Chapter 4

"Hey, Tessa! Phone call for you." Genny called out to her.

"Would you excuse me?" Tessa asked, smiling at the client she had been discussing the painting with. "I will leave you in the skillful hands of Genny."

Hurrying into the office, she picked up the receiver.

"This is Tessa?"

"Your voice sounds even sexier over the phone. How is that possible?"

Her heart took a dive and started racing. She had not seen him since the opening and wondered if he had lost interest. "Landen, I thought you had gone back home."

"Missed me?"

"No. I managed to complete a lot without your constant interruption." Sitting on the side of the desk, she prepared to speak with him for a few minutes.

"Liar." He teased. "What has my favorite American girl been up to since the last two days?"

"Working. You?"

"Just visiting friends and thinking about you. Today is Friday, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Would you like to come to my place, and we can leave from there?"

Tessa could not stop the smile from coming. "Nice try. No."

"You are breaking my heart, sweetheart."

Her heart turned over at the endearment, even though she told herself it meant nothing.

"What time is this party?"

"It starts at ten on one of Liam's yachts."

She blinked at that. "Oh."

"Is that a problem?"

"Who are you?" She demanded.

"Landen-"

"Not your name; I already know it. You are friends with Jackson Colby and Liam Moses."

"Yes, we are members of the same club."

"The Elite Club."

"You have heard of it

?."

"Who hasn't?" She asked airily. "For you to belong to a club like that, it means that-"

"I am special."

She had to laugh. "You know that was not what I was going to say."

"Why don"t we leave it at that?"

She thought about it and decided to do as he asked. "Will there be reporters present?"

"Possibly. But I promise I will find a corner of that boat where we won't be disturbed."

"You just want a chance to make out."

His deep chuckle made her feel warm all over. "I hadn't thought about that, but now that you mentioned it, that's a distinct possibility. And darling, bring your sexiest swimsuit. The scantier, the better."

"Better for whom?" She asked dryly.

"Why, for me, of course." She could hear the laughter in his deep voice. "I will let you get back to work unless you want to come by later. I could cook you dinner."

"Can you cook?"

"No, but for you, I am willing to take a crash course."

"No thanks. I will see you tomorrow."

"I can hardly wait," he told her huskily before hanging up.

Replacing the receiver, she sat there in deep thought. She was going to sleep with him, and they both knew it. She had spent the past two days berating herself for denying him and the fact that she had never asked for his number, and he had never offered to give it to her.

Now he was calling and reminding her of the party tomorrow. God help her. She was going to sleep with him, and it didn't matter that he would be gone in a matter of weeks.

*****

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she studied her reflection critically. She had left the gallery at seven, leaving Genny in charge. The weekends were always hectic, but they did not have an opening or special events, which justified her leaving that early.

Barbara had stayed at the salon to accommodate her and had clipped and styled her thick dark brown hair into an effortless, wavy style that moved whenever she turned her head. And she had treated herself to a new dress.

The front was a simple high-neck design, with a cinched-in waist and flowing skirt, until one looked at the back and noticed that there was nothing there, all the way to the waist.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped back from the mirror and went to sit at the vanity. She had already put on a minimum of makeup but was now going to apply lipstick. Picking up the tube of ruby red, she uncapped it and sat there staring at her reflection in the mirror.

"Girl, what are you doing?" She muttered. She had spent last night agonizing over her decision and fell asleep in the early morning hours.

She was willingly going into a brief relationship with a stranger, a man who was not only incredibly rich and entitled (She had finally looked him up!) but he was also handsome and would be gone in less than a month.

She would be going into this with her eyes open, and when it was time for him to leave, she wished him all the best. Planting a determined smile, she coated on the lipstick and pushed to her feet. He had called and told her he would take a cab to her place, and they would go in her car.

She knew why he had suggested it, even though he pretended he was unfamiliar with the roads here. "We drive on the left side of the road, which is logical; I won't feel comfortable driving myself."

So, she had agreed, knowing full well that they would either end up at her place or his.

Moving toward the bed, she checked everything in the large tote and went downstairs just as she heard the doorbell.

*****

"You drive much too fast," he commented after they had been traveling for half an hour. She had met him on the porch, deliberately closing and locking the door behind her.

His only response had been a knowing quirk of an eyebrow. An appreciative whistle escaped him as he took in her outfit and the swing of her shoulder-length hair.

"Want to take over?" She slanted him a glance as she navigated the late-night traffic. Her heart had bumped against her ribs at the first sight of him. He was wearing expensive tan trousers and a thin green cashmere sweater that mirrored the colors of his eyes.

"I might have to if it means not being stopped by the police." Stretching his legs out, he adjusted the seat to be more comfortable.

"If you fall asleep, I will stop the car."

Turning his head, he sent her a lazy, charming smile that spiked her blood pressure. "There is a hotel a few blocks from the pier. We could always stop there."

Ignoring the quickening of her pulse, she accelerated and shot through the lights, causing him to grip his seatbelt.

"Bloody hell!"

His heartfelt expression made her laugh as she turned towards the pier.

