CORAL (A Romance Trilogy, Book 1) (51 page)

“Tristan…stop!” I bark. His head
snaps back up, our eyes locking onto one another. “I’m sorry, I can’t...” I
move him out of my way, jump down off the breakfast bar and walk towards the
terrace, but Tristan catches me, wrapping his arm around my waist, my back to
his front.

“What was all that about?” He
whispers in my ear.

I lean my head back against his
chest and close my eyes. I feel stupid and angry and pissed off that I thought
it would just naturally happen. I freaked out and I want him so badly –
Fuck!
What do I do?
I hear George’s voice –
Tell him Coral!
I turn around
and look up into his worried, anxious eyes. I stroke his cheek, his day’s
stubble has disappeared, but now I’m really looking, I notice he looks tired.

“You look tired.” I say.

“Don’t change the subject. Tell
me what’s wrong?” He orders in a deep, flat voice.

“No!” I bark.
I can't tell
him, I just can't.

“Coral, what just happened?” He
pushes, I can tell he’s getting angry, frustrated. He takes hold of my upper
arms and grips them tightly. “Tell me baby, you should know you can tell me
anything,” he adds, his eyes pleading with mine.

And in that moment, I don’t know
why, but all my fears, doubts, worries, and inhibitions come rushing to the
surface – And I know…in that very moment, I know – I can't do this anymore. I
mean, who have I been kidding?
Myself that’s who!
I can't do
relationships, I can't do intimacy, and I can't do this – not anymore. I know
I’m self destructing it, but I self destruct everything, people, places. The
only thing I have ever held onto in a long term sense is my job.

I’ve even spent most of my life
waiting for Gladys to leave, even though I know she loves me, deeply, and I
love Tristan, more than I’ve ever loved anyone, which is why I have to go. I
can't continue like this, knowing full well that one day I’ll just up and
leave.

“Tristan, please let go of me.”
He instantly releases my arms. “I can't do this,” I mumble staring down at the
floor.

“Coral, please’ – “I have to go,
I can't do this anymore,” I whisper, keeping my eyes fixed to the floor. If I
look up at him I know I’ll stay and I can't, I can't do this to him, or me.

“Why?” he gasps. I shake my head
unable to give him answer. “You’re just running because you’re scared,” he
barks.

“Yes, I am scared. But I still
need to go,” I croak.

“Coral, no, please…don’t do
this,” his voice quivers.

“I told you Tristan…” I whisper.
“Right from the start, I…” I shake my head unable to articulate my feelings.

“Please…Coral I don’t want you to
go,” he whispers.

I frown at the floor. “I think
it’s better this way, to leave now…before we get too involved.”

Tristan snorts sarcastically at
me. “Too involved?” I look up at him he’s gripping his hair with his hands, a
look of despair on his face. “I think we’ve gone way past that, don’t you?” he
shouts.

“Tristan…” I close my eyes and
try to get my words out. “You don’t….I’m not…” I break off again –
Fuck!

“Baby….please, don’t do this…” He
says, his voice trembling. He tries to reach out to me, but I take a catious
step back.

“Please, Tristan, don’t make this
any harder than it already is.” I look up at him, he looks broken, like the
world is falling from beneath his feet, I instantly squeeze my eyes shut. “I
have to go,” I whisper, and without looking at him, I turn around and make my
way up the stairs.

Reaching the bedroom, I silently
pack my bag. When I’m done I throw my weekend bag over my shoulder, grab hold
of my handbag, stuff my feet into my trainers and march down the stairs – I
feel numb. Reaching the kitchen, I take a hesitant look at Tristan. He’s sat on
one of the bar stools, a deep frown etched into his features, totally lost in
thought. I almost change my mind –
No! Coral you have to leave, you’re not
good for him!

The truth of the matter is that
I’m not strong, and I’m not capable of this. I have nothing to offer him.
Nothing but fears, doubts, insecurities, and now I know – I’m incapable of
love.

