Page 80 of The Temporary Bride

Of course I can’t stop thinking about it. I’ve never had sex like that before in my life. I didn’t know sex like that was even possible.

I sink a little deeper into the water, feeling the heat rise within me again. The way he touched me… every movement seemed driven by an unspoken desire to connect, to reassure, to claim. It was unexpected in its intensity but so fucking good. It was as if he was trying to erase all my doubts with his touch.

I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. Despite everything, despite the hurt and the anger, there’s no denying the way Tristan makes me feel. The way he can reach into the deepest parts of me and bring them to life. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying.

For years, I felt like I was broken. Past trauma left deep scars, both seen and unseen, and I withdrew into myself, building walls so high and thick that no one could get through. I became the ice queen everyone whispered about behind my back. Cold, distant, untouchable. It was a defense mechanism, a way to protect myself from more pain.

But Tristan has chipped away at that ice, slowly, patiently, persistently. With every gentle touch, every whispered word, he reminded me that I am a flesh and blood woman, capable of feeling, of desiring, of loving. It’s a good feeling, one that I never thought I would experience again.

The way he fucked me today, with such intensity and passion, was a stark reminder of that. It wasn’t just about the physical act. It was a declaration, a promise.

I sink a little deeper into the warm bathwater, letting it soothe the lingering soreness in my muscles. The aftermath of our intense encounter has left me tender in places. I can still feel the marks he left on me—where his fingers dug into my hips, the places where his lips and teeth grazed my skin.

A grin spreads across my face, unbidden. The feel of his hands gripping me, holding me close, grounding me in the moment. There’s a primal satisfaction in the evidence of his touch. Even now, hours later, I find myself savoring it.

I trail my fingers over the spots on my hips where his grip was the strongest, feeling a slight ache there. It’s not an unpleasant sensation. Rather, it’s a reminder of how deeply he wants me, how fully committed he was.

I stretch out in the tub. The water feels like a cocoon, softening the edges of my thoughts and easing the tension from my body.

The bathroom door creaks open, and I open my eyes to see Tristan standing there. The heat in his eyes has settled from an open inferno to a low smolder, but I can still see it in the mesmerizing blue of his irises.

“I could never get enough of that,” he murmurs.

“Of what?”

“You.” His eyes go hooded. “Wearing nothing but those dimples and a smile.”

I didn’t even realize I was smiling, and his words make me grin harder, a blush creeping up my cheeks.

Something passes across Tristan’s chiseled features, and he moves closer to the tub, kneeling beside it. Without a word, he reaches for the shampoo and begins washing my hair. I blink in surprise, but the feel of his strong fingers massaging my scalp is too good, and my eyelids droop as I relax into it.

He works the shampoo into my hair with a tenderness that makes my heart ache in the best possible way. As he rinses the suds out, he breaks the silence that’s settled between us.

“I put in a bid on the space.”

My eyes fly open, and I turn my head slightly to look at him, water cascading down my shoulders. “You did?”

He nods. “Yes. I know it’s a big step, but I believe in Eclipse Studios and in us. I think this is the right move.”

“Do you think we should’ve checked out more spaces before putting in a bid?” I trail my fingers through the water. “I mean, I loved it. Really. But⁠—”

“No,” he says firmly. “I liked that one. It felt right. And besides, that corner office? The one we were in today? That’s mine.”

A little shiver goes through me as he says that word, mine. “You’ll never even be there,” I point out teasingly. “You’re the CEO of Thorne Enterprises. You’re not going to be hanging around Eclipse Studios once it gets off the ground.”

Tristan shrugs, his expression unbothered. “Doesn’t matter,” he says with a grin. “No one else will get to have that office.”

I raise an eyebrow, amused by his possessiveness over a mere office space. “And why is that?”

“It’s where I fucked my wife for the first time.” His voice drops. “So it’s mine.”

“Wow,” I tease, “it’s amazing you’ve made it this far in business, if that’s how you make all of your decisions.”

Tristan smirks, his eyes glinting with amusement. “I wouldn’t say all.”

I laugh, shaking my head as the bathwater shifts around me a little. “Well, I guess if that’s your criteria for office space, I should be curious about the rest of your choices.”

Tristan chuckles, his hands moving to rinse out the last of the shampoo. He leans in close, and I can feel his lips lingering near the top of my ear, his breath warm. “I assure you, not every decision is based on what you do. Just most of them.”