Page 8 of Seduce

* * * *

Tessa retrieved her things from the locker, then checked the hallway. Clear. She slipped out to the reception area.

“Leaving before the great reveal?” Ralph said.

“Yes.” She hesitated. She couldn’t let Damon know who she was, but she didn’t want to leave him hanging. “Do you have a pen and paper I could borrow?”

Ralph handed her the items, and she wrote a quick message, folded it, and wrote Damon’s name on the outside of it. “If you would give this to Master Damon after midnight, I would appreciate it.” She handed everything to Ralph.

“Of course. Have a good evening.”

Tessa stepped outside and shivered. She hadn’t bothered to slip her coat on. The wind had kicked up while she was inside, and now, a freezing breeze slid over her skin. She hurried to her car and got in, throwing her purse and coat into the passenger seat. She didn’t pull off her mask until she was at the main road.

Her body still hummed with need. What was she going to do? At least Damon didn’t know it was her, but damn, that man got her engines going and fast. Tonight wasn’t for decision-making. She needed to pay attention to the road. The temps had dropped; the roads could be icy, and the last thing she needed to do was slide off the road into a ditch.

* * * *

Damon watched for Tessa to return. It was almost midnight. He walked out to the hallway and over to the ladies’ room. “Anyone in there?” No answer. Damon walked through the door.

It was empty. Disappointment flowed through him. Had she fled? Damon marched to the reception desk. “Ralph, did a woman in a blue feather mask leave?”

“Yes, Master Damon. About ten minutes ago.” Ralph picked up a piece of paper. “She left this for you.”

“Thank you.” Damon stepped away from desk and opened the paper.

Forgive me for leaving. I wasn’t ready to reveal who I am to you. Not yet anyway. I’ll be in touch, Master Damon.

Lady in Blue

So she did know who he was. Why not reveal herself? Did she think he would be angry?

Damon fought against the disappointment. Why had she run? Tessa was a mystery he intended to solve. A shout went out as he made his way back into the club. Midnight. He removed his mask, but it was anticlimactic. The woman he wanted was gone.

“Hey, where did you go?” Max asked as Damon wandered up to him.

“Did you see the woman with the blue feather mask?”

“Which one?” Jordan asked. Pointing out four women.

“None of them. The one I’m looking for had royal blue feathers, and her top matched her mask. The one I was talking to earlier.” He wanted to see if his friend had recognized her.

Max looked at Sierra. “I saw her leave,” Sierra said. “Sorry, Damon.”

“Anyone know who she is?” Why was it so important to him to hear confirmation from his friends? He knew it was Tessa. Tessa with her fiery words and determined attitude not to take crap from anyone.

No one spoke. “It’s okay. I’m going to head out. Max I’ll give you a call tomorrow.” Damon left the club. The entire drive home, Tessa’s masked face haunted him.

CHAPTER THREE

Sunday afternoon, Tessa opened the door to her two friends. Sierra and Crystal tumbled in with the bags in their arms.

“We brought provisions,” Sierra announced, going into the kitchen.

“I have food.” Tessa shook her head.

“We brought all our favorite chips, ice cream, and cookies,” Crystal said. “We need them.”

“I brought wine if we need something stronger than soda.” Sierra unloaded the bags.

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