Tessa's Temptation (14 page)

Chapter Sixteen

Chase came into the kitchen from the garage. It had been a long day and nothing seemed to go right. All he wanted to do was pour a glass of wine, have a quiet dinner and cuddle with his girl. He watched Tessa setting the table.

“Something smells good,” he said as she turned and smiled at him. Hands down, that moment was the best part of his crappy day.

“Hi.” She hurried to him and wrapped her arms around him. “May left beef stew and those homemade biscuits you like so much.”

“Bless that woman.” He kissed her. “How was your day?”

“I overslept.”

“Uh, oh.” He grinned. “Maybe you should try going to sleep earlier.”

“I would but I share a bed with a very horny man.”

“Are you complaining?” He squeezed her firm ass cheeks. “Sleeping next to a naked woman who looks like you— well, I can’t be held responsible for what happens.”

“Are you saying I should leave my pajamas on?”

“Absolutely not.” She always came to bed dressed in pajamas but somehow he managed to take them off in a matter of minutes. “I want you naked and in my arms.”

“Are you ready for dinner? It’s in the slow cooker. May turned it off before she left but it’s still hot.”

“In a few minutes.” He removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie. “I need to check on a package. Seth had it messengered to the office this morning but no one has seen it. I have to call and see if I can track it down before five.” He checked his watch hoping to resolve this issue in a timely manner. “I have about ten minutes before their office closes.”

“Audra dropped off a package this morning. It’s on your desk.”

“Really?” Why would she intercept a delivery at the office and bring it to his house? “That’s odd.”

“She made it sound as if she’d helped with the deal and wanted you to have the papers when you got home.”

“Hmm...” He draped his jacket over a kitchen chair. “She didn’t draw up the papers for this one. I’m not sure why she would come here.” He wasn’t sure why Audra did most things these days. “I’ll be back in a few. I want to make sure it’s the envelope I’m looking for.”

“It’s about the property on Hollow Lake.” She followed him to his study. “Audra told me she thought you were making a mistake when you went after it.”

Of course she did.
Audra had a way with tracking down information. That was why she was such an asset to him. She could research any situation and turn the information into an advantage. She had enough access to Chase and his contacts, so he wasn’t surprised she’d figured out what he was doing.

“My dad’s cabin was on that lake.”

“I know.” He picked up the envelope from his desk and quickly read the note Audra had left him.

These must be important because Seth was so quick in getting this settled. Let me know if you need me to go over anything for you.

Audra

What could she be up to? Why would she care if he bought land on a lake? It had nothing to do with the firm. If her search was extensive enough – and he was certain it had been – she would have learned that Tessa’s father once owned the cabin. He was getting tired of the games.

“Is the cabin near the property you bought?” Tessa interrupted his unpleasant thoughts about his attorney.

“Come here.” He beckoned her over to the desk. Sitting in his chair, he pulled her into his lap. “Take a look at the deed and the land survey.”

As he spread the papers across his desk, she studied the property.

“Look familiar?” he asked.

“Is this…” She picked up the survey to get a better look. “The cabin – it’s my dad’s.”

“Yeah.” He pointed to the square on the plans that indicated the small fishing cabin. “It’s still there and it sits on my newly acquired land.”

“I don’t understand. You bought the old place?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s a good investment no matter what Audra says. I got it for a steal.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were buying it?”

“It was supposed to be a surprise for you and your dad. I was hoping to give it to you for Christmas.” He shifted her in his lap so she had to look at him. “I wanted you to have the cabin back. I thought maybe we could restore it. You could do whatever you want to make it a place where your dad could be comfortable and enjoy it. I’m also thinking we could build a summer home next to it. There’s plenty of space to do whatever we want.”

“It’s too much.” She looked pale like she might be sick. “I don’t... Why would you do this?”

“Well, that’s not exactly the reaction I was hoping for.” He took her hand in his. “I thought you’d be excited. You always tell me what great memories you had there and how it was a good time in your life. I thought this would be something you and your dad could share.”

“I think it’s wonderful that you bought the property, but I don’t understand why.”

“It belonged to your family and I wanted you to have it back.” He twirled her hair around his fingers, trying to calm her. “You could design the whole thing. This can be your project. You told me that’s what you wanted to do. Why you were pursuing real estate.”

She took a deep breath, looking at the survey again.

“I’ve overwhelmed you.”

“A little.” She looked into his eyes; her own glistened with tears. “I love that you did this, but it’s too much. I know you have so much but I feel like I can’t give anything back. You just keep giving. It doesn’t seem fair.”

You have no idea how much you’ve given me
.
“Do you remember how hard I fought us? How much I tried to resist you?”

She nodded.

“I had so many reasons for why we couldn’t work. When I finally gave in and let things happen, I decided it was all or nothing. We’re together and that means I want to share everything I have with you.”

“Everything is happening so fast.”

“That’s the way my world moves, sweetheart.” She was going to have to get used to his way of life. “Things have never been this way for me before. I’ve been throwing everything I have into my career, leaving little time for much else. I know we moved fast but it feels right. I don’t think I could slow down now.”

She had become his whole life in a matter of months. He couldn’t imagine falling asleep without her in his arms or not waking up beside her. He looked forward to her greeting him every evening when he came home and having her sit across from him at the dinner table each night. Life without her had been boring. He’d had every luxury available to him. He’d traveled, had expensive cars and a huge house, but what did any of it matter? Without Tessa it was all empty and meaningless.

