Chapter 26
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
LINC
I’m picturing you naked, riding me, your hair flowing down your back, your skin all fucking shiny. The way it was this morning. – Linc.
I send the message, smirking when she pulls out her phone to read it, her eyes wide before she quickly turns the screen off and pretends to listen to Roman as he goes through our quarterly reports.
He’s still pissed with me. And I’m absolutely okay with that. Yes, I’ll fly to London next week, and then on to Paris and Rome like he’s asked me. But after that, I need to find some kind of equilibrium in my life. If I have a shot at a relationship with Tessa, I’m not going to mess it up. She doesn’t need another person in her life who’ll flit in and out on his own schedule.
She deserves my full attention.
The last few days with her in my apartment have been the best of my life. That’s no exaggeration. Waking up to this woman in my bed, eating breakfast with her, talking shit about our day.
It’s been perfect. And yeah, we’ve kind of jumped the gun by having her move in. And I’m absolutely okay with the fact she’ll be going back to her own home with Zoe once they have a bathroom.
She needs to put her kid first. I like that. Heck, I love that she does. But the weeks when Zoe’s with her dad, I’m determined to be here to spend time with Tessa. I can’t do that if I’m flying all over the damn world.
“What do you think, Linc?” Roman asks.
I glance at Tessa. She’s trying not to smile.
“Ah, maybe…” I say, trying to give myself time as I move my phone beneath the table and tap out a message.
Give me a clue. What am I supposed to be thinking about? – Linc
It’s a good thing I’ve got nimble fingers.
Roman wants to open a Paris office. – Tessa
I pull my lip between my teeth, taking in her words. “Yeah,” I say, “We have enough work there to justify it. I guess having some full time Hampshire staff in Europe would be a good thing. It’ll help to have more French speaking employees.” Right now, I’m the only one. Which means that the majority of the client-facing work falls to me. There’s no way I’m going to disrespect our clients by not speaking their language.
Roman smiles. “Exactly. You and I can talk more about this later, but I see it as a growth opportunity. You’ve built excellent relationships with our clients there. We’re beginning to make our own name in the city. Plus, Paris is close to Rome and London. We have a lot of business there, too.” He gives me a nod. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said regarding our environmental impact. This should ease that. So you’ll fly over next week to start things off. Schedule a meeting with me before Friday and we can run over the budget and the project timeline.” He looks around at the rest of the management team. “Good work, all of you,” he says. “It’s been a great quarter, with the Exuma project and now this.”
Roman stands and goes to walk out, before realizing he’s left his laptop on the table. He grabs it and smiles at me. For the first time since I told him I wasn’t flying anywhere this week.
Looks like I’m back in his good books. That’s one thing at least. My phone flashes as I stand up and roll my neck to get the kinks out of it.
The group chat with my brothers seems alive and well.
What time is everybody arriving at Misty Lakes on Friday? The wedding planner wants to know. – Holden
Misty Lakes is my father’s estate. Where Holden and Blair’s wedding is taking place this weekend. The rehearsal dinner is actually a cookout. A big one, but at least it’s not a formal affair.
We’ll be there in the afternoon. Just after lunch. – Myle s
Ditto. – Liam
Probably a bit later for us. Maybe around 3pm? – Eli
Not sure. Need to talk to Linc. What time are we traveling down, bro? – Brooks
I have to work in the morning. Probably head out after lunch. Should get there by six pm if the traffic is kind. – Linc
Shit. I hate driving in rush hour. Can’t you ignore work for one day? – Brooks
Who would have thought Linc would be the workaholic among us? – Eli
He’s not a workaholic. He just wants to bone a woman at work. Bet you a thousand dollars that’s why. – Liam
What woman? – Holden
Linc has a woman? Is it that French beauty that keeps tagging him on Instagram? – Eli
Why the hell are you stalking me on Insta? – Linc
I don’t. But Mac does. We have a bet going. – Eli
What kind of bet? – Linc
All the wives do. They’re running a lottery on when you’ll settle down. Ava’s got this year and she’s absolutely excited about this woman. – Myles
She’s not French. And it’s none of your business. - Linc
Uhoh. Must be serious. Linc’s never usually coy about women. – Eli
Can you all fuck off? Some of us have work to do. – Linc
Is she in New York? – Holden.
I let out a mouthful of air.
Yes. – Linc
That’s it, I’m not answering any more questions. I start to feel guilty, because I did the same thing to Holden when he and Blair started dating. Gossip is always fun when you’re not the one at the center of it.
Bring her to the wedding. We’ve had a couple of cancellations so there’s plenty of space. – Holden.
Okay, one more reply and I’m done.
I’m not bringing her to the damn wedding. You’ll scare her off before we’ve even started. I’m turning my phone off now. Brooks, I’ll pick you up at two on Friday. – Linc.
