She knew that look. It was the same look her mother gave her every time she wanted to introduce her to one of her friend’s sons.
“You want me to come meet your sons? Did you forget why I’m here?”
Marie snorted. “They could do worse. You should see the girls they bring home sometimes. You’re pretty, independent, you have a good head on your shoulders, and I like you.”
Tess creased her eyebrows. “But I’m pregnant.”
“Sure you are. But extenuating circumstances, love. You don’t have a crazy ex-boyfriend, smoke weed, or take an unusual amount of prescription drugs. As long as your blood test comes out clean, I’d say you’d be the best thing either one of them has ever brought home. Though you may want to wait until one of them falls in love before you spill the beans about the baby.”
“Yep and then he goes running for the hills.”
“Nonsense. Men fall hard.”
“Okay, I’ll come to dinner, but only because I like you. I’m not interested in seducing one of your sons.”
Marie laughed. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. They’ll be the ones fighting over you. We’ll see you Friday at six.”
“Can I bring anything?”
“Nope. I love to cook when the boys come home. No one else is allowed in my kitchen.”
Tess headed to the small grocery store after she left Marie to get milk since she was out. Again. While she stood in the baking aisle trying to decide if she wanted to bake cookies, cake, or brownies, her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar, but it was a Michigan area code.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Tess.” It was Sara.
“Everything okay?” Tess asked. Sara was watching half of her class today.
“Better than okay. I just had to call and tell you Whitters showed up after lunch today with a black eye.” Sara giggled. The mom of three actually giggled.
“What?” Shocked, Tess grabbed a box of brownies off the shelf. “What happened?”
“I don’t know, but I knew you’d appreciate it.” Sara sniggered. “Alright, I better get back, but if I hear more, I’ll call you after school.”
“You better.” Tess grinned as she dropped her phone into her purse. Sometimes karma got it right. Whitters must have put his hands on the wrong girl.
At home, she found Lukas outside playing in the snow with Dio. Watching Dio try to catch snowballs as Lukas bent over laughing made her heart beat faster. He was so good with Dio. She imagined he had to be great with kids.
Tess shook her head and balanced her grocery bags. It was bad enough Marie was trying to set her up with either of her sons, now Tess was trying to see herself with Lukas.
He straightened and jogged over.
“You’re home early.” He took one of her bags. He reached for the other, but she pulled away. She could still carry at least part of her own groceries.
“I had an appointment,” she bit out, more irritated with herself and her thoughts than she was with him.
Lukas frowned. “With who?”
“None of your business.”
Lukas raised his eyebrows. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy. I was just curious.”
Tess dropped her shoulders, ashamed at her behavior. “No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I had a doctor’s appointment.”
“With Marie? She’s brilliant. Way too good for a small town doctor. Her oldest son owns Dio’s sister Una.”
“So he was number one, huh? Do I detect a hint of jealousy?”
He chuckled. “Maybe a little. He and I were always super competitive. We grew up together.”
“Marie said they are coming home this weekend and invited me to dinner on Friday.”
Lukas rolled his eyes. “Be warned. When that woman gets an idea in her head, she doesn’t back down easily.”
“What idea?” She knew exactly what he was talking about, but she wanted to hear his take on it.
“You mean, you can’t tell?”
Lukas snatched the second bag out of her hand and started walking to her carriage house.
“The one where she tries to set you up with one of her boys. I expect she doesn’t care whether it is Hayden or Joshua.” Lukas chuckled. “Watch out for her. She has serious grandbaby fever.”
Tess felt her face go pale. Did he know? How could he know? She followed him into the house, lost for words.
Lukas set the bags on Tess’s counter and tried to quell the growing jealousy in his chest. He and Hayden had their share of fights over girls, but that was in high school when there were only five eligible girls in the whole school.
He had to get a grip. He held no claim on Tess. Hell, he’d been trying to avoid her, but the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to be near her. It didn’t help that she seemed pretty oblivious to her appeal, which made her that much more attractive.
Tess rummaged through a small bag and pulled out dog treats. She opened the box and fed one to Dio. His chest tightened. Definitely not letting Hayden get his hands on her. He’d call Marie tonight and confirm his invitation to dinner on Friday.
“What makes you think she wants to set me up with her sons?” asked Tess, pulling out a gallon of milk.
“Because Marie loves her boys more than anything on this earth. She sees them once every couple of months. If she’s inviting you to dinner with them, it’s because she wants them to meet you.”
“That’s absurd. Why would she want to do that?”
He stood closer to her than he probably should. But the Jorgenson boys were about to be unleashed on her. He had to move quickly, or he’d lose her to one of them. Probably Hayden. Joshua was too young.
She wouldn’t look up at him. He put a finger on her chin and made her look him in the eyes. He wanted to see those captivating brown things anyway. When she met his eyes, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. If she wanted him, he was hers. Though Hayden would be better for her than him. She’d be less likely to get hurt.
“You don’t see it? You’re gorgeous, smart, well-educated, independent, and brave.”
“You’re just being nice.” She fidgeted but didn’t pull away. If she leaned in, he’d kiss her, and if she didn’t shove him away, he might not stop.
