Bright lights, loud music, laughter, glasses clinked together. People talked, people danced, life happened.
Tessa locked eyes with Alessandro; he joined the other guests curious who’d catch the bouquet. She didn’t flinch nor did she try to catch the flowers. A frenzy exploded around her with people congratulating the lucky girl. She lost sight of him when guests surrounded her and someone swirled her into a dance.
Later, the happy newlyweds left for the honeymoon and several guests took their leave as well.
Tessa stewed over Alessandro’s words. What did he mean, "until now?" Did he mean with me? Why did he say that, and why so cryptically? Her shock and confusion transformed into anger. There better be an explanation for this, she thought as she stormed out of the ballroom.
“You just can’t do this to me!”
Tessa brushed by after Alessandro opened the door to his room. She walked to the middle of the room, hands on her hips and ready for a fight.
He closed the door slowly and came to face her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tilted his head slightly. His shirt half opened revealed tiny curled hair on his fit chest and Tessa found herself craving to touch it.
She shrugged and lifted her gaze to his face. Stay focused!
“There better be an explanation, Alessandro, you can’t just drop something like this on me and not explain yourself. It’s confusing. Why did you leave?”
Her voice cracked, a thickness forming in her throat. She fought back those stupid tears that threatened to flow and ruin her makeup. And show how vulnerable she felt.
“I would’ve explained myself if I had the chance, but Isabella took you away from me…” He whispered the words in a low, husky voice that made Tessa’s belly tremble.
Alessandro closed the space between them and took her head in his warm palms. His heavy-lidded eyes lingered on her face as he brushed a thumb on her lips, the other on her cheek.
“Alessandro…please…don’t do this to me,” she said and shook her head. “My life…my life it’s a total mess, I can’t take more drama and I just can’t…can’t fight it anymore…please?”
Her plea got lost in his kiss.
Her body responded to it with such intensity, it made her shiver. He traced the outline of her lips with his tongue while his hands moved feverishly along her neck, down her shoulders and back. In return, she ran her tongue along his lips.
His breathing accelerated. He sucked on her lower lip a little and released it. A panting escaped her. Alessandro’s tongue moved inside her mouth in a dance of total abandon.
Passion.
Hunger.
Raw, carnal attraction.
“Finally…you’re back…” he whispered against her lips and rested his forehead on hers.
“Alessandro…it’s wrong…it’s not the right time…” she tried to sound convincing; yet her voice sounded more like a whimper.
“There is never the right time, cara mia. I’ve tried, I swear I did try to resist you…hard to find you…harder to get you out of my head…”
His eyes never left her face. His touch so gentle it gave her goose bumps. Holding her hand, he walked to the couch in front of the open window. He sat first, pulled a leg underneath him and made room for her to rest her back against his chest, one of his arms around her waist the other around her shoulders. She relaxed against him, her palms resting on top of his.
With the drapes aside, the window looked like a living painting; a full moon reigned over the shadows of the world, a sky filled with tiny diamonds.
Like a miracle, her fear disappeared. Like a miracle, she felt safe. She felt at home in his arms. Could she somehow stop the time and stay there forever?
***
Tessa stirred in bed. Something woke her. Distant thunder made her open her eyes instantly. Lightning scattered brightness into the night; Alessandro stared at her. He lay naked next to her, an arm folded underneath his head the other tucked under his chin.
“Can’t sleep?”
“No.”
“Aren’t you tired?” Tessa cuddled closer to him.
“Oh, sure I am…but I am afraid I’ll fall asleep and you’ll disappear again.”
“You, silly…where could I disappear?”
“One could never know,” Alessandro said solemnly, his eyes still fixed on her. “You broke my heart once. I don’t want to take the same chance.” He placed his index fingers and thumbs on his upper and lower eyelids and pulled them open. “I have to be vigilant.”
She laughed and put her arms around him and kissed him tenderly. Earlier that night, he made love to her on the couch, then carried her to the bed and took her again; she lost track of time. She had no idea how long she’d slept, but she felt restless.
Tessa brushed a finger over his lips, and then stroked his back, down his buttocks. Her palm explored his body until it rested on his penis, giving it a slight squeeze.
“You are a naughty girl.”
He cupped her breasts and caressed her nipples until they hardened. He worked one hand down her belly and then lowered it between her legs. She cried out when he made her climax with his fingers and his mouth returned to hers. He didn’t need more foreplay and entered her in a short, almost sudden move.
She loved the feel of his body on top of hers, crushed by his weight. She took him in, arched her back and neck and gasped for air.
“Don’t let go of me…” Tessa whispered.
“I won’t.”
***
The door opened. She heard muffled voices, followed by the door closing. A cart rolled in and a strong coffee aroma tickled her nose. No morning sickness yet. She yawned and opened her eyes only to see Alessandro pushing the cart closer to the bed.
“Buongiorno, cara mia, breakfast is served,” he said and kissed her full on the mouth. “I ordered everything on the menu, I didn’t know what would you like, besides it’s not morning and it’s not noon. I guess we’ll have like the Americans say, a brunch.”
