Close to Perfect

by Tina Donahue

  Josh’s voice got frosty. “We’re waiting for that apology.”

  “Screw you,” the brunette said.

  “Bite me,” the blonde said.

  As they walked away laughing, the brunette looked over her shoulder and shouted, “Old fart!”

  “Hey, watch your mouth!” Tess shouted at that girl, then spoke to him. “You’re not that old.”

  He looked at her.

  Her eyes widened. “You still have a way with women.”

  “You think?”

  “I didn’t say it was a good way.”

  “And what is a good way?”

  Tess turned into him, pressing her fingers against his chest. As Josh stroked her back she lifted her face to his. “What you’re doing, for starters, unless you’re looking for my weapon.”

  “I have to.” He leaned down to her and murmured, “Yours is always far more concealed than mine.”

  Tess pressed her face into his chest, suppressing a throaty laugh.

  Josh hugged her as hard as he dared, then swung her out of the way of three older women who needed to pass.

  “Thanks,” the third one said and smiled.

  Josh gave her a wink, then spoke to Tess. “Better get that gown.”

  “Whatever you want.” She eased out of his embrace and headed down the racks studying the gowns, while he studied her.

  After a moment, Tess looked over her shoulder at him. “See anything you like?”

  She knew he did. Arching one brow, Josh joined her. “I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

  Tess’s gaze slowly rode him. “Maybe.”

  “That’s it? Just maybe?”

  “I haven’t even begun to look at everything I need.” Seeing that they were alone, Tess flicked her fingers over his fly, then spoke above his strangled gasp. “Come on.”

  Any damned where she wanted.

  An hour later Josh had gowns draped over his arms and shoulders as he backed into a dressing room followed by Tess and the salesgirl.

  “Now, take your time, you two,” the girl said to them both, then spoke to Tess. “You need anything, just holler. I’ll bring it to you.” She looked at Josh. “Have fun.”

  He smiled as she closed the door. “This is turning out much better than I thought.”

  “No kidding,” Tess said. “You’re finally getting to sit.”

  Josh looked over his shoulder to the chair, then sidled to it and took a load off. “That’s not the only reason and you know it.”

  “You bet.” Tess lifted the gowns from his right shoulder and arm and hung them on a hook. “You were really getting tired of carrying this stuff, huh?”

  “I’d rather see it on you, than me, and you know it.”

  Tess flicked her gaze at him, then lifted the gowns from his left side and hung them up. “Why, Mr. Wyatt, are you actually asking me to model these for you?”

  Josh tried not to sound too enthused. “I believe that was the plan, Officer Franklin.”

  Tess faced him. “Whatever you want.”

  His gaze dropped to her hands as she quickly unbuttoned her shorts, then lowered the fly, exposing her navel and that silky skin beneath it.

  Josh swallowed; he adjusted himself in the chair. Tess moved her hips gently to the right and back to the left as she eased those shorts over her hips and thighs, then straightened allowing them to skim past her legs to the floor.

  She stepped out of them.

  Josh stared at her white thong, a scrap of silk and lace so brief it just barely covered her dark, furry mound. In fact, a few of those hairs had escaped, curling around the lacy edges.

  He adjusted himself again, then looked at that series of mirrors reflecting her plush, naked ass from every angle imaginable, especially as Tess bent at the waist to pick up her shorts.

  Josh’s heart slammed into his chest at the scene that created.

  Tess lifted her head.

  His gaze followed her hair swaying back and forth above that gap in her top that exposed her breasts.

  “Hold these.” She tossed her shorts.

  They hit Josh in the mouth.

  “Sorry,” Tess said.

  Josh held them against his chest. “Not a problem.”

  Tess straightened, then looked down as she unbuttoned her top.

  Josh pressed the shorts to his face, inhaling deeply of her soft, powdery scent.

  Tess’s gaze lifted. He lowered the shorts. She undid the last button, then removed her blouse.

  Josh put out his hand, ready to take it.

