maybe you could show me your collection someday; I would love to see it.”

“
Sure, you can drop by the studio anytime. However, I must stress, it really is my own personal collection. I have no plans to have a show of my own, I do it for the love of it really.”

“
Noted,” Arianna said, laughing.

Ben came ambling over with their drinks and smiled at the sight of Tristan and Arianna getting along so well.
“It’s great to see you guys hitting it off, that’s one less thing for me to worry about,” teased Ben. He handed Arianna her glass of wine and sipped at his diet coke.

“
What, no alcohol tonight, Ben?”

“
Not tonight, Tristan. Firstly, I’m driving and secondly I really shouldn’t be drinking while on medication. I don’t want to push my luck.”

“
So what have you guys been talking about?” asked Ben curiously.

“
I was telling Arianna she should drop by my studio.”

“
Excellent idea, Tristan. You should see his collection of photographs, Arianna, they are a pure work of art.”

“
I think you’re right, Tristan. Ben really is your biggest fan.” They all fell about laughing and that’s the way it continued into the night. Several glasses of wine later, Arianna was feeling rather tipsy. She helped herself to a couple of slices of the pizza that was left on the kitchen table and perched on a seat by the window.

“
Hey, would you like a coffee, Arianna? I’m making one for myself.”

“
That would be lovely, Lisa, thank you.”

“
I hope you don’t mind me saying but you look great together, you and Ben. He’s a great guy, very genuine. You will be hard pressed to find someone like him anywhere these days. He really is one in a million.”

“
I think I am beginning to see that. He really is a lovely guy, Lisa, I like him a lot.”

“
Well, thank goodness for that. The last girl he was seeing was a real, well, let’s just say she wasn’t very nice. She dumped him while he was in a coma, can you believe that? A few weeks before the accident, she was pushing to move in with him, but as soon as she thought she may have to take care of him after the accident, she was off.”

“
Oh my God, who could do such a thing?” was all Arianna could say. She was rendered speechless by this revelation and words failed her.

Arianna looked out of the window and watched as Ben moved from one group of people to another, the ease with which he communicated with each person was not lost on her
; he made it look like an art form. She more than liked him, she was falling for him. She couldn’t imagine any woman being so heartless and wondered how it must have affected him, waking up from a coma and being told such news. It was unfathomable. He must have been devastated, not to mention confused. There was a strong pull in her heart and she wanted nothing more than to hold him right there and then. He looked back over his shoulder and spotted her looking at him through the window. He winked at her and then threw her a very cute smile and raised his hand to indicate he would be just five minutes.

Arianna was having a conversation with Lisa
’s neighbour in the conservatory when Ben found her and rescued her from a detailed account of Beth’s day spent weeding her own garden until her hands were red raw!

“
Are you ready to leave?” asked Ben.

“
I really don’t mind. If you’re okay with that, then yes.”

“
Okay, let’s say our goodbyes and then we will make a quick exit.”

Ten minutes later, they were in Ben
’s car and heading for the M6 motorway to Coleshill. Arianna’s heart was racing; she turned to look at Ben. “I had a lovely time, Ben. Thank you for a lovely date. Lisa and her family are really special and your brother is pretty cool too.”

“
Whew, that’s a relief. Lisa thought you was a keeper; her expression, not mine.” Ben smiled mischievously.

Twenty-five minutes later, they were pulling up outside Arianna
’s townhouse. Ben climbed out of the car and walked around to open the door for Arianna. He took her hand and helped her out of the car. She swung her legs out together and stood up, brushing close against him. She took her keys out of her bag and fiddled with them nervously as she approached the door. She turned around and Ben moved in closer. He gently cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips. She responded wantonly, kissing his full soft lips with passion, their tongues dancing together. Lost in the moment, neither one wanted the moment to end.

Finally they prised themselves apart and Arianna slowly unlocked her front door, then she held out her hand and Ben took it gladly. As the door closed behind them, Arianna dropped her bag on the floor as Ben spun her around and pinned her up against the wall, his passionate kisses on her neck making her heart pound and she responded eagerly. Unzipping her dress and letting it fall to the floor haphazardly, he pulled Arianna in close to him. She hurriedly unzipped him and then wrapped her lithe legs tight around him as he lifted her up on to him. Lost in their private passionate moment, unable to prise themselves apart and not wanting to, they made love for the first time, neither of them holding back and completely giving in to their desires. It felt right, the moment was right and most of all, they were right.

Thirty minutes later, Ben scooped Arianna up into his large muscular arms and carried her up the stairs, neither one taking their eyes off the other. He placed her down onto her large king-sized bed, where they continued to make love well into the early hours of the morning. Finally, they fell asleep together, exhausted and spent.

