Heartfire (13 page)

Suddenly Max was beside Tessa, his arm companionably brushing hers.  After greetings all around, Weaver drifted toward the crowd of dancers.  Tessa didn't know if Max had overheard their conversation.  She also didn't know whether or not she'd overstepped her boundaries.  Lately, they were getting more and more difficult to figure out.

Mrs. Bartlett ladled a glass of punch.  "I was hoping to see you tonight."

Max frowned.  "Your last e-mail said Ryan was doing better."

"I've seen some improvement in Ryan's attitude lately.  He's more exuberant.  Some of his work has improved, some hasn't.  Why don't I e-mail you a copy of the two extremes and you can see what you think."

"You know, any time you need to talk to me—"

She nodded.  "Just call.  I know that.  I know you care, Mr. Winthrop.  We will get to the bottom of this.  I still believe his biggest problem is not mingling with other children."

Tessa surveyed the large room, the teenagers obviously having fun.  "Could a party help?"

Mrs. Bartlett took a sip of her punch.  "What do you have in mind?"

"Halloween's coming up.  We could have a Halloween party at the house and invite some of his classmates."

"It would have to be this coming Saturday," Max said.

Tessa looked to him for encouragement.  "Could we do it?  It shouldn't be too difficult."

"That depends on how much time you're willing to give it.  We have to keep them entertained, so we'd have to plan a few games."

Tessa turned toward Mrs. Bartlett.  "What do you think?"

The teacher laughed.  "This would probably be very good for Ryan if he feels involved.  Maybe even let him make some of the decisions."

"Let's do it, Max."

He smiled.  "If you're willing, I'm willing."  He asked Mrs. Bartlett, "Do you have any suggestions for games?"

"I have a book at home that could help."

"Maybe I could pick it up tomorrow afternoon."

"That would be fine."

Someone tentatively touched Tessa's arm.  Kevin stood beside her, a wide grin on his face.  "Would you like to dance?"

Tessa glanced at Max.  He gave her no clue as to what he was thinking.  The shoulder-rocking rhythm made her want to tap her foot and she realized Kevin was waiting expectantly.  "Sure.  It's hard to stand still to this song."

She felt a few sets of eyes on her as she followed Kevin to the middle of the room.  But once she and the teenager started to dance, they blended in with the crowd.

Max watched Tessa move to the music.  He took his finger around his collar because it suddenly felt too tight.  Did she have any idea how desirable she was?  He was almost jealous of Kevin, and that was ridiculous.  He wished he hadn't overheard her conversation with Weaver.  He wasn't surprised Weaver had approached her.  Al had asked other teachers to convince him to come back to coaching, too.

When Tessa stood up for his decision not to coach this year, he'd been pleased.  But then...

He heard her words again. 
Sometimes a person does what he
should
do, rather than what he
wants
to do
.  Was Tessa only helping him with Ryan because she felt some obligation to Leslie?  Or had she stayed because she’d wanted to stay?  It shouldn't matter, but it did.

When the song ended and another began, the teenagers formed a line.  Kevin said something to Tessa.  She shrugged and nodded.  Next thing Max knew, she was in the line, dancing.  She laughed with the kids,  looked as if she knew what she was doing and thoroughly enjoying herself.

When the music stopped for a moment, Max strode toward her.

Kevin took a step away.  "I guess it's your turn now, Coach."

Max said to Tessa, "That depends on the lady."

Tessa's eyes opened wider for a moment.  "I'd like to dance with you."  She smiled at Kevin.  "Thanks."

As the music blared again, Tessa and Max squared off and moved to the beat.  He asked her, "Do you go dancing often?"

"Sometimes to clubs in London when I'm there for more than a few days."

He frowned.  "Anyone in particular go with you?"

She seemed surprised he asked.  "I know a few journalists.  I give them a call when I'm back, and we get together."

As Tessa's hips shimmied in time with the music, Max opened his top shirt button under his tie.

They danced to two more songs, then Max asked her, "Would you like to take a break?"

"Yes.  Fresh air would be nice."

"We really should check the grounds to make sure all the kids are behaving." 

When they stepped outside, the autumn breeze brushed them.  He saw Tessa shiver.  "We should have stopped for your coat."

"I'm fine."

He smiled.  "Then why do you have your arms wrapped around you?"  He took off his suit coat and placed it around her shoulders.  It would be so easy to bend down and kiss her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Don't you know men are more hot blooded than women?"  Being with her tonight was making his blood boil when he least expected it.

She laughed.  "There's scientific evidence to prove that, of course."