  Tess dropped it over his arm.

  He pushed forward in his chair as his gaze settled on her lacy bra. It was as white as that thong with tiny satin straps that must have had a hell of a time holding up her full breasts. That soft flesh strained against those cups, her tightened nipples pushed against the silky fabric, until she unsnapped the front, opened, then removed it.

  Josh stared.

  “Here,” she said, tossing her bra.

  He didn’t move quickly enough; hell, he could barely move at all.

  “Sorry,” Tess said, again, as the bra landed on his head.

  Josh left it there as his heart paused, then hammered out of control, because Tess was now running her fingers beneath her hair to pull it off her shoulders, which served only one purpose—to give her breasts full exposure.

  The areolas were a deep pink and as tight as the tips. There was a small mole on her left breast and a stray white thread on her right.

  If Josh were to live fifty years past today, he would never forget how the end of that thread wiggled gently with her breathing as it clung tenaciously to her naked flesh.

  “Josh.”

  His gaze lifted to hers, then went right back to her breasts.

  They looked even bigger than just a second ago. “Yeah?”

  “I’m ready.”

  His gaze jumped to hers, then shot to the door, before he looked back. “What?”

  Tess gestured to the gowns, which caused her right breast to quiver.

  He really liked that.

  “Josh.” When he finally looked at her, Tess continued. “Which gown do you want me to try on first?”

  He flicked his gaze at them, then looked at all those reflections of her bare ass. “The red one.”

  Tess planted her hands on her hips, which caused her breasts to jut out.

  Josh liked that, too.

  “They’re all red,” she explained.

  No kidding? He looked at them, then pointed to the first.

  “You’re sure?” she asked. “You like that?”

  She was curling her toes again. He smiled. “Oh, yeah.”

  Tess turned her back to him as she went to get that first gown.

  Josh didn’t waste a second as his gaze prowled her silky back, her naked buttocks, those seamless thighs, then back to the thong that rode her hips.

  He was about to adjust himself again, but then simply spread his legs to give his boys a chance to breathe and his cock somewhere to go since it just kept getting thicker and harder.

  Tess knew. As she finished unzipping that gown, she looked over her shoulder at him. “You doing all right?”

  “Never been better.” He followed her gaze to his groin, then suddenly realized something. “Bad girl. You’re not wearing your weapon.”

  “It’s in my purse.” She regarded the outline of his erection for a moment more, before meeting his eyes. “Want to hold it?”

  God, she was killing him. “Bad, bad girl.”

  Tess smiled, then returned to him, standing between his legs as she slipped that first gown over her head.

  That silky fabric skimmed her naked breasts before fluttering to her waist and then tumbling over her hips to mid-calf.

  Josh looked up as she turned to the side, holding her hair above her head.

  “Zip me,” she said.

  He dropped her clothes and leaned forward. Placing his left hand on her hip, he eased the zipper up with his
right, then ran his forefinger over the edge of the fabric that skimmed her breast.

  Tess arched one brow, as if he needed to behave himself, before she turned to face the bank of mirrors. “What do you think?”

  He really liked the back of that thing. It dipped very close to the top of her buttocks, but also had thin ribbons crisscrossing that section to keep her decent.

  “Nice,” Josh said, running his forefinger over those ribbons.

  Tess inhaled sharply.

  Josh looked at her reflection. Her gaze was already on him, her expression an invitation.

  He took it. Moving his hands to her hips, Josh wrapped his legs around hers so Tess had no choice but to remain.

  “Put your arms over your head.”

  She did. It made her look like a dancer, it made her his as Josh moved his hands beneath that gown to her breasts, supporting their weight in his palms, flicking his forefingers over the taut nipples before he roughly fondled her, unable to stop himself.

  Tess’s moan told him she didn’t mind his rough touch. Her quick intake of breath told him she wanted more.

  The knock on the door stopped it.

  Josh quickly brought back his hands and opened his legs.

