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by Janet Nissenson


  Edward patted his son on the shoulder. “Then I’d suggest you sneak out of here the back way before those two assemble a posse. I think they might be gathering reinforcements.”

  Tessa laughed and reached up to press a kiss on her future father-in-law’s cheek. “We’ll do that. And thanks for the warning. And thank you for hosting the dinner tonight. It was wonderful to have this time with the family.”

  “My pleasure, dear,” assured Edward. “Joanna and I were happy to do it. And you’re right. As wonderful as the wedding is going to be tomorrow, with so many guests it will be difficult to carve out time for the family. I’m glad we were all able to get together this evening.”

  When they had realized the guest list for their wedding had swelled to more than three hundred people, Ian had insisted on having several smaller, more intimate dinners with his family and the bridal party before the big day. Back in San Francisco, he and Tessa had hosted just his parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law at Le Mistral the first night, followed by a larger event at the Gregson hotel that had included aunts, uncles, and cousins. Tonight’s meal here at the Napa resort had been expanded to include Tessa’s two bridesmaids, Francine and Oliver Carrington, and a handful of Ian’s very closest friends.

  And that didn’t count last night’s rehearsal dinner, attended by just the bridal party and Ian’s parents, or the girls-only tea that Joanna had hosted back in San Francisco. Fortunately, part of Ian’s rationale in arriving here at the resort yesterday morning had been having plenty of time for relaxation and recreation in between all of the socializing. The pools, tennis court, golf course, spa, and fitness center were all open and fully staffed, and the guests had been making good use of the facilities thus far.

  But even though she’d slept in relatively late this morning, had indulged in a relaxing massage this afternoon, as well as a short nap, Tessa wasn’t able to suppress a yawn now. Smiling indulgently, Ian took her firmly by the hand and led her around the paved, well-lit path that would take them to their private villa. A number of the larger suites here at the brand new resort - including the owner’s suite that he and Tessa were occupying - had been designed as detached residences apart from the main building. The entire place was indeed built along the same design as a luxurious Tuscan villa, with a combination of stone and stucco walls, red tiled roofs, and meticulously landscaped grounds. Olive, fig, and orange trees had been planted around the resort, and there were plans to grow grapes as well, with the eventual goal of producing an exclusive vintage of boutique wines.

  “Shouldn’t we at least say good night?” she whispered urgently, as he drew her further and further away from the poolside terrace where dinner had been served al fresco.

  “We should most definitely not say good night. To anyone,” retorted Ian. “Otherwise, I’m afraid my father is right. You’d find yourself being carried away by a small army of indignant women who still believe that a bride and groom shouldn’t be sleeping together the night before the wedding.”

  Tessa laughed softly. “I would just tell them not to worry, since we’re probably not going to actually get much sleep.”

  “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, love,” he corrected as they reached the largest of the detached villas. He inserted the card key in the lock, then held the door open as she walked inside the luxuriously appointed living area.

  As expected, Tessa was frowning at him as he turned her way after securely locking the door. “And what exactly does that mean? Please don’t tell me that you’re planning to sleep in the other bedroom? Because that would completely defeat the purpose here, Ian, and -”

  “Shh.” He placed his index finger over her lips. “That’s not it, no. The only place I’m sleeping tonight is right beside you in our bed, love. But as far as anything else - well, I’m still old-fashioned enough that I want to wait until our wedding night before we make love again. I hope that you’ll feel the same way.”

  Tessa pretended to pout a bit before wrapping her arms around his waist. “I suppose you’re right,” she sighed. “Once again. Will you always be right about everything?”

  “God, no,” he chuckled. “After all, being married is an entirely new experience for me. And I fully expect to slip up every now and then. Which is why I’m counting on you to tell me when that happens.”

  She brightened, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. “Okay. Well, right now, for example. The more I think about it, I really don’t agree with your rationale about abstaining from sex tonight. I think we should get in some practice for the main event tomorrow night.”

