27. Tessa
Chapter 27
Tessa
I moaned.
“Get there, Tessa.” Ro’s voice was a deep caress.
I was riding him, moving my hips fast and taking him deep. My hands were pressed to his chest. He was laid out beneath me, with his big hands cupping my breasts. But a second later, one traveled down my belly and found my clit.
I let out a cry, moving faster on his cock.
“God, I love watching you take me.”
With that, I flew apart. I threw my head back as the orgasm washed through me. I was still in the throes of pleasure when he reared up. I ended up flat on my back with Ro on top of me. He hitched his arms under my thighs and spread me. Then he surged back inside.
“ Tessa .” It was part growl, part groan.
It only took three thrusts and he found his own release. I watched him ride it, heat in my belly, and he ground inside me. God, he was beautiful. His dark lashes lay against his cheeks, his cheekbones were flushed, and the tendons in his neck strained.
Then he collapsed, half on top of me, half off.
I lazily stroked a hand down his back.
Ro Langston was in my bed. I thought he’d look wrong here, but he didn’t. My room was feminine and cozy, and yet he somehow looked like he belonged. The conqueror who’d strode in and claimed his prize.
After we’d arrived back from Denver yesterday afternoon, Ro had gone to the Windward to check in with Caden and Piper. I’d been banned from returning until today, although I was totally recovered. I didn’t feel any ill effects from my poisoning.
While he’d been gone, I’d had coffee with Emily and played Monopoly with Haley and Caleb. I hadn’t expected to see Ro again, but he’d turned up at dinnertime and announced he was staying at my place.
We’d cooked dinner, watched a movie, then had fabulous sex in my bed.
This morning, with sunlight streaming in my windows, I’d woken him with my mouth on his cock, which had led to this morning’s fabulous romp.
“We need to get to the hotel,” he said.
“I need coffee.” I turned my head and grinned at him. Oh, shit . My chest swelled. He was gorgeous, hot…and not mine.
I couldn’t let myself forget that.
“You shower, baby, and I’ll put the coffee machine on.”
“I want coffee from Mountain Brew.”
He smacked a kiss to my lips. “I make a good coffee. You’ll love it.”
In his black pajama pants with no shirt, he sauntered out. I watched the delicious muscles and bronze skin as he did.
Shaking my head, I headed for the shower.
Afterward, I put on a gray skirt and pink shirt, and did my hair and makeup. It was my first day back and I wanted to reassure everyone that I was fine.
I headed down the short hall and heard a familiar giggle.
Crap . Sure enough, a shirtless Ro was in the kitchen with a grinning Haley. She was sitting on the counter, jabbering at him as he made coffee.
I froze, unsure what to do with the emotions hitting me. This looked right too.
You’re losing your mind, Tessa . He’s not made to be in a cute cottage in a small mountain town with an eight-year-old bugging him. He’ll jet off to the Maldives before you know it. He’ll dine in fancy restaurants, hop on private jets to Paris, Rome, and London with some gorgeous model by his side.
He didn’t belong in Windward, Colorado.
The thought made it hard to breathe.
“Haley,” I said.
“Hi, Tessa.” She scrambled down and skipped to me.
Ro gave me a smile, sipping his coffee. “I’ll shower.”
Haley hugged me and as Ro passed by, he pressed a kiss to my temple and then ruffled Haley’s hair.
“Bye, kiddo.”
“Bye, Ro!”
“I’ve got to get to work, Hay-bear.”
Her nose wrinkled. “I know. I just wanted to say hi.”
I looked down the hallway where Ro had disappeared. Haley did too.
“I like him,” she said like she was sharing a secret. “He’s handsome and he smells good.”
I bit my lip. “He does.”
“And he’s your boyfriend.”
“No, baby. Ro isn’t staying in Windward. He’s just a friend.”
She frowned. “But he’s staying here. And sleeping in your bed.”
“I know.” Totally not a conversation I wanted to have with my eight-year-old cousin.
She cocked her head. “You should ask him to stay.”
Oh, to be eight years old, when life was so simple. “Go on, get back to your brothers. I’ll see you later.”
She hugged me again. “I’m glad you’re better. It was scary when you were in the hospital.”
“I know, pretty girl, but I’m fine now.”
She skipped out.
I picked up the coffee Ro had made for me and sipped. Then I moaned. He wasn’t wrong, he was good with coffee. Almost as good as Mountain Brew.
He appeared in a dark blue suit that I instantly wanted to tear off him.
“Tessa? Tessa?”
He was looking at me. From the look on his face, I guessed he’d been calling my name a few times while I was ogling him. I sipped the last of my coffee. “I’m ready.”