“I see it, and if I know Marie, she already told you the same.” He backed away. It was hard, but he didn’t want to push her if she wasn’t ready or didn’t want him. “Wear something conservative. Hayden doesn’t like girls who wear clothes that are too revealing.”
That was a total lie. Hayden always liked his girls a little on the risqué side. That was probably why Marie hated the ones he brought home. It was also the reason that they never fought about girls once they left the island. They had totally different tastes. Though Tess might be a problem. She always looked sexy no matter what she wore. It was something in the curve of her hips.
He had to get out of there before he did something he’d regret. He searched for Dio and saw her cowering behind Tess.
“Come on, girl, we gotta go.”
Dio leaned into Tess and wouldn’t look at him. The dog might like Tess better than he did.
He finally had to drag her out by the collar. As soon as she hit the snow though, she ran for his house. He dialed Marie as soon as he got into his place.
“Hey, Lukas, I haven’t heard from you in a while.” There was a hint of a chuckle in her voice. “How can I help you?”
“Hayden’s coming to drive me crazy this weekend. He said I could crash dinner Friday night. Thought I better check with you.” Marie made huge meals every Friday night when her boys came home. He’d been to dinner plenty of times when they were in college. He’d even gone for a while when he moved back, but after his wife left him, he didn’t like being around happy families, and eventually they stopped inviting him.
“You know you’re always welcome. I don’t suppose there’s a pretty brunette that could hitch a ride.”
She smelled a rat.
“
Tess, sure. I’ll bring her with me.”
Marie laughed. “She’s quite a catch, isn’t she?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about. Mind if I bring Dio?”
“Of course not. Hayden’s bringing Una.”
Lukas was looking forward to seeing Hayden. He hadn’t come home in a while. Marie pounced quickly, though he couldn’t blame her. Tess was quite a catch. If one of the Jorgenson boys didn’t make a move, someone else on the island was bound to go after her. If Lukas was being honest, he’d rather see her with Hayden. No, that was lie, he’d rather see her with himself.
A knock sounded at Tess’s door, and she rushed to put a robe on as she stepped out of the shower. She was running late for dinner and didn’t have time for visitors. Her hair dripped down her back, and she shivered when she opened the door.
Lukas stood there looking scrumptious in jeans and a dark green button down shirt that set off his eyes. If she kept staring, she would officially be late for dinner. She had a hard time asking Lukas to leave. Ever.
“Hey, Tess, I’m your ride.” He grinned as his gaze swept from her wet hair down to her bare feet.
“That’s nice of you. I was just going to walk. Thank you.”
“Walk? It’s freezing out.” He shook his head. “You are bound and determined to get hypothermia.”
“Yeah, but thanks to you, I have good winter gear. It’s only a few blocks away. But I’d love a ride. I was afraid I’d be late. I’m still not ready, obviously,” she said, waving her hand down her robe. She was suddenly very aware she was completely naked under the robe. Chances were he knew that too.
She backed away from him. “If you want to have a seat, I’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes.”
“Sure.”
Dio pushed inside and stuck her cold nose inside Tess’s robe, revealing her upper thigh. Tess pulled her robe closed, but when she looked up, she saw a dangerous gleam in Lukas’s eyes. Oh, he got a good look. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off.
“I think Dio wants a treat. The box is on the counter.”
She escaped to the back, shut and locked her bedroom door, and sat on the bed. That man took her breath away. She didn’t know what he was going to say, but if it had been anything along the lines of “let’s forget dinner,” she probably would’ve given in. She was so stunningly weak.
Tess contemplated her wardrobe for a while and settled on a sweater, jeans, and high-heeled boots. It seemed sensible enough.
She quickly dried her hair and found Lukas and Dio cuddling on the couch.
“Ready to go?” Lukas asked. He frowned as he looked her up and down.
“Do you approve?” Tess asked testily.
“No. It doesn’t matter what you wear. It’s inappropriate,” he mumbled like he was pouting.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I mean you could wear a tarp, and it would look sexy.” He shrugged.
“Seriously? That’s the most awful thing anyone has ever said to me.” She set her hands on her hips.
“It wasn’t meant to be an insult.”
“Then you need to explain.”
He walked toward her. She was unsure if she wanted to step back, or step up and meet him. He felt different tonight. On edge. He was so close that she could feel his heat and smell his cologne.
“I suppose if you wore extremely baggy clothes, you could get away with it. But you’ve got curves in all the right places, and there’s no way for you to hide them. They are perfect. The Jorgenson boys will be rendered speechless. We need to go, or we are going to be late.”
If Marie wasn’t waiting, Tess wondered if she’d have moved in closer to see what he did.
They went outside, and the fresh air helped clear Tess’s head. Lukas turned her all upside down. She couldn’t be thinking about a man right now. Not with her troubles. She passed her hand over her stomach. So much to think about, and Lukas wasn’t a part of any of it.
Dio jumped into a basket towed by the snowmobile. Tess climbed on behind Lukas and debated trying not to hang on, but as soon as he revved the engine, she wrapped her arms around his waist. She suspected he did that on purpose.
