She heard a soft chuckle and glanced over Mike’s shoulder to see one of the stable hands smiling at them. Tessa felt the heat travel up her neck and to her face, giving her chocolate skin a somewhat rosy glow.
“Where’s your stable hand?” she asked, trying to distract herself from her embarrassment at being caught.
She could only imagine what Steve was thinking.
“I take care of my own animals. Some people have more money than sense.”
He smiled at her, and she wondered how he would feel about her having money. Would he look at her with the same disdain that he had when he’d looked at Steve, sitting in his shiny truck, nose buried in his phone while he waited for his stable hand to load his horse up and drive him and the horse home.
“It’s nice to see a man around here that doesn’t mind a little hard work.”
“Exactly.”
Mike unsaddled Calypso, haltered the horse and tied him to a rail before he handed Tessa a brush.
“If you ride, you groom,” he said.
She stood for a moment, eyeing the horse before she moved closer and began to gently swipe the brush over his body. Mike stood behind her. His large hand closed over hers and he threaded his fingers through hers so he could grip the brush.
“Like this,” he whispered in her ear, putting pressure on the brushing and flicking it at the end of each stroke to send the dust and dirt into the air.
He took her other hand in his, placing it on the horse’s shoulder beneath his.
“You’re standing in his blind spot. You want to make sure you have a hand on him at all times so he knows where you are and doesn’t step on you.”
Tessa could feel his heat, radiating out from his body. His closeness was getting to Tessa, and she wondered briefly how romantic it would be to jump him in a horse stall.
She shook her head, trying to concentrate on the task at hand. But his presence was overwhelming her good sense, and she was finding it hard to concentrate on anything but how good he would look naked.
He let her go, standing back to watch her groom Calypso and nodded appreciatively.
“Great job. You’ll be an old hat at this in no time.”
He picked up another brush and went to work on the other side, making quick work of grooming Calypso, before checking and cleaning his hooves.
Tessa watched with interest, and Mike explained everything he did while he worked. All of Mike’s riding buddies had loaded up their horses and pulled away in their fancy trailers.
“Why didn’t the other guys do all this?”
“They live nearby. Their stable hands will give the horses a complete brushing, bath and hoof cleaning as soon as they get back to their barns.”
“Why couldn’t they do that here? The horses must be so uncomfortable being left sweaty like that.”
“When people place themselves above other living creatures, they tend to forget what seems so simple to you and me.”
“Hm. It’s a wonder their horses tolerate them.”
“You’re preaching to the choir. I’ve wondered the same thing myself on more than one occasion.”
Mike was finished grooming Calypso, but he didn’t load him into the trailer. Instead, he led him into a stall filled with wood shavings, fresh hay and water.
“You’re not taking him home?”
“Not yet. I thought I heard you invite me to lunch, though it’s almost dinner time. He’ll be finishing up about the time I return, so it works out just right.”
He locked the stall door and held his hand out to Tessa. She slipped his hand into his, her stomach full of butterflies as he squeezed her hand warmly. His truck was older, brown, and slightly beat up. He unhooked the trailer after he helped her into the passenger seat, leaving it behind so he didn’t have to drive it through town.
“I know the perfect place. Do you like fresh pasta?”
“Sounds great,” she said. Tessa didn’t honestly know if she did. She’d only ever eaten pasta in a cardboard box.
“You’ll love this place. They make their own specialty pasta and sauces. You’ve never tasted anything like it.”
Tessa was quite sure he was right about that.
*****
Mike pulled the truck to a stop in front of her garage, killing the engine and turning to look at her.
“I had a great time with you. I would like to see you again. Soon.”
“How about now?” Tessa took a deep breath, hoping she wasn’t being too forward. But she’d let this man slip through her fingers once before, and she wasn’t about to let it happen again.
“That sounds great.”
He pulled her close, kissing her gently before pulling back to look into her eyes.
“Are you sure? I can wait.”
