SevenSensuousDays (5 page)

The wheels of her luggage bumped over the brick walkway.

“You’d like to cancel, wouldn’t you?” she asked, going for
broke, determined to be honest with him no matter how much disappointment
followed. “This wasn’t what you had in mind.”

Giving him no chance to answer, Tessa moved her oversized
purse to the side and pulled out her iPhone. “I can call Wallace. He was
driving fast, nearly supersonic, but he’s still not that far away. He can come
back here and pick me up. We can forget about all of this. Ronnie will give you
your money back with a sincere apology, I’m sure. She won’t even be mad at me, if
you’re worried about that. If I had a chance to choose another mom, I’d
definitely pick her. She’s great. So, if you want this to end right now, just
say the word.”

Logan put his hand on hers, lowering it so she couldn’t make
the call.

Surprised and pleased beyond anything she’d known, Tessa
asked, “You want me to stay?”

His answer was to move so close, they nearly touched. If he
was trying to intimidate her, it didn’t work. Tessa saw his pain and beneath it
his need to hide those emotions from the world. Although she should have backed
up to diffuse the charged moment, she didn’t. Wouldn’t. She needed his
response, his honesty, and waited.

The ends of his tee wiggled with his heavy sigh. He arched
one dark eyebrow. “What makes you think if we did that—got to know each other
even a little bit as you’ve suggested—that it wouldn’t turn out bad? Could be
we’d end up disliking each other intensely.”

“Impossible.”

He lowered his eyebrow and stared as if he hadn’t expected
that answer or he thought she was nuts. “Impossible?”

“Yeah. I’m easy to like. Not high maintenance at all or dumb
as a stick. I’m up on current events, and not just those that happen in
Hollywood, if you’re wondering.”

Before he could say he had or hadn’t been, Tessa pressed on.
“However, I never push my opinions on others. I don’t discuss religion or
politics. That especially. I’m totally apolitical, but also fair. I believe in
women’s rights, who wouldn’t? Equal pay too. Being able to break through the
glass ceiling, a fair wage for everyone even if they’re not one of the one
percent, social programs for those in need, freedom to love whomever you want
as long as they’re also a consenting adult. If you’re a conservative, I don’t
blame you for feeling as you do, even if it’s kind of one-sided, selfish, and
rigid. I—”

He interrupted, “I’m not a conservative.”

“Wonderful.” She beamed.

“And you’re definitely not apolitical,” he added.

Tessa’s face warmed. She shrugged. “I have my beliefs…I just
don’t talk about them if the other person isn’t on the same wavelength.”

Logan narrowed his eyes even as the corners of his mouth
kept trying to lift in a faint smile.

“Clearly, you and I are,” she murmured and also hoped.

“Are what?”

“On the same wavelength.”

That doused his amusement and desire to flirt quicker than a
kick to his balls. “You want us to know about each other?”

She hesitated at the challenge in his question, but still
nodded.

“Great.” He stepped closer, towering over her, their thighs
touching.

A shock of desire tore from Tessa’s pussy to her belly to
her throat, his utter masculinity and size all too tempting. Tessa knew she was
blushing badly and probably looked aroused as all hell, but couldn’t do
anything about it.

Logan studied her for a long moment, lazily, hungrily.

God, that was nice. Jeezus, he was hot.

“Is Tessa your real name?” he said.

Of all the questions he might have asked, she hadn’t
expected that one. Of course, she had opened that can of worms with her
request. “Ah…no.”

Surprise flashed across his face. A bit of disappointment too.

Not wanting him to get too bummed, intrigued as to why he
would be, she explained, “My given name is Terese James. The James is for real.
In a way, so is Tessa, since it’s a form of Terese. I like how it sounds, so
although I’ve been called Terese in the past, I go by Tessa now.”

“And if I call you Terese?”

“I won’t answer. That’s a promise.”

He grinned at her teasing, then sobered quickly as though he
didn’t want her to read what he felt. “Tessa it is.” He explored her features,
hair. “It fits you.”

“Seriously?” What he’d said sounded so nice, she asked, “How?”

“It just does.”

She laughed. “That’s no answer.”

