Play Me

3. Tristan

Chapter Three

Tristan

Brilliant. I’d just gone and set myself up for a few hours of t*****e. What the hell was I thinking? If there was one thing I didn’t do, it was chase after women. I’d done that once upon a time when I was young and naïve. I’d learned quite thoroughly it wasn’t worth it. Yet, it definitely felt like I might be awful close to chasing Daisy. I couldn’t resist though. No more than a few minutes of hot, wild kisses with her, and too much felt unfinished. Then, there was her and the way she got under my skin. When she went all prickly, that did it. I was determined to push her past the walls she’d put up. A distant warning bell rang in my mind, but I was feeling downright stubborn about this. I didn’t intend for tonight to end with dinner. I needed to finally get her out of my system and then we’d both be better off for it.

My desk phone rang, jolting me out of my mental daze. Only then did I become aware enough to realize my c**k was still hard. b****y hell. That’s how much of an effect Daisy had on me.

I let the call go to voice mail and forced myself through a set of twenty pushups—right there in my office in my lab coat. The exertion was enough to take the edge off my raging hard on and get my mind focused again.

Hours later, I snagged my keys off the table by the door to my flat and walked outside. Inside of a minute, I was driving toward Daisy’s flat. I knew where she lived because I’d been there a number of times before she began conveniently avoiding me. She had hosted a few gatherings there for our mutual friends and lived close enough I could’ve walked, but I intended to make this an actual date, so I was taking her to dinner across town. I knew she loved new places and had heard from a friend at the hospital that there was a great new Asian fusion restaurant.

I rolled to a stop in front of the duplex where she lived. The door swung open as I lifted my hand to knock. My eyes collided with hers and my breath seized for a moment. f**k me. She was so beautiful. Her thick mane of blonde hair hung in loose waves around her shoulders. She’d changed from her proper, professional outfit into a white cotton shirt that was cinched at the neck by a bow just above her generous breasts. This was paired with a bright blue skirt that hugged her hips and swung playfully at her knees. She wore the same black kitten heels. I don’t think I’d ever seen her wear makeup and tonight was no exception. Her rosy cheeks were enough on their own, while her wide brown eyes had thick lashes that curled against her cheeks. She wasn’t a typical beauty. She had a slightly crooked mouth paired with a nose that tipped up. With her angled eyes, she had a tilted look to her. Altogether, she seemed impish. She was curvier than the average woman, but didn’t make any effort to hide it. It took every bit of restraint I had not to kiss her just then, but I didn’t.

I don’t know how, but I knew I had to tread lightly, or she’d do just as she had before. Don’t ask me why I didn’t just forget about it. I didn’t know why Daisy bolted on me last time, but I needed to see this through to fruition with her, so I could stop thinking about her. I didn’t even like to consider how many times I’d jacked off to the recollection of what it had felt like to kiss her. It had been like stepping into fire—so hot and so f*****g good I’d craved it ever since.

“Cat got your tongue?” Daisy asked, her tone acerbic and sly.

I’d been all but slack-jawed staring at her, so she had me there. I rallied and shrugged. “You look beautiful. Shall we?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she lifted her chin. “Of course,” she said briskly before stepping through the door and locking it quickly behind her. Her scent drifted up to me—a hint of honey and fruit. I forced myself to step back as she turned to walk down the walkway.

Opening the car door for her got me an eye roll and a huff. Daisy like this was like gas on a fire for me. I had to talk my c**k down as I rounded the car and climbed in.

“So where are we going?” she asked once I pulled away from the curb.

“New place I heard about across town.”

“And that would be called?”

I glanced to her as I rolled to a stop at an intersection. “Actually, I can’t remember, but I know where it is.”

“You can’t remember what it’s called, but you know where it is?” she asked with a wide grin.

“Exactly. I remember numbers well. The address is four fifty-nine Hawthorne Drive. It’s over by the airport. It’s a new Asian fusion place. I know you love to try new places, and it just opened last weekend.”

I navigated onto the road that would get us most quickly across town, a bit relieved driving gave me something to do. I’d underestimated the effect Daisy had on me. I couldn’t say if it was because it had been so long since I’d spent much time with her, but b****y hell. She obliterated my ability to focus. I needed a few minutes to get a grip. I wasn’t used to wanting someone this much.

“Oh! I heard about this place. It’s supposed to be really good,” she replied, bouncing in her seat a little.

You’d think I had some sense, but I’d also forgotten how it felt to be around Daisy. I’d known her a good three years now. She was this odd combination of sly and sarcastic mingled with a carefree joy that bubbled up occasionally. Aside from the fact I’d always felt a buzz of electricity between us, I also enjoyed being around her. She was quite bright and funny. She loved debating and was good-natured about it.

“Ah then. Do you know what it’s called?” I asked in return.

Canting my eyes sideways, I caught her lopsided grin as she looked my way.

“Nope, but you’re supposed to know.”

“Is that so?”

“Yup. You’re taking me to dinner, so you should know. I’ll let it slide as long as it’s as good as promised.”

I chuckled. “Ah, so if it doesn’t live up to the hype, I’m in the doghouse?”

I felt her grin this time as I kept my eyes on the road and had to bite back my own. This was too much fun, and that should’ve bothered me, but I didn’t care. I had a goal, and I intended to see it through. Tonight would end with me buried deep inside of Daisy. For once and for all, I’d get her out of my system and then we could be friends again.