Fated to be Yours

by Jodie Larson

  We spend the next few hours moving from hallway to hallway, classroom to classroom. We’re introduced to several children in passing and even are invited to partake in one of the projects in the art room. Of course, we respectfully decline, using the premise of a lack of time.

  Andrew’s hand never once leaves mine throughout the tour. My heart beats wildly, wondering what Charles and Priscilla must think of their COO holding hands with a potential business associate. A wave of fear spreads through me as I dwell on that a little longer than I should. What would happen to us when the contracts are signed? Is there a no fraternization policy that would prohibit us from being together?

  My fear is short-lived as we enter the gymnasium. There is a handful of teenage boys playing basketball toward one side. A small group of little girls are playing with hula hoops in the middle and over on the far right is a mix of boys and girls playing volleyball. My mood lightens considerably as I watch and listen to the laughter that echoes through the gym.

  A basketball rolls toward me and I reach down to pick it up. A taller than average teenage boy jogs up to me, sweat dripping from his brow and slightly out of breath.

  “Pardon me Miss but could I please get the ball back? We only need one more point and then we win,” he smiles at me.

  Inspiration strikes me as I hold the ball out to him. After our conversation this morning, I feel the need to step out of my comfort zone and try doing things that I may not normally do, per Kara’s instructions before we left the States.

  “Here you go. But I call the winner.”

  He stands there almost in a daze before he blinks back to life. “You play basketball?”

  “I’ve played a little, but it’s been a few years.”

  He looks down at my feet and starts laughing. He doesn’t look to be more than fifteen or sixteen.

  “But you don’t have any trainers.”

  I look down at my knee-high boots and laugh. “I’ll improvise, don’t worry about that. But if you’re not up for the challenge . . .” I say, leaving the sentence hanging in the air between us. He stands a little taller and takes the ball from my outstretched hands.

  “Play a game with you? I’ll make sure we win.”

  He runs back to his friends and tells them the offer. All at once they turn their heads toward me, each beaming brightly. Andrew laughs while looking down at me.

  “Are you sure you want to do that? You’ll kill yourself with those boots on.”

  “Oh don’t worry. I’ll manage,” I say.

  I bend down and start unzipping my boots, gently bracing myself on Andrew’s arm as I slide them off my feet. He stares at me with heat in his eyes, giving me an appreciative grin while he follows the movements of my hands. I look up and notice that the group of boys have stopped playing too, carefully watching me as I strip out of my oppressive boots. I stand upright, placing my hands on my hips as I look in their direction.

  “No one is going to win if no one plays, boys,” I mock scold them. They unfreeze themselves and resume their game. I can hear the other three laughing behind us as I turn slightly toward them. They appear to be lost in conversation, occasionally glancing at Andrew and me.

  I bend down again to remove my stockings, thinking that it would probably be in my best interest to play barefoot, especially since I know how coordinated I am. I risk a glance up at Andrew through my lashes, throwing him what I hope is a seductive smile. Once again, I see the heat in his eyes as they lock onto my hands, sliding underneath the nylon being drawn down my legs. My breathing accelerates and my stomach clenches as I hear a faint groan coming from him. My lower lip disappears between my teeth as I notice his breath catching when we lock eyes.

  He gives me another appreciative grin, his lips curling into the smile that I have come to adore since I first met him. He opens his mouth, looking as if he wants to say something, but nothing comes out. Instead, all I hear is a loud thud due to the basketball hitting him in the side of his head. He stumbles a little and then looks over at the offenders after regaining his composure. They sheepishly murmur an apology to Andrew as he bends down and tosses the ball back to them with a laugh.

  “I think you’re going to have an unfair advantage over them, Tessa.” He looks over his shoulder as the boys take several shots at the basket. It doesn’t go unnoticed that they also look over at our direction often while they’re playing. “It also appears that you may have a few admirers.”

  I boldly place my hand on his firm chest as I straighten upright. “Jealous?” I ask.

