Tessa's Treasures (3 page)

He tasted like coffee and an after dinner mint. And something else all Lucas. His soft lips started slow, then claimed her mouth in a hard kiss. She pulled back, her eyes wide. “I better go.” Her insides twisted with fear and regret. This was twenty-five years too late. Never again would she allow a man to get close.

“Okay.” He watched her with curious eyes. “I’ll walk you to your car.” He left the Jeep, came around and opened her door.

She pulled the calendar out of her purse. “Lucas, we never made an appointment.”

He leaned his forearm on the car, staring off into space for a moment. “How about taking a look now?”

The grown-up fearful woman in her wanted to run home and bolt the door. The teenager with the wild crush on Lucas Raven said “go for it.” The teenager won. “That would work. It’s still early.”

Lucas gave her that heart-thumping smile. “Okay, follow me in your car.”

****

Sarah Rogers moved into her house the day she married her Fred, lived there for forty-nine years, then put it up for sale after he died. Before she relocated to a retirement home, Sarah came in the shop from time to time, talking about all the “treasures” in her attic. The antique lover in Tessa nearly salivated at the thought of getting her hands on some of them.

She pulled up behind Lucas in the driveway. The old house was obviously going through renovations. A huge blue tarpaulin stretched across part of the roof and was anchored down by bricks. The white shingles sported a new coat of paint, as did the black trim on the doorway and shutters. A new solid oak porch replaced the rickety one Tessa remembered. As she and Lucas made their way into the house and up the stairs, the smell of new wood perfumed her nostrils.

Though the evening temperature only reached seventy degrees, the stifling air in the attic took her breath away. She pressed her fingers against the wall to regain her equilibrium and her breath while she adjusted to the heat. One dim light bulb hung from a cord in the middle of the huge space. A yellowish glow filtered across the room, leaving most of it cloaked in shadow.

“I put the things in those three boxes.” Lucas pointed at a small stack near the back wall. “Given the poor light in here, I’ll carry them down to the kitchen for you to analyze.”

She headed toward the stack. “I can carry one.”

Lucas stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “No, let me. You go on to the kitchen. There’s iced tea in the fridge.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Pour me a glass if you will.”

His touch continued to both excite and scare her. She didn’t want this. Or maybe she didn’t want to want it. Her life had been comfortable before Lucas walked into her store this morning. But was she too young for
comfortable
?

The smell of paint reached her before she entered the kitchen. A great deal of work had been done in the room. A long time ago, she’d brought some soup to Sarah when she wasn’t feeling well. That kitchen in no way resembled this modern, bright yellow room. New white cabinets replaced the old ones made of dark wood and a shiny gray tile floor was a vast improvement over the ripped and faded linoleum. A huge bay window with a padded bench underneath filled a wall that used to hold a small single window with blinds drawn tight. Her spirits lifted as soon as she stepped across the threshold. What a great place to cook a meal!

Unlike most bachelors, Lucas' refrigerator had food in it. She smiled. On second glance, the beer, iced tea, leftover pizza, eggs, steak, and hamburger patties in no way compared to her small fridge at home stocked with yogurt, tofu and salad fixings.

She rummaged around the cabinets till she found two tall glasses and poured the tea. As she placed them on the table, Lucas entered, carrying the three boxes, his muscles bulging with the strain. He lined them up on the table, and sucked down a large gulp of the tea. “Thanks.”

Tessa slid dark-framed reading glasses out of her pocket and bent over the boxes. Some items such as the china pieces and small crystals would sell very quickly, the old books she wasn’t too sure about.

“Take your time.” His voice, close to her ear, broke with huskiness. He pulled back when she jumped, then shifted a bit. Moving away from her, he straddled a chair, and placed the empty tea glass on the table. “What made you go into the antique business?”

She took a deep breath to calm herself. “It seemed to suit my personality. I love history, and all things old.” She turned toward him and took a sip of tea. “I was a history major in college.” When he nodded, she continued. “After I returned from California, I needed to earn a living, so I began working in the shop.”

He flashed a smile and her stomach fluttered. “Was the owner’s name Tessa, too? Like in
Tessa’s Treasures
?”