TESSA
“Come with me to my brother’s wedding this weekend,” Linc murmurs as we sit on his sofa watching a movie. He’s sitting in the corner of the sofa, his legs stretched out, his feet resting on the coffee table. I’m curled up next to him, my head on his shoulder. He’s absentmindedly playing with my hair.
“What?” I ask. “Don’t be silly. I’ve never met him. He won’t want me there. Anyway, I need to be here for Zoe.”
“She doesn’t come home until Sunday,” he tells me. “I can have you back home by then.”
He’s been a little off all evening. He waited for me after work, then drove me to my place so I could check on the bathroom renovations, which are going great, thanks to the hard work of the contractors. It looks like everything but the tile floors will be done by the end of the weekend, and since I’m doing the tiling, their job will be done. They’ve promised to make sure the shower and toilet are usable by end of day Saturday, so Zoe and I will be able to move back in on Sunday .
He kisses my jaw. “I have to fly to France on Monday. I need more time with you before then.”
I smile at him. “You’ll be back though, right? I think we can survive a week apart.”
There’s a little twinge in my stomach. Because staying with him this week has been… perfect. They say you don’t know somebody until you live with them, but Linc has been exactly how I thought he would be.
He’s lived alone for a long time. He’s self sufficient. He’s over the top extravagant with money. And he likes having sex. A lot.
Truth be told, I’m going to miss this. I’d forgotten what it was like to have another adult to talk to in the evenings. Even when Jared was living with us, he wasn’t really there. Looking back, I haven’t had this kind of intimacy for a long time.
Linc takes my hand in his, using his finger to trace the lines on my palm. “I had a meeting with Roman this afternoon.”
“To talk about the Paris office?” I ask him, trying not to smile at the memory of him looking so shocked when Roman said his name. It served him right for sending dirty messages to me when he should have been concentrating.
Not that I minded. Truth was, I was thinking about sex, too. Something I seem to be doing a lot of recently.
Because sex with Linc Salinger is mind blowing. The kind of sex I didn’t realize was possible. He’s a generous lover. I’ve never seen him more intense than when he’s coming inside of me.
“He’s expecting me to run it.” His voice is low. He’s staring straight ahead.
“While you’re setting it up?” I ask.
Linc shakes his head. “No, full time. He’s offered me a partnership. Wants me to move to Paris permanently and be in charge of European operations. He wants somebody he can trust to run the business there. ”
My chest tightens. “So you’d live there?”
He lets out a long breath. “Yeah, I guess.” He turns to look at me, deep furrows lining his forehead. “I told him I’d think about it, but I’m going to say no.”
“To a partnership?” I ask, my voice lifting. “Why would you do that?” It’s the pinnacle of our business. Nobody in their right mind would say no to a partnership. The chance to earn the big bucks. To be your own boss. Linc already brings in the clients. This is a chance to cash in on the profits he creates.
“Because it’s in France,” he says, frowning at me.
“And? You’ve been flying there for the last two years. It’s not like you don’t know the place.” And now I’m thinking of his client. The beautiful one – Celine. And part of me wants to cry because the world is full of beautiful women, and Paris must have more than its fair share.
He’s still looking at me. “But then I won’t be able to spend time with you.”
There’s an intensity to his stare that makes my breath catch in my throat. “We can still see each other. Sometimes.”
“How? I can’t see you hopping on a red eye to Paris every couple of weeks.”
“I could try,” I say, my voice small. Because I think we both know it wouldn’t be possible. Because of Zoe. I can’t be in another country without her on a regular basis. Exuma was hard enough.
Linc shrugs. “It’s okay. I’ve made my mind up. I’m going to say no.”
Alarm rushes through me. “You can’t say no because of me.”
Those lines are back on his forehead again. “You want me to go?”
I try to breathe in but my chest feels tight. I don’t feel prepared for this conversation. “I don’t think it’s about me, it’s about you. If I wasn’t here, would you go? ”
“Yes.”
That’s what I thought. And in a weird way, it’s almost a relief to hear.
“Then you have to go,” I tell him. “It’s too good an opportunity to ignore.”
He shifts his position, pulling his feet from the table. I sit up as he turns to look at me.
“Do you want me to go?” he asks, his voice low.
“That’s not what I’m saying.” I blink, because he looks angry now.
“Then what are you saying, Tessa? Because I want to hear it.”
It’s the first time he’s said my first name when he’s angry and I hate it. I inhale a ragged breath. “I’m saying that if it was me, I’d take it.” It’s a lie, but I can’t think properly. My brain is a mess.
