"Have you ever done this before?" Tristan asked, his hand around my waist gliding down to knead my ass as I gently lathered the foamy cream across the sides of his face and underneath his chin.

"Yes," I said, my throat scratchy from crying so much last night. We'd decided not to talk about it, at least not for now. I leaned back to stare at him. I smiled. He looked like the pirated version of Santa Claus with his face half covered in shaving cream.

We were in the bathroom and I was currently sitting on his lap as I prepared to trim off his stubble. Bubbles of excitement grew in my stomach at the thought of doing so but at the same time, I was also scared of hurting his million-dollar skin. As carefully as I could, I stretched his skin and started to shave. My strokes were light and tentative at first, his skin was so soft, a single mistake and I could nip him, but as I felt his body relax, I gained confidence and stroked firmly.

"Did you shave your ex like this too?" He asked when I pulled away to rinse the razor inside the bowl of warm water.

"And if I did?" I asked coyly.

"I'd be jealous." He squeezed my ass, pushing me forward up his thigh. "Very jealous."

I chuckled. "I never shaved my exes, Tristan. I had to learn how to do it for my brother. He was bedridden for a while and had trouble with his movements. I helped shave and keep him clean. Now puff your cheeks out for me."

Smiling, he did as I instructed and filled his cheeks with air, looking as adorable as ever. I trimmed slowly, moving from his sideburns down toward his jaw. I pulled back shortly and rinsed the razor in the bowl.

"Must have been hard taking care of him in such a state." He said.

"It was." I returned. "There were times when I felt so frustrated and utterly useless and angry but you know, I would go through it all over again because I love Axton." I smiled. "He's my big brother after all and I'm sure every sister would do the same for their brother."

He scrunched his face and looked away. "Not everyone."

I knew where he was going with this and I couldn't help but laugh. "You could try patching things up with her, you know."

He rolled his eyes and made an irritated sound. "I'd rather be thrown into a volcano."

I laughed. "Her anger towards you is misplaced, she thinks you killed your mother."

"I did."

I frowned. "You didn't Tristan, we've talked about this, you're not a murderer and I don't ever want to hear you portray yourself as one."

His chest lifted on a deep inhalation. "I won't, but Lily is a lost cause. I don't care about her."

I sighed. "You should, you're her big brother."

He groaned and rolled his eyes to the side.

"Bitch all you want but you can't change it. And you do realize you're going have to walk her down the aisle when she gets married, right?"

"If she gets married." He snorted. "I cannot imagine a man wanting to put that witch in a house."

I laughed. "You're mean."

He returned my laugh. "I speak only facts."

"I want her at our wedding."

"Okay, now you're just pushing it."

I snickered. "It would be a nice way to start over. New beginnings right?"

His hands returned to my waist. He tugged me close. "Does that mean you've finally agreed to get married to me again?"

"Well, I don't exactly see a proposal anywhere."

The corner of his lips curved. "I could get on my knees right now but we both know where it would end."

I laughed. "Do you think of anything with that brain of yours apart from having sex?"

"Frankly, no." He smiled. It was one of his rare smiles that revealed his teeth and dimples and made his eyes wrinkle. My heart fluttered. I always wanted to see him smile like this. I cupped his face. "Stay still you moron, I have to work."

His eyes brimmed with laughter but he managed to stay still as I moved the blade gently against his jaw, removing sections of hairs one after another. When I finally finished, I cleaned his face with a warm washcloth, dried it, and patted his super expensive-looking liquid aftershave on his face.

"There." I sighed and leaned back to admire my work. His beards were neatly trimmed and looked so perfect. I took away the towel tucked under his neck and leaned to the side slightly to let him glance at himself in the mirror behind me. "What do you think?"

He turned his head from side to side, examining himself cautiously. I bit my lip, waiting for his comment. I did a pretty good job but he was probably used to having his beards styled but professionals.

His eyes returned to mine after a moment. He smiled. "I love it."

A relieving breath left me. Thank fuck.