The place was already packed with vehicles of all descriptions and sizes. Valets decked out in dazzling white, directed the drivers, and repositioned the vehicles into allotted slots. Switching off the engine, she reached into the back to get her tote and discovered that he was opening her door.

"Just hand the key to the valet," he instructed as he took her arm.

Tessa stared in wonder at the brilliantly lit white yacht anchored just at the edge of the pier with what seemed like hundreds of people already milling around on the desk.

"Quite a party." She murmured as they walked up the steps and along the pier.

"Liam is known to throw quite the party." He agreed.

"Do you own one?"

"One what?" He glanced at her briefly, taking her hand to help her onboard.

"A yacht?"

"A sailboat," he told her with a grin. "I am not much of a sailor."

"Yet you own a sailboat."

"I take it out whenever I want to be alone."

Before she could respond, their host and hostess were approaching them. She had met Liam several times before but had only seen his beautiful wife in several magazines, along with the other powerhouse ‘wives' who were making tremendous efforts regarding charitable donations.

She was about to pull her hand away from Landen's when he tightened his grip, preventing her from doing so.

"Amani, looking lovely as usual." Without letting go of Tessa's hand, he kissed her cheek. "I think you already know Tessa."

"I have never met her but heard great things. Hi." The woman greeted her warmly, putting her at ease. "My husband has a habit of spinning these parties out of orbit." She slid the handsome, dark-haired man an indulgent glance.

"It's just a couple hundred of our closest acquaintances," Liam said with a grin as he greeted his friend and cast a speculative look at Tessa.

"Adam and Amber are here, as well as Jackson and Jerri. Shall we?" Draping a hand around his wife's shoulders, he led the way through throngs of people who greeted them every few seconds.

The place was dazzling, with chairs scattered across the broad surface and around the shimmering oval-shaped pool where people were already splashing and floating with glasses of what looked like champagne in their hands.

Liam led the way to the couple seated around a wrought iron table, nibbling on caviar and foie gras. They made introductions, and chairs were put around the table to accommodate the newcomers.

Tessa was trying hard not to show how awed she was by the crowd. Of course, she knew who Adam was because his stunningly handsome face was constantly splashed in the magazines.

His wife Amber was a well-known designer, and her eclectic style was featured in Romano's stores worldwide. Not only that, but she recognized more than a few famous faces. A shrill laughter drifted toward them, coming from a well-known actress dating a movie star.

"You never get used to it," Amber whispered in an aside, her dark brown eyes dancing.

"Trust me."

"You are married to Adam."

"Exactly, and I am still trying to adjust." Her golden-brown eyes were curious. "I met Landen when my husband and I visited the UK several months ago. You two look cozy."

"Please don't read anything into it," Tessa murmured as she took up her glass of champagne. "He is here for a few weeks, and I reluctantly agreed to come to this party as his date."

Amber grinned at that, her eyes going to the man in question. "He is quite hot."

"And is probably accustomed to women making him feel that way," she said dryly.

Amber's eyes flickered to her husband, a gentle expression on her beautiful face. "My husband and I were best friends for years, and I was determined not to allow it to get to any other level.

He was rich and gorgeous and I was much too valuable to be just one of his conquests. Besides, I thought he was just a friend. Also, his family were snobs and would never allow him to marry someone like me."

"Yet here you are."

"Here we are." She shook her head as she reached for her glass of champagne.

"Believe me when I saw that I fought the attraction with everything in me, and it never worked. I love him."

"That's sweet, but Landen and I are two ships passing at night. We are from two different worlds. We are also from two different countries, and I have seen pics of his parents, and the term - English snobs come to mind."

"I know exactly what you mean." Amber laughed softly. "But I have seen how he keeps looking at you, and it might not be that simple."

*****

She had fun! Within minutes, she was shown a magnificent stateroom, where she, Amber, and Amani changed into their swimwear. Tessa had scooped her hair on top of her head and secured it with pins.

When the three women came back out, they caused quite a stir. Amani was wearing a red and gold two-piece, and Amber had on swimwear. She had designed a stunning red and blue two-piece with leather straps holding the sides together.

Tessa had bought a swimsuit, and the deceptively simple white two-piece was a dazzling contrast against her caramel complexion and showed her gently curving hips to extreme advantage.

Landen, lifting a glass of champagne to his lips, felt his body rigid and his throat dry. He was in bloody trouble, and he had not even taken her to bed yet.

Tossing back the champagne and ignoring the two women vying for his attention, he walked forward to meet her.

"I think I will have to put my boxing gloves on."

"Can you box?" She sent him a flirtatious smile as he took her hand.

"I learned in college. You are practically naked, darling."

"That's not true. Coming?" She nodded to the water.

She was an excellent swimmer, and for the next hour, they did laps and dived beneath the surface. At first, she had told him she did not want to get her hair wet, but that had been a mistake.

As soon as she said it, he dunked her, soaking her all over.

"You are paying for that." She warned, splashing water into his face.

Dragging her under, he caught her from behind as they surfaced. His lips found the spot on her neck; his fingers splayed on her stomach.

"What are you doing?"

"If I have to tell you, I am not doing well."

