Five minutes later, she realized it wouldn’t have mattered what she wore. No one was looking at her. As soon as they had stepped into the restaurant, Jordan was all anyone focused on. It was like a celebrity had entered. Several people came up to shake his hand while others stared or whispered to their companions.
Jordan tensed the arm that was wrapped around her waist. Luckily the lighting was dim, and the host sat them in a corner. The stares continued even after they had sat down and picked up their menus.
Tessa discreetly hooked her leg around his under the table and grabbed his hand. When Jordan met her eyes, she assured him, “It’ll get better. Everyone will get tired of looking at your gorgeous face after a while.”
The cocky smile that Tessa both loved and hated appeared on his face. “You think I have a gorgeous face?”
Normally Tessa wouldn’t feed his ego, but it was worth it to distract him. “It’s not as amazing as your body, but it’ll due until I can get you naked.”
Jordan narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on her hand. “You can’t say things like that in public, Tessa.”
“Okay,” she agreed and then slid her hand to the top of his thigh.
One side of his mouth kicked up, and he leaned back in his chair. When he stretched his long legs out, Tessa continued to move her hand up until she was stopped by his impressive hard-on. It was her turn to draw in a breath as her hand twitched.
The playful air between them turned intense. The restaurant shrunk down to just their table as Tessa watched Jordan’s cocky grin slide away and his eyes narrow in challenge. With her blood pumping, she cupped his cock over his jeans.
Jordan stretched nonchalantly, daring her to go further. Tessa narrowed her eyes in acceptance. Just as she was about to unzip his jeans, a cheery voice said, “Hello, I’m Cherise. I’ll be your waitress tonight. Can I get you something to drink?”
Tessa swallowed a startled yell, but she couldn’t stop her hand from reflexively squeezing Jordan’s cock before she yanked it back to her lap.
He closed his eyes, biting back a groan as he sat up in his chair. After taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and spit out with barely a hint of politeness, “Not right now. Thank you.”
Cherise didn’t seem to notice anything amiss and chirped, “Okay, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Tessa laughed as Jordan pinned her with his pissed off face, which just made her laugh harder.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Laugh it up, Tessa. You will pay for that later.” She sucked in a breath as her brain conjured up all of the enjoyable ways she would pay for it.
“Shit, are you imagining us in bed?” Jordan grounded out.
“Not exactly.”
His chest started rising and falling faster. “Tell me.”
Tessa bit her bottom lip, trying to decide if she could say it out loud. After a quick look around, she leaned forward and whispered, “We were in the back of your truck, and I was riding you.”
Jordan’s eyes blazed. He leaned forward and put his hand on her thigh as he nipped her ear. Tessa couldn’t stop the low moan that left her as her body throbbed.
Jordan rimmed her ear with his tongue, and his heated breath made her shiver. “I love innocent Tessa, but I love corrupting you more.”
“Are you ready to order?”
Cherise and her sunny disposition once again made Tessa jump, this time away from Jordan. She closed her eyes and took some breaths as Jordan ordered.
When Cherise had finally left, Jordan grumbled, “Fucking Cherise’s tip goes down every time she comes to the table.”
Tessa laughed at the irony. “You wanted to come to dinner. Cherise is acting like a proper chaperone, Mr. Davis. Cut her some slack.”
Jordan lifted his brow. “She’s a cockblocker.”
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Chapter 27
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They were finally on the way back to Jordan’s place after the disaster at the restaurant. Dinner had gone downhill right after they had placed their orders. The gawkers had become bolder. No one had seemed to care that Jordan was on an intimate date at a restaurant. Now he was tense and angry, and Tessa was battling her own frustration.
She didn’t want to be frustrated. It hadn’t been Jordan’s fault, but it was still irritating. Even when he had given them a lukewarm reception and pointed out he was on a date, people had still hung around. Most of them had pretended Tessa wasn’t there or had just given her a cursory glance. The evening that had started out full of life was slowly being dragged through the gutter.
