Covet (41 page)

The smile he bestowed on her made her knees go weak and her panties grow damp. “I don’t know what I’d do without you here, Tessa,” he told her earnestly. “You’re the only one I trust to get all of these done correctly. Thank you for all of your diligence.”

She couldn’t resist smiling at him in return and hoped faintly that her cheeks weren’t too red. “It’s – I’m happy to help, sir. I’ll – um, just take these back to my desk and fix the problem. I’m sorry to have bothered you, sir.”

“It was no bother at all, Tessa,” he assured her kindly. “I appreciate your conscientiousness in catching the error.”

Trying in vain to conceal her flustered state, Tessa quickly picked up the papers from Andrew’s desk and spun around to make a hasty exit. Except that Mr. Gregson hadn’t moved an inch and she bumped smack into him. He placed a hand on her arm to steady her, and her cheeks grew even hotter to realize that her breast was crushed up against his iron-hewed arm.

He released his grip on her arm immediately and took two steps back. He didn’t say another word but his hazel eyes had darkened noticeably, and the smile on his face had faded as he gazed at her somberly.

With a hastily mumbled “thank you”, Tessa almost bolted out of the office back towards her own desk. ‘Oh, God,’ she pleaded silently. ‘Please do not let him have noticed my nipples were hard.’

She made it back to her desk on shaky legs and sunk down gratefully into her chair. She closed her eyes, and the image of Ian Gregson’s ruggedly handsome face filled her thoughts despite her best efforts to dispel it.

But as busy as she strived to keep for the rest of the workday, she couldn’t completely forget about the brief but disturbing encounter with her boss earlier in the day. And each time she did, her cheeks would flush anew and she’d curse herself for having such a strong and unsuitable reaction to him. She had no reason at all to believe that Mr. Gregson found her attractive, or even gave her a second thought. She was simply one of his many employees, and not a very important one at that.

The unwanted sexual attraction she felt for him was only because of the frustration she was currently experiencing due to Peter’s long and frequent absences, she told herself fiercely. She was young and healthy and craved affection and physical contact, a perfectly normal state for a woman her age. Especially a woman who was alone as much as she was, and whose sexual relationship with her husband was as messed up as hers had always been. It was only natural, Tessa assured herself with a confidence she didn’t really feel, that her body would react to a man as virile and physically appealing as Ian Gregson. From what she’d surmised, most every woman he came in contact with had the same sort of reaction to his charm and extreme good looks, so she was far from the only one.

‘So it doesn’t mean a thing, silly,’ she told herself with a sense of relief. ‘It doesn’t mean that you don’t love Peter or that you’d ever think of cheating on him. Especially since Mr. Gregson certainly doesn’t think of
you
that way. I’m sure he hasn’t given you a single thought the entire day.’

Ian cursed softly as he tried for perhaps the fifth time to concentrate on the report in front of him. He’d had a ridiculous amount of work that needed to get done today, starting with the speaking engagement first thing this morning, and due to wind up with a business dinner this evening. In between, he’d had reports like this one to review, phone calls to return, employees to meet with, and plans to make for an upcoming trip to visit several of the properties in his region.

But it was as if all of his brain function had become stuck in quicksand ever since the all-too-brief encounter with the constant object of his desire – Tessa.

He shut his eyes, rubbing at a tense spot at the back of his neck. Christ, what a muddled-up mess this entire situation was with the woman he’d become positively obsessed with over the past two years. Ian thought rather sourly at times that he ought to have followed his instincts the first time he’d seen her, and arranged for a swift transfer to another department where he wouldn’t have to see her every day. It might not have completely stopped his infatuation with her, but he would have had an easier time of it day to day.

But he’d been too weak – or too kind, not wanting to hurt the girl’s feelings – and as a result had condemned himself to the hell of having to see his golden girl every day and know she was not his to claim.

Ian was usually able to keep his attraction towards Tessa well under wraps, never betraying even a hint of it to anyone. But today he’d come perilously close to letting her know just how much he desired her, to dragging her into his arms and kissing her senseless. For starters.

She was wearing one of his favorite dresses today – the pale peach one with tiny white polka dots. The silky fabric clung lovingly to her ripe breasts, the belt nipping in at her small waist, and the skirt draping softly over her gently curving hips. The color flattered her creamy skin and golden hair, and she looked as delicious as a sweet, juicy peach. Tessa didn’t wear perfume – probably because she couldn’t afford such an indulgence – but he could still recall the light floral scent that clung to her dewy skin, probably her soap or body lotion. He had wanted nothing more than to bury his face against the side of her neck, inhaling that sweet, fleeting scent, before exploring other, more intimate parts of her lush body.

Under normal circumstances, he would have maintained the very formal, impersonal air that he always did in her presence. Acting the role of a stuffy, pompous ass was Ian’s way of ensuring that Tessa never suspected his overwhelming attraction for her. But it wasn’t often that he found himself entirely alone with her, without a half dozen or more people in the same room, and he’d eased up on his cool, distant behavior for a few precious minutes. She’d been nearly impossible to resist, so sweet and shy and vulnerable, and he’d found himself speaking to her gently, smiling at her reassuringly.

His traitorous thoughts refused to let go of the memory of how it had felt – albeit very briefly – to have her lush body pressed up against his earlier today. His arm still burned from where one round, firm breast had been crushed against it. If he closed his eyes he could still feel the warm, silky skin of her arm where his hand had wrapped around it to steady her. He’d been close enough to notice the charming blush on her cheeks, the wide roundness of her china blue eyes, and the way that decadently full mouth had trembled slightly. He didn’t know if she was physically attracted to him, or simply terrified, but she had definitely been aware. And the knowledge of her reaction to him had given him a least a small measure of satisfaction.