We both grabbed our bags, and then headed out to the sleek SUV parked at the curb. Ro had driven the Maserati here last night. I settled on the leather seat. It was fancy.
“Still want a Mountain Brew?” he asked.
“Your coffee was really good, but yes . I feel like I haven’t had one for ages. Do we have time?”
He shot me a smile. “Yes.”
I clapped my hands together. “Thank you. As soon as you’ve had a Mountain Brew coffee, you won’t regret it.”
He shook his head and started the car.
“What?”
“I’ve never had a woman thank me so fervently for coffee.”
“That’s because you haven’t been to Mountain Brew before. Charlie is an extraordinary barista. I keep trying to steal her away to work at the Windward.”
He drove into town and parked. As we walked to the coffee shop, I saw him looking around, taking in the town.
Again, it worried me that he didn’t look out of place.
As I pushed open the door, the bell tinkled and the scent of coffee hit me. From behind the counter, Charlie smiled at me. “Tessa, I—” Her mouth dropped open and she stared at Ro.
He looked around the shop, then smiled at Charlie.
The barista made a gurgling noise.
I pressed my lips together. “Charlie?”
“Right. Sorry. But you’re… He’s…” She waved her hands around.
“Ambrose Langston.” He stepped forward, holding out a hand. “Tessa told me that your coffee is the best in the world.”
Charlie blushed and quickly shook his hand. “Hi.”
“Two cappuccinos, Charlie,” I told her. “Fast. We need to get to work.”
She nodded and moved to the machine. Then she froze and looked up. “You two are… on your way to the hotel?”
Ro leaned against the counter. “Yes.”
I saw the speculation in Charlie’s gaze. When Ro moved away to check his phone, she gave me big eyes. I just shook my head.
He returned. “We’d better get two of those bacon and egg muffins as well.” He touched my back. “I’m starving.”
“Sure.”
What I needed was for us to get out of there. I saw too many questions gathering in Charlie’s eyes.
We got our coffee and muffins and paid. “Bye, Charlie.”
She grinned. “Catch you later, Tessa. Bye, Hottie Billionaire.”
He laughed. “Goodbye.”
Soon we were back in the car, but it was a really short drive to the hotel.
“Caden updated me on the investigations,” Ro said. “He’s been following up on some leads.”
Nerves hit me. Whoever had poisoned me was close by. And I had no idea who they were. “That’s good.”
We pulled up in front of the hotel entrance. Ro grabbed my hand. “He’s not going to get the chance to hurt you again. Stay alert and make sure you don’t go anywhere alone.”
I nodded. “And you need to be careful too.”
“I will, baby.”
My door opened. “Good morning, Mr. Langston. Tessa.”
“Hi, Will,” I said as I slid out.
Once we stepped inside the hotel, I was mobbed by staff members.
“So glad you’re okay, Tessa.”
“God, Tessa, when we heard what happened?—”
Ro gave me a smile, then headed toward the staff offices.
“I’m totally fine,” I told everyone. “Now, back to work.”
I strode across the lobby, waving at the reception staff. They all smiled and waved back. Even Coral gave me a look-over and a brisk nod.
It was weird to be back at work. Yesterday, I’d been in Denver, being spoiled at the Langston Denver. Now, I was back at Windward and finally back at work.
“Boss.”
I jolted. “Enzo, I’m putting a GPS tracker on you.”
He smiled, but I saw concern in his dark eyes.
“I’m okay.” I held my arms out. “Perfectly healthy.”
“I saw you that night.”
I touched his arm. “I’m okay, I promise.”
He nodded. “You’ve gotten close with Langston.”
I eyed him. If he meant I was letting Langston do wicked things to me, his phrasing was more polite.
He held up a hand. “It’s not my business, but I consider us friends, and I’m just…worried about you.”
“Worried I’ll lose my head and want to convince a billionaire to put a rock on my finger. And have a huge wedding and take me on exotic vacations all around the world.”
His lips quirked. “No. I’m worried you’ll be you and care too much.”
My heart did a weird squeeze. “I’m a big girl, Enzo.”
“Okay, I’ll butt out. I’m glad you’re all right.”
“Thanks.” I glanced around, watching a toddler escape his father and make a mad dash across the lobby. “Anything happen while I was away that I need to know about?”
Enzo shook his head. “Whoever this stronzo is who hurt you, he’s been lying low.”
I made a mental note to look up that word. I’d heard Enzo curse in Italian a few times, and he had an interesting vocabulary. “Good.” I hoped it was good. I wanted whoever was responsible for all the incidents caught and stopped, but I’d take no one else getting hurt.
I did my rounds, catching up with everyone and reassuring everyone that I was one hundred percent fine. I got a few cheeky smiles and curious, less-than-subtle questions about Ro.
