Tessa's Temptation (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-two

Chase admired Tessa as she brushed out her long, red hair and checked herself in the mirror one last time. When she wriggled in her brown suede skirt, trying to get it to look just right, he laughed.

“You can’t mess with perfection.” He buttoned his shirt as he took in the thigh high leather boots adorning her long legs. “You look fantastic.”

“You spoiled me with the shopping spree and the personal shopper.”

“Are you going to yell at me again about that?” He’d arranged for a new wardrobe for her. He wanted her to have clothes for the holiday season. He had several business and personal functions to attend and he wanted her with him, without her having to stress over what she would wear. She had put up an initial fight, but she did seem to enjoy trying on all of her new clothes and shoes for him after her shopping trip. His favorite part, of course, was helping her take the new clothes off.

“No, I’m not going to yell. I love this skirt.”

“So do I.”

“I want to look good for dinner.” She slipped on a silver bracelet. “It’s a special occasion.”

They planned to visit her dad for Thanksgiving, then they were off to spend the afternoon with May’s family.

“May can’t wait for you to meet her kids.” He sat on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. “She’s told them all about you.”

“And us. She told them I was your girlfriend.” Tessa sat next to him. “You grew up with them. Do you think they’ll like me?”

“Just as everyone else does, they’ll adore you.” He pressed her knuckles to his lips. “Since we’re not so much of a secret anymore, I think it’s time we tell your father about us.”

“I have a feeling he already knows.”

“He’s smart.” Chase wanted to be the one to tell Pat that he was in love with his daughter. “He’s coming to live with us in a few weeks. I want to tell him before that. I don’t want him to have any surprises.”

“Let’s tell him today.”

“I’d rather do it alone.”

“Why?”

“Call me old fashioned, but I’d like to let him know how serious I am about you and how I intend to be with you for the rest of my life.”

“Wait, you’re not going to ask for my hand or anything silly like that, are you?”

“If I wanted to marry you, do you think that would be silly?” They were hardly ready for marriage, but he was curious about her feelings on the subject. He saw a long lasting future with her. One that included marriage and a family.

“No, it’s just that… well, we just met like three months ago. Don’t you think we should get to know one another better before we start talking about a wedding?” Her hands fidgeted with the soft material of her skirt. “It’s not that I don’t dream about being your wife. I love you, but I have to finish school and...” She took a deep breath and he saw the worry on her face.

“Relax, sweetheart.” He draped his arm over her shoulder. “I do plan to marry you someday. When it’s right, it’s right. I haven’t been more sure of anything in my life. You are meant to be mine forever.”

“I do want that. I didn’t mean that I don’t want to be your wife, someday.”

“I hear you.” He kissed her temple. This was a conversation for another day. “Don’t worry. I don’t have any immediate plans to ask your father for permission to marry you. I don’t want to kill him. I just want to go to him man to man and make him see that you’re my world. He trusted me with you and I need him to know I didn’t use that to my advantage.”

“I don’t think he would see it like that. He’s very fond of you. I’m sure he sees how happy you make me, but I’ll let you do it your way.”

“Thanks for not arguing with me for a change.”

“Really? When do I ever give you a hard time?”

“You don’t really want me to answer that, do you?” He held her close, enjoying the feel of her soft, warm body. “You ready to go?”

“I could stay here like this with you all day.”

“So could I.”

***

Chase stayed late at the office, working on a new building design. With the holidays quickly approaching and Pat moving into the house a few days before Christmas, he wanted to tie up any loose ends at the office. He was planning a special trip for his favorite girl. Since Audra had ruined his original Christmas gift of the cabin, he needed a new one. Tessa had never been away on a real vacation and he wanted some alone time with her before the craziness of the season took over. A few days on a private tropical island owned by one of his clients seemed like the perfect getaway. He couldn’t wait to tell her.

A light knock at the door pulled his mind away from his designs. Standing in the entryway of his office was his sexy, redheaded bombshell. She wore a sleek, navy blue skirt, matching heels and a crisp white dress shirt that buttoned to just above her breasts. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail that swung to the side when she turned to shut the door. The cut of the skirt accentuated her slender hips and tight ass. What he wouldn’t give to...

