CHAPTER FOUR
Tessa should have cancelled. She’d had all of yesterday and most of today to come up with an excuse not to attend the class reunion’s masquerade ball. What could she say that would have made sense—I’m sorry, Derek, but I’m in fear of my life? According to the police officer yesterday, the person who’d made the anonymous call hadn’t threatened her. No crime had been committed. How could giving someone dead flowers not count as a threat?
A knock came at the door, following the initial ring of the doorbell that she hadn’t answered. She had been standing a foot away from the doorknob, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to turn it before taking a quick peek through the peephole to confirm it was her date for the evening.
Date? What the hell was she thinking?
Tessa hadn’t been on a date in months, not since Bennett. Look where that had gotten her in the end. He’d become extremely possessive over their six-month liaison, so much so that she began to impose limits on the time they would spend together. The night that everything had come to a head had been when she’d arrived home from working a double shift and he’d been waiting for her in her driveway. That eventually had led into a heated confrontation that had ended their brief relationship.
Tessa contemplated making a quick dash back into her bathroom to throw on a robe. She could always make up an excuse that she’d caught a virus from working in the hospital, but then she thought better of it. Tonight’s masquerade ball might just be the answer she was looking for. Bennett would be there and what better way to send a signal that she’d moved on with her life than to show up with another man? These past two weeks had been hell, and it was time to make an unequivocal statement.
She looked to her left, catching sight of herself in the framed mirror above the entryway table. The black, form-fitting, sleeveless lace, ruffle-trimmed mermaid gown accentuated the curves of her hips. It had been the only one of its kind at the boutique here in town, and it had been happenstance that she’d entered the exclusive shop the day they’d gotten it in stock. She’d purchased it months ago for a charity ball the hospital had been hosting, only to miss her opportunity to never wear it due to being called in when one of the floor nurses had called in sick.
The only thing Tessa had needed to add to her ensemble was the matching black masquerade mask, currently lying on the entryway table. A delicate lace outlined the vivid black mask, but it was the gold silk thread accent that had caught her eye with its elegance. The touch of color would emphasize the amber highlights in her darkened hair, which was currently draped down her back in large, loose curls. Would Derek appreciate the time she’d taken in her appearance? There was only one way to find out. She straightened her shoulders, twisted the handle, and threw open the door.
Neither of them said a word as they drank one another in.
Tessa didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but the sight before her had left her slightly speechless. She’d known Derek most of her life. Yes, he was attractive in a rough, manly sort of way. Yes, she would have loved to have dated him ten years ago. Not all teenage girls got their way though, and she’d carried on with her life. But the man before her was no longer a boy, and the effect he had on her physically wasn’t a case of a simple high school infatuation.
This was pure desire, through and through. A fierce heat traveled through her veins to every erogenous part of her body, causing her to reconsider the unspoken boundaries they’d put into place earlier.
Tessa had to remind herself that tonight was nothing more than two friends attending a high school reunion. Hell, it had even been arranged by his mother. Why, then, did she want to bring him inside and skip the masquerade ball for something much more intimate? She certainly wasn’t in the habit of doing that in her past, but she could definitely make an exception to that rule.
Maybe it was because Derek was wearing a black Armani tuxedo that made her think of those juicy tuxedo strawberries that the chocolate store always had on display. It could have been his dark eyes raking in every curve of her tall frame, all the way down to her black Oscar De La Renta knock-off midnight lace and patent ambria platform heels that would undoubtedly give her blisters before the night was through. She couldn’t afford the genuine articles at twelve hundred dollars, but these conveyed the coup de grace. She would suffer through it gladly if it meant dancing in his arms tonight.
One thing was for certain—time had been nothing but complimentary to him.
“You look absolutely stunning, Tessa.”
“Were you able to get your father settled at home?”
The two of them had spoken over one another, though it was Tessa who had come out sounding a bit nervous. She chalked up her anxiety to yesterday’s phone call, turning quickly to retrieve her clutch, keys, and the masquerade mask that matched her black dress that clung to her figure so graciously. The material was so light on her skin it was as if she were naked in the evening air. A tantalizing tingle ran down her spine. Tonight was about getting a message across, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy herself in its delivery.
“Dad is resting comfortably, while Mom has been hovering over him every second the day has made available to her,” Derek replied amusingly, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe. He was, of course, being a gentleman and not crossing the threshold because she’d yet to extend an invitation. Did men like him actually still exist in this day and age? She made a mental note to thank Mrs. Spencer the next time they saw one another. “I think it will be good for me to be out of the house for the evening.”
Tessa met his gaze in the mirror, his dark eyes all but promising her tonight would be good for them both. She gradually lifted the small rod attached to her masquerade mask and placed the beautiful disguise gently over her eyes, turning so that she could ask if he’d brought his own mask when he spoke first.
