“What sort of misfortune?”
“I can’t discuss that with you, Ian, as I’m certain you know,” admonished Francine. “Not to mention I’m not sure that even I know all of it. Tessa is a very private person, not one to broadcast her life’s story around the office. Another admirable trait that I value. Just – go easy on the girl, Ian. Trust me, it won’t take you long at all to realize her value. Not to mention,” she added slyly, “she’s quite easy on the eye, isn’t she?”
Ian chose his next words carefully before replying. “She’s a lovely girl, yes. But is it really true that she’s already married at such a young age?”
Francine sighed. “Yes, it’s true. It’s – complicated, Ian. That’s all I can say on the matter. Tessa rarely discusses her husband but he definitely exists. Nice enough boy and she dotes on him, but there’s something a bit odd there.”
He decided not to question her further about Tessa’s marital status, not wanting to betray even the slightest indication to the extremely perceptive Mrs. C. that he was attracted to the girl.
“I am a bit worried about how Jason is going to act around her,” confessed Ian. He knew that Francine had met his smarmy cousin-in-law on more than one occasion, and that she had an extremely low opinion of him. “Tessa’s predecessor requested a transfer because of some difficulty with him.”
Francine’s voice was as biting as a whip crack. “Ian, promise me right now that you’ll keep that randy bastard Jason away from Tessa. If I learn that he’s so much as blinked at her the wrong way, I swear I’ll pack Oliver into the car along with my brand new shotgun and drive up there to deal with the little weasel myself. And I’m quite a good shot these days. They like their guns in Arizona.”
Ian smiled in spite of himself at the ferocity of Francine’s words. “You’re quite the protective mama bear about this girl, aren’t you?”
“She needs looking out for, Ian. More so than anyone I’ve ever met. So, please, do me the greatest favor and keep an eye on her, would you? Discreetly, of course, she can be quite stubborn when it comes to asking for help.”
“I promise,” he assured his former mentor gently. “And – thank you for sending her my way. If she managed to make this sort of impression on you, then I know she must be an excellent employee.”
They exchanged pleasantries for a few more minutes before bidding each other good-bye. Ian replaced his phone receiver then shut his eyes, massaging the beginnings of a headache he felt welling up near his temples.
‘Good Lord, what a disaster,’ he muttered under his breath. ‘How in the world are you going to cope with this one, mate?’
Against his will, the tempting image of Tessa invaded his thoughts once again. He longed to spread all of that glorious golden hair out against his pillow; to gently remove that discreetly sexy red dress and bare her lush, curvy body to his eager gaze; to wrap those long, shapely legs around his waist. Ian grew hard instantly as he imagined having her – nothing as crude as a quick, hard fuck - for Tessa was worth so much more than that. Instead, he would linger over her for hours, kissing, caressing, arousing, and making love to her over and over until he was finally sated. For a while, anyway, for he feared that Tessa was the sort of woman he could never truly have his fill of.
It would have been oh, so easy without the unexpected and inconvenient complication of her marital status. Had she been a single woman, the first thing he’d do would be to find her a job of equal pay and rank at another luxury hotel in San Francisco. The Gregson Group had a very strict policy forbidding managers and executives from dating an employee who could be deemed their subordinate, and frowned on employees in general dating each other. Ian in particular held himself to extremely high standards when it came to this rule. He’d fended off too many eager advances from female employees over the years, and each had received the message loud and clear. Except, of course, for the obnoxiously persistent Morgan Cottrell, his current Business Development Manager. When he’d transferred to San Francisco three years ago, the blonde had made it very clear on numerous occasions that she found him extremely attractive and would be open to any sort of after-hours relationship he liked. After several firm but polite brush-offs, he’d finally had to take the gloves off and let Ms. Cottrell know in no uncertain terms – and in a very icy tone – that if she wished to keep her elevated position in the company – or any position at all – that she’d keep her distance from now on. Morgan had been the model of professional decorum from that moment on.