Bound by Their Kisses(7)

It wasn’t that he thought a triad relationship wasn’t really for him. He knew in his heart it was, but Tessa’s deep need for independence was going to put a strain on their closeness since he was by nature a controlling man. He knew it and could temper it to some extent, but deep down, Tag liked to be in control. Zander’s natural tendency for compromise when it came to women was Tag’s only chance at making it work with Tessa. He needed the other man’s flexible, laidback temperament to dampen his intenseness.

“Pretty much. It needs more furniture and color, but Tessa will be the one to decide on those things,” Zander said. “I’ve finished all the detail work, and the basement is completely set up.”

“I’m tired of waiting, Z.”

“Yeah, me, too. We start wearing her down this weekend. Agreed?” Zander asked.

“Agreed.”



* * * *



Tessa slowly backed away from the door once she heard the last rumble of Tag’s bike fade away. What was she going to do? They weren’t going to go away, and she didn’t have the willpower to stand up to them for much longer. She had to convince them to back off. If she couldn’t do that, she’d have to leave.

She didn’t want to leave Perkins City. It was the perfect place for her. Even though she wasn’t into the whole BDSM way of life, it provided her with a sense of security since most of the men in town believed in treating women like prized possessions to be coddled and kept safe. If she so much as screamed, men from all over town would run to check on her.

Well, maybe not on this side of town, but still. She didn’t want to leave. She could see herself spending the rest of her life in the tiny Texas town. She hoped that one day she would be able to afford a nicer place to live. Steve paid well, but it took time to save up enough money to move across town. She’d thought about getting a second job, but she had put it off since it would mean walking home after dark. The town was too small to have a taxi service, so walking was her only option.

Taylor Rizzoli was spending less time at her coffee shop, Rizzoli’s, and had advertised for more help. If Tessa could figure out a way to get home safely, she could probably get on there. But, as it was, she didn’t want to risk her life by walking at night.

After warming up some soup and making a grilled cheese sandwich to go with it, Tessa settled at the small bar and ate, letting her thoughts wander. She enjoyed working at Heavy Trinkets. The shop had so many different things that she wasn’t bored in the least. It handled everything from erotic romance books to custom leather clothes, cuffs, toys, and body jewelry. Steve even sold the specialized ropes that riggers and those who enjoyed shibari preferred.

Even though she didn’t want that sort of relationship with anyone, Tessa enjoyed reading about it. She just didn’t think she could ever trust someone enough to allow them to control any part of her life. Not after the nightmare she’d endured over five years ago. Some memories never fade. Unfortunately, it was usually the bad ones.

At twenty-one, nearly twenty-two years old, Tessa had met Paul in one of her college classes. He’d been sweet and kind, undeterred by her plus-size body or her shyness. Looking back, Tessa knew that was what had attracted him in the first place. She fit his victim profile perfectly. Being shy and uncomfortable with herself because of her body, Tessa was ripe for the picking, vulnerable and susceptible to the right words and actions. Someone like her ate up the attention he lavished on her at first.

Once he had her completely dependent on him emotionally, he went in for the kill, slowly and subtly chipping away at her self-esteem even more. He moved in with her, letting her take over all the bills, one at a time, then encouraging her to postpone the rest of her education while he finished his. Then he could support her while she completed her degree. Someone needed to work to pay their bills. Ha, his bills.

Tessa shook it all away, determined not to dwell on the past. Instead, she had a future ahead of her here in Perkins City. All she had to do was resist Tag and Zander. That was going to be easier said than done considering how her body reacted to them anytime they were around.

Aw hell. Who am I kidding? I think about them all the time, especially at night.

They were the objects of her fantasies no matter how hard she tried to substitute some random guy she’d seen or a movie star she liked. Like her monthly rent, they kept showing up despite her wishes otherwise, dominating her dreams until she was waking up wet with her fingers between the folds of her pussy.

Why was she so attracted to them in particular? Yes, they had great bodies, but Zander was bald and she’d never gone for bald men before. Plus, she was sure he had body piercings all over, something she’d never been attracted to in the past. Tag’s long black hair was attractive, but his facial features were hard and unyielding. She had a hard time seeing him as capable of being gentle. Yet his gruff ways and nasty talk excited her instead of sending her running in the opposite direction. Truth be told, Tessa had to make herself refuse their attentions and avoid them as much as possible.