The following morning, Arianna woke up with a feeling of pure happiness. She turned and observed Ben while he slept soundly beside her. She gently kissed him on the lips and made her way to the bathroom for a much-needed shower. As she stood naked in the shower, she ran her hands through her hair and took a deep breath as she relived the events of the night before. Closing her eyes, she saw Ben’s image in front of her, his large hands lifting her onto him. Sighing with pleasure, she could not stop smiling and knew there was no going back now. She had fallen for Ben hook, line, and sinker. Making love with him was unlike anything she had ever experienced; he was so attentive in every way and made her feel more than special.

She stepped out of the shower and towel-dried her hair and then tied it up into a knot on the top of her head. She slipped on her dressing gown and decided to cook Ben a breakfast fit for a king. She danced around the kitchen, listening to the Heart FM Sunday morning playlist while cracking eggs and frying bacon.

Ben slowly rolled over and reached out for Arianna. Realising she was already up, he opened his eyes and stretched his arms. Smiling from ear to ear, he stepped out of bed, slipped on his jeans, and followed the tantalising smell of bacon all the way to the kitchen. He stood in the doorway with his arms stretched out leaning against the wooden frame for a minute or so, not alerting Arianna to his presence, and watched her shaking her hips while cooking. He was falling for her and he knew it. He felt like he was on a speeding train and the brakes had failed, it was completely out of control with no way of stopping. His heart beat fast as thoughts of the night before replayed in his mind. He slipped up behind her and kissed her on the side of her neck. She spun around eagerly and planted a kiss on his full plump lips.

“
Good morning, beautiful.”

Arianna smiled and moved in closer,
“And good morning to you, handsome. I hope you’re hungry because I have cooked enough to feed the five thousand here!”

“
Well, lucky for you, I am starving, can’t think why.” Ben smiled and took a seat at the kitchen table while Arianna served up a sumptuous breakfast any good hotel would be proud of.

“
What are your plans for the rest of the day?” asked Ben curiously.

“
I have no real plans. Why, what do you have in mind, Ben?”

“
I thought as it was a lovely warm day, you might like to come back to my apartment and meet someone very special to me. His name is Charlie and he is in need of breakfast and a good walk himself this morning. Then I thought I would take you for dinner much later, down by the canal.”

“
Ben, that sounds perfect and I can’t wait to meet Charlie, and dinner later would be the perfect end to a perfect weekend.”

“
Then that’s settled.” They sat down to a full English breakfast. Ben couldn’t take his eyes of Arianna, she completely floored him in every way. After breakfast, Arianna cleaned up, put a little make-up on, and then headed out of the door with Ben.

Chapter sixteen

Ben and Arianna climbed out of Ben’s car and made their way towards his apartment building. Arianna glanced up at the impressive and rather new looking construction. The building overlooked the Birmingham canals and was situated in the beautiful serene area of Brindley Place.

“
This looks really lovely, Ben and right opposite the canals too. It must be wonderful during the summer time.”

“
In the summer it really is amazing here, and I take Charlie for walks down by the canal every day. He loves it, mainly because he enjoys terrorizing the ducks and Canadian geese that have taken up residence down there.”

“
So which one is your apartment?”

“
Mine is situated right at the very top, so we can take the lift. My legs are still rather weak and I find it quite painful by the time I’ve walked to the top.”

Arianna looked around the entrance in awe
; it was so grand and clearly very well kept. There was a 24-hour reception that attended to any needs or problems of the residents and it was well secure with CCTV. Each resident needed a security code to enter the building.

As they climbed out of the lift on to the top floor, Arianna gasped in surprise.
“There are only two apartments for the whole of the top floor, and I am guessing these are the penthouse apartments?”

“
Your guess would be correct. It’s wonderfully private up here and the large open-plan living is great for Charlie. He has plenty of space to run around!”

Ben turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door, allowing Arianna to walk through first. As she walked through into the beautiful contemporary apartment, she was in awe of the place
; it was huge, she loved it. Suddenly she was overwhelmed by a great big golden retriever who came bounding over and almost knocked her down with eager excitement; Ben reached out and broke her fall.

“
Arianna, this is Charlie, my best friend and most loyal companion.”

“
Hello, Charlie, it’s great to meet you too. I am guessing you need a walk right now.” Charlie spun around at the mention of the word and Ben grabbed his lead of the hook by the door.

“
Are you sure you don’t mind taking Charlie for a walk with me?”