  My eyes fall upon his throat as I watch him swallow hard at my comment. The joyful commotion coming from the boys behind us fades to a dull roar as the sexual tension flowing between me and Andrew occupies my senses. I blink hard, hoping it’s enough to pull me away from him. He runs the pad of his thumb down my cheek as his eyes search mine. I need to put some distance between us, not wanting to draw any attention our way.

  I step back and begin walking toward the boys, the winning team cheering loudly for their victory.

  “Who’s ready?” I ask.

  Three of them walk toward Andrew, leaving me surrounded by five sweaty and panting boys. Apparently everyone else in the gym has caught on as a small circle forms around the six of us. Andrew winks at me and I take it as a silent gesture of encouragement. Whether it was or not, I have no idea but at this rate I could use all the help I can get. I wasn’t prepared to do this in front of an audience.

  “So who am I partners with?” Each of them raises their hands and I laugh.

  “Well, you all cannot be my partners. How about you two are partners with me to make it an even three on three,” I say, pointing to two of them. They eagerly spring to my side as the other three retreats to huddle around each other, more than likely devising their game plan.

  I shake each of their hands as I introduce myself.

  “Peter,” says the one that I made the wager with.

  “James,” the other boy says.

  “Nice you meet you both. Are you ready to play?”

  “Yes!” they both exclaim at the same time. We join the other three in the center of the court, getting into our positions as I push up the sleeves of my sweater dress, ready to start the game.

  After about twenty minutes, it’s tied with a score of eight each. My hair is clinging to my head with a thin sheen of sweat. The boys are not holding back whatsoever, giving me a good run for my money. My feet ache slightly, but the smiles plastered on their faces keep me going. So does the one that Andrew keeps throwing my way, even though he’s actively engaged in conversations with the other kids near him. I try to regain my focus as we resume action, quickly stealing the ball away from one of the boys. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he did it on purpose so I’d have to brush up against him. I run back to the line and pass the ball to James, who effortlessly sinks it into the basket. Peter runs up to us as we give each other high fives.

  “One more then that’s game,” I somehow manage to say in a panting breath as I’m completely exhausted by the physical activity. Nothing makes you feel old more than playing basketball with a bunch of teenagers, especially when all the exercise that you do consists of walking from your couch to your bed during the week. If what Kara says is true about the hotel having spa services available I may need to look into that.

  The other team takes a shot, but the ball sails over the rim, landing in Peter’s waiting arms. He dribbles back to the line and quickly passes it to me. I drive the net, planting my feet before taking the shot. The ball bounces off the rim one, twice and then slowly sinks in. Peter and James come running up to me, wrapping their arms around me tightly in a celebratory hug.

  “We won Tessa! That was so brill,” Peter says.

  I laugh because I have no idea what he just said. “I hope that means good.”

  Peter nods his head and smiles. I try to pull back from them, but they just wrap their arms tighter around me. I give an awkward pat on their arms with the limi
ted mobility that I have.

  “You both did an excellent job. Do you play for the team at school?” I ask as they finally release me.

  “No, we don’t have the money for the sports fees to play at school. But that’s okay. We enjoy playing here with everyone else,” James says.

  My heart breaks a little as they talk about the lack of funding for them to pursue their favorite pastime sport. But they don’t seem down about it. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The beaming smiles they have on their faces tell me they’re not going to let it stop them from doing what they love.

  I don’t hesitate when I lean over and kiss both of them on the cheek. It’s hard to tell if they’re blushing due to my kiss or from the exertion of the game, but their faces are definitely red. Andrew comes up behind me, his hand gently placed on my hip, pulling me into his side. Without thinking I wrap my arm around his back as if it’s the most natural thing to do. James and Peter take a step back as Andrew bends down, grazing his lips across my temple.

  “Well done Tessa. I would never have guessed you were a basketball player,” he says, amusement lacing his voice.

