Chapter 6

Dating has never been my thing. I relieve the itch, and that's it. I've loved one person in my life when I was in high school, but it wasn't reciprocated. In fact, she never knew until graduation. So, I called my brother Beau to ask advice.

We turn on the exit to Kissing Springs, and she immediately gets defensive.

"Don't want to be seen in E-town with me, huh?"

Expelling a breath, I say, "I thought our first date should be where we can get to know each other without someone reporting back to your father."

She smiles wide enough to swallow a small hamster. Her hand slides over my thigh. I tense up, and I know she feels it because she smiles again. This time it stretches across her face. "Good idea, Double."

When we get into town, she says, "Are we going to Love Lock Bridge?"

She's sarcastic, and damn if I don't like it.

"No." I pull into the parking lot at the edge of the square by the park.

"Are we having a picnic?"

"Do I look like a picnic guy? You know this isn't my usual attire."

"I guess not. This is side B, but side A is just as tempting."

Is she saying she's more attracted to leather cuts and chains hanging from jeans?

Opening the door, I take her hand to help her down from the SUV. Her pink dress slides up an inch, and my breath hitches. I always thought I was a boob guy, but I'm fascinated by her legs. Too many times over the last few days, I've dreamed of being between them.

We walk along the cobblestone sidewalk, and when her heel gets stuck, she clings onto me. My other arm tries to steady her, but her heel is wedged between the stone. I bend down with my hand wrapping around her ankle, and my stomach feels weird as I touch her skin. I wiggle the heel until it's loose.

Rising to my feet, we're mere inches apart as my body skates up hers. My body hums like never before. Not even when I was horny as hell in high school. I try to focus, but all I see is Tessa's eyes boring into me.

Time stands still until I grunt out, "Let's go."

"I can walk in heels. It's these damn quaint-ass sidewalks."

I nod, and she holds onto my arm the two blocks to the Two Fourteen. The hostess stand is outside. "Reservations for Landry."

"Beckett. Haven't seen you in ages. You're looking good," Janice looks at me appreciatively.

"Thank you. Janice, this is umm… Tessa."

Tessa's soft face goes rigid. "Pleasure meeting my boyfriend's old friends."

Janice's dips her chin and mumbles, "You don't need to rob the cradle."

I act like I don't hear her and say, "Can you show us to our table?"

"Sure. Follow me."

We wind the staircase to the rooftop patio. It has white lights crisscrossing over our heads. Boxwood bushes line one area with couches and a fire pit. Janice seats us in the corner with two huge potted plants shielding us from view.

"This doesn't seem like a place you would frequent."

"It's not. My brother suggested this place when I told him I was dating someone who I might ask to marry me. He suggested I take you to places you might love."

"Does he know it's fake?"

Unsure if I should be honest, I decide to lie. It's part of the job, right? "No. My brother is a hopeless romantic. The fucking king of grand gestures."

Her laughter echoes in our little corner. "Is this a grand gesture? Are you asking me tonight?"

"No, just making your dad happy."

Her lips form an O. Luckily, the waitress interrupts us and sets water down in front of us.

"Would you like something to drink?" the male waiter asks.

"I'll have a Barron's 12 on the rocks. Tessa, what would you like?"

She screws up her mouth thinking. I begin to say, "White wine," and she cuts me off.

"I'll have the same."

Her eyes flicker with rebellion, and my groin tightens. Tessa isn't what you see on first impression. When I first saw her outside the bar, I thought she was pretty, young, and innocent.

As the night went on, nothing I saw changed my opinion. Having talked with her, she has a rebellious streak.

She acts like the perfect Southern daughter with all the yes, ma'ams, yes, sirs, and marrying her daddy's business partner, but underneath, she's a rebel or wants to be.

The waiter brings our drinks and takes our order. Tessa orders the barbeque salmon with a loaded baked potato.

"This dress probably won't fit after I eat, so you better admire me in it now." She winks. "Or you can just take it off me."

"Country Club, you're beautiful and if a potato gives you a temporary bump, then you'll still be beautiful."

I can't believe all of that has come out of my mouth.

"Wow." She adjusts her napkin in her lap, seemingly embarrassed. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." She takes a long sip of bourbon, and I notice the graceful swallow. How it would feel to have her lips wrapped around me.

"Tessa, I'm sure you've been told hundreds of times how beautiful you are."

She shakes her head. "My ex-boyfriend played basketball for the Stallions. He's going to be drafted top ten in the NBA. He never told me I was beautiful or pretty."

"How long did you date?"

"A year."

"Well, he must have thought it."

"Maybe. He would tell me I looked nice. Nice doesn't give you the same feeling as gorgeous or beautiful." Vulnerability seeps into her tone. In an hour, I already know more about Tessa than I expected.

Our dinner comes, and she eats the salmon first, then the potato. Now that I'm thinking about it, she did eat her fried chicken first before eating the au gratin potatoes at her family dinner.

"So, why does your leather jacket say Double?"

"Cut, it's a leather cut."

"Oh," she says as she rotates her fork in the potato and takes a bite. Her lips surround the fork, easing the food into her mouth. It's erotic although it's not her intention.

"I'm a twin. My brother is married to the owner of Barron's Bourbon."

"God was generous in dolling out genes. This one's perfect, so let's make it two. Well, we better support our family." She orders two more drinks.

Somehow, this girl makes me laugh. Makes me forget the horrible things I did to my brother and his wife. Makes me feel normal again.

"Are you and your brother close?"

"Now, yes, but we've had times when we weren't."

She stares into my eyes until I need to look away and swipes through pictures on her phone. "I have a younger brother Thomas. He's the star of the high school football team." She grins as she shows me photos of him.

I could have been the star, but I gave it up and Beau was the town athlete.

"Look, here's his prom pictures and his date. Aren't they cute?"

I offer a gentle nod, but my thoughts dip into an unknown area for me. Instead of dwelling on the surface-level attractiveness of her brother and date, my mind wanders to how she dotes on her brother and the apparent love she has for him.

Without a doubt, she'll bring immense happiness to some lucky asshole after this deal is done.

"Oh, and this is us at space camp."

"Space camp?"

"Yeah, he wanted to be an astronaut but wouldn't go unless I did. Four of the best weeks of my life."

"How so?"

She folds her perfect bow lips, pondering, I presume.

"I don't know. It was something I experienced with Thomas. No one can take our memories, right? Well, maybe scientists will figure it out but for now, they're mine. We did things in space camp that stretched me. Gave me confidence that I could do anything I wanted. Be something more than a perfect wife and mom."

There's a hint of sadness in her voice.

"You don't have to marry me in reality if that's what you're worried about. I know someone who can fake the marriage certificate."

"Of course, you do. You're a biker in a gang."

Little does she know; her daddy is the criminal.

What I now know about Tessa.

Rebellious.

Eats all of one thing at a time.

Loyal to a fault.

Loving.

And a little fucking judgmental.