Close to Perfect

by Tina Donahue

  Uh-huh. Why in the world was she feeling sorry for him?

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  Tess lifted her gaze from the Mercedes, which was in the same spot she had left it last night. Breakfast was now a bad memory; Hank and Sammie were currently out of earshot, but it was also time to go to work. Maybe that’s why Josh was frowning? “I’m getting into the car.”

  His frown deepened. “On my side?”

  “The driver’s side,” she corrected, in a tone much nicer than Hank would ever use. “Technically, it’s not called Josh’s side.”

  He lifted his face and breathed hard.

  At last he was acting pissed and Tess was glad. It gave her a chance to admire how dolled up he was for today’s press conference to publicize his newest development.

  Josh was freshly shaved and shampooed, though his hair was still deliciously tousled. He wore a beige sports coat, brown dress trousers, an ivory shirt, silk tie, dress shoes, and a fuck this expression as he looked at her.

  “My car, I drive.” He went around the front of it.

  As he did, Tess backed away and held up the keys. “Not without these you don’t.”

  Josh stopped. Planting his hands on his lean hips, he looked down and growled, “Don’t make me fight you for them.”

  “I won’t. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  He lifted his gaze. He looked like he wanted to spit.

  Too bad. Tess got tough. “I’m your bodyguard. I’m driving you, Josh, and that’s final.”

  He dropped his hands and continued to approach.

  Tess walked backwards down the drive as she talked fast. “You don’t know anything about defensive driving or vehicle formations, or anti-ambush, or counteractions, or—”

  “The hell I don’t,” he interrupted as he continued to advance, while she continued to retreat. “I danced around the insults from those two friends of yours this morning, didn’t I?”

  “They’re my dad’s friends,” she corrected, “and from where I was, you weren’t doing so good.”

  Josh stopped, shook his head, then advanced again. “I’m the man, so I’m—”

  “Oh, please,” she interrupted, “you’re the man so that makes you the better driver?”

  “Fine. Have it your way. You’re as good as me.”

  “Tell me something I don’t already know.”

  “Tess, you are going to give me those keys.”

  “Not a chance.” She continued to retreat.

  He continued to advance. “If I apologize for being a man, will you give me the—”

  Her laughter interrupted him. “Like I’d believe that?”

  “Ah, so you’re glad I’m a man. Well, that’s good to know.”

  “Like I hid it during our kiss?”

  Josh smiled. “That was nice wasn’t—”

  “It’d be nicer if you did what you were told.”

  “Sure you really want that?”

  “I am not giving you these—”

  “Oh, Josh! Over here!”

  Both he and Tess stopped at that shout.

  It came from a young woman on the other side of the gate, which was just ahead.

  She wore a red bikini bottom, while her long black hair clung to her naked breasts. Josh frowned, not believing this. She looked as if she had just stepped out of a pool, unless that was baby oil glistening on her tanned flesh. As she regarded him, her forefinger ran up and down one of those iron bars, stroking it, fondling it as she probably wanted to do to his cock.

  “Let’s take a swim,” she said.

  Josh’s gaze continued to follow her forefinger. “That Libby?” he asked Tess.

  “Nope.”

  “You mean this is a new one? Aren’t your friends supposed to be guarding my gate?”

  Tess didn’t answer.

  Josh looked over his shoulder, then shouted, “Hold it!”

  Tess did not. She was already on her way back to the car, moving more like a world-class sprinter than a dancer, despite her heels.

  Did she honestly think she could outrun him? Without breaking a sweat, Josh easily caught up, took her arm, pulled her away from the driver’s side door and into himself.

  Tess’s eyes and mouth widened in surprise.

  Josh used the moment and his body to so quickly back her into the hood, Tess lifted her right leg until her pale yellow skirt was hitched more than halfway up her thigh.

  God, that looked nice.

  Tess didn’t seem to notice. Her gaze darted to his hand as Josh cradled the side of her face, keeping it still, then leaned down to her and murmured, “Now’s a good time to prove that we’re romantically involved to get rid of that lunatic at the gate.”