  “Hey, you two doing good?” the salesgirl asked as she poked her head inside.

  Josh nodded so vigorously the bra fell off his head.

  Tess spoke in a voice thick with desire. “Uh-huh.”

  “Good.” The girl really smiled as she looked at the gown. “Oh, hey, that one looks great on you. Don’t you think?” she asked Josh.

  He had to clear his throat before he was able to speak. “Uh-huh.”

  “You really should get that one,” the girl said to Tess.

  “I’d like to see the others first,” Josh said.

  The salesgirl nodded agreeably. “Oh, sure; don’t mean to rush you guys. Take your time. I’ll be by in a bit to see how you’re doing.” She shut the door.

  Josh looked at Tess.

  Her gaze was already on him. “Want to see the next one?”

  He wanted to see her. He wanted to touch and taste all of her, but that wasn’t about to happen here, not with that salesgirl popping in to see if they were doing all right.

  At last Josh took a deep breath that didn’t calm him at all, and said, “Yes, please.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  By the time Tess had finished modeling the gowns—with all those stripteases in between—Josh could barely think.

  She wasn’t any better. Once her purchases had been made and they were back in the car, she looked at the keys as if she didn’t know what to do with them; then she moved across the seat to him at the same moment Josh moved towards her.

  They had barely started necking when his cell rang.

  Shit.

  Tess pulled away.

  Josh followed. “Come back here.”

  “Your cell’s ringing.”

  “I don’t hear—”

  “Go on, answer it.” Her hand was on his chest, her gaze moving to the women in the parking lot who were watching them. “It might be important and those two might be gone by the time you’re finished.”

  “I’ll make it fast.” He brought the cell to his ear and growled, “What?”

  “Ah, it’s me... Alan,” the attorney said, then quickly added, “I thought Bonnie and Clyde were giving you a break.”

  “They are, but then, you’re still bugging me, aren’t you?”

  “Well, excuse me, Josh, I don’t mean to be such a bother. It’s just that I caught something of interest and thought you would like to—”

  “If it’s a new property or lawsuit, I don’t care. Either make an offer or get rid of it.”

  “You misunderstand. I don’t want to get rid of it.”

  “Alan, quit being so cryptic. Why did you call?”

  “Now that I think of it, I shouldn’t tell you over the phone. This is something you really have to see.”

  “Fine. Send it to my cell—”

  “Let’s meet at your office. I’m headed there now.”

  “My office? Why? Why can’t you just—” Josh abruptly paused as Alan hung up on him.

  “We need to go to your office?” Tess asked.

  It surely sounded like it. What in the world could have gotten Alan excited enough to insist on a meeting and then hang up, unless...

  Oh, no. A paparazzo couldn’t have gotten pictures of Tess just now when she was trying on clothes. How could that be possible? Was the salesgirl involved? Is that why she kept popping in? Had she taken pictures with her cell, then forwarded them to someone who had already put them on the Internet? Not that, please. “Ah, yeah, we should go back. Sorry.”

  “Not a problem.” Tess started the car. “I can show my gown to Peg.”

  “Who?”

  “Your secretary.”

  Oh, my God, another problem. “She’s dating your father now, right?”

  “You got a point. Maybe I shouldn’t show the gown to her. I’ll show it to Alan.”

  “Maybe he’s already seen it.”

  “What?”

  “Shouldn’t we be heading for the office?”

  “Sure.” Tess pulled out of the lot.

  Josh drummed his fingers against his thighs.

  “I’ll get us there as fast as I can,” Tess said.

  He bounced his legs.

  “Josh, what’s wrong?”

  He stopped drumming and bouncing. “Nothing.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I’m fine. I enjoyed the shopping trip. I’m glad we got that first dress you tried on. And those shoes. And the other stuff. Did we get the garter, too?”

  “Ah, no, we forgot—”

  “We forgot that? Hell.” He sighed. “We should have gotten that garter.”

  Tess figured that was the least of their worries as she drove to the office.

