Page 32 of Shame (Ruin 3)

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That was it. Just… For you. Cryptic, even though I knew they couldn’t be from anyone but Tristan. When I went to pick up the pile, I noticed a toothbrush stashed beneath the shirt, along with some toothpaste.

The guy was either used to one-night stands or… yeah that was all I had, used to one-night stands. People didn’t look like Tristan Blake and not have one-night stands. Besides, clearly he was important, had loads of money, and lived in paradise.

I lifted the clothes to my nose to make sure they didn’t smell like some other chick’s perfume, only to get caught by a throat clearing.

“Have I somehow given you the impression that I’d give you someone else’s clothes?”

Slowly I lifted my gaze. Tristan stood in front of me holding a cup of coffee, and wearing nothing but a pair of gray track pants that rode low on his hips. He blew across the cup. My knees again decided it would be a good time to shake a bit as I took in his perfectly sculpted chest and abs.

“Coffee?” He tilted his head and handed me the other mug.

“Yeah.” My voice was hoarse. “Thanks, and sorry. I was just making sure—”

“You were just making sure they weren’t some other girl’s clothes that I’d stashed after a cheap one-night stand and forgotten to return.” His smile was one of amusement not irritation. “Do I really look like that type of guy?”

“Yes.” I gulped. “Sorry, but you kind of do.”

“I guess kissing you didn’t help that particular assumption.” He grinned then stepped toward me until I could feel the heat of his body and almost taste the coffee on his lips. “But I think you’d be surprised to know it’s only two.”

“Two?”

He flashed a grin. “Figure it out.”

With one last teasing wink, he spun on his heel and walked down the hall, calling behind him. “Shower and meet me downstairs for breakfast. Pretty sure you have a class in a few hours, and the last thing you want to do is piss of that prick professor of yours… again.”

Heat invaded my entire face as I leaned against the door frame. Awesome. Good to know I told the actual professor that I thought he was an ass to his face and then kissed him.

I was so getting kicked out of school.

Either that or… I don’t know, going to hell?

My eyes strained to see Tristan as he rounded the corner to his room. If I was going to hell, I’d at least get an eyeful on the journey.

****

By the time I managed to make myself presentable, I already felt like I was running late. Something about Tristan’s controlling demeanor had me rushing through the shower like I was going to get scolded if I didn’t dress fast enough.

“Bacon?” his warm voice asked the minute I stepped foot into the kitchen. “I assumed you’d want more coffee, but I wasn’t sure what you normally eat for breakfast, so I kind of fixed everything.”

A white towel was on one shoulder while he hovered over the stove. His back muscles flexed through his crisp white shirt. My eyes lowered to his tight dark-wash jeans and just stayed there for a minute, not necessarily staring, more like… okay, so I was staring. It was weird. I’d never been the type of girl to check out a guy like that. I’d been surrounded by beautiful all my life.

But Tristan was a different type of beautiful. He was controlled, orderly, yet, at the same time, chaotic. Yeah, it made no sense to me either.

“Lisa?” Tristan looked over his shoulder.

I jerked my gaze up and felt my cheeks blush again. “Yeah?”

“You didn’t answer.”

“I was, um…” I chewed my lower lip. “Thinking about class.”

“Which class?” he teased, his eyes scanning my body heatedly before returning my gaze.

“Yours.” I swallowed and regained my confidence as I took a seat at the breakfast bar. “Ever since getting scolded, I’m super paranoid about being early.”

“Scolded.” Tristan handed me a plate and started piling bacon and potatoes onto it. “If I was scolding you, you’d know it.”

“Why do I feel like that’s a double meaning?”


Tags: Rachel Van Dyken Ruin Romance