“
Of course I don’t mind.” And with that, Arianna took the lead from Ben’s hand and walked out of the door with Charlie, swiftly followed by a smiling Ben. He watched as Arianna interacted with Charlie as if she had been around dogs all her life. He wondered where Arianna had been all these years and made a promise to himself not to let her slip through his fingers. Charlie took off at full speed, with Arianna having no choice but to keep up. As they approached the canal, Ben took the lead from Arianna and unhooked Charlie, allowing him the freedom to run free and exercise his legs for a while. Ben slipped his fingers through Arianna’s and they walked along the canal for over an hour, hand in hand, with the comfortable ease of a couple who’d been together for a long time.

Ben felt a wonderful inner calm every time he was in Arianna
’s company. She made him feel invincible, like there was nothing he couldn’t do or achieve. He already knew he’d met the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He dared to imagine growing old with her and smiled at the thought.

“
And what are you smiling at?” asked Arianna curiously.

“
Now that would be telling. I am just happy and enjoying the moment,” replied Ben, not wanting to reveal his thoughts just yet. “How do you fancy dropping by Tristan’s studio for an hour? It’s pretty impressive and I would love to show you his personal collection of photography. It’s incredible, he has such a unique talent and seems to capture the perfect image at just the right moment. He always did have a good eye.”

“
Now that sounds great, I would love to see his work. Are you sure he won’t mind us dropping by on a Sunday?”

“
No, not at all. I will drop him a text and get him to meet us there.”

Arianna and Ben made their way back to Ben
’s apartment where they waited for a reply from Tristan before they headed out the building to his car. “Come on, Charlie, hop in.” Charlie barked once and hopped in the back of the car, wagging his tail briskly. Tristan’s studio was situated on the other side of the city, around 10 to 15 minutes away depending on traffic, and as it was Sunday, the drive was a short 10 minutes. Ben pulled up around the back of the building and parked up. He pulled back his seat and allowed Charlie to hop out before locking his car. Taking Arianna’s hand, they walked towards the main entrance of Tristan’s studio.

“
There you are. Great to see you again, Arianna. I have to admit I was not expecting you to visit my studio quite so soon, but I am very glad you came. Come on it’s this way and mind the step. It’s slightly loose and one or two ladies in the past have lost a heel, much to their great disappointment.” Tristan laughed as he pushed opened the double doors.

“
Tristan, I am going to pop over to the newsagent’s for a paper. I will see you in a few minutes okay.”

“
Sure, no problem. Arianna is safe with me!”

“
Mmm, that’s what worries me. Watch him, Arianna, he has been known to charm the devil himself,” teased Ben.

Tristan indicated for Arianna to walk in front like the gentleman he was. She glanced around the opened-plan modern studio and was very impressed with what she saw.

“Wow, this is a great space, Tristan. Is that some of your work on the walls?”

“
Yes, it sure is. That particular image was taken around five o’clock one summer morning. There was a low mist hovering above the lake like it was suspended in time, it was almost eerie looking. I was lucky to catch the lone heron standing on the verge of the lake, so still it almost looked like a statue. It was a very surreal moment. I really love this image and the fact that it’s in black and white adds more clarity, I think. I like the depth of the image and what it conveys, which is simply nature at its best, Untouched.”

Arianna was surprisingly in awe of Tristan, which took her off guard. He was a great photographer and as she flipped through his collection, it became very apparent to her that he really should show his collection as it was beautiful. She couldn
’t believe he had kept it to himself all these years. It was photography at its best and she knew what she was talking about. Over the years she had seen some great collections of photography and some bad ones. Tristan’s was more than great, it was superb and stood out from anything she had seen before.

“
You have an incredible talent, Tristan. You really should consider showing your work. I know Ben feels the same too and I can see why he has been singing your praises now, and it’s not just out of brotherly love either.”

“
Thank you, I guess my passion shows through my work. I really love what I do and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Come over here, yes, that’s perfect.” Tristan changed the backdrop from white to black and encouraged Arianna to relax.

“
Perfect, you’re a natural. Now if you just sit on the edge of the stool, sort of leaning against it rather than sitting on it and place both your hands on the back of the stool to secure it, yes, beautiful. Now, put one foot forward and bend the other leg at the knee, so it looks like you are leaning against the stool relaxed. Now tilt your head to the side slightly and give me a beautiful natural smile.”

Tristan looked through the lens of his camera and adjusted the frame, focusing on Arianna
’s face; he wanted the picture to look effortless and natural like he’d captured a moment in time. He looked into her eyes and felt so drawn in by them he almost faltered. She had captivated him. Tristan hated that he was attracted to her; this was not supposed to happen, he thought to himself as he took the shots. She was effortlessly beautiful and didn’t even know it and this just increased his feelings for her tenfold as he watched the way she shifted shyly on the stool before him. After several minutes and a few frames later, he was happy and told her to relax.