“No. I’m sure. I’ve been kicking myself for letting you go without getting your number. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
He pulled her into his lap and kissed her again before opening the truck door. Mike stepped out, letting Tessa move ahead of him so she could lead the way.
She opened the door, closing it behind her and making sure to lock it. In a moment, she was in his arms again, kissing him and running her fingers through his thick hair.
Mike slid his hands down her back, cupping her backside and pulling her up. She wrapped her legs around his hips and leaned in to kiss him again. His mouth was hot and tasted of the sweet basil-mint water they’d enjoyed at the restaurant after dessert.
Tessa was already aroused, her slender fingers worked deftly to unbutton his flannel shirt and pushed it off of his shoulders. She drank in the sight of him; chiseled muscles under lightly tanned skin, with a small thatch of light hair covering his broad chest.
“Bedroom?” he asked, his breath coming in short gasps as he tried to control himself.
She gestured with her head in the general direction of her bedroom, bending down to trail hot kisses down his neck as he walked. He used the toe of his boot to shove the door open, tossed her on the bed and kicked his boots off before joining her.
Tessa giggled. She cupped his face in her hands and pulled him in for another kiss.
“I could kiss your sweet lips all day,” he mumbled.
His tongue darted into her mouth, swirling and sucking and making her crazy.
She was done playing. She wanted him now.
She rolled over, pushed him onto the bed and straddled his body. She could feel him. Hard, Pressing into her. She wiggled and squirmed against him. He moaned, dug his fingers into her thighs and thrust up against her body. She pulled her shirt and sports bra off in one smooth motion, and threw them over her head before going to work on his jeans.
Mike reached up, cupping one breast in each hand and squeezing, his callous thumb grazing each nipple and teasing them to hard points. Tessa gasped and dug her fingers into the waist of his jeans. “Mike.” She moaned. He raised his hips to help her when she shimmied down his body and pulled his jeans and boxers off.
Tessa bit her lip, the heat unmistakable in her eyes as her eyes slid up his body. She watched intently as Mike wrapped his hand around his hard shaft and stroked himself, for her. She caught his gaze and smiled at him. Only her jogging pants were between her and having him. She stood at the end of the bed and pushed her pants and panties down her hips, wiggled her butt and they dropped to the floor.
Mike mumbled, “Condom, wallet.” Tessa bent down, pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. She showed it to him, he nodded. She opened it and pulled the little foil pack out.
She smiled at his thoughtfulness and crawled up the bed, hovering over him. Her breasts dangling in his face. He leaned in and captured one dark nipple in his mouth, tugging gently at first, then more insistently. He ran his hands over her hips. Digging one hand into her hip and holding her in place, he slid the other hand down between her thighs, and found her swollen, wet clit. She gasped out loud and thrust against his hand as he rubbed her in gentle circles. Mike used his fingers to bring her
to a frenzy as his tongue swirled and sucked her nipple.
The room was filled with their moans, sucking noises, and wet friction. Mike lifted his head away from her breasts. “Tessa, I need inside you now.”
“Yes.” She moaned back and thrust against his thick finger.
He rolled her onto her back, pushed up on his knees. He raised one hand to his mouth and ripped off the edge of the condom. She watched with rapt attention as he slid his hand down around his shaft, stroked it briefly before he rolled the condom down his length
It was so sexy to watch his hand around his shaft. She squirmed on the bed. He smiled as he leaned over her body, placed one hand above her shoulder, spread his legs wider between her thighs and spread her open wider.
Mike slid his sheathed cock up and down against her wet slit. They both groaned. Tessa trembled under Mike. He eased himself into her body.
“You feel so good.”
He buried his mouth into her shoulder, thrusting slowly as the tension built in them both. His strokes were deep, filling her and working her body into a frenzy.
He pulled away from her shoulder, threaded his fingers into her hair and turned her so he could stare into her eyes. He thrust into her body deep, they groaned together. Then he bent his head and watched as he pulled out of her body.