“Hey, sexy.” She turned and shot him that flirty little smile of hers. “I was hoping you were still here.”

“Did you think I would leave knowing you were two floors down interviewing for that internship?”

“Were you worried about me?” She twirled the end of her ponytail around her finger.

“Not worried.” He pushed back in his chair and motioned for her to come to him. “Knowing you were in my building distracted me.”

“You’re going to be very distracted come January.” Her bright, infectious smile told him everything he needed to know as she climbed into his lap, straddling his hips. He glanced down, catching a view of her creamy thighs as her skirt slid up her legs. “I got the internship.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, thrusting her breasts into his chest. “How cool is that?”

“The coolest.” He removed the hairband from her hair because he needed to see her wild look. “I had a feeling you’d get the job.”

“I knew the interview was a formality.” She moved her lips across his jaw. “Especially when Zach told me the job was mine before I even had a seat. You created that position for me, didn’t you?”

“Always so perceptive.” He leaned his head back when she loosened his tie. “Zach said he was going to be really busy after the holidays and I suggested he hire someone to help. You were the first name that popped into my head.” His dick reacted as she sucked his earlobe into her mouth, grazing her teeth along it before she made her way to his mouth. “Of course, now I don’t know if I’m going to be able to concentrate, knowing you’re in the building.”

“It’s only three days a week, in the afternoons.”

“I suppose I’ll have to get all my work done in the mornings.” He reached for the buttons of her shirt. “You look seriously hot in your business attire, Ms. Burke.”

“Then why are you trying to undress me?” She glanced down as he undid the last button. “Not that I’m complaining but what if someone walks in on us?”

“Everyone is gone for the night.” He spread her shirt apart and watched as her nipples poked at the silky material of her bra. Lowering his lips, he licked and nipped at them through the thin fabric. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to wait until we get home.”

“So having me here will have some perks for you then?” She sucked her bottom lip through her teeth.

“Some perks for you too.” He caressed her breasts with the back of his hand. “Let me show you.”

He slid his hand under her skirt that was now up around her waist. His eager fingers sought out her heat as he moved them under the elastic of her panties.

“Fair warning.” She leaned over him and licked his lips. “I’m very wet for you.”

“Fuck.” His fingers slipped effortlessly inside her slick pussy. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Whatever you want.” Her knees brushed the back of his chair as she rocked into his hand. “But you already know that.”

As he fingered her, she dripped onto his hand, so ready and willing for anything he wanted. That kind of lust shot straight to his cock. The faster he went, the longer and louder her moans became. “I have to fuck you.” The image of her spread out on his desk as he drove into her made him crazy.

“Not yet. I’m so close.” She lifted her hips and plowed back down on his fingers. “Let me come, then you can fuck me.”

“So demanding.” He increased the speed of his fingers, moving them in and out and taking time to circle her clit. “Whatever you want.”

“Oh...” She dropped her head to his shoulder as she came undone in his lap.

“Chase,” his office door flew open just as Tessa let go. “I have those—” Audra stopped dead in her tracks as she took in the sight before her. “What are you— I mean— how could you—”

Tessa kept her head down as Chase set the hand that wasn’t buried inside her on her back, holding her to him.

“Audra,” he cleared his throat. “Could you give us a few minutes?”

“Take all the time you need.” She threw the file on the floor and stormed out of his office.

“Hell,” he mumbled as he lifted Tessa out of his lap, sitting her on the edge of the desk in front of him. “I’m sorry. She left forty minutes ago. I don’t know why she came back.” If he had known Audra was still in the building he would have locked the door. His attorney was the only one who would dare to barge into his office when the door was closed. “I need to go make sure she’s not throwing a fit and breaking things.”

“She seems like too much work.” Tessa buttoned her shirt. “She must be a damn good attorney.”

“She was.” He tucked his shirt into his pants. “I’m in the process of changing things over. I haven’t told anyone yet, but Seth is coming on as my business attorney. I had hoped to split the duties between them and then phase her out.”

“She doesn’t know that?”

