Chapter Twenty-one #2
Tess nodded and they headed back to the dance floor.
While there had been colored lights flashing to the rather boisterous beat of the loud music they’d been dancing to before, now the lights were muted to a low level that created a soft ambiance.
It was perfect for the sentimental ballad that was floating through the room.
Bree led them to an empty spot between several couples who seemed lost in the rhythm of the love song and each other.
She held her arms open and Tess stepped into them.
Tess had done her share of ballroom dancing with a male partner, decades ago when she’d been learning the dances that were on her parents’ agenda for her, and it had been nothing like this.
That experience had been two teenagers taking carefully choreographed steps in a stilted coupling that periodically included the intrusion of old Mrs. Jennings, an instructor who stalked the room with an eye attuned to any mistakes that might offer her the opportunity for intervention, not always kind or gentle.
Tonight was so far removed from that experience, Tess had to pause in gratitude.
This was the dancing of movies. Of romance. Of love stories.
Bree pulled her in close, and Tess was happy to let her lead.
They were pushed together, front to front, and Tess felt Bree’s breasts and pelvis pushing against her own.
Bree’s arms were resting over her shoulders, and Tess couldn’t pass up the opportunity to drop her hands to Bree’s backside.
God, she’d never even considered that dancing could be this erotic.
If they kept this up, Tess wouldn’t bet that she’d be able to find the resolve to not end up in bed with Bree for the night.
She’d promised herself that wouldn’t happen again until Bree committed to more than verbally putting her off with the excuse that she had other things to focus on, even if their encounters indicated otherwise.
But the deep clench at her core only escalated with every sway of their hips, with every push of Bree’s pelvis into hers.
All bets were off because Tess’s hormones weren’t listening, and neither was her heart.
“So much better than ballroom dancing,” Bree said.
Tess leaned back a bit and looked at Bree. “Well, considering that your competition included some awkward gangly boy, probably Archibald Bigbucks the Fifth or Sixth if I’m remembering correctly, or old Mrs. Jennings…”
“You poor thing. I take it on as my personal mission to replace those memories of bungling boys and some ancient Ginger Rogers with a little instruction of my own.” Bree brushed a strand of Tess’s hair behind her ear before pulling her even closer.
Her warm breath feathered the spot where Tess’s neck met her jawline.
The words that followed landed as a heated caress on Tess’s skin with the breath Bree exhaled in a whisper.
“It’s all in the hips, so don’t even think about your feet. ”
Then Bree pressed herself into Tess’s curves, and there was no doubt in Tess’s mind that this beat the heck out of debutante hell.
“I couldn’t think about my feet right now, even if they were on fire,” Tess whispered back. “And it’s not my feet that are in danger of heat damage.”
“Then we’re doing this dance right.” Bree kissed Tess’s forehead, then the eyelids she’d just closed.
Tess was mildly surprised when the soft moan that filled the space between them came from her own throat. “I’d take dance lessons from you any day.”
“Ah, that’s what this is. I like the sound of that—dance lessons. Better than a meeting.”
“And what other kinds of lessons do you teach, Brianna O’Brian? Because I’d probably take those lessons from you any day too.” Tess stopped for a moment. She hoped that comment sounded more like flirting than the honest declaration that it was.
Tess considered pulling back, then decided she owed herself the rest of this evening, the only planned get-together she even had on her calendar with Bree.
Here she was, in the arms of a gorgeous woman and playing yo-yo again.
Tess decided she’d face the consequences later if she let herself too far off the usual leash she maintained to protect her fragile feelings.
A leash that was like a violin string that sounded a dissonant note of warning when she was in danger of another round of heartbreak.
But she’d never have a personal life unless she tried, and she wanted to try with Bree.
Bree laughed at the lessons comment. “I think we could teach each other a few things. Let me think…dessert pairing lessons, watching whales in the mist lessons, kissing lessons, and that important bedroom lesson…”
Tess blinked a few times. Where was Bree going with this?
“Get your mind off that track,” Bree said. “I was thinking that was one you could teach me. I’ve never learned to properly sleep in a bed with a cat. The Purrfessor would tell you that he thinks I should have turned the pillow over to him when I was staying at Hank’s.”
