A rush of disappointment seemed to come out of nowhere. “You must be pretty worn out.”
“We have had some long days over here.” He sounded tired. “I’ve missed seeing you this week,” he added more softly. “Have you missed me?”
“Maybe a little,” she said in a teasing tone.
“This weekend I’ll be free,” he said. “I’ve cleared my calendar and I have enough men to cover anything that might come up. How about dinner out tomorrow night?”
“That will work great. Jenny will be at Katie Sue’s birthday sleepover.” Tess bit her lower lip, wondering if she should just jump in with both feet. She braced her free hand on the bar beside the vase as if to help bolster her courage. “You’ve had a long week and probably want to relax. Why don’t we have dinner at my house?”
“A relaxing night in would be great.” A smile was in his voice and she imagined how sexy he must look right then. “It’s a date.”
“I’ll be dropping Jenny off at Katie Sue’s at six.” Tess ran her finger over a soft petal of a deep pink rose bloom. “How about seven?”
“Perfect.”
She looked at the bouquet and smiled as she spoke. “Thank you for the flowers.”
“Flowers?” he sounded puzzled.
Tess looked at the flowers with confusion. “Someone from the florist just delivered a bouquet of flowers. They’re not from you?”
“No,” he said, “they aren’t from me.”
“Oh.” Tess frowned at the bouquet and then a slow chill rolled over her skin.
Harvey Norton. They were no doubt from Harvey.
The thought gave a sick twist to her belly. After what he’d done, she couldn’t believe he’d sent her flowers.
“Any idea who they’re from?” he asked. She couldn’t tell if there was any jealousy in Gage’s tone, but she didn’t think so.
“There’s one man in the café who won’t leave me alone.” She didn’t want to bring up Harvey’s name, not after the way he’d behaved. “But it’s no big deal.”
“Can I help?” Gage didn’t sound jealous, he sounded concerned
“No worries,” she said. “I can handle him.”
“If he bothers you anymore, let me know, okay?” Gage had a hard edge to his voice, as if he meant business.
Tess thought about it a moment. “I will.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I’ve got to get on the road,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye,” she said softly.
When she disconnected the call, she stared at the flowers for a long moment. The nerve Harvey had, sending her flowers.
To a special woman, who’s on my mind every day, the card had read.
“Bastard,” she said with narrowed eyes.
She picked up the vase, walked to the garbage barrel. A crash echoed in the bar as she dropped the whole thing inside.
Chapter 14
Early Friday afternoon, Harvey walked around Tess’s home, looking for a window that wasn’t latched, or a door that wasn’t locked. He tried each window he came to, but they were all secured.
He fished the lock pick kit out of his jeans pocket. Chess had showed him how to pick a lock, and Harvey thought he’d gotten the hang of it. He just hoped her back door didn’t have a bolt lock.
He made his way up the back porch steps to the door, which didn’t appear to have a bolt lock, just a lock in the knob. He set to work on it but couldn’t get it to open. It was an old house, an old lock, and it shouldn’t be this difficult.
Frustration nearly made him just ram the door open with his shoulder, but he forced himself to be a little more patient. Finally he heard a click and the knob opened when he turned it.
He smiled as he eased into the house. It was silent, empty of the life that he knew Tess gave it when she was home.
A thrill went through him as he touched her things. She had collectible figurines that he ran his fingers over, imagining her careful placement of each one. He ran his hand along the back of her leather couch, thinking of what it would be like to take her right there.
No doubt she’d loved the flowers and she’d forgiven him. He shouldn’t have been so rough with her the other night. He’d just wanted her so badly and the thought of Gage having her had made him a little crazy.
He made his way into her bedroom and felt a tightening in his groin. This was where she slept. Where he planned to take her when the time was right.
Had she slept with Gage yet? Harvey frowned. He’d only seen them kissing. Harvey hadn’t followed her enough times to know whether or not she’d brought anyone to her home. Maybe he needed to follow her home more often.
He moved around her bedroom. He picked up one of her perfume bottles from the dresser. It looked antique and was tinted in shades of rose. He set the bottle back down then continued to go around her room. He ran his hand over the pillows and skimmed his fingers over the bedcovers. Here was where she slept. He touched as many of her things as he could. He wanted to feel all of her. For now that meant contact with her belongings. Soon it would mean having her body all to himself.
He went to her bureau and opened the top drawer. He smiled when he found her panties and bras, and started to touch them when he heard a noise.
Someone was unlocking the front door.
Shit.
He looked around the bedroom for someplace to hide. He considered beneath the bed but the frame was too low. His only choice was the closet. He slipped inside it and pressed against one corner, kicking a couple of pairs of shoes out of his way. One of them made a thump and he held his breath, hoping whoever it was hadn’t heard.
A phone rang and then he heard Tess’s sweet voice. “Hi, Jo.”
Harvey slowed his breathing as he listened.
“I came home early,” Tess was saying. “I’ve worked so many hours this week that I’m dead on my feet.”
A moment of silence as she listened.
