Crave (Splendor Book 2) (27 page)

“Oh.” Tessa looked rather disconcerted by the offer. “Um, normally I’d love to but I, ah, I’m sort of meeting - someone.”

Julia grinned. “You little devil. You have a new boyfriend, don’t you?”

Tessa’s cheeks were already flushed pink from the exertion of the class, and they deepened to a much brighter shade at Julia’s frank question. “Ah, I - I guess that’s what - yes, you’re right. I do.” She looked down at her bare feet shyly. “I’m just - it’s pretty new, so…”

“You can’t really talk about it yet,” finished Julia. “I get it, honey. But I think it’s great. You really deserve some happiness. So, go meet your new guy and we’ll have coffee another time.”

Tessa looked relieved. “Okay, thanks. I’ll give you a call this week.”

Julia watched her friend dash out of the studio hurriedly, wondering who this new boyfriend was and hoping that he was treating Tessa right. But at least the existence of a new man in her life explained why she was suddenly able to afford yoga classes plus the new clothes and equipment. Julia hoped he wasn’t some sleazy creep who was just using Tessa, dazzling her with nice gifts and expensive dinners. She knew Tessa was rather naïve about men, despite the fact that she’d been married for seven years, and kept her fingers crossed that she wasn’t in over her head.

Julia spent a couple of minutes chatting with Sasha before grabbing her things and heading out to meet Nathan. Her gorgeous fiancée was lounging against the side of the building, his thick dark brown hair still damp from the laps he’d just swum at his health club’s indoor pool. Nathan had played water polo during high school and college, and still liked to get a vigorous swim in a few times a week.

“Hey, baby.” He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick but still semi-dirty kiss.

“Hi.” She snuggled close as he took her yoga bag from her, slinging it over his own shoulder as they walked down the block to one of their favorite cafes.

“You look a little sweaty. Did Sasha kick your cute little ass again?”

Julia nodded. “Always. I swear I don’t know where she comes up with some of her moves. If you think I’m flexible, you ought to see her in action. She’s like ElasticGirl, or whoever that character is from
The Incredibles.
”

Nathan squeezed her ass cheek under cover of the thigh length cardigan she wore. “You’re already plenty flexible for me, baby. Especially last night. I, uh, didn’t know you could actually get into that sort of position.”

She raised a brow. “Complaining?”

“Oh, hell, no. You can get, ah, all bendy and twisty like that anytime. Hey, was that Tessa I saw leaving the studio? I was just getting out of the car when I saw her turning the corner.”

Julia nodded. “That was her all right. Sounds like she has a new boyfriend. I just hope he’s a good guy and treats her right.”

Nathan stopped in his tracks, a frown on his handsome features. “Wait a second. Now that you mention it, I did notice her getting into a car. And - holy shit.”

She shook his arm. “What? What is it? And why are you grinning like an idiot?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “That sneaky son of a bitch. Let’s just say I’ve got a very good idea of who Tessa’s new boyfriend is.”

Her eyes widened in surprise “Who? Did you see him? What kind of a car is he driving? God, don’t tell me it was a pickup truck. Or a Prius. I’m not sure which one would be worse.”

Nathan was full out laughing now. “Oh, not even close, baby. No, your friend was getting into a vintage Jaguar E-type. It’s a very expensive and very rare car. In fact, there’s only one person I know of who owns a car exactly like that one. I even rode in it once - en route to the new hotel site in Napa.”

It took Julia a moment or two for his words to register, and then she gasped, clutching his arm so tightly that he winced. “You mean - Tessa’s new boyfriend is - is Ian?”

He was grinning from ear to ear. “Yup. He denied being attracted to her when I brought the subject up once, but when you’re right, you’re right, baby.”

“I knew it!” she squealed. “Didn’t I tell you, Nathan? I knew he had his eye on her the first time I saw them together.” Then a sudden thought instantly sobered her up. “You don’t think - I mean, Tessa never told me why she and her husband broke up. You don’t imagine she and Ian were…”

“No.” Nathan’s denial was emphatic. “I know Ian pretty well after all. He would never mess around with a married woman. Trust me, he and Tessa were not having a sordid affair. That is
not
why she and her husband are divorcing. I think this relationship with Ian is very new.”