“You’d leave me for a job opportunity?” His voice lifts. He’s not just angry, he’s furious. His eyes are trained on mine, his lips pressed together. I pinch the bridge of my nose to try to get my thoughts to work properly.
“It’s not just a job opportunity,” I whisper. “It’s the chance of a lifetime. To be in charge of your own business. To earn the big bucks.”
“I don’t need the big bucks.” He stands up, shaking his head. “But it’s good to know where I stand with you.” He picks our empty wine glasses up and stalks over to the kitchen, yanking the dishwasher open.
“I can do that,” I tell him, jumping to my feet and walking over to the kitchen.
“It’s fine,” he says tightly. “I’ve got it.” He slides the glasses inside then adds a tablet, switching the machine on to wash. “I’m heading upstairs. I need to pack for the wedding.”
Oh god, I’d forgotten that we were talking about that before everything went to shit.
“Can’t we talk about this?” I ask him .
He shakes his head. “I need to think. And I need to pack.” He inclines his head at the paused screen of the movie we were watching. “You finish the show. I wasn’t really watching anyway.”
And then he stalks upstairs, leaving me standing open mouthed in his kitchen.
I’ve no idea what just happened, but I think I messed everything up.
LINC
I’m throwing clothes into my suitcase without a real plan for what I’m going to wear. My suit is in a garment bag – thank god I remembered to pick it up from the tailors. I’ve been known to forget about things like tuxes before. The rehearsal dinner tomorrow night will be casual – Holden and Blair are laid back people – and Sunday we’re having a family brunch before everybody goes their separate ways.
Grabbing some socks, I throw them on top of my jeans, then jump out of my damn skin when I see Tessa standing in the doorway.
Her eyes are wide and red-rimmed, like she’s upset.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, not moving. “I’m scared. Really, really scared.”
Her words surprise me. “What are you scared of?” I ask her. I’m not sure I’ve ever met anybody stronger than this woman. I admire her in every way possible. I’m about a week away from falling in love with her.
Fuck it, I’m already in love with her. My brain just needs to catch up with my heart.
“So many things,” she says softly. “But I’m mostly afraid of being hurt again. Of falling for you. Of losing you. Of not being the independent woman I’ve learned to be. I’m scared that if I admit I don’t want you to go to Paris then this thing between us is serious, and I’m not sure how to deal with that.”
“This thing is serious, Tessa. Don’t you know that already?” I walk over to her, reaching for her hand. It’s so soft against my palm.
“I just… I wasn’t ready for you.” Her chest drops as she exhales. “I wasn’t ready for anybody. It took a long time to heal my heart after my divorce. I don’t know how to make myself vulnerable again.”
She looks so scared I’m worried she might be sick. “Baby…” I pull her into my arms. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“You can’t promise that.” Her voice is soft as I stroke her hair. “Nobody can. And maybe it would be okay if it was just me. But there’s Zoe to think about. She’s been through so much.”
“I get that,” I tell her. “I really do. She’s number one in your life. She should be.”
Her eyes meet mine. “You deserve to be number one in somebody’s life.”
“I’ll take second place if it means I get to be with you.”
She lets out a soft sigh. “Why do you always have to say the sweetest things?”
“Because I mean them. I wouldn’t want to be with somebody who didn’t put their kid first. I’ve been that kid…”
Her face drops. “Oh Linc.”
“It’s okay.” I press my lips against her brow. “But you never have to apologize for protecting Zoe. Hell, I want to protect Zoe. She’s a good kid.”
“She likes you,” Tessa murmurs. “She asks about you every night when I call her. She wants to come here again and play Mario Kart with you. ”
My chest tightens. “You have no idea how much I’d like that.”
“Really?” Tessa blinks.
“Really,” I agree. “I like your kid. She’s part of you. I want to be part of both your lives.”
“I can’t stand in the way of you and your promotion,” she tells me. “It’s too soon. What if you turn it down and we don’t work out?”
I swallow hard, because the thought of things not working out with this woman slays me. I can’t remember the last time I was this happy. I think never might be the answer.
“What if I take it and it ruins us?” I ask her.
“It won’t.” She cups my face, her eyes soft as they catch mine. “You told Roman you’d think about it. How long do you have?”
“I asked for a couple of weeks.”
“Okay.” She nods, looking serious. “So you fly to Paris next week and you think about it. Really think about it. And if that’s what you want, to work there, then do it. For me.”
“And leave you?”
“We can do long distance.” The corner of her lip curls. “Think about the reunions.”
“I’ll rub my cock raw,” I mutter and for the first time she laughs.
“Please?” she asks. “Tell me you’ll consider it.”
I let out a long breath. I don’t want to. I want this concluded now. Because when you meet the person you’ve been searching for your whole life, you’d be a fucking fool to give that up.
“Okay,” I say. But I’m not happy about it.