Page 24 of Tempting Tessa

This moment of freedom would come at a cost, but she didn’t care. She wanted it, whatever risks it brought.

A knock sounded on the door. “Time is up,” the clerk called. “You must leave now.”

Tommy’s hand pressed against the wall beside Tessa’s head, his breath brushing her ear as he growled at the clerk, “Go. Away.”

Reality came crashing back, unwanted. Tessa let her hands fall. “We can’t stay,” she whispered, her voice as shaky as her legs.

Tommy kissed her again, harder, his hand sliding down to her thighs. He lifted her effortlessly, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.

The bliss hit again, and all logic fled. His tongue found hers, and they danced together in that bliss.

The doorknob rattled, followed by a man’s voice. “Open up. I have called the police. They are on their way.”

That got their attention. Tommy released her, and she mentally scolded herself as they both caught their breath.

Without a word, they scrambled to gather their things. Outside the door, the manager’s voice rose in a mixture of French, Romanian, and furious English.

Tommy grabbed her hand, hauling her after him. They burst out of the dressing room and made a beeline for the exit. The manager’s tirade followed them.

Outside on the sidewalk, Tessa’s laughter bubbled up, uncontrollable and ridiculous, given their situation. But it was infectious, and she caught the grin spreading across Tommy’s face as they ran from the boutique, like children playing a dangerous game.

Ten

Tessa really did look like a stranger.

Tommy sat on a bench near Platform Three, pretending to read the day’s newspaper. Six feet away, she perched on another bench, legs crossed, her expression unreadable.

He preferred her natural hair color and couldn’t get used to the change in her eyes. She insisted they act as strangers, and they had purchased tickets separately. Still, it was a challenge not to stare at her.

A man in a business suit dropped into the space next to her. He was balding, overweight, and sweating profusely. Tessa appeared not to notice, but Tommy bristled at the man’s invasion of her personal space. The guy dabbed at his damp forehead and started making small talk.

Tommy eavesdropped as the guy’s irritating, nasal voice grated on his nerves. Tessa barely acknowledged him, tapping away on her phone as if playing a computer game. Like so many assholes, the guy didn’t take the hint, asking her what was so interesting as he glanced at her screen.

She didn’t stop tapping and slid down the bench away from him.

Tommy knew she could take care of herself, but he still wanted to charge in and do something. Tell the guy to get lost or strike up a conversation with her in order to snub the asshole. It was everything he could do to stay planted in his seat.

The guy huffed and took out his own phone while Tessa peeked at Tommy, feeling his glare. She gave him a slight shake of her head and returned to her phone.

She’d changed into an ugly business suit, but even with the plain clothes and transformation of her naturally beautiful features, something about her caused people to do a double take. He doubted the chubby, balding asshole would be the only one to attempt to talk to her.

Tommy folded the paper and moved closer to a spot across from her. When she didn’t look up, he cleared his throat. “Nice day for a train ride,” he said, his voice just loud enough to carry to her.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes barely flicking up to meet his. She arched one brow, giving him a death glare. “Don’t,” she said under her breath, but he heard it.

Baldy must have, too. He glanced toward them, and Tommy looked away, studying one of the boards over the far gates. When the asshole went back to his own business, Tommy got up and sat on a bench behind Tessa. With their backs to each other, he could speak more quietly and not draw attention while still teasing her. Snapping out the paper, he hid behind it as he said, “Don’t what? Makes small talk? I’m just being friendly.”

She didn’t appreciate the teasing note in his voice, nor his risky behavior. “Stop it,” she hissed. “What part of we’re supposed to be strangers did you not understand?”

“Strangers make small talk. Just like the ahole down from you tried to.”

Her exasperated sigh was music to his ears. “If you’re trying to annoy me, it’s working.”

A snort escaped him before he could stop it. He wished he could see her face. The image of her laughing earlier, the sound of it as they fled the boutique, had stuck with him. It wasn’t the same laugh he’d heard before—the dry, sarcastic kind she used like armor. This had been real, unguarded, and unexpected.

He wanted to hear it again.

“Pretend I’m flirting with you. Trying to impress you.”

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