I march over to him, take my keys
out of my bag, unhook the set he gave me and silently place them on the
breakfast bar. I take another hesitant look at him; he looks broken, totally
and utterly broken. Tears swim in his eyes as he looks up at me –
Oh fuck!

“Don’t go,” he croaks. My heart
sinks to the pit of my stomach. “I’m sorry,” I squeak and dash towards the
front door.

I yank it open, close it behind me
and speed walk down the driveway. Keeping my eyes fixed firmly ahead - I don’t
stop, I can't stop, I won’t stop.

I WALK IN A ZOMBIE LIKE STATE
all the way back to my studio. I feel nothing, just an empty hollow
feeling that’s always been there. Only now it feels a thousand times more
profound, more empty. Reaching my studio, I unlock the door step inside and let
my bags fall to the floor -
Coral, what have you done?
- I ignore my own
thoughts and make my way up the stairs. Reaching my bedroom I kick off my
trainers and collapse on the bed. In one fail swoop the enormity of what I’ve
just done comes crashing down on me and I howl in pain.
What is this?

I grip
my stomach trying to make the empty ache disappear –
God, please make it
stop!
This is torture, I can't take it. I rock myself back and forth as I
try to make it all go away. The pain I feel at never seeing Tristan again is
indescribable, I feel it everywhere – In my head, my heart, my soul, my body,
it even feels like it’s with me in the room – And I know that’s because he was
here, in this place, with me.
What have I done?

The
right thing! I tell myself – I’m not good for him, I can't give him what he
wants, what he deserves. I am not capable of this, of love – I’m a twisted
freak.

I cry even harder as I digest
these thoughts.

I grip the quilt closer to me,
hoping it will bring me some sort of comfort, some solace, but it smells of
him. I take in a deep ragged breath and I’m instantly knocked over by his
scent, it’s deeply engrained in the quilt, which makes me howl even harder –
Will
this ever end?

I curl up into a ball and really
let go, crying so hard I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to stop. I picture his
face as I left him, so hurt, so broken….
Tristan…

End of Part One…

Want to continue Coral & Tristan’s story? Keep on reading…

CORAL - Fallen

How far would you go to save the one that
you love?

Deeply troubled and daunted by her past, Coral Stevens
has decided to walk away, and broken off her deepening relationship with
Tristan Freeman, but he’s not about to give up that easily. He wants her, he
loves her, and he will do everything within his power to make her see that.
Despite her fears, Coral cannot resist and begins to open her heart to Tristan,
but the more she does, the harder it becomes for her to deny the truth to
herself; that she has fallen deeply, and irrevocably in love with him. However,
someone from Tristan’s past hides a dangerous secret, a secret neither one of
them could have envisaged and one that could ultimately, lead to their demise.
Driven by her love for Tristan, Coral has no choice but to face one of her
deepest, darkest fears...

Click
Here To Buy Now
- http://amzn.to/1BDVY5K

Excerpt From Fallen…

AS WE REACH THE GATES TO THE HOUSE
, Tristan turns and catches my hand in his, giving it a gentle
squeeze. He pulls up outside the house, switches off the engine and turns in
his seat. Feels very strange being back here, considering I only left a short
while ago – I try not to panic.

“Ok?” He softly asks. I smile
weakly at him.

I still don’t know if I’m doing
the right thing here.

“Ok.” He nods his head once,
almost as though he understood my unspoken answer, and steps out the car. Reaching
my side, he opens my door and holds out both his hands. I place my hands in his
and he gently pulls me to my feet. Then he bends down and swiftly kisses my
forehead, shutting the door behind me.

“I’ll get the bags, why don’t you
let yourself in?” I shake my head at him. I don’t want to go inside that house
without him.

“Ok.” He reaches out and runs a
cool finger down my cheek, calming me. Then he walks round to the boot,
collects my bags and comes back over to me. I take his outstretched hand, and
we walk to the front door – this feels so surreal.

