25. Tessa
Chapter 25
Tessa
T he helicopter touched down on the roof of the Langston Denver.
Wow . I was having a full Pretty Woman moment, without the “me being a sex worker” bit. Although, come to think of it, maybe there hadn’t been a helicopter in Pretty Woman . So maybe this was more of a Fifty Shades moment, without the bondage and without Ro flying the helicopter. I’d loved every minute of the flight into the city.
The side door of the helicopter was opened by a uniformed hotel staff member who greeted us with a nod and smile.
“Welcome back, Mr. Langston.”
Ro squeezed my knee and nodded at the man. “It’s just a short visit, Thom.” He climbed out, then held a hand out to me. “This is my guest, Tessa.”
Thom smiled. “Welcome to the Langston Denver, Tessa. If you need anything, please let me know.”
Soon we were in the mirrored elevator, but it was a short trip down one floor to the penthouse and adjoining office suite that Ro was using.
Nice . I approved of the wood paneling, stone accents, and brown tones with touches of blue used to decorate the penthouse. It gave a nod to the mountains.
“I took the liberty of booking you in at the spa for some treatments.”
“Did you?” He was wearing a tailored gray suit today and I had to stop myself from drooling. He looked so good.
“Yes.” He gripped the lapels of my shirt. “I want you to relax, but also check out the spa. See what we can incorporate at the Windward.”
“Okay. I guess I can suffer through a massage and a salt scrub.”
An interested light filled his eyes.
I stepped closer and ran a finger down the front of his crisp, white shirt. “A salt scrub leaves the skin very smooth.”
His voice lowered. “I look forward to feeling the results…up close and personal.” He lowered his head and kissed me.
Soon, we were both breathless. “You have a meeting, remember?”
He huffed out a breath. “So I do. Meet me for a late lunch?”
“Okay.” I rubbed my nose against his.
“Well, hello.”
At the low, amused drawl, I turned. A ridiculously attractive man stood in the doorway. He was tall, with a muscled body under a suit that I guessed was Brioni. He had smooth brown skin, a sharp jawline, and piercing gray eyes.
“Trust you to find a beautiful distraction, Ro,” the man said.
I cocked a brow. He sounded slick and very sure of himself.
“Tristan, this is Tessa Ashwood, the manager of the Langston Windward. Tessa, this is my CFO Tristan Banks.”
I held out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” Tristan cocked his head. “Last I heard, you were less than thrilled that our illustrious boss had bought your hotel.”
“I was. Ro and I have gotten to know each other a little better.”
“So I see.”
I heard the edge in his voice. I couldn’t tell if he was just obnoxious or being protective.
Ro’s cellphone rang. “I need to take this.”
“The meeting is in twenty minutes,” Tristan said.
Ro touched the back of my neck. “I’ll see you later.”
Then he stalked through a doorway I guessed led to his office. My gaze followed him. God, he filled out that suit so well.
Much to my disappointment, we hadn’t had sex last night. He’d claimed it was doctor’s orders and that I needed to rest. But he’d held me while I slept.
I liked that almost as much as the sex.
Almost .
I wasn’t going to let myself dwell on that worrying thought. Nope, I was going to enjoy the spa, and then make sure I got sex tonight.
“Don’t get attached.”
Tristan’s sharp words made me look up.
He was watching me with sharp eyes.
“Are you warning me off?”
“For your own benefit. I’ve seen many a woman fall for Ro. His looks, his lifestyle, his bank balance. He won’t stay.”
I smiled. “I know. Our personal…thing was unexpected, but it’s separate to our work. My home is in Windward. I know Ro will jet off to his next challenge when he’s done in Colorado. I’m very much small town and he isn’t.”
Tristan studied me. “You’re smarter than I guessed.”
“I might be from a small town, Banks, but don’t underestimate me. Now, I have a spa appointment to enjoy.”
He gave me a faint smile. “Why do I get the feeling you’re going to interrogate the staff and take notes?”
“Because I will.” I strode out.
But my smile was gone as I headed to the elevator. Everything I said was true…except for the pesky feelings boiling up inside me.
All of them for Ambrose Langston.
No . I was smart. And I’d stay smart.
I knew how much broken hearts hurt, and I wasn’t risking mine again.
* * *
I felt so good.
I floated towards Ro’s office. In between my amazing massage and delightful facial, I’d gotten a message from Ro that he’d needed to work through lunch. Instead, I’d had a Waldorf salad in the spa.
Now, several hours later, I’d been polished and massaged to within an inch of my life. I felt so relaxed.
My therapist, Jules, was good with her hands. Then I’d spent time with the spa manager, Nicola. She’d been happy to answer all my questions. My brain was buzzing with ideas.
I knocked on the door of Ro’s office and entered. I heard his deep voice. He was on the phone at the sleek desk and waved me in.