“Your sparkling blue eyes give you away, sweetheart.” Derek shifted his stance while raising his arm and offering her his upturned hand. He was only talking about her identity, wasn’t he, and not where her thoughts had strayed? “Shall we?”
Tessa placed her fingers into the palm of his hand, warmth immediately spreading up her arm. She was sure that it had nothing to do with the humid air that had drifted inside the door, caressing her body. She gripped her clutch and keys, allowing him to guide her over the small threshold of her front entryway. It didn’t surprise her when he reached for her keys and ensured that the deadbolt was secure. He handed them back and watched closely as she secured them inside her small purse. She knew it to be false, but she soaked up the security his presence exuded.
“Did you manage to attend any of the other events the reunion committee had lined up this week?” Derek asked, offering her his arm as he escorted her down the last two steps at the end of the small sidewalk. Tessa was glad for a chance to catch her bearings as he made small talk. It was hard to ignore his hand that had alighted previously on her lower back prior to him offering to help her down the incline. “I heard Karly Stocker went all out with the festivities.”
“I was scheduled to work second shift for ten days straight before the schedule had been released,” Tessa replied, surprised to find a silver Infiniti Q50 waiting for them parked on her driveway. He’d even seen to it that he’d backed the car in so that the passenger side was facing them. The green sticker on the back window advertised that it was, in fact, a rental car. “I now have the weekend free, but I don’t think I would have attended without your mother’s gracious offer. Karly got rather carried away this time. Word about town was that she thought our five-year reunion was boring, which is why she took over the reins.”
“When has Karly not overdone it?” Derek said with a smirk, leaning in front of her to open her door. He’d put on the same cologne as he’d been wearing yesterday, once again reminding her of a field of wildflowers on a warm afternoon. The subtle fragrance surrounded her and tempted her to do something more than wash her laundry this weekend. “Do you remember our senior prom? I bet the custodians at the school are still finding red and blue confetti in every crack and crevice. I swear she had a dump truck’s payload delivered to the gymnasium.”
“How could I forget?” Tessa exclaimed, the memories of those days having been close at hand for the past week. “The principal made all of us who were on the committee stay afterward to help clean up.”
Tessa lifted her dress slightly off the ground so that it made it easier for her to get into his car. She murmured a soft thank you once she was settled inside. He tucked her trailing skirt just under her leg as she tried to recall who he’d taken to the prom that year. She couldn’t remember. Her date had been the first baseman on the baseball team, only because she’d been set up by one of her friends who’d been dating the pitcher.
“Yes, I recall quite well that Principal Christianson made you girls stay behind after everyone else left,” Derek replied, before stepping back and placing his hand on top of the door. He flashed her another charming smile and followed up with an explanation. “All the guys were left waiting in the parking lot for their dates. Christianson ruined quite a few plans that all of us seniors had made at that bed and breakfast out on the edge of town by the lake. Why do you think the bed of his F-150 was filled with confetti at the end of school that following Monday?”
Derek had quietly closed the door after describing that entertaining trip down memory lane. She remembered the principal’s reaction to having his truck filled with red and blue miniscule Mylar dots that he had still been vacuuming out at the end of that school year. She experienced a sense of nostalgia, surprising herself. She’d never been one to reminisce about the old days.
Tessa shifted her clutch so that it was close to her thigh, something she’d gotten in the habit of doing ever since someone had taken her wallet out of her purse. She caught sight of a masculine, matte black mask in the console. The sophisticated, carbon-fiber material contained somewhat of a dull sheen that reminded her of velvet. She resisted touching the smooth black fabric as Derek opened his door and settled himself behind the wheel.
“So is there anything I need to know before walking into this firing squad?” Derek asked, starting the ignition and then adjusting the vents so that she had some cool air to alleviate the humidity. The light breeze made her keenly aware of how little fabric lay between her figure and his gaze. He gave her a wink before shifting the vehicle into drive, once again taking her back in time when that would have made her happy for a week. He was so at ease with himself and her by his side. She forced herself to take a deep breath, erase the tension from her shoulders, and ease back into the butter-soft leather seat. “Who married who? Who became rich and famous? And please tell me no one died a horrible death.”
Tessa laughed, which was probably his objective. They both wanted this night to be free of complications. Her problems with Bennett suddenly hit her cold in the face, shutting down her relaxed smile. It wasn’t fair to have Derek walk into a situation where heated words might be exchanged or a confrontation might ensue. She wasn’t sure how Bennett would react, especially seeing her with someone else. The bottom line was that she was tired of constantly looking over her shoulder or expecting to find Bennett standing in the middle of her living room. She was simplifying things, but maybe it was time she took a stand.
“There is something I should tell you, Derek,” Tessa disclosed, glancing sideways to see Derek’s reaction. He might decide that they shouldn’t attend the masquerade ball at all. “I ended a relationship around three months ago with Bennett Harris. He didn’t take it well, and I think he’s been harassing me for the past two weeks.”