Authors: Elle Saint James
Tessa stayed fairly well-focused on making specialty cups of coffee all day, but little threads of memory regarding last night slipped in at odd times throughout her shift.
It wasn’t that she was embarrassed about what they’d done. She was more concerned about either of them seeing her working as a barista. Her father didn’t approve of any of her part-time jobs. He felt that a job working with her hands was beneath her and their “station” in life. Plus, he wanted her to be a socialite housewife for Arthur, the prick.
She had news for him. It would never happen.
Tessa didn’t regret having to put her education on hold or any of the low wage jobs she’d taken in the name of keeping flexible hours. After her mother had died, Tessa had gone to stay with her Gamma Butler. When Gamma had gotten sick, Tessa felt the need to return the favor. She quit school and got a second and then a third part-time job for a while.
As her illness progressed, Gamma Butler had needed increased care before she died. No one else, least of all her father, stepped up to the task financially or any other way.
Long ago, Gamma Butler and her father had a bitter argument. Screaming match was the actual term used by the young maid at her father’s house who’d confided the information. Tessa didn’t even know the subject of the fight. But neither her father nor her grandmother ever backed down from their prideful stance to contact the other and resolve the issue. Time spent with Gamma before she died was yet another bone of contention over which she and her father battled.
Tessa glanced at the clock and was relieved to note that her shift ended in half an hour. She couldn’t wait to get home and slide into a long, hot shower. The other girl working with her this afternoon had stepped away for a bathroom break, leaving her all alone. The most recent rush had ended an hour ago, and the intermittent customers allowed her mind to wander. Of course, her memories were of recent carnal activities.
She looked up at the building’s glass ceiling and wondered if she had the nerve to go knock on their door once her shift was over. Maybe she’d slip a note under the door and ask them to meet her in the lobby bar again later tonight.
Thinking about the two sexy cowboys from the night before and planning a future booty call took her mind away from the job at hand. She didn’t notice the familiar man who approached until he stood directly in front of her at the counter.
“What on earth are you doing here, Tessa?” he queried.
Arthur looked genuinely puzzled as if she’d only be here because she lost a bet or something.
Tessa found her voice even though the shock of seeing someone so unexpectedly had rattled her. “I work here part-time,” she finally answered. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Arthur gave her one of those disillusioned looks with a touch of disgust thrown in as if working for a living was too revolting to contemplate. He was exactly like her father, and that was the main reason she wasn’t interested in him.
“No. I do not want you to get me something to drink. Instead, you can leave this dismal place, get out of those disgusting clothes, and join me at your father’s for dinner like you were supposed to do last night.” He pulled out his cellular, dialed with his thumb, and lifted the expensive phone to one ear. He was probably calling her father to either set the date or to tattle on her. If he expected any change to her attitude on marriage or her job, both he and her father were about to be disappointed again.
“Go to hell.” Tessa dropped her cleaning rag on the stainless steel counter and walked away before she said something much worse. He called after her, but she was in no mood to talk to him. She stepped behind the wall where the coffee kiosk supplies were kept and waited until he gave up and left. It didn’t take too long. She wondered what he was doing here in the first place. Did he have business at the conference or was he simply following her? Either reason was equally annoying.
Once the other employee returned, they made quick work of cleaning things up, getting tomorrow morning’s set-up ready, and finally locking the front counter down. She said good-bye to her co-worker and left by way of the back door. It led out into the lobby area.
She rounded the last hallway corner in time to slam into a wide, firm chest. An apology on her tongue, Tessa grabbed the man by his arms and looked up into gorgeous, sexy eyes. She then promptly forgot what she wanted to say. It was Zachary with a big grin on his face like he’d found exactly what he was looking for.
“Zachary.” Her voice sounded as breathless as she felt.
“Tessa. I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you. I saw you at the coffee kiosk earlier, but now it’s closed. I thought I’d missed you.”
The realization she was in coffee-stained clothing made her stiffen in his arms. She wished she didn’t smell like coffee grounds and hazelnut syrup. She took a step away from him.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m sure I don’t smell very good. I wish I could have run into you
after
I’d showered.”
Zachary moved so quickly she didn’t have time to stop him. He pulled her close into his muscular arms, buried his face in her neck, and kissed the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “I think you smell delicious.”
“Is that so?” She relaxed against him, tilting her head to give him better access. He took advantage and nuzzled her throat. His fingers dug into the base of her spine as his thickening cock pushed into her belly. A heaviness crept across her lower abdomen. She wanted nothing more than to sink to the floor and have her wicked way with him, but vanity won out. Not to mention they were embracing in the very public lobby of his hotel.
“Listen, I’d truly like to see you tonight if you’re available, but let me get home and pretty up a little.”
“If you need a shower, we can simply head for the elevator and you can use mine. I don’t mind.”
She gestured to her uniform. “Except that I don’t have any extra clothes, only what I’m wearing.”
His gentle, seductive laugh warmed her through to her soul. He shrugged. “I don’t understand the problem.”
Of course he didn’t care if she pranced around naked in his room. All of a sudden, his fingers danced up the length of her spine, massaging the tired muscles as they went. She didn’t want him to stop. Eyes closed, she groaned when his hands made it to her shoulders.
“Come up to my room, and I’ll give you a massage that will rival any other you’ve ever had in your life.”
“Okay.” She didn’t even have to think about it. Not really. Her clit buzzed with desire from merely having his hands running the length of her back. She knew what other pleasures he was capable of performing. She wanted him and knew if she ended up in Zachary’s room that eventually the other “recipient” of “half” her ardent desires would show up. Dell had also been on her mind all day.
