Tessa's Temptation(35)

"I don't want to care what happens to her." There were too many years of  stops and starts. Too many years when she gave her mother every ounce  of forgiveness she had.

"That's what makes you who you are. I wish your mother had come here  under different circumstances. I wanted that for you. I wish she could  recognize the woman you are today."

She had wanted that too. Once the shock wore off in the kitchen and she  had a few minutes to process her mother's presence, she thought they  might finally have that loving reunion     she had dreamed about since the  day she'd left ten years ago.

"I think I'm ready for you to hold me now." She started to shake as the  hot tears crawled down her cheeks. "This doesn't mean I'm weak?"

"It most certainly does not." He wrapped her in his arms, pulling her  down on the pillow so they were facing one another. "You can cry with me  any time you need to. I'll always be here to wipe away your tears." He  gently stroked her face. "I'll try my hardest to never be the cause of  them."

"You still haven't apologized for pissing me off."

"I love your tenacity." He took her face in his hand and kissed her  slowly, making her moan. There was nothing urgent in his touch as he  probed her mouth with his tongue. He awakened her senses. Her heart rate  increased as her skin prickled with desire. He managed to make all the  pain of the afternoon disappear into nothing. When she was with him, she  was his whole world. He held nothing back.

All was forgiven after that kiss but she still wanted to hear it. "I'm waiting."

"I will never apologize for taking care of you. Or protecting you. Get used to it."

"You are the most exasperating man I've ever met."

"Get used to that too."



***



Chase read over some specs as he waited for Audra to get to the office  on Monday morning. Tessa had been restless and unsettled all weekend. He  hated seeing her that way. She hadn't slept much over the past few  days, so he persuaded her to stay home and rest. He promised to take a  half day and hang out with her, but first he wanted to talk with Audra.

"Hey." She tapped on his slightly ajar door. "Allison said you wanted to see me."

"Come in and shut the door." He pushed his laptop aside and waited for  her to take a seat. If he could find a way to terminate her services  without any drama, he would do it.

"What's up?"

"You sent Tessa's mother to my house this weekend. Didn't you think you should warn me she was coming?"

"Warn you? Why would I have to do that? I thought she'd be happy to see  her mother." She tucked her hair behind her ear, looking calm and  innocent. "I thought I was doing a good thing."

"Tessa is estranged from her mother," Chase informed her. "If she contacts you again, don't take her call."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," she said. "She seemed like a nice woman who  was very concerned for her daughter. Are you sure it's not Tessa  overreacting?"

"I'm certain," he said. "Nina doesn't have her daughter's best interests  at heart. I don't want her or her husband anywhere near Tessa. Are we  clear?"

"Why would they contact me again? You're the one who put me as the  emergency person on the hospital form. That's how she got in touch with  me. You're acting like I did something wrong."                       
       
           



       

"I didn't say you did anything wrong. Just don't send anyone else to my  house. If anyone is looking for Tessa, I want to know about it first.  I'll handle any problems that might arise."

"Are you expecting anyone else from her past to show up looking for a handout?"

"I never said her mother was looking for a handout." All the signs were  there when it came to Audra interfering in his personal life, but he had  no solid proof. He'd even contacted the university to see if the  parking lot or the surrounding businesses had any security cameras that  might have caught the car being keyed. The search came up empty.

"No, you didn't but by the way you're acting, what else could I assume?  Tessa doesn't come from the most stellar people. I still don't get how  you got yourself mixed up with them."

"You're out of line."

"I'm your friend and I say it like it is."

"Were you telling it like it was when you told Nina that I didn't have  the best intentions when it came to Tessa? Her mother was under the  impression I was using her daughter for sex. Any idea where she may have  gotten that idea?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. The hospital put her in touch  with me and I gave her your address. I didn't realize you were hiding  the girl from her family." She stood and pointed at him. "I'm offended  that you would accuse me of these things. I don't know what I did to  turn you against me but I don't appreciate it. I haven't done anything  to you or your little girlfriend."

"I'm going to be honest. Too many things have been happening with Tessa  lately and I don't think they're all a coincidence." He didn't want to  say too much but he wanted Audra to know he was on to her. If he  intimidated her a bit maybe she would stop whatever games she was  playing.

"Listen to yourself," she said. "You don't need the drama of her  dysfunctional family. You're summoning me to your office first thing on a  Monday morning to tell me not to send any of her unsavory relatives to  your home. Really? You think that's somehow my fault?" She turned toward  the door. "I'm here strictly as your attorney as you've reminded me  several times since you started sleeping with her. You can't have it  both ways. I don't want any part of her crazy life. I have more  important things to do than think up ways to sabotage your cushy little  life. If things are happening to Tessa, she's probably brought them on  all by herself. You're just the money bags who couldn't keep it in his  pants."

Chase watched as she marched out of his office without so much as  looking at him. He squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying to negate the  pounding in his temples. She had sent Nina to his house, but he  couldn't prove it. He was going to have to keep a close eye on her and  make sure she didn't cause any more problems.

Easier said than done.





Chapter Twenty



Tess stared at her reflection in the mirror, having a hard time  believing the image was her looking back. Her hair was pulled into a  pile of loose ringlets on the top of her head with a beautiful jewel  encrusted barrette, while the remainder of her locks flowed down her  back and over her shoulders in soft curls. The strapless silver beaded  gown caught the light and sparkled in every direction. The matching  stilettos were higher than she was used to, but they accentuated her  legs, especially the one that peeked out of the thigh high slit. Her  eyebrows were freshly waxed, making them appear sleeker than normal and  her makeup was flawless thanks to the woman at the salon. For the first  time in her life, she felt all grown up.

Chase came into the room and stood behind her. To her he was impeccable,  looking rich, sophisticated and oh so fuckable in his custom fit tux.  The scent of his aftershave wafted around her, making her want to drop  her panties and do whatever he asked her to do.

"I'm speechless."

"What's wrong?" She tried to face him, but he gripped her forearms and held her in front of the glass, taking in her appearance.

"Nothing is wrong." He swept her hair to one side, keeping his gaze  trained on her in the mirror as he kissed her neck. "You're stunning."  He turned her to face him. "I don't know how I'm going to keep my hands  off you. God help me, how am I going to stop other men from gawking at  you and thinking inappropriate thoughts?"

"I hope you don't keep your hands off me." She twirled around. "As for  the other men, I don't care about them. This is all for you."                       
       
           



       

"Knowing that is the only thing that keeps me sane when other men look at you." He took her hands in his. "You look like-"

"A princess?" She smiled because that was exactly how she felt even though she had never been a frilly kind of girl.

"A totally kick-ass princess." His gazed traveled down her body,  lingering on her breasts and then her hips as he shook his head. "Are  you sure you want to go to this thing? I could think of many other ways  I'd like to spend this evening. They all start out with taking that  dress off you."

"Are you crazy? We can have sex when we get home. I want to go to this  ball. I've waited my whole life to wear a dress like this and be with a  man like you." She squeezed his hands. "This is like a fairytale, and  I've never believed in those."