Are You Jealous?
"I love the moments I spend with you
No matter what we do
I know it won't last, you would have to go
But deep in my heart, I will cherish you more." - Rituparna Darolia
Chapter 5
Annabelle's POV
I had last seen Tristan 3 years back, when he was a tall, lanky 21 year old, freshly graduated from college, absolutely gorgeous with his forever tousled chocolate brown hair, and jade green eyes which he inherited from Audrey. His features resembled Stefan's so much that the two looked like twins, although Stefan looked better.
Now, Tristan looked matured, confident and his lanky body had nicely filled up, with muscles in the right places. Although he teased me incessantly, he treated me like a sister.
"Belladonna", he squealed in a high-pitched voice to imitate me, grinning from ear to ear, to piss me off. He knew how much I hated that nickname. Ok, I could also piss him off, I thought.
"Trissy, where had you been for so long", I squealed, grinning in a similar manner.
"Gawd," he groaned melodramatically, "Trissy doesn't suit me, honey," he said as he swept his hand over his body to indicate all of himself. "It's a name for some prissy missy. Why don't you call me "handsome', 'love', 'Caro', 'heartbeat'? See, so many options." He said wiggling his eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes hearing his name suggestions. What an impossible flirt!
Martha, giggling, offered them coffee. Stefan's jaw was clenched, hands formed into fists, knuckles white with suppressed anger, as he glared at Tristan, while he flirted with me. I knew Tristan wasn't interested in me romantically. He loved a girl named Amelia, since high school. He had confessed his feelings to her, but she left school forever. Tristan sat beside me purposely trying to get Stefan jealous.
"Seriously? Caro?" I said with disgust.
"See, you called me caro, it sounded so melodious coming from you, a music for my tired ears." He said winking. "So where's my kiss? I'm meeting you after 3 years and this is how you greet me?" He said coming closer.
Stefan banged the table with his fists and got up, growling, "Tristan Henderson, that's enough. Don't you have any work to do? Go freshen up and meet me at my study in 30 minutes along with the Clark project reports," he barked his orders placing down his coffee mug with a clang and stomped off for the stairs angrily.
"I emailed them to you bro. See, you're really getting old," said Tristan, grinning as he tried to hide behind me, making Stefan angrier.
At the foot of the stairs, Stefan turned and glared directly into my eyes, "In my office, now?" He gritted out.
Uh oh, I'm a dead case now. God knows what he would say to me now!
Martha, escaped to the kitchen to make dinner. Tristan winked and whispered into my ear, "You're a gone case now, sweetheart."
I groaned and went upstairs to my room to freshen up. After the cleaning and vacuuming, I felt dirty, sticky, and needed a quick shower. In 10 minutes, I felt fresh in a white and pink floral fitted sundress, and fixing my partly dried hair into a messy bun, I went to see Stefan in his study.
I knocked and opened the door, peeping inside cautiously. He sat at his desk, focused on his laptop. He looked up at me with a pissed off, scowling face. He gestured to me to sit on a chair in front of him. I felt like a naughty schoolgirl caught red-handed by the school principal.
"What took you so long?" He growled, "What exactly was that Rosy? Do you behave shamelessly that way with all men around you? " he barked.
"How dare you talk to me like that?" I glared at him. It was a very casual flirting that Tristan always did around me and I always treated him as a brother. Tristan knew I loved Stefan. I have always only loved Stefan. He was my first and my only love. He might be too blind not to realize it.
Stefan got up from his seat and angrily came around to where I sat. He gripped my chair and leaned towards me. I backed away nervously. What was he trying to do?
"My one question pisses you off, but you can throw yourself at him, laugh, and be happy with him?" He gritted out. His eyes shamelessly roaming all over my face checking out my reaction to his nearness.
I was very angry with him. It was none of his business what I did. He didn't own me. Suddenly realization struck. Wait a minute, was he jealous?
"It's none of your business what I do or don't," I said, trying to get up. He did not move, trapping me between him and the chair. "Why? Are you jealous Stefan?" I asked mockingly looking directly into his eyes.
"Yes, I am. Don't you think I should be?" He said as he came closer to me. His face was inches from mine. His eyes boring a hole into my face. I was spellbound by his electric blue eyes They were like a magnet drawing me in.
"Did he kiss you Rosy? Was it better than this?" His hot minty breath played with my nerves. He closed the distance, picked me up, and deposited me on his desk, and crashed his lips to mine in a possessive, hungry, and punishing kiss. My hands went around his neck and caressed his soft hair. His hand grasped my butt and I gasped in shock. His tongue entered my mouth and deepened the kiss, his other hand holding my head in place.
