Fated to be Yours

by Jodie Larson

  “Okay. Night, Kara.”

  “Oh, and Tess?”

  I glance over at her, my key card suspended in the air above the slot. I raise an eyebrow to her, waiting for her to speak.

  “I liked seeing you like that tonight when you let go and followed your heart. Promise me you’ll keep doing that while we’re here.”

  My teeth clamp down on my lower lip as my eyes divert to the floor. “I’ll try,” I whisper.

  “That’s all I ask. Goodnight, Tess.”

  “Goodnight, Kara.”

  I walk into the darkened space of my temporary home, realizing I’m alone once again. My phone beeps in my purse and I pull it out to see who it could be. I laugh as Kara’s name flashes across the screen.

  Breakfast is at nine. Be ready.

  Securing the lock on my door, I type my one-word reply and flop unceremoniously onto my bed. I stare blankly at the ceiling, recounting the events of tonight. And all my scattered mind can focus on is that goodbye kiss. I can’t believe I kissed him. My hand reaches up and touches the spot where his lips last were. I smile against my fingertips as his eyes and smile come into focus behind my closed lids.

  My phone beeps again next to me. With a heavy sigh, I look at the screen and am surprised to find an unknown number there instead of Kara’s name. My brows furrow as I open the message from the mystery caller.

  Every time I close my eyes I see your face. I can’t stop thinking about you or that kiss you left me with. ~A~

  Holy shit. How did he get my number? My brain rushes into overdrive as I think of ways that he could have found it before realizing, duh, he’s the COO of the Foundation. He has all of my contact information at his disposal.

  My fingers hover over the screen of my phone, unsure if I want to type a response or if I should just let it go. Deciding to stay on my impulsive streak I type my reply.

  Me too. I know that I will be having pleasant dreams tonight because of it. Goodnight, Andrew. ~T~

  Surprise hits me as I smile at the screen. He’s reaching out to me. He says he’s thinking about me.

  Holy shit he’s thinking about me.

  This is too much for me to process. How did I go from being alone to having someone admit that they’re thinking about me? This is something that I’m not used to. Affection. Want. Lust.

  Okay, so the last part is completely on my end but still. It’s foreign but most definitely welcome at this point. I stifle a yawn while getting ready to call it a night. It’s been a busy, tiresome day for sure.

  I click off the light next to me and pull back the covers before crawling into the insanely soft bed. The dim light of my phone on the nightstand draws my attention, casting a soft glow on the side of my face along with a little glimmer of hope and anticipation. The incoming beep has my hands itching to see if it’s Andrew.

  As will I. Until I can see your beautiful face tomorrow, the dreams will have to do. Goodnight, sweet Tessa. ~A~

  My heart skips a beat as I read and reread the words on the screen. Maybe Kara’s right. Maybe he does like me. I quickly save his contact information and set the alarm before placing it back down on the nightstand. With my brain trying to process the events of the last day, the need for distraction is there and I seek out my Kindle to get lost in my fantasy world of perfect men and relationships. But my heart isn’t in it. All I can think about is a bright pair of sapphire eyes, soft, kissable lips, and the gorgeous man that’s attached to them.

  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 to our bed, our safe haven. Space which is only ours and no one else can touch us. My eyes close as I deeply inhale the scent that is undeniably his, invading me 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 on 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 underneath 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 of my ear, causing spasms of pleasure to rocket through my body.

  “I’m yours,” I whisper.

  My body is gently turned onto its back. The bright sapphire eyes I adore beyond belief stare into my own, saying words that do not need to be spoken. My eyes fall on his perfect lips while the shadows cast by the candles surrounding us dance across his beautifully sculpted face. 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.”

  The pain slicing across my face is excruciating. Slowly my eyes open to register what I already know. My legs are tangled within the mess of sheets, which are still firmly lying on top of the mattress. The plush fibers of the carpet tickle my nose, causing it to scrunch up as I rub my face against it. Another bout of pain goes through my head and my hand cautiously reaches up to touch it. The same dream, only somehow slightly different. Regardless, the end result is the same. Once again, I’m on the floor.

  Somehow my legs manage to disentangle themselves from the sheets as I slowly rise from the floor. Why does this keep happening to me? Why can I not escape the torture of thinking there’s some guy out there who actually wants me?

  Andrew instantly comes to mind and a slow smile creeps across my face. Andrew wants me. And he’s real, not some mythical figment of my imagination. I stumble over to the nightstand to turn off the alarm on my phone and notice a missed text message.

  Good morning, Tessa. I hope you slept well. Would it be too presumptuous of me to invite myself to breakfast with you this morning? ~A~

  He wants to have breakfast with me. He wants to see me. I glance down at the time and see that I’ve got a little over an hour to get ready. My fingers are typing the response before my brain even registers the need to.

