by Terry Towers
Tessa had to refrain from rolling her eyes as she nodded and turned away from Gretchen to prepare her iced tea and toast a bagel. No one at the coffee shop really knew what Gretchen did for a living, but the consensus was that she was a call girl. She’d been seen around the town with various suitors, all of whom seemed to have money, and most of whom could never have gotten a woman like the long-legged, slender blonde bombshell Gretchen unless there was something in it for her – aside from good company.
“I am so very sorry,” Tessa murmured, not really meaning it as she forced a smile to her lips and began preparing the usual iced tea and bagel. What did it matter anyhow? Not like she’d be fired in her final few minutes of her shift.
“No, no, no,” Gretchen groaned out, waving her hand at the strawberry bagel as if it were something of complete disgust and not the very item she ordered every day for the past year.
Confused, a frown creased Tessa’s forehead as she looked down at the bagel.
“I don’t want a bagel. I’m trying to cut back.”
Tessa’s mouth fell open. She’d never heard such a ridiculous thing. She wasn’t sure what was more insane, the idea Gretchen was cutting back – Tessa would have guessed at 5’8” she barely weighed 110 pounds – or the fact she was suddenly changing her order.
“I apologize.” Tessa removed the offending bagel from Gretchen’s sight, placing it on the back counter. “What would you like instead?”
“A croissant, with butter.” Tessa didn’t believe that would be much better, but didn’t argue. Thankful this was the last time she’d ever have to serve the woman she and her co-workers had dubbed Miss Diva, she prepared the croissant and thankfully the other woman left without incident, leaving the normal tip – nothing.
Good riddance, Tessa grumbled under her breath, watching the woman strut across the dining room, shooting a look at Chase as she passed him that sent a surge of jealousy through Tessa. Chase didn’t seem to notice or care.
“So what are you doing here?” Tessa made her way back around the counter and sat across the table from him.
~*~ TT ~*~
Chase
Chase knew the type of woman the blonde was, it was written as clear as day, he’d been around them all of his life. Gold-digger. But not just that; status, money, influence. She lived her life off of the sweat and hard work of other people, but who could blame her? For her it worked and if men were desperate and gullible enough to fall for her and give her the world, then they didn’t deserve their money anyhow. Though on the flip side, she also provided a service – arm candy for a man who couldn’t get someone like her otherwise.
Either way, her fake flirty smile did nothing for him aside from making him snicker.
Keep moving, baby, no sense swinging those hips for my benefit.
“So, why are you here?”
I can’t stop thinking about you. I missed you. I want to make sure I’m as much in your thoughts as you are in mine, he thought. Not verbalizing what he was thinking, instead he simply smiled. “This is your last day, is it not?”
She nodded as she sank into the chair across from him. “Yes.”
“Well, is it wrong to want to take you out to dinner in celebration?”
She smiled, her smile brightening her face and shining through to her forest-coloured eyes. His cock jerked alive in his jeans and he groaned inwardly. I’ve got it bad. Really bad. It was so unlike him, it was both exciting and scaring him shitless. He knew he couldn’t get distracted, he was getting too close to his goals, but the draw was impossible to resist.
She grabbed the cloth she’d left on the table and nervously played with the ends, twirling it around her fingers. “I’ve love to…”
His heart sank. “But…”
Her eyes widened and she shook her head. “No. No. I’d love to.”
“Then I pick you up at your place in a few hours?” He stood and she stood with him, grasping his leather-covered biceps.
“But I’m busy tonight.” She shrugged, giving him an apologetic smile. “Rain-check?”
Who? When? What? He gave his head a shake, knowing he was being silly. This jealous possessiveness was not normally his MO. Since when did he give a shit whether a girl he wasn’t even dating seriously yet was dating someone else? Maybe another date with the lawyer? He silently growled at himself. It’s not like they’d become exclusive, he knew that he had no right to be jealous or feel possessive over her, but he did.
He forced a smile to his lips, feeling foolish like some love-struck teenager. “I’d love that.” Glancing down at his watch he took a moment, pretending to take in the time before looking back up and giving her an apologetic smile. “I’ve got an appointment at the shop in a half-hour. Gotta run, but call me when you’re up for that rain-check.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but snapped it shut again and nodded. “Rain-check.”
Chapter 9
Tessa
I’ll make it up to him, Tessa promised herself. She felt bad, really bad. Like she’d blow things with him, but maybe she was simply overthinking it. Being that Chase was the first man she’d been interested in for longer than she’d like to admit, she felt unsure. It wasn’t a good feeling. She couldn’t quite remember feeling this unsure before.
I should have explained. With a sigh she reclined back into the seat of her car and waited for the owner of the building that would soon be the home of her café to arrive with the lease papers. She’d already viewed the space with the realtor a couple of times, but it was the owner who was insisting on meeting her in person to sign the papers.
A soft roar of a powerful engine sounded, pulling up behind her car. Glancing into the rear-view mirror, she frowned. She recognized the car, a silver Jaguar. Coincidence?