He shifted his body to encompass her in a half hug and led her to the nearest elevator. She was in front of his room door before she knew it and inside the suite a second later.
Zachary had her in his arms and pressed against the closest wall in the entryway before the door completely closed. He pressed his lips to hers in a gentle, demanding kiss. His hands roamed along her sides at first, but one slipped beneath her breast to cup it and squeeze softly. She moaned as her mind raced frantically. She wanted him, no doubt about it. However, Tessa wondered at the protocol of sleeping with two men. Could she sleep with one now and the other later? Was that allowed?
She stiffened again as her unanswered questions made her stop to ensure she understood how things in a ménage relationship worked.
“Before we go any further, I have a question.”
He laughed. “I have an answer.” He cleared his throat and backed up half a step. One arm still rested on her waist, but he placed his forearm above her head and waited patiently for her query.
“I assume that Dell will be here soon.”
He shrugged. “Eventually, he will return, yes.”
“I’m unsure of how this relationship works. Is it okay for me to be here with just you? Do we need to wait for Dell?”
“You are so beautiful.” He smiled again, and his gaze scanned her face intently. “It works any way that you want it to. Between the three of us we can have any relationship you want. If you’d like to wait for Dell, we can. If you want me to pleasure you beyond your capacity for belief, I’ll do that, and then we can all get together again later. Or not. If you want to wait for Dell and be with just him, that’s okay, too. I’d like the opportunity to watch, though.” He smiled as she digested what he’d said. Two men or one at a time if she wanted.
“So if I want you more than I can express right now…” She trailed off and smiled.
“Then I’ll oblige you. And I promise that Dell won’t be upset. I’d be willing to wager a large sum that he’ll be elated you’re here. If he discovers us in bed together, he’ll watch and enjoy or join us.”
“I’m sorry if I sound foolish—”
“You don’t sound foolish. Not at all. We planned to meet tonight to hunt you down and explain every detail of what we’d like to do with you.”
“Every detail?”
He leaned in close and whispered, “Each and every lick, suck, and penetration.”
Tessa inhaled a fast breath. She was so turned on, she wondered if they’d even make it to a bed. The wall of the entryway was fast becoming the perfect place to fulfill her immediate desires.
She pushed her mouth against his and slid her tongue between his lips. He reacted by slanting his mouth across hers and delving his tongue deeply into her mouth to tangle with hers.
His cock pushed against her belly, and her clit responded with a pulse of desire so acute, Tessa thought she might come before any of her clothing came off.
Zachary kept up the seductive kiss but plunged his fingers into her loosening hair. The top knot style she’d secured with an elastic band was soon removed and tossed over his shoulder. He massaged her scalp as he kissed and licked a passionate path between her lips. He certainly had a sexy, engaging kiss. Not to mention, every stroke of his fingers sent a bolt of electric sensation to the core of her body.
Her panties already saturated, Tessa pushed her hips into his and felt his answer in his pinning her to the wall. Could they have sex against the wall? She hoped so.
The sudden and ceaseless pounding on the door startled her heart into nearly skipping a beat. The faint, familiar voice emanating from the area right outside the suite put her into full panic mode.
Damn. It was Arthur. He must have followed her. She should have been more alert to her surroundings when Zachary showed up to sweep her off her feet. She’d let lust distract her too easily and ignored her immediate danger radar.
Zachary turned his head without removing his body from hers and murmured, “What the fuck?” His facial expression puzzled, he slowly pulled away from her. He excused himself with a quiet reluctance.
“Wait. Don’t open the door.” Tessa grabbed his shoulders.
“Why not?” His brow furrowed.
Her sigh was resigned. “I know who it is.”
“Who is it?”
“He’s an unwanted element in my life. My father keeps trying to foist him off on me as perfect husband material. I’m not interested. He and my father haven’t taken the hint yet.”
Zachary nodded toward the doorway on the other side of the bar area. “Go hide in my room, and I’ll get rid of him.”
She crossed her arms with sudden defiance. “I’m not hiding. He can go to hell.”
A heart-melting grin formed on Zachary’s mouth. “You are exceptionally beautiful when you’re mad.”
She softened a notch. “Well, don’t get too used to it. I don’t get mad very often.”
“Good to know.” He released the lock and opened the door.
Arthur stood there, arms crossed with a petulant expression on his face. “Where’s Tessa? What have you done with her?”
Tessa could see him peek inside over Zachary’s shoulder. Zachary put a hand on Arthur’s chest and stopped him from entering. “Get lost. She doesn’t want to see you.”
“Tessa!” Arthur screamed.
She marched the few steps forward and pushed her body between the door jam and Zachary’s body. “Like he said, Arthur, go to hell. You aren’t welcome here.” Her remark made Arthur’s upper lip go very stiff. She’d been paraphrasing, but the sentiment was the same. She wanted him gone.
Tessa snuggled up to Zachary’s torso and put her face on his chest in an effort to show him she wasn’t leaving this room, or Zachary, any time soon. The scent of his starched shirt mingled with the faint scent of his cologne made her relax just a little. For his part, Zachary slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her tighter against his side.
“Come away with me this instant, Tessa. You shouldn’t be cavorting with strangers.”
“I’m not leaving. You’re wasting your time here.”
Arthur’s hands bunched at his sides as if he tried to keep his anger in check while he eyed their embrace. “What are you doing here, anyway?”
“None of your business,” she responded at the exact time Zachary said, “I call it afternoon delight.”
Arthur wrinkled his brow and then sniffed in her direction. “You smell like a common worker. Why do you lower yourself to working in that horrid coffee place when your father and I can provide an immeasurable lifestyle improvement?”