by Suzanne Hart
“Of course, you’re right, Tessa. How very motherly of you,” Gordon said and then he stood up to go over to Celine and Alfie. He placed one hand on Celine’s back, stroking her and with the other, he tickled my son.
“Alfie, how would you feel about Uncle Gordon and Mummy staying with you for a few days?” He asked.
“What?” I growled, but Gordon wasn’t even looking at me. Alfie squealed with excitement. Jumping out of his mother’s arms and into his uncle’s.
“Yes! Yes! We could go to the Aquarium and the Museum! We went with Tessa; it was so much fun!” Alfie was clapping his hands.
“I’m sure it was. That’s settled then. We’ll stay right here and give you company while Daddy and Tessa go to work. What do you say?”
Gordon was smiling and so was Celine. Alfie looked at me, pouting his mouth.
“Can they stay, Daddy? Can they, please? Please, please, Daddy?” He pleaded.
No way. I wasn’t going to allow them in my home. Gordon and Celine were not living with me! I clenched my jaw with rage at them, till it was Tessa who spoke up.
“Of course, they can.” I heard her say. I whipped my head around to look at her with astonishment. She widened her eyes at me.
“For Alfie’s sake…” she whispered.
This was a huge fucking mistake.
29
Tessa
I was in the bedroom, and I hadn’t bothered to change out of my work clothes yet. When Clark came into the room, he slammed the door shut behind him.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Tessa?” He growled.
I was prepared for an outburst like this from him. I just didn’t know how to answer that question.
“Where is Alfie?” I asked him.
Clark was standing by the door, with his shoulders heaving with anger. He wasn’t pleased.
“He is in bed, being cooed and cuddled by the pair of them,” he snapped.
I gulped.
“It’s probably for the best. He needs his mother, and Gordon is good with him too,” I said and Clark turned to me, narrowing his eyes.
“What makes you think you know what’s best for my son?” He asked and I met his eyes, as firmly as I could.
“I don’t know what’s best for him, I’m not his mother,” I said. Clark stormed towards me, taking long strides to close the distance between the two of us.
“Then you shouldn’t have made that decision for us, should you have?” He hissed.
His face was up close to mine. I could feel his hot breath falling on me. I kept my chin up.
“If you said no to that, Alfie would have despised you,” I answered and Clark breathed in deeply, shaking his head.
“All of a sudden, everyone else seems to be an expert on my son,” he snapped and whipped away from me.
I watched him stalk over to the window, which he pulled open and let some fresh cool night air into the room.
I gulped, my throat had gone dry. I knew I’d made a mistake. It was a split-second decision, but I was acting out of Alfie’s best interest.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured.
Clark had his back turned to me, and he didn’t reply.
“I shouldn’t have said anything. I shouldn’t have interfered. It wasn’t my place to invite them to stay at your home,” I continued.
I watched his wide shoulders heaving, and eventually, he turned his face to the side.
“This is probably for the best,” he said. When I didn’t add anything to that, he turned to me, crossing his arms over his wide expansive chest. There was only one lamp switched on in the room. The light that illuminated him was now the moon, and the city’s skyline.
He had a big hulking shape. He was tall and strong, with a sharp square jaw. Clark Webber was every woman’s dream man, but he had a temper and he had an arrogance. He was not an easy man to deal with. Was that why Celine left?
Was I wrong all along? Maybe it wasn’t Celine’s fault. Maybe I couldn’t blame her for being with Gordon.
Clark came towards me while I stared at him. My lips were beginning to tremble.
Once again, was I falling for the wrong man? My heart was already breaking. There were so many unanswered questions I had about him.
“Tessa…” he murmured my name and reached for my face, clutching my jaw with a hand. “I’m sorry, for acting this way. None of this is your fault,” he said.
There was a sudden change in him. Hot and cold. Near and far. I couldn’t decide what he wanted from me.
When he touched me, I felt a thrill run down my spine. I felt myself melting in his eyes again. We were alone in a room, with a bed spread out in front of us. What was stopping us from stripping each other naked like we’d done the first time?
Now that he was holding me, I didn’t care about the doubts I had. I wanted him.
I covered his hand with mine. His hand was large and warm and tough.
“I thought I was doing what was best for Alfie. I thought he should spend time with his mom. I wanted Gordon to see us together, to be jealous of us. I’m not thinking straight,” I murmured.
Clark rubbed the side of my cheek. His eyes were heavy and he blinked. Then, just as suddenly as he’d rushed towards me, he dropped his hand from my face.
“You are right. This is for the best. The closer they stay to us, the more it’ll hurt them to see us together. And that way, I can keep a constant eye on Gordon and make sure he doesn’t hurt you again.”
With that, Clark stepped away from me.
I felt like someone had just knocked the wind out of my stomach. I thought we were going to kiss. I was so close to just falling on him, to wrapping my arms around his neck.
“I’m going to take a shower. You should get some sleep,” I heard him say. I was still in a daze. I couldn’t believe he’d just pulled himself away from me so suddenly. Why was he doing this to me?
