by Jodie Larson
Fated To Be Yours
Copyright © 2015 by Jodie Larson
First Edition
Cover Design by Murphy Rae at Indie Solutions by Murphy Rae
Interior Design by Champagne Formats
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the above author of this book.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media and incident are either the product of the author’s imagination or are use fictitiously.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Title Page
Copyright
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
THE CHILL OF THE NIGHT air sends a shiver down my spine. My arms instinctively wrap around my middle, warding off the impending cold as it blows over the balcony rails. My body senses him before he even touches me. His hard chest presses against my back as he wraps his strong arms around me, pulling me back toward our bed, our safe haven. Space which is only ours and no one can touch us. My eyes close as I deeply inhale a scent that is undeniably his, invading my every sense, straight down to my bones.
I crave him.
I want him.
I need him.
The pulsing throb between my legs grows exponentially as his lips press into the delicate skin of my neck, nipping and sucking before we fall into a tangle of arms and legs onto the bed.
“Tessa,” he whispers against my skin. It pebbles under the warmth of his breath, laced with heat and desire. His hands roam curiously around my body with a familiarity only they know. A quiet moan escapes my lips as his hands continue their journey, finally landing on the soft curves of my chest.
My arms reach behind me, anxious to feel him beneath my palms. My fingers twitch with delight when I make contact with the massive erection in his pants. The sharp hiss in my ear allows me know how much he wants my hands on him as well.
“I need you,” he says, gently sucking on the lobe, causing spasms of pleasure to rocket throughout my body.
“I’m yours,” I whisper.
Gently, he turns me onto my back. The bright sapphire eyes I adore beyond belief stare into my own, saying words that do not need to be spoken. My eyes search his face, wanting to see past the shadows cast by the candles surrounding us, dancing across his beautifully sculpted face, obstructing my view. Tentatively my hand cups his cheek, fingers lacing in the hair around his ear as I slowly pull his mouth down to meet mine.
“Shit!”
My body meets the hard, unforgiving floor as I fall out of bed once again. I’m stuck in this never-ending nightmare that is constantly teasing me with thoughts of someone out there who could love me. It plays through my mind every night, haunting my thoughts and causing me physical pain as my subconscious makes me so restless I need to throw myself from the bed for it to stop.
Fate has not been kind to me. She taught me long ago that bad things happen to the unloved. My mother rejected me, as did my father, abandoning me as a child, without reason. Every emotional relationship I’ve attempted to forge since then has fallen to the same fate, leaving me in isolation.
I dare not hope because it will ultimately lead to disappointment. And disappointment is something I already own in spades. Instead, I’ll leave my future in the hands of fate and pray she’s able to show me the way.
“DAMN IT,”
I examine my latest bruise in the bathroom mirror, twisting my head from side to side while I dig out my supply of makeup to cover it up and make it less noticeable. It’s part of my daily routine, one which I would be more than happy to get rid of.
That dream, that stupid, horrible nightmare has hurt me again in more ways than one. Besides the physical markers, the bruises on my face, and chronic headaches that follow, it also leaves emotional damage in the form of an aching heart. Why does it feel the need to torture me with thoughts of a handsome man who wants me? I’m single and alone, which I have been for years. Then suddenly, these past few months have been filled with intense blue eyes and a sexy voice always in the shadows. So intense that my body’s natural response is to run away from them rather than to them.
And maybe nightmare isn’t the correct term for this dream. To the normal person, it would be the greatest dream imaginable. One filled with happily ever afters and promises of a bright future. That is not true in my case. This dream, happy as it may seem, shows me a future that I don’t see happening. A falsehood of hopes and dreams to never come true. Happily ever afters do not exist for those who were cast aside by people who were meant to protect and love you. Having never been shown that in the past makes me disbelieve of finding it in the future.
I know I shouldn’t let my past dictate my present. I should just move on and get over it. Parts of it were good though, just not enough to outweigh the bad times. My parents divorced when I was around the age of nine, which is where I think my self-esteem issues stemmed from. Words were said, actions performed that cannot be undone, leaving me longing to have a normal home life, even though I never had it before. Home implies a place you can go to feel safe, where people will love you unconditionally and will treat you with respect. Instead, things happen and parents change. They leave or grow distant, pushing you away or forgetting that you exist.
They say that you spend your entire adult life getting over your childhood. I would have to agree. Overcoming your childhood is difficult, especially when you still struggle to overcome your failures and shortcomings, even with your best efforts to move past them.
But I can’t dwell on the past right now. Now I need to focus on the present and get myself ready to begin my day while attempting to put my mystery man in the back of my mind.