“No way!” She watched as an impeccably dressed, blonde-haired man stepped out of the car donning a pair of silver aviator sunglasses. I’ll see you soon Tessa, his words echoed in the back of her head.
He’d known when he took me out? Not sure what she really felt about her assumption on him or how it may affect the negotiations, she paused before grabbing the door handle and pushing the door open. As she stepped out of the car she decided that regardless of what had happened between them on the date, business was business. It was just all the more reason not to date him; never mix business with pleasure, wasn’t that the saying?
“Tessa. A pleasure to see you again.” He removed his glasses and tucked them into the breast pocket of his suit jacket, a wide grin spreading across his lips.
To her the grin felt almost mocking. He knew it had been her, had to, she could see it in his eyes. So was it all a game? While it seemed unlikely, she couldn’t help her bubble of anger. “Did you know I was going to be renting the space from you when you asked me out?”
Giving her a nonchalant shrug, he walked past her and motioned for her to follow him to the front door of the building, the door that would be her café. “Yes and no.”
Growling to herself, she trailed along behind him. “What do you mean by yes or no, either you did you didn’t, I can’t see how there’s a grey area. I freaking hate when people say that; yes or no, which is it…” She suddenly got hit by a bout of insecurity. She was still wearing her uniform, but she hadn’t had a choice, she hadn’t had time to change and get to the location in time, and this had been the only time he’d been able to schedule to meet her this week.
He inserted the key into the lock and as he glanced over his shoulder at her, graced her with another smile. “When I asked you out originally, no. But when your co-worker set up our date for us, yes. So yes and no.”
The lock clicked and he pushed the door open, tucking the key into his pocket and stepping aside so she could enter before him.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Tessa could hear the annoyance in her tone and hoped that he couldn’t hear it as well. This space was perfect, she couldn’t let her temper get in the way of closing this deal and landing the spot. She stepped into
the open space and looked around. It was completely empty, the walls an off-white color. To the left there were two sets of doors, one leading to the women’s bathroom and one to the men’s. At the back was another door that would lead to the back kitchen. It didn’t look like much right now, but in her mind’s eye she could see the café as clear as day. Rich maroon wallpaper. Cute little iron two-person tables and chairs, meant to mimic the coffee shops in Paris. The baristas would wear white blouses with maroon trousers or pencil skirts. It would be a calm, soothing place for people to come, eat, drink and simply relax. But it would be so much more than what the chain coffee shops offer; you wouldn’t just be buying a coffee here, for a few bucks you’d be purchasing an experience.
“Why would I? This is business. It had no bearing on our date.” Eric entered behind her and closed the door, locking it behind him.
“It would have been nice to know.”
Eric walked across the room to the back wall, flicked open a little white panel door and pressed in the security code, deactivating the alarm before it finished its thirty-second countdown. “Why, so you could be nervous? Or not give me a chance because I’d be your landlord of sorts?” Closing the door to the alarm panel he turned back to face her. “Or even worse, accept a second date from me out of some sort of obligation.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Tessa opened her mouth to protest, but had no idea how to respond. Maybe he was right. She’d been on an emotional rollercoaster since her mother’s death, maybe this was just her blowing things all out of proportion again.
“So, am I right?”
“I, well…” Her face flushed as she raked her fingers through her dark locks.
He cocked a brow up at her and continued to wait, one hand thrust into the pocket of his trousers and the other gripping an envelope with what she presumed to be the papers she was to sign to take over possession of the space.
“If I were to be honest, I suppose it may have altered the result of the date. Though I really don’t know.”
“May have?” His cocky grin reappeared and he took a step toward her. “Then perhaps I should have told you, since the end result wasn’t quite to my liking.”
The flush returned to her cheeks, but she refused to lower her gaze, locking gazes with him. “It ended as it was meant to.”
His grin widened. How many girls fell prey to the devilish grin? Most likely more than I care to think about, she mused.
“Well then, I guess there’s nothing to worry about. Water under the bridge, correct?” He didn’t wait for a reply, but brushed by her, his arm grazing hers as he motioned for her to follow him.
While she’d previously done a thorough investigation of space with the real estate agent, he insisted on showing it himself – just in case something was missed. At least that’s what he claimed anyhow.
“So, that would be everything.” He spun and jerked his thumb toward the window in the direction of a little sandwich bar across the street, her soon-to-be competition. “Let’s go get some late lunch and get the financials wrapped up, then you’ll only be obligated to me once a month, for the next two years.”
Again, that sexy smile of his was flashed in her direction.
Samantha would be all over this man. Hell, if she’d been here she would be smacking me upside the head for letting him go. She cleared her throat, squaring her shoulders as she stared up at him. “As long as we’re clear. Our relationship is and will only be strictly business.”
“Wouldn’t dream of insulting you by attempting to be anything other than professional, Miss Wilcott.”
“Thank you, Mr. McCloud.” With a curt nod in his direction she marched past him and out the door, leaving him to lock up and follow behind. She glanced to her left, in the direction of the art gallery, Chase’s gallery and a feeling of longing flowed through her.
Tomorrow.
