“Ah, well, your friend has excellent taste. Does she work in the fashion industry?”
Tessa shook her head. “No, she’s an interior designer. In fact, she and her fiancée are the designer and architect working on the new hotel in the Napa Valley. But Julia does have an eye for fashion so – well, she’s been helping me out.”
Joanna could read between the lines very easily, and figured that Tessa wasn’t at all accustomed to wearing high end fashions. “Well, the dress looks lovely on you, dear. Have you chosen a gown for the benefit ball next week?”
“Not yet, no. I have an appointment with the personal shopper Ian uses at Neiman Marcus for this Friday. I’m not at all sure what I ought to be wearing to such a formal event.”
“Well, I’m sure your friend – Julia, is it? – will be happy to help you out.”
“Julia’s very busy at the moment, actually,” demurred Tessa. “Her wedding is just over three weeks away and I wouldn’t even think of asking for her opinion right now. Ian thought that – well, that maybe you’d be able - ”
Joanna smiled. “I’d be delighted, dear. And I’ve been to so many of these events that I can advise you on exactly the right dress to buy. What of your friend’s wedding? Do you have a dress for that yet?”
“Not yet, no. Things have been rather hectic with our schedules lately, what with the business trips and all.”
“Well, we can kill two birds with one stone and find you a dress for that at the same time. I think – well, that it would be nice for us to get to know each other a little better, don’t you? After all,” added Joanna kindly, “it seems that my son is intent on keeping you around for a very long time to come. And I know it would please Ian very much if you and I became good friends, don’t you agree?”
Tessa’s face lit up with a gorgeous smile as she nodded enthusiastically. “I do, yes. Very much. Thank you, Mrs. Gregson. You’re so kind, just like Ian.”
Joanna squeezed the girl’s hand. “You should call me Joanna, dear. Though I expect that one day very soon that might change to what Ian calls me – Mother.”
***
Ian grinned. “She told you that, did she?”
Tessa couldn’t believe she’d actually confessed what his mother had told her earlier today. “I’m sure she was just being polite.”
He shrugged. “Well, my mother is always polite. Unless she happens to be chasing after one of my nephews. That’s usually when the gloves come off. My mother can be quite feisty when the need arises. I suppose that’s what happens when you spend your life surrounded by men.” He pulled the pink cardigan sweater down her arms. “But Mother never says anything she doesn’t mean, polite or not. And she definitely meant that last part she told you.”
“Oh. Well, that was nice of her, I suppose. Though I don’t know how I’ll be able to actually call her Joanna, much less, er - ”
“Mother?” finished Ian helpfully. He held onto her arm as she stepped out of her shoes.
Tessa shrugged. “I mean, it’s not like that’s really likely to happen.”
“Isn’t it?” He slipped his arms around her waist, touching his forehead to hers. “We’ve never talked about getting married – you’re not ready for that just yet. But make no mistake, Tessa – you will be my wife one day, sooner than later.”
She stared at him open-mouthed, completely taken aback by his very matter of fact statement. But before she could even think of a reply, he was turning her to face away from him.
“Now, unfortunately, I do have an early start to the day tomorrow, so let’s get you out of this very pretty dress so that I can finally satisfy my curiosity about what you have on underneath.” He nuzzled the nape of her neck as he slowly lowered the zipper. “I appreciate that you chose to wear something a bit conservative to meet my parents in, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t fantasize all damned day about what lacy bits you have on.”
Tessa closed her eyes as he worked the dress down past her hips, kneeling at her feet, and urged her to step out of the fabric. She gasped as his arms circled her hips from behind, and she felt his lips on the small of her back. His fingers toyed with the waistband of her tiny white lace thong.
“Mmm, all ladylike and proper on the outside with your pretty dress and little heels,” he murmured, his hands caressing the bared cheeks of her ass. “But underneath you’ve got on these very, very sexy undies that make you look like a pinup girl.” He slipped his finger beneath the lacy band of her sheer thigh-high stockings. “God, I love these. They always make your legs seem even longer than they are.”