"Thank you, princess,"

"You're welcome." I smiled and leaned in to peck the tip of his nose. "What time does the jet arrive?"

"Eleven."

"We should shower then."

"We should, but first," he lifted me to the side, as if to pull me off him and I'd expected him to do just that but he sank me back down, sliding his rigid cock into my moist walls.

I gasped at the sensation and fell forward to grip his shoulders. Oh my god.

"You didn't expect to escape this, did you?" He chuckled hotly and buried his face in my neck as he gave me everything he had, taking my last bit of sanity in return.

***

I didn't mean to sleep all through the flight. I didn't know how it happened. After showering, we had breakfast on the terrace and rode the boat to the hangar where we boarded the jet. Right after taking off, we lazed about in the bedroom, talking, sharing glasses of wine, cuddling, and kissing, and just when Tistan was about to take my dress off, he got a call from Grandpa Bernard's caregiver and had to step out to take it.

I remembered feeling buzzed out and picking up a book to read while I waited for him to return, but the next thing I knew, I was being aroused from bed by the sound of the pilot's voice ringing over the invisible speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, we are due for a touchdown at Cambridge, Tasmania, Australia in fifteen minutes, please fasten your seat belts."

Now we were in the BMW, driving back to the house and despite over twelve hours of sleep, I was still dragging for a reason I didn't understand.

With that much sleep, one would expect to wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated but I was exhausted and there was this ache constantly gnawing at my insides. I wasn't sick, I didn't have a fever or anything but something just felt off and I didn't know what.

Soft hands rested on my thighs, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned away from the window and looked at Tristan. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice a soothing backdrop to my racing thoughts.

I smiled. "Yes, I am."

He caressed my thighs. "You sure?"

I nodded and shifted closer to rest my head on his shoulder. "Still a little tired." I placed my hand atop his. "That's all."

He kissed my hair. "We don't leave for New York until tomorrow. There's going to be plenty of time for you to rest up."

I looked up at him. "Why can't you stay? I don't want to be away from you."

"Neither do I princess." He squeezed my thigh. "I wish I could stay but I have some things to take care of."

"I'm going to miss you." I sighed, drawing little circles on his knuckles.

He turned his hand, intertwining his fingers with mine. "We're only going to be apart for a short while. Tomorrow morning, I'll come to get you and we'll leave."

I looked down at our intertwined hands. Mine looked so tiny wrapped with his. I flexed my fingers. "I can't wait."

He kissed my hair one more time and we stayed like that, silent, listening to the wordless symphony of Mozart that played in the background, and it wasn't until the car pulled up in the driveway of our house that Tristan finally broke away from me and stepped out.

"After you, princess." He said, holding the car door open for me.

Smiling, I took his outstretched hand and got up out of the car just in time to see the front door open and my mother rushing towards us with a mix of joy and excitement on her face. A wave of nostalgia immediately washed over me and I couldn't help but smile as she enveloped me in an embrace. "Oh honey," she gleamed. "I missed you."

Warmth filled my insides. "I missed you too Mum," I responded, returning her hug with equal excitement. I really needed this.

She pulled away from me and cupped my cheeks and I noticed a tinge of concern flash through her eyes. "Sienna." The way her gaze held mine for a moment longer than usual told me that she was sensing something. "Are you okay?"

I smiled. Nothing ever really got passed her. "I'm just a little tired from the trip."

She studied me, her gaze searching mine as if she could peer into my thoughts. "Are you sure? You seem a bit... off."

My stomach tightened at her words. "Honestly, it's just jet lag and all the travelling. I'll be fine."

Her concern didn't waver, but she nodded. "Alright, I'm so glad to have you back, and you too, Tristan." She turned to look at him. "For a second there I was starting to get scared that you had run off with my daughter."

Tristan chuckled. "I would've but then I thought about never tasting your Pumpkin Trifle again and immediately changed my mind."

"Oh my god," my mother laughed heartily. "Come here, you silly boy." She pulled him into a brief but affectionate hug that had my heart melting. The two most important people in my life were bonding seamlessly and I couldn't be happier.

