Splendor(90)

Ian had growled. “You’re damned right no one else is going to see those skimpy bits you’ve got on beneath your clothes. Especially that bra you have on right now. Christ, it makes your tits look even bigger than they are. Or like they’re going to fall out of the cups if you breathe the wrong way.”

Tessa had giggled, despite the stormy expression on his face. “Should I remind you that you were the one who bought it for me?”

He had pulled her into his arms, his good humor restored. “Perhaps we should just let you try everything on before we buy more things. Mmm, my very own private fashion show, with you as the only model. Remind me to call Marlene and set that up.”

But as they walked down to the garage to get into Ian’s imposing black Range Rover – one of four vehicles he owned – he’d become pissy all over again, this time due to the old, well-worn raincoat that Tessa had been buttoning up.

He’d glared evilly at the coat. “You really have to wear that bloody thing? Do you have any idea how much I hate the sight of that particular garment?”

Tessa had fiddled with one of the buttons. “I’m sorry if it offends you, but aside from a couple of sweaters and an old sweatshirt it’s the only outerwear I own. Not counting the three thousand dollar cashmere coat you just bought me. Or that cute leather bomber jacket that cost - ”

He’d placed a hand over her mouth, cutting her off. “I get the picture. You can’t walk into the office decked out in designer garb or that coven of witches you work with will suspect you’ve got a rich sugar daddy taking care of you.” He’d rubbed her back comfortingly. “I just hate to see you having to wear the same things week after week, love. I want to lavish all the beautiful clothes and shoes and jewels you never had before on you. But I know I have to be patient. You’re trying to be the sensible one here, and I’m overreacting.”

“It’s all right,” she’d told him with a kiss. “I understand how you feel, even though labels or designers don’t matter in the least to me. It’s you I want, Ian, not the things you can give me.”

He’d pulled her into his arms at that point, kissing her hard. “God, I really hit the jackpot when I found you, didn’t I?” he’d murmured.

Tessa had thought the subject of her coat closed until he’d pulled out of the garage.

Ian had glanced over and given the coat one final grimace. “You can keep it for now, but mark my words. The day you move in with me permanently and quit your job, we’re having an official raincoat burning party. And I get to do the honors of tossing the damned thing into the fire.”





Chapter Fourteen

Late January

“What time is His Hotness due in today?”

Tessa forced herself not to flinch or otherwise betray her reaction to Gina’s casual inquiry. She also had to bite her tongue to stop herself from automatically replying to the question by informing everyone that Ian’s Town Car was even now pulling up to the curb downstairs, and that he would be striding through the office within the next few minutes.

She knew this, of course, because he’d just sent her a quick text with that very message. Within the first week of their new relationship, he’d presented her with a brand new, state of the art smartphone. Ian had been appalled to notice how old and outdated her cell phone had been, and the one he’d replaced it with was linked directly to his own.

“My private cell phone,” he’d clarified, “and not the one I use for business. Only a very few people even have this number so we don’t need to worry about anyone from the office reading texts or emails we send each other.”

And he had very quickly made it a habit to send her regular and frequent messages, especially over these past few days when he’d been away on business. He’d flown out last Sunday afternoon on the corporate jet to visit properties in the Pacific Northwest – Portland, Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria. It had been the first time they’d been separated since becoming lovers, and the time apart had been agonizing for Tessa. She hadn’t imagined she could miss him so much after being together for such a short period of time, but the separation had been awful. The only things that had gotten her though the last four and a half days had been all those texts and emails, and his nightly phone calls.

She knew his plane had landed last night, for he’d called her on the way home from the airport. He’d called her again as she was getting dressed for work this morning, largely to ask her in a sexy voice what set of undies she was going to wear today so that he could imagine her in them all day. Just the sound of his deep, cultured voice had been more than enough to arouse her, and she’d almost had to change out of the lacy black panties she’d put on when they quickly grew damp.