Crave (Splendor Book 2) (24 page)

As the host escorted them to their table - the one he’d requested, in a prime location that offered up the best possible view of the water - Ian kept a hand on the small of Tessa’s back. His gaze dropped to the endlessly long length of her shapely legs, encased in black silky stockings, her feet shod in a brand new pair of black Louboutin stilettos. From his peripheral vision, his acute skills of observation didn’t miss all the pairs of admiring eyes - both male and female - that stared after Tessa in slack jawed admiration. Ian’s chest swelled with pride, both with the knowledge that she looked like a movie star or a supermodel, and that
he
was the one lucky enough to have her by his side.

He grudgingly permitted the host - who was practically drooling by now - to hold Tessa’s chair out for her. But Ian didn’t even attempt to disguise the scowl he directed the younger man’s way when his eyes lingered on Tessa’s cleavage a little too long. Flushing, the host mumbled his wishes for a pleasant evening and scurried away.

As Ian took his seat directly across from Tessa, he brought her hand to his lips.

“You’re stunning tonight, darling,” he told her earnestly. “Simply stunning. That dress - the way it fits you ought to be illegal.”

Tessa gave him a shy smile. “I thought you told me it wouldn’t be too much.”

“It’s exactly right,” he assured her. “But there’s no possible way I’d ever want you to wear it if I wasn’t glued to your side. By my conservative estimate, there are at least ten different men staring at you right now. I’m guessing there are an awful lot of unhappy wives and girlfriends here tonight.”

She squeezed his hand. “I doubt that. After all, they have you to feast their eyes on.”

He winked at her. “Let them all look, then. So far as I’m concerned, you and I are the only two people in the entire place right now.”

As the waiter arrived to take their drink order and hand them menus, Ian rather reluctantly released Tessa’s hand. But he found it impossible to keep his hands off of her for very long, and found numerous and frequent opportunities to touch her throughout the evening, albeit in fleeting, indiscreet ways. It was still more than enough, however, to arouse her, given the way she stared at him, her eyes huge and round and very blue, her cheeks flushed, her breathing a little shallow.

As for himself, it was taking nearly every ounce of self-control he possessed not to haul her onto his lap and kiss her senseless in front of the entire restaurant. She was a constant temptation, her sexual allure a heady, irresistible force, and once again what made her even more alluring was the fact that she seemed so completely unaware of her intoxicating sensuality.

Ian sipped his wine leisurely as he watched her from across the table, silently marveling at how quickly their relationship had unfolded. It had been just over three weeks since that fateful evening in his office when he’d walked in on her trying in vain to wash out a stain on her blouse, her fabulous breasts almost pouring out of that lacy bra. He was instantly, uncomfortably hard at the recollection, and shifted awkwardly in his seat.

Tessa glanced up at him, a forkful of her grilled tilapia poised in mid-air. “Is everything all right?” her sweet, breathy voice inquired in concern.

He smiled and brushed his knuckles gently over her rosy cheek. “Yes, love, it’s just fine. More than fine, actually. I was just, ah, realizing that it’s already been over three weeks since our first date.”

She returned his smile brightly. “It has, hasn’t it? I still can’t quite believe it, you know. That you’ve - well, been attracted to me all this time. And that you chose me out of all the other women you could have had over the years.”

Ian shook his head, his palm opening up to cup the side of her face. “What other women? Tessa, you are the only woman I’ve ever felt this way about. And you were damned sure worth waiting for. I would have waited a lifetime for you, darling, because anyone else would have just been a pathetic substitute.”

She stared at him, her fork clattering to her plate, her eyes shiny with tears. “God,” she whispered. “You are the most amazing man. The things you say, the way you look at me…”

“And I mean every word, Tessa,” he told her passionately. “Every single word. Though I fear mere words aren’t enough at times to tell you how I feel. That’s why I plan on showing you exactly how much once we return home.”

Tessa gave a little shiver and her eyes grew even bigger. She was practically panting by now, clearly mesmerized by his impassioned speech, and he had to force himself to change the subject.

“Eat your dinner, Tessa,” he chided her gently. “Here, let me pour you some more wine.”