“Tessa, you’re so beautiful wrapped around me. I could watch this all day. It’s been a while for me sweetheart. I can feel myself getting close.”
He thrust back in. “Are you going to cum with me? He pulled out, slid one hand between their bodies and rubbed her hard little button. Tessa opened her legs wider, then squeezed them around Mike’s body.
“God. Tessa. I can feel you tightening around me. I really want to feel you cum with me.” He thrust frantically into her body. Tessa could feel his cock expanding. He kissed her hard.
Tessa’s stomach tingled. Her thighs tightened. She thrust back. The friction against her clit intensified. She gasped. “I’m cumming Mike.”
He groaned, thrust into her body and stilled. She felt him thicken and pulse inside her, as she clenched intensely around him and they shared an incredible orgasm.
Sated and spent, he collapsed onto her before rolling onto his back. He took care of the condom then pulled Tessa into his arms. They lay there, sweaty, hearts pounding and breathing heavily. Tessa giggled. Mike hugged her close, kissing her forehead and murmured sweet words in her ear.
*****
Tessa stepped out onto the opulent short staircase to the ballroom, careful to hold the handrail as she descended and tried not to stare at her feet. Below her, women dressed in the latest styles stood around smartly outfitted gentlemen. A string quartet played classical music from a small stage in the corner of the room, leaving the floor wide open for the many dancers that flowed gently to the music.
It was exactly as Tessa dreamt it would be. Already, she wanted to leave, to go back to her comfortable life.
Jeanette walked beside Tessa, her arm through her husband’s as they walked. She smiled at Tessa.
“Tessa, you look stunning.”
Tessa looked down at her dress, and smiled broadly.
She had been pampered and primped until she hadn’t recognized herself.
She felt like a princess in the soft pink organza and chiffon sweetheart cut dress. The straps were thin and feminine. The bottom of the dress had a dark pink ruffle embedded with small diamonds. Diamonds. She had diamonds in her dress! The girl who had to split up her bills to pay them off, had diamonds in her dress and around her neck, and her wrist and her ears and on her shoes.
The choker, bracelet and tear-drop earrings in a blush pink Wade had brought along to wear with the dress were all extravagant and beautiful and fit perfectly with the upswept hairdo. Tessa was going to buy the set of jewelry because she loved the feeling while wearing it all.
Her shoes. God. Her shoes! They were fabulous and equally extravagant, and feminine, and she was going to wear them to bed. She didn’t think she had ever worn a more comfortable or beautiful pair of shoes. They had three dainty silver straps, the top one wrapping around her ankle, and they all had tiny diamonds embedded in them.
She slid her fingers tighter through the small handle of the soft pink diamond-encrusted evening bag hoping she didn’t sweat the diamonds off.
She was Cinderella but didn’t have to leave the ball at midnight.
She felt like a fraud too. This was all frosting. They weren’t getting the ‘real’ Tessa. For one night, she was going to go with the flow. Donate some money to charity and go back home to her simple life. She smiled as people greeted her with
Her mind drifted to Mike. His smile. His smell. His voice. His hands. His touch. She blushed. Before she had a chance to invite him, he had told her had something to do tonight but would like to see her Sunday. She had been somewhat disappointed that he didn’t want to see her. .
They were just getting to know each other and for the first time in her young life, she was truly happy. He’d brought her something money couldn’t buy, and she wasn’t about to ruin that by making him feel uncomfortable with her wealth. She would tell him soon enough but she wanted him to get to know her more.
“Tessa,” Jeanette whispered in her ear, “smile dear. You look angry.”
Tessa pulled herself out of her thoughts, trying to enjoy the moment for what it was. She sighed as they reached the bottom step and Jeanette’s husband chuckled softly.
“Tessa. No one likes these things. We’ll shake a few hands, work the room and then someone will stand up and ask for donations. You’ll write a check and they’ll thank you for your donation.”