“A pillow hog. I don’t think there’s any cure for that.” Tess made a point of shaking her head as the fun of teasing Bree left her feeling happy for now.
“Sure there is. You just have to figure out ways to take your mind off the pillow.”
“Now you’re trying to put my mind on that track.
” Tess’s thoughts shifted to those memories of that night in bed with Bree that she was supposed to have left in Tahoe.
The throbbing between her thighs only intensified.
No wonder you were supposed to leave one-night stands behind.
And you certainly shouldn’t keep torturing yourself by repeated encounters and ending up in a slow dance lesson with that woman.
“You know I wouldn’t dream of putting your mind on sex.” Bree’s darkened hungry eyes said the opposite.
Tess couldn’t suppress her chuckle. Bree radiated sexuality. But it wasn’t just that. There was so much more. Tess also couldn’t suppress the growing sense of both their increasing emotional bond and the dread she felt—the two were so intricately linked.
She took a breath and pulled Bree close in a prolonged hug as they swayed to the love song that was now playing.
Maybe it was just the setting, their proximity, the words to that song promising that love wins out that had Tess caught in this mood.
Not that it was love she was trying to navigate. She wasn’t good at that anyway.
“It’s been the best day,” Bree said, “but I’m starting to feel the hour. I think it’s after ten. I’m blaming a day in the fresh air and that prune-laced dessert for making me act like an old lady.” Bree stifled a yawn. “How are you doing?”
Tess sensed that maybe Bree wanted to politely shut the evening down.
It hurt, but she had too much pride to let her feelings show.
“I’m loving this dance lesson, but I’m feeling the full day too.
Thanks so much for coming with me today.
I know you’re trying to focus on all the changes in your life, so I really appreciate that you made my raffle prize win so memorable. ”
“Tess…” Bree’s voice trailed off as she seemed to wrestle with her thoughts.
“It’s fine. It’s been such a great day.”
Bree pulled her in closer and rocked them in unison. “Are you listening to this song?”
Tess had been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to pay close attention to the lyrics of what they were currently dancing to.
She listened as the last line of the last refrain crooned from the speaker.
There’s no quitting on us, baby. There was that baby again, and it hit her that she really wanted to be Bree’s baby tonight.
Her body ached for it. She’d already decided she’d face the reset later.
Forget tomorrow, and she’d deal with the fallout later too.
As the dance ended, Bree gently kissed Tess, then took her hand as they went to collect their belongings and head out.
Walking into the night with their fingers laced together, Bree realized that she could picture their lives intertwined. She knew deep down in her bones that Tess was nothing like Cora. Today with Tess had felt so right. She certainly didn’t seem to be able to just walk away. She didn’t want to.
There was no manipulating her heart, and it was telling her that she wanted to try to add Tess into the mix of her life.
She had no doubt that Tess would support and help her in making this move to Corazon Cove be the best it could be.
She’d probably even been a fool for thinking that she could succeed at the new life she wanted without considering what would heal her heart, and that heart was having a say—she needed to try for a future with Tess.
That revelation forced a decision. As she’d assured Ned she would, she would tell him that she could no longer withhold her role from Tess.
The time she had anticipated had arrived.
She would no longer leave her relationship with Tess in limbo, and she needed the right to be fully open with her.
As Bree prayed this would all work out, she felt lighter than she had in a long time.
Tess dropped Bree’s hand when they reached her car and then used her body to press Bree back against her passenger door.
“Remember that barbecue at Flo and Fred’s place?” Tess asked.
Bree nodded.
“The chocolate cake we shared?”
Bree nodded again. She knew that her own expression suggested she knew where this was going, that she wanted this too. She needed Tess to know that she wanted her.
“The chocolate cake consumption statute you warned me about, and the kiss I owe you?” Tess purred.
Bree locked her gaze on Tess’s darkening eyes, then lowered her scrutiny to Tess’s full pink lips.
She hadn’t dared define what she was feeling for Tess, but she knew she was committed to clearing the way to do just that.
A declaration to Ned, an explanation to Tess, and then if Tess still wanted her…
“I remember. The best fucking kiss.”