Page 12 of Inadmissible

Tristan

“ W here you going?” I asked groggily the second I felt Taj’s body leave mine. Instantly, I felt the cold lack of her presence. Clearing my throat, I sat up in bed and let my eyes flutter until they opened and focused on her.

She looked like a kid that had gotten caught doing something they shouldn’t have been doing as she stood at the door of my bedroom.

I loved renting the penthouse suite at the hotel because of the ease, amenities, and accommodations.

I would have shared with her that I lived here and we didn’t have to leave any time soon if that was her concern, but the longer I looked at her, the more I realized she was intentionally running from me. From this. From us.

“Home,” she answered quietly. “Last night was amazing, Tristan, but it has to be a one time thing. I don’t want a relationship.”

Chuckling, I yawned and ran my hands down my face. “You might not want a relationship but you about to have one.”

“Oh God. I should’ve known you were too good to be true. Handsome, great dick, and a stable job? Of course you’re going to be crazy.”

Her perplexed expression as she pulled the strap of her dress onto her shoulder made me laugh. Her half-dressed ass hopped out of bed like Speedy Gonzales trying to get away from me.

“I’m not crazy, but I do not play games. I’m very straightforward, and I have no problem going after what and who I want. I want you, so I’m going to have you.”

“Well . . . I’m not available. Not consistently at least. So . . . I’m sorry if my actions last night made you believe otherwise.”

Taj briskly made her way through the living room, and seconds later, I heard the door close behind her. That was cool. She could run. I loved the chase, and most importantly, I loved to catch and claim.

Taj had up armor now, and I was curious about why.

Since I had a feeling she wouldn’t tell me why, I called the person I believed would—Emilia.

She smelled the roses I’d gotten her as thanks for inviting my sweetheart to the gala as her plus one.

Had she not, I don’t know when I would have seen her again.

“Okay, let me hear it. I know you asked me here to do more than thank me for inviting my best friend to the gala. You don’t have to thank me for that, by the way.

Had I known you were the man that helped her, I would’ve been tried to put you both in the same room again.

I wasn’t sure what urged me to invite her knowing there was a chance she’d say no, but I’m glad I did, and I’m even more glad she said yes. ”

“I appreciate that, and you’re right. I did want to talk to you about something else. Can you tell me everything you feel comfortable sharing with me about her? Before we parted ways, she made it clear she didn’t want a relationship, but that just won’t work for me.”

Emilia laughed as she got a bit more comfortable in the seat across from my desk.

“Yeah, she is serious about not wanting a relationship. If you decide to pursue her, you will have your work cut out for you.”

“I’m a hardworking man, and I take care of the things I value and pursue. That won’t be a problem for me.”

“Good. So . . . I’ll try to tell you things that I don’t believe will be a breach of her trust. First, she has had a string of toxic men and bad breakups.

Her last three relationships ended because of cheating, which she has now deemed inadmissible in relationships.

Actually, she’s deemed relationships inadmissible too.

When we first met, she was very soft, sweet, and warm.

Now . . . she’s harder. Colder. Still kind but very protective of herself.

She doesn’t let anyone new in, and she is very careful of who and what she entertains.

Anything that makes her feel uncomfortable, she ends. ”

Emilia paused and licked her lips. “Taj had a way of trying to love men into treating her right. She thought the better she treated men, the better they’d treat her.

The opposite happened, so she doesn’t deal with men now at all.

Honestly, I’m surprised she even talked to you last night.

Even with your history, she hasn’t talked intimately with a man since what happened with Destin.

So if she really doesn’t give you a chance, I hope you take pride in whatever you were able to experience with her last night. ”

“One last question. Is it fear of being hurt again that’s put up that armor, or bitterness? I can make my way through fear because its casted out by love, but if it’s bitterness?—”

“She’s not bitter,” Emilia interrupted me to say, “just very closed off and careful. She’s not the opened version of herself she was when we first met.

I don’t think she trusts the male species.

” Emilia smiled. “Except her brother. And you, so you have a head start because you helped her. I’ll be praying that works in your favor, because Taj really is so sweet and loving.

She deserves to be loved the way she loves. I want her to have that.”

I considered her words for a while. There was something about Taj that drew me to her one year ago and last night.

I could tell her heart needed more protecting than her body did this time around.

We may not have known the facts about each other or been around each other long, but our chemistry was undeniable, and I just had a feeling about her.

With no real rhyme or reason, I was confident she was the woman I was meant to spend the rest of my life with.

It felt cliché to say, but when I saw her last night, I felt alive for the first time in my life.

I imagine how I felt last night was how Adam felt when he first laid eyes on Eve.

That recollection had me telling Emilia, “No matter what it takes, I promise I’m going to give it to her.”