Page 50 of Landen

“And if you arepregnant, call me immediately. Swear to me, you will.”

She nodded and gaveherself up to his ardent kisses that had her clinging to him. Sheclung to him, and the very thing she swore she did not want to happendid. In the middle of his kisses, the tears trickled down her cheeks.

Dragging his lipsfrom hers, he cupped her face, his thumbs wiping away the moisture.“We promised no tears.’ He rebuked her gently.

“I know. OhGod, I love you so damn much.”

“I love youtoo.”

“If you don’tcome back-”

“I give youleave to find me and strangle me,” he said hoarsely. The carhad just pulled up, and she did not want to let him go. If she did,she was afraid she would never see him again.

He hugged her tight,his jaw clenched in tension. He would be leaving her, and even thoughhe had promised this would not be his last goodbye, he had no ideawhen he would return. Just leaving her for a day felt like a bloodylifetime, and he could not bear it.

“I have to go.”He forced despair from his tone.

“I know.”

“I will callyou from the plane.”

“Okay.”She was still clinging to him.

Lifting her face fromhis chest, he felt his heart twisting as he stared at her. Her lasheswere spiky with tears, and she looked shattered. How the hell was hesupposed to leave her like this? But he had a duty and aresponsibility to perform.

Brushing his lipsagainst hers, he plunged his tongue inside her mouth and kissed herwith all the pent-up emotions he was feeling.

“This is notgoodbye,” he whispered.

*****

He should try to getsome sleep. His body was exhausted, but his mind was all over theplace. He had been drinking steadily. The flight attendant hadstopped by every few minutes, asking if he needed anything.

He knew she wasflirting with him; he would usually have been tolerant. Today was notthe day. He wanted to tell her to get the bloody hell out of hisface.

He had left the womanhe loved, and the higher the plane went, the more distance it wasputting between them. He wanted to order the pilot to turn around sohe could be with her. He had the awful premonition that something wasgoing to keep them separated.

He wanted oblivion.He was missing her already. The taste of her skin, the feel of herwhen he was deep inside her. He had told her that she should contacthim immediately as soon as she found out she was with a child.

And he was hoping shewas. God, he was hoping that he had planted his seed inside her. Itwould force him to leave everything and rush to her.

“Oh, Tessa,”he whispered achingly. “I miss you so damn much.”

*****

She was about to stepout of the bedroom to leave for the gallery when she remembered thatshe had not unpacked her suitcase. She had tried to get some sleep,but that had been impossible. She had ended up twisting and turningon the bed, remembering everything.

Sitting on the sideof the bed, she opened the case and saw the envelope on top of herstuff. With trembling fingers, she slit it open and pulled out thesingle sheet of paper. Something fell out, and she picked it up. Itwas a card - a platinum with her name embossed on it.

Putting the carddown, she read the note. “Don’t be bloody stubborn. Iwant you to have this and use it, darling. For anything - it has alot of zeros, and this is me taking care of my girl. And you are mygirl, and I love you.”

Putting the notedown, she bowed her head and felt the tears sliding down her cheeks.She loved him so much that it was like an ache. She could not bearit. She could not bear him not being here. Reaching into the case,she removed his shirt and pressed it against her face.

“Landen, I missyou so much. I fell in love for the first time, and this is whathappened.” She stretched full-length on the bed and held theshirt against her chest. “Whatever happens, I will never regretit. Never.”

*****

He was travel-weary.He had slept fitfully on the flight, his nap interrupted by dreams ofher. Dreams of Tessa finding someone else and calling to tell him. Hehad called to tell her he had landed, and she had sounded as bleak ashe felt.

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