He filled a plate with fresh fruit, yogurt, mini croissants with ham and cheese, and a cup with green tea.
“How do you know about the green tea?” Tessa asked.
He walked to the other side of the bed, lay next to her with a cup of coffee, picked up a bite of melon and fed it to her.
“I spent enough time in meetings with you to observe your habits.” He winked at her, picked a strawberry and again fed her.
Tessa picked a slice of apple and brought it to his lips, but when he opened his mouth to take it, she teased him by taking it away. She teased a few times, giggling next to him.
“You’re looking for trouble, amore, aren’t you?” He removed her plate and straddled her. “Didn’t your mama teach you not to play with food?” He held her wrists above her head with one palm while the other tickled her.
She laughed and shook her head, then kicked to escape his grip.
“Please, please, please, stop, I’ll be good,” she pleaded laughing hard.
He finally let her go.
“So… I need to go to my room and start packing,” she said later while Alessandro held her and toyed with her hair.
“Already?”
“Yeah, my plane leaves at five this afternoon.”
“Why didn’t you plan to stay longer?”
“Well, I knew Isabella and Antonio would leave for their honeymoon, Carlo is busy with his family and… and I just didn’t want to be here by myself.” She brushed a hand over his chest. “When are you leaving?”
“I leave tomorrow morning, but I first go to Berlin.”
Berlin meant the headquarters of the German Company she worked for. The same company that wanted her investigated for fraud. Her stomach quivered.
“Business trip?” she tried to sound matter of fact.
“Si, I’ll meet with your CEO.”
She managed a weak “Oh” and stopped caressing his chest. Her body tensed involuntarily.
“Karl has been my friend for a long time. We
met during our first year at the Sorbonne where we played tennis on the school’s team. When his company needed the cash flow for the land you helped purchased, he called me and I made arrangements with the bank I work for to loan him the money. It’s not the first business we’ve worked together.”
She weighed his words. “When did you know it was me the person accused of fraud?”
He continued to hold her and play with her hair. “I got a folder with a lot of information, but didn’t read it until the night I arrived in Bucharest. The name didn’t register immediately with me. I spent the night reading, fell asleep and then unexpectedly, while I was sleeping, a light came on and I got up and read again the name. I had hoped it was you, did some research online but there are lots of Cosmas in Romania and three Anastassia Cosma. I came upon a few articles about a Tessa Cosma, all written in Romanian, so impossible for me to read. I met several times with Victor outside the office, until we came up with a strategy on how to start the investigation and what to do with you. My doubts went away when I saw you in Victor’s office.”
Tessa got up and reached for her clothes. She remembered very well that day, the day her decline started.
“Why did you act like you didn’t know me?” She bit her lip; again, the curiosity got the best of her.
“I didn’t know exactly what your relationship with Victor was, didn’t know if he suspected you or believed in you. I figured it was better to act as if I didn’t know you and try to help you somehow rather than make our acquaintance public. Plus, I was still mad at you.”
“Mad at me? What for?”
“Well, we shared that beautiful night and I thought we could work something out, you know, like a long distance relationship. You left me like an idiot with no number, nothing…I thought it meant something to you like it did for me.”
Alessandro came behind her and zipped her dress up. Then grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. His eyes gleamed like morning’s dew and his smile made her heart melt. Again.
“Alessandro...I had to leave the next morning. I didn’t think you wanted more than to get me in your bed.”
“Why did you think that?”
Tessa walked away; she found one of her shoes, and then bent behind the sofa to look after the other shoe. She didn’t find it there, then moved around the bed.
“Well, you know, you hit on me, kissed me in the yard, you made it clear that’s what you wanted; sex.”
“Well, if you would’ve stuck around long enough to know better, you would’ve found out that I was interested in more than that. A long distance relationship is hard work, but I am absolutely convinced we would’ve made it happen.”
She thought for a few seconds, and then said, “I guess you are right.”
He came closer and hugged her. “Of course I am right. We’ve wasted so much time when we could’ve been together…I could get used to this…”
The sound of his phone broke the moment. He picked up the phone and spoke for several minutes.
When he finished, Tessa said, “So…I am ready…” She wanted so badly to ask when she’d see him again, but she didn’t want to sound too desperate. She didn’t want him to think she needed him, wanted him. Better to play it safe than serve her heart on a silver platter.
He walked her to the door, opened it, and then slammed it closed before Tessa could leave. He put a fist to his lips, closed his eyes, then opened them and looked sideways at her.
“I hate to let you go… Would you mind if I asked you to stay one more night with me?”
Chapter 8
Candles, check.
Red wine, check.
Linen napkins, check.
Oven turned off, check.
Tessa assessed her kitchen one final time before heading for the shower. She cooked lasagna for the first time in her life and she hoped Alessandro would like it. His plane should’ve landed twenty minutes ago and with a little luck he’d be at her apartment in half an hour. Enough time for her to get ready.
