Date? What the hell was she thinking?
Tessa hadn’t been on a date in months, not since Bennett. Look where that had gotten her in the end. He’d become extremely possessive over their six-month liaison, so much so that she began to impose limits on the time they would spend together. The night that everything had come to a head had been when she’d arrived home from working a double shift and he’d been waiting for her in her driveway. That eventually had led into a heated confrontation that had ended their brief relationship.
Tessa contemplated making a quick dash back into her bathroom to throw on a robe. She could always make up an excuse that she’d caught a virus from working in the hospital, but then she thought better of it. Tonight’s masquerade ball might just be the answer she was looking for. Bennett would be there and what better way to send a signal that she’d moved on with her life than to show up with another man? These past two weeks had been hell, and it was time to make an unequivocal statement.
She looked to her left, catching sight of herself in the framed mirror above the entryway table. The black, form-fitting, sleeveless lace, ruffle-trimmed mermaid gown accentuated the curves of her hips. It had been the only one of its kind at the boutique here in town, and it had been happenstance that she’d entered the exclusive shop the day they’d gotten it in stock. She’d purchased it months ago for a charity ball the hospital had been hosting, only to miss her opportunity to never wear it due to being called in when one of the floor nurses had called in sick.
The only thing Tessa had needed to add to her ensemble was the matching black masquerade mask, currently lying on the entryway table. A delicate lace outlined the vivid black mask, but it was the gold silk thread accent that had caught her eye with its elegance. The touch of color would emphasize the amber highlights in her darkened hair, which was currently draped down her back in large, loose curls. Would Derek appreciate the time she’d taken in her appearance? There was only one way to find out. She straightened her shoulders, twisted the handle, and threw open the door.
Neither of them said a word as they drank one another in.
Tessa didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but the sight before her had left her slightly speechless. She’d known Derek most of her life. Yes, he was attractive in a rough, manly sort of way. Yes, she would have loved to have dated him ten years ago. Not all teenage girls got their way though, and she’d carried on with her life. But the man before her was no longer a boy, and the effect he had on her physically wasn’t a case of a simple high school infatuation.
This was pure desire, through and through. A fierce heat traveled through her veins to every erogenous part of her body, causing her to reconsider the unspoken boundaries they’d put into place earlier.
Tessa had to remind herself that tonight was nothing more than two friends attending a high school reunion. Hell, it had even been arranged by his mother. Why, then, did she want to bring him inside and skip the masquerade ball for something much more intimate? She certainly wasn’t in the habit of doing that in her past, but she could definitely make an exception to that rule.
Maybe it was because Derek was wearing a black Armani tuxedo that made her think of those juicy tuxedo strawberries that the chocolate store always had on display. It could have been his dark eyes raking in every curve of her tall frame, all the way down to her black Oscar De La Renta knock-off midnight lace and patent ambria platform heels that would undoubtedly give her blisters before the night was through. She couldn’t afford the genuine articles at twelve hundred dollars, but these conveyed the coup de grace. She would suffer through it gladly if it meant dancing in his arms tonight.
One thing was for certain—time had been nothing but complimentary to him.
“You look absolutely stunning, Tessa.”
“Were you able to get your father settled at home?”
The two of them had spoken over one another, though it was Tessa who had come out sounding a bit nervous. She chalked up her anxiety to yesterday’s phone call, turning quickly to retrieve her clutch, keys, and the masquerade mask that matched her black dress that clung to her figure so graciously. The material was so light on her skin it was as if she were naked in the evening air. A tantalizing tingle ran down her spine. Tonight was about getting a message across, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy herself in its delivery.
“Dad is resting comfortably, while Mom has been hovering over him every second the day has made available to her,” Derek replied amusingly, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe. He was, of course, being a gentleman and not crossing the threshold because she’d yet to extend an invitation. Did men like him actually still exist in this day and age? She made a mental note to thank Mrs. Spencer the next time they saw one another. “I think it will be good for me to be out of the house for the evening.”
Tessa met his gaze in the mirror, his dark eyes all but promising her tonight would be good for them both. She gradually lifted the small rod attached to her masquerade mask and placed the beautiful disguise gently over her eyes, turning so that she could ask if he’d brought his own mask when he spoke first.
“Your sparkling blue eyes give you away, sweetheart.” Derek shifted his stance while raising his arm and offering her his upturned hand. He was only talking about her identity, wasn’t he, and not where her thoughts had strayed? “Shall we?”
Tessa placed her fingers into the palm of his hand, warmth immediately spreading up her arm. She was sure that it had nothing to do with the humid air that had drifted inside the door, caressing her body. She gripped her clutch and keys, allowing him to guide her over the small threshold of her front entryway. It didn’t surprise her when he reached for her keys and ensured that the deadbolt was secure. He handed them back and watched closely as she secured them inside her small purse. She knew it to be false, but she soaked up the security his presence exuded.