Julia nodded. “I think so, too. She seemed really nervous to see me there today, like she expected I was still in New York.”

“Well, if she’s still working for Ian it goes without saying they want to keep this quiet. And you, my little devil, are not to breathe one word about this to anyone. Got it?” he told her sternly.

She reached up and gave him a smacking kiss. “Yes, I’ve got it. And I won’t say a word to anyone.” She took Nathan’s arm and placed it around her shoulders as she leaned against him. “God, they make a really gorgeous couple, don’t you think?”

Nathan smiled wickedly. “I’m guessing she’s keeping him, uh, busy. There’s a pretty big age difference between them, after all. He’s probably keeping his fingers crossed that he’ll be able to keep up with her.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” replied Julia airily. “Ian looks like he keeps himself in very, very good shape. Though Tessa did look a little, um -”

“Well fucked?” he whispered in her ear. “Kind of like you do this morning?”

Her cheeks flushed. “You are so bad,” she whispered back as they entered the crowded café. “But, yeah, now that you mention it, she might have looked like she’d just tumbled out of bed. And she did say she was running late.”

“Told you.” He was grinning as they got in line to place their orders. “Hmm, Ian and I will have to compare notes sometime, see which one of us is getting more action.”

Julia gasped in outrage. “Oh, my God, don’t you dare! You wouldn’t seriously do that, would you?”

“Relax, baby.” He rubbed her low back soothingly. “What goes on in our bed stays there, okay? No matter how many times my buddies try to pry details out of me. I would never in a million years tell anyone how much you like it when I…”

She clapped a hand over his mouth. “Quit while you’re ahead, Nathan. Otherwise, I’m going to up the ante on that bet we made a couple of weeks ago. The bet that I’m just about guaranteed to win now after you saw Tessa getting into Ian’s car.”

“Crap. I forgot all about that stupid bet,” grumbled Nathan. “I have
so
got to remember not to make any bets with you when a) I’ve had a little too much to drink, and b) you’ve just fucked me so hard I can’t walk straight. And it’s a little soon to be declaring yourself the winner, baby. I’m going to require more than circumstantial evidence before I shell out eight hundred bucks. And why the hell do you need more shoes anyway?”

Julia batted her lashes at him flirtatiously. “Because this really hot architect I know is building me this awesome waterfront house in Tiburon, complete with the biggest walk-in closet I’ve ever seen. I don’t have nearly enough stuff to fill it up.”

“You haven’t won yet, baby,” he replied darkly. “I need more proof before I whip my credit card out.”

She gave him a dangerous smile. “Leave it to me. I’ll get you all the proof you need.”

***

Ian had far too much work to get through today, did not have even ten minutes to spare for anything not already on his packed schedule, and yet he still found himself walking in the direction of the conference room where he knew Tessa would be setting up for this morning’s meeting with the architects. He’d mumbled some harebrained excuse to Andrew about where he was going, and received a disapproving frown from his by-the-book PA. But it had seemed like an eternity since he’d been alone with Tessa, even though in reality it had only been three days ago.

He’d convinced her to stay over at his home on Sunday night rather than bringing her back to that god-awful apartment of hers. Still intent on keeping their relationship a carefully guarded secret, he’d sent her off to work on Monday in a taxi while Simon had driven him to the office as usual. And even though he and Tessa had only been together for just over a month’s time, he was already at the end of his rope with this very unsatisfactory arrangement they currently had. He wanted her with him constantly, sleeping in his bed every single night, and was extremely displeased with this elaborate pretense they had to keep up.

Thank God tomorrow was the start of the long weekend he’d promised her, their highly anticipated getaway to the Gregson resort in Lake Tahoe - three and a half days of skiing, relaxation, and a whole lot of sex. The phone calls and texts they’d exchanged since Monday morning weren’t nearly enough to make up for not having her in his arms, and he badly needed to see her alone, even for a few minutes. Ian realized this was uncharted territory for him - this almost stalker-like behavior he was engaging in - but he couldn’t help the obsession he felt for her. He was taking a risk, of course, with so many people in the office this morning, but he was more than ready to throw caution to the wind for just five minutes with her.

