Seeing him again sparked too many emotions—surprise, anger, and even lust. The last one bugged her the most because she’d only been in his presence for five minutes. Five frickin’ minutes! Yet, that was all it took for her body to respond to him, to crave him, and to recall all they once shared.
Tristan was even more gorgeous than she remembered. The sight of those soulful eyes, as well as those tempting, masterful lips that had brought her immense pleasure back in the day, haunted her even now.
She almost groaned. Why’d he have to be finer than he’d been years ago? Why couldn’t he be sporting bloodshot eyes, missing all his front teeth, and have a beer belly that hung to his knees? Instead, he was every woman’s fantasy. Tall, dark, and downright gorgeous with a body designed for pleasing a woman.
Cree hadn’t missed the attention he had garnered from those in the coffee shop. Tristan might’ve worn a helmet on the football field, but between television commercials, magazine covers, and a few cameos in movies, he had gained notoriety with both sexes. Not only was he handsome, but he was also charming.
She was curious to see what he’d end up doing now that he’d been forced to retire from the game he loved. No doubt he’d be in hot demand since he had so much going for him—looks, a positive personality, and he was endearing, giving him all he needed to influence the hardest of hearts.
Yeah, he was marketable, and he’d be flooded with opportunities. Cree wondered if he would…
Dammit!
Who cared what he did? Not her! As far as she was concerned, Tristan could fall off the face of the earth, and she wouldn’t go looking for him.
Okay, maybe that was too extreme. She didn’t wish him harm. She just didn’t want anything to do with him. He had hurt her too much. Betrayed her when she was vulnerable, and he probably had no clue as to just how much he had crushed her spirit.
Everyone always thought she was the strong one. The one who was unshakable, and for the most part, she was. Yet there had been a time in her life when she had counted on Tristan. She’d needed him in more ways than one, and he’d let her down.
But that was the past, and the mistakes she’d made with him would never be repeated.
At least that’s what she kept telling herself as she stomped down the street. She was no longer the young and naive twenty-four-year-old who thought she knew everything about everything.
Nope. Now she was a grown-ass woman who knew better than to go against her gut feelings. She also knew better than to open her heart and trust a man the way she had trusted Tristan. The asshole had gotten past her defenses, but she wouldn’t let that happen again.
“Never again,” she mumbled as she followed a few people into her office building. She couldn’t let thoughts of Tristan consume her. She had moved on, and there was no way she would allow him back into her life in any capacity.
She marched across the shiny travertine floors and headed to the bank of elevators. There were numerous businesses that operated out of the building, and the lobby was bustling with people coming and going. However, she kept her attention straight ahead. She needed to get up to her office so she could decompress before her next meeting.
A few minutes later, Cree exited the elevator on the twenty-first floor, where their law office was located. She strolled past a large, plush waiting room, several cubicles, and a couple of conference rooms until she entered the partners’ office area. The suite of offices was set in back, away from the small waiting area she was currently standing in.
As she approached the long counter, Shantel, their executive assistant, who was on the telephone, lifted her finger, silently asking Cree to wait.
“Yes, sir. I’ll make sure Mr. Ellis gets the message. Have a good day.
“Sorry about that, Cree,” Shantel said after ending the call. “You just missed a call from Mr. Charleston. He had to cancel his three o’clock meeting with you.”
Now that was the best news she’d heard all day. She wasn’t in the mood to meet with a potential new client. “Did he reschedule?”
“Yes,” Shantel said slowly as she glanced down at her calendar. “He rescheduled for next Thursday and apologized for the short notice. He has to fly to New York—family emergency.”
Cree nodded. “Okay. That gives me the afternoon to catch up on some work.”
Before walking away, she told Shantel that she was not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency. She had a dinner meeting later. Until then, she’d see how much work she could get through.
Two hours later, Cree dropped back against her leather desk chair and released a long sigh. It had been days since she’d been able to get through any amount of work without being interrupted.
“This is good,” she murmured into the quietness of the space.
Her large corner office was one of her favorite places to spend time, even if it was for working. It was functional, while also being relaxing with very light blue, almost white, walls and oak hardwood floors. Behind her desk were floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that not only held law books, but numerous awards and keepsakes. To her left was a wall of windows with a view of equally tall buildings, and across from her desk was a sitting area. It held a comfortable sofa with end tables and a straight-backed upholstered chair. She also had her own bathroom. Though small, it offered a convenience she appreciated.
Feeling at peace, Cree laid her head back against the chair and rested her eyes. She had almost dozed off when her desk phone beeped.
Yawning, she sat forward and picked up the receiver. “Yes, Shantel.”
“Sorry to bother you, but you have a visitor—Tristan Whitmore.”
Cree’s breath caught as shock charged through her, and then she pounded her hand on the desk.
