“Screw it. Let’s go out. You only live once, right?” She grabs her purse from the back of the chair.
There she is. The girl I first saw at Out of the Ashes. Tomorrow morning is going to suck, but it’ll be worth it.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
paula
Goingout with my siblings was a bad idea. No, scratch that, a terrible idea. I’m going to feel this in the morning. All six of us are doing our best to tiptoe into the house. Peter slips and crashes into the table.
“Be quiet,” I hiss. “Do you want to wake up Mom and Dad? Or, even worse, Pierce?”
“Oh God.” Peter groans. “I’d rather wake up our parents than him.”
Huh, at least he realizes the absolute terror our big brother can be. I always thought he had some sort of hero worship happening where he was concerned. I guess you learn something new every day.
You’d think with all of us growing up with a winery, we’d have a high tolerance for alcohol. It’s not the case, at all.
Me, Piper, and Parker are mostly fine. Tristan didn’t drink so he could drive us all home. He’s too sweetfor his own good. Peter and Phillip on the other hand…there is no way they will feel up to going to check out the winery.
Tristan turns to me and pulls me to a stop. “You wait right here. I’m going to make sure the rest of them get to their beds.”
I mock salute him and sit on the sofa. Tonight was more fun that I thought it would be. If Pierce had gone, he would have been a bump on the log and made everyone else miserable. I’m happy he decided to come home.
I think back to earlier in the night when Tristan asked me to dance. It’s not something I normally do, but I wanted to with him. That was before I even finished my first drink. His hands on my hips as we moved to the rhythm of the music, and it felt good. Better than I’ve felt with anyone else. Each and every moment I spend with him, changes the dynamics between us.
My sister would say alcohol has something to do with it all the emotions, but even now I’m not drunk. I know how to have a good time without getting shit faced, unlike my siblings.
The absolute joy I’m sitting with is from spending time with my family without having to worry about any obligations. Hell, nobody even brought it up. Why can’t our eldest brother do the same thing?
“Why are your brothers so hard to put to bed? I swear they are like babies.” Tristan whispers as he comes back into the living room.
“That’s how they’ve always been. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to cover for them.” Maybethat’s why Pierce doesn’t like me. I was there for the younger ones the way he should have been there for me.
“I believe it.” He reaches for my hand and I let him take it. “Are you ready for bed?”
“Oh my gosh, yes. It’s been a long freaking day. And I hear my new comforter calling me.”
He doesn’t say anything else, only leads me into our room. My new pink comforter is spread across the bed and it clashes with everything in this room, but I don’t even care. At least I know I’ll be warm tonight.
“I’m gonna go change in the restroom so you can get your jammies on.”
“You don’t have to.” I try to argue but he holds up his hand.
“I really do.” He grabs some things out of his bag. “I’ll be right back.”
Tristan runs hot and cold. At times I know he feels something toward me, and then he plays the perfect gentleman. I don’t know if it’s for my benefit or his. But I can’t help wondering. We’ve only beentogetherfor a day, but we’ve been talking for a couple of weeks, and I’ve gotten to know him a bit better through that time. We mesh well together.
I knew doing a fake relationship was going to be a bad idea. It’s hard not to develop feelings for someone you’re friendly with. Deep down I know, that’s starting to happen. I’ve never had an inkling of more than surface level attraction with anyone else. There’s something different with Tristan, though. Something I didn’t realize I want in my life.
Quickly, I grab my pajamas out of the dresser and change. Next time we do a trip like this, I need to remember to bring sweats. My shorts are not cutting it with how cold the house is.
I slide beneath the comforter just as Tristan opens the bedroom door. “Are you good?”
“Yep. All changed and ready for bed.” Now I wait to see what he does.
He walks around the bed and picks up the bedding he used last night. Damn, I guess he’s not going to sleep in the bed with me. It’s like he wants the two youngest to find us out, even though I’m sure they already know.
To my surprise, he goes back to the other side of the bed. What is he doing? But I hold off on saying anything. Curiosity is getting the best of me.