  Tess arched one brow. “She can’t see us from here.”

  Who the fuck cares? “You owe me,” Josh murmured, then covered her mouth with his own. This time there was no hesitation or restraint. He plunged his tongue inside and took what he wanted, what he needed, making this kiss as wild and savage as he felt.

  Now, he was in charge, and Tess didn’t seem to mind that one bit. She surrendered immediately, completely, suckling his tongue until a moan escaped the back of Josh’s throat, and his cock strained against his clothing. He ground his hips into hers until Tess knew the pain she was putting him through. As if that pleased her, Tess wrapped her leg around him, pulling him even closer. Josh moaned again, and deepened the kiss.

  Tess allowed it. She encouraged it. There was no stopping her now. She didn’t care if that young woman, Hank, Sammie, and her father were all nearby watching. This moment belonged to her and Josh.

  Lifting her hands, Tess drove her fingers through his silky hair, keeping his head still so that he wouldn’t dare lift his mouth from hers. Pushing his tongue aside, she drove hers into his mouth, then pressed her hips into his until she could feel every inch of his impressive rod.

  Even that wasn’t enough, nor was this kiss, though they were both finally breathless.

  As Josh rested his forehead against hers as they both heaved air, a car honked.

  Tess flinched, hitting her cheek against his nose. Rubbing it with his fingers, Josh quickly backed away from her and swung his head to the side.

  “Oh, hell,” he whispered, “don’t tell me.”

  “You two ready to get started, or what?” Hank shouted. He was leaning out the window of his car that was edging towards them.

  “Yeah,” Tess shouted to him, then murmured to Josh. “Okay. I won’t tell you.”

  As she went to the driver’s door, Josh said in a voice only she could hear, “We’re not through, Tess. Not by a long shot.”

  She looked at him, but already Josh was moving to the passenger side, yanking the door open and sinking into the seat.

  On the drive to the office, Tess kept her gaze on the road, while Josh pouted.

  Here he was, a grown man, but being treated like a freaking little kid as Tess chauffeured him to work, while that psycho Hank brought up the rear, and possibly used this trip to think up more insults.

  That hadn’t been part of this deal. Nowhere in the contract did it say he had to accept this extra, snotty protection. That wasn’t something Josh was going to pay for.

  And he’d tell Tess that, too, just as soon as he figured a way to get his point across without pissing her off or hurting her feelings. Josh didn’t want her pissed or hurt. She might just hold out on him in public rather than giving him another great kiss that they wouldn’t be sharing in private.

  Swearing beneath his breath, Josh looked out the passenger side window, then stared at Sammie who was already staring at him from her car, which was in the next lane.

  He wondered if this was only a coincidence, a chance encounter, then figured it wasn’t, since she kept pace with this car rather than passing.

  Great. He was surrounded by Pop’s very devoted friends who were all armed to the teeth.

  Well, screw that.

  “This has to stop,” he said, then l
ooked at Tess to make his point, which he quickly forgot.

  Her lips were still bruised from his kiss, although she didn’t seem to mind. She wore a lingering smile and an expression that said she hadn’t heard him at all; she was reliving that moment in his arms.

  As she inhaled deeply, luxuriously, sunlight rippled over her suit. This one was almost as nice as the one she had worn yesterday, though it had a back slit in the skirt, rather than one on the side.

  And why not, since she didn’t carry her weapon in a garter.

  Josh arched one brow, then looked at her shoes. They were the same ivory shade as his tie and hiding her toes.

  He frowned. What was the matter with her? He liked those other heels.

  “Was this your idea?” he asked.

  It was a moment before Tess seemed to hear him. She lost that lingering smile, before meeting his gaze. “Was what my idea?”

  “To have us chaperoned by Bonnie and Clyde.”

  She laughed.

