Lies of the Heart (17 page)

With practiced ease, Chance set down the hefty box and dug out the brown bottles, placing the beer in the cooler. The longer he took to finish up, the more he knew he drew Walter in.

“So, you gonna spill it?”

Smiling inwardly, Chance said, “What? You wanted me to work, didn’t you?”

“Smart aleck. Always have been.” Walter let out a noisy sigh. “You start talking, boy, or I’ll be announcing how you and the little Mrs. went at it all night long.”

Stunned, he swung around, facing the older man. The triumphant smile stretching across his craggy features had Chance doing a double take. The smugness of it burned a hole through Chance’s gut. “How the hell did you find out?” he asked between gritted teeth. It was worse than he feared.

A loud snort erupted, and then Walter said, “All that noise you two making, who wouldn’t have figured that one out? Geez, it was so distracting while I was closing up, couldn’t keep my mind on anything sensible.” He moped his sweaty brow with a handy white towel.

Chance gulped hard, recalling how he and Tessa had made love over and over again that night, even getting so carried away at one point that they’d toppled off the bed. His body suffused with heat at the erotic memories. Shaking himself out of his musings, he addressed the older man, “So, why didn’t you say anything before now? Getting soft in your old age?”

That produced a dark scowl from the bartender. “I got some decorum, you know. I don’t go blabbering everything all the time.”

“No, only when it serves a purpose,” Chance said, with a razor-sharp edge to his words.

Walter raised an eyebrow. “So? You got a problem with me bettering myself?”

Frustrated and fed up, Chance chuckled roughly. Holding up his hands, he said, “Enough, all right? Listen, I’ll double the bet to two weeks paid vacation if you keep this under wraps. What’d ya say?”

He held out his hand. Walter eyed it warily, and then, after an interminably amount of time, he placed his big paw in it. “Huh, a Deveraux having the hots for a Warfield, as I live and breathe.”

***

“Chance, what is all this about?” she asked, her voice edged with a bubble of excitement as he covered her eyes with his palm.

“It’s a surprise,” he said with a smile coloring his words.

She smiled also, deeply touched by his planning something special for her. He led her through the apartment doorway and into the dance studio. With her sight unavailable to her she relied on all her other senses. Soft romantic music played in the background and she swore she could smell the heady scent of flowers. And the aroma of fresh baked bread made her mouth water.

“Can I look now?”

“Nope.”

“Teaser.”

His husky laughter so close to her ear made her shiver. A tiny thrill raced down her spine. “Just a few more steps and we’ll be there.”

She allowed him to guide her, her complete trust and faith given to him. He was a devil at times, but he’d never mislead her intentionally.

He positioned her a little more to the right, and then took his hand away, saying, “Ta-dah!”

She blinked several times to focus properly, and then gasped at the blanket spread out on the floor, an overflowing picnic basket on top, a bucket of champagne nearby, and flickering candles surrounding it all. “Oh Chance, how beautiful.”

“I thought you’d like it.” A wealth of pride stole into his voice.

“I love it!” She turned around and hugged him quickly. “Thank you so much.”

In the candlelight, she swore the tops of his cheeks turned pink. Shrugging self-consciously, he said, “I know how hard you’ve been working lately and I thought you could use a treat, that’s all.”

This little-boy vulnerability touched her down to her soul. She tucked her hand in his, squeezing gently. “Well, Mr. Deveraux, you did a wonderful job.” She couldn’t hide the warmth and gentleness from her words.

Smiling back at her, he stared into her eyes for a moment longer. For the first time in a long time, she saw nothing but a happy glow. The sadness that had dogged him since his granddad's death was absent now and she hoped it would stay away for the rest of the night.

He waved his other hand. “Come on, let’s start the party.”

“A party?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yep, with presents and everything.”

That peaked her curiosity. “Presents? But I didn’t get you anything.”

“Silly, it’s a party for you, so you don’t have to bring anything but yourself.” He led her to one side of the blanket and helped her sit down.

She settled in while he took a seat opposite her near the basket. He grabbed ahold of the champagne bottle by its neck. “Non-alcoholic.”

“Perfect.” Eyeing the basket, she said, “What else do you have up your sleeve, Mr. Deveraux?”