  I pull back slightly from him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you saying that I’m not a sporty type of girl?”

  “No, I never said that. It’s just that you don’t see many women play basketball in their bare feet while wearing a dress,” he laughs.

  I join him in his little joke at my expense. “You’re lucky you’re so cute. I will take that as a compliment then.”

  He reaches down and brings my free hand to his mouth, gently kissing each of my knuckles.

  “And you should.”

  He helps me put my stockings and boots back on, holding me up as I hop from foot to foot before zipping them up. We turn to the five teens that haven’t stopped staring at us. I shake each of their hands, giving a wink to James and Peter.

  “Thank you for the game. I had a lot of fun.”

  “You can come back anytime, Tessa. We’ll always be ready for you,” James says.

  I give them a final wave goodbye as Andrew and I start to head to the door where the other three are waiting for us.

  He leans down and whispers in my ear. “I definitely think you have a few admirers now my sweet Tessa.”

  My head tilts back as I trace his features with my eyes. He truly is quite handsome.

  “They’re just little boys. It’s only a crush. I’m sure they’ll get over it.”

  His eyes dilate as his chest expands and his nostrils flare slightly. His voice drops low, deep and seductive. “I think it’s more than a crush.”

  I pause, halting our progress across the gym floor. “Why do you think that?”

  He stares at me and the familiar pull to him draws me closer to his side. “Because I recognize the look they’re giving you and the feelings it evokes. It’s the same way I look and feel every time I see you. Maybe it’s a little more than their crush. Maybe it’s a lot more.”

  My eyes search his, finding that he’s speaking the absolute truth. A new wave of emotions falls over me, ones that I’m still not quite ready to address just yet. But the pull he has on me is so strong and I know in my heart it’s more than a crush between us.

  My eyes fall to the floor in an attempt to hide the emotions I don’t want to show. But he won’t have it. He tilts my chin up with his knuckle, looking deep into my eyes before dropping his lips onto mine. It’s a chaste kiss, but it definitely doesn’t lack the usual fire that’s always burning between us.

  A clearing throat sounds behind us, drawing our attention to Charles tapping his watch to Andrew.

  “Yes, of course,” Andrew says. I can’t tell if he’s slightly embarrassed or ashamed of our public show, but that doesn’t stop the heat from crawling up my neck as well. Once again, I’ve made a spectacle of myself, letting my guard down and allowing myself to throw caution aside. I can only imagine what they’re thinking of us now. I try to pull my hand from Andrew’s, wanting to put some space between us but obviously he’s not having it as he tightens his grip. Charles looks between us and smirks.

  “Well played Tessa. You definitely gave those boys a run for their money. But now it’s late in the afternoon and we must be going.”

  Only then does it dawn on me that it’s a weekday as we walk toward the front doors of the building.

  “Don’t the children have school today?”

  “The children have a holiday from school this week. It was the most opportune time to meet with you and allow us to show you what the children do while they’re here,” Priscilla says.

  “Well, I’m glad for that. These are all wonderful kids and they are so fortunate to have a place like this to come to,” Kara says. I nod my head in agreement, thankful I don’t have to try and talk again.

  Andrew and I fall into step with everyone else, but he puts some distance between us and the rest of the group as we cross the parking lot. His thumb continually runs across the back of my hand and I don’t know if he’s trying to soothe me or soften a blow.

  “Andrew, don’t forget we have a board meeting at four,” Charles says as he stands in the open door of his car.

  “I just need to drive Kara and Tessa back to their hotel first since we arrived together. I’ll do my best not to be late.”

  We say our goodbyes to Charles and Priscilla, agreeing to meet up for another tour tomorrow. Always the gentleman, Andrew opens the door for Kara as she slides into the back seat of his car. He quickly rounds the vehicle to open my door as I reach out for the handle. Once I’m safely folded inside, he climbs into the car and we head toward our hotel.

