You and No Other

by Toni Jackson

  He watched her smile broaden as she ran her hands down the front of his shirt. When she scratched gently through the fabric of his shirt with her nails, he caught her hands before she could reach the bulge straining against the front of his pants. If he let her do that, they wouldn’t leave the house until hunger drove them from the bed.

  “As much as I want to strip you down right here, I need you to get dressed. I have a surprise for you.”

  Tina narrowed her eyes. “What kind of surprise?”

  “The kind of surprise that I’m not going to tell you about.” He turned her towards the stairs and swatted her on the butt. “It’s nothing fancy, so you don’t need to get dressed up. But you need to cover up some. I’ll be damned if I let another man lay his eyes on your body.”

  He knew, as soon as he uttered the words it would distract her. She had never been one to let someone dictate to her. Her fiery temper was well known, but he had never let that intimidate him. She turned back around to face him, with a pointed look. Even as he watched her frowning at him, he could see her nipples hardening beneath her top. No. There was no way another man would get their hands on her. There was nothing she could do to push him away.

  Placing her hands on her hips, she raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so you think you own me now?”

  He surprised her when he stepped over to her and grabbed her by the ass, grinding her against his cock. “It’s all mine. And this,” he pushed forward again. “Is all yours. Anything else?”

  Tina bit her lip as she stared up at him. He had never been this forceful before. The expression on his face was one Tina had never seen before. This was an Alex she didn’t know. Inhaling deeply, loving the smell of his cologne, she muttered, “No,” as he let her go. She ran upstairs and came back down in record time.

  Chapter 18

  Alex watched Tina as the shadows of light played across her face. The streetlights kept the inside of the limo from being dark enough to miss her expression. She kept glancing over at him while trying to get her bearings. He purposely told the driver to take the most convoluted way he knew to keep her off balance.

  He mentally crossed his fingers that she would like his surprise since it was one that would affect both of them. Her reaction would either bind them together tighter or push them apart forever.

  His hand slid across to hers and squeezed, forcing her attention back to him. He sat still as the car eased to a stop and the driver opened the door.

  This was it.

  He stepped from the car then reached inside for her, fighting to keep his face expressionless.

  “Welcome to our new home.”

  Tina’s first glance at the house took her breath away. Glancing over at Alex, she could only turn back to the house in surprise. “Our house?”

  A slight nod was the only movement he could allow himself. Clasping Tina’s hand, he led the way inside, still not trusting himself to speak. There were other houses he could have purchased, but this one was the epitome of their combined dreams. He watched her face as they moved from room to room, each one partially decorated.

  The first room, the living room, was covered with hardwood floors with a stone covered fireplace at the other end. He led her through to the dining area, covered in tan wallpaper, a dark wood buffet sitting off to the side. Next was the kitchen.

  She gasped at the black marble countertops and the brand new electric cooktop that sat on an island by itself. Dark cherry wood cabinets lined the walls. All new stainless steel appliances. Off to the side was a huge window covered only by a sheer curtain. It was too dark for her to see outside, but she promised herself she would check it out as soon as the sun came up. They strode through the family room, which she noticed was already equipped with a sixty-inch TV bolted to the wall and a leather sectional.

  Of course, he made sure he had his boy toys already installed.

  Alex led her towards a back staircase. Judging from the number of doors, there had to be at least four large bedrooms and maybe a couple of bathrooms with doors to the hallway. Some of the doors were open. She glimpsed furniture in some of the rooms and just a bed in another. Only one room was completely empty.

  He squeezed her hand again and led her to the only closed door. Stepping back, he put his hands in his pocket and waited.

  Tina frowned before twisting the knob. The door opened to another empty room. A baby’s room. Pale blue paint sprinkled with yellow elephants covered the walls. She glanced down and noticed the indentations where child size furniture once covered the slightly worn carpet. In her mind, she could see it filled once again with furniture

  He watched Tina carefully as a myriad of emotions crossed her face. He waited for her to say something, anything that would give him a clue of what was going through her mind. When she finally turned towards him with eyes full of unshed tears, he froze. Without a word, she turned and walked back down the hallway towards the master bedroom. He followed her at a slower pace, unsure of his welcome.

  Entering the room, he found her curled into a fetal position on the California king sized bed that dominated the room. A slight tug pulled the suit jacket from his shoulders, allowing him to ease it across the back of a nearby chair. The thick pile of the carpet muffled the sound of his steps as he approached the bed. He sat down beside her, the mattress dipping under his weight.

  She was grateful for the few minutes he gave her before coming into the room. The child’s room made her remember things she tried for years to forget. Now the warmth of his body soothed her until her tears were exhausted. He was the consistent force in her life, even when he wasn’t there.

  He rubbed her arm and spoke softly. “I’m sorry. I’m moving too fast. I should have been more considerate of your feelings. It’s just that I saw it and knew it was perfect.” He placed a soft kiss on her head.

