Chapter 30
Tess
The week after Thanksgiving was slightly insane.
I mean, it usually was, and not because Black Friday was the following day.
Once the town was full of Christmas decorations, tourists flocked to see them.
All the main shopping streets were crowded, and we could barely find our ass from our elbow in the store the whole week.
This year, I had a bit more on my plate than I could handle, splitting my time between the two stores while supervising the last-minute repairs at the new location.
Unfortunately, on the second of December, the furniture company announced that our order had arrived damaged. The replacement order wouldn’t be here for two weeks. No way could we open without shelves and couches and chairs.
“You know what? I have an idea,” Liam said after we both read the apologetic email. “Why don’t you have a pre-opening party with the family? That way you still have something to look forward to.”
“That’s a great idea,” I replied. “I’ll text Skye to see what she thinks, but I’m sold on it. Oooh, we could also invite our VIP clients. We can make it seem like a very exclusive event, where they also get a peek at the new collection.”
“You’re a genius.”
I grinned. “I love it when you sing my praises.”
“It’s true.”
We were at the new store in the back office. Liam was expertly massaging my neck, and I could feel my stress melting away.
“Why are your hands so amazing?” I whispered.
He brought his mouth to my ear. “I’m amazing. My hands, tongue, lips. Cock.”
I spun my chair until I was face-to-face with him. The tips of our noses were almost touching.
“How can you say that with a straight face?”
He straightened up, winking. “Again…because it’s true.”
I rolled my eyes playfully. “Did you finish your emails?”
We had a very cute routine going where he came to the store every day after everyone left the brownstone, and we worked in companionable silence until at least one of us was done.
“No.” With a frown, he went back to sitting behind his desk.
My stomach jolted. Lately, even with all the shit going on, I was still done before he was. He could just about make me melt into a puddle with nothing more than a kiss or those magic hands, yet I was failing miserably at helping him relax.
Liam typed on his laptop while I texted with Skye.
Skye: I’m SO on board with this!! It’s one hell of a good idea. I’m also going to give Sam a piece of my mind. I don’t care if he has to deliver the furniture personally; this is unacceptable.
Tess: You do that.
Skye was great at putting the fear of God in everyone, though to be honest, this wasn’t Sam’s fault at all. Still, extra motivation never hurt.
I quickly drafted a newsletter, specifically aimed at our VIP segment. Once I was done, I looked up at Liam. He was frowning at his screen.
I got up, sashaying my hips in an exaggerated manner as I went over to him, hoping to catch his eye. I didn’t. He only noticed me when I sat at the edge of his desk, mirroring his earlier pose.
“Mr. Harrington, you’re so focused lately that my attempts at seduction go unnoticed. I’m losing my touch,” I said in a mock serious tone.
“Not at all. I just have a lot on my mind.”
I sat in his lap, shimmying a little. “Tell me.”
“It’s not worth it.” He waved a hand, planting a quick kiss on my chin. He trailed his fingers down the sides of my body before attacking my armpits. I shrieked with laughter, hanging on to him for dear life.
“Stop. Stop! How did you know I have ticklish armpits?
“Because that’s where you tickled me. Figured it was your weak spot too.”
When I straightened up, I noticed he was still not in playful mode. He was still thinking about his troubles…which he wasn’t sharing.
Lately, he was evasive whenever I asked him about his day.
I didn’t want to insist too much, though.
What if he got sick of my questions? No, no, no.
I didn’t want to go down that negative path of thinking.
He didn’t have to share every thought like I did.
Maybe I couldn’t help him relax right now, but I could love him with all my heart and hope that was enough.
“Well, okay, since you’re so secretive, I’m just going to have to try all my tactics to get that sexy smile I like so much.”
He leaned back in the chair, wiggling his eyebrows. “All of them?”
“Every single one.”
“How will you start?”
I traced my finger in a small circle around the top button of his shirt. “I could start here…” Then I quickly moved to the last button right over his belt. “Or here…”
He groaned a bit, rocking his hips a few inches forward. I pushed him back playfully.
“Nah…I don’t think I’ll start here after all.”
Something flashed in his eyes, and I knew I was close to unleashing all that passion inside him. I leaned in, kissing the side of his neck, then his Adam’s apple.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you too, babe. If you go on like that, this desk is going to see some very inappropriate things.”
