“I’m on the pill.”
His fingers clenched and in one fluid motion, he joined them together. Tessa arched into him and became fulfilled. Her inner muscles quivered and Dibs groaned, slid her back across his thighs and plunged deep a second time, the tightness of him a perfect fit. His legs jittered beneath her bottom, her urgency building as he drove into her with increasing speed. Every nerve ending throbbed and cried out for more. He gathered her under her thighs, cinched his arms, and pulsed within, his hips momentarily lifting off the bed. Ecstasy exploded. She shuddered and rode the crest. The light in the room dimmed. The world shattered and transformed.
Dibs collapsed onto the bed, taking her with him, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck as joy eddied and swept her away in its warm tide.
****
He was almost asleep. One more moment…perhaps two.
She held his stubbled cheek, her thumb sweeping the curve of his full lips. He smiled against the pad of her skin, lids heavy, and his hand smoothed slowly down her back. His eyes fluttered closed, and then he went still. His breathing deepened and slowed. Tessa stayed by his side for a long time, reluctant to leave, content to lie in his arms while he slumbered in the place where his dreams lived.
She finally placed a tender kiss on his lips and rolled away, sat up and stretched her arms over her head. Dibs was so tired he would probably sleep through the night, but the amber light outside his window spoke of early evening. While he rested, perhaps she could use the opportunity to skim through the work in her briefcase.
The clean lines of his bedroom appealed to her. Almost everything was cream, except the dark oak dressers and nightstands, the headboard on the bed, and a few pieces of modern art decorating the wall. It seemed strange the room had no closet, until a seam in the opposite wall indicated a concealed door. A second seam on the far side of his dresser likely denoted the door to the bathroom.
She padded to the first door and smiled when it swung wide and Dibs’s blue bathrobe appeared on a hook within easy reach. She slid her arms through the sleeves, wrapping up in the velvety material, the mingled scents of his cologne and skin filling her senses.
She tiptoed into the hall, and Dibs’s deep breathing became muffled when she silently swung the bedroom door closed behind her.
A curving balcony wound to the head of the stairs and she peered over the railing…hopped back a step. One slip and she would plummet two levels, landing on what looked like a hard marble floor. Two more floors hovered above her, each with the same open balcony connected through a series of staircases. Centered in the ceiling a circular stained-glass skylight bathed each floor in a blush of light. Just over the upper two balconies peeked the tops of several closed doors. One…two…three…four bedrooms on each level.
She glanced between the floor and ceiling, shook her head, and descended the stairs.
Two flights later, she encountered the entryway, passed a pink marble-topped table, a huge orchid dripping with white blooms on top. Down three steps and she entered the living room. On each side of the gray marble fireplace, two low cream-colored couches sat facing each other, a long wooden coffee table between them. Over the mantel hung a painting—the sky muted gold, bright red and yellow flowers on the left, a small house off to the right, with a man and woman perched on the edge of a kiss.
On the lower right-hand corner, in almost illegible black paint, was scrawled
Monet
. Tessa slapped a hand to her chest. The gold-embossed plate affixed to the gilded frame read
Garden at Argenteuil
. A low whistle warbled through her lips.
Three steps up and she found a combination kitchen-dining area—open concept, kitchen appliances, cabinets, and counters on the right, a formal dining table surrounded by six high-backed chairs on the left. She beelined for the refrigerator, and then laughed out loud over the amount of food crammed inside. She stole a bottle of water and swung the door closed.
Past a windowed breakfast nook, a wrought-iron table with seating for four, she entered the sunroom, Dibs’s T-shirt, her blouse, and bra scattered on the floor. Compressing her lips to muffle a chuckle, she tossed the clothing over the arm of the couch, retrieved her briefcase from beside the back door, and settled in a padded rattan chair near the window.
She soon became immersed in the BFG event, paging through the description of each banquet hall, shifting through ideas, and listing activities to discuss with Tiffany. Two hundred and fifty attendees were expected, twenty-four seminars in total, and while it was paramount the schedule be clear and concise, she also wanted to make the experience enjoyable. A few menus came to mind, her most clever for the Saturday night Crystal Ballroom Awards Ceremony.