"You two must be tired from such a long flight." She said when she pulled away from him. "I made lunch, come and eat." She grabbed both our hands and started to pull us along into the house.

***

I stumbled to the bathroom, barely making it in time before I doubled over the sink and retched violently into it.

Christ.

The acrid taste lingered in my throat, causing another wave of nausea to roll through me. I closed my eyes and gripped the edges of the sink support as I vomited again, feeling my body trembling with each heave.

After Tristan left and I cleared the dishes, my mother and I sat on the sofa and continued to chat, catching up on the little details of our lives that had unfolded during my four-day absence. I did my best to remain engaged, pushing aside the growing unease in my stomach and I thought I had everything under control, but then she offered me a glass of rice wine that had a scent so strong, my stomach did the flip flops. I didn't know why, I usually drank my white rice wine with ease but this particular bottle wasn't sitting right with me.

Drained, I turned on the tap and splashed cold water on my face. I really needed whatever this was to stop.

My bathroom door creaked open, startling me. I quickly wiped away a tear that had escaped my eye and turned to see my mother standing in the doorway, her brows furrowed.

"Sienna, what's really the problem?" she asked, holding my gaze.

"Nothing," I said, my heart racing because she had a knack for sensing when something was amiss even when I tried to hide it. "I'm fine." I chuckled nervously. "Guess the wine didn't want me to drink it."

She walked closer. "It's not just the wine. I've noticed something off about you." Her hand reached out to touch my forehead. "You're not your usual self."

I mustered a weak smile. "It's probably just a little stomach bug or something. I'll be alright."

Her brow furrowed slightly. She was clearly not convinced and she didn't stop looking at me sceptically. "Sienna?"

"Mm-hm?"

"Are you pregnant?"

Her question made my stomach drop. I blanched. "Mum!"

She grabbed my breasts and squeezed, ignoring my outburst. I hissed sharply and recoiled. "Ow!"

"They're tender, aren't they?"

I crossed my hands over my chest and scowled at her. "Yes, of course they are but not for the reason you think!"

She placed her hands on her hips. "What reason then?"

I opened my mouth and closed it almost immediately. Somehow, telling her that her favourite new child had been suckling and biting on my breasts all night sounded much worse than admitting to being pregnant. "Nothing," I settled. "There's no reason but I am not pregnant." I couldn't be. It was possible but not likely, I took pills and he had his chords cut off.

Her eyes looked me over. "The chalky skin, shiny hair, adding more salt to your already salted crackers—"

My stomach revolted. "Mum stop."

"—Excusing yourself more than three times during lunch to use the bathroom." She talked over me, her eyes dropping to my stomach. "And now you're throwing up. Sienna, you know you can tell me anything right? You don't need to hide it if you are—"

"Mum I said stop, okay!" I snapped. "I said I am not pregnant! This is all some big coincidence! And you know what, I'm tired of this! I'm going to do down to the store and get a kit and get tested to prove you and everyone else wrong! And when it comes out negative, you're going to owe me an apology."

My mother visibly swallowed, looking at me with sheer concern. "And if it doesn't?"

My chest tightened. "It will." It had to.

***

Why the hell did I agree to do this?

I hesitated outside the pharmacy, my fingers tightly gripping the strap of my bag. The mere thought of stepping inside to buy pregnancy test strips sent a wave of unease through me.

Maybe I should go home and order from Amazon instead. I shook my head. They wouldn't deliver today and I needed this lingering doubt that had been eating away at me all day to disappear. My peace of mind was at stake and the only way I was going to get it back was by pissing on a stick right now.

With a deep breath, I flipped up my hoodie to cover my face and pushed the door open. I looked like a freaking criminal but I didn't care, I didn't want to risk getting seen, especially by one of my mum's friends who took gossiping as a full-time job.

I kept my head down as I walked past the shelves, picking unnecessary things. Each step seemed to echo my nervous heartbeat. I picked up a box of pregnancy test kits and quickly tucked it under the random items I didn't need but had to buy just so it didn't seem like I came here for pregnancy kits even if I did.

