Page 49 of Love Is…?

“Angel!” Tessa said sharply, through clenched teeth, and Angel’s laughter preceded her as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Jayde rolled her lips in, and Tessa shook her head in exasperation. “I can’t even…I’m sorry.”

“Angel’s terrific, Tess. Don’t worry. I think she teases you because you bite so well.”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “Exactly.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“So, did I pass?” Jayde’s cheeky smile had returned, and Tessa couldn’t help but match it.

“The romance lesson? With flying colours. In fact, I’m worried about how shit I am with my end of the deal.” Tessa sighed.

It must have been rather deep, and heartfelt, because Jayde, after studying Tessa for a while, stood up. “Come on.”

“What?”

Jayde reached down, grabbed Tessa’s hand, and dragged her over to the two kitchen stools. She sat heavily on one, parted her legs a little, then pretended to pick up a glass. She tipped the pretend glass in a cheers motion at Tessa, who was still standing at the second stool, blinking in confusion.

“Right. Practice time.”

Tessa squinted. “What?”

“Practice.” Jayde tapped the counter top, then put on an affected voice, like that of a radio announcer. “Welcome to theRainbow Bistro and Bar.”

Tessa giggled. “What am I practising? How to drink a cocktail without spraying it everywhere, which was your fault, by the way.”

Jayde grinned, then smothered the potential laughter with a frown and a serious nod. “You, Ms Connor, are practicing how to pick up.”

Tessa shivered at the thought. Shivered at the way Jayde had said that sentence. At the way Jayde had put that thought into Tessa’s brain. “Who am I picking up?” she whispered.

Jayde smirked. “Me.”

“Oh. Um…okay.” Well, that was a great start. She was guaranteed to make every woman within shouting distance come running with that shambolic collection of words.

Jayde raised an eyebrow, and Tessa huffed.

“Okay. Well, firstly you can’t do that eyebrow thing. It’s distracting.” Tessa shook her finger at Jayde’s forehead, then sheexhaled elaborately, squared her shoulders, narrowed her eyes, and planted a half smile on her mouth.

“Hi, I’m Tessa, and…” Tessa felt the giggles bubbling up from her chest, and she lost all train of thought as she hung her head, held the edge of the counter, and laughed at the floor.

“You’re hopeless,” Jayde said with obvious affection.

Tessa’s head shot up. “See? Yes, I am.”

Jayde flapped her hands as if to shoo away Tessa’s giggles. “Come on. For real.”

“Right.” Tessa dismissed the laughter, focused on Jayde’s freckles, her eyes, her hair, her…her. She canted her pelvis slightly, leaned a little over the second stool, and thought about the sexiest thing she could imagine, which happened to be Jayde lying naked on her bed. It must have made her eyes dark with lust because Jayde’s lips parted.

“Hi. I’m Tessa. Mind if I join you?” Pride zapped through her veins at how steady, how sure, how husky her voice sounded.

Jayde swallowed. “Sure.” She pushed out the second stool so that Tessa could move into the space between it and Jayde. “You can sit on this, if you like.” Jayde’s voice was low, and Tessa added that to the list of Sexy-Things-To-Imagine.

Tessa looked down at the stool, then lifted her eyebrows—raising one was not in her skill set—and placed her index finger on Jayde’s thigh, running it lightly along the denim. She stared into Jayde’s eyes.

“I’d rather sit on something else,” she purred.

Jayde inhaled sharply. “Jesus! Tessa, that’s…”

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