The trip took all of five minutes. Five minutes of being pressed against Lukas while thinking about how he noticed her curves. Dio bounded up the steps and through the doggy door before Lukas shut the engine off.
Lukas helped Tess off the machine. “They know we’re here.”
Tess smiled. “Dio makes herself at home wherever she goes, doesn’t she?”
“Everyone loves her. Good thing she’s never met someone who doesn’t.”
Tess laughed. “Poor thing. You should make sure that never happens.”
Lukas didn’t bother knocking and walked right in. Tess smelled pot roast and felt a pang of homesickness. Her mom used to make the same dish every Sunday.
They found Dio and Una fighting over a rope toy in the living room. Lukas patted one of them on the head, and she growled. Tess couldn’t tell the difference between them until one dog dropped a toy and came over to push on Tess’s legs.
Lukas shook his head. “You belong to Dio. You’ve been marked.” He laughed and gave Una a conciliatory scratch behind the ears.
The house was warm and inviting. Doc met her in the doorway of the kitchen with a hug. “Nice to see you, Tess. Come on in and meet the rest of the family.”
The kitchen was enormous with dark wood and deep blue walls. Marie worked on one side of an enormous granite bar, chopping lettuce. On the other side sat two young men who looked like twins. They were good looking in the traditional sense, but Tess wasn’t into blondes. A little too pretty, they probably both knew they were handsome.
Doc guided Tess farther into the kitchen. “Tess, you’ve met Marie. This is Hayden and Joshua. Boys, this is the best third-fourth grade teacher I’ve got.”
Tess laughed. “I’m the only third-fourth grade teacher you have.”
He shrugged. “You’re still the best.”
Hayden smiled and looked over her shoulder. He jumped up and gave Lukas a bear hug.
“Hey, man. How’s it going?”
Lukas moved closer to Tess. “I’m fine. Busy. Dio and Una are playing in the living room.”
Hayden patted him on the back. “I’m going to go say hi to that girl. Maybe I can convince her to come home with me this time.”
“You’re fighting a losing battle, bro. That’s one girl who’ll never go home with you.”
Hayden’s eyes moved from Lukas to Tess. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. She blushed. Definitely too smooth for her.
“Tess might though. Mom was right. You are stunning.”
Tess blushed again and gently removed her hand from his. She wasn’t sure he even noticed. But Lukas did. He moved closer to Tess and put his arm around her waist.
“Tess isn’t going home with you either.”
As much as she liked him, she hated his presumptions. No one told her what to do. She pulled free of him.
“I expect that tomorrow morning I will wake up in my own bed. But the night is still young, so who knows.” She winked at Hayden and walked away from both men.
Lukas followed Hayden into the living room, completely envious of that wink. Tess had never played with him like that. As soon as they were out of earshot of the kitchen, Hayden turned to him.
“You’ve got it bad, huh?”
Lukas sank onto one of the couches. “Don’t know what you are talking about.”
Hayden sat down in between the dogs, and immediately they were both vying for his attention.
“She’s gorgeous, man. Dad loves her too, which means she’s good at her job. Heck, even Mom’s smitten, or she wouldn’t have invited her tonight. Have you guys hooked up?”
Lukas shook his head. “No. I don’t know what I was thinking in the kitchen. I
only wanted you to know she’s off limits. Obviously, it was the wrong move.”
&nbs
p; “Yeah, she didn’t seem too happy about that. Bet you ten bucks she flirts with me tonight just to piss you off.”
“Or because she wants you. Seriously, nothing has happened between us. It’s probably better that way.”
Hayden groaned. “Don’t start on your sob story again. I’m so tired of hearing how you’re not deserving of having someone to love.”
“And you wonder why I won’t visit you.”
“Look, I’m the only one who won’t let you get away with this crap. It’s been two years. You made a mistake and suffered huge consequences. That doesn’t mean you can’t be in a relationship ever again. If you feel that way, tell her the whole story and let her be the one to decide.” Hayden reclined and both dogs tried to get in his lap.
“We haven’t exactly talked about stuff. She rents from me, but I don’t know her. It’d be weird for me to say ‘hey, I have to tell you a story, and then you can decide whether or not we should be together.’”
“I’ve had stranger things work.”
Tess walked into the room, and they both stopped talking. Lukas wasn’t sure if it was because she rendered him speechless when she appeared, or because he didn’t want her overhearing his conversation.
“Marie said dinner is ready.”
Hayden didn’t move, and Tess looked down at the Una and Dio.
“I bet it’s pretty crazy when all the dogs are around.”
Hayden glanced up, surprise etched in his features. “Did he tell you the story behind the dogs?”
“Yeah. He also told me you got the first.”
Lukas knew what Hayden was thinking. He hoped he didn’t voice his opinion.
“Why’d you tell her about the dogs?”
“She asked.”
Hayden looked over at Lukas. “You do like her, don’t you?”
Leave it to Hayden to not keep his mouth shut. But he wasn’t done yet.
“I’m sorry, Tess. I’m going to have to withdraw my earlier offer. I’d never do that to my buddy here.”
Tess raised her eyebrows. “I wasn’t aware that there was an earlier offer. I never said I was interested anyway.”
Snowfall and Secrets (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 1) Page 6