Yes, I was a 21-year-old virgin who never had a boyfriend as I could not forget Stefan. I avoided all guys who approached me. I was scared of rejection as I had experienced it all, first by my dad, then by Stefan himself. I had only loved Pops and now gran and Stefan too.
He released me to catch his breath. His eyes softened. I caressed his cheek and said, " There's nothing between me and Tristan, believe me. He is like a brother to me. He loves someone else. He just flirts to piss you off."
His eyes softened to a tender look. He released me and went to sit on his chair. I got down from the desk and was about to leave when he said, "Sit Rosy". I sat down curi6, not knowing what he wanted to talk to me about.
"Gran is doing well and will be released after one day. You realize, she needs intensive therapy and follow-up? " he asked and I nodded.
"That's why I've decided that you and gran are coming with me to live with me in my house in New York. I don't have much time. I have to return in four days and you both are coming with me," He ordered.
"I can look after gran like I always have Stefan. There's no need really to shift her at this stage. She's very attached to this house, you know it," I argued. I couldn't just leave with him. I had my students, my dance studio to take care of. I had always lived here in New Jersey all my life. I'm settled here.
"It was different then, Rosy. Gran's condition isn't getting better. With age, it would get worse. Here you are alone taking care of her. In New York, her whole family is there to look after her. I have spoken to gran. She is willing to go if only you accompanied her," he said seriously and I nodded.
It was true that in New York, gran's whole family would be available. If gran was willing, I could not object. I had to think of gran's wellbeing first.
" I won't be able to come and meet her here often. A big hotel construction project is coming up in New York to keep us busy for the whole of next year. Apart from the hotels we have, we are also into the construction of mega hotel projects. If you both stay with me I would not have to worry. Martha and Ellie would also come along with us," he said looking into my eyes with a pleading look, wanting me to agree.
"Alright, but what about my dance studio and the students here? I would have to refund them their money and close it down. That couldn't happen in 4 days, " I asked dejectedly.
"No, why should you have to close it down? John and his wife would continue to stay as they do in the outhouse. They could look after the administration side. You could hire a good teacher. There is a 24-hour security service in the mansion, so let the classes continue. You could visit whenever you wanted to. In the meantime, just enjoy the profits," he suggested as he had already planned out everything in advance.
I was dumbfounded. He really did have a solution to everything, like he really wanted me to go and live with him. It was only because of gran that he wanted you there, silly, I reasoned. Whatever the reason, I had to go because of gran and I had no choice but to agree.
"Fine, then, I really don't have any choice," I accepted, getting up to finally leave the study.
As I reached the door, he said, "I don't give choices. I would have kidnapped you to get you to my house sweetheart."
My eyes went wide and I hurriedly escaped from the study only to crash headlong into a grinning Tristan outside the door.
"What?" I asked when he kept on grinning and wiggling his brows.
"You are bright red, Belladonna", he said winking, "I heard what he said. I think he likes you," he whispered, suggestively.
I turned and ran away with bright red cheeks.
Stefan's POV
I was glad that Rosy saw the truth in my reasoning and agreed to go with me. I was pissed off with Tristan for flirting with Rosy. What if she took it in a wrong manner and fell for him instead of me?
I was angry with them. Why couldn't she flirt with me instead? Why couldn't she smile and called me with those names instead? My blood boiled at Tristan's mention of a kiss.
I was glad to be able to kiss her again. I had become insatiable and I needed to kiss her again. I smiled helplessly at my condition.
I loved that she treated Tristan as her brother. The confession brought a grin to my face. Tristan peeped in at that time and caught me red-handed.
"What bro? You're really whipped with her, aren't you?" He commented with a wide grin, sitting down with his laptop.
I smiled at him. "Is it that obvious?" I asked him and he nodded.
"Too obvious. Well, it's time she knew how crazy you are for her," said Tristan.
"I'm planning to do just that," I confessed. I have planned out everything well and now I was just waiting for her to go home with me.
"Good. Now since that's sorted, let's get on with the Clark project presentation bro. I'm stuck with this," he said, helplessly flinging his arms.
"Yes, yes," I agreed as we poured over the work, eager to get it completed and done with.
I tried hard to concentrate but couldn't seem to get Rosy out of my mind. The kiss, her soft body in my arms all were enough to stir a deep longing in my soul, a longing to make her mine. I knew I had to act upon this sooner for my own peace of mind.
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How did you like Tristan's character? You will meet him when I write his story in a sequel.
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Rituparna