When you were carried through the hotel lobby by a shirtless billionaire and you were only wearing his shirt, people noticed.
I knew people gossiped, especially in a small town and especially in a hotel. I knew that. But the people here also knew me. Besides, the interest would die down. Especially once he left.
Now my chest hurt a little.
I knew the Maldives deal was done. He’d go eventually.
Don’t catch feelings, Tessa. Don’t be that stupid . I’d just assured Enzo I wouldn’t. I was going to enjoy every minute with Ro until he left.
I got to my office and went through the paperwork that was waiting for me. Jazz was out running some errands.
“There you are.”
Glancing up, I saw Sierra and Allie in the doorway.
“Hi, you two.”
“Looks like Denver agreed with you,” Allie said.
“I spent the day at the spa. It was fabulous.”
Sierra snorted. “I don’t think it was Denver or the spa. My guess is that it was the orgasms.”
Allie sat on the corner of my desk. “Or the billionaire giving them.”
“We had a nice time.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Sierra said, reaching out a hand.
I grabbed her hand. “I am. Enzo told me it’s been quiet.”
Allie crossed her arms. “No one was poisoned or murdered while you were gone.”
I sat back in my chair. “God, we have to catch this person.”
“Broody is working overtime on that,” Allie said. “He’s been installing new cameras everywhere, and interrogating people. I think he’d resort to waterboarding if he was allowed.”
“I heard that he’s former Special Forces.” Sierra reached over and grabbed my little tin of mints that I kept on my desk and popped one in her mouth. “Army, I think.”
“Really?” Allie said, sounding reluctantly impressed.
“I suspect if Caden is on the case, he’ll ferret this person out eventually.” I just hoped it happened before someone else got hurt.
“Where’s your billionaire?” Allie asked.
“He’s not mine.” I crossed my legs. “He’s in a meeting. That man has so many meetings. I think he and Piper are working on renovation and upgrade details. I got some great ideas in Denver.” I shot them a rueful smile. “I’m actually excited for them.”
“Oh, Ms. ‘The Windward Mountain Resort is Perfect’ as it is has changed her tune,” Allie said.
“The upgrades are going to make the place even better.”
“I think banging Ro Langston sweetened you up,” Sierra said.
I poked my tongue out. “It’s temporary.”
“Ah-ha.” Allie’s tone was pure skepticism.
“It is. He’s purchased a new hotel in the Maldives. He just finalized the deal.”
Sierra looked crestfallen. “He’s leaving?”
“I don’t know when, but he will. I always knew that.”
My usually perky friend scowled, then she shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
My gaze narrowed on her. “He’s not going to stay here forever, Sierra. He’s city, I’m small town. He’s jet setting, I’m Windward. He’s a billionaire, and I’m… not a billionaire. He’s night, I’m day.”
“Opposites attract,” Sierra insisted.
“But they don’t stay together.”
A stubborn look crossed my friend’s face. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you when you aren’t looking.”
My heart pumped a little harder. “How does he look at me?”
“Like he’s been standing in the middle of a thunderstorm, and you’re the sun breaking through the clouds.”
I blinked.
Allie meanwhile had been silent all this time. “You two are not actually that different.”
“What?” I said incredulously.
“Your lifestyles differ, sure. But you’re both intelligent, driven, you care about this hotel. I thought he’d be an asshole, but he isn’t.”
“I’m not falling for Ambrose Langston. It’s against the rules. We agreed to have fun, that it was temporary.”
Allie shrugged. “Rules are made to be broken. And you don’t want to fall for him because you’re scared to fall in love.”
I felt a wave of something not entirely comfortable wash over me.
Allie’s face softened. “Babe, you lost your parents and?—”
I shot to my feet. “This has nothing to do with my parents.”
Both my friends fell silent.
“It makes sense to be scared to love someone,” Sierra said slowly.
“I love people. I love Emily, my cousins, you two, Jazz. I’m not closed off or broken.”
“We aren’t saying that,” Allie said.
Sierra grabbed my arm. “We love you, Tessa. We want you to be happy. Sometimes, we worry you avoid that because you’re scared to lose it again. You’re always so busy, taking care of the hotel, the staff, the guests, your family… When do you take care of you?”
I shook my head.
Sierra sighed, then reached out and hugged me. “I need to go. I’m running a yoga class and it starts in ten minutes. Love you.”
Then Allie yanked me close. She didn’t say anything.
After dropping these bombshells, my friends left me there stewing.
They were wrong. I wasn’t afraid to love.
I rubbed my chest.
Ro and I agreed to enjoy each other. Casual, no strings, no complications.
I shook my head again. I had work to do.