by Larkin Rose
It was true. She indeed had her focus set on someone. The wrong one. Tessa had a one-track mind. Her mind was set on this game. Winning. Set on her new career taking flight.
All of that was fine. She was great with Tessa’s new career taking off. It wasn’t like she was proposing a marriage.
She wanted Tessa to know she hadn’t lied. It was important that Tessa knew the truth, that she wasn’t playing some sick game.
“I don’t have my sights set on Tessa. I just don’t like her thinking I am a liar. Once I get that off my chest, all will be good and I can be free to move about the cabin.”
“Okay. So write her a letter and have one of her crew give it to her. Case closed.”
“A letter? Seriously? Please don’t mock me.” Marci felt the bite of her words. “We’re not in grade school, Wendy. This isn’t a check yes or no kind of problem solving issue.”
“True.” Wendy studied her for a few seconds, her brow creased in deep concentration. “Holy shit, you’re smitten with her, aren’t you?”
“Oh my God. Of course not.” Marci threw her hands up and hoped the reaction appeared genuine.
Fact was, she didn’t know what she was. Only that she was in turmoil because a beautiful woman wouldn’t speak to her. A beautiful woman who she had so much in common with that it was like looking in a mirror sometimes.
And she wouldn’t give Marci the time of day to defend herself. She wanted nothing more to do with Marci, no matter how glorious their time together had been.
It was downright unnerving and she couldn’t think about anything else.
She had to talk to Tessa. Had to.
“Okay, so you don’t like her. She doesn’t like you. I don’t see the problem.”
“I simply want to tell her that she’s wrong about me. I’m not a damn liar.”
“In that case, you should run up to the lodge and say those exact words. Tell her she’s wrong. Because telling a woman she’s wrong always goes over well.”
Marci felt a seed of hope. “She’s up at the lodge?”
“Yep. All alone. Stocking for her next clients.”
Marci slowly rose from the chair when her instincts were to race from the room and drive like a maniac all the way up the mountain.
“Think you could have told me that to begin with?”
“And miss all this important conversation and the chance to watch you squirm? No way.”
“You’re impossible.” Marci scooted around the chair.
“One more thing,” Wendy blurted.
Marci turned around but kept her motion for the door.
“When you see it, let me know.”
“When I see what?” Marci gripped the doorframe to stop herself from running.
“Nothing. Go. Go tell her she’s wrong.”
Marci studied Wendy’s serious expression, knowing she wouldn’t pry anything else from her. So she turned and jogged down the hallway.
Finally, she would get to see Tessa.
* * *
Tessa stocked the last of the groceries in the pantry and stored the empty bags under the kitchen sink.
She had twenty-four hours before the new clients would arrive. A sweet couple who had been married over forty-nine years and wanted to celebrate the big five-oh anniversary with their children and grandchildren.
Tessa had thrown herself into their celebration, making sure everything would be perfect and sweet and unforgettable. They were the kind of people she strived to be. Finding the one. Not the second or third one. Holding on to the one. And cherishing every day they had together.
But they sure had set the bar high.
That’s what this life was all about, right? Love, family, and sharing it to the end?
Well, everyone else’s life, that is.
Right now, she just wanted to watch love from afar. Wanted to plan those weddings and events and keep pushing forward until someone rang the bell and named her the winner.
Then she was going to dive into the next step. The next step of becoming a world-renowned wedding planner. She wanted people to seek out her services far and wide. She wanted brides to plan their weddings around her calendar.
She could. She would. Become that person.
She’d worked too hard to be anything less.
Tessa sighed and looked around the kitchen, searching for anything she might have forgotten.
The rooms were stocked and ready. The pantry was full. The fridge was packed. The lodge was clean. There was absolutely nothing left for her to do. She was ready for them.
So why was she still standing here? She could be out hiking on this beautiful day. She could have gone into town for some shopping and dining with her crew. Or better, she could be curled up on the couch at the pond house reading a book and relaxing.
Except that place would only make her think of Marci. Would remind her how sexy she had been dropping to her knees at that very couch.
Right now, she didn’t want to think about Marci. At all. She wanted to get on with this game, wanted to give everything she had, without a single distraction. And Marci was far too sexy of a distraction.
Of course, she was without willpower to stop the images of their time together from invading on their own. No matter what she was doing, Marci seemed to sneak in. It was aggravating and downright out of character.
She needed to get her shit back together.
But first she would have to admit to Marci that she’d overreacted. That she’d used a moment in time to be the catalyst for their ending. Not that they’d ever truly began.
Fact was, she’d been getting too close. Getting too comfortable. Enjoying Marci’s company, all that amazing sex, far more than she should have.
She was in the middle of a contest. A contest she could bleed to win if she had to. There was no room for Marci. No room for anything other than her team and clients.
They were the ones who would help her get to the finish line. Not Marci.