“I should have told everyone to leave us the fuck alone!”
Jordan slammed his open hand on the steering wheel. Tessa’s frustration drained away after seeing him glaring out the windshield. It looked like he was ready to punch it out. While she only had to deal with his popularity once in a while, he had to live with it every day.
“No. Don’t be that asshole guy.” Tessa admired Jordan’s openness with his fans. She just didn’t like it tonight.
“They were rude to you,” he stated, still angry.
Realization dawned. Jordan wasn’t upset for himself. He was upset that her evening had been ruined. Tessa’s heart sang.
“It wasn’t intentional, Jordan. They just wanted to talk with you.”
That earned her a grunt and then silence. They both seemed to let out a relieved breath when Jordan pulled into his driveway. He shut off the engine and turned to her.
“How about I get us a couple of beers and we sit by the pool?”
It was a beautiful sixty-two-degree night, and that was the perfect place to forget about their dinner. “Sounds good to me.”
Jordan grinned and opened his door. “You head to the pool, and I’ll meet you there.”
Tessa chose the sectional piled with pillows. When she saw a matching wicker storage chest, she opened it and snagged a soft Sherpa blanket. She snuggled in, getting comfortable against the pillows while she waited for Jordan.
It wasn’t long before he was striding through the glass doors with a couple of Coronas in hand. He slid under the blanket and pulled her to his side. Tessa settled under the crook of his arm and leaned back.
The night's tension eased away, and the pleasure of having Jordan’s body squeezed next to hers took over. The conversation flowed smoothly between them, but nothing replaced being able to touch him. Touching Jordan is what she missed. Her body had become addicted to it.
As if reading her mind, he placed his hand under her gray sweater and on top of her midriff. Tessa’s skin danced under his touch, and her stomach caved in. As soon as her breathing regulated, Jordan started moving his hand in small circles over her stomach, creating a firestorm inside her.
Tessa gently ran her hands under Jordan’s off-white, long-sleeved Henley, pleased when she heard his breath hitch. She stilled her hand and closed her eyes to cherish this moment in time.
The distinct sound of high heels clipping against the pavement made Tessa tense. When she tried to sit up, Jordan put his hand on her hip to stop her.
Mrs. Davis stepped in front of the sectional, looming above them. She narrowed her eyes at Tessa before moving them to the beers sitting on the side table.
“Did you need something, Mom?”
Jordan’s curt tone stopped his mom’s inspection. Tessa watched as her face smoothed out and she sweetly answered her son, “No, I saw the lights on and came down to turn them off.”
“We’ll turn them off when we’re done,” Jordan assured her in the same clipped tone.
She inclined her head. “Okay. We missed you at dinner.”
What dinner? Tessa thought as Jordan stiffened beside her and coolly responded, “I will talk to you tomorrow, Mom.”
Mrs. Davis smiled brightly and said, “I’ll say good night then.”
Tessa watched her walk away and then murmured, “What dinner?” There was a kernel of guilt trying to worm its way through her.
; Jordan sighed and threw his head back. “Just one of the millions of social engagements that is my mother’s life.”
“Do you go to a lot of them?” Tessa asked tentatively.
Jordan turned to look at her. “No, but it never stops my mom from trying to get me to go. This one was with some potential clients for Dad. Mom thought it would be,” Jordan’s voice changed to mimic his mom’s, “an excellent opportunity to help my father.”
“Did you not go because of me?” Even to her own ears Tessa’s voice sounded small, but she couldn’t help it. She didn’t want Jordan not to do what was expected of him because of her.
Jordan’s eyebrows snapped together and then he was a blur of action. The next thing Tessa knew he had pulled her across him so that her legs were on either side of his. Her attention snagged on his fierce expression, which matched his tone.
“Not in the way you’re thinking.”
Tessa’s heart sank. Jordan gripped her chin and forced her eyes back to his. “I didn’t want to go. I wanted one night with you.”