They’d been inseparable since their get together at Isabella’s wedding a week ago. He either spent the night at her place or she at his. She had never felt so content, so at ease with anyone else. Alessandro had bewitched her and all of her fear, uncertainty, struggles, and complications seemed to disappear.
At work things moved slowly; she continued working on closing the deal with R.O.C.A. The price per square meter that she negotiated was unheard of in the Romanian market and her prestige skyrocketed.
Victor finally returned to work. He refused to force her to take a leave of absence again. The investigation didn’t seem to move any further and he seriously considered just closing it all together. Just because someone wrote a letter didn’t necessarily mean Tessa took any money. After all, she’d made enough enemies in the market to have multiple competitors wanting her out. They had figured there was a discrepancy because of the exchange currency from U.S. dollars transferred into the company’s account to Romanian lei for the farmers.
But Tessa didn’t stop. She made her own attempt at finding the truth. She convinced two farmers to meet with her and although in the beginning they refused to talk, she found out that the notary had been a very influential and dreaded person in their community. The city of Otopeni had several corrupt politicians that seemed to operate hand in hand with the notary; for that reason, the community had been deprived of several opportunities to develop and improve their schools, infrastructure, or even hospitals because the funds had been deviated from their legal course.
Since she’d severed her relationship with Daniel, she could no longer count on his support and confronting the notary without serious evidence was pointless.
She ran out of time with each day that went by and she needed to decide what to do with the baby. Part of her wanted to keep it, part of her didn’t. She saw how happy Carlo and his wife were with their twins. How natural Alessandro was with children. She saw the joy on Elena’s face when Victor announced her pregnancy. She tried to talk with Alessandro about this subject, but she backed off for fear he might not want her anymore knowing she carried someone else’s baby. The fear of losing him outweighed her need to tell the truth. She knew it was wrong, she knew it could cost her everything; yet she couldn’t bring herself to discuss it with him.
Today was different. Today she’d tell him. Today she’d gather all her courage to sit him down and tell him everything. And if he chose to leave her, well at least their relationship hadn’t been that long and her heart broken—yet. Yes, she did want him to stay, and yes she did like him—a lot, yes she felt a strong connection with him, but would all of these be enough for the relationship to rise above such difficult situation? After all, someone else’s baby was a lot to ask of a person to accept.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Tessa said, hurrying to open the door.
Alessandro leaned against the doorframe, a big bouquet of roses in one hand and an equally big smile on his face.
He kissed her, hungrily, a ravenous kiss that took her breath away. He lifted her off her feet and twirled her in the air. He then entered the house and kicked the door close with his foot. When he put her down, he smiled and hugged her again.
“I missed you…”
“I missed you, too. Thanks for the flowers, they are beautiful,” Tessa said. She stood on her toes and kissed him back.
“Something smells delicious in here.” They walked together to the kitchen.
Tessa was proud of her dinner preparations; candles flickered their tiny lights, a bottle of Lambrusco, his favorite red wine, on the table. He looked through the oven’s glass door, then turned his face to Tessa and swallowed hard.
“You cooked lasagna? For me?”
“Yes, I did. I almost tried to make ice cream, but decided at the last moment it’s safer to just buy it before I ruin it. Come, have a seat, I’m starving.”
She felt like a high school student presenting her first project in front of her classmates. She moved around
the kitchen fast in an effort to hide her nervousness.
Alessandro stopped her. He faced her, played with her tousled hair, and brushed a finger on her lips.
“Grazie, cara mia. No need to be nervous, I am sure it is delicious.” He turned her palms upward and kissed the inside of each one of them, his eyes never wavering from hers.
He pulled her chair away from the table, helped her sit, then took over serving the food. He sat across from her, poured wine and handed her a glass. She barely wet her lips with it, and put it down, then took a bite of the lasagna.
“Mmm, this is so tasty,” he said between bites.
He took a few more bites, then pressed the napkin against his mouth, took a sip of wine and smacked his lips. “I have a surprise for you.”
He leaned forward and curled a finger at her trying to get her to move even closer. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket.
Her fork stopped mid way to her mouth. She swallowed once, twice, then managed to say, “Me too, but you go first.”
Tessa leaned forward and felt her skin tingling with anticipation. She raised an eyebrow and took the envelope. She stared at its content, then looked up at him; a slow smile widened on her face as surprise sunk in.
“Oh my God, a trip to Greece? Tomorrow? What about work? What about packing?”
Alessandro continued eating, a witty smile on his face. “I figured Monday is a holiday and the return flight is Tuesday morning; you could go straight from the airport and miss just a few hours. Greece is an absolutely magnificent country and its beaches are world renowned for their breathtaking location. You’ll like it,” he said and winked at her.
When he finished his dinner, he stood, took his plate to the sink, but stopped behind her chair. Pushing her hair sideways, he whispered in her ear, “I can hardly wait to spend three full days just with you and have your undivided attention…” he sealed his words with a hot, lingering kiss on her neck.
Hidden Heart Page 11
