Tend To My Heart

19

Evangeline

      It took a while to find where Tristan lived because he was drunk and being annoying. More than usual. He's tried fiddling with almost anything and everything in my car, like a child who's had one too many sweets.

After finally finding his address, I managed to get him four stories up into one of the nicest apartment buildings I've seen in my entire lifetime.

That was about 20 minutes because he just kept getting heavier and heavier, even in the elevator.

It wasn't too far from campus but far enough to truly be on his own, away from the college world. I couldn't even imagine the kind of money his family must have in order for him to live here alone.

It was a challenge to shuffle through his keys until I found the right one but I managed and walked him over to his living room couch.

As expected, the inside was just as beautiful.

It was a loft style apartment, everything he needed downstairs and then his sleeping area just up a spiral staircase, looking right above us.

It was absolutely gorgeous...

"Wow" I gawked as soon as I was free of holding up Tristans heavy body. My eyes scanned every inch of the place, finding more and more as my body spun around.

"Not much, but it's a space all for me" Tristan said, his words still slurred but not as bad as when I first found him.

"Not much?" I repeated with a scoff of disbelief. I walked around, my fingers grazing his kitchen counter and taking in the beauty of the place.

"Sorry...was that bad to say?" He asked and I returned to the couch he sat on, his head laid back to stare at the ceiling.

"No, not at all" I reassured him.

To him, it probably wasn't much, and I understood that concept for a long time now.

Different lifestyles...

"Evangeline..." he called and when I looked over at him, his eyes were already on me. Expecting him to go on some drunken spiel about, god knows what, he brought his hand up to him mouth and let out a small burp. I had to stifle a laugh as he did so because I was sure there was a speech on its way.

"I think I'm going to vomit..."

My eyes grew wide "o-oh! Oh! Okay!" I stammered, rushing over to him, wrapping his arm around me again and launched him to his feet. I followed his directions towards the bathroom, practically kicking the door open and watching him drop to his knees to hover over his toilet.

When I heard him release, whatever it was he had tonight, I had to turn around, unable to watch the scene unravel before my eyes.

"Better?" I asked as soon as the silence took over again.

"Y-yeah" he hiccuped and I turned around again to help him up so he could wash and rinse his face.

"Evangeline..." he called my name again as I tried guiding him out of the bathroom.

I don't think I'll ever get used to the way he says it.

I looked up at him while he leaned his back on the door frame. His eyes slowly shut and before I knew it, he pressed his forehead to mine, a few water droplets from his face sliding down the side of mine.

I was completely shocked. I didn't want to move in case he fell over but I also drowned in the sound of my heart pounding against my ribs. His skin on mine gave me a feeling in my chest I've never felt before and I was both confused and taken by surprise. I swallowed and shut my eyes, feeling the heat rise in my face and spread to my ears.

"Thank you..." he whispered, his lips inches away from mine.

I cleared my throat and quickly pulled away, while he straightened his posture and gave me the cheekiest smirk, even in his drunken state.

"I didn't plan on having you in my home this early in our rendezvous Carter" he joked making me playfully glare at him.

"Don't get cute Fuller, I just watched you vomit your guts out" I snorted and found a dry towel, dabbing it around his face that was still all wet.

"Ah, now I'm cute?" He asked, his eyes locking with mine, looking much darker than usual.

I clenched the towel, scanning his face and taking in the sight completely. His hair was in its natural state, a few strands falling over his forehead and the rest, a wavy brown mop on top of his head. His bright blue eyes seemed dimmer and glossy, probably from the alcohol. His lips...his lips were a dark shade of pink, another possible side effect of the alcohol. His breathing seemed staggered and it was making me extremely nervous.

I've always known that Tristan was attractive, I'm a woman with eyes, it was inevitably obvious that he was. But I don't think I've ever been able to truly admire just how...beautiful he is.

And so it begins...

What?

I looked at my own hands that gripped the dry towel and quickly set it down, gesturing towards the door, realizing we still haven't left his bathroom.

"You should get some rest...that hangover is going to kick your ass" I cleared my throat again, guiding him out of the bathroom and carefully up the spiral staircase.

As carefully as one could guide a drunk man up a metal, spiral staircase.

I chuckled when he flopped onto the bed and kicked his shoes off, snuggling under the covers, reminding me of the way Hayden did after a long day.

I rushed back downstairs to rummage his cabinets for some pain killers and a glass to fill with water.

I've dealt with enough nights like this with my brother and my uncle to know what he might need in the morning.

I took another moment to take in the beauty of Tristans home, trying to understand how it came to be that I was even stood here. It was a gorgeous place to be in but I couldn't help but wonder how lonely it must become if too much time was spent here. I thought about how Tristan was willing to drive here intoxicated and wondered if it had to do with his family's event tonight.

There was so much I wondered about this man and I was completely hooked.

"Aha!" I grinned when finally finding a bottle of pain killers. Brushing my own thoughts and concerns to the side, I made Tristan a glass of water and carried it back upstairs, along with the painkillers.

I set them on his night stand, watching his chest rise and fall as he fell into a deep sleep.

"You are truly...the most interesting man..." I mumbled and went to brush his hair out of his eyes before stopping myself.

Pull yourself together Vange.

I gulped, listening to the voice for once, lowering my hand back down at my side.

I rubbed my face in frustration and took a deep breath. "Goodnight Tristan" I whispered with a light smile and turned to leave the room.

I jumped when he caught me by the wrist, once again, and I tried ignoring the jolt it sent up my whole arm. I turned to look down at him, his eyes still closed while he let out a breath.

"Stay..." was all he said, tightening his grip, making my heart nearly jump out of my chest.

I swallowed, trying to ignore the flutter that erupted in my stomach. My eyes flickered between his hand gripping my wrist and the calm look on his face as he asked me to stay.

"Please?" He continued and I let out a defeated sigh.

Looking around the room, I spotted a chair resting underneath the desk across the room and smiled. Walking over and grabbing it, I set it near his bed, letting him know I was there.

It was only moments later that his chest rose up and fell in a pattern before I knew he was asleep.

"What...are you doing to me Fuller?" I whispered, watching him sleep peacefully, drifting off on my own.