“Did you manage to attend any of the other events the reunion committee had lined up this week?” Derek asked, offering her his arm as he escorted her down the last two steps at the end of the small sidewalk. Tessa was glad for a chance to catch her bearings as he made small talk. It was hard to ignore his hand that had alighted previously on her lower back prior to him offering to help her down the incline. “I heard Karly Stocker went all out with the festivities.”
“I was scheduled to work second shift for ten days straight before the schedule had been released,” Tessa replied, surprised to find a silver Infiniti Q50 waiting for them parked on her driveway. He’d even seen to it that he’d backed the car in so that the passenger side was facing them. The green sticker on the back window advertised that it was, in fact, a rental car. “I now have the weekend free, but I don’t think I would have attended without your mother’s gracious offer. Karly got rather carried away this time. Word about town was that she thought our five-year reunion was boring, which is why she took over the reins.”
“When has Karly not overdone it?” Derek said with a smirk, leaning in front of her to open her door. He’d put on the same cologne as he’d been wearing yesterday, once again reminding her of a field of wildflowers on a warm afternoon. The subtle fragrance surrounded her and tempted her to do something more than wash her laundry this weekend. “Do you remember our senior prom? I bet the custodians at the school are still finding red and blue confetti in every crack and crevice. I swear she had a dump truck’s payload delivered to the gymnasium.”
“How could I forget?” Tessa exclaimed, the memories of those days having been close at hand for the past week. “The principal made all of us who were on the committee stay afterward to help clean up.”
Tessa lifted her dress slightly off the ground so that it made it easier for her to get into his car. She murmured a soft thank you once she was settled inside. He tucked her trailing skirt just under her leg as she tried to recall who he’d taken to the prom that year. She couldn’t remember. Her date had been the first baseman on the baseball team, only because she’d been set
up by one of her friends who’d been dating the pitcher.
“Yes, I recall quite well that Principal Christianson made you girls stay behind after everyone else left,” Derek replied, before stepping back and placing his hand on top of the door. He flashed her another charming smile and followed up with an explanation. “All the guys were left waiting in the parking lot for their dates. Christianson ruined quite a few plans that all of us seniors had made at that bed and breakfast out on the edge of town by the lake. Why do you think the bed of his F-150 was filled with confetti at the end of school that following Monday?”
Derek had quietly closed the door after describing that entertaining trip down memory lane. She remembered the principal’s reaction to having his truck filled with red and blue miniscule Mylar dots that he had still been vacuuming out at the end of that school year. She experienced a sense of nostalgia, surprising herself. She’d never been one to reminisce about the old days.
Tessa shifted her clutch so that it was close to her thigh, something she’d gotten in the habit of doing ever since someone had taken her wallet out of her purse. She caught sight of a masculine, matte black mask in the console. The sophisticated, carbon-fiber material contained somewhat of a dull sheen that reminded her of velvet. She resisted touching the smooth black fabric as Derek opened his door and settled himself behind the wheel.
“So is there anything I need to know before walking into this firing squad?” Derek asked, starting the ignition and then adjusting the vents so that she had some cool air to alleviate the humidity. The light breeze made her keenly aware of how little fabric lay between her figure and his gaze. He gave her a wink before shifting the vehicle into drive, once again taking her back in time when that would have made her happy for a week. He was so at ease with himself and her by his side. She forced herself to take a deep breath, erase the tension from her shoulders, and ease back into the butter-soft leather seat. “Who married who? Who became rich and famous? And please tell me no one died a horrible death.”
Tessa laughed, which was probably his objective. They both wanted this night to be free of complications. Her problems with Bennett suddenly hit her cold in the face, shutting down her relaxed smile. It wasn’t fair to have Derek walk into a situation where heated words might be exchanged or a confrontation might ensue. She wasn’t sure how Bennett would react, especially seeing her with someone else. The bottom line was that she was tired of constantly looking over her shoulder or expecting to find Bennett standing in the middle of her living room. She was simplifying things, but maybe it was time she took a stand.
“There is something I should tell you, Derek,” Tessa disclosed, glancing sideways to see Derek’s reaction. He might decide that they shouldn’t attend the masquerade ball at all. “I ended a relationship around three months ago with Bennett Harris. He didn’t take it well, and I think he’s been harassing me for the past two weeks.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Derek had to be honest with himself—Tessa Daniels was way out of his league. He’d known it way back in high school when he would spend his Saturdays helping his father at the butcher shop instead of hanging out with his football buddies, and he was certainly aware of it now. It was one of the reasons he’d never asked her out. He was blue collar all the way down to his bones, and it was something he should have kept in mind. Pissing into the wind would only get his leg wet.
Tessa was a stunningly beautiful woman. There was no denying that. He might have seen her once or twice over the last ten years. Both of those times had to have been after her shift at the hospital, because he recalled her wearing scrubs with her hair pulled back. He’d never looked twice, and not because she wasn’t attractive or didn’t have a wonderful personality. He recalled that she was quite funny when she wanted to be, as well as had a bedside manner that could ease any difficult patient’s disposition. That alone could be quite a talent.