“Not yet,” he said as he tightened his tie. “She has some personal things going on.” He didn’t want to say too much and violate the privacy of Audra’s mental health history. He didn’t like to keep things from Tessa, but with Audra everything was complicated. He never should have let things get this far. “She left the firm for a while last year and when she came back on board, there were certain stipulations we put in our business contract. I didn’t want to exercise those clauses, but lately she’s left me no choice. I don’t want to say anything to her until I have a plan in place. I also didn’t want to do it before the holidays. I don’t want to do that to her.”

“You feel bad.” She traced her finger down his cheek. “I can hear it in your voice.”

“It’s not something I want to do.”

He and Audra had a past, and even if things hadn’t worked out for them as a couple, they still had years of friendship. He was concerned for her mental well-being and had been in contact with her sister in the past week. She agreed that Audra seemed to be slipping back into her old habits of erratic behavior and outbursts. She told Chase she was looking into a treatment facility, but Audra wasn’t cooperating.

“I agree,” Tessa said. “Don’t do it before Christmas. I see how conflicted you are. You’re such a good man. You’ll make the right decision.”

“You’re very kind.” He stood and wrapped his arms around her. “I know Audra wasn’t very nice to you at the charity ball.”

“She doesn’t bother me.” Tess smiled. “I have you and she doesn’t. I still think that’s part of the problem.”

So perceptive
.
“I better go talk to her,” Chase said. “Want to meet me at the cafe on the water for dinner? It’s too cold to eat outside but I’ll arrange for a table by the window.”

“I thought you wanted to do something with me.” She ran her palm over his crotch. “Are we still gonna take care of that?”

“Do you even have to ask?”

“Just checking.” She slipped off his desk. “I owe you a little something.”

“You owe me more than one something.” He pulled her to him, kissing her hard on the mouth. “I plan to collect all night long.”

Chapter Twenty-three

Tess resisted the urge to call her dad. Chase had probably already told him about their relationship and left by now. She couldn’t imagine her father would have a problem with the two of them dating. When it came to what she wanted in her life, her dad always let her make her own decisions. When she was headed in the wrong direction he tried to talk her out of it, but always gave her room to make her way. Good or bad he was right there when she needed him. This time was different. Chase was different. He wasn’t a mistake and her father would have to see that.

She respected Chase’s wishes when he said he wanted to tell her dad about the two of them by himself. She didn’t like it but he was so determined, how could she argue? It was kind of cute.

As she climbed the stairs from the workout room, she noticed someone coming up the walkway outside. Once she got a closer look through the foyer windows, she saw it was Tanner. She wondered what he was doing there. He hadn’t talked to her since that night he stopped by and had pizza. She couldn’t blame him. If she were him, she’d be afraid of Chase too.

She opened the door before he could knock. “Hey,” she said as he stepped back. “I saw you coming up to the porch.”

“Hi.” He smiled once he recovered from her startling him by answering the door so quickly. “I needed to drop these papers off for Chase.” He stepped inside the house. “Is he here?” He looked around the foyer. “He left the office earlier than usual.”

“He went to visit my dad.” She held out her hand for the papers. “I can put those on his desk.”

“Thanks.” He hesitated. “Do you think he’ll be home soon? I had a few questions and I want to make sure I don’t screw up what he wants done.”

“I guess he should be here soon. You want to wait in the family room?”

“That would be great.” He followed her down the hall. “How have you been?”

“Good.” She plopped down on the couch. “How are things going with you?”

“I’ve been busy.” He sat down next to her. “I didn’t get to talk to you much at the charity function. You looked awesome.”

“Thanks.” She wondered why he didn’t sit on the chair across from her or even on the other end of the sofa. He seemed a little too close for her comfort. “It was a fun night.”

“You guys checked out early.” He set the papers down on the coffee table. “Audra and I thought maybe you had a fight or something.”

“A fight.” She grinned when she remembered why they had left. It had been one amazing night and while there were definitely raised voices, no fighting was involved. “Not at all.”

“Cool.”

“What’s up with you and Audra?”

“Audra?” He cleared his throat. “Why would anything be up with Audra?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “You two seemed cozy. I thought you might be her new boy toy or something.”

“Boy toy?” He chuckled. “She’s not that much older than me. Actually, we’re twelve years apart. Isn’t that the same age difference between you and Chase?”

“It is.”