  Josh stared out his car window like death or another paparazzo was after him. When Tess tried to grill him about that call from Alan, all she received was an occasional grunt or a blank stare.

  Once they were back at the complex, Josh was walking so fast Tess could barely keep up with him.

  “Hey, do you mind?” she finally shouted.

  Josh was already at the door to his suite. He looked over his shoulder at her. “Mind what?”

  “That I’m way back here and you’re already there.”

  “Sorry.” He went into the suite.

  When Tess reached Peg’s office, Josh was already in his own with Alan.

  “What’s up?” Peg asked.

  “You don’t know?”

  “Not yet, but you’ll tell me when you find out, right?”

  “Sure.” Tess went into the office.

  Josh immediately shook his head and pointed towards Peg’s space. “Stay out there.”

  Tess frowned. “Why?”

  “Because I said so.”

  “Not good enough.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  Josh tightened his jaw. “You don’t want to be here.”

  “Well I didn’t a few seconds ago, but now I definitely do.”

  He muttered something Tess didn’t hear, then turned to Alan. “She’s not leaving, so let’s see it.”

  “See what?” Tess asked.

  The attorney’s face got pink. He leaned toward Josh and spoke in a lowered voice. “I really should show it to you first and then—”

  “Show what?” Tess asked.

  “Screw this.” Josh grabbed Alan’s briefcase and opened it.

  “Hey,” Alan said. “That’s my—”

  “Holy shit.” Josh lifted the tabloid from the briefcase.

  Tess uncrossed her arms and backed away, wishing she had followed Josh’s order to get the hell out of here, because no way was she ready to see what was on the cover of this week’s edition.

  Oddly enough, it lightened Alan’s mood. He was actually rocking on his heels. “Told you that you needed to see it.”
r />   Josh whistled. “Any fallout from this yet?”

  “Bigger than those photos of you.”

  Huh? Tess’s heart started beating wildly. “Exactly whose photos are on—”

  “Steve Zilenski’s.”

  She worked that around her brain, then frowned. “Am I supposed to know him?”

  “Not if you don’t watch football,” Alan said.

  “And you do?”

  “All the time.”

  That was a surprise.

  “He’s a football star,” Alan explained, then clamped Josh on the shoulder. “And you, apparently, are yesterday’s news, not to mention the Keys’ dethroned hunk.”

  “Hot damn!” Josh threw his free arm around Alan, hugging him.

  Tess watched in stunned silence. A football star? Yesterday’s news? Dethroned hunk? Just like that her time with Josh was over?

  It was a moment before Tess could catch her breath, another before she could think. She had to be cool; she couldn’t show her feelings; not now, not in front of Alan. At last, she joked, “Would you two like for me to leave?”

  “That’s next,” Alan said. “Josh doesn’t need you to be his bodyguard anymore.”

  A bullet in her heart couldn’t have been more effective or more painful.

  Tess looked at Josh. He was happier than she had ever seen him as he read that tabloid.

  He really didn’t need her anymore. He didn’t even notice her anymore. It was truly over.

  Tess told herself to leave, but her heart wouldn’t allow it.

  She moistened her lips; she rubbed the back of her neck. At last, she asked, “Is that true, Josh?”

  He finished reading the article before lifting his gaze. “I’m sorry, what?”

  Tess felt as if she were dying, but kept her voice even. “Alan said I don’t have to be your bodyguard anymore.”

  “What?” Josh frowned at the man.

  “Well, she doesn’t,” Alan said. “You’re yesterday’s news. No one’s bothered you for days.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Josh said. “I was practically assaulted by two lunatics when Tess and I were shopping.”

  Alan dismissed that with a wave of his hand. “They probably haven’t seen this edition of the tabloid yet. Give them time. In a few days this’ll all be over. We can all get back to normal.”

  Tess’s heart sank even lower, but she kept that sorrow out of her voice. “Great.” She looked at Josh. “Just what we all wanted.”