Chapter 10 Ten: Lia

• “I want to.” I take his hand and press the palm to my cheek. “Talk to me.”
• Tristan hedges a moment. “You know I haven’t been with anyone. Since the divorce.” He rolls a thick shoulder. “A lot of that was because of work. Because I didn’t meet anyone that interested me. But, uh…the divorce had a lot to do with it, too. Eric’s mother and I weren’t a great match. We didn’t have the same interests, but we came from money. It was more for status than anything. When she left, though…it was because of…” He nods down at his midsection. “The way I look. Big and bulky. Not lean like the tennis player husbands at the country club.”
• I’ve only met Eric’s mother on a handful of occasions and I’m pretty sure I was too overcome with jealousy that she’d been married to Tristan to pay much attention. Right now, I’d like to stomp on her instep and bust her stupid nose, though. That much I know. “Well, I’m sorry, but that’s really horrible and shallow,” I say, my own nose starting to burn out of outrage and the need to cry for this man who provides for everyone without complaint. “That’s more of a reflection of her character than you.” He gives me an appreciative look, but clearly doesn’t believe me, so I swing for the fences because there’s no way my sugar daddy is going to feel anything less than amazing when he’s with me. I can’t believe he doesn’t know how desirable he is. “Listen to me. You’re sexy as shit. That thing you do…where you roll up your sleeves and plant both fists on the kitchen counter, the way you manspread in your swim trunks with those log-cabin thighs. That gray and black chest hair. Like, oh my god.” I bite my lip and give a low squeal, tugging him toward me by the front of his shirt. “I’ve been wanting to ride the Tristan train since it was highly illegal.”