Taking his key out he unlocks the
door, and pushes it open, gesturing for me to go first. With trembling legs, I
take a step inside the house, then another and another, until I’m stood inside
the huge entrance hall.

I hear Tristan follow, shut the
door behind him and drop my bag to the floor.

“Do you want anything baby?” I
put my handbag down, take off my sunglasses, and slowly turn to look at him.

He puts his hands in his pockets
and gazes back at me. He looks lost, very wary, and slightly uncomfortable. I
hate that I’ve made him feel like this. He’s beautiful, and sweet, caring and
attentive and I love him.
Why the hell did I walk out on him?

I grit my teeth at myself, take
the two steps needed and crush myself against his chest, wrapping my arms
tightly around his strong, muscular back.

“I’m so sorry,” I choke. He
hesitantly wraps his arms around me and gently rocks me.

“It’s ok baby. You don’t have to
be sorry.” He softly says.

“But I walked out on you,” I
choke.

“Yes, I know,” he shudders. “What
do you want Coral? Do you want to be alone, or do you’ – “No, I want to be with
you,” I interrupt, closing my eyes and inhaling his intoxicating scent.

“Oh baby, I want to be with you
too.” Tristan kisses my hair several times. “Coral, what do you need?”

“You,” I whisper. I hear his soft
chuckle and look up at him.

“I need you too,” Tristan says,
finally smiling at me. He reaches up and takes my face in his hands. “You don’t
have to tell me anything you don’t want to, ok?” I nod once. “You didn’t eat
much earlier. Are you hungry?” I shake my head. “Thirsty?” I shake my head
again and start to smile, Tristan’s grin widens in response. “Hmm. What to do?”
He says.

“Stay here,” I reply, squeezing
him tighter. I may not like strangers touching me, but ever since I came to
realise that Gladys wasn’t bad, I always loved her hugs – they make me feel
safe, loved. Just like Tristan’s hugs, only Tristan’s are better, so much
better.

“I have a better idea.” He says,
smiling broadly now.

“You do?” I squeak, looking up at
those mesmerizing chocolate eyes of his.

Tristan nods once, his serious
expression is back. “Dance with me?” He asks.

“Now?” I squeak. Tristan nods
once. “Here?” He nods again, looking down at me with such a loving expression,
that I have only one answer. “Ok,” I shrug. “But we don’t even have any music?”
I add.

“Stay there.” He grins and walks
over to the kitchen.

Moments later I hear a guitar
rift start. I instantly recognize the tune – Hero, Enrique Iglesias. My heart
starts manically beating…
oh the words
…
this song… it’s so beautiful
…
I feel very overwhelmed and have to fight to stop myself crying.

Tristan walks over to me, his
eyes wide, and his hand held out. I place my hand in his. Without a word, he
pulls me into him, and spins us around a couple of times, making me smile. Then
we slowly dance our way around the empty space of the living area, Tristan is
so good at this.

***

I AM DREAMING I’M ON THE BOAT AGAIN
. Tristan is calling me, but I don’t feel the same warm, blissful
feeling as I did before. I feel on edge, like all my senses are on hyper alert.
I can sense there’s danger. Tristan calls my name again, only it sounds
slightly twisted, like...like he can't breathe? I immediately know something’s
really wrong.

I
silently head up the stairs, Tristan’s calls are becoming more frantic, like
he’s trying to find me, but he can't. I want to call out to him, but a voice
inside my head tells me not to, that I shouldn’t alert anyone to my presence.

As I
reach the top of the stairs I scan the deck, I can’t see Tristan anywhere. As I
look up above me, I notice the sun isn’t shining like before, dark ominous
black clouds have covered it, pushing the blue sky away. The wind starts to
howl, whipping my hair around my face, and I can hear thunder in the distance.
I look out to the horizon, forks of lighting are lighting it all up, giving me
a glimpse of the coming storm.