~*~ TT ~*~
Chase
Slipping into a spot just outside the front of his gallery, Chase cut the engine of his bike and pulled off his helmet. Taking a deep breath in, he savoured the cool evening air, which held a hint of the ocean in its breeze. It had been a slow night at the tattoo shop, slow enough that he only needed one tattooist working. He took care of his one appointment and left. No need for him to be there and considering his apprentice tattooist Tony was in desperate need of the extra cash – he had a kid on the way and his girlfriend hadn’t worked in over a month because the pregnancy was a horrible one – he decided to let Tony have all the business. Either way as owner of the shop he’d get his cut. As much as he’d hate to admit, while he felt he was a damned good artist on canvas and could hold his own with a tattoo gun, Tony was a natural at tattooing. Just a year into his apprenticeship, Tony was producing quality tats that surpassed his own.
The student had become the master, Chase mused with a smirk. While you’d assume there would be a little bit of envy, that wasn’t the case. Tony brought in money and money was what was going to finally get Chase out from under the thumb of his family once and for all. Chase just prayed Tony didn’t come to the realization too quickly that he no longer needed tutorage.
A grumble took over his stomach and Chase turned his attention down the street toward the Downtime Café. They had some of the best lasagna in the city. Another growl of his stomach set him into action. Kicking down the stand and dismounting the bike, with helmet in hand he made his way down the block toward the café.
As the café came into view so did a familiar face – Tessa. His eyes narrowed as his gaze landed on the back of the head of a blonde-haired man in a suit. Who in the fuck is that? He stopped walking and stared at the back of the man’s head, then up at Tessa. She was smiling, a bright beautiful smile, a smile he’d seen several times when he’d done or said something to make her happy. She was giving the man that smile and then she followed up by reaching across the table and touching his hand. Was it selfish of him to want that smile all to himself?
He remained rooted in the spot, stumped, unsure of what to do. This feeling was foreign and made him even more uneasy. His eyes shifted back to the man; his haircut and demeanor seemed familiar, but then again, considering he was staring straight onto the back of the stranger’s head he couldn’t say for sure. But he certainly seemed familiar.
Another date? With the lawyer? Fuck, it was grating on him.
She laughed, so hard that the sound of her laughter rang out carrying all the way to him. Chase’s jaw clenched; he took a step forward and paused again. A few more steps and he stopped again.
If you go over there it has the potential of being a scene, do you want that? Especially now, especially when you’re so close. For a woman. Was she worth it? Everything in him screamed yes, but his track record for making bad decisions in the way of women was far from stellar and with that came trouble. Trouble with his family and even trouble with the law at one point in time. He didn’t need that.
So you’re going to be a pussy and just walk away, that’s how it’s going to be? The voice at the back of his mind mocked. Lose out, again, huh?
He nodded. That was exactly how this was going to go down.
Turning, he made his way back to his art gallery. Painting, he needed to paint. That would clear his head and get him back on track. A minute later he was standing before the gallery front door and inserting the key into the lock.
“Hey stranger?”
Chase paused and slowly turned to see Shania, a dark-skinned, blue-eyed beauty who’d modelled nude for him several times. She’d been the subject for the angel painting that Tessa had liked so much. Normally seeing Shania would put his dick on immediate alert, but not now – not tonight.
Giving her a smile he nodded toward her and unlocked the door of the gallery. “What’s new?” Opening the door, he rushed to the security control panel, opened it and quickly input the combination. He didn’t need to invite her in, she’d been here plenty of times and followed close behind him.
“In between jobs.”<
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“You don’t say. That doesn’t happen very often.” The camera loved Shania and she was rarely out of work. She hadn’t hit the top of the modelling world as of yet, but she was well on her way. He could envision her on the cover of Vogue. He felt fortunate that she posed for him for free. That being said, it wasn’t money she usually wanted from him; a session would normally be followed by hours of fucking. But that was it, fucking. It was good, but wasn’t the same as with Tessa; there wasn’t the passion. It lacked the connection he rarely felt with anyone – but Tessa.
She shrugged. “Maybe I’m just getting too old and past my prime.”
With a sigh, he thrust his hand into his hair and gave her another smile. The woman spent most of her life having compliments lavished onto her, but she never missed an opportunity to dig for yet another. “21 is hardly past your prime, sweetie.”
She smiled. A smile containing perfectly straight and white teeth. Physically, she was almost too perfect. “Thank you. Are you painting tonight?” She shifted from one foot to the other, catching her glossed lower lip between her teeth and awaiting a response.
“That was the plan.”
“Need a model?” She fingered the top button of her blouse and then slowly undid it and then the second. Sure, she’d model, but she’d expect more than that after the painting was complete. The woman was insatiable in the sack.
Chase looked toward the window; he couldn’t see down the road to the café but he knew Tessa was still there. She’d still be sitting with the man he’d presumed to be the lawyer. He returned his gaze to Shania. His jaw clenched as he made his decision.
Chapter 10
Tessa
“I’m going to have to apologize, Eric. When I realized it was you I was really angry. I really thought that you’d maybe…” She shrugged, embarrassed she’d been presumptuous.
