Free LOVE QUAKES: BOXED SET (BOOKS 1-4) by J.S. Luxor Page A

during the week I was unconscious,” he urges. So I launch into a long series of stories about everything that happened during my last week at San Diego State. I resist telling Tristan anything about Juan but do mention that I have two interviews on Monday for clinical work in psych hospitals.
     
    “Well done, Joanna. They’d be foolish not to snatch up someone as bright and eager as you are,” he adds. I notice that he’s eaten very little of his meal. I’ve nearly inhaled my food, however. It’s more than scrumptious. Mrs. Gomez is an amazing cook. Tristan looks pleased at my appetite.
     
    “Thanks, Tristan. Of course, I hope I won’t make a mess of things like I did at PCC. Now, are you going to tell me about your head injury?” I ask softly. I pat his hand and kiss his cheek. He lights up as if I’ve flicked a rocker switch.
     
    “Well, I have Post-Concussion Syndrome. My memory’s intact but I’ll suffer from nausea, headaches and dizziness for a few weeks. It should clear up completely in about a month. In the meantime, I need to let my cracked ribs heal and I won’t be working out nor doing any other vigorous activity for a while,” he jokes but his eyes looks disappointed.
     
    “One month to heal sounds really encouraging,” I gush. He gazes at me like a puppy. He’s adorable when he’s injured.
     
    He smiles sweetly as he leans over to nuzzle my head with his nose. “You know I dreamt about you during the week, Joanna. It was the most soothing and peaceful part of my recovery,” he admits.
     
    “That’s good to know. I dreamt of you, too, Tristan. Kristen Powers told me that you kept calling for me while you moved in and out of consciousness,” I mention. I need to know more about this woman so I drop the cue casually.
     
    He looks surprised to hear me mention Kristen. “Why did Kristen Powers call you?” he asks with concern. His forehead wrinkles.
     
    “She said you wanted to see me and that she’d set up an appointment for that,” I add a bit too innocently. “It looks as though you beat her to the goal line, though.”
     
    Tristan seems more than irritated at my revelation about the conversation with Kristen. “What else did she tell you?”
     
    “That you were semi-conscious and had a concussion. She seemed really interested in how we met and what we did in the elevator,” I reveal.
     
    “Did she now? Why the hell is our relationship any of her business?” he wonders more to himself than me.
     
    “I thought that she might’ve been hired as a detective to investigate your love life,” I tease.
     
    “She’s out of line with the phone call to you, Joanna. But, she’s probably just being overprotective, again. I need to tell Kristen to back off.”
     
    “Who’s Kristen Powers, anyway? Why’s she involved in your life?” I’m growing a bit irritated now that I know that she crossed boundaries with Tristan’s private life.
     
    “She’s an old friend of mine. She’s also one of my business associates, now. We’ve had…well, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it one day,” he confesses with a wry and rueful look on his face. He’s struggling with some internal debate but I decide it’s time to shift gears. I know now that I won’t call her ever again, however.
     
    “I was so worried about you, Tristan. Bailey called just once to let me know about your situation.”
     
    “Yeah, he’s under strict orders to protect my privacy. But, I had no idea that he was keeping you at bay. He couldn’t have known how much I needed you, though. He’s just doing his job, Joanna.”
     
    “I know. In a way, it’s good that I could let you heal up while I finished my time at SDSU. We had a great time at commencement,” I tell him. “Rob took me out to dinner after and we talked.”
     
    “Yeah. I was hoping to see you get your degree and take you out to celebrate. I still owe you a meal at Bertrand’s, Joanna,” he says to tempt me.
     
    “As