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)
“The best one just came true.” She rinses the last of the suds from her hair and turns to me, water dripping off her long lashes the way it did in the rain.
I cup her cheeks. Her hair is a sleek wet curtain clinging to her shoulders and neck.
I want to say the words.
Must say the words.
“I love you, Tessa.”
She drops her jaw.
“I know it’s too soon. I know it makes no sense, but I love you, Teresa Maria Logan.”
She opens her mouth, but I gesture her to stop.
“Don’t say anything. I don’t expect you to say it back to me. But it’s important that you know how I feel.” I kiss her forehead. “I love you so damned much, Tessa. When I first laid eyes on you, I lost a piece of my heart. I don’t want it back, not ever.”
She melts into me, and the shower pelts us.
When it becomes lukewarm, I turn off the water and leave the shower, handing Tessa a towel.
I look away as she dries off, toss my used towel onto a rack, and enter her bedroom to put on my clothes. I have to get to the office for a meeting at ten. I keep several spare suits and accessories ready at the office. I’ll need one today.
After that…I need to talk to Braden.
I need to finish this Dirk Conrad thing once and for all, and it’s high time I tell my brother what’s going on. He should hear it from me.
He should have heard it from me fifteen years ago.
Tessa leaves the bathroom and stares at me. “Are you leaving?”
“I have a meeting to get to.” I kiss her quickly on the cheek. “We’ll talk later.”
“But Ben, I want to tell you—”
“Later, baby. I love you.”
I leave her standing in her towel, staring after me.
I want to hear the words from her ruby lips, but I fear once I do, I won’t have the strength to do what needs to be done.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Tessa
“I can’t believe it, either,” I say to Skye on the phone a few minutes later. “He told me he loves me, and then he just left.”
“And you wanted to say it back?”
I sigh into the phone. “I did, Skye. I know it’s soon, but I’ve never felt this way. Ben helped me help myself. He… He’s special.”
“That I can believe. His brother is pretty damned special, too.”
I can hear Skye’s smile through her voice. “He is. You both saved me that day.”
“Tess…”
“No, you did. And after I was so unfair to you, asking you to change your plans and have dinner with Garrett and me.”
“Well, if I had—”
“Don’t go there. We both know why it happened.”
“I hope he rots in prison,” Skye says.
“Me too, but he’s the least of my concerns. Right now, Ben is off to work without knowing that I love him back.”
“That does seem odd. Most men want to hear it back once they say it.”
“Right? I don’t get it.” I sigh. “I need to get dressed and get to work. I worked all of two days at this new job before I took off for Jamaica and then asked for another week of bereavement leave.”
“I hear your boss is a tyrant, too.” Skye laughs. “But seriously, Tess, I’m happy for you. Truly. You deserve everything good.”
“I wasn’t sure I’d ever feel the same after Garrett, but I had such a nice time with Ben in Jamaica, and he didn’t so much as kiss me, Skye. Then my dad…”
“I know, Tess. I’m sorry.”
“It’s almost like he left me all his strength. I know that sounds silly.”
“I don’t think it sounds silly at all,” Skye says. “Losing him helped you to remember who you are. Not that losing him was a good thing.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” I say. “And it makes perfect sense to me. Thanks for the chat, Skye. I’ve got to get to work.”
“You want to have lunch today?” she asks.
“I’d love to, but I’m planning to work through lunch. I want them to know I’m serious about this job and didn’t get it just because I’m in love with the boss.”
I dress quickly in a narrow black skirt and white blouse, and I’m putting on my black pumps when someone knocks at my door. Rita goes berserk.
“Coming!” I yell.
I pick up a squirming Rita and look through my peephole.
And I gasp.
…
Several Months Earlier
“No… Stay… Please…”
“I’m out of here. I have an early morning meeting.”
I hold the vodka bottle. Where did it come from? I’m not sure. I’m not naked. Just my bottom half. Just…
He’s a blur. It’s Garrett, I think. He’s leaving. The blur is leaving, and I’m on the floor holding a bottle.
Didn’t mean to do it. Wasn’t going to. Don’t even remember some of it. The room goes black for a moment.