He wagged a finger at her. “Tsk. Tsk. That all comes in good time, my dear.”

The lighthearted mood lifted her spirits and made her forgot all her continuing problems with her granny. Every time she talked to her, her grandmother grilled her on her relationship with Chance. Here, right now, she could play again and let her worries wash away.

Her stomach growled rather loudly and she pressed a hand to it. “Oops,” she said, stifling a giggle. “I’m starving and I smell some delicious bread.”

He chuckled, his gray eyes sparkling in the light from the candles. Something inside Tessa clutched. She thought it could be her heart. A rush of tenderness came next and she blinked away the moisture gathering in her eyes. He’d done all this for her. No one had ever gone to so much trouble for her.

“Then I certainly must feed you first.”

“First?” She cleared her throat of the thick emotion gathering there.

From behind the basket, hidden all this time, he produced a gaily wrapped, flat rectangular box. “This will have to wait.”

Cupping her hands to her mouth, she sucked in a sharp breath. He hadn’t been kidding about presents after all. Dropping her hands to press them against her chest, she said, “Now you’re really a teaser, Chance Deveraux.”

He leaned in close, so close she could feel his breath fan her mouth. She watched his lips move as he said, “Oh, that’s nothing, sunshine. I have much better ways to tease you.” The huskiness in his voice left no misunderstanding to what he meant, causing a shiver to ripple over her flesh.

“Devil,” she countered, looking up into his heated gaze.

“And how.”

Pulling back, he broke the spell, but the sensuality still hung in the air. Tessa’s blood pulsated with the promise of what could possibly come. She swallowed hard.

He grabbed the long, loaf of bread and tore off a chunk, handing it to her. “Here, to begin with.”

Sinking her teeth into the light, fresh bread, she moaned around a mouthful. “Delicious.”

“Not as delicious as you,” he whispered hoarsely, seemingly mesmerized by the way she chewed, as his gaze never left her mouth. She licked up a crumb and he groaned.

She offered him some and he slowly came nearer, his eyes now on hers. With a shaky hand, she waited with bated breath. He closed his mouth over a chunk and tore it with his teeth. But before he left he dipped his head a little lower and drew her baby finger into his mouth, sucking gently. An electric shock bolted through her and she gasped.

Pulling back and chewing, he grinned seductively. “There’s more where that came from, Mrs. Deveraux.” His husky voice tripped along her nerve endings making her tingle all over with the promise of what was to come.

Anticipation gathered low and deep and she had a difficult time being patient. “What else do you have in that basket?”

Digging down inside, he pulled out each item with a flourish. “Cheese, only the best in town. Olives, your favorite. Pepperoni, so thinly sliced and utterly delicious, also one of your favorites. This incredible tangy spread I thought you’d love to slather on that bread,” he said nodding to what she still held. “Oh, and I can’t forget the best. Strawberries with cream and melted chocolate in order to dip.”

She pressed a hand to her tummy and moaned in appreciation. "It all sounds so wonderful.” Smiling at him, she couldn’t help but be filled with awe at the care and consideration he’d gone to just for her. No one had paid so much attention to her to find out what she liked, either. Why, he must have listened at every time she revealed something. Wonder spread through her. “I’ll never forget this.”
Or you.
“No one’s ever done anything like this for me before. Thank you,” she said with thick emotion clogging her throat.

He stilled, sobering. For long moments, he stared into her eyes. “You’re welcome,” he said hoarsely, also obviously moved.

Clearing his throat, he dropped the serious tone and went back to his teasing manner. “But, sunshine, you haven’t even gotten your present yet. Tsk. Tsk.”

Caught up in his enthusiasm, she asked, “Can I open it now, Chance? Please.”

Chuckling, he nodded. He reached over and plucked up the gift. Holding it out, he said, “Go ahead, it’s not going to bit you.”

Taking it carefully, she teased, “Are you sure about that?” She smoothed the pale pink wrap and matching bow as tears smarted the backs of her eyes. “Pink.”

“Your favorite color.”

Her heart turned over at that. Granny had hated her choice and, as much as she could, forced Tessa to wear subdued colors she chose for her granddaughter that didn’t clash with her red hair.