“No. His name was Warren Mallory and he called the store
This Old Stuff
.” She winced. “Can you imagine?”

“I must admit, I like
Tessa’s Treasures
much better.”

She pulled a doll from a box. Standing about eighteen inches tall, it had a painted face from which glassy black eyes gazed at her like a shark. The hair, also black, could have been human or synthetic. The old and faded dress was most likely hand-made. “What’s this?”

Lucas stood and took it out of her hand. “It appears to be made out of bone.”

Tessa took a step back. “Bone?”

“Actually, it Scrimshaw.” At her quizzical look, he continued. “Scrimshaw is the long-standing art of carving objects from bone, mostly whalebone. Scrimshaw started on whaling ships around the mid 1700’s, when whalers did it to pass the time. I’m surprised you aren’t familiar with it.”

She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “No, I’m not.” As he held it up to the light and turned it, another shiver danced over her flesh. The eyes appeared to look straight at her, no matter which angle Lucas turned it.

He seemed to pick up on her reluctance. “You don’t have to take it.”

She laughed, but the uneasy feeling settled firmly in her stomach. “No. I’ll take it. It’s different. I may find a buyer who actually likes it.”

“Stack the things you want on the counter,” he said. “I’ll find another box to put them in. These are kind of dusty from the attic.”

Tessa packed the doll, an old journal, various pieces of china, some crystal, several bookends, a beautifully painted lighthouse, and a small statue of a woman holding a child to her breast, into the box Lucas gave her.

He lifted the box and started toward the door. “Just so we’re clear. I don’t want anything for these. I just wanted to get rid of stuff.”

Tessa put her glasses back in her pocket, leaving her unfinished tea sitting on the counter. Lucas carried the items to her car. Once the box was securely placed in the back seat, Lucas turned and rested his hands on her shoulders.

“That’s not right,” she said. “If I get money for these things, you’re entitled to your share.”

Her skin was on fire where his hands rested and his warm thumbs rubbed the sides of her throat. She had the unsettling urge to purr like a contented cat.

His voice lowered to a husky whisper. “Tell you what. If you sell anything, you can take me to dinner. Deal?”

Hmm. He was asking for dinner, but his eyes glowed with a savage inner fire, inviting much more
. No, please, don’t ask. I’m not ready. Won’t ever be ready.

“Deal.” The word came out before she even thought it. Every inch of her body went high alert.
If I don’t move away from him soon, I’ll melt into the ground like a puddle of mush or run screaming into the night.

He cupped her face and slowly bent his head. “I have to do this,” he murmured before he captured her lips. The smell of musky aftershave, clean cotton, and Lucas, along with the faint taste of beer, made her nostrils flare.

Tessa’s heart sped up till she feared it would choke her. Lights flashed behind her eyelids. Too quickly he pulled away, ran his knuckles over her cheek. “Good night.”

He walked her to the driver’s side and opened the door. She stepped in, reached behind her and pulled the strap down to hook her seat belt. Lucas closed the door, leaning his forearm on the door frame. “Drive carefully.” He stepped back.

In a daze, Tessa started the car and pulled away. Three blocks over her brain kicked in.
Big trouble. Big, big trouble.

Chapter Three

Lucas stood in his kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee. His thoughts, as always, centered on Tessa Jordan. He’d searched her out with the full intention of discovering if his feelings were the same as twenty-five years ago. They weren’t. They were ten times stronger. At twenty-two he’d been a horny young man, fully aware that a seventeen-year-old was jail bait. And if he touched her, Mason would have beaten the hell out of him. So he played around, waiting for Tessa to grow up. But Patty and the pregnancy got in the way.

Patty. Twenty-four years of marriage to the wrong woman. His wife felt it. She was as unhappy as he, but chose to soothe her unhappiness with a number of affairs. Guilt at not loving her as he should, and his need to be an important part of the twins’ lives, kept him from considering divorce. By the time he’d actually considered it, she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, and there was no way he would’ve abandoned her then, unlike her latest lover. But now he was free and so was Tessa. He finished his coffee and put the mug in the dishwasher.