And Marci deserved to hear those words from her. No more storming off. No more avoiding her phone calls or texts. It was time to face her and admit that what was happening between them had to end. Had already ended.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and Tessa spun around to find Marci standing entirely too close.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
Tessa’s heart thundered in her chest. Not from fright. But from being too close. Because Marci looked delicious in her faded jeans and black jacket. Because her lips looked inviting and Tessa had thought about sitting on them for days.
Fuck!
Tessa took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm her now frazzled nerves.
What was it about Marci that made Tessa’s insides quiver at the simple sight of her?
“No problem. I was just getting ready to leave, actually. Was making sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.”
“Can we talk? Please? Since you won’t take my calls?”
Those apologetic eyes bored through Tessa. They were sinfully sexy, and Tessa had to look away to keep her thoughts in check.
“Look, Marci. It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. Just let me say it, Tessa. Okay?”
Tessa nodded when all she really wanted to do was leave this house, leave Marci standing there, and go. Outside those doors was air. Right now, she was finding it hard to breathe. Right now, she just wanted to get naked, wanted Marci all over her, in her, and then she wanted to do it again.
“I know what it looked like. But I swear I never opened the file. I couldn’t.”
Tessa forced herself to look at Marci, knowing she should interrupt her, tell her that the truth didn’t matter, that this, whatever this was, had to stop. It had to stop because she had a life to get to, a goal to reach, and Marci was only in her way.
“I saw your name. Saw you were from Peoria. Where my life with Ashley had been for eleven years.” Marci looked down and kicked a spot on the floor. “So instead of doing my job, instead of not letting her get und
er my skin, I went to the bar to have a drink. Like a coward.”
Marci took a shallow breath and barged right on. “I’m sick of being sick. I’m tired of being tired. I’m pissed that I’m always pissed. And when I’m with you, she loses her control of me.”
Marci looked back up and it was all Tessa could do not to reach for her. She hated that Marci hadn’t gotten her closure. Hated that someone had hurt her. Hated that the next woman in line would have to piece her back together. Hated more that she liked the idea of being that next woman.
It was a ridiculous thought. She didn’t do relationships. Didn’t want to be in one, let alone have to be the glue to fix some broken soul.
But for a minute, maybe five, she’d thought of being just that. Of being the woman who made Marci forget that a piece of shit had ripped apart her world. That a cheating piece of scum had rocked the foundation out from under her. And that when she was screaming Marci’s name, that bitch was missing out. And somehow, Tessa knew that Ashley knew it too.
But that idea was far from the reality she had chosen for herself. She didn’t have time to coddle Marci. Didn’t have time to help find the pieces to Marci’s broken life. And she sure as hell didn’t have the need or even the time to put her back together.
Marci was watching her. Waiting for her response.
She had one. Only one. The very one she’d been thinking about for days now.
One that definitely wouldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
“Take off your clothes, Marci.”
Marci’s brow arched for a split second before a smile snaked across her lips.
She stepped into Tessa and roughly captured her lips.
Tessa hummed and fisted her fingers into her hair before Marci pulled her down to the carpet.
This time, their sex was rough and needy. Almost angry and desperate.
And when Tessa fell back in a boneless heap, her insides still tight and pulsing, she knew she was in trouble.
She liked Marci. Too much. That was a fact. A horrible, horrible fact.
Marci could almost feel Tessa’s mood shift as she stared up at the vaulted ceiling, her skin clammy and sweaty and still tingling everywhere Tessa had touched her.
How could Marci miss something she’d never had? How could she miss Tessa all the years she hadn’t known her? They were perfect. And that was terrifying.
Tessa had a goal. Marci wasn’t part of that plan.
And she didn’t care.
Whatever time Tessa would give her, she was going to take.
And when this game was over, when Tessa had won this contest, Marci would figure out what to do then.
Because she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that was when the real missing Tessa would begin.
“Go out with me tonight.” Marci rushed the words before she could change her mind.
“On a date?”
Marci rolled onto her side and trailed a path around those perfect breasts. “Yes. A real date.”
“Marci, I don’t think—”
Marci pushed her index finger against Tessa’s lips to silence her. Mainly because she didn’t want to be rejected. Not today. Today, she just wanted to forget that their end was in sight. That Tessa was going to say those words very soon. And if Tessa didn’t, Marci would.
“Don’t think. Just say yes.”
Marci knew asking her out on a date was making a mistake. She’d been making mistakes from the second she turned around on a bar stool and found Tessa standing there.
She should have told her the truth. That they couldn’t keep going. That this had been fun. A lot of fun. But she didn’t trust women at all, and that might never change. Not anytime soon.
But damn if she could take it back. Hell, she wasn’t even sure she wanted to take it back.
What harm could a few more weeks of sex be?
“Yes.” Tessa said.
Chapter Eleven
Tessa couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on a date. Jessica, maybe? Possibly Kory, who wasted a trip taking Tessa to a nice dimly lit restaurant when they both knew they were completely incompatible. They should have skipped dinner and that get to know you window shopping stroll, and gotten right down to business.