  Not presumptuous at all. I would love for you to join me and Kara for breakfast. Can you meet us at our hotel around 9:00? We’re staying at the Four Seasons Canary Wharf. ~T~

  Love? My head rolls back as I squeeze my eyes shut, reminding me again of how I woke up this morning. I flinch as my fingertips lightly graze my cheek. One can only imagine what this bruise is going to look like. Within seconds, his response appears on my screen.

  I will meet you in the lobby promptly at 9:00. I am looking forward to spending the day with you. ~A~

  If it were possible to pass out while still being completely awake, I could do that right now from the sheer joy of knowing I am spending the day with my gorgeous mystery man. My shaky legs carry me to the shower as my mind races at a mile a minute.

  I shouldn’t feel this giddy about seeing him. We barely even know each other. But then again, that’s how it always is when you first meet someone. You don’t know them. You have to spend time with them to learn their little nuances and the specials things about them that make them the person they are, the person that attracted your attention in the first place. And yet somehow this beautiful man has me craving more of him. This draw I have to him elates me, an emotion that’s confusing yet exciting me at the mere thought of him.

  The soft knock on my door announces Kara’s arrival as I crack the door slightly, using it as a shield against my mostly naked body. Somehow she manages to squeeze her body insid
e and shakes her head at me.

  “What the hell? You’re not even dressed yet?”

  “Andrew is coming to breakfast with us and I have zero idea what to wear.”

  The Cheshire cat grin that appears on her face should have me worried, but I brush it off since I have more pressing issues currently flooding my brain.

  “Andrew’s coming?”

  “Yes, Andrew’s coming. Help. Me. Please!”

  She turns to my closet, rifling through the few things that are hanging up before handing me my tan sweater dress.

  “Here, wear this one. It’ll be perfect for today since it’s a little chilly out. Plus you’ll look smoking hot in it.”

  She hands me the hanger with the dress on it and I hastily grab it from her. She finds a wide black belt to pair with it, along with my knee-high boots, tossing them both to me as I slide the dress over my semi-naked body.

  Kara looks at me in the mirror at the same time as I do.

  “Okay, I admit it. This looks good,” I say, twisting my body around to get a look at all angles.

  “Good? Please. You are hot! He’s going to melt right on the spot when he sees you.”

  She picks up the curling iron and starts playing with my hair while I focus on putting my makeup on.

  “Don’t be nervous. Remember, you have all day to spend with him. Take a deep breath and relax.”

  My eyes close as I do what she asks. Somehow that makes me feel better. Kara digs through the small travel jewelry case and pulls out some bangle bracelets, along with my silver hoop earrings. She leans against the wall as I put on the finishing touches, spraying a fine mist of my favorite perfume across my body.

  “Perfect.”

  I roll my eyes. “Not quite but it’ll do.”

  “Whatever.” She glances at her watch. “And with minutes to spare. Come on let’s not keep the handsome man waiting.”

  My hands nervously fidget with my dress the entire way to the lobby. Kara looks over at me and shakes her head.

  “Will you knock that shit off? You look hot. You couldn’t look any hotter if you tried.” She pulls at my hands and holds them steady as we exit the elevator. I can feel my breathing start to pick up and the onset of a panic attack slowly rises through my body.

  “Look, there he is. Go get him, Tiger.”

  Kara pushes me playfully into the open space and I stumble forward. Then I just stop. Andrew is sitting in one of the wingback chairs, reading the newspaper. My hand hovers over my heart as I watch him nervously chew on his thumb, my eyes drawn to his mouth. He’s dressed in a pair of khaki pants paired with a green sweater that clings to his chest, giving me an excellent idea of what lies beneath.

  The rapid beating of my heart pounds a tattoo against my palm. He’s just so elegant and refined, sitting there so calm and collected. The nasty thought of why he’s interested in a nobody like me enters my head and my hands begin to twist into each other.

  But then he looks up, sapphire eyes locking onto mine. Time stands still as he smiles in my direction. Andrew’s entire face lights up as his eyes hover over me and I can almost feel his attraction from here. The air becomes thick making it almost hard to breathe. Or it could just be me as my breath is stolen from my body when he stands to his full height, gently placing the folded newspaper onto the table in front of him.

  Kara nudges me from behind even though I’m rooted to the spot. My eyes never once leave his as he approaches us, moving with the same refined elegance I was admiring while he was just sitting there. He’s completely out of my league.

  “Good morning, ladies,” Andrew says. The sound of his deep masculine voice washes over me, causing heart palpitations once again. My eyes roam over his features now that he’s standing within arm’s reach of me. Clean shaven, hair impeccably styled, unwrinkled clothes. Just sheer perfection in my book.

  My eyelids flutter slightly as the first smell of his cologne hits my nose. The knots in my stomach pull tighter and I swallow past the newly formed lump in my throat.

  “Well, good morning to you, Andrew. You look very handsome today. Doesn’t he Tessa?” Kara says, elbowing me in the back.

  It’s then I realize that I have been mute and statuesque the entire time. But my body doesn’t seem to want to cooperate. All I can do is stand there, silent, and look at him. He leans in close, giving my body another reason to tremble.