They ate in relative silence after that, though their awareness of each other practically crackled with electricity. Ian couldn’t take his eyes off of her, even as he drank his wine or chewed a bite of food. Tessa had perfect, exquisitely ladylike manners, and he knew without being told that Mrs. C. had most likely been largely responsible for that. But there was also a fineness, a quiet dignity about her, that came from deep within. She was incredibly sweet, always more than eager to please him, and being with her filled him with almost unbearable joy. And of course he was completely and thoroughly besotted with her, head over heels in love, in a way he’d never dreamed possible.

He hadn’t told her just yet about his feelings, not wanting to put pressure on her to reciprocate when he wasn’t absolutely certain that she returned his sentiments. He was quite confident that she was, at the very least, infatuated with him, based on the way she stared at him with adoration, and how she responded so eagerly to his every touch and kiss. But he fully intended to tell her exactly how he felt, and much sooner than later. He had, in fact, already begun planning out when it would happen.

As the waiter cleared away their dinner plates, Ian took her hand again, interlacing their fingers. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something these past few days, love. I was hoping you’d like to go away with me in a couple of weeks for the long weekend. We’d leave on Friday, which happens to be Valentine’s Day, and return on the Monday since the office is closed for the President’s Day holiday.”

Tessa beamed at him. “Yes, of course. I’d love that.”

He chuckled. “But you haven’t even asked where we’re going. For all you know, I could be planning to lock you inside my wine cellar for three days.”

“Well, now, that’s just silly,” she giggled. “And I don’t care where you take me. I’d go anywhere with you, Ian.”

He brushed his thumb over her knuckles, marveling anew at how sweet she was, how agreeable to whatever he suggested. And, he thought more soberly, how excited she seemed at the prospect of a weekend getaway because it was highly likely she’d never been on a real vacation before, given what he knew of her very frugal lifestyle.

“I thought we could spend the weekend at the company’s resort up in Lake Tahoe. It’s quite spectacular, a very luxurious mountain lodge with excellent ski facilities. Do you ski?”

Tessa shook her head. “No. I’ve only ever seen actual snow once, one winter when my mother and I lived in Sedona. She - well, she didn’t like the cold weather. That’s why we mostly lived in desert areas. Do you like it? Skiing, I mean.”

Ian nodded. “Yes, very much. Growing up in England it was very easy for my family to make weekend trips to our resorts in Switzerland or the French Alps to ski. Though since I moved to San Francisco I’ve rarely had the opportunity.” He squeezed her hand. “And we’ll make sure you get a lesson or two while we’re in Lake Tahoe. The ski school there is very highly regarded, and I’m confident the instructors will have you out on the slopes in no time.”

She smiled. “Okay. I’ll give it a try at least. I like most sports, actually.”

His gaze roved over her slim but shapely body assessingly. “And you’re in very, very good shape, darling. Very fit. Once I get you a membership to my gym I’ll arrange for a personal trainer to work with you. A
female
one,” he added teasingly.

“You’re really going to make my head spin if you keep spoiling me this way, you know,” she laughed. “Weekend trips to luxury ski resorts, personal trainers, diamond jewelry. That sounds like the lifestyle of the rich and famous, certainly not someone like me.”

He cupped her cheek in his palm. “I fully intend for you to live that exact sort of lifestyle, darling. I told you that first weekend that I was going to treat you like a princess, and I meant every word.”

Whatever protest she was going to make was interrupted by the arrival of the waiter with their tea. They had declined dessert, but a complimentary plate of small cookies, macarons, and chocolates was set in the middle of the table nonetheless. Tessa quietly brewed his tea for him, a little indulgence that he knew gave her a sense of satisfaction to perform, and he smiled his thanks. He was well aware that she enjoyed finding small ways to spoil him, perhaps trying to repay his own generosity towards her, and it gave him a little thrill to receive such attention.

He picked up one of the tiny chocolate truffles and held it up to her lips, smiling as she sucked it into her mouth.

“Mmm, that’s delicious. Thank you,” she murmured.

He brushed away the tiny dab of melted chocolate from the corner of her mouth. “My pleasure. Would you care for another?”