‘Jesus, mate, you’re acting like a thirteen year old schoolgirl,’ he chastised himself. ‘What the hell are you going to do when you’re away from her for two bloody weeks?’

Less than a week from now he had to fly to London for a mind-numbing series of board meetings and other matters that required his presence at corporate headquarters. Under normal circumstances, he’d actually be looking forward to spending some time with his parents and brothers and the rest of his family. But the very thought of being away from Tessa for so long was eating away at him, and he honestly had no idea how he was going to bear the separation. If she hadn’t been so stubborn, she would have quit her job by now and be spending the full two weeks in England with him.

But even as that thought crossed his mind, Ian knew in all fairness that Tessa simply wasn’t ready for that. She was still so shy and uncertain around him, still getting to know him really, and it wouldn’t be especially considerate to overwhelm her so completely by having to meet all of his family at once. He knew she was terrified of embarrassing him, and that she didn’t feel worthy to be seen out in public with him - two ridiculous notions he was determined to resolve sooner than later. If he brought her to meet his family now, when she was very much like a skittish, frightened fawn, she could very well decide to end their relationship, fearful that she could never be what he needed.

Ian wasn’t going to do a damned thing to risk losing her at this point, not after he’d longed for her for so many months. What he
was
going to do - in a very persuasive manner - was convince his surprisingly stubborn little love that if he had her with him permanently she would be
all
he would ever need. His plans for this coming weekend revolved around convincing her of just that.

As he approached the conference room, he frowned in irritation to realize she wasn’t alone. He recognized the rather whiny, nasally tone as Kevin’s and stopped in his tracks, quite intentionally eavesdropping on the conversation the younger man was having with Tessa.

“Got any hot plans for Valentine’s Day tomorrow?” asked Kevin cheerily. “Or the long weekend?”

There was a pause before he heard Tessa reply, her answer thankfully vague. “Oh, nothing specific. Just relaxing, maybe a yoga class, the usual.”

“Well, that just won’t do,” declared Kevin. “It’s not right that a hot babe like you doesn’t have a date for Valentine’s Day. And don’t feed me that BS about not being ready to move on. It’s been months, Tessa, way past time for you to get out there and find a new man. Maybe several of them.”

Ian was furious, outraged, to hear that little shit trying to convince Tessa -
his
Tessa, God damn it - that she ought to be dating other men -
lots
of other men. He had to clench his fists to keep from slamming one into the wall, and counted to ten instead to calm himself down.

“Thanks for thinking of me, but I’ll know when the time is right,” Tessa replied casually.

“Well, maybe I can change your mind. One of the attorneys who works with Terence is recently divorced and on the prowl. And let me tell you, sweetie, he is H-O-T. Looks just like Ryan Gosling. Or is that Ryan Reynolds? I always get those two mixed up. Anyway, he saw the photo that Terence took of you and me at the Christmas party and he is
very
interested in meeting you. His name is -”

Ian had had quite enough, and chose that moment to enter the conference room, his strides long and purposeful. Kevin and Tessa looked up as he all but burst inside, and the expression on his face must have been murderous judging from the looks on their faces.

“M - Mr. Gregson. Can I, ah, help you with something?” stammered Tessa.

Ian glared pointedly at Kevin. “Yes, I need to review some data on one of the spreadsheets before our meeting. Kevin, would you excuse us please?”

Kevin looked as though he was about to faint - or piss his pants - but merely gulped and nodded. “Uh, sure. I need to get back to work anyway. See you after the meeting, Tess.”

Ian drummed his fingers on the table impatiently until Kevin slinked out of the room. Mere seconds later he was quietly shutting and locking the door, and then he very nearly flew across the room until he was jerking Tessa into his arms.

“Just so we’re perfectly clear,” he bit out, each word enunciated slowly, “you are
not
going on a date with any lawyers, doctors, or anyone else that little fucker offers to set you up with. You are not “getting out there” to find a new man. Because you already have a new man in your life, and he’s damned sure not willing to share you.”

“Ian.” Whatever she was about to say was quickly swallowed up by the fierce, desperate way he kissed her. She whimpered beneath the force of his lips and tongue, especially when his hand slid down her back to cup her ass. Tessa clutched the lapels of his suit jacket as he ground himself aggressively against the cleft of her thighs.