Oceans Apart 2 Read online

  Hopefully we’ll see you later! XD’

  I knew without a doubt that I’d be going to see Ginny tonight. My heart ached for her so there was no way I’d be saying no. I thought about emailing Mike to update him on how I was getting on, but knowing him, he’d probably just smile and send me a link for some condoms. Tosser!

  With my workday finished and a reply sent to Ginny, I rushed into the shower. Although I knew Kari would be at their house and nothing physical was going to happen between me and Ginny, I still wanted to look my best and smell nice for her. I’d made the decision not to make any advances to her just yet. I knew the situation with Brad had been terrifying for her and I shuddered to think what would’ve happened had I not been on the other side of the door. I could only imagine what Ginny had felt about the whole ordeal and I didn’t want to move too fast, despite our previous Skype sex session. Taking our relationship from the virtual to the physical level could wait a little longer. I wanted everything to be perfect for that.

  “Mateo, bring the car around please,” I asked the driver assigned to me for this weeklong trip. I wanted to drive myself around, but my father had nixed that idea after I showed up late to a meeting. It wasn’t my fault, bloody LA traffic was murder but truth be told, I got lost. I really missed the ease of taking the tube. Didn’t Americans know about public transportation?

  “I wasn’t aware you had any plans tonight, sir?” Mateo asked as he opened the door for me. Without a doubt, news of my little night time excursion would get back to my father but what the hell. I’m a big boy now and I really didn’t care. What’s he going to do? Spank me? I was in town for one short week and nothing was going to stop me from going to see my beautiful girl. I carefully laid out the flowers I’d picked up for Ginny and Kari on the back seat, making sure they wouldn’t get crushed with the movement of the car.

  “Just an outing with some close friends. Nothing at all to worry or report about.” I told him sternly and if Mateo’s raised eyebrows were anything to go by, he understood me perfectly. I told him the address and without another word, we pulled out into the street.

  The journey there seemed to go by in the blink of an eye and I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, trying to dry them off. I had to laugh when I thought about how Kari had warned Ginny to stay away from me. Like I was some sort of tosser. I was serious when I told Ginny I wanted to start thinking about settling down and maybe even raising a family and I knew Ginny was just the type of woman I could see that happening with. However, the Atlantic was wide enough to keep my thoughts in check. A bloke couldn’t be too spontaneous when there was a fifteen-hour flight involved.

  I walked up to Ginny’s door, and pushed those thoughts to the back of my head to focus on having a great evening. That didn’t seem like it would be too much of a problem when the door opened and Ginny stood there, auburn hair styled in soft waves and ample curves tucked into a loose polka dot shirt and tight black shorts. Her bare legs and feet did something to me. Or for me. If not for my pledge to take things slowly for her, I might have pinned her against the door right there and then and crushed my lips against hers. Instead, I cleared my mind and leaned down to give her a brief peck on the cheek before handing over the bottle of wine and bouquet of roses that I’d brought with me.

  “Awww, Tristan you big sap, I can’t believe you brought me flowers,” Kari waltzed in with a big smile on her face.

  “Well, you know. I figured I needed to make a good impression on you. The way to a girl’s heart is through her friends, right?” I asked, smiling and cocking an eyebrow as Kari took the flowers into the kitchen. Her twinkling laughter floated into the foyer where Ginny and I stood, the sexual tension rising.

  I coughed, trying to break the silence. “You look great, babe. Very retro chic, I like it a lot.” My words seemed to help ease the awkwardness between us and I could see Ginny relax as she moved aside to let me in. I wasn’t lying when I said she looked good. Her curves were definitely on display and they reminded me of our wonderful Skype moments and how much I wanted to sink my fingertips into her soft hips and dive into her sweet sexiness. Shaking my head, I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and followed her into the living room.

  The television was already set up for the movie and I was impressed to see the mouth-watering spread of food that Ginny and Kari had, laid out on the table in front of the couch. I’d never had a woman cook for me, except for my mum and her chef and the thought of Ginny in the kitchen, taking the time to prepare the food herself, sparked fantasies in my mind of settling down with Gin.