As close as they already were, he edged nearer. Tessa’s
laughter died in her throat, replaced by a soft yearning sigh.

“What else?” he asked.

It took her a moment to catch up to what he meant. “We’re
only going to be talking about me?”

“It’s a start, right?”

He had a point.

“Ah, I grew up in Maryland, a middle-class suburb. My
parents divorced when I was four. My dad got custody, which is weird, I know,
but they never told me why. My mom died when I was nine.” A really bad time
Tessa figured she shouldn’t get into. “Two years later, my dad remarried. I got
a whole new family just like that.” She snapped her fingers.

Logan didn’t comment. He seemed to be waiting for more.

Tessa hauled in a breath and continued, “Strictly speaking,
that would be a new mother and her two daughters who were a couple of years
younger than me. Unfortunately, none of us was on the same wavelength.” The
misery of those years still ached, though Tessa suppressed it quickly. “Don’t
get me wrong, they’re nice people, I’m sure. It’s just that we weren’t that
close when we all lived together, and now that I’ve been on my own for so long,
since I was eighteen, we don’t stay in touch.”

Logan touched her arm, empathy in his gesture rather than
lust, a connection that made Tessa want to sag into him, protected by his
warmth and strength. She resisted. They’d never be at that point. However, they
weren’t the same strangers they’d been just a few moments ago. Nothing more
than client and escort.

“Your dad’s the same way?” he asked, far more gently than
his previous questions. “You don’t have a relationship with him?”

Tessa cleared her throat to steady her voice. “He died
several years ago, just as I was getting out of beauty school.”

“I’m so sorry.” His expression proved it. “You have no other
relatives?”

“I have a lot of friends.” Many of whom were her clients,
not that Tessa figured she should tell him that.

Logan nodded. “You went to beauty school, huh?”

“Graduated top of my class.” She ran her fingers through his
hair, appreciating its thickness and silky texture…the way he’d stopped
breathing at her touch. Soon—though not too quickly—she’d have him panting in
appreciation. “Before this is over, I’ll give you a trim. You could use one.”

He laughed.

Tessa swelled with pride for having caused it. “I’m really
good at what I do. Ronnie’s still one of my regulars.”

“No kidding. You are something.”

He wasn’t joking. She recognized his sincerity. Pure
pleasure rolled through Tessa, more than if she’d had an orgasm. “Thanks.”

They stared at each other as they’d been prone to do. A
sudden gust of wind whipped around them, mussing his hair further. Tessa
smoothed it back. She stopped herself from cupping the side of his face,
bringing his mouth down to hers. It was what they both wanted. She knew it deep
in her soul. However, once the sex started he might flee into it, severing the
fragile bond they’d forged. That’s what some men did.

Tessa brought back her hand and murmured, “What would you
like to tell me about you? I swear I won’t ask. I’ll just listen.”

He looked past her, his expression suddenly closed,
unreadable. Seconds passed in silence that grew unbearable for her.

Had she pushed him too far?
Please, not that.
Tessa
struggled for something to say, but the right words wouldn’t come. She wasn’t a
flirt by nature. She’d never been bold.

She waited for the worst.

At last, he nodded.

“Sounds fair.” He gestured to her purse. “What don’t you know
about me that you haven’t already read on the Net?”

Her cheeks stung. She lied, “When Wallace pulled up, I was
looking at the pictures of your place in
Architectural Digest
.”

“I see.”

His cynical tone said he didn’t believe her.

“You like it?” he asked.

There were flecks of gold and green in his irises Tessa hadn’t
noticed before, along with faint lines at the corners of his eyes. As though he’d
once laughed often and well.

“Or don’t you?” he prodded.

Tessa was about to ask, “Don’t I what”?, then remembered his
question about this place. “It’s really huge.”

Way too big for one man, unless he hadn’t been looking for
the square footage, but the seclusion. If there had been as many prying
Internet articles about her private life as there had been about his, she would
have wanted to escape that scrutiny too. “And gorgeous,” she added.

“So you like this type of house? Its design.”

“Yeah, who wouldn’t, except for the poor slob who has to
clean all those windows.”

Logan lowered his face to hide his smile.

“Hey, I just noticed something,” she said. “We’re still
talking about me.”