I couldn’t speak. I remained standing there silently, watching as he took off his shirt and stepped into the bathroom. I heard the shower turn on and finally, I changed into my night clothes again.
I didn’t know how I was going to do it…spend another night beside him with the pillows between us. If he was still in love with Celine, that would explain everything. I crashed down on the bed and this time, I buried my face in the pillow and cried.
30
Clark
When I woke up the next day, Tessa wasn’t in bed. It was quite early and I didn’t expect her to have left for work this soon.
I sat up in bed, blinking, trying to drive the grogginess from my eyes. Another night of sleeping beside her, not being able to touch her. As the nights passed, I was even more certain of how much of a mistake this arrangement was. But we couldn’t change it now.
I got out of bed, brushed my teeth, shaved and changed into my work clothes.
All of Tessa’s belongings were packed in a bag in the corner of the walk-in-closet. She hadn’t unpacked her clothes. As I snapped my cufflinks into place, I walked over to the bag on the ground. I kneeled down and unzipped it. The first thing I saw was a chiffon blouse, white with a floral print. I lifted it up to my nose and allowed her scent to fill my lungs.
I pressed my eyes close and imagined her face again. How was it possible that I had her, but I really didn’t? She wasn’t mine.
Stuffing the blouse back in the bag, I zipped it up and left my bedroom. It was still early, and it seemed like Alfie was asleep. Penny hadn’t even started to make breakfast.
I wasn’t in the mood to have breakfast with them. I knew if I spent any more time in Gordon’s company, I would erupt.
I sat at the breakfast bar and poured cereal into a bowl. Tessa was nowhere in sight. It seemed like she had left for work already. At least with Gordon in the house, I didn’t have to worry about him attacking her.
I read the newspaper as I ate my cereal, and I didn’t hear Celine walk into the room. It wasn’t until she opened the fridge door that I noticed her.
She was wearing a short silk robe, and it seemed like there was nothing underneath. Her long legs were bare and her cleavage was on full display. I could see her pebbled nipples through that excuse of a cover.
Celine bit her lip as she pulled a bottle of orange juice out of the fridge and came over towards me.
“Morning, you,” she said, and poured the juice into a glass. I looked away from her, turning to the paper again.
“What are your plans for the day?” I asked.
Celine was standing too close to me now. She finished drinking the juice and then stretched herself lazily over the breakfast bar.
“I’m not sure. Gordy said we should take Alfie to an amusement park or something. So that’s what we’ll do,” she replied.
“I want him home before four, and you should take Penny with you. She is accustomed to handling him,” I added, without looking up from the paper.
“So, tell me, Clark, what is it about her?” She asked. I furrowed my brows and looked at her over the paper. She was leaning the side of her face on her palm, looking at me with her wild dark eyes.
I couldn’t even remember what I’d found so attractive in Celine before. Yes, she was gorgeous, and she had a flourishing modeling career and every guy I knew wanted to bang her. But what else? I’d never woken up in the morning, yearning to hear her voice—the way I did with Tessa.
“What are you talking about, Celine?” I asked with a grunt and she sighed.
“You know what I’m talking about. What is it about Tessa that’s got both your balls yanked? Gordy seems to be in a daze ever since he saw her again, and you seem like a little teenage boy around her,” Celine continued. There was a tone of outrage in her voice. She couldn’t understand why Tessa was the center of our attention now.
“I thought things were going great between you and Gordon. Thought he’d found the love of his life,” I commented and folded up the newspaper.
“Things are going great between us. He’s perfect. He has all the exceptional Webber man qualities—great in bed, deliciously handsome, protective and strong,” she said, and I felt her fingers on my arm, delicately brushing me.
I pulled my arm away from her.
“You sound like a lucky woman. Congratulations,” I said and made to stand up.
“I know you’re jealous, Clark,” she added with a smile.
“Jealous?” I snapped, glaring at her.
Celine shook out her blond hair and breathed in deeply. I watched her breasts rise and fall underneath that robe. I’d spent nearly three years in a relationship with her. I knew every inch of that body. But now, I didn’t care. My cock didn’t even move. I knew the kind of person she was and that was enough of a turn-off for me.
“You’re jealous of your brother. Because he now gets what you used to. What you wish you never gave up,” she continued.
I clenched my jaw as I looked into her eyes. This time when I spoke, I needed her to know that I meant business.
“I’m not jealous of Gordon, Celine. I feel betrayed by him. He should have known better,” I growled.
Celine shook her head, then reached for my face. She stroked my chin and I stepped away from her.
“What happened to us, Clark? I thought we were going to last forever. I really wanted it to,” she said.
I scanned her face with anger. She had no idea what she was talking about.
“You got pregnant. We had a kid, and you decided you had no interest in being a mother. Besides, we weren’t ever in love, Celine. We were delusional.”
I turned from her and walked out of the room.
What a shit way to start the day!
31
Tessa
I left the penthouse early because I hadn’t slept all night, and I didn’t want to wake up and look into Clark’s eyes. I was afraid he’d know I’d thought of him all night. Instead, I quickly dressed myself and left the bedroom.