  “You ladies are amazing for making all of this delicious food yourselves. Most women in my parents’ social circles would just get some caterers in for this.” I sat back on the couch and stretched my legs out in front of me, realizing just how douche-baggy that comment sounded out loud. Ginny sat down next to me, a faint flush creeping up her neck and Kari sat in the chair beside us with a smirk on her face. I added, “Uh, I didn’t mean — I mean…”

  “Oh, no need to worry, we both know you’re the rich guy!” Kari exclaimed “And we did hire out. I hired Gin to cook and she hired me to clean!” She rolled her eyes at Ginny as she grabbed a chip and sank it into the greenish-white dip that looked so delicious.

  “Bloody hell, is that homemade spinach and artichoke dip? Wow! I haven’t had this in a long time. I love this stuff,” I exclaimed and Kari’s infectious laugh put me at ease. I reached over and placed my hand on the back of Ginny’s neck giving it a light squeeze before I bent down to get some chips. Just that little bit of contact was enough to make my cock twitch in my jeans.

  Kari’s laugh turned into a beaming smile and I could see the warmth and emotion in her eyes as she gazed back and forth between Ginny and me. I savored the taste of the food and nodded in approval.

  “Seems like you’re enjoying Ginny’s home cooking more than you’re enjoying Ginny,” Kari joked as she took another chip from the bowl.

  “Kari!” Ginny hissed, her grey eyes widened and her face turned red. She smiled sheepishly as she helped herself to some food. “Though it does seem as if you like my cuisine?”

  “She means you look high.” Kari teased.

  “Kari! Shhh, you’re embarrassing our guest!”

  That made me laugh. “What can I say, no embarrassment really but I do enjoy good food. I know you said you liked to cook Gin, but I had no idea it would be this… orgasmic.” I smiled as I took in Ginny’s stunned expression. I was flirting with her a little bit but I hoped she’d be okay with it. Even though we’d done some pretty intimate things on the webcam, I was still unsure how she felt about continuing things face-to-face.

  “Don’t you have someone doing the cooking for you over there in that big castle you live in?” Kari asked. It seemed coming here for dinner tonight was helping her to warm to me… or at least I hoped so.

  I chuckled and leaned over slightly, moving further into Ginny’s space, enjoying the way she subconsciously leaned back into me. I paused so I could think how best to describe things at home. I never wanted my parents’ money to become a focal point of my life, but at the same time, a part of me wanted to impress Kari. She was Ginny’s best friend, after all. And she was probably the one person who could potentially influence Ginny’s decisions on whatever it was she and I were doing, and I wanted to make sure things would sail as smoothly as possible.

  “Well, when I’m with my parents, someone else cooks. Either a catering company or private chef,” I replied trying to keep my voice casual. “There’s just something about a home cooked meal though, especially when it’s made by someone you actually have a…friendship with.”

  “Mmm, a friendship…right,” Kari replied sitting back and flicking on the television.

  “Well,” Ginny whispered, her eyes firmly fixed on the TV screen. “I’m happy to oblige.”

  “Yeah… and thank you. This is really delicious,” I replied, turning my attention to the screen.

  I was
n’t fully aware of what we were watching, more focused on Ginny and our proximity to one another as well as inhaling as much of her delicious cuisine as possible. I was being honest about enjoying the food. I’m not normally one for preparing much of anything for myself. Most days I’m working late so I grab something out or eat at the pub with Mike, so having someone cook for me was definitely a welcome change.

  I vaguely heard Kari getting up saying she needed to pop out to the corner store for some milk, but I didn’t remember her coming back. I ignored the fact that her roommate could come back at any time and I gradually moved closer to Ginny until I could curl an arm around her waist and pull her fully into me. I hoped I wasn’t taking more than she was willing to give, but the soft sigh she let out and the way she tucked her head securely under my chin made me realize she was totally okay with it.