He slanted a look at her. “So we are. My turn to share,
right?”

She nodded.

“Okay, here’s something you don’t know. I’m hungry. How
about you?”

For food? Him? Both? “I didn’t have lunch,” she hedged. “I
could eat. In fact, we could do it out here by the pond.”

“You mean eat?”

Tessa suddenly caught her unintended double-entendre, not
that it helped. His question was still loaded with all sorts of possibilities.
Her kneeling before him, taking his rigid cock into her mouth. Him between her
legs, licking her clit. Them straddling each other, his head positioned above
her cunt, his rod and balls, fragrant with musk, so close to her lips. “Yeah.”

“You don’t sound so certain.”

She smiled, liking how he was playing with her. What she’d
never experienced with a man like him. Young. Virile. Incredibly sexy. “I am.”

“Uh-huh. How about we do it inside then? Where it’s cooler
and there aren’t any bugs.”

“Bugs bother you?”

“No.” A look of mild offense crossed his face, mostly put
on. “I thought they’d annoy you, since you’re a woman.”

That she was. Rarely had Tessa felt as female. His obvious
restraint, taking this slow, them talking first because she’d requested it,
made him seem that much more masculine. Freaking irresistible. “It’s beautiful
out. Just the right temperature. Not too windy. Look at that amazing sky.”

He didn’t pull his attention from her.

Nice. “We could take a dip,” she said, gesturing to the
placid water.

“There’s a swimming pool out back.”

“Here’s perfect. Don’t you ever swim in the pond?”

He shook his head.

“Do you mind if I try it?” she asked.

“Right now?”

“Later. First, we’ll have our picnic. I’ll make the
sandwiches or whatever you have available. I’ll serve you.”

On an impulse she didn’t want to resist, Tessa got ballsy
and pushed to her toes. She leaned toward him, her breasts not quite snuggled
against his chest, though close. Her pussy a whisper away from his cock. She
sensed he had an erection and wondered when he’d gotten hard. When she’d
mentioned eating? Probably. She murmured, “I’m your prize, remember? I’m here
to do whatever you want.”

With that promise, she eased back.

Logan’s complexion had darkened with desire. His strong body
tensed with his obvious struggle for control. If he’d had his way, Tessa
guessed she would have already been naked and spread wide while he mounted her
on the walkway, bringing himself pleasure.

With more self control than most men had, he remained where
he was and said, “Sounds good.”

“Yes, it does.” Because he’d taken what she’d said
seriously. He was allowing them to get to know each other. Pleased, she headed
for his house.

“Tessa.”

At the bottom of the polished wood steps, she stopped and
turned to him. He hadn’t budged. The sun lightened his hair, while deepening
the gold in his skin, making him even more appealing.

Her legs went unsteady.

“You’re here to do whatever I want,” he said, basically
repeating her words. “Isn’t that right?”

It was, so she nodded, aware of her suddenly sprinting
pulse.

“Excellent.” Pulling her luggage, Logan joined her, then
slipped his hand beneath her hair to cup the back of her head. Tessa didn’t
resist what she knew was coming. She wanted it badly. The same as he seemed to.
She saw it in his beautiful eyes, felt it in how he brushed his mouth over
hers.

Oh god.
Every inch of her came alive, the rasp of his
coming beard weakening her body. She moaned gently at the warmth and softness
of his lips.

The sounds she made didn’t push him over the edge. His kiss
didn’t ravage, it explored, his tongue slipping into her mouth, satisfying her
in a way that touched Tessa’s soul. He tasted fresh, minty from toothpaste. He
was a large man and could have taken advantage of her easily, discounting all
that she’d wanted as mere nonsense.

He didn’t.

For minutes, he simply enjoyed her as she enjoyed him, their
kiss finally growing heated, deep, and wet, just this side of wild.

Logan finished before Tessa was ready for that, pulling his
mouth free.

By the time she was able to open her eyes, he was already
regarding her with earnestness that went beyond mere sex. He’d been moved too.
Tessa saw it. Felt it. For some reason it made her shy instead of daring.

She murmured, “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He smiled. “I’m hardly through.”

She teased in return. “No?”

“No. Take off your clothes.”