  Ian gave her a look of mock severity. “First, of all, we’re not married yet, love. So your argument isn’t applicable. Second, I think we’ve had plenty of practice in that regard over the last year and a half.”

  Tessa smiled flirtatiously, and quite deliberately ran a palm up over his chest. “I could just try seducing you,” she taunted. “You can be awfully easy at times, you know. Like on your birthday back in April. Or last week when I stopped by your office after work.”

  He captured her hand, giving it a little warning squeeze. “Behave,” he warned her, all while trying not to laugh. “Otherwise, I’ll call my mother and Mrs. C. and tell them they can come and sequester you away for the night.”

  “Okay,” she acquiesced. “I’ll be good. Though I know what your little game is, Mr. Gregson. You just love to make me wait for it, don’t you? You like it when I’m so hot for you that I can hardly bear it a moment longer. When you’ve got me so turned on that all it takes is the tiniest touch and I fall apart in your arms.” She patted his cheek. “You’ve got an evil streak beneath all those gentlemanly manners of yours.”

  This time he did laugh, picking her up by the waist and twirling her around in a circle. “I confess,” he admitted meekly. “So to make it up to you for having to wait until tomorrow night, I’ve got a gift for you.”

  Tessa scowled fiercely. “I thought we agreed not to buy each other wedding gifts. A promise you’ve already broken - twice - by giving me those gorgeous earrings and bracelet.”

  He shrugged, unconcerned. “It’s a man’s prerogative to change his mind, darling.”

  She stuck out her tongue. “You know darned well that it’s the woman’s prerogative, not the man’s. And I’m more than a little annoyed that you bought me another gift, Ian. Especially when I don’t have anything for you.”

  “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong,” he chided. He tipped her chin up to gaze into his eyes. “You, my love, are the greatest gift I could have ever wished for.”

  Ian poured them each a small snifter of brandy from the well-stocked bar, then led her outside to the suite’s secluded, spacious terrace that overlooked a private infinity pool. It was cooler outside at this hour of the night since it wasn’t quite summer yet, but Tessa gently refused his offer to fetch her a wrap.

  They sat silently for a few minutes, sipping their drinks slowly as they gazed out at the night sky. It was drawing close to a full moon, and it was so clear out tonight that the stars felt almost close enough to touch.

  Quietly, he slid the manila envelope he’d brought outside with him to her side of the table. “Open it.”

  Tessa set her snifter down, her brow wrinkling in bemusement as she picked up the envelope and undid the clasp. She slid out the sheaf of papers and glanced at the top page, her expression growing increasingly more confused as she began to read the document over.

  “I don’t understand,” she said, lifting her puzzled gaze to his. “What is this exactly?”

  “What does it look like?” asked Ian gently.

  Tessa glanced back down at the document. “It’s a deed. To a house. A house in The Sea Ranch. But why is it in my name?”

  “Because I bought it for you,” he replied easily. “The same beach house we’ve stayed at three times now. I know how much you like that house, how happy you’ve been during our vacations there. Now you can go there whenever you like.”

 
The deed slipped from her fingers to the glass-topped table as she stared at him in shock. “You bought me a house?” she whispered. “But - but why isn’t it in both of our names? I mean, when we saw your attorneys last month, you made it very clear that you were putting all of your assets in joint name - the house, cars, stocks, savings, everything. Why wouldn’t you do the same with the beach house?”

  Ian took her hands in his. “Because,” he told her quietly, “this is something just for you. I know how little you’ve had in your life, Tessa, how many things you’ve gone without over the years. And how you lost everything you’d managed to acquire on your own not once but twice in a fire. This house - this is something you can truly call your own, that will only belong to you. Of course, I’d be very happy to be invited to stay there with you occasionally, as long as you’re - oomph!”

  He was abruptly cut off as she practically leaped onto his lap, wrapping her arms fiercely around his neck, and kissing him with eager, hungry enthusiasm. The kiss went on for long seconds, enough that he had to quell the nearly insatiable lust he always experienced when Tessa was nearby.