  Jetlag must have kicked in because I woke up abruptly some time later. The television was showing the DVD menu and there was still no sign of Kari. Sometime during the movie, Ginny had fallen asleep, her head lolling onto my chest with my arm securely around her. I must have dozed off myself some time later. Looking down at her now, I didn’t want to leave, but I’d already stayed too long and had an early wakeup call in the morning. She felt so right in my arms. Like she fit. Right in the crook of my arm and it was difficult to tear myself away.

  I glanced at my watch and swore softly when I saw how late it was. 3:30am now so with any luck, I’d get back to the hotel and get maybe another two hours sleep before starting the day. Looking down at Ginny, I was glad I came over and I knew if she asked me, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

  I tried to move quietly so I didn’t wake her up, I slid out from under her, laying her down fully onto the couch. I looked around and spotted a quilt folded up in a chair. I spread it across my sleeping beauty, pausing to take in Ginny’s features softened with sleep and yet so undeniably beautiful. I kissed her on the forehead and she twitched slightly, but she was sound asleep. I scribbled a hasty note before texting Mateo to bring the car and left the house. As I got in the car and headed back to the hotel, I couldn’t get Ginny out of my mind. Tonight had made me sure of my feelings for her, but it also made me ponder as to whether I could do anything about it. The distance between us across the Atlantic was real.

  Chapter 4 — Ginny

  When I saw Kari at work, I motioned her to the break room so we could talk without the whole office getting nosy.

  “Hey hon, what’s up? What’s wrong?”

  I shook my head trying to gather my thoughts. “So last night…”

  Kari laughed grabbing hold of my arm. “Last night was the most adorable, cutest fucking thing I have ever seen!” She gushed, her eyes lit up with excitement that I just didn’t feel.

  “Yeah, but Kari, nothing happened between Tristan and me! I mean — nothing has happened between us since that first night when we kissed in his car. Last night after you left, we just sat, talked, watched a movie and then I fell asleep. When I woke up, he was gone!”

  Kari scrunched her face up at that last part. “He just up and left with no warning, no nothing?”

  “No, no, not like that,” I replied.

  “He actually covered me with a blankee and left me a really sweet note. And I mean, he messaged me this morning to see if I was ok since he can’t call me using his English phone but still, I mean, do you think he’s into me? Or maybe I’m just a convenient lay while he’s in LA? Hey, I’m a poet! Lay in LA!” I joked, trying not to let the raging insecurity I felt, bleed into my voice too much. Even so, I felt her frustration grow with my admission.

  “You’re a dork. And anyway, why do you even have to ask?” Kari gripped my hands tightly. “Listen…you forget what I said about Tristan before, okay? It was coming from a place where I didn’t understand what was going on between you two. Truthfully, I was afraid I was losing my best friend to a man who was just going to play games with her.

  “But, I slipped out when the movie started last night to leave you two alone to get acquainted and when I came home, I saw you both asleep together on the couch like a couple of kittens. And Ginny, you gotta believe me when I tell you this, he was asleep holding you in his arms and the man looked so relaxed and content. You both did. Like you guys were made for each other. I swear I have never seen you look like that, so relaxed, not with Brad, not with anybody. So don’t think just because he hasn’t ripped your clothes off yet that he doesn’t want you. I know he wants you. I can tell. Maybe he just wants to make sure it’s about more than just sex, you know. And that’s a rare thing these days.”

  I tried to think about it from that angle. She was probably right. I hated it when she was right about my men, because she could have any man she wanted. I only wanted one. “Yeah, I know. It’s only because I’ve never had to wait for someone to make a move; it makes me wonder if there’s something wrong with me. Maybe he only likes curves when he’s horny and on Skype? Maybe he doesn’t like fat chicks at all?”

  “Oh my God, girl, you want some cheese with that whine? You may be carrying a couple of extra pounds but you’re not fat!”

  “Kari! Don’t let the whole fuckin’ world hear you!” I replied through gritted teeth pursing my lips. “My lover boy crisis is supposed to be confidential, okay?”

  “Shush, no one heard me. Relax. All I know is he’s into you. That’s a fact. And quit bitching, girlfriend, it doesn’t become you.”