Sex. That’s all they had had in common with each other. Their need for sex with no strings attached.
That arrangement had lasted all of a few months until Kory began to consider babies and houses and lifelong commitments.
Umm. No.
Sure, Kory was good between the sheets. But she wasn’t that damn good. She wasn’t toe curling, scream her name, kind of good. Truth was, no one she had met seemed worthy of making her consider the next step. Of making the U-haul leap. Of thinking beyond that box.
So they had parted ways. Kory a little scorned. Tessa unconcerned that Kory was a little scorned. And the next time their paths had crossed, when they spent five minutes too long doing the customary “How have you been? Great, and you?” Tessa knew she had made the right decision to walk away. She wasn’t ready for a relationship.
Not then. Not now.
But she had to admit, Marci picking her up at the front door, opening the car door like a true gentleman, was kind of nice. Actually, it was downright sexy, and for the first time in her whole life, she’d found herself giddy with excitement.
Of course, these circumstances weren’t normal. Nor were the surroundings. This place might be normal for Marci, but it surely wasn’t for Tessa. She was in her dream state, fighting for her dream job. Everything was out of the norm for her.
There was romance in the air with the white ground and snow-capped branches. The fireplaces and cracking logs. The clean, crisp air and blue skies beyond the pines.
This place was a couple’s dream.
But other than wanting to live in a place just like this, in a house identical to the lodge her clients got to enjoy, this wasn’t Tessa’s dream.
She didn’t long for someone to love her. She didn’t long for walking hand in hand. She didn’t dream of babies or puppies or even white picket fences.
She just wanted to live. She wanted to breathe in this life and enjoy every second of it. But she wanted to do it alone. Was fine with doing it alone.
Marci reached out and took her hand. “What are you thinking about over there?”
Tessa considered lying to her. Telling her she was just enjoying the view. But regardless of where this night went, regardless of how romantic it might go, there simply wasn’t room in her life for Marci right now.
The sooner she said those words out loud, the smoother the rest of this night would go.
“Just enjoying this beautiful scenery. I’m jealous you get to live with this all around you,” Tessa lied, her words the exact opposite of what she planned to say.
“Well, if you win this contest, this is exactly where you’ll be.”
The words stunned Tessa. Sure, the prize in the game was to become the resort event planner. A resort that was well known for its lavish weddings and large seasonal crowds.
But that included Marci.
This was Marci’s home. Wendy was her best friend, owner of that resort.
How would that play out when they went their separate ways only to never go their separate ways?
She would see Marci on a regular basis. She could possibly be working with her. Hell, she didn’t even know what Marci’s role in the resort truly was.
How awkward would that be?
“Besides being our emergency liaison, what is your job at the resort?”
“Right now, I’m nothing more than a phone clerk. I make reservations for incoming vacationers.”
“So you answer phone calls? Like, in an office somewhere?” Tessa wasn’t sure why that made her feel better.
“Well, don’t make it sound so boring.” Marci squeezed her hand, and the pressure reminded Tessa of how comfortable she was holding someone’s hand. Holding Marci’s hand. “To be honest, hiding in an office was my idea. I have
n’t played well with others since I got back. Doing the work that everyone else hates seemed like a win-win for all involved.”
Tessa really wanted to pull her hand back but somehow knew she would miss the heat if she did. She also didn’t want to talk about Ashley again either. Then again, she did. The more Marci talked about her, the less she would want to. Or need to.
“How long have you been back?”
“Six months? Give or take.”
“What was your job in Peoria? Funny that our paths never crossed.”
“Actually, they almost did. We considered using your venue, believe it or not. And I worked for a travel agent. Was the closest thing I could get to the plans I walked away from.”
Tessa considered that. If Marci and Ashley had used her venue to get married. She would have gotten to know Marci as well as her cheating bride. She would have planned their magical day, right down to the flowers and food. She would have gotten to meet Marci’s family and friends, all the people she loved and the ones who loved her enough to attend. She would have gotten to witness her standing tall at the altar while she waited for her bride.
The image made her uneasy.
“What kind of plans did you leave behind?”
“Just a little nonsense that seemed to work in my mind but probably would have never worked in reality.”
“So tell me about it.”
Marci gave her a sideways glance. Tessa couldn’t tell if she was shocked that she wanted to hear all about it or if she was reluctant to share the details.
“I was considering opening up a company that would cater to select clients. Rich. Celebrity rich. Like I said, it likely wouldn’t have worked out.”
Tessa turned in her chair and couldn’t help her sights from dripping all over Marci. From the casual grip on the steering wheel, to her angled posture in the seat just to hold Tessa’s hand. She was downright delicious. Would it be bad if she asked Marci to skip all the theatrics and conversation so they could get right to the getting naked part?
“Ooh. Tell me more.”
Once again, Marci gave her a puzzled glance. “Nothing much to tell now. Ashley hated Colorado. And I was chasing her skirt. That dream had a head-on collision and died right on the paper where I gave Wendy the details. So long ago it seems now.”