Her hand snagged on the bow. “What’s this?”

Gazing at him, she noted how he turned away sheepishly. She swore the tops of his cheeks turned red and he shrugged uncomfortably. “Just a little something. I should have given it back years ago.”

She gasped when she spotted, nestled amongst the big loops, a ballet slipper charm. “Chance? You took it.” She tumbled back in time when he’d given it to her so long ago, and then all of a sudden it had disappeared along with him when he left town. “I thought granny did.”

“I knew how much you treasured it.”

Holding it to her chest, she said, “It was the most precious gift anyone’s ever given to me in my life.” She choked back tears.

“I saw how hurt you were when that lady saw you dancing in the school production and wanted you to train seriously.”

“Granny forbade it.” Renewed pain shot through her to leave a deep, wide ache in its wake. She shook off the past hurt. “But, you bought me this.”

“I wanted to remind you how much you loved dancing and not to give up for anyone.” His words came out stilted as if he was embarrassed by it all. Shrugging, he admitted, “When I left I wanted to take a little piece of you with me.”

“The charm.” She clamped her eyes shut as a rush of feelings washed over her. He’d cared so much then, but couldn’t show it openly. And she had him.

She sucked in a shaky breath. “Why? Why did we always let them come between us, Chance?”

“Oh, sunshine.” She heard the pain in his voice. “Looking back I wonder myself. But, we’re still doing that today after all these years.”

“We’re letting them win.”

“Yeah, we are.” Sadness filled his voice.

Staring at him, with the silence lengthening between them, she wondered aloud, “Can we really change things? I feel so disloyal sometimes, well most times, when I’m with you.”

“Even now?”

Shaking her head, she said, “No, not now.”

He smiled a slow, sexy smile that made her toes curl. “I guess we’ve just got to have more times like these and stretch them out as long as we can.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Maybe it can be.”

“Maybe.” Hope bubbled in her middle.

He nodded toward the still wrapped package. “Hey, aren’t you going to open it?”

Heat gathered in her cheeks. “Duh, me!” She laughed, then, after taking the charm off and tucking it into a safe spot, she tore into the pink paper. When she got to the white box underneath, she flipped off the top, revealing her gift. Blue denim lay amongst the pink tissue paper. “Jeans, you got me jeans, Chance.” Excitement filled her words.

“I told you I would. Now go ahead and try them on,” he coaxed.

Clutching them to her chest, she jumped up and raced out of the room.

Leaning back on an elbow with a knee raised, Chance waited patiently for his fashion show. Inside, he was still trying to process the range of emotions he’d gone through in the last half-hour or so. She took his breath away, twisting him in knots in one minute, and then in the next she had him elated at how touched she was at his picnic basket contents. And before he knew it she had him recalling their shared past, yet now making it seem so precious to them both. She made him feel more alive than anyone ever had.

“Are you ready?” she called out from the other room.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Giggling, she paraded through the door, twirling when she entered. “Ta-dah!”

His heart leapt to his throat and his pulse hammered in his veins.  Gulping hard, he sat up slowly. Her long legs encased in the form-fitting denim had him groaning inwardly. “Do that again.”

“What? Pirouette?” She twirled once again for his benefit. “So, what do you think?”

“Perfect.”

“Yeah, it’s a perfect fit. How did you know my size?”

Heat curled low in his gut. “Ah, your partners, Jewel and Bree.”

“Remind me to thank them, will you?”

He nodded numbly. “Tessa, honey, come here.”

“Why?” She twisted this way and that way, looking down at her jeans. “Is something sticking out?”

“Uh huh.”

“What?”

He choked out the one word, “Me.”

She wondered where Chance had gotten to. She’d checked the supply room, tiny office, and then the bar.

“Seen Chance anywhere, Walter?” She stood on the threshold of the door, not wanting to enter his domain and get chewed out once again.

The older man looked up from wiping a glass. He grunted, and then jerked his head toward the back of the building. “Out back, working on his truck.”

“Thanks,” she said, turning away.

“Hold up there,” he called out.

She stopped, twisting back to him. Dread pooled. Now what would he say or do to her?