by Sophia Gray
She cleared her throat. “What’s in the bag?” she asked curiously, trying to hide her moment of weakness.
“Oh! These are for you as well,” he said, handing her the bag. “I hope I’m not overdoing it.” Something jolted in her stomach, like a hundred butterflies and bolts of lightning swirling around, when his hand lightly touched hers as she took the bag and saw what was inside.
“Why...?” she started, looking puzzled at Vance. She took them out: three old books, all of them thriller novels.
“I accidentally came across this secondhand bookstore that had a sale going on, and I didn’t know if you had read them but I thought you may like them and before I knew it I had already gone into the shop and bought them...” Vance rambled on until Teresa laid a hand on his arm and silenced him.
“You definitely did not have to,” Teresa said, looking at the books again. “But thank you – I haven’t read them yet. I’ll fill a couple of nights with these, thanks.” She winked at him, and Vance unfroze.
“I’m really glad you like them. Shall we go now?” To accompany his words, he offered Teresa his arm, and she looked at it, amused. She left the books on the table and took his arm gently.
Teresa was so close to him when they left the building that she felt his breathing, and a warm feeling trickled through her body. She felt the places where they touched tingle, and the butterflies had started to flutter again in her stomach.
They chatted for a bit while walking to their mystery destination, no more than small talk and trivialities, when Teresa finally asked him where he was taking her.
“It’s a surprise!” he answered. Teresa looked at him, raising one eyebrow, but Vance did not cave and flashed a smile at her.
Teresa blushed and looked down. It was both frustrating and bizarre to feel like this. The butterflies, the slight nervousness, the awkwardness, the blushing. Since she had sworn off men long ago, she felt shaky and out of sorts when these jittery feelings resurfaced.
When Vance finally stopped in front of a small coffee shop, she looked at the place in surprise. She had almost completely forgotten they were heading somewhere: talking and laughing with Vance had made her unaware of all her surroundings.
“I know it’s a bit weird to go to a coffee shop on a date, but they also serve dinner and their coffee is really good. And I know how much you like coffee, so I thought you’d like it...” He was rambling again, mistaking her expression of surprise at the venue choice for disapproval.
She laughed. “Vance, it’s fine. It looks perfect.”
They sat at a table next to the window overlooking passersby and twinkling lampposts and stoplights in the distance. Teresa glanced across at Vance perusing his menu and smiled to herself, feeling glad she took a chance.
Chapter Six
Vance
Teresa sat in front of him, looking stunning. How could she make a simple dress look so good? He had been speechless since the moment he saw her at her door, and during the whole walk to the restaurant, he had to remind himself not to stumble over his words or say something wrong.
She was just simply so beautiful and amazing that he was afraid he’d forget how to breathe, talk, walk, or properly function when she was around. He felt like a ridiculous teenager when he was with her, and he knew he could never confess it to anyone. Mission or not, Teresa Love was so incredible that she simply jammed his systems by being around.
He was just relieved that he didn’t make a complete fool of himself. He had given her the flowers and the books, which luckily, she seemed to like. They had walked to the café arm in arm, talking and laughing; Vance was sure that he had caught her off guard a couple of times.
He even thought that he had caught her staring at him, but he couldn’t be sure of that. Maybe he was so eager that he had made that up in his mind. Regardless, the important thing was that she didn’t yell at him or leave yet, which was a great start in his books.
“So, have you been working at the charity for a while?” Vance asked after both of them had ordered. He realized they had yet to talk about that, surprisingly. Teresa looked at him like she was evaluating him before giving an answer.
“Like a year or so,” she responded neutrally. “That’s more or less the time I have been living in this town, and I started volunteering for Silver Spoons for Charity almost since the beginning.”
“Are you not from here?” Vance tried to sound surprised. Of course, he already knew, but he had to keep up pretenses.
“No. I’m from... another place.” Teresa seemed uncomfortable talking about it and shifted in her seat. “I always wanted to do some charitable work, but back home it was impossible.”
“How come?”
“My father would not allow it,” she simply stated. “He was a pub owner and was not interested in humanitarian efforts.”
Calling Jimmy Love, the head of the motorcycle gang Grim Rebels, a “pub owner” was a bit of an insult, and Vance had to bite his tongue to refrain from saying anything he shouldn’t.
“I don’t understand. How could he stop you from doing something good like that?” he asked instead.
Teresa sighed before answering.
“Well, when I said he was a pub owner what I meant was that he is a leader of a motorcycle club,” she confessed. “And contrary to other motorcycle clubs, he thought that charitable work was not something worth doing. Of course, that meant I couldn’t do it either. He’s pretty set in his ways.” She was clearly uncomfortable, and he heard a trace of bitterness in her voice.
Vance was taken aback. Not because the boss forbade Tess from doing humanitarian work – no, he knew Jimmy Love was a class A jerk like that. What he didn’t know was that other motorcycle clubs did charitable work. He asked Teresa about them, honestly curious, and she smiled at him.