“You’re not setting a double standard when it comes to younger men and older women, are you?”

“So, you are seeing her?”

“No.” He answered kind of fast. “Would it matter?”

“To who?”

“You.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Would you care?”

“Umm, no. I’m with Chase. You know that.” She scooted to the edge of the couch. “He should be here in a few.”

“I’m not really here to see him.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” She stood and walked to the window. “I think you need to go.” If Chase got home and found Tanner, he’d freak. She didn’t think it would bother him if Tanner came to see him; but now that she knew the truth she had to get him out of there.

“Tess, I can’t stop thinking about you.” Suddenly he was right behind her and his hand landed on her shoulder. “Ever since that night in the backyard you’ve been in my head.”

“Tanner
.” She turned to face him. “You need to forget about me. I’m sorry if I—”

Before she could finish her sentence his lips were on hers.

“Whoa.” She pushed him away from her. “That’s enough. You need to get out of here before Chase gets home.”

“Come on.” He grabbed her hand. “Are you really that committed to him? You’re too young to be in such a serious relationship. You should be having fun.”

“I am having fun.” She headed for the foyer. “You need to go. I’m not interested in you.”

“How do you know unless you give us a shot?” He hurried ahead of her and blocked her from leaving the room. “God, you’re beautiful.” He leaned down and tried to kiss her again. She turned her head before he could connect with her lips.

“Get off!” She pushed at his chest. “I said no. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Give me a chance to change your mind.” He took her arm and pulled her to him. “Please.”

“You heard her.” Tess looked over Tanner’s shoulder just as Chase grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him off her and slamming him into the wall. “What the hell is your problem?” Chase pinned him to the wall with his forearm lodged into Tanner’s neck. Tess watched as Tanner struggled to breathe. “I told you to stay away from her.”

“Chase, I didn’t mean to—” His voice was strained behind Chase’s arm.

“Don’t lie to me.” He increased the pressure on Tanner’s throat.

“Chase,” Tess pleaded as she touched his back.

“Did this piece of shit hurt you?” he growled through clenched teeth. “Because if he did...”

“No, he just thought it was okay to jam his tongue down my throat.” She was furious that Tanner would do something like that.

Chase pulled his arm back and punched Tanner square in the jaw, sending him crashing to the floor.

“Chase!” As angry as Tess was at the jerk, she couldn’t let Chase kill him. “Stop it! He’s not worth it.”

“He put his hands on you. He touched you.” He glared at his intern. “I’m going to kill you.”

When Chase lunged for Tanner, Tess screamed but it was Tanner who stopped the bigger man from hitting him again.

“Wait!” He put his hands over his face in an attempt to block the next punch. “I can explain.”

“You don’t deserve a chance to explain.” Chase clenched his fists. “You tried to force yourself on my girl. Do you know how lucky you are that I haven’t killed you already?”

“I wouldn’t have done anything she didn’t want me to. I really thought she would give me a chance.”

“You’re not helping yourself. I’m going to rip your tongue out and shove it down your throat.”

“No! Wait!” Tanner pleaded.

Tess let out the breath she’d been holding when Chase finally let go of him. Now maybe he would listen to reason. She was flattered that he wanted to defend her honor, but nothing was worth murder. She’d never seen him filled with so much rage.

“You said you wanted to explain,” Chase said. “Talk fast.”

As Tanner got up from the floor, Tess took Chase’s hand. She wanted to be close to him and try to stop him from attacking the idiot while he was babbling out excuses.

“Tess, first I need to say I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to come off as forced.”

“When a girl says no, you kind of have to listen.” She shook her head because she never would have pegged Tanner for such an asshole. “He could have really hurt you.”

“I haven’t yet decided that I’m not going to really hurt him,” Chase said. “It’s still open at this point.”

“I didn’t expect you to put up a fight.” Tanner shrugged.

“You son of a bitch...” Chase tightened his hold on Tess’s hand.

“If you don’t want to get hit again, you better leave,” Tess said. “It doesn’t matter what you have to say anyway. I’m with Chase and that’s all you need to know.”

“You have to know why I did what I did,” Tanner said. “I haven’t felt right about any of this for a while.”

“You have five seconds to spit it out,” Chase said. “That’s about all the patience I have left for you.”

