Tessa's Temptation (24 page)

The officer looked over at the detective who gave him a nod. “No problem,” he said as his gaze lingered on Tessa for entirely too long. “Sounds like you’ve had a crazy day. If you need anything don’t hesitate to call the precinct. They can put you right through to me.”

“Thank you.” Tessa smiled as she inched closer to Chase. “That won’t be necessary.”

That’s my girl.

“Oh, okay,” the young cop said. “Take care.”

“Bye.” Tessa waved as the officer hurried down the steps practically tripping as he went.

“Even the police officer?” Chase lifted her up and set her on the railing, holding his arms around her waist. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Me? I’m not the one who attracts kidnappers. Any more psycho bitch girlfriends you need to tell me about?”

“I’m so sorry about that.” He had failed to protect her. Everything that happened today was his fault. “Audra needs help. I should have realized just how far gone she was. I’ll never forgive myself for everything she did to you. If I had any idea how messed up she was I would have removed her from the situation weeks ago.”

“It’s not your fault.” She took his face between her hands. “You had no control over what she was going to do. You couldn’t have known.”

“I should have told you what I knew.” He would spend the rest of his life making up for what he had kept from her. “I thought I was protecting you but I should have warned you.”

“It’s over.” She kissed him. “We’re together. That’s all that matters to me.”

“We need to get you to the hospital.”

“Hospital? No, I’m good.”

“I don’t think so.” He looked her over. “You took a nasty bump to the head and your feet have been cut. You probably have glass in them. Did you lose consciousness when she hit you?”

“I think so.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t remember Audra bringing me here. One minute I was in the foyer and when I woke up I was here.”

“Let’s go.” He scooped her up and carried her down the steps. “I’m taking you to the emergency room.”

“There’s a paramedic right over there.” She pointed to the ambulance. “Can’t they check me out? I want to go home.”

“Let them deal with Audra.” He called over to Tanner, “I’m taking Tessa to the hospital. Can you get a ride home with Seth? You can fill him in on what happened and tell him to call me in the morning.”

“Sure.” Tanner crossed the porch and looked at Tessa. “Are you okay?”

“Chase is overreacting.” But she snuggled against his chest as she said it. “I don’t need to go to the hospital.”

“It’s not negotiable.” Chase kissed the top of her head. “Tanner, thank you for finding her.”

“I’m glad I could help.” He kicked the dirt on the ground with the toe of his shoe. “I’m real sorry about the part I played in all of this. I had no idea Audra would take it this far.”

“It’s cool, Tanner,” she said. “I just want to put this night behind us. Thanks for helping Chase.”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Chase carried her to the car. “I have a friend on the board at the hospital.”

“Of course you do.” She managed to giggle but he could tell she was spent both mentally and physically.

“I’ll make sure you’re seen right away.” He held her close to his chest with one arm as he opened the car door with the other. “I want to get you home.” They had spent the night before in separate beds because of his stupidly. “I just want to hold you, sweetheart.”

“Thank you for rescuing me.” She kissed his cheek before he helped her into the passenger seat and buckled her in. “I knew you would find me.”

“Always.” He gently kissed her lips. “I love you.”

“That’s how I knew you’d come for me.”

Chapter Twenty-seven

Chase was quiet on the car ride home from the hospital. Tess knew he blamed himself for what had happened to her. As mad as she was at him the night before for not telling her about his relationship with Audra, she didn’t blame him for her actions. No one could have guessed that she would freak out and hold Tess hostage. That shit didn’t happen in real life.

Her feet had been bandaged up after the doctor removed the slivers of glass from them. They looked worse than they were. Chase had insisted on a CAT scan because of the blow she took to her head but everything was normal. She’d just been shaken and bruised and had a mild concussion. He’d assured them he would be there to check on her all night.

“None of this was your fault.”

He didn’t respond.

“I’m okay,” she told him as he carried her into the house. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”

“Maybe
he
doesn’t.” May hurried toward them. “But I’ve been just sick.”

“Hey, May.” Tess waved. “What are you doing here? It’s late.”

“I needed to see with my own eyes that you were all right. When he called me from the hospital, I rushed right over.” May looked her over. “What did the doctors say?”

“She’s one tough girl.” Chase finally broke his silent streak. “She’s just a bit battered. I’m going to take her upstairs and put her to bed. Can you get her some tea with honey and lemon?”

“Of course.” She took Tess’s hand. “How about something to eat? You must be starving.”

“Chase got me some crackers and juice in the ER. I’m not really that hungry. I’m just tired and I’d like to take a shower.” She was cold and sore all over. All she wanted to do was stand in the hot shower under those massaging jets and then crawl into their big comfy bed and let him hold her.

