The Wedding Deal (6 page)

Finally it was time for curtains, and she had stood in the centre of the stage, a warm smile on her face as she had welcomed the sea of faces before her. The venue was excellent, an old smaller theatre, which provided comfortable seating for the many family members of the children, all trying hard to stay silent while their faces shone with the excitement they felt.

After thanking all those involved, including the parents and the children themselves, she had introduced the youngest class, gently guiding all the youngsters to where they needed to be hovering close to the edge of the stage in case any of them moved too close.

Sitting at the back of the hall Alexis had smiled, seeing as a couple of the young children had taken one look at the audience then run to throw their little hands around her legs. She had hugged them comfortingly while allowing the others to work through their routine, which was so cute the whole audience either laughed or awed constantly. With a smile he knew he had made the right choice. Tessa Jones would make a wonderful mother.

The whole show moved along at a steady rate, and he was impressed with how well organised the production seemed to run, with the changeovers happening with seemingly little effort, until finally it was the last dance. Leaning forward, he was surprised to see that Tessa herself with two of the other older girls was dancing, his body reacting immediately at seeing her. Wearing a black leotard and black fishnet tights her long legs made even longer by the high heels, she looked stunning. White cuffs around her wrist and a white collar with bow tie were the only splash of colour, her long hair pulled up in a bun, with tendrils falling down her face only made her graceful neck seem longer. Her perfect figure with flat stomach and perfectly curved back had him swallowing hard to stop the moan from escaping his lips. He was aware that he was not the only one aware of how sensual she looked as many of the other men around him had openly admired the woman on the stage, some whistling softly, as partners would prod them with annoyance. As she had danced, he could see how gracefully she moved, her body flexible as she and the other girls had high kicked and pouted their way perfectly through the routine.

As the music had stopped, and the audience had broken once more into applause, she had bowed to the other girls, her wonderful smile lighting up her beautiful face. Bringing on all of the children she had once more thanked everybody for their help and their support making the school such a success, before some of the children had moved forward to give her a large bouquet of flowers, which he could see was making her struggle to stop the happy tears from falling. With a small frown he had remembered her tears from the previous evening, not happy ones, but frightened and sad ones, once more wondering why she had agreed to the marriage when she had been so against it. John Jones had assured him, that Tessa wanted money, and lots of it, but the woman on the stage seemed to contradict his words. With a frown he had pushed his disquiet to the side determined that she would be his wife, the mother of the children he longed for. Slowly he had risen and quietly with the other parents he had slipped out leaving her to her well-earned moment of glory.

Waking the following morning at her usual time, Tessa had smiled at the memory of the previous evening. The show had been a spectacular success, with many of the local papers appearing to take pictures of the dancers, happy at the free publicity. Already she knew that the intake for the next year was high, and expected to have more interest once the articles had been read by the local mothers. Happily, she had known that there was now a need to move to a larger studio which would give her the chance for more income. Tessa had opened the studio several years before, with a vision. A vision of one day owning several studios, all offering the best tuition for children, and with a contented sigh, she felt the warm glow of satisfaction, that that vision was within her grasp. With a small frown she had remembered Alexis, biting her lip softly. His expectations were that she be a dutiful wife to him, did that also mean that he expected her to give up her work? Groaning, she had pushed the bed clothes away from herself, moving into the kitchen for coffee. The realisation once more filling her that neither knew the other, yet they were to be married within 2 weeks. This thought filling her with panic.

As she had looked around the small flat, which she had personalised as her own, she had felt sadness at leaving it, her first real home of her own. She had taken jobs which had seen her moving constantly, first as a model and then as a dancer on cruise ships, never staying long enough in one place to call it home. This truly had been the first place of her own that she had known. There had been one other place she had felt safe and happy in, the memory of which had make a soft smile touch her lips, but looking around again she had thought how this place had made her feel secure and safe. Lifting her coffee cup, she had looked into the hot steaming liquid thoughtfully, saddened by the knowledge that from that day on she would have to live a lie. A loveless marriage to a man who was a complete stranger to her, a small shiver passing down her spine as the memory of his hands holding her had once more entered her mind.

