Page 2 of Claiming Tessa

Diego did and then snorted.“Fuck ...it’s a guy.”

“Yup.She’s beautiful, but we don’t do guys.”

Diego laughed.

Gavin looked around.“What did the girl want?”

Diego shook his head.“I don’t know.”

“I thought I heard her say ‘Jared.’”

Diego jolted.“Fuck, that was her.”

They both looked around frantically.The woman had been so small it was hard to find her in the crowd.

“Wait, I think I saw her,” Diego exclaimed and took off in that direction.They finally caught up with her as she was hailing a taxi.

“Hey!Excuse me, are you Tessa?”

She glanced at them and then turned away.“Yeah, but you’re busy.I can take care of myself.”

Diego sighed.“I’m sorry.Please let us give you a ride.”

She turned fully to them.“Listen, I know you’re doing a favor for my brother, but I’ll just say I couldn’t see you.”

Gavin grabbed the big duffle bag she had by her feet while Diego grasped her upper arm.

“No, we fucked up,” Gavin said as he walked on the other side of her.“I hope you can accept our apology.”

She shrugged.“It’s no big deal.”

“I’m Diego, and the other guy is Gavin.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said.

Gavin unlocked the truck and set the bag in the back while Diego helped her into the back seat.

After sliding into the passenger seat of the truck, he turned and studied her.Her head barely reached their shoulders.She was wearing drab tan pants and a baggy shirt so he couldn’t tell the shape of her at all.Her hair was blonde, and she’d put it up into a messy bun.The visible dark circles under her beautiful eyes and the paleness of her skin got his attention.Her brother had told them she had been in Egypt on an archaeology dig for a university during the last year.

He didn’t know anything about archaeology except what he’d seen on television.But it looked rough.The woman in the vehicle with them didn’t look tough enough for a grueling job, and for over a year.

“You look tired.”

She turned her head to look at him and smiled.“I am.I can’t wait to find a hotel and crash for a few days.”

Diego’s brows pinched together.“I thought we were taking you to your mother’s house?”

She shook her head.“You guys are dropping me there, but I’ll only be there long enough to grab some clothes.”

Gavin pulled out of the parking lot.“Why can’t you stay there?At your mother’s?”

She snorted.“It’s a long story, and it would bore you guys.”

Diego didn’t like the sound of this.“Why don’t you stay with Jared, then?”

She shrugged.“The last thing he needs is his sister underfoot.”

Gavin glanced at her in the mirror.“I don’t think he’s going to like that.He seems pretty protective of you.”

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