  Josh turned his head away before Tess saw his smile. He was supposed to be pissed—hell, he was pissed, but he was only human. As far as Josh was concerned, there wasn’t a man alive who wouldn’t be moved by Tess’s laughter. It was as musical, as intoxicating as her voice.

  Inhaling deeply, he glanced out his window. Sammie was still in the next lane, only this time she was frowning as if she was really pissed.

  Why? His hands were on his thighs, not Tess’s. She was driving his car, and he was allowing it. Hell, he was being an unbelievably good boy, even though Tess was now leaning toward him, delivering her soft, powdery scent.

  Turning his head towards her, Josh inhaled as deeply as he could.

  Tess looked at him, then back to the radio. Once it was on a station she liked, with that music fairly loud, she said, “Better be careful what you talk about.”

  Was she kidding? “Why? Are you wearing a wire?”

  “Sure.”

  Uh-huh. “I don’t believe it. Pull the car over, I want to frisk you.”

  Tess gave him one of her cop stares. “In your world that would be called foreplay.”

  “You have a problem with that?”

  “My colleagues might.”

  “You’re evading my question, just like you always evade—”

  “They can hear what you’re saying, Josh.”

  Huh? “What do you mean?”

  “We’ve modified your car’s communication system so that Hank and Sammie can hear what’s going on in here—just in case anyone tries anything and you need the truth to fight a future lawsuit.”

  Josh sagged farther into his seat. This was worse than prison. There, a man wasn’t tempted by a woman as luscious as Tess—just by folks who looked like Hank and Sammie. He sighed.

  “It’s for your own protection,” Tess said.

  He looked at her. “And I guess yours doesn’t have anything to do with it, huh?”

  Okay, so maybe it did a little; maybe her dad was glad that Hank and Sammie were listening in. Even so, it was in Privacy Dynamics’ protection package. They weren’t treating Josh any differently from other clients, except for Hank’s constant criticisms, of course.

  “Can it be turned off?” Josh asked.

  “Sure you want that?”

  “I trust you, Tess. The question seems to be, do you trust—”

  “There,” she said, reaching under the dash. “It’s off.”

  “Thanks. I enjoyed our kiss this morning, how about—whoa, watch it,” Josh interrupted himself, “you nearly sideswiped that guy.”

  She mumbled, “I was giving him a warning. He was staring at you. Could be another fan.”

  Josh rolled his eyes.

  Tess muttered an oath in Spanish.

  “What was that?” Josh asked.

  She pretended not to hear.

  Josh regarded her a moment more, then lifted his hands to the back of his head and got really comfortable. “As I was saying about our kiss, I—”

  This time he was interrupted by a prolonged honk from behind.

  Tess’s gaze moved to the rearview mirror. Hank was gesturing and mouthing that the communications device wasn’t working.

  Tess looked at Josh. “Hold that thought.” She leaned over and turned the device back on.

  Josh lowered his hands, then drummed his fingers against his thighs.

  “It won’t be so bad, really,” she said.

  “You got that right. They’re not coming into my building or my office.”

  “Well, not your personal office,” Tess said. “There, you can be alone.”

  Josh frowned. Who said he wanted to be alone?

  Who said he could? The moment they got inside his building there were people all around. Not that Josh noticed anyone but Tess, while she noticed every single woman who passed by, as if they might cause trouble.

  Josh knew they wouldn’t. They could have been buck naked and doing jumping jacks and he knew he wouldn’t notice them or care.

  None of them were Tess. None of them would have gotten away with a tenth of what he was putting up with, with Tess.

  Suppressing a sigh, he followed her through the building until they reached his office suite. Peg was already in the doorway of her office, dressed in more hippie finery, and spritzing herself with perfume.

  “’Bout time,” she said, then looked from Tess to him and smiled. “What kept you two?”

  “Never mind,” Tess said as she passed Peg and went into his office.

  Josh stopped by the woman’s side. “Don’t worry, you’ll probably get a chance to read about it in a tabloid.”

  Peg’s reddish brows lifted. “Kissed her, again, huh?”

  Damn right he did. “Don’t you have work to do?”