Turning her to face him, he cupped her cheeks, green eyes turbulent. "You know what will happen tonight, don't you?"

She was drowning in his eyes, her body pressed against him so close that she could feel the evidence of his desire. He had changed into cargo shorts and had on a white T-shirt. The water had soaked through, allowing her a glimpse of the hairs on his chest.

"Yes." She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"And you agree."

"I ." Her do." Harms came around his neck as they bobbed on the water, ignoring the people galloping around them.

"We are leaving as soon as possible." Instead of taking her lips as she expected him to, he kissed her cheek before releasing her.

Grinning at the startled look on her exquisite face, he stepped back.

"Liam's guests will get a show if I do anything else. And I need to cool off before I step foot out of this pool." With that, he dove beneath and stayed there for a few minutes. Treading water, she hauled herself over the lip, accepting the towel someone handed her. She was definitely in trouble.

*****

She was nervous. Some minutes before midnight, they had left the party still in full swing and decided it would be better to go to his place as it was nearer.

He had keyed in the information in the GPS and spent the remainder of the journey mostly in silence.

Her heart was beating so fast that she was surprised he had not heard the pounding.

"Nice area." Her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the silent car.

"I think so." Turning his head, he glanced at her and noticed how tightly she gripped the wheel. He was about to make a teasing remark about her state of mind but decided against it. He was bloody nervous, too, he realized in surprise. He had been looking forward to this moment since he had laid eyes on her.

But something had changed. At first, it had been just a lark, something to occupy his time in this country and a kind of defiance to his parents, but it was much more than that. He liked her, and their attraction was like dynamite, ready to go off.

"It's a beautiful building." When he opened the door, she stepped out and concentrated fiercely on the towering glass building.

"It's just you?"

"Yes." He was aware that she was not looking at him and knew why. "It belongs to our company and is reserved for when people come over on business."

"Sweet." Taking a deep breath, she took her overnight bag from him and slung it over her left shoulder.

He was about to take her hand when she stepped ahead of him. Walking past her, he programmed the code to unlock the glass doors that led them into a large foyer with elevators on both sides.

Nodding to the left, he preceded her to the car and punched the button. The car opened its doors swiftly, and they stepped inside. Moving to the corner, she hugged her bag and stared at the buttons as if they were the most exciting things she had ever seen.

Stepping out as soon as the doors slid open, he walked over to the double doors and swiped a card. It led them into a sunken living room with hardwood floors.

"What a spectacular view!" She exclaimed, rushing toward the towering floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. Coming up behind her, he took the bag from her and placed it on a table at the side. She stiffened slightly when his arms came around her waist, and he brought her up against him.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to concentrate on the view, acutely aware of his lean, muscular body against hers.

"You should see the view from my bedroom."

"I think I will have a drink."

"Really?" He teased, his mouth feathering along the curve of her graceful neck.

"Yes."

"It's after midnight."

"Does it matter?" She asked shakily, closing her eyes as he continued his descent down her neck. Untying the string, he kissed her shoulder and moved his hands to cup her bare breasts.

"Landen-" The moan escaped her when he cupped her breasts, his thumbs and forefingers rolling the rigid nipples.

"Hmm?"

"Are we going to stay here?"

"No." His hands drifted to her shoulders, and he turned her to face him. The front of her dress was down to her waist, and he felt an electric shock going through him as he stared at the upward tilt of her surprisingly generous breasts with the nipples already hard as pebbles.

Swearing beneath his breath, he swung her into his arms and strode out of the room. Moving along the passageway, she saw pale silk walls before he came to the spiral staircase. Wrapping her hands around his neck, she buried her face and closed her eyes.

"We are here," he whispered, shoving the door open with his foot. Lifting her head, she was shocked into silence as she stared around the ample space entirely dominated by a bed set on top of a dais.

"Holy crap." She whispered, staring around the luxurious room with the sunken floors and walls made entirely of treated glass. He was right. The view from his bedroom was much better than the one in the living room, and she could see the city"s lights from where they were standing.

"Patio?"

He nodded. He was still holding her in his arms, and her dress was still bundled around her waist. He could feel her nipples branding his chest, and the fire inside his loins that had been slowly kindling was spiraling out of control. Marching over to the bed, he climbed the steps and set her on the side of the bed, eyes drifting over her breasts.

"Don't!" He said sharply as she lifted her hands to cross them over her exposed flesh.

"You are so beautiful. Lie back." When she did, he sat on the side, his eyes roving hungrily over her face. "It seems as if I have been waiting my entire life for this moment."

Lifting a hand, he brushed back her still-damp hair that she had tried to dry with the dryer she had brought.

"Landen-"

"Shh."

Shifting to her feet, he removed her sandals, his long fingers running up and down her shapely calves. "I am afraid we are going to be all night."

"Is that confidence I hear?" She asked shakily. His fingers were stroking and caressing her knees and edging up her thighs.

"Possibly." His eyes held hers as he eased her hips up so that he could take off her dress. His eyes flared as he stared at the minute lace covering her. "Bloody hell," he whispered hoarsely. Getting to his feet, he took off his clothes.