The Wedding Deal (20 page)

Tessa had given a half laugh, the hurt in her voice so clear.

“You would have been one to talk” she had thrown at him, moving backwards, as her whole body wanted to throw itself into his arms.

He had looked at her in confusion.

“What do you mean?” he had asked sharply, as she had turned from him.

“I mean Clara” she had said her voice only a whisper,

“You worry about ME throwing myself into the arms of another man, yet you flaunt your mistress before me Alexis, even leaving me when I lost our child to be in her arms. You are a hypocrite, no better than my grandfather”

She had heard him move behind her, felt his hands on her shoulder as he had slowly turned her around. She had kept her eyes on the ground, not prepared to let him see the pain in them.

“Clara is not my mistress” he had said “I have no mistress Tessa… why would you think that?” his voice growing colder as he had realised where she had got that idea from.

“Your grandfather told you Clara was my mistress”, he had said hooking his finger under her chin, angling it up so he could look into wonderful brown eyes.

Tessa had nodded, biting her lip.

“He told me that you wanted a wife who would accept your lifestyle. That she was your current mistress” her voice breaking slightly once more, as with a groan of pain he had pulled her into his arms, holding her protectively against him.

“She is so beautiful Alexis………how could I ever compete against her”

“That bastard” he finally spoke “That lying………..Tessa, Clara is not nor has she ever been my mistress”

Pulling her back slightly he had looked into her face once more.

“From the moment I saw you at your grandfather’s party Tessa there has never been any other women in my life…………..I only wanted you. I have always thought you the most beautiful woman I have ever known”

She had looked deeply into his eyes, seeing such passion and honesty in his, feeling a small tear of joy rising.

“Oh Alexis” she had moaned softly, as he had dropped his head, his mouth taking hers in a fierce passionate kiss, drawing from her an equally passionate response as she had clung to him. It took the small cough behind them to finally pull the two apart.

“Erm……….we are going down to the town for dinner” she had heard Maggie say, her voice seeming so distant in the blur of fuzziness that was her mind.

“We may be quite some time Tessa” she had continued as Tessa had made some non committal vague sound of having heard, before Alexis’s mouth had once more taken hers, her aunt’s words lost in the need to kiss her husband. This time he had been so tender, so gentle, as his mouth had explored hers. Whispering gently to her in Greek, her whole being suddenly so alive with the need for him she had explored him back. As he had bent down to whisk her into his arms, he had asked where the bedroom was and she had remembered the first time he had lifted her in his arms all those months ago in her small flat.

“Upstairs, first room on the right” she had whispered back as he had strode with purpose into the house, neither of them noticing how empty it had become, nor caring, moving up the stairs. As he had dropped her gently onto her feet by the bed, she had started to laugh gently against his mouth. Alexis had looked at her, his face puzzled as she had looked up at him so lovingly.

“I’m sorry” she had giggled “This is my aunt’s house………..and my old bed………I feel naughty” she had grinned, seeing a wide smile cross his face.

“Oh you are going to be, don’t worry” he had replied, a husky note in his voice, making her forget her surroundings once more. She had thrown her arms around his neck pulling his head down to kiss her with a hunger that left them both throbbing for the other. Each had pulled at the other’s clothes. Her shirt falling to the floor beside his, her jeans pushed down by hands so strong and sure. His fingers had caressed her bottom as they so slowly pushed the silken panties down, causing her to wriggle uncontrollably against him, the gush of wetness and desire between her legs driving her further. Releasing him from his jeans, she had pushed them down feeling the hardness of him spring against her belly. As her hands had brushed against him stars had flashed before his eyes.

“My God Tessa, I want you so much” he had muttered moving backwards until he was able to bend her over the bed. His hands had continued exploring her body, cupping her breast, his head bending to lick the rosy nipple, her fingers flying to his head, pulling him down harder onto her. His hand had moved between her legs, gently caressing her feeling the wetness as his finger had explored further causing her hips to move with him her breathing laboured, before with a groan he had pulled back slightly.

