Page 31

I stormed up to the front of Tristan's house with the same vigor and frustration floating around me like a cloud that I had when I'd walked up to the Studio Black building.

Only this time I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing me and worrying that there was something going on, so when I pounded my fist on Tristan's front door and then stepped back, folding my arms over my chest with righteous indignation, the only person whose reaction I worried about was Tristan's.

Luckily - for him - he didn't leave me waiting on his porch long.

Less than a minute passed after my rather rude pounding on his door before the lock clicked and the door swung open, and my mouth immediately went dry at the sight of my boyfriend, shirtless and a little wet, his curls hanging damp around his face as if he'd just gotten out of the shower.

"Xan, baby.

I didn't know that you were coming over." He smiled widely at me and stepped to the side, clearly inviting me in, and I stormed in, refusing to let myself be distracted by how sinfully good he looked wearing a pair of slow-slung black sweatpants and literally nothing else.

"Well, you should have, after the stunt that you pulled earlier today." I whirled around on my heel and glared, and Tristan looked at me with an odd expression as he closed his front door behind him and then faced me fully.

"What stunt?" he asked, his brows pulling together.

"The scheduling shit at work, Tris!" I burst out, unable to contain myself anymore.

"Look, I know that we're...this." I gestured between the two of us with one finger frantically.

"And I love it.

And I love you.

I've told you that. But you can't get in the way of me being scheduled at work. There has to be a line. I can't...I mean. Our livelihood can't be affected by what we are together. They rescheduled my shoot and I don't know if and when I'm going to be getting work again. Emmett said that it's just temporary, but I don't know how it works in this industry. Maybe they'll stop scheduling me because I'm a little too difficult, or maybe they'll terminate my contract. God, maybe they'll terminate both of our contracts, and it'll all be because you decided to put your stupid, pretty nose where it didn't belong..."

I knew that I was ranting and rambling, and Tristan's expression cleared as I continued, and then - to my fury - he chuckled softly before walking up to me and putting his hands on my shoulders.

His touch immediately soothed me and shut me up, though I didn't want it to, and I glared at him so that he knew that no matter how unfairly sexy he was, I was still mad.

"Xander," Tristan said, his voice patient.

"I didn't tell Cole or any of the others that they couldn't schedule you."

That took the wind out of my sails, and I settled back, my shoulders relaxing under his grip.

"Oh." I frowned as he nodded.

"Then what did you tell them? Why did they reschedule my shoot?"

The smile that Tristan offered me was soft and sweet in that moment, inadvertently melting me from the inside out, no matter how strong I wanted to stand in the face of his charms.

"I told them that we were dating, and that I was in love with you.

And that we were exclusive, and that I didn't want you shooting with anybody else at the studio.

Not just because I'm a difficult bastard who doesn't want to work with other people, but because the idea of anyone else having their hands on you makes me want to go on a rampage through the studio and destroy everything that we've all built."

He looked at me meaningfully, and I took a moment before the true intention of his words settled in my mind, and in my heart.

"So...you told them that you were jealous?" I asked, clarifying.

"At the idea of me shooting with anyone else?"

"Like a teenage boy that just found out his girlfriend has to kiss someone else in the school play," Tristan confirmed, his smile bright.

His hands rose from my shoulders until he was cupping my face, and he stepped close, his eyes the only thing that I could look at as he did so.

"I'm not going to apologize for it, baby.

And if it makes you feel better, I told them that I didn't want to shoot with anyone else, either."

I couldn't stop myself from snorting.

"Okay, but how is that any different than how you operated beforehand?" I teased.

"From what I understand, you've always been a difficult asshole, both on set and off."

He hummed, stopping even closer to me.

Our chests brushed together as he did so, and he leaned forward to gently rub the tip of his nose over mine.

"It isn't different, but now, you're the only one that gets to put up with my being difficult.

Boyfriend privileges."

Warmth bloomed inside of me at his words, and it took everything inside of me to remember that I had stormed over here, upset with him for a very legitimate reason.

"You're sure that our relationship isn't going to be a barrier at the studio?" I asked, needing to confirm.

Because Tris, I'm serious.

This job..."

"Don't you worry, baby," Tristan murmured, cutting me off.

"You'll be getting fucked on camera by me for as long as you want to be."

He sealed his lips over mine with that, cutting off any more protests that I might have had, and I melted against him with a soft moan.

Admittedly...as irritated as I was that he had gone behind my back to talk to Cole without me, the fact that he had gone out of his way to make sure that the only person who was going to be touching me was him...

I warmed my heart and soothed me at the same time.

Even if he had been a dickhead about it.

"Overbearing asshole," I mumbled, when the kiss finally broke and Tristan let me drag in a ragged breath.

"Mm." Tristan kissed me again, just a gentle peck this time.

"Yeah.

But I'm your overbearing asshole."

My heart fluttered, and I let out a half-hearted groan that I knew that Tristan would see right through.

"Yes, yes, fine, then.

You're forgiven.

But run these things by me before you go and do things that affect both of us in the future, okay?"

He pulled away, and the look in his eyes as he nodded was surprisingly serious.

"Of course, baby.

I'm sorry, I should have talked to you first." His eyes gleamed.

"But I'm not sorry that I have you all to myself.

I will never be sorry about that."

I couldn't have stopped the wave of love and lust that hit me like a train in that moment if I had tried.

"Yeah yeah, I love you too," I said breathlessly, laughing a little.

A brilliant smile split across Tristan's handsome face, and he leaned into press one more hard kiss to my lips.

"Damn straight you do, baby boy."