Unknown to Tristan, Ben was watching from the top of the studio where he
’d been for a couple of minutes. He was in awe of Arianna and was pleased at how well she was getting along with Tristan. He also knew Tristan so well that he could tell that he was attracted to Arianna, but he also knew he could trust him with her. Tristan would never ever step over the line and if he were honest with himself, he would be very surprised if Tristan didn’t feel any attraction towards Arianna as she really was one in a million.

“
Hey, so I see he managed to persuade you to sit for him, Arianna. He’s always had a way with the ladies.”

“
I don’t mind at all, it was fun. I can’t wait to see how the photos turn out.”

“
Don’t worry, I will make sure you get a copy of them. I will even make up your very own portfolio.” Tristan smiled.

After an hour of browsing through Tristan
’s personal and business work, Arianna made a mental note to herself to encourage Tristan to showcase his own work at her studio in the future. But that was not a conversation for today.

She liked Tristan and felt at ease with him. She mentally searched through her friends list for someone who may make the perfect match for him, but sadly all her friends were either married or engaged.

“
Look, Tristan, we are heading out for dinner later if you want to come along?”

“
No, no, I don’t want to intrude, you two go and have a great night. You don’t want me tagging along. If you like, you can leave Charlie with me for the rest of the day. I could do with the company,” suggested Tristan.

“
What do you reckon, Charlie; fancy a day with your uncle Tristan?”

Charlie jumped up and down with excitement, sensing an adventure was afoot.

“Okay then that’s all set. You can drop Charlie off tomorrow morning if you like, Tristan.”

“
No problem, I still have his basket and blanket you gave me the last time. I will pick up some food for him on the way home. You guys have a lovely night and I will see you tomorrow, Ben. Arianna, it’s been a great pleasure once again. I hope to see you soon.”

“
Likewise, Tristan. Maybe next time you can pay a visit to my gallery.”

“
Sounds like a plan,” replied Tristan.

Ben and Arianna left the studio and headed back to Ben
’s apartment to get ready for dinner.

“
I don’t have a change of clothes with me, Ben. Maybe we could dine near to where I live so I can pop home and get changed.”

“
Oh yes, it completely escaped me. Of course you will want to get changed. Well, how about I shower and change and then we can head over to your house and you can do the same. I know a great restaurant about 30 minutes from Coleshill called Walton Hall. It’s a four star hotel but they allow non-residents to dine there too. And the food and service is incredible. The hotel is a beautiful 19th century country mansion at Walton near Wellsbourne in Warwickshire. It used to be owned by the late entertainer Danny La Rue. It’s also grade 11 listed, like your townhouse.

“
Many, many years ago, back in the 18th century, there was a huge scandal attached to Walton Hall. Sir Charles Mordaunt, the 10th baronet, retained architect Sir George Gilbert Scott to design a new mansion house in the Gothic Revival style. The house was completed four years later, in 1862, if memory serves me correctly, and became infamous through a divorce scandal involving Sir Charles and his wife Harriet several years later. Now how is that for a bit of trivia?” Ben smiled.

“
How come you know so much about Walton Hall?” enquired Arianna curiously.

“
Well, as a structural engineer, I became fascinated with the beautiful and palatial constructions of bygone eras. I took a keen interest and over the years, have stored a great deal of useless knowledge on the great mansions in our little country. We certainly don’t build them like they used to. They were so grand and no amount of money was spared. It was a very superficial time in the eighteenth century in Britain. Society then embraced a pervasive obsession with decorum, a facade of established traditions and vanities, as well as an innate sense of moral and political supremacy. Satires during this period pointed out the shortcomings of society through ridiculing accepted standards of thought, exposing Britain’s flaws and chastising the hypocrisy of the time. People were judged on what they owned and how much land they acquired, appearance was everything. It’s rather sad really. That period has always held a particular fascination with me.”

“
I have to agree with you, Ben. When you look at all the new constructions in the cities today, they are very streamlined, all glass and no personality. Even houses aren’t built to weather the storms for centuries anymore. But hey, this is my personal opinion. I love old properties. Take my townhouse for instance, it’s been standing since the 16th century, I mean, that’s pretty incredible, when you consider it has survived two world wars. I believe it also survived a fire in the nineteenth century. And yet here it is, still standing, refusing to leave anytime soon. Can you imagine all the people and families who have lived in it? I bet my walls could tell a few stories.”