“Am I hurting you?” he had asked his voice full of concern and need.

With a shake of her head she had pulled his mouth back to hers, her hand moving to hold the hardened shaft of him, feeling as his kiss had become more frantic, as her actions had threatened to drive him over the edge. Pulling her hand from him he had positioned himself over her, her legs parting so naturally for him, as with one sure thrust he had surged deeply into her. Once more feeling himself start to peak he had lain still within her embrace to allow himself to catch his breath. Looking deeply into her eyes, those beautiful warm pools of liquid chocolate, he had seen the passion for him as her hands had moved to caress his back. Slowly he had began to move over her, gently and surely thrusting deep, feeling as her feet had moved over his legs, her hands stroking his back and sides.

Tessa had clung to Alexis, feeling as his thrusts pushed her further and further, the rawness of his actions showing his need for her. The sound of his moans and cries fuelling her already heightened need as she had felt the waves start to rise, and just as she did, his mouth had descended, sucking in one hardened nipple. Gasping at the feel of his tongue on her as he had sucked so hard sent the waves flooding over her, sweeping her away in the torrent of sensations. Tessa was not aware as she had gone wild under him, panting and crying out his name as her nails had racked his back, nor was she aware as he had thrust harder and faster into her, keeping her floating for so long as he had plunged for the last time releasing so deeply within her. His cries joining hers as they clung to each other, before he had fallen heavily over her, his breathing ragged, as he fought to bring it back under control just as she did.

Feeling him over her, his heavy weight pinning her to the bed, she had wrapped her arms around him, wanting to hold him there forever, to keep him there, it felt so right. As he had finally moved, raising himself slightly from her he had looked deeply into her eyes, seeing in them tears.

“Tess” he had begun, feeling the coldness in his stomach that she did not want him, the same coldness that had swamped him when she had told him she was leaving, that she would no longer be in his life. Tessa however, had raised a finger to silence him, a small shaky smile coming to her lips.

“I love you Alexis” she had said softly the words feeling so right at that time.

As he had gasped, she had felt a moment of trepidation, the thought that he could not care for her as much as she him filling her with fear. However, she had seen the softness in his face, the smile lighting that wonderful mouth.

“I have loved you since the day I first saw you descending on me at a party I had never wanted to be at” he had grinned, holding his breath at the sheer joy on her face.

“Oh Alexis” she cried kissing him again.

“I thought I had lost you…….I was so miserable” she had muttered her kisses trailing over his face, eyes and cheeks as her hands cupped him, till with a groan of want he had rolled over, pulling her with him until she was straddled over him. Then he had captured her mouth with his, his kiss long and languorous as they had both once more lost themselves in the need for the other.

This time they had made love slowly, not frantically as the first time. Their hands and mouths fully exploring the other, driving each other to the brink before pulling back, both knowing exactly how to touch and excite the other. Finally he had pulled her once more over him as she had taken him deep within her and together they had driven the other to the ultimate place. Darkness had momentarily taken Tessa with the intensity of her climax, as he had held her whispering love for her as she did him. The moment was wonderful as they both knew they were each other’s and only each other’s.

Finally they had lain together spent and satiated, so content to be where they were. It was Tessa who had first broken the silence as she had frowned moving from the crook of his arm to pull herself up so that she could look into his face.

“How did you find me?”

She asked, seeing as he has smiled softly.

“When you hung up on me Tess, I didn’t know what to do………I was in France…..thousands of miles away”, he had reached out a hand to gently stroke her hair.

“I caught the first flight I could get back home” his face scrunching up with distaste.

“I even had to fly economy” he had said, as she had laughed throwing her hand over her eyes dramatically.

“Oh no!!!!!” she had mocked as he had laughed.

“Well if that doesn’t tell you how much I love you………..” he had let the sentence trail off as she had given him a soft kiss, her eyes bright and happy.

Pulling her back he had grinned, determined to continue his story.

