Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Disappointment creeps through me when she doesn’t return my smile.
“Then,” I continue, “we’ll pop open the champagne, toast the groom, and…”
“The stripper…”
“Strippers,” I say.
“More than one?”
“I’m sending my brother off in style.”
She rolls her eyes. “Okay. And then we’ll be getting close to midnight at that point?”
“Yeah. That’ll take us up to midnight.”
She nods. “I don’t have anything planned for the afternoon.” She purses her lips. “I don’t have anything planned at all, actually. You’ve probably figured that out. But I thought we would spend the afternoon on the beach. Relaxing.”
“You could book massages and facials for everyone.”
Her eyes light up. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Why didn’t I think of it?”
I could answer for her, but she doesn’t really want me to. She didn’t think of it because she hasn’t put any thought into this. She’s been focusing inward lately, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
She takes her phone out of her pocket and makes some notes. “Beach day. Massages and facials. Then dinner. If you guys are having dinner at the resort, where should we have dinner?”
“It’s a large resort. They have two separate dining rooms plus two outdoor dining areas.”
“All right. Just tell me where you’re having yours, and I’ll arrange to have mine somewhere else.”
I nod. “Good enough.”
“Then after dinner, we’ll give Skye her gifts. And then I don’t know what the hell we’ll do until midnight.”
“You could go dancing,” I suggest. “There’s a DJ, and you could arrange for him to work one of the ballrooms. You guys can dance, have a drink. Toast the bride.”
She makes more notes on her phone. “Great. Sounds good.”
I can’t believe this. I’m planning the bachelorette party.
Who would’ve thought?
“Hey, Ben!”
I turn toward the voice I recognize.
Apple Ames strides back toward our table. Naturally blond, Apple colors her hair black and wears long flowing dresses in dark colors. She’s heavily tatted and pierced and doesn’t look at all like the hotel heiress that she is. That’s what I like about her.
“Oh, sorry,” she says. “I didn’t realize you were with somebody.”
“No problem.” I rise and give her a hug. “This is Tessa Logan. Skye’s maid of honor.”
“Oh, hi. I’m Apple.” She reaches out with her right hand.
“Nice to meet you,” Tessa says, but she doesn’t return Apple’s handshake.
Apple pulls back, the brightness in her face dimming a bit. I could explain Tessa’s preference to not be touched, but it isn’t my place. If Tessa wants to tell her, she will.
But she doesn’t.
“You want to join us?” I ask Apple.
“No, that’s okay. I’m meeting some friends. Good to see you both.” She smiles and walks away.
“That’s Addison Ames’s sister,” Tessa says.
I return to my seat. “It is.”
Addison Ames is the woman who gave Skye her big break as an influencer. Long story there, but the relationship didn’t end well.
Tessa grabs a wallet out of her small purse and takes out a few five-dollar bills.
I scoot the money back toward her. “Please. It’s on me. Leanna’s got my tab up at the bar.”
“All right. Thank you.” She stands. “If we’re done here…”
I suppose we’re done. But something inside me doesn’t want her to leave.
Not yet.
“Tessa…”
She raises her eyebrows at me.
“Skye asked me to have you meet me. In person.”
“I figured as much.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you when I called. We’ll do the rest of the stuff over the phone if you want. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.”
“I’m perfectly comfortable,” she says. “But if we’re done, I’d like to go.”
“All right.” Though I desperately want her to stay.
I would never hurt a woman. In fact, I got out of the BDSM lifestyle because I no longer wanted to hurt women, even if we both got pleasure out of it.
But Tessa doesn’t know that. Right now, to her, every man is a threat.
And while I understand it’s justified, I wish there were something I could do to ease that fear in her.
I stand. “Would you like to…go on a walk sometime? Tomorrow is Saturday. And for once, I’m not working this weekend. Braden and Skye are in New York. We could—”
She gestures for me to stop. “Thank you, but no.”
Then she turns, and within seconds she’s disappeared into the ladies’ room.
I’ve never had a woman practically running to get away from me before. What a brilliant fuck-up, Ben. If we weren’t going to be forced to see each other again because of Braden and Skye’s wedding, I doubt I’d ever see Tessa Logan again after tonight.
Chapter Three
Tessa
I grip the edges of the counter, looking at my reflection in the bathroom mirror.
The tingling begins in my fingers, travels through my hands up to my elbows, and then branches into my arms and over my chest. My heart beats quickly, slamming against my sternum and then pulsing throughout my body. I hear it like a drum in my ears, drowning out everything else. My body trembles, and perspiration erupts on my hairline.