Page 32 of Lust
After that first time Tobias dropped by, Mom invited him over for breakfast, dinner, and every meal I ate at home instead of the shelter. I tried to avoid Tobias, not only for his own good but also out of respect for Tris’ wishes.
No matter how much I pushed Tobias away, he was everywhere. And one night, as I was saying my goodbyes, Tobias took me into his arms for a kiss that stole my breath and left my head spinning. He did the same the following day and the day after.
By the fourth day, an odd realization dawned on me.
I had inadvertently allowed Tobias to court me for days, and he had survived to live the tale. It was nothing short of a miracle.
Was it possible I had met someone immune to this curse of mine?
The likelihood had been settling in slowly and surely.
A slight pang of guilt still niggled at the back of my mind because Tristan wouldn’t be pleased with my choice of company, especially since Tris had delivered as promised. The shelter had been granted more time to figure out the next step.
The guilt was quickly thwarted by the new hope blossoming in my heart that I didn’t have to spend the rest of my days alone.
In the end, I let Tobias drag me away for a lazy afternoon stroll around the streets of Georgetown. The familiar streets of the Capital looked foreign under the spirits of his company.
Tobias slid his hands around the small of my back. “Sara, the last few days have been amazing. But I get the feeling that you… you’re still holding back.”
I knew it wouldn’t be long before Tobias pressed me about the status quo of this relationship. We had been dancing around it for days, and I had been dreading the conversation.
Tobias wanted to progress our relationship—both emotionally and physically. He had asked me on dates outside of the perimeters of my home, and he had asked me back to his apartment.
I had declined both invitations.
I felt safe in his hold and had come to trust him after only a short time together. Tobias was a good man—sweet, moral, a gentleman—and I was the lucky one to have his attention. Not to mention, it turned out that Mom might have been right all along. After days together, nothing terrible had befallen Tobias. Perhaps there’d never been a curse, only a series of unfortunate events surrounding me.
So, why did my heart hold back, refusing to dive in fully?
Perhaps these reservations had to do with Tris. My heart couldn’t surrender until he let go of his misgivings about Tobias. Tris and I made plans for this upcoming weekend. I’d disclose the new development, after which my lingering reservations would crumble. I was sure of it.
“I really like you, Sara. In fact…” He shook his head with a smile. “I can’t believe I am saying this, but I’m falling for you.”
My breath hitched. How could that be? “Tobias, we have known each other for less than a week.”
“It’s insane, I know.” He closed his eyes in defeat. “But I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
“Tobias,” I tried again. “I-I don’t know what to say other than… I-I need my brother’s approval before we go any further.”
He leaned back in surprise. “Your brother? How could that matter when we have your parents’ blessing?”
Shit. He was right. Why did it matter?
“It-It’s just… A lot of people in this city know him. It’ll be bad if he finds out about us some other way. I want to tell him in person.”
Knowing my high and mighty brother, he might already be privy to my ongoing association with Tobias. He had this annoying tendency of learning information when he should have no access to it.
Nevertheless, I hated lying, even by omission. I also understood that sensitive topics should be discussed in person. I planned to tell Tris the truth once he came down for a visit, and I got him in a good enough mood to listen with an open heart.
Tobias didn’t appear convinced. “Right,” he mumbled. “Your good-lookingbrotherthat all the girls seem to like.”
I glanced discreetly at his eyes which were now filled with suspicion. “I guess,” I said cautiously.
“Look, Sara. I would like to take you on a date,” he announced abruptly. “And I’m hoping that your parents’ blessing is good enough for that cause. Forget your brother. Just say yes to one date with me.”
I wanted to say yes. Not only to the date but,yes,to experiencing the physical component, too. One I had looked forward to my entire life.
Instead, I tried to gentle the blow. “Can you give me a couple of days to think about it? Please?” A couple of days until Tristan returned.
