SHE HATED THE house.
Tessa was the first person I’d met in years who didn’t bullshit me just to get closer, and I liked it. I was starting to wonder if I’d had even one authentic moment in the last decade that wasn’t with my family, my band mates, or our manager.
Delighted with her honesty, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh Tess, that’s classic. I hate this house. Buying it was just one more ridiculous purchase I made when I got money. I was twenty and I thought it would be a great bachelor pad. I made the mistake of hiring the world’s tackiest decorator and she just made it worse. I’m done here. I love the area though, so I’m thinking I’m going to have the house demolished to have something built from scratch, something that doesn’t give me the chills when I walk in. My manager had a house built last year and it’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. I’m going to set up a meeting with the firm that did his and have them build me something amazing.”
Tessa looked relieved that I wasn’t offended.
“How amazing,” she enthused. “Building a house from the ground up would be a cool experience. I’m glad you want something friendlier. I was thinking whoever lived here had to be a really cold person, which doesn’t seem like you at all.”
Smiling at her, I turned and walked the rest of the way through the kitchen before entering the garage. Hustling to the passenger door of my black Cadillac STS, I held the door open for Tessa to get in, enjoying her fresh scent and the feel of her as she brushed ever so gently against me before sliding into her seat.
Just the hint of a touch from her and I was so hard I could steer the car with my dick. But, I got the impression she was way on the fence about exploring our chemistry.
In the last decade, I’d never had to work at bedding the women I wanted. I’d actually worked harder to get rid of women than I ever did to attract them. Tessa wasn’t all over me, and I knew she wouldn’t be throwing herself at me.
As I walked around the car, I realized I was whistling. Something about Tessa made me feel good. With a mile wide smile on my face, I opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat. It was nice being in the car alone with Tess. Our conversation flowed effortlessly; something I’d never experienced with a woman. Not even close. When I pulled into the front drive of the Mondrian, I was reluctant to let her go. It wasn’t a purely sexual thing either. As badly as I wanted to slide into her—and trust me, I’d wanted to in the worst fucking way—I’d wanted to spend time with her just as much. Getting out, I briskly walked around the car to open her door for her.
Once she was out, I tossed my key to the valet and took the receipt for it. Tessa smiled at me tentatively, a little worry showing on her face for the first time all night. “You don’t have to see me up, Flynn.”
After taking her arm, I walked into the hotel with her. “Rumors to the contrary, I’m a gentleman, Miss Hamilton, and I’m going to see you to the door.”
Her breathless little laugh was my only answer, and I relaxed because I knew she wasn’t going to push me away. I followed her lead as she walked us through the lobby to the elevators. Just like in the car, it was just the two of us in the elevator. It was unusual for me to spend a significant amount of time alone with someone I was interested in while not having sex with them. Everything about Tessa was unique and interesting to me, and it was a whole new experience. I wondered if that was how normal guys dated.
We got to her suite too quickly, and I was less than happy to have the night come to a close. The wheels in my brain turned rampantly, and I smiled at her as I made my pitch. “Tess, would you have dinner with me two nights from now?”
My heart almost stopped when I saw the look on her face. She wasn’t sure! What the fuck? I knew she wasn’t one-night stand material, but I hadn’t read her as not being interested. Shit, I wondered if maybe she did have a boyfriend after all?
Licking her lips, Tessa considered me for a moment before turning and sliding her keycard and opening the door to her suite. “Come in, Flynn. We should talk.”
I’d been relationship free for over ten years, but I knew enough to realize we should talk was not a good sign. She flicked on the lights as we walked into the sitting area and I took a seat on the couch.
After sitting tentatively next to me she was silent for a minute before blurting out, “This is really embarrassing, but I feel like I need to give you an explanation as to why I have to say no. I’m a huge fan of the band, Flynn. Worse, you’ve always been my favorite. When I was younger, the walls in my bedroom were covered with pictures of you, and only you, Flynn. It was never the other guys in the band. I spent a ridiculous amount of time fantasizing about you. So you see why this would be a horrible mistake.”
My expression must have told her I was confused. Taking a deep breath she blurted out, “The first time I had an orgasm I was staring at a picture of you.”
I tried to follow her logic but got nowhere. No doubt the problem was the blood in my body had coalesced in my dick when she had said she had her first orgasm staring at a picture of me. I wasn’t turned off by any of that in the least. In fact, it was one more thing we had in common, because my last orgasm happened while I had been staring at a picture of her, just a few hours before.
“I don’t get it. Why does the fact you liked me when you were younger mean we can’t pursue our attraction now? You’ve totally lost me.”
Tess had looked at me like I was completely daft. “Flynn, I’d be no better than a groupie or a stalker. Doesn’t it bother you that I used to like you so much?”
I couldn’t help my grimace at her use of the words used to.
“No Tess, it doesn’t bother me at all that you’re a fan of my music. It also doesn’t bother me that you find me attractive. You have a completely backward view of what a groupie is. A groupie is a totally different kind of fan who comes backstage specifically to fuck. They normally don’t even care which one of us they get. There’s a big difference, babe. Just to be clear, by your definition, I guess I’m a groupie for you cause I’ve been staring at the photos you’re in for weeks, and yes, I’ve jerked off to them. As for being a stalker… unless you’ve been following me or breaking into my house, I hardly think you fit the description. I might qualify though, because I sought you out. So what does that make me? Believe me… I’ve been working overtime on one fantasy of you after another. We aren’t different from one another, Tess. Having a crush on someone you don’t know and have only seen in pictures is totally normal. But this… this is different. Don’t tell me you can’t feel it.”
She really seemed to consider what I’d said, but she still didn’t look sold. All I could think about was how badly I needed to kiss her, how much I hoped a kiss would sway her decision. Sliding across the couch toward her, I gently pulled her into my arms. I actually had to tell myself not to yank her into my arms like a sex-crazed lunatic. The faint flush of her skin turned me on, big time. Threading my fingers in her hair, I closed the remaining gap between us and covered her mouth with mine.
Right away, the difference was huge and noticeable. Turns out there were kisses, and then there were kisses. This was the latter, and in a huge way. Our mouths moved together like they were made to. She tasted like champagne , and I couldn’t hold in the growl that escaped from me. I was completely engulfed by Tessa and my need for her. It alarmed me a bit to realize I’d never felt such passion for anyone before, much less such an all-consuming need.
I hadn’t been prepared—not one bit—for how tasting her made me feel.