  He seems distant as he navigates the streets though I’m not sure why. Perhaps it has something to do with our little public display of affection in front of his superiors. That really was quite stupid on my part, allowing myself to carry on like that especially in front of the kids. But every time I’m with him, all reason just leaves me. For the first time in my life, I’m acting on instinct instead of hiding away in the shadows, hoping to blend into my surroundings so I won’t be noticed.

  Then the ugly face of doubt confronts me. What if Charles spoke to him when I was playing basketball with the boys, advising him it would not be in the Foundation’s best interests to be involved with me? Or he’s probably wondering how to soften the blow when he cancels our dinner date for tonight. I worry my bottom lip between my teeth as I stare blankly out my window.

  I listen as Kara talks in a hushed whisper on her phone in the back seat. More than likely she’s talking to Christopher, giving him an update on our day so far. Hopefully, she leaves out my embarrassing gymnasium display from the conversation.

  Andrew pulls the car up to the front entrance of the hotel, jumping out quickly to open our doors for us. We walk into the lobby, my arms hanging loosely at my sides. We pause at the sitting area as Kara turns to the two of us with a grin.

  “Okay lovebirds, I’m heading to my room. Mr. Jameson and I have a date. Don’t keep her out too long tonight Andrew,” she says. I listen to her heels click on the marble floor on the way to the elevators.

  Andrew turns to face me and I watch as his face falls slightly.

  “Tessa, what’s the matter? You look sad.”

  “Are you allowed to carry on a relationship with me Andrew? Is there some conflict of interest here or some unwritten decree that you shouldn’t get involved with someone you do business with? I feel like something is off since we left the Center.” My voice is small as I brace myself for the inevitable.

  “What would make you think that? My professionalism and work responsibilities have no impact on my feelings for you. If I want to pursue a relationship with you, then I will. And I’ll be damned what anyone else thinks.” He gently cups my cheek, bringing my face up to meet his eyes. I swallow nervously as he silently beseeches me to listen to his words.

  On an exhale, I brace myself for what I’m about to say. “I like you, Andrew. I’ve never had an attraction to someone as I do
with you. You make me forget my insecurities and I get to be myself for a while, something that I haven’t done in a very long time. And it confuses me because we barely know each other and that’s when I’m at my most vulnerable, reading into lines that aren’t really there. Does this make sense? I’m not making sense. And now I’m just rambling. I should really just stop talking.”

  Andrew’s hands frame my face, his soft touch bringing the warmth I now crave. He bends down and places a sweet, addictive kiss upon my lips. A kiss that I could never get enough of regardless of how hard I try to fight it. He pulls me out of my head, letting my worries drift away and to put my trust in him.

  “Tessa, you are an amazing woman and believe it or not you are making complete sense. I don’t understand it either, but I am drawn to you in ways that I never thought were possible. It’s a force that I’m not fighting and I hope you won’t either.” He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me toward him while simultaneously nuzzling my hair. My arms wrap around his back, feeling the muscles beneath his sweater and sigh.

  So it’s not just all in my head.

  “I’ll be back at seven o’clock to pick you up for our date. Wear some jeans and a sweater if you have one.” He pulls back and looks down at my boots. “And you’ll probably want to wear a more comfortable pair of shoes than those.”

  I laugh as he places a sweet kiss on my forehead. It’s not lost on me that he hasn’t stopped kissing me since we’ve been standing here. Once again, I’m caught in a situation where I’m the subject of a little too much PDA. But with Andrew it just can’t be helped.

  “Jeans and a sweater it is then. I can’t wait to see where you’re taking me.”

  My fingers trail down his cheek, feeling his stubble start to form. He leans into my touch before turning to kiss the palm of my hand. Our eyes lock as I pull away from him.

  “I will see you at seven, my lady,” he says with an over exaggerated bow.

  I giggle and attempt to do my best curtsy in return. “I shall be waiting with bated breath kind, sir.”