  But finally she lifted her head to gaze at him with tear-filled eyes, and with a look of such pure, overwhelming love that it made him want to weep, too.

  “I could say thank you a thousand times,” she whispered brokenly. “A million times. But I could never say it enough times to make you understand everything you’ve done for me, Ian. And I’m not talking about the clothes or the jewels or even this beautiful house you just bought me - which, by the way, is way over the top, even for you.”

  She slid her palms to either side of his face, her thumb brushing over his lips. “None of the material things, though, can ever come close to all of the other wonderful, amazing, kind, thoughtful things you’ve done for me. The way you take care of me, make me feel safe and cherished and protected. You have slayed every dragon, banished every ghost, chased every monster out from under my bed. You are my Prince Charming, my Knight in Shining Armor, and my dream lover all rolled into one. But the most wonderful thing you’ve done for me is to simply love me. I’ve never had anyone in my life who’s done that. And that, to me, is by far the most precious gift of all.”

  Their lips met and clung, the kiss so filled with pure emotion, that Ian’s heart alternately ached and sang with joy. He held her on his lap for long minutes after that, cuddling her close as the temperature began to drop. But when she began to shiver from the cool night air, he urged her to her feet and guided her back inside.

  As she replaced the deed to the beach house in the envelope, Tessa gave him a stern look.

  “I’m going to assume that this is the final wedding gift,” she told him.

  Ian shook his head, a mischievous smile curling up the corners of his mouth. “There is just one more. You’ll find it on the bed.”

  She glared at him. “It had better not be the necklace that matches the earrings and bracelet.”

  But when she saw exactly what was waiting for her spread out on the bed, she gave a shriek of laughter, and promptly held the bright pink nightshirt up against her. On the front was emblazoned a sleepy cartoon moose clad in bathrobe and slippers, with the words “I Need A Moose-Age” written across the top.

  “What in the world is this?” she asked, still laughing.

  “This,” he replied, as he touched his forehead to hers, “is the only way I’m going to be able to handle sleeping next to you tonight and not be tempted to break my vow of abstinence. You have to admit it’s not the most attractive garment in the world.”

  Tessa glanced at the label of the baggy nightshirt. “It’s also two sizes too big. I’m going to swim in this thing.”

  “I need all the help I can get,” he teased. “You’re very tempting, you know. I was initially going to buy you a pair of flannel pajamas but it is June, after all.”

  “Fine,” she sighed. “I’ll wear this hideous thing if that’s what you really want. But how do you expect me to keep my own hands off of you tonight? Those briefs you wear don’t really cover very much.”

  “That’s easy.” He grinned just before extracting something from a dresser drawer. “I bought the flannel pajamas for myself.”

  “That is hands down the most butt ugly nightgown I’ve ever seen,” declared Julia with a shudder. “Please tell me this is not something you wear on a regular basis. Even my sister owns sexier nightgowns than that. Of course, knowing Lauren, she probably sleeps in the buff most of the time.”

  “So do I,” confided Tessa in a hushed tone. “And, trust me, I did not pick this out for myself. I think this is Ian’s idea of a chastity belt. Along with the old man pajamas he wore. Though, of course, being Ian he still managed to look hot in them.”

  Her husband-to-be had just left the suite a few minutes ago, making good on his vow to not see her again until the wedding. Ian, being the dedicated athlete that he was, had headed off for a workout in the resort’s gym, followed by a swim in one of the three pools. He would be getting ready for the ceremony in the villa that his parents were occupying.

  Before he’d left a short while ago, however, he had given her a long, thorough kiss, then murmured in her ear, “I’ll be counting the minutes until I see you again, love. And counting the seconds until you’re finally my wife.”

  When Julia had arrived a few minutes after Ian’s departure, Tessa had still been smiling dreamily, could still feel the imprint of Ian’s mouth on hers, and it had taken Julia’s rather harsh critique of her nightgown to snap her out of the daze she’d fallen into.