Tessa shook her head and picked up her tea. “Not just yet, no, I’m so full from dinner. Which was lovely, by the way. Thank you, Ian.”

Her sweetly spoken words of gratitude tugged at his heart, reminding him yet again what a deprived life she’d lived. “You’re very welcome, love. But the pleasure of your company is all the thanks I’ll ever need. Having you here with me like this - you have no idea how many times I daydreamed about a night just like this one.”

“And I never in my wildest dreams pictured myself in this sort of situation - eating in a four star restaurant, wearing designer clothing. And especially not with a man like you.”

Ian frowned at her quizzically. “A man like me?”

Tessa shrugged. “You know. You’re so elegant and sophisticated and, well, just so - special. You’re so different from anyone else I’ve ever known, so totally different from me. I still don’t quite understand what you see in me.”

He made a small sound of disapproval. “What I see in you is very, very clear. You are a rare and precious jewel, darling, and I’ve never met anyone quite like you before.
You
, Tessa, are the one who’s truly special.”

She reached across the table and placed her hand on his forearm. “You make me feel special,” she whispered. “You make me want to believe I’m all the things you say I am. Because I know a man like you wouldn’t settle for anything less.”

Ian stared at her, mesmerized by the soft glow of her blue eyes. “Jesus,” he muttered, shaking his head as if to clear it out. “Let’s get out of here. I’ve already broken enough rules for you today, and the way I feel right now I’m not sure how much longer I can resist kissing you in front of all these people.”

They didn’t break eye contact for even a second while Ian signaled the waiter for their check and handed over his credit card. As soon as the bill was settled, he surged to his feet and pulled her chair out, wrapping an arm firmly about her waist as they walked towards the front door.

While they were waiting for the valet to bring Ian’s Jaguar around, what was left of his self-control swiftly disappeared as he pulled her into a fierce embrace, his tongue invading her mouth in a hot, hungry kiss. She moaned beneath his lips, those sensuous little sounds that drove him insane with lust, and he increased the pressure of his mouth against hers. Already fully, painfully aroused, he slid a hand inside her unbuttoned coat and found her ripe, swollen breast, his thumb brushing over the hard point of her nipple. She gasped at this contact, certainly loud enough to be overheard, and he swiftly tore his mouth from hers to whisper in her ear urgently.

“Shh, love,” he soothed her, gently removing his hand from her breast. “I’m not sure what I was thinking, kissing you like that with other people in earshot.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder as his arm slid about her waist. “Maybe I’m a bad influence on you,” she teased. “First earlier today in the dressing room, and now kissing in public.”

Ian laughed, and hugged her close. “Most people would say just the opposite, darling - that you’ve been a very, very good influence on me. I confess to having been a very formal and reserved man up until now. My younger brother would take that a step or two further and call me stuffy, just for starters. But I certainly seem to have a great deal of trouble keeping my hands off of you for very long.” He brushed a soft kiss on the nape of her neck, left enticingly bare by the upswept style of her hair.

Tessa pressed a kiss to his cheek, her eyes glowing with pleasure. “Good. Because it’s exactly the same for me.”

He was within a second or two of kissing her again, not particularly giving a damn who was watching or how loudly she moaned, when the valet drove up with his car. He assisted Tessa inside the low slung vehicle before sliding behind the wheel and driving off.

They were mostly silent during the relatively short drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to his home, but the sexual awareness between them sizzled with ever growing intensity. He kept his eyes focused on the road, belatedly wishing that he hadn’t given Simon the evening off, or that he’d arranged for a limo, preferably one with a privacy panel. He was hard and aching, his body fully aroused, and he could tell from the rather erratic sound of Tessa’s breathing that she felt the same way. He bit down on his lip as he thought back to earlier today when they’d been ensconced in the dressing room at Neiman Marcus, Tessa in various stages of undress throughout the afternoon, and the way she’d looked when she’d knelt in front of him, her fingers deftly unzipping his trousers and drawing out his throbbing cock.

He wasn’t able to fully stifle the small groan that escaped his lips, and she instantly placed a hand on his upper arm.

“Are you all right?” she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.