“May, please start the tea and I’ll take her up and help her get ready for bed.”

“Are you sure you don’t want anything else?” May asked. “I can run to the store and get whatever you want.”

“Thanks but I just want to get ready for bed.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Can you take me upstairs? I’d ask you to put me down but...”

“You’d be wasting your breath.” He headed up the stairs. “I’ll help you put your pajamas on and get you into bed and then I’ll bring you your tea.”

“I want to shower,” she reminded him. “I can do it.”

“You can do that in the morning. The doctor said you should rest tonight.”

“I’ll rest after I get washed,” she said. “I feel grimy from being in that old cabin. I’ll sleep better after a steamy shower.”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” He sighed as he brought her into the bathroom and sat her gently on the counter. “You don’t think I’m going to let you go in there alone, do you?”

“I had hoped not.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and bit her bottom lip. “I could use your help.”

“It’s going to be a quick one.” He turned on the faucet. “In and out.”

“Whatever you say, boss.” She reached for the buttons of his shirt. “Let’s get you naked.”

Once she removed his shirt, he tugged hers over her head. He unclasped her bra and tossed it on top of their clothes before helping her wiggle out of her pants. He was careful not to hurt her feet as he pulled the garment over her ankles.

“Are you sure the shower won’t irritate your feet? Maybe a bath? We could prop up your feet.”

“That will take too long.” She unwrapped the bandages from her feet. “Look, they’re fine. They’re not even bleeding.”

“You’re so beautiful.” He kissed her lips as he pulled her into an embrace. “If anything had happened to you...” His muscles tensed around her. “I’m so sorry.”

“Nothing happened to me. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. It’s going to take more than your unstable psycho attorney ex to scare me away.”

She unbuckled his belt as he kicked off his shoes. Reaching down, he pulled off his socks, then dropped his pants and stepped out of them.

“When I couldn’t find you today I felt something was wrong. In my heart I knew you would never leave me. No matter how mad I made you, I trusted that you wouldn’t walk out on me.”

“You have really good instincts because nothing could ever make me leave you.” She trailed her fingers over his lips. “I know what I mean to you. What we are to one another.”

He hooked his thumbs in her panties and shimmied them over her hips and down her legs.

“Can you stand?”

“I think so.”

He took off his boxers and then helped her off the counter and into the shower.

The heat of the water relaxed her, warming her chilled skin. He stepped in behind her, taking the body wash from the shelf and squeezing some into his hands. He moved her out of the direct line of the spray so he could lather her with the silky soap.

“You take such good care of me.” He massaged her shoulders and back and she felt the stress of the day fade away under his skilled hands.

“I didn’t do a very good job today.” He slid his hands down her arms to her hips, turning her to face him. “When I saw you on the floor with that glass to your throat...” He stroked the spot where she had a tiny cut on her neck. “All I could think about was losing you. That wasn’t an option.”

“You wouldn’t let anything happen to me.” She kissed a path down his jaw to his neck, resting her palms on his chest. “I’m safe with you.”

“From now on you will be.” He tilted her chin. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“That’s not realistic.” She kissed his shoulder as she ran her hand down his stomach.

“What are you doing?” He watched her hand travel down his body.

“Touching you.”

“Don’t.” He captured her wrist in his hand. “I need to get you out of here and if you start that… well, you know what will happen.”

“Maybe that’s what I want to happen.” She nipped at his bottom lip. “I need to feel you inside me right now. I need to know this is real.”

“It’s real, baby.” He held the sides of her face and kissed her, holding back nothing. Ever since he came out of that cabin, he’d been careful and gentle with her, but that wasn’t what either of them needed now. He pushed her against the wall as she reached down and took his erection in her hand. “We can’t. Not now.”

“I tried to be brave today but when she held that glass to my throat I knew she was crazy enough to cut me. She really believed that if she killed me, the two of you could be together.” She ran her thumb under his shaft in an upward motion until she got to the tip. She swirled her finger over the head and he hissed when she spread the moisture across it. “You made sure she didn’t hurt me.”

“In those few minutes I felt so helpless. If she had...” He drew a labored breath and she saw the conflict in his eyes as he lifted her up and pinned her with his hard body. “I don’t know what I would have done.”

“Take me.” She held onto his shoulders. “Let’s forget about today and replace it with just the two of us.”

“May would kill me if she knew what I was doing to you in here.” He shifted his hips and reached down between them, positioning his cock at her entrance.

“I won’t tell.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as he thrust into her. “Don’t hold anything back.”

“Tessa...” he groaned when he entered her. “I lose all self-control when I’m with you. How do you do that to me?”

“It’s a gift.” She secured her legs around his waist. “That feels so good.”