Time passed, and the room grew dim. She clicked on the tall floor lamp next to her chair, and then jumped when a loud slam reverberated from overhead, followed by heavy footsteps thundering down the stairs. What in the world was he doing?
Dibs stumbled into the room, torture etched on his face, tan cargo pants open at the waist and bare-chested. “Oh, thank God.”
Panic wound its icy fingers through her chest, and she sprang forward in the chair. “What’s the matter?”
He staggered close and slumped to his knees in front of her. “I woke up and you were gone.” Arms encircling her legs, he lowered his head to her lap. “I thought you left.”
“Well, why in the world would you think—” A heavy blow forced her back in the seat.
Tessa closed her eyes. A breath of regret left her lips. That first time at the hotel she had left, disappeared. And now, the remembrance of what she’d done to him crushed her heart.
She ran her hand through his hair, pressed his shoulders to her legs. His chest hitched, a heavy sigh warming her lap when he exhaled. If only she had realized then. Knowing Dibs had changed her life. If given the chance, she would go back in time and undo her actions. But the opportunity had passed her unwitting, and she was stuck with the choices she’d made.
A tear settled on her lashes. “I’m so sorry, Dibs,” she whispered.
“I thought I’d have to find you again.” His voice was hoarse, and so tired. “I don’t know, I must have been dreaming…you just scared me.”
“I’m not leaving. I promise.”
His breathing slowed. The tension in his arms went slack.
“Are you falling asleep again?”
When he didn’t answer, she gently lifted his chin and gazed into his sleep-laden eyes. “Come on. Let’s go back to bed.”
She urged him to stand, propped a shoulder under his arm, and together they climbed the stairs to his bedroom. After tucking him in, she turned for the end of the bed, but Dibs grabbed her wrist and slid across the sheet, holding the blankets open. She let his bathrobe slither off her arms to the floor.
He spooned her with his body, snug and tight, one arm snaked around her waist. “Just don’t leave,” he mumbled. “I can’t stay awake.”
Her heart wrenched, and she covered his hand, holding his palm against her stomach.
His deep yawn ruffled her hair. “Stay with me, okay, Rex?”
“Shhh…” She squeezed his fingers. “I’m right here. Go back to sleep now.”
His arm grew heavier, his legs shifted, and he momentarily tightened his hold on her. “God, I’m so in love with you.” And with his next breath, he was asleep.
Moonlight streamed through the windows while she lay awake, the white beams casting long dark shadows that crept silently around the room.
Chapter Fourteen
Tessa rolled over and pitched her hand onto Dibs’s vacant pillow. Still warm…he’d probably risen only a few moments ago.
It was anyone’s guess how long she’d tossed and turned, fighting an unsuccessful battle to silence his words from her mind. At some point, she’d finally surrendered to sleep, but a burdensome lethargy remained embedded in her bones.
The sun shone high and bright through the window, an occasional bird shadow darting past the open curtains. She shifted onto her side and settled her hands under her cheek, that same, consistent stream of worry burbling in her mind.
Would Dibs even remember? Or had the words only come because he’d been nearly delirious from lack of sleep? What would it mean if he truly did love her?
Anxiety flitted through her chest, an exact replica of the birds outside the pane.
On so many levels, he’d become everything to her. No part of her regretted following Tiffany’s advice, telling him she wanted more. She’d just never expected so
much
more. She’d never guessed Dibs would fall in love with her so quickly, nor been prepared for the irrefutable yearning to love him back.
But still the worry remained, her constant companion. Would this relationship end in heartbreak and ruin like the one she shared with Michael? Only two nights before Michael had materialized out of thin air; being near him had been a gruesome ordeal. Even after loving him so deeply, the mere thought of him now set her teeth on edge.
But her repugnance didn’t change their history.
At one time, the two of them had been crazy for each other, living as if destined to spend the rest of their lives in one another’s arms. A future without him in her life simply wasn’t conceivable. But that relationship had been a lie, destiny’s cruel trick. Marrying Michael would have been a mistake, exactly like all the others from her past. His love wasn’t strong enough, their relationship suffered, and in the end his promises were proven false.