‘What an ass you are, mate,’ he chastised himself. ‘So pathetically grateful for any imagined little response from her. You’re ten times worse than a schoolgirl with a mad crush on her favorite movie star. And just as hopeless.’

The feeling that something bad was going to happen had gradually subsided as the day went on, and by the time Tessa got off the bus two blocks from her apartment, she was very nearly convinced that her premonitions had been all wrong. This was in spite of the fact that she hadn’t received any sort of text or phone message from Peter confirming that he’d arrived home safely. She had reasoned that omission away by assuring herself that he was undoubtedly exhausted after such a long flight, and had probably fallen asleep as soon as he’d walked in the door.

And then any worries she might have still been harboring flew away the moment she walked through the door of their apartment. The sound of one of Peter’s favorite songs –
Hemorrhage
by Fuel – greeted her as she dropped her purse and slipped out of her shoes, leaving them by the tiny entryway table as was her norm.

“Hey, Tess.”

Tessa smiled broadly and rushed to give her husband an eager hug. “Hey, yourself. I was starting to worry when I didn’t hear from you. What time did you get in?”

Peter gave her a quick hug in return and pressed a kiss against her forehead. “I actually arrived in early this morning. We probably just missed each other.”

Her smile faded rapidly as he gently disengaged her arms from about his neck. “What? I had no idea you were getting in so early. Why didn’t you let me know?”

He shrugged, the shaggy, uneven ends of his light brown hair now long enough to reach his shoulders. “I was flying standby and literally didn’t get on the flight until the last minute, so no time to text you before I left. And then when I got here I was pretty wiped out, I guess, plus I had some stuff to take care of. Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay,” she assured him. “It’s just – I’ve been a little unsettled today. I woke up with one of those weird premonitions – you know, it is a Wednesday after all. And I always worry when you have a long flight home from some of those places you travel to.”

Peter gave her hand a squeeze. “Well, I’m okay, as you can see. Come on, I ordered pizza and it just arrived. Let’s eat while it’s hot.”

Tessa frowned as she removed her cardigan and hung it on a wall peg in the entryway. “I had already defrosted some chicken – thought I’d make that tortilla casserole you like. Are you sure getting pizza was a good idea? Things are a little tight for a few more days until I get paid.”

He was already taking plates from one of their very few kitchen cabinets. “It’s fine, Tess. Three of my stories from the last trip all sold and I deposited the check today. The chicken will keep. Sit down and take it easy.”

Reassured, she sat across from him at their tiny table for two and eagerly reached for a slice of the mushroom and olive pizza that was her favorite. “Thanks, it looks delicious. It was really nice of you to order it.”

Peter chucked her gently on the chin. “You deserve it. I know how hard you work, Tess, and how seldom you treat yourself to anything. And it’s just a pizza, for God’s sake.”

She took a bite, savoring the warm melted cheese and thin crispy crust. “Mmm, it’s awesome. Much better than chicken.”

“Yeah, I admit I’ve been craving it myself. Too many weeks of one form or another of noodles and vegetables. But that’s what comes from traveling through Asia as often as I do.”

He told her about his most recent trip while they ate, and she listed as always with rapt attention. Peter was a master storyteller, whether in written or oral context, and she loved to hear his numerous tales. If she couldn’t travel to these far-off, exotic places herself, then hearing his stories and reading his reports almost made her feel as though she was there herself.

Peter cleaned up the kitchen while Tessa took a quick shower. Normally she showered at the office after her daily workout at the employee gym, but she’d been in a rush to get home to Peter and had skipped working out today.

She’d been so happy to see him, had rushed inside the apartment so quickly, that she hadn’t noticed his still unpacked bags until she reentered the living room after her shower. Tessa frowned as she towel dried her hair, especially when she realized there were a good half dozen bags piled together. Peter never took more than two bags with him on a trip, and he was usually always meticulous about unpacking not long after arriving home.

“Why haven’t you unpacked?” she asked, an uneasy feeling starting to overtake her once again. The premonitions she’d felt upon waking this morning were returning in full force and then some.

Peter shoved his hands into the pockets of his baggy cargo pants, a sure sign he was feeling agitated. “Because I’ve got to leave again. Soon.”

Tessa stared at him in dismay. “What? I don’t understand. Why would the agency fly you all the way home from Cambodia just to send you back out again so soon? Especially with the tight budget they always have you on.”

The international news agency that Peter worked for was notoriously cheap. The flights they scheduled for him always involved multiple stops and connections, and the accommodations they booked for him were anything but first class. But he’d always considered those drawbacks a small price to pay for being able to do the work he loved.

Peter’s thin mouth tightened into an even narrower line. “Tess, let’s sit down, okay? We have some stuff to talk about.”

Her legs suddenly felt wobbly, and the pizza she’d so eagerly devoured was beginning to turn to acid in her stomach. “Peter, you’re starting to freak me out,” she told him in a pleading little voice. “What’s going on?”

“Sit down and I’ll tell you.” His voice was gentle but firm.

She sank down onto the futon that had originally been their bed, until they’d finally been able to afford a real one. She was starting to tremble, and wrapped her arms around her torso in an effort to quell the tremors.

“Peter, please. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this now. What’s wrong?”

He sat down next to her, taking her hands in his, his expression solemn. “I’ve got a new job, Tess. A hell of a lot better than this lousy gig. Better pay and actual benefits, a regular salary, living allowance. I’ve got to fly to New York to go through a two-week orientation before I actually start work.”