“Look at me.” His request came out as a rough demand.

She opened her eyes and stared into his. He didn’t say anything else, as he moved in and out of her. Never taking his gaze away from hers, he held her firm and using the powerful muscles in his taunt legs and rigid back, he slowly buried himself deep inside her again and again.

The steam from the hot water surrounded them in a thick mist but she could still see his intense gaze. She sought out his lips, wanting to touch as much of him as she could. Her stomach tightened and her sex clenched around his cock. Heat coursed through her as she whispered his name. This was reassurance of what they shared and an outward manifestation of all the love they felt for each other.

He pressed his lips to hers, snuffing out her pleasure induced moans. “I love you,” he murmured. “I can’t ever be without you.” With one final, quick thrust he let go. “Tessa, you’re my world.”

His strong arms supported her as she slid her legs down his hips to the floor. He held her steady as he kissed her neck, jaw and lips.

“That was just what I needed,” she mumbled, feeling content and more settled than she had in hours. “I needed you to love me.”

“I’ll admit I feel calmer.” He stroked her face. “I thought I was going to fall apart when they took you from me to have that scan. I didn’t want to leave your side.”

“I kind of got that when you wouldn’t let go of my hand and the nurse had to tell you to leave.” She shivered as the water turned cooler. “I can’t believe you listened to her.”

“It wasn’t easy but I knew they had to take care of you and I was keeping them from doing that.” He kissed her forehead. “Let’s get you out of here before you freeze.”

He turned the water off and stepped out of the stall wrapping a towel around his waist. Holding out another large, fluffy towel, he nodded for her to step toward him. He pulled her into his embrace, wrapping the towel around her at the same time. He took a smaller towel and dried her hair, neck and shoulders. Tracing her fingers down his chest, she indulged in his tenderness. He could go from a sex obsessed animal to absolute gentleness in a matter of seconds. She loved every part of him. Rough, raw and uncontrolled to soft, gentle and sated.

“Let’s get you to bed.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She grinned. “I love going to bed with you.”

“That portion of the evening is over. No more tempting me.” He guided her into the bedroom. “Flannel tonight?”

“One of your shirts,” she said. “I want to feel surrounded in you.”

“Trust me, you’ll be surrounded in me whether you wear one of my shirts or not.” He retrieved a set of pajamas from the drawer. The silky light gray ones with dark stripes. One of her favorites. He tossed the shirt at her, and when he dropped his towel, she licked her lips.

Never enough..
.
He quickly pulled on the pajama pants and threw his towel at the bathroom door. He finished drying her before he slipped the shirt over her head. “Are you sure you don’t want me to get you something warmer to wear?”

“Just put me to bed, please.” She held up her arms for him to carry her. “I’m so tired.”

“I’m not letting you leave this bed all day tomorrow.” He lifted her up and carried her to her side of the bed, pulling back the covers, he gently set her gently on the mattress. “I’m going to get you some tea and the antibiotic the doctor prescribed so your feet don’t get infected.”

“May’s going to yell at you for taking so long.” She yawned as she snuggled into the blankets. “She knows we did it.”

“That’s your fault.”

“I can’t help it if you’re tempted by me.”

“You’re a sex demon.” He leaned down and kissed her head, but she caught his hand in hers before he could leave. “What is it, sweetheart?”

***

When she sat up, he saw the worry in her face. He wanted her to rest and stay calm. “Are you in pain?”

“No.”

“Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow. I want you to sleep now.”

“I’m sorry we fought last night.”

“That was my fault.” He had so many regrets when it came to the way he had handled things with Audra. “You don’t need to apologize. I’m going to spend months making this up to you.”

“You don’t have to make anything up to me.” She kissed his hand. “We’re stronger now. We can overcome anything.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” She closed her eyes as she settled back into the covers. “So much.”

“Get some sleep now. Remember, I’m going to have to wake you up every couple of hours and ask you stuff to make sure you’re okay.”

“You never told me how things went with my dad.”

“We got a little distracted.” The conversation with Pat seemed like it took place weeks ago rather than just yesterday. “You were right, he already knew about us.”

“Told you.” She managed a weak laugh. “He’s smart and he always knows when I have a man in my life.”

“You’ll be happy to know he likes me much better than idiot number one and idiot number two.” Pat was more upset that he and Tessa had kept their relationship a secret from him than he was that Chase had fallen for his daughter.

“How could he not?” She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “
I
like you much better than them too.”

“I should hope so.” He was quiet for a few minutes, hoping she would fall asleep, but she knew him too well.

“Something is on your mind.”

“How do you manage to do that?” No one had ever taken the time to really get to know him, but he’d never given anyone the opportunity to get as close as Tessa had.