Her spirits lifted, but she couldn’t let it go yet. “I would have gone if you wanted me to. You know that, right?”
Jordan rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know that, Tessa. Now, I think we can do more interesting things than talk, don’t you?”
Tessa pretended to think about it and then yelped. Jordan had his hand on her back, pulling her forward to capture her lips. Tessa let his magic spread through her body.
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The next morning Tessa woke up naked and alone. She was sated and slightly sore. Tessa took a moment to savor waking up in Jordan’s bed. After a while when he didn’t return, she reached for his discarded Henley and slid it over her head.
As she moved down the hall, Tessa heard sounds in the kitchen. She paused in the doorway and enjoyed the view. Jordan was filling coffee cups, but what made her breath catch was him shirtless with his shorts hanging on his hips.
Suddenly eager for a good morning kiss, Tessa strode the rest of the way into the kitchen. Wrapping her arms around his stomach, she gave his back a kiss and murmured, “Good morning.”
Jordan turned to face her. “Damn, Tessa, you always look good in my shirts.”
He ran appreciative eyes up and down her, pausing where his shirt stopped at her thighs. Pulling Tessa to him, he ran his hands far enough up her legs far to discover that she hadn’t taken the time to put on underwear.
“Mmmm, I especially like that my shirt is all you’re wearing.”
Tessa felt her cheeks warming and reluctantly stepped back. Jordan laughed while shaking his head. “After everything we did last night, you can still be embarrassed?”
Tessa ignored his question. She knew it was ridiculous, but she couldn’t stop.
“I have to get ready to go. I’m tutoring later,” Tessa said, not sure where to look.
As she started to turn, Jordan gripped her wrist and tugged her back to him. She landed with an indelicate thud against his chest. As soon as she looked up, he lowered his lips to hers. It didn’t take long for her to get with the program.
He lifted his head and gathered her to his chest as he rested his chin on her head. Her embarrassment was forgotten, and Tessa was content to be wrapped in Jordan’s arms.
After drawing a deep breath, he kissed the top of her head. Jordan leaned against the counter and brought her between his legs. There was just enough space between them to talk.
His solemn expression made her heart dip.
“This next month is going to be crazy. My parents and I are flying to San Diego to see my aunt and uncle for Thanksgiving. When we get back, I’ll have the usual basketball stuff. Every spare moment I have before finals will be spent studying. Every year for Christmas our family goes to Aspen. Then I’ll fly from Aspen to New York for a basketball tournament.”
With each word Jordan uttered, Tessa’s heart twisted and dropped farther into her stomach. It was already difficult to see him, but during this next month it would be impossible. All she could manage to do was swallow the lump in her throat and nod. If she said anything, Tessa knew she wouldn’t be able to keep her emotions in check and would break down.
Jordan squeezed her hands. “I have some good news.” When she lifted her head, he continued. “We have a late afternoon home game on December 31. So, I was hoping we could spend New Year’s Eve together.”
Tessa tried to inject some teasing into her tone despite the dread welling up. “I don’t know. We usually fly to Paris, but I might be able to cancel.”
Jordan could tell her heart wasn’t in it. He dropped his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry, Tessa. My family has always traveled for the holidays. It’s our tradition.”
She couldn’t stop the welling tears. “I know.”
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Chapter 28
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For the first time since she was young, Tessa was excited for New Year’s Eve. These past four weeks, she’d felt empty. She’d never had any energy, and it had been a struggle to get through each day with no Jordan to look forward to.
Strangely enough, her loneliness and heartbreak helped her connect with Declan. It was like he’d understood what she was feeling. It turned out he understood perfectly.
After Declan had refused to do some work, Tessa had made him miss recess. She’d been amazed when he’d actually done the work with her and then stunned when he’d opened up.
Declan’s parents were fighting, and not just verbally. Her heart was heavy hearing everything he had been through. Tessa set up some time for him to talk with the guidance counselor but she also started checking in with him herself.