“Well, there are a lot of charitable motorcycle clubs that do charity work. One of the most famous motorcycle clubs to raise money and resources for a charity was The Royal British Legion Riding Branch. It is a registered charity that supports past and present members of the Armed Forces, although you don’t have to be in the army to join. They do all kinds of events to support the veterans, soldiers’ wives, and so on, and they are just one of many examples!” she exclaimed.
She clearly enjoyed talking about it, but what surprised Vance the most was that her excitement got him interested in it, too.
“Wow, I didn’t know that! I never pictured motorcycle clubs doing that kind of work.”
In fact, he had never been interested in charity until he joined Silver Spoons for Charity as part of the job. Throughout the weeks, he found himself enjoying the work that he did and the people there. His fellow volunteers and patrons made him feel good about helping out, and he never got this kind of feeling back at the club. A cold feeling in his stomach made him shift uncomfortably, but he avoided thinking about it by asking Teresa more about charities and other volunteer opportunities.
Teresa and Vance talked about many random things, and for the night he forgot about everything else. He forgot about his mission, his past, his boss, and thought only about Teresa. Her laughter and smile when he said something funny. The glow in her eyes when they talked about charities. The passion in her voice when she spoke about her job, her dreams, her life... Little by little, she was opening up to him, and Vance liked the fact that she could. He felt special.
“I really liked the place, Vance,” Teresa said when they left the café and stepped into the cool air. The food and drinks had been good, but the coffee they’d ordered after had definitely won her over. Vance smiled cockily and winked at her.
“I knew you would,” he assured her. He offered his arm again, like a gentleman, and took her to their next stop: a pub. “I know you work in a nightclub and you’re probably sick of being around these places, but you’re always behind the bar so I thought you’d like to be served for a change,” he said, smiling hopefully.
Teresa smiled back at him. “Well, it’s been a long time
since I went out!”
They entered the crowded pub, and the loud music overwhelmed their senses. Vance made his way to the bar with Teresa by his side and ordered two glasses of whiskey.
“How did you know?” she asked, sipping the drink.
“Just guessed. Figured since you weren’t a rose kind of girl, you wouldn’t be much of a sugary cocktail kind of girl, either,” he joked and tasted his own drink. The whiskey was hot and strong, burning through his throat and stomach.
“Why don’t we make this more interesting?” she proposed, smiling deviously.
“What are you up to?”
“Truth or dare!”
“Holy shit, what are you, fifteen?” Vance mocked, laughing, but agreed to play along. He hadn’t played truth or dare in so long, but it was a way to get to know Teresa better, which was part of the plan.
“Have many girlfriends have you had? A lot?” she asked first.
Vance thought for a moment before answering, “No, not many. Not that I call actual girlfriends, anyway. Just one,” he confessed. It was true; he’d only had one girlfriend, but many one-night stands.
“And you? Many boyfriends in your past?” he countered, raising an eyebrow.
Teresa shook her head. “Four. Not that many,” she answered. “Dare! I dare you to touch that man’s ass.” She laughed, pointing to a huge man that was drinking near them. Vance’s eyes widened in horror, and he promptly downed his drink.
“Okay, okay. I got this. Just touching, right? Not a ten-second grab? Whoo, let’s go.” He shook himself out and stretched his neck both ways as if preparing for a fight. As he started walking towards the man, he swiftly turned around, shaking his head. “Nope, no way I can do that. Not a chance. Call me a little bitch if you want, I’m fine with that.” He sat back down on his stool, trying not to break into a smile.
Teresa laughed. “Oh, my God, I was scared for a minute. I thought we’d have to make a run for it.”
“Okay, my turn. I dare you to dance with me,” he said. The whiskey was fogging his senses, and he felt something stirring inside of him when Teresa emptied her glass, took him by the hand, and dragged him to the dance floor.
Both were soon lost in the loud, upbeat song, close to each other, but not touching. He didn’t think she’d agree to dance with him because she’d been wary of him and was so guarded all the time. Their eyes met. They both laughed as he twirled her around even though it didn’t match the music. He’d never danced with anyone like this before, and it felt oddly intimate.
Soon his hands were on her waist, and then her hips, and soon he was running his hands over her body. One of his hands ventured to the lower part of her back, and when she didn’t push him away, his other hand followed it.
They got even closer, barely one inch away from each other, and Vance’s eyes automatically glanced at her lips. They were so close, and he felt her breath on his lips as they moved together.
When the song ended, and another one started, they did not part, but continued to dance, their eyes locked on each other. He could even feel Teresa’s accelerated heartbeat against his chest, and without pausing to think about what exactly he was doing, he closed the distance between them and kissed her.
Her lips were soft and tasted of mint and whiskey. The kiss was gentle and hesitant at the beginning, no more than a taste. When they parted slightly, she looked up at him, eyes stormy with desire and emotions, and he felt his own desire threaten to rip through his body.
This time it was Teresa who closed the distance, but the kiss was not as gentle; it was hungry, forceful, and full of passion.
The second song ended, and it seemed to break the spell. Teresa abruptly pulled away, looking everywhere but at him, and Vance felt the heavy feeling of dread in his stomach. He knew, positively, that he had screwed up any chance he had with her.
“Well,” Teresa said, her voice a little shaky, “should we head out?”
