Page 95 of Heart to Heart
CHAPTER 54
TRISTAN
I watchedher between heavy eyelids as she lay sleeping, the morning sunlight streaming in, catching strands of her hair on fire. Soon, I would have to get up and leave, but now was not that time. For now, I would use the minutes I had to admire every curve of her body as she slept naked on her stomach, a bedsheet covering the curve of her ass. Even if I’d wanted to get up, I couldn’t. My legs, arms, stomach, and anywhere there was muscle were sore. The kind of sore that only happens after a marathon night of sex. I don’t remember when we stopped, but my body did, and I would pay for it all day with a big smile on my face.
“Are you going to say good morning, or are you just going to stare at me like a creeper?” Avery asked, her eyes, heavy like mine, fluttering open.
“Creeper? You didn’t think I was too much of a creeper last night.”
“Oh, I did. I just didn’t say anything because the sex was so good.”
“How did you know I was looking at you when your eyes were closed?”
“A woman always knows.” She smiled.
I reached out to touch her cheek, bringing my face closer to hers to lightly kiss her on her lips. “I need to tell you something.”
“What,” she asked, suddenly concerned. Even after last night, she was still self-conscious about us, which I hoped to change today.
“My name isn’t Tristan Tate.” Her eyes flew open, and she stared at me, possibly waiting for me to tell her I was joking. Except it wasn’t a joke. “Tristan Tate is my stage name. My real name is Tristan Tagmatarke, which doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue like Tate does.”
“So, was it Tristan Tagmatarke, who I just spent a hot night of passionate, dirty, rock-my-world lovemaking with, or was it Tristan Tate?”
“Who do you want it to be?”
“Tristan Tagmatarke.”
“Really? Why?”
“Because that’s you, the name you were born with. But I’m totally going to step out on Tristan Tagmatarke with Tristan Tate from time to time.”
“That’s fair.” I snickered. Damn, was there a part of her that wasn’t adorable?
“Why didn’t you keep your real name?”
“Because it was hard to brand and, most importantly, because my parents like their privacy. If people don’t know my real name, then their lives can be relatively normal.”
“I guess I should tell you that my name isn’t really Avery, then.”
“What?” I lifted my head up from the pillow, fully awake now.
“I’m just screwing with you.” She giggled, her eyes sparkling. “But you should have seen your face.”
The image of Avery in her Cookie Monster onesie and how she’d captivated me during her initial interview came back to me. She’d had me even then.
“I have something else to tell you,” I said.
“What? Your name isn’t really Tristan Tagmatarke?”
“That would be something if it wasn’t, wouldn’t it.” I shook my head, running my hand through my hair, unsure of how she was going to respond to this one. “During the selection process, I was able to sit in and watch as assistants were going through some of the application videos. Your video was one of those videos.”
Avery perked up, propping her head up with her hand.
“I saw you, and I couldn’t look away. I told them I wanted you on the show.”
“You’re the reason, then? You’re why I’m here?”
I nodded. “I am. Even then, you were the one.”