  “It doesn’t become you.” I mocked in a fake, whiny voice, but she was right…again. I remembered Tristan and I had talked about how both of us were still reeling from previous relationships with people who treated us like crap. Maybe that, plus the fact that he did arrive while my ex was trying to assault me, meant he just wanted to take things slowly. Was it really so bad that he hadn’t taken me to bed? Part of me, the part that melted whenever he brushed against me responded with a resounding hell yes! The other part however, the part that was insecure and afraid of getting hurt again, agreed that taking time couldn’t possibly hurt.

  I refocused my energy on all the work I needed to get done for the day and pushed all thoughts of Tristan to the back of my mind. It was almost therapeutic falling back into my daily routine of research and fact checking. Before I knew it, Kari was standing above me waiting for me to shutdown my work station and leave for the day. After the situation with Brad, she hadn’t been keen on letting me go anywhere alone, especially after dark. Thankfully, I hadn’t received any more phone calls from him, nor had I seen his van parked near any house. I had hoped he’d gotten the message from Tristan and moved on to greener pastures.

  I was just settling into my bed, my Kindle powered up with some choice reading material for the night when my phone rang. I smiled, knowing it had to be him, and didn’t hesitate to answer it.

  “Hi Tristan!” I almost gagged at how peppy my voice sounded, but the deep laugh that followed it was very reassuring.

  “Hi, Gin. You sound excited to hear from me.” I could clearly hear the amusement in his voice and felt my cheeks getting flushed and hot. I wondered if there would ever be a time when he wouldn’t do that to me, when I heard his voice. I never wanted the butterflies to ever go away.

  “Always excited to talk to my favorite bloke from across the pond,” I replied, trying to put on my best faux British accent. I could tell by his laugh, there was a lot of room for improvement, but rather than feel embarrassed, it made me happy that I could make him laugh so easily. “So what’s up…mate?”

  He laughed with me and replied, “Oh Ginny, you’re so funny! You’re like a breath of fresh air.”

  “Why thank you, bloke!” I answered, laughing a full belly laugh as well. It felt good, laughing with him and de-stressing for the night.

  “Gin?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Are you part angel?”

  “Mmm, I don’t think my goody box would be allowed in heaven, so probably not,” I giggled, enjoying the banter. I could hear music playing in the
background and I had to ask, “So, where are you now anyway? Not out partying without me, are you?” I tried to keep my voice light and airy, but I was worried that maybe he’d found someone else to keep him company for the night. I was hoping it wasn’t the case.

  “I’m finally in the hotel room. Today was a long day and tomorrow is going to be even longer. I’ve got a 5 a.m. wake-up call and I have to meet with all of the investors and distributors to see what they’ve managed to come up with before we can really get things rolling.”

  “All of that sounds long, arduous and not a lot of fun.” I lay back on my bed and imagined Tristan doing the same thing. He must have been calling from the phone in his room and I wondered if he’d have time for me on this trip. Going out on a limb, I decided to take the bull by the horns and actually ask him rather than keeping it to myself. “I hope I’ll get to see you before you leave, even if it’s only so I can give you a little back massage to help you relax after being in meetings all day.”

  “Mmm, babe. That would be amazing,” Tristan groaned into the phone. “I’d love to have your hands on me in any way possible, and a massage would be heavenly. I don’t think I’ve ever had a massage from anyone I haven’t paid first.”

  I couldn’t keep the surprise out of my voice at his admission. “Really? Surely, any of the women you’ve dated would’ve wanted to have their hands all over you all the time. I know if you were here right now, I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off you! Especially if I could do something to help you relax.” I smiled so big, I bet he could’ve heard it over the phone.

  He moaned in his low, sexy tone, making my body shudder, tensing with arousal that was always there whenever I talked to him.

  “My darling Ginny, if I were there right now, we’d be touching each other for more than just a massage.” The rough timbre of Tristan’s voice made me swallow loudly and my hands trembled as I switched the phone to my other hand.