“Anyway, when I got in I went straight over to your grandfather’s….. when he found out you had broken the contract he was only too happy to help me, gave me all the information he had, and by the way he was less than happy with you” he had added, giving a small laugh.

“But you will be glad to know that he offered me Marcie again” looking mischievously at her.

“Might have to take him up on that offer one day”

Laughing as she had smacked him playfully.

“He told me that the only person he could imagine you running off to was to your Aunt, Maggie Spiers, I don’t think he likes her very much” he had added.

“So obviously I thought she couldn’t be all that bad” hearing as Tessa had giggled.

“He didn’t tell me of her relationship with Andrew though” she had heard the tinge of anger in his voice, as he had looked up at her, his face suddenly so serious.

“I have a confession to make” he had said gently.

“After losing our……..” his voice had broken slightly as she had moved her hand to gently stroke his cheek both pulling strength from the other, both seeing the momentary look of pain cross the other’s eyes.

“I knew that we had to get rid of your grandfather from our lives, that whatever he had on you…..had to stop. So I had Andrew investigated” he said, with a small mirthless laugh adding,

“Guess I should have asked my detective for a family check too”

Tessa had looked at him her eyes wide with surprise.

“You did?”

Nodding he had looked nervously back.

“He found out everything, and I gave him new instructions…….to find your cousin’s embezzler”

Tessa had gasped.

“Are you telling me that it is because of you that he was caught”

She had seen as he had nodded again.

“They found him last week and he was arrested………..but I insisted that my involvement be kept out of it. It was important to me that you were able to decide without feeling obliged in any way”

Tessa’s eyes shone brightly.

“You did all that for me?” she had muttered gently dropping her head to kiss his mouth again.

However he had gently pulled her back determined to finish.

“At the hospital Tess, I was heartbroken and I knew you were hurting too, and I wanted to be with you so much, but with Andrew hanging over us…..”

He had paused for a second his voice becoming stronger.

I wanted you free from your grandfather’s blackmail……….and I needed you to see how much I loved you…….to see that if you turned your back on this man, that perhaps one day you could love me”

She had seen the small hurt on his face.

“As much as I wanted you with me ……….. I knew that I needed us to be a real husband and wife…. that it had to be a choice you made of your own free will”

Tessa had looked down at Alexis, the love she had for him glowing in her features.

“Oh Alexis……….I love you so much………..I have for so long……… I wanted to tell you, it was tearing me apart not to……….and then when you kept me at a distance……….I thought you hated me, and that was worse”

She had heard him groan.

“No………every day apart was torture……..but I knew that when we next talked……..it had to be sorted, you had to be able to make your own choices, not those of your grandfathers….and then when you left”

His voice had cracked slightly.

“I felt broken Tess…………I had planned on coming home the following week when everything would have been sorted…….and then you were gone, you left me, and I knew I had to find you……….talk to you”

Moving his hand to cup her face, his fingers gently stroked her jaw raising small shivers throughout her body.

“I had come planning to beg you to give us another chance, to tell you how much I loved you, and that I knew that you could learn to love me instead of him. When I turned that corner and saw you in his arms Tessa, I wanted to kill him”

Tessa had chuckled softly.

“Poor Andrew, he is the gentlest person in the world Alexis, he really isn’t used to being called out……..especially by very angry husbands of his cousin”

Alexis had groaned softly.

“Not the best impression to make on the family who actually care for you. I don’t think they are going to forgive me”

Tessa had smiled softly, her eyes taking on a sad tinge as memories of her past had flooded in on her.

“They will, they are good people Alexis” looking down into his eye, she had slowly moved to nuzzle into him. She had felt his arm move around her to hold her within his embrace, for the first time starting to talk about herself, as though she needed him to see the difference between Maggie and John.

“My father was Maggie’s younger brother. He loved my mother very much” she had began.

“They had planned to marry, when he was killed by a drunk driver. It devastated my mother, and she was never really the same again” the pain was clear in her voice as he had pulled her in closer still, gently kissing the top of her head.