  Julia snickered. “I get it now. He wanted to sleep with you the night before your wedding, but not engage in any hanky-panky. Well, I’m guessing from that repulsive thing you’ve got on that his plans were successful. Seriously, honey, if Nathan saw me wearing something that atrocious, it would be a whole month before he’d have sex with me again. You need to donate that to some charity, and never, ever think about wearing it again. Even the moose looks embarrassed. Now, do me a favor and at least put the hotel bathrobe on over it. Our breakfast is due to arrive in a few minutes and I don’t want anything to spoil my appetite.”

  Tessa laughed as she walked inside the enormous master bathroom, and plucked one of the plush, dark blue spa robes from the wall hook where she’d left it yesterday. She grimaced as she got a look at herself in the mirror, the ugly bright pink nightshirt looking like a tent on her slender frame. She pulled the offending garment off, and then belted the robe around her body, its softness feeling luxurious against her naked skin.

  “Is this better?” she asked Julia as she padded out into the living room on bare feet.

  “Much, much better,” declared Julia as she glanced around the spacious suite. “I was just admiring my handiwork here. I’m so glad Ian decided to go with the touches of color that I suggested. Without all of the burgundies and bronzes, it would have been too dull in here. And it’s such a majestic suite that it really needed that pop of color to make it come alive.”

  Tessa nodded. “It’s gorgeous, Julia. And Ian is convinced that you and Nathan and your company will receive all sorts of design awards for this place. I don’t know the first thing about any of that stuff, of course, but even I know this whole resort turned out to be breathtaking. It’s so much like the family villa in Tuscany, but more modern, and even more luxurious. And the bed doesn’t squeak even a little. Not like - um, never mind.”

  Julia gave her a wink. “I can imagine. You must have had to get a little inventive when you vacationed there last year, surrounded on both sides by his family. Still, it would have been worth it. I can’t wait until Nathan and I go to Italy this fall. My first time there, you know.”

  “You’ll love it,” assured Tessa. “Great pasta and bread and wine. Though the desserts aren’t quite as yummy as the ones in Paris. Oh, that must be Sasha.”

  Sasha was quickly followed by the arrival of room service with a sumptuous bridal breakfast. Julia, who always had a hearty appetite,
oohed and ahhed as she uncovered the various silver domed platters of food - brioche French toast bites; lox, cream cheese, and mini-bagels; eggs Florentine; a beautifully presented platter of assorted fresh fruits; mini-muffins, bite-sized pastries, and glazed donut holes; a pitcher of chilled orange juice; carafes of both coffee and hot water, with an assortment of teas.

  Julia didn’t waste any time filling her plate with a little of everything, while Sasha took her time in selecting her breakfast. Tessa glanced at her bridesmaid’s plate anxiously.

  “Is this okay?” she asked in concern. “I mean, can you eat most of this stuff?”

  Sasha nodded. “I’m a vegetarian, not a strict vegan, so I do eat eggs and dairy occasionally. And all of this looks so delicious that I’d make an exception anyway.”

  Julia gave a little snort. “I swear I’ve never met anyone as disciplined about her diet and exercise regime as this one. Knowing you, Sasha, you were probably up at four in the morning to do a three hour yoga session in your room.”

  “Not quite that early,” replied Sasha with a sunny smile. “And I only did yoga for an hour, since I went for a three mile hike first. It’s so beautiful around here first thing in the morning - a little cool, hardly anyone else out, and the colors of the sunrise were breathtaking.”

  Julia shuddered. “Well, I might pack three more pounds directly on my hips and ass as a result, but I’m planning on eating whatever I want today and not even thinking about exercising. I’ve been so busy at work these past couple of months that I’ve hardly had time to cook a decent meal. And the food here has been incredible so far. I can only imagine how wonderful the dinner is going to be this evening.”

 

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