Oceans Apart Book 1 (Oceans Apart #1)(23)

I actually really liked being productive even when I wasn’t hiding from something. It made me feel good to check things off of a to-do list, and the app I used on my phone gave me points for doing things, so my progress actually had a total.


By the time I’d gone to the market and the whole foods store, I figured I might as well swing by the bank and make that deposit I’d been meaning to do all week; and then it was on to the post office.

It was closing in on four in the afternoon by the time I’d got home. I whipped up a chicken salad real quick for dinner and figured I’d watch a movie and relax. Kari was nowhere to be found, which was fine with me; I wasn’t in the mood either to fight or apologize. I sat up on my bed, leaning back on the headboard, and turned on my laptop.

Just as I was about to go to Netflix, the computer trilled with the noise of an incoming Skype call. A picture of Tristan (smiling with wind-blown hair) popped up, and I didn’t hesitate a second before clicking to accept the call.

The screen was dark for a bit and then Tristan’s face was filling my screen. I couldn’t help but smile. “Hi.”

“There you are,” he said, frowning. “I’ve been texting you all day. I thought something might have happened to you. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m alright,” I said, neglecting to mention that I thought I had seen Brad again a few times while I was out. “I just…needed a day to myself.”

“Ah. Well, I’m sorry I interrupted. I was just worried, I guess. I know it isn’t really my place, but…” He shrugged.

I grinned. “No, it’s okay. It’s nice that you care. How’re you?”

He smiled back, and I could see him making himself comfortable on the couch. “I’m fine. I had to work today so I didn’t feel like going out with my mates to the pub tonight. How are you? Did you and Kari head down to the beach this morning?”

I sighed. “No. We’re…not really talking right now.”

“What happened?”

I wasn’t sure how much to tell him. I didn’t want to come off as some clingy girl who couldn’t accept the fact that nothing real could happen between us, but I had gotten so used to confiding in Tristan over the last few weeks that it wanted to come pouring out anyway.

“She…she thinks I’m being stupid for spending so much time talking to you. And about you, I guess. She said nothing can seriously happen between us, nothing real anyway, and you’re likely to forget about me soon as well,” I mumbled, not wanting to say the words.

Tristan was quiet, and my heart hammered in my chest. This would be the perfect time for him to tell me he wasn’t interested anymore or that Kari was right, if that’s what he was going to do. I clenched my hands and made myself ready for it. It had to happen sooner or later, right? So, better to be sooner so neither of us got too involved, even though I was pretty sure it was already too late.

To my surprise, he chuckled softly and leaned closer to his computer, his face filling up the screen. “Do you think you would be so easily forgotten, Gin?” he asked. “Trust me, you wouldn’t. I’ve never done anything like this before, but one day—not even a full day—without talking to you was enough to drive me mad.” He paused a second, playing with his lip like he was thinking, then started again: “Not one day goes by that I don’t think of you. You are the first thing on my mind when I wake up and the only thing on my mind when I go to sleep at night. Do you have any idea the things that go through my head that I would love to do to you if I could? Do with you for that matter?”

I swallowed hard, and my heart raced for a completely different reason. “I think I have some idea.”

His grin was wide and promising. “You probably don’t. Is Kari there right now?”

“No.”

“Good. Do you want to do something with me? Now?”

“Yes.” I surprised myself that my answer was so immediate. I blushed lightly, but he seemed to be pleased about it. He licked his lips and closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking right at me.

Even though there were miles and miles of distance between us, I felt that look. It made me shiver with anticipation, and I knew that I would do whatever he asked of me at the moment.

He moved closer into the camera lens. “Take your clothes off,” he said.

“R-right now?” I felt a thump in my heart, he was serious.

He nodded. “Yeah. Right now. If you’re alright with it, I mean.”

Hell yes, I was. I stood up long enough to undo the button and zipper on my jeans, sliding them down and shimmying out of them before I sat back down to take off my shirt.

“Knickers, too,” Tristan reminded me, and there was something about the warm command of his voice, even when emitted from my laptop speakers, that made me want to do whatever he said without question. My cheeks were on fire, and I would die of mortification if Kari were to come in and see me like this, but there was also something freeing about finally baring it all for him, especially after the week of sending teasing photos back and forth.


I knew I couldn’t actually feel the weight of his gaze on me, but I felt like I could. My mouth was suddenly dry; I could only hope that I met his standards. I told myself in my mind to shut up and enjoy, even though I felt a little modest.