  Tina pulled away from him and sat up, rubbing her eyes. “It’s not that,” she said, her voice husky and low. “It just brought back so many memories. You’re too good to me.”

  There were words he could have uttered to put her at ease. He could have told her that she was his soul mate, his reason for living. That through his darkest times, the image of her in his mind was what kept him going.

  Instead, he kissed her until her body softened against his, then proceeded to show her all the reasons she did deserve him.

  Chapter 19

  It wasn’t often that Alex went to the grocery store on his own. He hated fighting his way through crowds only to not locate what he wanted in the first place. Tonight, he had the urge to step out of his ordinary routine. Wining and dining Tina was all right, but tonight called for something more intimate.

  He hung his keys on the hook beside the refrigerator, then sat his bag of groceries down on the counter with a smile. Methodically, he removed the thick cut pork chops, asparagus, and potatoes, the only meal he could actually cook. He checked the clock and discovered that he had a little time before he needed to start the food. Just enough time for him to set up the rest of the seduction. The little red headed vixen wouldn’t know what hit her.

  Grabbing the remote from the coffee table in the family room, he turned the stereo to his favorite jazz station, cranking up the volume so he could cook to the music. Walking back into the kitchen, he hummed along with the current song, while turning on the oven. He was focused and peaceful as he pulled his never before used pots and pans from under the cooktop. Prepping the food, he marinated the meat by placing the chops in a glass bowl then covering them with red wine. Putting them in the refrigerator to chill, he worked on the potatoes, carefully washing them and wrapping them in aluminum foil before poking holes in them and sitting them on a baking tray.

  The temperature alarm beeped just as he finished and he smiled. Everything was right on track. The next items were quickly prepared. .By the time he finished sautéing the asparagus, it was time for the chops to come out of the refrigerator. A sense of satisfaction rolled over him. This, their first night of officially living
together would be a night for Tina to remember.

  Chapter 20

  Tina amazed herself by leaving work on time. It wasn’t until she was ten minutes away from the gallery that she realized she hadn’t tallied the invoices for the month. Groaning, she whipped a quick U-turn cutting off a shiny, new BMW and nearly sideswiping a shirtless guy on a bicycle. Turning back into the lot, knew she had to hurry. It was starting to get dark earlier.

  Soft light bathed the parking lot in its glow. Although Tina felt the lights should have been brighter, the residential neighbors nearby often complained about the amount of light and how difficult it was for them to sleep when everything beyond their window resembled midday. A scan of the area showed her that everything was clear as she pulled into a parking spot next to the side entrance.

  Her keys were in her hand before she stepped from the vehicle. Glancing back over her shoulder, she entered the unlocked the door and entered the dim, chilly, interior, making sure to disable the alarm before heading inside towards her office. She didn’t turn on any lights. She knew her way well enough and made sure to stick close to the walls until she reached the hallway that led to her office.

  She hit the light switch for her workplace and winced. The stack of papers was larger than what she thought. If she hurried, the report wouldn’t take any more than thirty minutes or so. Then she could leave and go home to Alex, maybe fix him something to eat.

  Excitement filled her at the thought of spending their first night together in the house he purchased for the two of them. A part of her believed it was too good to be true. Another part of her argued she should be more accepting. Either way, she was going to take it slow. She had a few things in her trunk that she packed this morning. Her plan was a dress here, some shoes another day, little by little until she was sure. Alex had been ready to hire a moving truck for her the minute he showed her the house.

  In some ways, the thought of leaving her little townhouse was daunting. It was her first major purchase and brand new. Everything was just like she wanted it. If she gave it up and things didn’t work out between them, she would have to beg Dani for help, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. Granted, Sean would probably insist on finding her a place and putting Sean out of business in the meantime, but it wouldn’t help her trust issues. She knew she had them.

  The challenge was getting over them.

  She turned on her computer and grabbed the first invoice while she was waiting for it to boot up. With a grimace, she made a few notes on the paper, then turned to the system and opened the program. One day, they would upgrade to software that could do recognition, but until then, she was stuck punching in numbers.

  Chapter 21

  The huge grin spreading across Alex’s face was one of a man who has accomplished something big. And in his book, he did. He took in the dining room table with its romantic setting for two, the small bouquet of lilies in the center. He did a quick double check on google to make sure the settings were correct, including the placement of the glasses. On the buffet, a bottle of champagne chilled to the perfect temperature in a bucket full of ice.

  The food was in the warmer until Tina walked through the door. According to his watch, she should have left work an hour ago. Figuring she would be home soon, he set a timer to keep the food from drying out, then stretched out on the couch to relax. Since early this morning, he had been back and forth between meetings and checking on the progress of the new office.

  He could feel himself drifting off and let himself go. If anything, Tina was probably stuck in traffic. It was not unusual.

  He couldn’t wait to see her face when she got home.

  Alex snapped awake.

  Sitting up, he realized the house was dark and Tina still wasn’t home. He ran his hands through his hair then noticed the time. Annoyance spread through him. She should have been home hours ago.