The line in front of the cashier wasn't a long one. Thank God, I didn't know how much of this I could take. It moved quickly and I was in front of the counter in no time. She scanned and packed up my items and her knowing smile when she saw the box made a weight of embarrassment settle on my shoulders. I mumbled a quiet "thank you" as I handed over the money and left in a hurry.

Outside, the sun was setting and casting a warm, golden hue over everything, but I barely noticed the beauty around me. My mind was preoccupied with a single task and that was getting home to urinate on those damn sticks. I could already imagine the relief I would feel when it came out as a big fat negative. Maybe then this internal turmoil would rid me and I would finally—ow!

My face collided with something hard, shutting off my thoughts completely. The impact was so sudden and strong that I stumbled and nearly fell backwards but strong arms came around my waist, catching me mid-fall.

What the—

"Sienna?"

The deep familiarity of the voice washed over me and made my toes curl in my sneakers. I pushed my hair out of my face and gasped at the pair of emerald eyes I found staring down at me.

"Xavier?"

His eyes flared open. "Sienna, it's you."

My heart fluttered.

Why was he here?

I thought he'd left.

"Get a room!" Someone yelled, making me realize that I was still suspended mid-air with Xavier's arms around me.

I stood up straight immediately, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Thank you, I'm sorry, I was so distracted I didn't see you coming." I stammered, tugging on the strap on my bag, except there was nothing to tug on because my bag had slipped off my shoulder and scattered across the pavement.

Shit.

I crouched down immediately and gathered up my stuff. He came down with me, helping me out, and I had no problem with that, not until he reached for my Target brand kit.

My heart stopped. "No wait!" I snapped, reaching to grab it myself but he beat me to it and picked the box.

Oh god.

"Sienna." He stood up, staring at it and then fixing his gaze on mine. "Are you okay?"

I knew what that question meant. Cheeks burning red, I snatched the box away from his grip and shoved it inside my bag. "Of course I am," I chuckled nervously. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He said nothing but his eyes were a mixture of sheer curiosity and amusement. "Those aren't mine by the way," I explained quickly. "It's for my mother."

His eyebrows quirked up. "Your mother?"

Shit.

"My mothers' friend, I mean." I corrected. "Yeah, she asked me to pick these up for her. Crazy, right?" I chuckled nervously again. My lie felt flimsy and I dreaded the possibility that he might see right through it.

He seemed to consider me for a moment, then a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "That's great, well, I hope things work out for your mum's friend."

I nodded quickly, offering a brief smile. "I should probably get these to her. Thanks again for your help. Have a nice day." I turned and started to walk away, my heart still racing.

"Sienna."

I stopped and looked over my shoulders at him. "Yeah?"

He thumbed over his shoulder, a smile playing on his lips. "The house is that way."

"Right, crap," I slapped my forehead and chuckled, thoroughly embarrassed. "Silly me, I'll go now."

"I could give you a ride home, you know." He offered, just as I sought to walk past him. "I just need to pick up something for Ilse at the pet shop down the street."

"It's fine," I said with a simple smile though it probably came out a bit lopsided. "I don't want to be an inconvenience, I'll just take the bus and—"

"You can never be an inconvenience, Sienna."

The seriousness in his tone when he said those words made me shiver slightly.

"But if you don't want to go with me because you find this awkward, I'll understand."

I exhaled an exasperated breath. "I don't find this awkward, Xavier."

"I'm not a child, Sienna. You've been wanting to get rid of me from the moment we collided."

I opened my mouth and closed it. No argument there. I sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just weird seeing you act this way with me. I keep expecting you to be mad and not talk to me but you keep being sweet."

He chuckled softly. "Well, it's nice you think I'm sweet but like I said before, I cannot fault you for following your heart. Now come on, let's go, it's starting to get chilly."

I bit my bottom lip. The idea of spending a bit more time with him did tug at me but whatever, a free ride never hurt anyone.

"Sure, let's go."