"Of course," he teased.  She looked protected with his coat around her small shoulders.  He wondered if the material would pick up the scent of her perfume.  He suddenly realized Tessa was wearing perfume.  He'd never noticed it on her before.  Had she bought it just for tonight?  For some reason the thought pleased him.

Hundreds of stars liberally dotted the black sky.  The moon hung suspended like a golden ball, almost round.  Max took a deep breath of autumn air and walked toward the edge of the parking lot.

"It's wonderful out here, isn't it?" Tessa commented.  "Too often I'm too busy to see the stars."

"That happens to all of us."  Max stuffed his hands in his pockets so he wasn't tempted to touch her.  The moon on her face, the slight breeze teasing her curls, urged him to trace her profile with his fingers and play in her hair.  He closed his hands into fists.  "Ryan tells me you have a birthday coming up.  I can't believe we've known each other nine years and I don't even know the date."

She stopped for a moment then resumed walking.  "November second."

"He'll get a kick out of you blowing out candles."

"I won't be here, Max."

This time he stopped.  "I thought you were staying till mid November."

She put her hand on his arm, bringing him warmth and gentleness.  "I am.  I won't go back on my word.  But that weekend I have to go to New York to meet with a segment producer at Crandall News about Oslo.  I'm going over the info I've collected—where diplomats are staying, that type of thing.  We'll also look over future projects."

For the past couple of weeks, Max had put aside what Tessa did for a living.  Maybe that's why his attraction to her was becoming too strong to ignore.

Again, he remembered what she'd said to Al Weaver. 
Sometimes a person does what he should do
.  Suddenly it was extremely important to know exactly why Tessa had stayed in Jenkins.  "Tessa, why do you want to help Ryan?"

She stopped and faced Max.  "Because I love him."

"That's all?"

She hesitated a moment, then said, "Because he's Leslie's son."

"So...you feel obligated."

"Max, what's this all about?"

"If you're staying here out of some sense of duty or nobility and you don't
want
to be here, that's the wrong reason."

"Even if it helps Ryan?"

"So that is why you stayed."

She shook her head.  "It's all mixed together.  I can't separate one from the other."

Max fell silent, and Tessa wondered why he'd asked those questions.  A thought struck her that made her throat tighten.  She swallowed a few times.  "Are you tired of me being here?  Do you want me to leave?  I never meant to interfere in your life—"

He took her by the shoulders.  "No, that's not it at all."

The deep brown of his eyes, the intensity smoldering there, made her pulse gallop.  "Then why the questions, Max?"

"Because I don't want you here out of some sense of duty."

She wanted to reach out and stroke the lines on his forehead, the worry around his mouth.  But she was afraid, so she kept her hands at her sides.  "I want to be here.  Do you believe me?"

After a very long moment, he answered her.  "Yes."

A train whistle blew in the distance.  Muted music vibrated in the fire hall.  Leaves danced around Tessa's feet as the breeze pushed them into the corner of the building.  Time seemed to stand still.

Taking one of the curls along Tessa's cheek between his thumb and forefinger, Max felt its silky softness.  "I don't think I've told you how pretty you look tonight."

No one had ever told her she looked pretty.  But then, she didn't dress up very often.  Unreasonably, her lip quivered.  "Thank you."

He must have seen the trembling because he traced his thumb across that lip.  He was close enough that she could smell his cologne, a scent that mixed with his male scent.  The touch of his rougher skin against her soft lip sent shock waves through her.

She lifted her head, and he bent his.

The kiss was gentle and easy until his tongue slipped into her mouth.  Her knees went weak and she grabbed onto him.  His arms came around her to hold her to him.  His powerful thighs strained against her.  He tasted male and hot.

Abruptly he ended the quick burst of passion by tearing away and stepping back.  Swearing, he raked his hand through his hair.  "This is wrong."

Maybe it was time they both faced up to what was happening.  "Why?"

"Because...Leslie was my wife and your best friend."

The loss of Leslie still hurt.  Tessa would never forget their hours of conversation, secrets they'd shared, a bond that would never die.  But Tessa had had plenty of experience facing reality, so maybe she could accept it easier than others, easier than Max.  "She's been gone for three years."

A myriad of emotions played over his face.  "So that means I should forget all about her and go back to where we left off nine years ago?"  He sounded not only confused but bitter.

"No, of course you shouldn't.  You'll never forget her, and I won't, either.  She wasn't just my friend, she was the only close friend I ever had.  She was the first person I could talk to about my hopes and dreams and fears.  She listened and she accepted me for who I was.  No one else has ever done that for me.  I loved her, Max."