“With any luck, someone will get shit-faced drunk and make a fool out of themselves before the night is over,” Jeanette added.
Tessa laughed at her friend. “Alright. I’ll do my best to enjoy it.”
“That’s the spirit. Now, let’s get a drink before I die of boredom.”
Jeanette left her husband to rub elbows with the other society members while she dragged Tessa to the bar. They ordered their drinks and sat at the bar, swiveling their chairs to look at the crowd. Jeanette gave Tessa a rundown of everyone they saw; which almost caused Tessa to choke on her drink more than once. Tessa might not be cut out for the wealthy lifestyle, but she knew that she and Jeanette would have been lifelong friends regardless of their net worth.
“That woman there is Della. She married an eighty year old man when she was nineteen and had him change the will before he died. One year of wedded bliss and she inherited twenty million dollars.”
She pointed at another woman. “That’s Sabrina. She looks sweet, but don’t let her fool you. She’s as crazy as they come and the biggest drama queen. She holds it together for a month or two then implodes rather publicly. You don’t want to be near her when that happens.”
“Ooh.” Jeanette sat up, pointing at a man facing away from them that was pulling away from a group of men. “And that piece of eye-candy is Craig Taylor. He sold his internet startup for 1.5 billion right before the market crashed in 2008.”
The man turned and Tessa gasped, taking a quick sip of her drink to hide her shock.
“I know right? Isn’t he dreamy? If I weren’t married I’d hit that so fast-”
Tessa stood up before Jeanette could finish, looking frantically for the nearest exit. A man stepped through a side door just then and Tessa made a run for it, catching the door before it closed and slipping outside.
She moved to the side and pressed her body against the brick building. Her heart was going to pound out of her chest. She could feel the tears building in her eyes. She shook her head in disbelief. Mike was a billionaire? She heard Mike call out her name.
He stepped through the french doors, breathing hard and fast.
“Tessa? What’s going on?”
“What’s going on?” She was incredulous. She straightened her spine and said, “You’re asking me what’s going on? You’re a billionaire? Your name isn
’t even Mike.”
Tessa started to pull away from the side of the building and Mike slid his hand around her arm. She could feel his fingers shaking as he squeezed her arm, holding her gently in place. His eyes devoured her from head to toe. His eyes were bright and shiny. He was definitely on edge. Panting harder. “God, you’re beautiful Tessa. Please let me explain. Michael is my middle name. Craig is my father’s name too. I’ve always gone by my middle name.”
Tessa yanked her arm out of his grasp.
“Why are you so mad? It isn’t like you told me that you had money. Yet here you are at a very fancy, and expensive benefit gala. So clearly, you have a substantial amount of money.”
“Who said I have money?” Tessa shot back. She felt like a fraud. She didn’t know why she had said that, but fifty million was a drop in the bucket compared to his billions.
“Come on, Tessa. I can spot an original Ward Marshall from a mile away. Most women can’t afford to drop twelve grand on a dress they’ll wear one night. Not to mention the quarter of a million in diamonds all over you.”
His voice softened, “Tessa. Please.”
She could hear the desperation in his voice. She looked up. Straight into his beautiful, vulnerable eyes pleading with her.
“I wasn’t hiding it from you. Do you know what it is like for people to like you because of your money? You must know what I mean. I just wanted a chance to meet someone without money hanging over my head. I thought you were beautiful when I met you, and didn’t assume you had money. I hadn’t stopped thinking about you after meeting you.”
He grabbed her hand, holding it against his heart and looking into her eyes in the dim moonlight. “Tessa. I’m exactly the man you met. Money isn’t who I am. It wasn’t an act. I’m the man who would rather cool down his own horse. I’m that man who thinks paying others to do your hard work is a waste of money. I’m that man that would rather spend the afternoon watching his niece ride a horse in a rinky-dink show ring than play the ponies at Del Mar. I never claimed to be anyone else and having money doesn’t change that.”
Alien Mate Page 40