The ringing of the doorbell had pulled her from her reverie. Frowning down at her night clothes, a skimpy night vest top and matching pants, she had moved to answer the door, hiding behind it as she had opened it expecting to see the mail man. However, with a gasp she had been shocked to see Alexis stood on her doorstep holding back the small moan of desire seeing him dressed in a suit, exuding an aura of power and sensuality.

“I …I didn’t expect you” she had stuttered, her whole being in shock.

“I realised I had not let you know the arrangements for you moving in…….so thought I would come and inform you personally”

Tessa could feel the goose bumps of awareness prickling her whole body, as she had fought to control her breathing at seeing him there.

“May I come in?” he had asked gently.

Stepping aside, and suddenly wishing she had pulled on a dressing gown she had ushered him into her home, feeling under dressed and vulnerable for some unknown reason.

“I was just having a coffee…….would you like one?” she had asked, trying to cover the disquiet in her voice.

“Thank you” he had replied softly. As he had followed the woman to what appeared to be the kitchen, once more feeling the overpowering need for her, surprising himself at the strength of it. Alexis Demitri was both powerful and attractive and women had always fallen at his feet, thrown themselves into his bed. He had enjoyed them as much as they him, but Tessa Jones, had held back from him. He had felt the passion and fire in her, but unlike others, she had tried to fight her desire, and this excited him more. Looking at her back his eyes had flicked over her. Wearing the skimpiest vest top which hugged her body like a second skin before showing her bare midriff, the low pants sitting on her hips revealing her small slender waist and flat belly he had felt his tightening awareness of this woman. As she had turned to face him, he could see how flushed she looked, her nipples hardening under his scrutiny, as she had tried to move her hands to cover her body, to hide from him her own longing so visible before him.

With a small masculine note in the back of his throat he had moved forward towards her, pulling her into his arms, lifting her high, as her arms had instinctively flown around his neck, her legs moving around his waist. Their kiss was raw and frantic, her fingers pulling at his hair as they scraped through the thick black locks. She was aware of his jacket falling on the floor, as his hands had moved to cup her buttocks, holding her so hard against him, the feel of his straining excitement filling Tessa with a wanton disregard as she had pushed her hips harder against him, causing him to gasp loudly.

“Where is the bedroom?” he had whispered against her mouth, moving in the direction she pointed, his mouth keeping up the onslaught on hers, as she had pulled him harder to her. Lying Tessa down on the bed, he had pulled away, his hands tearing at the tie around his neck, pulling the shirt from the waist band of his trousers, his eyes holding hers hypnotically the whole time as she had remained still on the crumpled sheets. As he had rejoined her, his kiss was less frantic, softer, sending all new kinds of tremors through her as her fingers had pulled at the buttons of his shirt, until she could feel his warm skin under her fingertips, lazily sliding them down his side feeling as he had shivered whispering something Greek against her mouth.

As his lips had slowly moved along her jaw his tongue had gently flicked against her skin as she had dropped her head to the side to give him more access, gasping feeling him kiss and nibble her. She had felt soft hands caressing her breasts, before his head had descended teeth nipping one hardened nipple beneath the thin material, his other hand pulling the vest from her. Tessa had watched as his dark eyes had admired her firm perfect breasts, the tips hard and pink against her creamy skin, before his mouth had once more dropped, this time sucking in the other nipple rolling it on his tongue, breaking down the last vestige of sanity in her already befuddled brain. Tessa was on fire, pulling his shirt from him until both of their bodies had finally crushed against the other, his mouth once more controlling hers, Tessa whimpering with a need she had never before felt.

As his hand had continued moving over her silken skin, following the contour of her stomach, before sliding under the flimsy night pants she had squirmed beneath him, her breathing so ragged. He could feel the wetness between her thighs, his own need at that moment so strong, as pulling back he had undone the belt and button.