“Audra made me do it,” Tanner admitted. “It was a stupid idea but she said Tess wouldn’t turn me down.”

“Why would she say that?” Tess asked. “She doesn’t know anything about me. Why would she put you up to this?”

“She thinks you like me. She said she saw us that night at the picnic. She said you were flirting with me so you must be interested in me.”

“Tanner, I’m sorry.” Tess felt bad about using him to get to Chase, but she never thought Tanner was interested in her. “I did that to provoke Chase. It was wrong, but I thought we were cool after that night we had pizza together. You said you were okay with being friends.”

“I told Audra that but she insisted that you would be easily swayed.”

“I’ve heard enough,” Chase said. “I want you to clear out your things at the office tomorrow morning.”

“That’s not necessary.” Tess pleaded because she didn’t want to see the guy lose his job over something she had inadvertently set in motion. “He made a mistake.”

“One he was warned not to make the night of the picnic when I told him you were off limits,” Chase said. “I know you remember that. You also remember when I told you not to come back here.”

“But he thought that I—”

“Tessa
.” Chase’s voice was stern. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“I think it does.” She stood her ground before her man had a chance to get all alpha. “Audra needs to be held accountable too.”

“Trust me,” Chase said. “She’ll be dealt with.”

“Why would she put Tanner up to this?” Tess wondered out loud. Audra had been his attorney for years. They had been friends and colleagues long before Tess had come into his life. Why would she care if they were together? Had she suddenly developed feelings for him? Or were there all along?

“Audra has been off lately,” Tanner said. “At first I just thought it was just jealousy, but Chase, she’s on a mission to get you back into her personal life and she’s not going to stop. She’s obsessed with you.”

Tess’s stomach flipped and not in a good way. Why wouldn’t Chase have told her he’d had anything other than a professional relationship with Audra? “Get you back? What does that mean?”

“I thought she was over you,” Tanner continued. “All she talks about is how good the two of you were together. How this time you’ll get it right. She showed me the albums of the two of you and all the things she collected over the course of your relationship. It seemed a bit creepy, but I figured she really liked you.”

“What albums?” Chase asked.

“What relationship?” Tess let go of Chase’s hand. “What am I missing?”

“Sweetheart.” His voice was softer and his eyes held sorrow. “It was a brief fling. One I regret.”

“A fling?” Tanner said. “That’s not the way Audra sees it. She thinks you two were on your way to the alter.”

“Get out!” Chase yelled.

“I haven’t finished explaining,” he said. “I think there are things you need to know.”

“Now!” Chase pointed to the foyer.

“Okay.” Tanner headed for the hallway. “Tess, I really am sorry. I shouldn’t have listened to Audra. It was stupid.”

His words didn’t sink in. She was too stunned by Chase’s confession about Audra.
A fling? A relationship? What the hell?
It was hard to get a full breath. Her insides were rolling, like she’d been hit in the gut.

“Are you okay?” Chase reached for her, but she pulled out of his hold.

“Don’t touch me.” She backed away from him. “Don’t you dare.”

“I know what Tanner said was a shock but—”

“A shock?” She paced the room. “Then it’s true? You slept with her?”

“Yes.”

At least he wasn’t going to deny it. “While we were together?”

“God, no.” He came toward her, but stopped when she held up her hand. “Audra and I were long over before you and I got together. There’s only you. You should know that.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why would you hide that?”

“I didn’t think it was necessary.”

“You didn’t think it was necessary to tell me about your past? You didn’t think I would want to know you fucked your attorney? The one you work with every day. The one who calls and texts all hours of the night. The one you attend dinners and meetings with? The one you spend most of your day with?”

“Tessa,” he said. “Whatever you’re manifesting in your mind isn’t true.”

“Fuck you!” She stormed out of the family room and to the back staircase. She heard his shoes hit the hardwood floor as he gained on her. “Leave me alone.”

“We need to talk about this.”

“
Now
you want to talk about it? Because you got caught?”

“I didn’t get caught doing anything.” He followed her up the steps. “Please listen to me.” He caught up with her in the hallway and reached for her arm to make her face him. “You know I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“You did hurt me. You lied to me.”

“I never lied.”