Page 30 of Inadmissible
“Look at you opening up and sharing how you feel.”
My eyes rolled playfully as I smiled. “You’ve earned it.”
“Good. I’ma keep earning it too. But you’re right. I’ve had a few women I could do some things with, but they’ve never really been someone I’d call a friend. Like, if we weren’t dating, I wouldn’t hang out with them platonically. That’s not the case with you. I see you as a true friend. I’m glad you’re my lover as well, but I appreciate our friendship too.”
He made a pit stop to the dispensary to get a couple of prerolls and liquid weed for himself because I didn’t smoke. I’d take a gummy if it was a holiday and I wanted to really enjoy myself, but that was about it. As we continued to his place, we started talking about our goals and desires.
Tristan asked me what I wanted and needed, and I took the time to think about it. I wanted a trustworthy man and needed respect. At this point, love would be a bonus. I’d convinced myself I didn’t even want it anymore, so if I got it, it would be a sweet treat. Tristan shared with me that he wanted companionship and needed to feel cared for, which made sense since service was his love language.
“And I want my own family too,” he said. “Community is big for me. Professionally, platonically, and romantically. I was blessed with the family I was born in. We’re all close. My partners at the firm have become my closest friends. Now . . . I need my wife and kids.” He looked over at me, and though I smiled, I avoided his eyes.
“Yeah, being close to your family is a true blessing. My mom and I are really close now, but it wasn’t like that in my teenaged years. I was angry with her for staying with him, you know? You know how I feel about my brother, but other than that, I don’t really have a lot of family.”
“You can have mine. I’d love to share them with you.”
That made me look over at him. “You’re gonna make me love you, aren’t you?”
Tristan chuckled and took my hand into his. He kissed my palm and the top of my hand. “That’s certainly my plan, sweetheart. I think you think I be playing when I say you’re going to be my wife. Well you already are my wife to me, but yeah. We’re going to get married one day. Tell me what you want for our family. Tell me how you want it to differ from your parents’ family with you and your brother. I wanna make sure I give you what you desire.”
For the first time, I didn’t think about the worst that could happen. I didn’t remind myself I couldn’t trust him. I didn’t assume he was just running game. I simply considered his question and answered.
“I want babies. Lots of babies. I want my children to know what it feels like to have close siblings because Ty was truly my saving grace when we were growing up. I want them to see a woman being loved and cherished and protected and prioritized and valued and a man being honored and considered and cared for and respected and loved. I want them to see us as husband and wife and not just their parents, so they’ll know what healthy love looks like. I want us to have our own traditions for holidays. Summers in the Hamptons, fall at Martha’s Vineyard, winters at a west coast beach. I . . .” My mouth snapped shut as emotion overtook me.
“Your crybaby ass,” he teased, lifting my hand and kissing it again as I laughed.
“Hey, I’m a Pisces. Leave me alone.”
“You got that shit honest too. Your sensitivity and emotions are safe with me. And so is your desire for love and romance. Keep going though, sweetheart.”
“I just want a family that’s safe and mine. I want a man that’s mine and only mine. I don’t want to share you with another woman, Tristan. If I ever had to, I wouldn’t want you anymore. You’d lose all value to me.”
“I agree 100 percent. I said something along those exact same lines to my ex when she cheated. I’m way too territorial to share. It’s not an insecurity but straight up the fact that if you’re mine, you’re mine. I don’t want a woman any other man can have.
“I take great pride in having a woman no other man can have access to, and if I can be completely honest, the more I know a woman is just mine, the harder I go to make sure she’s loved and satisfied, because I never want to risk losing her.” Tristan used his hand to tilt my head in his direction. “You’re my prize and reward for life, sweetheart. If God gave you to me, and I honestly believe He did, I’m going to honor and thank Him by cherishingyou for the rest of our lives. You’ll want for nothing with me, and you’ll always be my only woman.”
I leaned against the console of his Camaro and gave him a quick kiss. “I-I think I wanna love you, angel. I think I wanna try.”
He released a cocky chuckle before kissing me again. “Nah, you’re not gonna try. You’re gonna do.”
Tristan
Valentine’s Day
This was the first Valentine’s Day where a woman did for me like I did for her. It was also the first Valentine’s Day where I didn’t go above and beyond on material shit because that’s what a woman wanted. Instead, Taj wanted something she could feel. She wanted me. My time. My touch. Things with sentimental value. Her wanting that made me want to also give her the world.
We decided to avoid the crowd and keep things intimate, so we spent the day at her place. She started the day by cooking for me, which I truly appreciated. After that, I booked us a couples massage. We agreed to only get each other one gift. I kind of cheated and was hoping she wouldn’t call me out on it when I presented her with her gift.
Sucking her teeth, she giggled and rolled her eyes as I handed her the gift bags.
“Tristan.”
I lifted my hand the second she used her stern voice with me. “Hear out my logic.”
“Go ahead,” she granted with a smile.
“I know we said only one thing, but I technically got you just one brand. It’s just all the piecesfromthe one brand.”
“Lord. You’re such a strategist.”