  “Tessa, you look even more beautiful than yesterday,” he says, grasping my hand. My eyes follow his lips as they gently land upon my skin, leaving a trail of warmth and fire in their wake when he pulls up. Heat rises in my cheeks, making me glad I skipped applying blush today, probably knowing I wouldn’t need it as long as he was around me.

  “Thank you, Andrew,” I say quietly on an exhale. He smiles and once again my body reacts to the sheer beauty of him near me. He keeps my hand in his as Kara clears her throat behind me.

  “So glad you could make it this morning. Unfortunately, I have a conference call I was made aware of at the last minute so you two are on your own.”

  My head twists to the side, trying to see if she’s doing this on purpose or not. Although knowing her, she’s lying so Andrew and I can be alone together.

  “I wasn’t aware of a conference call.” She smiles her mischievous smile and shrugs her shoulders.

  “Like I said, it was last minute. So I’ll leave you two to it. Ta-ta!” she chirps, waving her hand over her shoulder as she quickly retreats to the bank of elevators. Mischievous little tart. I don’t know whether to thank her or throttle her. The jury is still out on that.

  My eyes fall onto our joined hands again until Andrew’s voice draws my attention upward.

  “It appears that it’s just you and me then. Shall we?” he asks, releasing my hand and offering his elbow instead. My arm slips easily into the crook of his as my head nods in agreement.

  We glide across the marble floor toward the in-house restaurant, where we’re ushered immediately to a quiet table in the corner, giving us some privacy from the rest of the crowd. It doesn’t escape my attention that every female’s eyes follow Andrew as we walk through the restaurant, allowing myself to receive a few glares at the same time. Not that I blame them. I’d be staring at him too if I weren’t the one currently attached to his arm.

  Being the perfect gentleman that he is, he holds out my chair for me. I give him my silent appreciation, still unable to find my voice as I watch him lower himself into the chair next to me. Odd that he doesn’t want to sit across from me, but I quickly understand the reason why as his leg brushes up against mine. My stomach flutters again at the contact.

  “So Tessa, tell me a little more about yourself,” he says as he picks up his menu.

  I watch as his eyes scan over the choices and I feel myself relax a little.

  “Well, there’s not much to tell really. I’m twenty-six, I live alone in a small one bedroom apartment close to downtown Minneapolis, and I go to work then come home and read. I’m really quite boring, believe me.”

  His quiet chuckle pulls a smile from me as I scan the menu in an attempt to avoid eye contact.

  “I find that hard to believe. Have you lived in Minneapolis your entire life?” The genuine curiosity in his voice pulls my head toward him. My bottom lip disappears between my teeth.

  “No. I grew up in northern Minnesota until I graduated from community college with my AA degree and my certification as an Administrative Office Assistant. It’s not much, but it was all I could afford at the time. Some people would look down upon my job title, but I truly enjoy it. There are so many people out there that have their jobs simply because of the money and are miserable doing them. It may not be the highest paying job ever, but it covers my bills and I’m doing something that I love, which makes getting up every day worth it.”

  Typically I go on the defensive about my job because most people do look down upon it. They feel that being a lowly secretary is just some position for people who have no talent or purpose in
life. But as Andrew looks at me, I don’t see the pity or disappointment in my life choices I see with some others. There’s a sparkle in his eye as he just sits and listens to me describe my somewhat pathetic life.

  “It’s not often you find a person who enjoys what they do in life. You are most definitely a rare one Tessa, in more ways than one.” He places his hand over mine and the familiar tingling travels through my veins.

  The waiter arrives at our table, jotting down our order quickly as if sensing we wanted to be alone. It isn’t lost on me Andrew has yet to remove his hand from the top of mine, making my soul sigh as it chips away another brick in the wall I’ve constructed around me.

  The awkwardness I usually feel leaves me as we sit in a moment of comfortable silence. He obviously must be comfortable as well because he doesn’t make a move to fill it. My eyes fall upon our joined hands and I notice he does the same. He lightly squeezes it, causing another spark to travel through my body.

  “I hope you don’t mind this Tessa, me holding your hand. It’s just that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we first met. There’s this overwhelming need to touch you as if to make sure that you’re real,” he says quietly.

  That low timbre in his voice stirs emotions inside me again and I feel the heat rise in my cheeks as he verbalizes what I’m thinking in my own head.

  “Well, to be completely honest, I have the same feeling as you. Every time I’m near you there’s this attraction I just can’t place. It’s very new for me and it scares me a little.”

  “While we’re honest with each other, I admit that it scares me a bit as well.”

  I watch as he lifts his free hand and lightly traces my cheek with his index finger. My heart beats a pounding rhythm in my chest as I watch his brows furrow in concern.

  “What happened here? You have a slight bruise on your face.” The tip of his finger crosses the discolored skin again, causing me to flinch slightly as he hits a sensitive spot.