“Uh-huh,” Tess said, responding to a question he couldn’t hear. “Isn’t that the truth?”
Another pause. “No,” she said. She sounded closer now and he peered through the closet slats but couldn’t see her. “I haven’t seen him since he accosted me in the parking lot.”
Harvey narrowed his gaze. Accosted?
“But,” Tess continued, “he sent me flowers. At least I’m pretty sure he did it. There was a card but it wasn’t signed.”
Harvey smiled. So she’d guessed they were from him.
A pause as Tess must have been listening to Jo. Tess gave a humorless laugh. “I threw them in the garbage when I realized who they were from.”
Heat crept up Harvey’s neck as he clenched his hands into fists. He had to fight for control. He wanted to burst from the closet, smash the phone, and have Tess now.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He needed to think this through.
“All right.” Tess was just feet from the closet now and he could partly see her form through the slats. “Thanks for checking in on me. I’ll see you next week, Jo.”
Harvey shifted, trying to see Tess. He caught a glimpse of her face. She was frowning, her head tilted to the side. He saw her slender form move away and she went to the dresser where she picked up the perfume bottle that he had touched.
Then she shook her head and started to strip out of her clothing. “You must have moved it by accident, Tess,” she said out loud.
He smirked. He could scare the shit out of her and make her his right now. But he wanted her willing. Somehow he had to get through to her.
If Gage McBride wasn’t in the picture, Harvey would have her now. He just knew he would.
She started unbuttoning her blouse and then to his disappointment she disappeared from sight. A few moments later he heard the shower start, then the sliding glass door open and close.
He slipped out of the closet and silently moved past the master bathroom and back into the living room. He went out the back door and locked it behind himself.
>
Chapter 15
Friday night, after Tess returned from dropping Jenny off at Katie Sue’s, she still had half an hour to get ready for her date with Gage. She slid a pan of stuffed chicken breasts into the oven, which should be finished by the time he arrived. She set the timer and headed to her bedroom.
The broccoli was ready to steam and she’d prepared the corn to be heated. The fresh baked homemade rolls had just come out of the oven and were in a basket with a cloth tucked around it to keep in the heat.
She’d taken a shower earlier in the day, before Jenny came home from kindergarten. She’d managed to get off early so that she could have some time to herself, some time with Jenny, and time to prepare for Gage.
As she started toward her bedroom to change into what she planned to wear tonight, she paused. Earlier today, after she’d gotten off the phone with Jo, she’d had the strangest sensation that someone was watching her.
Not only that, but one of her perfume bottles had been moved. She hadn’t dusted for at least a week and there’d been a dustless place on the dresser where the bottle had been. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember moving it.
She shook her head and continued into her bedroom, then shimmied out of her jeans and T-shirt as well as her panties and bra. Naked, she stood at her dresser and pulled out some sexy lingerie that included black satin and lace panties and a matching camisole, and slipped into them.
Despite the fact that she’d said she wanted to go slow with Gage, she felt like she knew him well… And she had to admit that she desired more from him than just a kiss.
She picked out a short black skirt and a silky top that draped smoothly over her breasts, the hem barely reaching the waist of her skirt. The blouse was short so that when she moved certain ways, an enticing flash of skin played peekaboo at her waist.
When she went to the closet to get a pair of shoes, her stomach swooped. The shoes in one corner of her closet were out of place, like they’d been kicked aside. She held her hand to her pounding heart.
No, it was her imagination. No one would have been in her closet today.
Just like no one would have moved the perfume bottle on her dresser.
A shiver ran up and down her skin. She’d felt like she’d been watched today. Could—
“No.” She rubbed her arms with both hands. “Your imagination is running away with you, Tess.”
Pushing the thoughts away, she slid her feet into a pair of comfortable wedges that she’d probably ditch soon enough. She preferred to go barefoot around the house, even with company.
As it got closer to seven, more and more flutters tickled her belly. She lit a candle with a soft scent and made sure that the house was in perfect order even though she’d cleaned it earlier that day. She set the dining room table with crystal plates that she normally didn’t use and added a bottle of chardonnay and a couple of wine stems.
When the doorbell rang, she smoothed her blouse and skirt, then headed for the front door. She peeked through the peephole and her heart beat faster as she saw that it was Gage.
She took a deep breath and opened the door with a smile.
His gorgeous grin made her knees weak. He looked so damn good in his white Stetson, white western shirt, Wranglers, and polished boots. His body was so powerful that he made her feel even more petite than she was.
She hadn’t even realized she’d let her gaze drift down him and back up until she met his eyes and his grin broadened.
“Like what you see?” he said in a teasing voice.
Her cheeks warmed. “Very much.”
He lowered his head and kissed her passionately enough to take her breath completely away. When he drew back she looked up at him, feeling completely off balance.
“Mind if I come in?” he asked, his expression amused.
She managed to regain her poise, stepped back, and opened the door wider. He took off his western hat as he stepped through the doorway and closed the door behind him. She took his hat from him and set it aside on the back of a chair that was rarely used.