There was something going on with her. It troubled him that she almost seemed afraid of him. Good God, he’d grown up with her, had spent more nights sleeping in Mason’s room than his own. At times she had that deer in the headlights look about her. Every time his brain started to sort it out, he shoved it to the back of his mind. He refused to go down the path his thoughts wanted to take him.

He inhaled deeply of the fresh spring air as he jumped into his Jeep. A strong sun warmed his arm resting on the window. Sunglasses on and baseball cap pulled low, he left the driveway. A perfect day to check out the boat. His twenty-seven foot cruiser had been shipped from Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City to Adams Marina yesterday. Although a 1984 model, he’d maintained it scrupulously for the fifteen years he’d owned it.

Never a favorite form of recreation for Patty, he and the boys had enjoyed overnight trips and hours of fishing from the boat. Retirement would allow him to take his dream trip. Haul the boat to Corpus Christi, and cruise the Gulf. After that, he’d be ready to accept the teaching job at Cameron University in Lawton.

As soon as he hopped out of the Jeep, Mike Adams, owner and top-notch mechanic, sauntered over, wiping his hands on a rag. “Mr. Raven, how y’all doing this morning?”

“I’m good. How’s my boat looking?” They strolled behind the lengthy flat building past a dozen or more boats with “For Sale” signs in front.

“There she is.” Mike waved at the
Amore Perduto,
shining bright in the sun.

Lucas' heart swelled. The grinding hours on the job, strained atmosphere at home, all disappeared when he took the wheel, and headed into the water. His feet itched to climb aboard and feel the rumble of the powerful motor under him. Yes, it was time to take her out. He grinned. When he chose the Italian words for “Love Lost,” little did he know one day Tessa would be in his life again.

Lucas ran his hand over the smooth side of the hull. “Is she seaworthy?”

“Absolutely. My boys checked her out. Did a thorough tune up and cleaning. She’s ready to go.” The dirty rag hung from Mike’s fingers as he placed hands on his hips and gestured to the boat with his chin. “You interested in selling her?”

“Not on your life.” Lucas answered with a chuckle.

“I got a buyer for you. Good price, too.”

“Nope. I’m taking this baby home. This weekend she and I are hitting the lake. Get some fishing in. I’ve been looking forward to this for months.”

“If you change your mind...”

“You’ll be the first to know.” He slapped Mike on the back. “Can you get one of your men to hook her up to my Jeep?”

“Right away.” He walked off.

Lucas stared at the boat for a few minutes then headed to the jeep. He checked his watch. An hour before his lunch with Mason. Plenty of time to get the boat home and unhitched.

****

A sense of déjà vu washed over Lucas as he pulled open the door to the diner. Mama’s House was a place every small town had, where locals gathered to eat the best food in town. It was like stepping back in time to high school. Not much had changed, since “Mama,” now in her seventies, didn’t believe in modernization. But the food, still cooked by her aging hands, was good enough to keep them coming back.

Cap in hand, he moved his sunglasses to the top of his head, and caught Mason’s wave from the back booth. “Couldn’t wait for me?” Lucas sat and pointed to the burger and fries the police chief wolfed down.

“Hey, I’m not a man of leisure like you, buddy. I’m on a time clock.” He swallowed a large mouthful of his lunch with a vigorous suck of his straw.

“When are you retiring?”

Lucas nodded at the waitress who slapped a menu in front of him, along with a glass of ice water. He pointed to Mason’s plate. “Just give me what my friend’s having.”

“Retiring?” Mason squawked. “Are you kidding me? With all those kids needing to get through college? Not likely.”

“How are Jane and the kids?”

“Jane’s fine. I don’t know how she deals with them all. I’m just waiting for them to get out of the house so I can have her to myself again.” Mason liked to pretend he wasn’t crazy about his six kids. Two sets of twins and two singles. Having married in his mid-thirties, he was a forty-seven year old man with six kids not yet teenagers
. I remember those teen years with my boys. Wouldn’t want to go through that again.

Mason pushed his empty plate away and leaned against the back of the booth. “Thank God Tessa takes them off our hands once in a while. They love her, and she spoils them rotten.”