“I hope you aren’t forgetting anything.” Tristan asked. 

“No. I don’t think so…” I scanned the entire hotel room but it didn’t seem like anything here belonged to me anymore.

“Are you sure?”

“I think so. And you aren’t forgetting anything too?” 

“I’m Tristan, I don’t forget things at a hotel room— well, except one day I forgot a woman I was supposed to hook up with at a hotel room.”

“Are you serious?” I laughed out loud. 

“Yes, and it’s all your fault. Let’s go.” He intertwined our fingers, leading me out of the hotel room. 

“How is it my fault?” I wondered. 

“It was during my 3-month trip to New Zealand.”  

“So you met other women after you were already married? I knew you were cheating on me. Your pictures with different gorgeous models were always popping onto my phone’s screen.” I rolled my eyes, feeling the need to clutch my chest and fall dramatically while thinking of him sleeping with another woman.

“Cheating on you?” We got into the elevator. “I haven’t slept with any woman since a few months before our wedding, and it’s all your fault. You’re always on my mind, all the time, all women feel strange. I’m still so scared of you because I’m starting to think you’ve given me some kind of potion.”

I could feel my face burning with red; I didn't know I had that much effect on him. 

“And it scares me sometimes.” He admitted.

“Scares you that you can’t be with another woman but me?”

“In a way, yes.”

I stared at him, a frown appearing on my face. “So you want to cheat on me?”

“No, you don’t understand.” He sighed. 

The elevator doors opened again then we stepped out of it. 

“It scares me that my heart is coming back because of you, and it's being too clingy to you. I’m just always so—”

“I think I understand you but I want you to know that I won’t hurt you.” 

He went completely silent, letting go of my hand to keep it on the small of my back as we stepped out of the hotel. 

Bodyguards surrounded us till we got to the car. 

Tristan opened the car door for me then got into it after I did, shutting the door. 

The driver waited till the bodyguards got into other cars, before he started the car. 

The drive was smooth, silent and very boring. 

“Why am I so attracted to you?” I turned my gaze to Tristan who rested his head on my shoulder. 

“I ask myself the same question every time.” I laced my fingers with his. 

“That makes it an additional thing we have in common.” He said and I let out a chuckle.

“Hazel, this emotional and physical attraction towards you grows everyday.” Did I forget to mention how my head was about to explode from extreme ecstasy at his word? “Even without seeing you or touching you. You weren’t talking to me for an entire week but it felt like years— years of torture. I’m scared.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

“Please promise me you won’t break my heart as well.” He raised his head to lock his beautiful electric blue eyes with my hazel ones.

“I promise you I won’t break your heart.” I cupped his face. “And will you promise me the same? I don’t want the love I have for you to expand, then you crush it because of doubt.”

He held my hands, smiling for the first time today. “I won’t as long as you don’t break your promise.” 

“I won’t.”

He stared at me shortly again, still smiling— I bet it was the longest time he had ever smiled.

He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He looked like he wanted to ask something but was hesitant. 

“Do you have something to ask for?”

“I just… I really feel like… uh…” he let go of me, scratching the back of his neck nervously. 

“You’re nervous to ask something from me?” Who knew this arrogant man was such a child on the inside?

“Why would I be nervous?” He scoffed. “I’m Tristan Shane Hendrix.”

“Then ask.”

“You know what? Never mind.”

*** 

“Hazel!” Mike's voice startled me but his broad smile reminded me of the great friend I left behind.

“Mike.” I gave him a very friendly hug. “Wow, I missed you.” 

“Me too, especially your cooking.”

I heard the sound of the door shut but I didn’t stop hugging him till I felt someone pull me away from the hug. 

“How dare you hug your boss’ wife?!” Tristan spat at Mike.

“I— I’m sorry, sir.”

“Weren’t you supposed to be on a break from work, only a few cleaners are supposed to be here.” Didn’t he realize he was raising his voice?

“I’m sorry, I only wanted to welcome you both.” 

“Tristan, it’s fine. I hugged him, he didn’t hug me first.”

“You’re married to me, not him.” 

“You don’t have to be married to someone before you can hug them, especially if you’re very good friends.” I explained but he didn’t look convinced. “Forget it, we’re heading upstairs, I’m very tired.