Little dust motes danced inside a patch of sunlight, warm and comforting through the blankets. A harsh sigh spilled from her lips.
Dibs believed they belonged together. The devotion in his eyes, his every word filled with the strength of his convictions—he had no doubts. And she had to admit, in the deep recesses of her heart, a timid love glowed for him, too. But dire foreboding threatened that tiny flame, issuing a warning.
True love was a farce. It didn’t exist.
And even though the thought of losing him broke her heart, no matter how hard she tried, the truth was inevitable. Something would eventually take him away from her. Their time together wouldn’t last. It never did.
The door opened and Dibs entered, a silver tray laden with assorted dishes in his hands, the morning newspaper tucked under one arm. A pair of dark blue sleeping pants hung tied at his waist, and a pastry protruded from his mouth. He lifted his eyebrows, lowering his burdens to the nightstand, bit into the pastry, and placed it on the edge of a plate.
He jumped and the bed bounced when he landed on his back beside her, long legs extended. “Good morning.” Sugary frosting flavored his lips sweet.
“Good morning.” Head safely nestled on his shoulder, she snuggled inside the comfort of his arms.
“I missed you while I slept.”
She laughed quietly. “Do you remember looking for me?”
One of his hands settled behind his head, little creases high on his cheeks when he squinted. “I remember having a really bad dream. I was in Africa and you were with me. We got separated somehow. I kept searching for you, but you had already left.”
“Where did I go?” She crossed her arms over his chest, chin propped on her wrists so she could study the pensive shifting of his eyes.
“I don’t know. I kept asking everyone, but they wouldn’t tell me. I remember being desperate, you know? God, that’s so frustrating.”
A bleak sadness shrouded her heart. “I’m sorry, Dibs.”
His lips turned down at the corners. “What are you sorry for? It was my dream.”
“But I feel like you wouldn’t have had it if I’d never left…you know, that first time.”
He shook his head. “You’ve more than made up for it. Besides, you already apologized for that, remember?”
“It’s just…you were so upset last night. You came into the sunroom looking for me, and you were so, I don’t know, distraught, I guess.”
“Well, I would be distraught if you left. But I’m not now. In fact, I’m extremely happy. We’re spending the week together…you’re here with me in my bed…”
A reluctant smile emerged and she turned her cheek to his chest. “Okay, but I’m still sorry.”
“Well, then, I guess we’d better figure out a way for you to make it up to me.”
She snapped her chin up, and he waggled his brows. “Uh oh, I’m in trouble now, aren’t I?”
“A lot of trouble.
Tons
of trouble.”
A squeal burst from her throat when he gathered her in his arms and rolled them over, his hips nestled in the vee of her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, nipped, and then licked his bottom lip. “Care to make good on that threat, Mr. Brenner?”
“Promise,” he whispered, thick lashes at half-mast, lids heavy with desire. “That was a promise, Ms. Adams.”
His shoulders tensed and she gasped when he easily shifted her a bit lower, bringing their bodies even. The tip of his tongue moistened her upper lip. His palm warmed the back of her thigh, and everything but Dibs faded to a misty, sunlit cloud.
Each stroke he gifted her brought her nearer the edge—his lips suckling her breasts, tongue swirling and tasting. The skim of his fingertips down the planes of her belly. Excitement flushed her skin, lifted the hair on her arms. A sweet pressure built low in her stomach. The thought of him thrusting inside her moistened the heat between her thighs.
He tugged her knee aside and dotted kisses down her stomach, propelling her toward bliss. His tongue flitted along her silky folds and she writhed when her inner muscles spasmed, fisted the sheets as the sharp edge of ecstasy quivered just out of reach. He increased his efforts, licking and prodding only to pull back, prolonging the anticipation until wanton need consumed her.
Her hips bucked and she rolled her head to the side, body bowed. Clenching her teeth, she squirmed and hissed as his heated breath blew a maddening path along the valley between her legs. She seized his shoulders when the ball of his thumb patted her sensitive bud, coaxing her higher. The tip of his finger circled her entrance before slipping inside. One twitch of his hand and she was flung over the edge into rapture, falling apart in his hands as wave after wave of release convulsed through her body.