“Help me” he had whispered huskily against her ear. Moaning, her hand had moved to touch the hardness of him over the trousers he still wore, feeling as he had jumped at the touch of her hand on him, sucking in a deep breath to steady the sudden sensations sweeping through him. Seeing his reaction had spurred Tessa on further, as her hands had shyly moved to his stomach, fingers pushing aside the waist band of his trousers, delving deeper, instantly feeling the heat of him the musky scent of him reaching her nose. His scent was driving her further, as her hand had pulled down the zipper feeling as his hardness had nudged against the back of her hand, feeling as he had shuddered violently before pulling her hand from him, his voice taut and broken.

“Stop, too much” he had whispered, his head against her breast.

“Tessa, it is important to me that our child is conceived when we are married………..are you on the pill?” Looking deeply into her eyes, his dark ones as full of fire as her soft brown ones, his voice tight, his need for her wanting him to take her, possess this woman.

Tessa had looked at him, her eyes flicking over his face, her fingers driving him wild as they barely touched the base of his spine. Now something new lit those wonderful eyes, confusion, and surprise as she had finally managed to stutter, her voice weak from the sensations flooding her.

“I…I’ve never……” she had begun a blush suddenly rising in her cheeks, as the meaning had become suddenly so clear to Alexis.

Pulling away from her and moving as far from the bed as he could, Alexis had stood on the other side of the room. Tessa had pulled her legs up to her chest, covering her bare breasts not knowing what had happened, what she had done so wrong. Seeing Alexis stood, she had bit her lip to hold back the small groan of want, his wonderful shape now so visible. Broad muscular shoulders tapered down to a slim waist, his long back to her, as he had stood muttering incoherently in Greek, his fingers running through his hair. He had reached down to retrieve his shirt pulling it back on with fingers which still shook slightly, but leaving it hanging open, before finally turned to look at her, his eyes full of frustration and confusion. Silently, Tessa had continued to hug herself, her whole body shaking at what had happened between them, not understanding why she had reacted in that way, her need for this man so primitive, so foreign to her well ordered life.

With fire still burning in his eyes he had looked down on the young woman, his voice full of disbelief.

“You’re a virgin”

Seeing once more how the flush had risen to her cheeks, her eyes flicking from him to hide the embarrassment in them, before she had pulled herself together, eyes returning to his, chin raised defiantly.

“Yes, is that a problem?”

Seeing the look in his eyes, Tessa had rolled over quickly retrieving her vest top and turning from him, pulling it back on, before jumping from the bed as he had finally spoken.

“But you can’t be…………” as she had turned on him, her eyes blazing with both hurt and anger.

“Why? ……….. because my mother was the town whore?” she had cried, tears rising to her eyes.

“Like mother like daughter, Alexis” she had flung at the man before her, moving quickly from the bedroom, needing to be away from both him and the bed, her vision blurred from the tears of anger. As she had reached the kitchen he had followed.

“That is not what I meant Tessa” his voice now soft, his hands moving to her shoulders to turn her around, his hands cupping her face.

“I would not have wanted you for my wife if I had ever thought that”

Tessa had looked back into his face, seeing the honesty in his eyes, hers dropping to the ground as she had spoken gently.

“My whole life people have always compared me to my mother………..and she was not a bad person Alexis……..she was a good person………..just unhappy”

He had angled her head upwards to his.

“I never knew your mother, but if she was anything like you Tessa then she must have been a wonderful person”

Looking at him she had given a weak smile.

“Then why?” she had asked, seeing as he had shrugged.

“Well you were a model, you are so beautiful………….then working on the cruise ships………I guess I just assumed that there had been other men” he had replied, as she had shaken her head.

“No”, but remembering the many offers she had encountered, her refusal to become the lover of one particular man ending her modeling career, as she had refused to sleep her way to the top.