I stare blankly into my coffee cup as I get lost in my thoughts again, until my phone rings and pulls me out of my head.
“Hello?”
“Are you on your way? Tell me you’re on your way.”
It’s Kara, my boss, who also doubles as my best friend. And like the good friend that she is, she’s always looking out for me, making sure that I don’t fall behind or lose track of time. Which happens more times than not.
“Not yet. It’s still early.”
“Tess, it’s almost quarter to eight. And you still need to fight the morning rush. You may want to start moving.”
“No, it can’t be that late.” I glance up at the clock on the oven and almost spill my coffee over when I realize the time. “Holy shit, it is that late.”
Kara laughs on the other end. “Like I said, are you on your way?”
I quickly dump my coffee into a travel mug and jump around while pulling my flats on. I press the phone to my ear as I gather my jacket and purse and fly out the door, locking it behind me.
“I am now. I can’t believe I’m going to be late. I’m so sorry. I’ll be there as soon as
I can.”
She laughs on the other end and I can hear her clicking away on her keyboard. “This is why I called because I’ve got some big news that I have to share with you and I need you here as soon as possible. So get moving, Chickie!”
I trip over a crack in the sidewalk as I fly out the front door of my apartment building and almost tumble into my car parked on the side of the road. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Thanks again for the call.”
“It’s what I do. Drive safe, but hurry. Remember, the speed limit is just a suggestion.”
I start my car and pull into the driving lane. “I’m pretty sure it’s the law, which would be illegal to break.”
“It’s only illegal if you get caught. I’ll see you in a few. Bye.”
“Bye, Kara.”
I toss the phone into my open purse on the passenger’s seat and pull into the busy morning rush, hoping that it’ll be a smooth sail to my building downtown.
Luckily it was only a twenty minute battle with the rest of the Friday morning workforce, as I enter the lobby and head toward the bank of elevators. There’s a substantial crowd already gathered and waiting, which makes me cringe internally. I know what’s going to happen before I even enter the car when it arrives. I’ll get pushed into the back corner, too far away to press the button for my floor. And no one will be getting off on that floor either so I will end up riding the elevator until everyone leaves before riding it back down. It’s a little pathetic, but I’m too shy to ask for help. It’s something that Kara’s been trying to work on with me. It’s still a work in progress.
Ten minutes later I walk through the doors of Mattson and Associates and practically sprint to my cubicle toward the back. I avoid the stares of my coworkers, who know exactly how late I am and proceed to pass their silent judgment upon me. Again, nothing new. Just something else for me to compartmentalize and deal with at a later time.
I place my jacket on the hook and flop into my chair while noisily tossing my purse into the bottom drawer of my file cabinet. A few people walk by and eye me up with all the noise I’m making before walking past and continuing their duties. But I don’t have time to give them a second thought. I quickly grab my notepad and pen and make my way across the hall to Kara’s office.
Kara Thomas is one of Mattson’s senior account executives. She’s been making a name for herself by taking on the bigger accounts that we’ve been signing and was even featured in one of the local business magazines. She works hard and has the business savvy of someone who’s been in the game for twenty years, but also has a heart of gold, as she shows with me often. Like my morning call, making sure that I’m getting to work on time because something important is happening. I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m about to find out.
I enter her office and take a seat on one of the two chairs placed directly in front of her desk.
“I’m late. I know. I tried really hard to get here on time but, you know, things happened.”
Kara looks up from her computer and smiles. Her green eyes are laughing behind her glasses.
“Which floor did you travel up to today?”
I readjust myself on my chair and look down at the notepad on my lap. “The twentieth.”
She whistles softly. “That’s a new record. There couldn’t have been that many people left in the elevator at that point. Why did you wait so long?”
I shrug. “It was embarrassing enough to be caught riding it past my floor. I wasn’t about to purposely highlight it by selecting a floor beneath where we already were.”
Kara sits back and twirls her chair to face me. “Tess, what have I been saying to you?”
“That it’s okay to ask for help. It’s just, I don’t know, embarrassing.”
“They won’t bite, you know.” She pauses and then laughs. “Well, I can’t actually say that because there could very well be people in this building who get their kicks by biting strangers. You need to watch out for those.”
We both laugh and I feel better about my morning, which I knew I would because Kara always has a way to brighten my spirits.
“So you have something exciting to tell me?”
Kara practically bounces in her chair with excitement. “Yes! Have you ever heard of the Tree of Life Foundation?”
I shake my head. “No, I haven’t.”
She flips open a folder on her desk and hands me a pamphlet that I flip through quickly.