  “I’d rather hear about the kiss.”

  Josh moved past her.

  She called out, “Don’t forget, the press will be here at eleven!”

  Josh nodded, then stopped and turned around. “If you see anyone new, check them out. If they’re not from a legitimate publication or station, call the cops. And not Bonnie and Clyde, either, but cops who aren’t retired and definitely ones who aren’t devoted friends of Freddy.”

  Peg frowned. “Huh?”

  He didn’t have time to explain. He didn’t want to waste one second of what could be some quality time alone with Tess, just as soon as he got her into the conference room.

  Once he was in his office, Josh paused, then looked over his right shoulder, his left, before turning a complete circle to see that those stacks of tabloids had been removed, there were no new baskets of flowers, and Tess wasn’t anywhere in sight.

  Where is she?

  Josh went into the conference room, which had also been cleared of all those unwanted gifts. He was grateful for that, but still looking for Tess.

  He went through all the other offices, greeting his staff as he did, then asked one of the older women to check out the ladies’ rooms to see if Tess was inside any of them.

  Maybe she needed to freshen up. Maybe she needed to adjust her gun.

  “Sure thing,” the woman said. “What’s she look like?”

  “She’s younger than me,” Josh said, “but not that young, not that old either, twenty-eight, at most; she’s tall, five-seven or eight in her bare feet, so probably five-nine or ten now, and a hundred and—it doesn’t matter how much she weighs,” he quickly said. “She’s wearing a yellow suit with a skirt that has a back slit, instead of one on the side, since she doesn’t wear garters, but she does carry a—well, that’s not really important, either,” he said. “She has on high heels that are covering up her toes, and her hair’s long.” He put his hand on his own shoulder to show its length. “It’s the color of an expensive cognac, and her eyes are kind of golden with—”

  “Be right back,” the woman interrupted, then went to check out the johns.

  Her head was shaking as she came back. “Not in any of them.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “
Given the way you described her, she’d be hard to miss.”

  Damn. “Right. Thanks.” Josh finally went to the meeting room that was being prepared for the press conference and the celebration that would be held afterwards.

  Catering staff were setting up the area for the food and booze, but still there was no Tess.

  Where is she? Josh looked over his shoulder, then faced the series of windows when he saw her outside by the dock.

  The edges of her suit jacket, skirt, and hair were fluttering in the breeze; her gaze was on those docked boats as she spoke on her cell.

  Josh moved to the windows, watching her in a way he hadn’t been able to since they first met. Was it only yesterday? Amazing. It was hard to remember what it had been like before she was protecting him.

  His gaze followed her skirt’s back slit as it lifted briefly in the wind. He regarded her shapely calves as she strolled to the right, paused, then strolled to the left, moving like a dancer as she concentrated on that call.

  Josh smiled, then lifted his gaze to her narrow shoulders, that long, slender throat, her reckless joy as she laughed to whatever had been said by the person on the other end of that call.

  Was that person as aroused as he by her musical laughter, her cocky attitude, that soft, yearning gaze? Was that person able to make her blush as he so easily could?

  Josh honestly doubted it. He had stirred her as deeply as she continued to move him, with Tess using very little effort to accomplish that.

  She didn’t need to be in a string bikini with water dripping over her half-naked flesh to get his undivided attention. That’s what those other women didn’t seem to understand. It wasn’t raw sex Josh was looking for, it was a reason to engage in that sex, to continue it beyond one night.

  Tess gave him that in abundance.

  Seeing her gaze on him at unexpected times, feeling the warmth of her fingers covering his, experiencing her in his arms during a kiss was far more powerful than any come-on.

  Even when Josh had been poor, before romance got all too complicated and litigious, the women he had dated had not returned his kiss as Tess had.

  She seemed to require his mouth on hers as much as she needed to breathe. His tongue wasn’t an intrusion, it was welcomed and cherished as she gave it a home. And when he became so lost in the moment that nothing else mattered, Tess took that journey with him as his willing companion.