He was still defiant, but the trust between them was growing. Tessa had wanted to confide in Jordan about all this, but he was always at practice by the time she was done with school.
Snatches of time were all they had managed to share. They’d met twice for supper at a fast-food restaurant. That had been the extent of their physical contact for four weeks. Tessa knew Jordan was trying, but she still felt disconnected and on the periphery of his life.
She was looking forward to watching him play today but really wanted the game to be over. It had been a long month of separation. Tessa needed some Jordan time, and Jordan needed some downtime. They had decided to go to a New Year’s Eve party. Lindy was going with Deion, so Tessa would know a few people. Jordan said he didn’t want to stay long, but a friend of his was throwing it and he had said he would stop by.
The University of San Jose Bears were still undefeated. With every week that passed, Tessa could sense the pressure building in Jordan. The closer they got to March Madness, the more expectations were heaped onto his shoulders. Tessa heard his name more and more in the news.
She had enlisted Lindy’s help to get ready for the game and the rest of the night. Lindy had dragged her out to shop, but Tessa didn’t complain. Everything she was wearing was new, including her lingerie. Tessa could feel her cheeks burning as she thought about her risqué undergarments under Jordan’s jersey and her short, frayed blue jean skirt.
She had given Lindy free reign with her hair and makeup, and the result was unbelievable. Every time Tessa passed a mirror she did a double take. Her usually straight hair was styled into beach waves. The most startling change was how her dull gray eyes popped out of her face, glittering like metallic silver.
Lindy diligently packed the essentials in a little purse she insisted Tessa needed in order to retouch her makeup before she met up with Jordan after the game. As they walked toward the athletic center Lindy explained in detail what Tessa needed to do with the makeup, but she was only half listening. Every time she looked around, people were staring at her.
“Why is everyone looking at me?” Tessa interrupted Lindy to ask.
She laughed. “Girl, you are hot!”
Tessa looked at Lindy with confusion. She did look different, but it was strange to have everyone looking at her. “It’s just me.�
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Lindy nodded. “Times ten. I’ve always told you you’re hot. Now people are noticing.”
“I don’t care about people. I care about Jordan,” Tessa grumbled, avoiding all eye contact.
“He’s going to love it. Especially when he sees what you have on under his jersey.”
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By the second half of the game, Tessa’s voice was hoarse. San Jose’s undefeated season was on the line. With only seven seconds left in the game, they were down by two points.
Jordan was huddled in the final time-out of the game, and the building was one big ball of noise and tension. Tessa watched him, but she didn’t see any panic or anxiety. Unbelievably, his demeanor was the same as it had been in the first half. It was like he didn’t realize they were on the verge of losing.
As they came out of the time-out, Deion took his place behind the sideline, ready to inbound the ball. The whistle blew, indicating the clock was starting, and the whole center stood up.
Tessa held her breath and squeezed Lindy’s hand. The players scrambled, Deion inbounded the ball, and then the opposing team stole it less than a foot from Jordan’s hands. Before anyone could foul him, the player who stole it took off down the court. Time ran out. By two points, San Jose had suffered their first loss of the season.
“Holy shit, they lost,” Lindy said in shock.
Tessa was stunned into silence like most of the stadium. She followed Jordan with her eyes as he congratulated the other team, his shoulders hunched and movements stiff. Even from up in the stands Tessa could see the words coming out of Jordan’s mouth were forced.
Tessa was deflated, her body wrung out from the heart-wrenching loss. Jordan put his heart and soul into every game, and she knew he would be hurting from this loss. The worst part was that as the star of the team, he would be the one answering the press questions. Tessa watched him until he disappeared off the court.
Several minutes passed as Tessa and Lindy both felt the impact of the loss for their guys. When the stadium was almost empty, Lindy finally turned to her. “Are you ready to go?”
Breaking Tessa: A College Sport Romance Page 19