“It’s a foundation which is based in London whose goal is to help underprivileged children by giving them a place to belong through private and government funded centers. They have several of them set up across Europe and are looking to expand to the United States. They heard about the work that we did for the Excelsior Foundation last year and knew right away that our company would be the perfect fit. And the Twin Cities is their first stop, which is quite an honor.”
“I agree, especially considering they could have started in New York or Chicago.”
“They said they prefer to start in smaller metro areas and Chicago and New York were too big. Either way it’s good for us and good for the community.”
“I agree. Any place that helps children is okay in my books.”
I smile at the thought of someone helping kids who have very little and trying to give them a better life when no one else wants to or has the means to. Once again, my past comes into my thoughts but I quickly shake it off because now is not the time to dwell on it.
“Agreed. And guess who they requested by name to lead the project?”
With a smirk, I pretend to think of an answer. “Let me guess, Collins?”
A paperclip comes sailing by my head, making me bark out a laugh.
“Hilarious,” she says, sticking her tongue out at me. You’d never guess she was ten years older than me by her actions. She acts more like a teenager instead of a serious, modern businesswoman. “I hope you have a passport because you’re going to need one.”
I blink several times. “A passport? Why?”
“Because you and I are going to London. They wanted to meet in person to sign the contracts, rather than conduct everything over the phone and emails. Which I completely agree with. It’s easier to do business face to face. They also wanted to give us a first-hand look at the centers so we know what we’re working for.”
“They?”
“The Board of Directors. Well, not all of them. Just three of them. The president, vice president, and their head of operations. Here, I’ll email you the itinerary so you can get everything prepared for next week.” She quickly pulls up several things and after a few clicks on her keyboard turns back to face me.
“This is so short notice.”
Kara nods. “I know, but this just fell into our laps and we have to jump on this as soon as possible. So Chris authorized our business trip and has made all the essential arrangements. Now I just need to know if you have a passport.”
I smile and nod. “I do. I picked one up a few years ago in the off-chance that I needed to go out of the country.”
“Planning on doing a crime spree?”
“No, nothing like that,” I say, shaking my head. “In case I ever wanted to go to Canada or Mexico I’d need to have a passport.”
“So, crime spree.”
I laugh. “No crime spree.”
Kara sticks out her bottom lip and then rolls her eyes. “At least you have a passport so we’re set there.”
“When do we leave?”
“Sunday morning. I’ll pick you up so we don’t have to park our cars overnight. Can you be ready to go by eleven?”
I nod emphatically. “Of course! I just can’t believe that you want to take me with you.”
Kara tilts her head slightly. “What do you mean? When have I ever gone on an out of town business trip without you?”
“Well, never, but there’s always a first time for everything.”
“Nonsense. You are my best friend and the greatest assistant a woman could ever ask for. Of cours
e you’re coming with. I wouldn’t hear anything else about it.”
Tears threaten to well in my eyes, but I blink them away. “You’re too good to me, you know that?”
She waves a hand in front of her face. “Think nothing of it. Besides, you could use a break. When was the last time you took a vacation that didn’t involve you sitting at home because I forced you to take a day off?” I stay silent and she nods her head. “Exactly. You need this and I couldn’t be happier to do it for you.”
“Thank you, Kara.”
Kara looks at her watch and smiles. “I’m also making the decision that we’re having a short day today because we need to pack and shop for next week. So you are to leave this office at noon and not one minute over. Then you are to drive straight home and get packing.”
I stand from my chair, noticing that I didn’t even write one note down the entire time I was here. Kara rounds her desk and quickly hugs me. I squeeze her back and pull away.
“It won’t take me long to get ready. I don’t have many nice items so packing will be easy.”
She walks with me out to my cube and stands at the edge of the wall. “That’s not the only reason we’re leaving early. I’ve also booked you a massage appointment with Jenny at Panache this afternoon. And before you object, I’ve already paid for it so you can’t turn it down.”
I bring my hands in front of my mouth and gasp. “You didn’t.”
“I did. Two o’clock so you better not be late. Do I need to call and remind you?”
I shake my head. “No call will be necessary. I’ll be there. Thank you, Kara. You’re too much.”
“It was nothing. Now get to work because we’re leaving in three hours.” She smiles at me again and turns to leave.
I stare at my computer, still half in shock over her announcement. London. She wants me to go to London with her. I’ve always dreamed of going to London but never once thought I would be able to go. Since vacations were non-existent for me growing up, I just assumed they would be the same in my adult life. Not that this is a vacation. It’s a business trip but knowing Kara she’s still going to find a way for us to have fun and explore the city.