When she returned to him, he swept her into his arms again, catching her off guard. This time he gave her a hard, fierce kiss.
“I’ve been wanting to do that all week.” He drew away, his eyes glittering in the low lighting of the living room.
“Me, too.” She still felt breathless as she looked up at him. “I need to finish up dinner and then we can eat.”
He followed her to the kitchen and she kicked off her shoes beneath the breakfast bar. She felt shorter than ever around him, but she didn’t mind at all. He leaned up against the counter as he watched her go to the stove.
“Just need to steam the broccoli.” She glanced at him as she turned on the burner beneath the steamer that held the broccoli florets. “Everything else is ready.”
He watched her, his gaze intent, but he was smiling. “You look adorable.”
Warmth traveled through her veins. “Thank you.” She smiled at him. “I was thinking the same thing about you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I look adorable?”
She laughed. “Not exactly adorable, but pretty damned sexy.”
He caught her by her waist and brought her close. Her blouse had risen at her waist and his hands were on her bare flesh. Ripples of awareness went through her and she felt her nipples tighten against the silk of her camisole and blouse.
“I can’t get dinner finished if you keep touching me.” Her voice sounded throaty as she spoke.
“I can’t help myself.” He held her waist with one hand while pushing a curl from her face with his other. “I’ve wanted to touch you for so long.”
“The broccoli is going to get overcooked if you keep this up,” she said against his lips as he brushed his over hers.
“So?” he murmured.
“Overcooked or burnt broccoli smells horrible.” She put her hands on his chest and tried to lightly push him away.
He squeezed her to him harder and gave her a deep and passionate kiss that caused her to moan. She just about forgot what she was supposed to be doing. When he drew away she looked into his eyes and almost couldn’t tear hers away.
She swallowed. “I don’t want dinner to be ruined.”
He gave her a quick kiss then released her. She took a step back then turned and went to the stove, her heart beating a little fast. She could barely concentrate on her task. The broccoli was a little more done than she’d wanted but it wasn’t bad. After she drained it and put it into a serving dish, she grabbed a pair of oven mitts and opened the oven door.
“Everything smells delicious.” Gage gave the stuffed chicken breasts an appreciative look as she brought them out of the oven.
“I’m a basic cook, nothing fancy.” She set the pan of chicken on a trivet beside the stove.
He came up behind her, put his hands on her waist, and kissed the back of her neck. “I think it is all perfect.”
She shivered from the feel of his lips against her nape. “You haven’t even tasted it yet.”
“I can tell I’ll love it.” He turned her around and kissed her.
She still wore the oven mitts and put her mitted palms against his chest. “Everything is going to get cold. I think you’re trying to sabotage dinner.”
He laughed. “I’m just having a hard time keeping my hands off you.”
“Well, do your best to be a good boy.” She smiled up at him. “Now help me get everything to the table.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winked and released her.
She’d already set trivets on the table for the broccoli, corn, and chicken, and then she brought out the still warm rolls along with softened butter.
When they were seated at the table, she watched him from beneath her lashes as he poured the wine.
She couldn’t believe she was here with Gage. That she’d taken a chance and had gone out with him. Not only that, but unless he’d changed his mind, she planned to work for him, too.
Damn, was she makin
g a big mistake?
Gage caught her watching him and he smiled as he set down his roll. “What’s on your mind, honey?”
She hesitated for a moment as she wondered if she should have made the decision to work for him. “Does that job offer still hold?” It came out in a rush.
“Yep.” The corner of his mouth turned up. “Have you decided to take it?”
Again she paused, then nodded. “Yes, although I have at least one concern.”
He looked like he was holding back a grin. “What’s that?”
She cleared her throat. “What if one of us chooses not to date each other anymore? Won’t that cause some conflict?”
He thought about it for a moment. “We’ll keep that part of our relationship separate. Will that make you feel more comfortable about taking the position?”
“I think so.” She studied him. “Although that means no kissing on the job.”
He laughed. “I promise to wait until you’ve officially clocked out.”
She smiled. “I guess you have yourself a new assistant.”
Chapter 16
Tess rested her head on Gage’s chest, her legs tucked under her, his arm settled around her shoulders as they watched a movie from her couch. Now, both of them had removed their shoes and he was in his sock feet while she was barefoot.
For the life of her she couldn’t concentrate on the movie, some romantic comedy they’d chosen from the cable company’s list of premier movies. She had a feeling he preferred action movies but had agreed with her choice.
He smelled so good, his big body hard but comfortable against hers. It felt natural cuddled up against him. He nuzzled the top of her head and she tilted her face to look up at him. He skimmed his lips along the bridge of her nose to the tip then found her mouth with his. She parted her lips and he kissed her softly.
When he drew his head back, he shifted her in his arms so that she was in his lap and she felt his erection pressing into her soft bottom. She squirmed, rubbing against it and she saw a combination of pained restraint and the fire of passion in his gaze.
His hand rested on her knee and as he brought his mouth to hers again, he slid his palm up her leg until he was slowly pushing up her skirt, bunching the material at her waist.
Fencing You In Page 8