Dammit, he thought angrily. She just wants to go home. I ruined it.
In silence, they abandoned the bar and started making their way back to her place. Vance offered his arm again, fully expecting her to decline politely, but she surprised him by grabbing his hand. His heart skipped a beat, and he tightened his grip, squeezing her hand. Teresa laughed. Maybe he still had a chance.
“You haven’t told me much about yourself,” Teresa said, looking at him sideways. They walked slowly as if both of them wanted the night to last longer. Vance bit his lip. What could he tell her without giving away too much?
“Well, let’s see,” he said, looking away from her. “I’ve been working since I left high school. I didn’t have a chance – or the will – to study any further, so I started working at my father’s business. He passed away a couple of years ago, so I made plans and decided to move here.”
Part of it was the truth. He had worked for his father at first, but left and worked as a lowly employee in a large global firm. His father had passed away two years ago, but he had omitted so much of his life – in fact, so much that he was starting to feel a little guilty. His troubled past, his problems with the law, and his connection with her father’s gang were all secrets he kept from her.
Teresa had opened up to him that night, and he kept lying to her. Of course, he knew she was also hiding things, but she was being honest with him with what she had told him so far. He not only hid his past from her but also deceived her. He felt inexplicably awful.
Despite this whole thing being a mission, he couldn’t deny that he was growing to care for her more than he cared for most others in his life, and for a moment he thought of confessing everything. Maybe if he explained everything to her, she would forgive him eventually. Maybe they could even have something after that, when enough time had gone by.
He was about to say something, to confess the whole truth, when suddenly Teresa stopped. He looked at her, confused.
“We’re here,” she said, chuckling lightly at his questioning look. Vance closed his mouth and swallowed the truth he was about to reveal. All the courage he had felt to confess the truth to her died when he looked at her: the smile on her face, her deep eyes, and her inviting lips, half-opened.
“I had a great time today,” he muttered, unable to say or do anything else. To his surprise, Teresa did not answer. Suddenly, he felt her soft and tender lips planting a kiss on his.
It only lasted for a moment, but when he looked at her, she was blushing but smiling. Without thinking, he put his hand behind her neck and swiftly pulled her into his arms, closing the gap that was between them.
His lips found hers again, and he kissed her, gently at first, but more passionately when she leaned into his embrace. His arms wrapped around her tightly and his tongue made its way into her mouth when she opened it invitingly, deepening the kiss.
When they parted, both in need of air, they were both breathing hard, and Vance felt heat run through his whole body.
“Teresa, I...” he mumbled on, not really sure where he was going with this, when she placed her warm, slender finger on his lip, silencing him.
“Do you want to come up?” Teresa’s eyes gazed into his, and the raw, determined desire he saw in them made him shiver.
That was the last thing he expected, and somewhere inside his head warning bells were going off, but instead of thinking rationally, he kissed her again. He knew she was going to drive him crazy, that he was walking into trouble, playing with fire. But at that very moment, he could not care less.
Chapter Seven
Teresa
She knew that the kiss was impulsive and probably a mistake, but when his lips pressed back into hers, Teresa was aware of the raw desire that had awoken in her. Their date had been amazing, and she had found Vance not only fun to be with and charming but also full of life.
There was something about him that compelled her, something that made her take the first step. She was aware that it went against the rules she set for herself and was just as surprised as he was when s
he kissed him.
“Teresa, I—” Vance muttered when they parted from their second, hungrier kiss.
“Do you want to come up?”
The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it, but in spite of that, she did not regret it. She wanted him, badly. She wanted to spend the night with him. Screw the consequences; she could worry about that later.
His response was prompt. Throwing caution to the wind, Vance took her in his arms again and kissed her hungrily. His lips were soft and tasted like coffee and whiskey, and he sent shivers down her spine when he gently bit her lip. With one hand, she reached for the keys in her pocket and, somehow, managed to open the door with Vance still kissing her.
They clumsily got to the elevator, and once they were inside, and Teresa had pressed number five, Vance trapped her against one of its walls. She could feel his whole body moving with his deep breaths as he pressed against her. Their mouths were still locked in a kiss, their tongues battling for control – licking, biting, and brushing against each other.
“Vance...” she whispered in his mouth. She felt his smile against her lips, and when one of his hands abandoned the back of her head to caress her side, she tried not to moan.
She was trembling with desire. It had been a long time since she had been with someone and, until now, Teresa couldn’t recall a time when she had needed anyone as badly as she needed Vance.
The elevator stopped and, trying to straighten themselves out, they reached the door. Vance followed her, and she felt his hungry eyes on her body while she opened the door.
When they got into the apartment and closed the door behind them, she turned around to face him. She dropped her purse and jacket on the floor and pushed Vance against the door, trapping him against her body.
“I like a woman who can lead.” Vance growled in her ear. She smiled and placed a kiss on his neck. If he wanted leading, he would have it.
Little by little, she drew a line of small bites and wet kisses along his neck and jawline, while her hands unbuttoned his shirt. She ran her hands down his naked chest once the piece of clothing hit the floor, feeling his well-toned chest and muscles.