“I don’t want you to slow down.” She turned and straddled his lap. “I want to be here with you in this moment.” She trailed her lips down his cheek. “Just the two of us.”

“I’m going to give you the world, my gorgeous girl.” He threaded his fingers through her hair. “You just have to sit back and enjoy every second of it.”

“Thank you for getting my dad’s lake house back.”

When she cupped his jaw between her hands, he pulled her lips to his, kissing her slowly, carefully. Tightening his grip on her hair, he savored how even their lips fit together perfectly. He thrust his hips upward when she sighed into his mouth. The ache in his balls intensified when she slid her hands down his neck to his chest. He held her head back, never releasing her hair as he gazed into her eyes. His attention traveled to her lips when she ran her tongue across them.

“Do you know what you’re doing to me?” His cock hardened when he thought about her skilled mouth.

“Tell me?”

“I’ll show you.” He scooted her out of his lap and stood. “Upstairs.”

“What about dinner?” She twirled a stand of her silky red locks around her finger. “Don’t you want to eat?”

Oh, I want to eat
.
“Do you honestly believe I’m thinking about food?” He guided her out of the study and down the hall. “You know exactly what you’re doing to me, don’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said as they climbed the staircase. “I can’t help it if you can’t keep your pants on.”

“Most of that is your fault.” He opened the bedroom door and followed her in. “Care to help me with that?”

“Undressing you?” Her soft voice was unsteady, uncertain. “Like, everything?”

He could always sense when she wasn’t feeling bold. She played a good game and she could be very convincing when she was acting the part of his siren, but he knew deep down she was learning as she went. He’d grown fond of her daring side. It turned him on and ignited a flame inside him. Her boldness drew him to her, but now that he knew there was more to show her, things she had never done, it electrified him to his core.

“Everything,” he whispered.

He guided her over in front of the big cheval mirror just inside the changing room where he kept all of his suits, shoes and ties. He’d offered to split the space with her, but she said she was already set up in her old bedroom and didn’t want to disrupt him. That amused him because she had been nothing but a disruption since moving in. But damned if she wasn’t the best disruption he’d ever encountered.

He held her in front of him, taking in her toned, fit form, then he turned her to face him. She’d been using the home gym since moving in. Not that she was out of shape before but he’d seen the changes in her body.

She started with his tie. “How many of these do you have?”

“Too many.” He removed his watch and set it on the dresser beside him as she slipped the expensive material from his neck. Dropping it in the corner, she focused on the buttons of his crisp linen shirt. Once she had them undone she tugged the hem from his pants and opened it with her palms, covering his chest with her touch.

“You have the most amazing body.” She kissed his newly exposed skin as she slid his shirt from his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. “I love being tangled together with you especially after we’ve made love.”

He took her face between his hands and nipped at her bottom lip, running his tongue after his nibbles, tasting her sweet lips. As he kissed her, she reached between them and unbuckled his belt.

“I sleep much better now that you’re in my bed.” He pulled her t-shirt over her head, tossing it next to his tie. “My nights were very restless when you were sleeping down the hall.”

“I thought I was undressing you.”

“You are.” He caressed the tops of her breasts with his fingers, watching as her nipples strained against her silky black and pink leopard print bra. “Is this new?” He slipped his finger under the strap.

“I bought some new underwear the other day. There was a sale.”

“You don’t have to wait for a sale, you know.” Caressing the smooth skin between her breasts, he toyed with the clasp of the demi-cup bra. The material was thin and inexpensive. It wasn’t that she didn’t look good – she was sexy as hell – but he wanted her to have better things.

“I don’t mind shopping the sales. I’m used to it.” She lifted his t-shirt up as he raised his arms, helping her take it off. “I’m just happy to have a few new things to add to my wardrobe.” She glanced over his shoulder and nodded toward his huge closet. “Not that mine will ever look like yours.”

“You can have whatever you want.” He popped open the clasp, freeing her delectable tits. “I’ll arrange for a proper shopping spree. I’ll get you a personal shopper too.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to do it.” He pinched her nipples, eliciting a shiver from her. “There’s a difference.”

“This…” She motioned between them. “
Us
is all I need.”

“I believe that in my soul.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly. “That’s why I’ll give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of.” When he picked her up and carried her over to the bed, she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Whatever you want.”

“I want you.”

“You have me.” He sat her on the edge of the bed and dropped to his knees. “I don’t think you have any idea just how much.”

Sliding his hands up her legs, he gripped the waistband of her yoga pants and yanked them down her legs. Once they were gone, he took her feet in his hands. “You have such sexy toes.” He bent and kissed them. “I love it when your toenails are painted.”

She painted her toes and fingernails in striking colors every few days. Tonight they were a shiny silver. He raised his head and focused his attention on her almost naked body. One more thing had to go. He hooked his fingers on either side of her panties and with a quick movement he freed her of them.

“How is it that I always end up naked first?” She lay back on the bed, exposed and ready for the taking.

“I’m impatient.” Nuzzling the inside of her thighs, he worked his way up to her heat. As he sprinkled kisses over her slit, he unbuttoned his pants. He couldn’t draw this out if he tried. The need to be one with her was too strong. His desire for her grew bigger every day.

He stood and lowered his zipper. “You’ve taken over every thought in my head.” He pushed his pants and boxers down before reaching for her ankles. “I used to consider myself a rational man. One who could exercise a semblance of self-control.” He pulled her to the edge of the bed and tucked her legs around his waist. “But now I can’t even manage to get my shoes off before fucking you.”