I smiled against his skin, shimmying some more in his lap. “Just the words I was hoping to hear.”
On the day of the pre-opening party with the family and our VIP clients, I was in a complete frenzy. To be honest, I’d been like that ever since we decided on the idea. Thankfully, a certain sexy man doted on me all the time, as if he knew it was just what I needed.
It was practically impossible for me not to be in a good mood.
Proof of that was the fact that even though I was bone-tired and mad at the furniture company for messing up, I was still grinning from ear to ear, watching him walk through the door with a seductive smile and a pizza.
His coat was covered in pristine white snow, as was his hair. It had been snowing all day.
I sashayed to him, relieving him of the pizza box.
“Wait a second. I don’t even get a kiss?”
“Now that you mention it…”
I rose on my tiptoes, giving him a quick, chaste kiss, but Liam immediately turned it deep and dirty until I was breathless and squirming in my spot.
I was blushing when we pulled apart, gesturing with my head toward the crew setting up the buffet for tonight.
It was low-key, but we still wanted to offer something for everyone.
Liam shrugged, those smoldering eyes trained on me.
“We can eat in the back,” I said, leading the way. Usually, I liked to eat in the front, people-watching and enjoying the Christmas decorations on the street, but now it wasn’t too relaxing with the crew bustling about.
“Oh, I forgot I have napkins in the front. I’ll get them.”
We sectioned off the front, setting up tables against the wall next to the entrance.
We left enough space for people to be able to move about.
Since a lot of the furniture was missing, the store was half empty anyway.
We had three mannequins we dressed up in nightgowns in the display and a few racks with lingerie in the center.
I found napkins on the buffet table the guys had set up.
I heard the front door open and turned around. It wasn’t anyone I knew.
“Can I help you?” I asked.
“Tess Winchester?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Albert McDowell. I’m?—”
“I know who you are. Liam told me about you. What are you doing here?”
I narrowed my eyes, inspecting him. He seemed a few years older than Liam, Becca, and David, or maybe his bald head just gave me that impression.
His large green eyes scanned the room. Clearly, he didn’t like that I had company.
By the way he swayed in his boots, I suspected he was a bit intoxicated.
“Where’s Liam?” he asked. “I saw him come in.”
He followed Liam?
“What are you doing here?” I repeated.
“Can we speak somewhere more private?”
“No. No offense, but I’ve just met you, and you don’t exactly come recommended. I don’t trust you.”
“You’re a piece of work, aren’t you?”
“Excuse me?”
“If it weren’t for you, Liam would have given me what I wanted.”
“Bad luck. I can’t help you.”
“Yes, you fucking can.”
“You don’t come inside my store and talk to me like that.” I pointed to the door, barely able to keep my temper in check. “Out.”
Footsteps echoed behind me.
“Babe, what’s—what the fuck are you doing here?” Liam bellowed the second he noticed Albert.
“I want to talk to you.”
“Then you make an appointment and come to my office. Get out of here.”
“I don’t think so.” He stalked toward us, and when he was less than a foot away, he confirmed my suspicion. He was drunk. “What happened to you, man? The Liam I knew would never risk his business for anything, let alone a woman.”
My heart sank. Risk his business?
“Shut up.”
“You told me to think really hard about my next steps when you came to see me,” Albert said, which made me wonder if this was what Liam had been so tense about. When had Liam seen him? And why hadn’t he mentioned this?
“And I did,” Albert continued. “If you don’t buy me out by Christmas as the contract stipulates, I’m shopping around for another buyer.”
“Get. Out.” Liam barely moved his lips as he spoke.
Albert lifted his right arm. I brought my hand to my mouth when I realized he was aiming his right hook in Liam’s direction. Liam caught his punch in midair, pushing it to one side before shoving Albert, who stumbled back, barely keeping his balance.
“You piece of shit,” Liam bellowed as Albert regrouped. He wasn’t going to take another shot, was he? He was far too drunk, and Liam was far too sharp and fast. “You don’t come in here and threaten my woman.”
Liam took Albert by the collar with one hand and blocked his second attempt at a punch with the other. I shrieked, looking around at the crew, who just stared at the scene.
This time, Liam turned Albert around, keeping his right arm behind his back.