  Unless she changed her mind? He bit his lip and wondered if he had been too pushy about Tina moving in. She appeared to be onboard when he mentioned it, but that could have changed the moment she was alone. He knew that better than almost anyone.

  Walking into the kitchen, he grabbed his cell off the counter where he left it. He frowned when he noticed there were no missed calls. His first instinct was to call her, but he knew she often got caught up at work.

  The hell with it.

  He swiped his finger across the screen and scrolled down to her number. He was about to press the button with her name when he heard the faint jingle of keys reached him from the front hall. Taking a deep breath, he promised himself he wouldn’t yell or fuss. The point was that she did come home and in one piece. But it was killing him. He wanted nothing more than to shake her until she never considered coming back to him this late ever again.

  He moved forward through the kitchen and met her halfway. Something in his expression must have given him away.

  Eyes wide, her mouth dropped open at the expression on Alex’s face. He looked angry. Not caveman start tossing furniture out of the way mad, but still mad.

  “Um, hi baby. I know I’m late. I actually left the office on time, but I forgot I had to have some numbers ready for tomorrow and had to go back.” He watched her movements as she set her small suitcase down near the stairs. The sight of her luggage seemed to ease some of his tension, but irritation still showed in his eyes.

  Tina kicked off her shoes beside the case and walked towards Alex.

  He wanted to stay mad. She couldn’t help it. He had to learn to accept that she was just as dedicated to her job as he was to his. They both had strong drives and passion for work and for each other. Her independence would stand in the way of her understanding his overwhelming need to keep her safe.

  Tina stopped in front of him. She knew he was upset. Taking a deep breath, the smell of food overwhelmed her.

  “Was that – is that – dinner?”

  Alex nodded and walked into the kitchen without speaking. She followed him, curious about what he cooked. As they passed through the dining room, Tina noticed that the table was perfectly set for two.

  Flowers. Food. Candlelight.

  Damn.

  Alex still hadn’t muttered a word when he walked back into the room with two plates. He sat one at each place setting and stepped back, crossing his arms.

  Her heart was heavy when she turned back around to him. “Alex, I’m so sorry, I would have made certain I came home on time if…” she started, just to have him raise his hand to stop the flow of words.

  “It was a surprise. I wanted us to have this memory for the first night you officially lived here.” His head lowered as he stuck his hands into his pockets. “I understand your job is important to you. I would never, ever come between you and the work you love. But by the same token, I know first-hand how dangerous it can be out there. I’m not happy with you staying at the gallery after everyone leaves. You’re there alone, and no one would know if something happened to you.”

  “If that happened, I could never forgive myself. If you continued to do it, knowing how much it would worry me and something happened, I could never forgive you.”

  His words pulled her out of her fog. For so long, her concerns involved only herself. She never had to worry about someone else’s feelings or what they thought. Until now.

  He tensed, his voice hardening. “I need you to promise me that you will leave work at a decent time. In return, I’ll make the same commitment to you.”

  “I can’t always leave early, Alex -,” she started, only to stop as he turned away. He was pissed. She didn’t need to see his face to know it. She could feel it from across the room. His tension vibrated across to her.

  She started again. “I’m sorry. You’re right. If I had to go back, the least I could have done was call you and let you know what was happening.” Her voice dropped. “It’s just hard for me to remember that someone cares about where I am.”

  Alex reached up and rubbed his brow before turning back around to face Tina. He k
new it was difficult for her. But he still wasn’t inclined to make it easy for her. “Let’s agree that whenever you have to stay late, you’ll call.”

  “Okay,” she answered relieved.

  “But, you also need to give me a hard cutoff time.”

  She tilted her head, confused. “A cutoff time?”

  He nodded. “Yes. A cutoff. And you will do your best to leave work then.”

  The sight of her gnawing that full bottom lip was enough to make him forget about promises and think about something much more important.

  “Um, I guess six?”

  The motion of him moving forward snapped her out of her daze. He nodded, taking her hand in his. Leading her to the other end of the table, he pulled out her chair and motioned for her to sit down. She looked down at the plate and smiled as her stomach grumbled. She looked up to thank him for the meal only to find her lips captured by his. “Eat. You’re going to need your strength.”

  Chapter 22

  Tension formed a knot in Tina’s shoulders as she approached the door to her childhood home. Red roses still grew in fragrant vines along the dark red bricks of the small rambler. Their blossoms were healthy and soft, begging to be touched. The rest of the yard showed visible signs of neglect. Patches of dead grass dotted the front yard and the chain link fence tilted forward, threatening to find a new home on the cracked sidewalk.

  The shutters had fallen off the side of the windows long ago, leaving the windows bare. Once she left at eighteen to live with Dani, her visits back to her childhood home had been far and few between. It was rare that she even paid attention to the front of the house. Since her focus had been to get in and out as soon as possible, she never focused on the outside of the house.