Sorry , he mouthed.
I noted that he looked tense, with lines bracketing his mouth. There was a plate with what must’ve been his lunch on the corner of his desk, but it looked like he’d barely touched it.
I knew the signs. A headache was threatening.
He worked so damn hard. I sat on the corner of the desk, near him, and he gripped my knee.
“Okay, next up we have Adam,” Ro said. “He’s going to give us a summary of the environmental concerns at the Jamaica site.” He touched a button on the phone, putting the call on speaker. A man’s voice started delivering his report. “I’ve muted the microphone, so they can’t hear us. Sorry, it’s my last call. Boring, but necessary.”
“It’s fine. I understand.”
“Then I have one more face-to-face meeting with the Maldives team.”
“The billionaire hotelier lifestyle.”
He made a humming noise and slid his hand up my leg. “Your skin does feel soft.”
I grinned. “You haven’t felt anything yet.”
His fingers teased with the hem of my skirt and slipped up beneath it, teasing my inner thigh.
“Are you listening to your meeting?”
He sighed. “Yes. I’ll get you to myself later. Sorry about missing our lunch.”
Reaching out, I played with his hair. “You’re going to have a raging headache later.”
“Just another hour, and I’ll be done.”
I stood up and moved behind him. I kneaded his hard shoulders. Unsurprisingly, his muscles were rock hard. When he let out a low groan, a little touch of naughty hit me.
“You need to relax a little.”
He moved his shoulders. I rubbed them a little longer, then slipped around and sat in his lap.
His eyebrows rose. “Ms. Ashford.”
“Mr. Langston.” I leaned forward and kissed him.
As the kiss turned heated, I rubbed my ass on his lap and felt him harden beneath me.
He let out a low groan. “Tease.”
I licked my lips. “Lock the door.”
On the speaker, the man was still droning on with his report. Ro’s eyes flared. He reached out and touched a button on the desk.
I stood and nudged his thighs apart. Then I sank to my knees in front of him.
“I’m a very good employee, Mr. Langston,” I murmured. “I do whatever my boss tells me to do.”
“Fairy queen.” His voice held a hot edge. His hand slid into my hair.
My fingers played with his belt. I felt the muscles in his thighs tense. “Tell me what you want, sir.”
“Fuck, Tessa.”
“I’m waiting,” I whispered.
He reached out and gripped my ponytail. “Undo my belt.”
Desire zipped through me like electricity, arrowing between my legs. I opened his belt, then lowered the zipper.
“Take my cock out.” His voice sounded like gravel.
Shoving his boxer shorts down, I freed his cock. I looked up at him. “What next?”
“Suck me, fairy queen.”
With pleasure. I leaned forward, grabbed the thick base of him, then wrapped my mouth around the head of his cock. I used my tongue, then pulled back and licked down his length.
“ Tessa . Fuck.”
I loved driving him wild. Past the edge of his ruthless control.
Pulling in the musky smell of him, I stretched my lips around him again and sucked him deeper. He made a low, rough sound. I bobbed my head, taking more of him.
“Tessa, shit, your mouth.” His fingers touched my jaw, rubbing close to where my lips were stretched around him. “So damn good.”
A husky sound escaped me, muffled by his cock. I picked up speed, bobbing more, feeling my panties go damp.
He tugged on my hair. A warning. “Baby?—”
I sucked harder, gripping his thighs.
He came, spurting in my mouth, my name on his lips. I swallowed it all down.
“ Jesus .” He slumped back against the chair, his chest heaving.
I rose, noting that the man on the phone call was still talking. But all my attention was on Ro. I loved seeing him relaxed and rumpled. “I’m going to go and arrange dinner for us. I’ll see you when you’re done with your work.”
He reached out and pulled me closer, pressing his face against my stomach. I ran my hands through his thick hair. When he looked up at me, I lowered my mouth and kissed him.
“You wreck me, fairy queen,” he murmured. “I’ll see you soon.”
He unlocked the door, and I strode across his office. It opened before I reached it, and Tristan appeared.
“Emergency dinner meeting,” Tristan said.
“The Maldives team has already agreed to the terms,” Ro bit out. “They’re due here to sign in twenty minutes. They don’t need to watch me eat.”
“I know, but they want assurances. It’s just wining and dining.”
“No.” I held up a hand. “He’s on the verge of a headache, and he’s worked long enough today.”
Tristan’s brows went up.
“You’re not working this evening, Langston.” I shot Ro a sharp look.
He smiled and glanced at Tristan. “You heard the lady.”
“I did.” Tristan eyed the both of us, then shoved his hands in the pockets of his suit trousers. “I guess I’ll be wining and dining alone.”
Good . Satisfied, I nodded, winked at Ro, then sailed out.