No, the reason Derek had always shied away from commitment had been because he was constantly being deployed to places that most people didn’t even know existed. He could count on one hand the Marines he knew who had working marriages. He had no time for something that took so much work—back then or now. Life in the service could be hell on a relationship, let alone a long distance one. Marriage was rolling the dice, considering that over fifty percent of marriages in the Corps fail and end up in divorce. Besides, he usually spent six to nine months deployed abroad each year. His hands were stained, and he wasn’t talking from oil or dirt either.
Something had changed for him tonight, though. It had happened the moment Tessa had opened her front door. She wasn’t the young, awkward teenage girl he remembered from high school. She wasn’t the overworked nurse ending her shift, fatigued to the point of exhaustion. She wasn’t the tender-hearted caretaker who’d nursed his father back to health. Tessa was all woman this evening, and she’d literally stolen the breath right out of his lungs.
It had taken every ounce of his strength to maintain some semblance of coherent conversation while they’d been in the car, and she’d suddenly gone and changed the entire mood of the evening when she’d announced that she thought Bennett Harris was the one responsible for the threatening events of the past two weeks. His protective instincts had kicked in and he reverted to his training, wanting nothing more than to reduce the threat and make sure she was unharmed. He would do well to remember that he was only home for one more week.
Tessa hadn’t asked for his help. It was possible that she had warned him so that she could deal with the situation herself, should Bennett cause a scene.
“I hadn’t expected so many people to be here,” Tessa said loud enough so that he could hear her over the live band inside the conference center. The usual country music he was used to hearing on the radio upon returning home had been replaced by songs that had been in the top one hundred charts the year of their graduation. The familiar tunes brought back fond memories of yesteryear, and he found himself wishing he’d taken the time to get to know Tessa back when they were in high school. He would have lost nothing by simply risking a bit of embarrassment. “Karly really outdid herself, didn’t she?”
They had spent the first hour of the masquerade ball being surprised by, recognizing, and getting reacquainted with old friends. They were meeting their spouses, talking about their children, and hearing what paths of life they’d chosen. They’d even run into Grayson Cleary and Jake Davis, who had asked after Derek’s best friend back in the day—Emmit Atlas. They weren’t surprised to hear that he was stationed over in Germany with his wife and two children. He’d always been the type to settle down, having dated the same girl through all four years of high school, though she had been from a rival school.
As for Karly and her need to outshine? Well, she had certainly succeeded tonight.
The conference center looked nothing like the stark, empty building Derek knew it to be, but instead something out of an extravagant movie. They weren’t simply in Texas anymore, that was for sure. The red and blue school colors had been incorporated into the large swaths of soft material that draped over the tables, with each unique centerpiece being the center of attention by recalling memories they all had shared. The matching flowers were set in glass vases, lit from the bottom by tea lights. He should know what they were called, seeing as his mother had sold candles of every size and description for years to make extra money on the side.
Derek glanced up, taking note that the dark ceiling was covered with twinkling lights. Colorful masquerade masks dangled from invisible lines and gave off a Mardi Gras vibe. The festive atmosphere was contradictory to the formal tuxedos, elegant floor-length gowns, and the soft lighting radiated a rather intimate ambiance. It made for a very familiar setting and somehow everyone else had faded away when Derek and Tessa eventually carved out their own small, private area.
The old cliques had already gravitated toward one another, and the evening was well under way. Derek and Tessa could have easily joined, but they were enjoying th
eir own personal reunion.
“When does Karly not go the full mile?” Derek lifted the bottle of beer to his lips, glancing at Tessa’s glass of Stella Rosa Moscato to ensure that she didn’t need a refill. It had been the only sweet wine available up at the cash bar. At least it was a decent wine and not something out of a box. She’d already enjoyed a first round and was nursing the second, maybe to extend their time here together. In reality, it was more likely she drank in moderation because they had yet to see Bennett. “Is there anyone else you’d like to see and talk to from the old days?”
Derek was pleased when she shook her head, leaning closer as they continued their previous conversation. He’d enjoyed the evening too much to draw it to a close, though that eventuality was closing in faster than he’d like. He’d discovered that Tessa liked reading science fiction, was a secret Star Wars mega-fan, and had always wanted to go to Walt Disney World to see the Star Wars attractions there. The last was very doable. She just needed to make plans, considering her parents had moved to Orlando over five years ago for her father’s career. Derek recalled that he was in pharmaceutical sales—a regional representative or something like that.
“I know my parents would be happy if I moved to Florida, but I just can’t bring myself to leave Catfish Creek,” Tessa said with a half-smile tinged with sadness, spinning the stem of her wine glass in between her fingers. They had both removed their masks a while ago and he could now study her beautiful, varied expressions without hindrance. “Did I mention I was offered a job down there by one of my father’s friends? He’s on the board at Florida Hospital. It’s a great package, including a bonus for signing on for one year, but I just can’t bring myself to say yes to such a big unknown. This is where I grew up, and my friends are here.”
Honor (Bad Boy Homecoming Book 4) Page 4