Clark was facing the other way so I couldn’t see his face. I thought—whoever he chooses to share his bed with eventually, for real, would be the luckiest woman. As much as I knew that having feelings for him was a big mistake, I couldn’t help but have them.
I didn’t stop to catch a bite to eat. I was determined to leave the building and walk my way to work. In the lobby, Martin, the chauffeur who Clark had appointed for me, was waiting already.
“Ms. Munro!” He exclaimed, finding me rushing out of the elevator. He wasn’t expecting me to make an appearance this early either.
“I’m going to walk today, Martin. Thank you,” I said, jogging past him.
“But Mr. Webber’s given me strict instructions,” Martin said, following me to the door.
“And I’m instructing you to please give me some space,” I said in a snappy voice. Martin stopped in his tracks and I did too. I hadn’t meant to be this rude to him. He was only trying to do his job.
“Sorry about that, Martin. I just want to walk to work. You don’t have to tell Mr. Webber. I won’t,” I said and he nodded his head.
I threw him a weak smile and exited the building.
It wasn’t even eight yet, and there was a slight chill in the air. I tightened my coat around me as I walked hurriedly down the pavement. It wasn’t busy at this time of the day, but I wasn’t alone either.
I kept my head down, walking in the direction of the office. It would be at least a forty-minute walk to work, and I was looking forward to it. Finally, maybe, I would have the chance to clear my head a little.
“Tess!” I heard a voice behind me and I stopped. It took me a few seconds to recognize it and I turned to find Gordon running down the pavement towards me.
He was dressed as casually as always, and he had two coffees in his hands. It seemed like he’d just walked out of the cafe nearby.
“I can’t talk, I need to get to work,” I told him as he drew closer.
“Hey, Tess, don’t be like this. I’ve got you a peace offering, see?” He said and tried handing me one of the coffees. I didn’t take it from him.
“I don’t want your coffee, Gordon, not after the way you’ve been behaving,” I said, adjusting the strap of the bag on my shoulder.
“And what exactly have I done, Tessa?” He asked and I shook my head and looked away from him.
“Y…you were going to force yourself on me in the parking lot that day!”
“I was just kissing you, Tess. You know I wouldn’t have taken it any further than that. You know me!”
I looked into Gordon’s eyes. Did I know him?
“And last night, you were cruel. Suggesting that I’m with Clark because of the job,” I continued with a gulp. There was a lot of truth in that statement, but not in the way that Gordon had meant it.
He drew in a deep breath and nodded.
“Yeah, I guess that was out of line. Sorry, I couldn’t help it. I was jealous,” he said.
“Jealous of what? You’re with Celine. You left me. You literally just disappeared without an explanation, without a goodbye. What do you expect me to do? Remain single my whole life and pine for you?” I was screeching at him now. And only some people turned to see us when they walked past.
Gordon took a sip of his coffee from the cup.
“No, of course I didn’t expect that from you, Tess. But my brother!”
“You’re sleeping with his ex-wife,” I stated and Gordon’s face tensed up.
“So, that is what it’s about,” he said and I rolled my eyes.
“It’s about nothing. Clark and I want to be together, and you should just leave it at that,” I said.
This was a bad decision. I shouldn’t have stopped to speak to him. Gordon took a step towards me and I backed away from him.
“You’re sleeping with my brother to get back at me? Because I left you? Well, I’m here now, Tessa,” he said, in a low deep rumble. I backed away more but he kept drawing closer to me.
“Gordon, you’re doing it again. You’re scaring me!” I said, hoping that someone on the street woul
d stop and take notice of what was going on.
“You are mine. Do you hear me?” He hissed, bringing his face close to me again.
“No, I am not! We broke up!” I said and Gordon’s eyes traveled down my body. I could sense him undressing me with his eyes.
“I’ve changed my mind,” he said and I shook my head.
“You don’t just get to do that.”
“Watch me,” he snapped and stepped away from me. Taking a sip of his coffee, he threw both the cups to the ground where they splashed all over the street.
It made me jump, startling me, and I gasped.
Gordon dragged his face away from me and began to walk away.
“My brother is not going to win this time,” he called out, and suddenly, there was a menacing smile on his face. I waited with a pounding heart, watching him rush towards the building.
Clark was right, I shouldn’t have made the decision on his behalf—to let Gordon and Celine stay in the home. Now, Gordon would know exactly where I was at all times. And I didn’t want to wait and find out what he was going to do.
32
Clark
I got to the office in time for my nine o’clock meeting with our first big potential clients in Chicago. The team had been working hard with the presentation, and even as I made small-talk, I was thinking about Tessa.
She had to be here in the building somewhere. I hadn’t seen her yet, and I was imagining her face.
I sat with the clients and we talked for a bit. I tried to put in an effort in the pitch, but my head was just not in it. I couldn’t get Tessa out of my mind.
Eventually, it was time for the presentation and the lights were dimmed. One of my most trusted men was on the task. Darius stood up and made an introductory speech.
The group we were trying to get on board were owners of a company that made sustainable and eco-friendly tupperware. I desperately wanted to get this company on board so that we could set a precedent for our style. That way, the city of Chicago would be aware of the kind of campaigns we wanted to involve ourselves in.