 I held his hand, walked up the stairs with him, and to our bedroom.

“You’re so mean.” I said, switching the lights on and shut the door. 

He was still frowning –an expression I didn’t like at all– and walked to sit on the bed, taking off his shoes and socks.

“Most men are perverts. Just because a lady is beautiful and really hot, they’ll want to take advantage of being friends with them.” He said, taking his wristwatch off.

I strutted to stand in front of him. “So you think I’m beautiful and really hot?” I pursed my lips, holding back my smile. 

He rolled his eyes at me, getting rid of his suit coat. 

“Stop trying to fish for compliments and go take a shower.”

“Fish for compliments?” I broke into laughter. 

“Have a shower, I’ll be back.” He rose from the bed. 

“Where are you heading to?”

“To have a shower in the next bathroom.”

“Are you sure?”

“What? Do you want me to have a shower with you instead?” He lifted an eyebrow in perplexion.

“Shower? You? What? No, that’s not what I meant. Uh… I thought… uh…”

“I was only joking,” he smiled. “Have a shower and go to bed, it’s late.”

He wore his slippers then left the room. 

I watched the door, letting my mind race through the thoughts of everything about him and how we were getting along quickly. Indeed, good communication is a vital part in every relationship. 

Having a shower with Tristan was something I had dreamt of before getting married to him but now that I knew how wonderfully and perfectly amazing his body was after seeing his naked chest and legs at the pool, I could literally do anything to see it again and have my hands on his bare chest, letting my fingers run through his hair— okay, let’s end it there.

I headed to the bathroom, had a nice and long shower, did my normal night rituals then got into nothing but a night dress and headed straight to bed, covering myself with a duvet. 

I couldn’t sleep yet because I wasn’t comfortable so I kept staring around, and having weird imaginations in my head till the door of the room was pushed open. 

I could tell it was Tristan so I shut my eyes to pretend I was sleeping, listening to his footsteps, hoping for him to utter more confessions to me while he thought I was sleeping.

Shortly after, I felt his weight on the bed.

 “I know you’re not asleep yet, Hazel, so don’t expect me to make any type of confessions or anything.” He yawned. 

I turned to him, surprised he knew. “You must be a vampire or something.”

“Goodnight.” He laid on his side, staring at me with a roll of his eyes. “Okay fine, you’re very beautiful.” That was random. 

I felt heat rise up to my cheeks from his compliment. “You’re handsome too.” 

“Yes, I know that.” He tucked my hair behind my ear, looking at me like he wanted to ask for something again but once again, he didn’t say anything, only maintaining absolute silence.

“Have you ever been cuddled?” I broke the silence. 

“Cuddle? What the heck is that?” He snickered.

“How can you not know what cuddle means? And you’re a billionaire but—”

“Silly, I know what it means. I mean, I have never experienced it so it’s foreign.”

I widened my eyes. “What did you ever do with your ex-girlfriend? Talk about politics and business?”

My ears were blessed with the amazing sound of his laughter. “Maybe you’re right, maybe you’re not. Lucy was always interested in the family business anyway so yes, we talked about it a lot because I loved her and felt we could share everything with each other.” His face became gloomy. I could tell he was remembering that bitch again and it was affecting him. 

“Keep your arms around me, snuggle very close to me.” I said, turning around and shifted till my back rested against him. 

He wrapped his arms around me while I leaned my back close to his chest, receiving the wonderful warmth of his body. 

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” He replied, pulling me closer to his chest and placed a very gentle and soft kiss on my neck. “A very good night.” 

He had let his past affect him too much and he needed to be reminded of positive things so he could forget his past. 

“Tristan,” I called, placing my arm over his hands while he hummed a response. “I really love you, I think I might be obsessed with you because I can’t think of anyone else but you and I can’t bear to be without you. I love you with my whole heart and I hope someday, you’ll love and admit that you love me too.”

“I love this friendship.” He chuckled, planting another soft kiss on my earlobe. 

“You’re not supposed to be hugging and kissing someone that’s just a friend. You claimed Mike was a pervert by hugging a beautiful and hot woman because they are friends, he didn’t even kiss me.”

“That’s different; I feel intoxicated. Go to bed now. I’m very tired. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow.” We?