Page 120 of Love Is an Art
“No black lingerie?”
“I was saving that for tomorrow night.” She pulls out a book. “Is Arthur the difficult partner?”
“You also have an amazing memory.” I kiss her quickly on the lips. And then I close my laptop and put it on the side table.
“Are you done?” she asks.
“No,” I growl. “But that’s not what I want to be doing right now.” I caress her face. “You’re so cute.”
“I’m not cute.”
“And sweet.” My fingers thread through the back of her soft hair, massaging her head, and I can feel her melting. Her eyes flutter closed. I trail light kisses on her nose and her cheek.
“I’m not sweet,” she says but without any heat.
She’s too sweet. She has no idea what others are like.
I nuzzle her neck, then plant more light kisses down to her collarbone.
Shemms. What that sounddoesto me. I growl.
I trace her collarbone under her T-shirt, my hand lightly brushing her silky skin. The temptation. She strains forward.
But no. Not yet. Slow down. Stay in this moment.
My hands frame her face again. She opens her eyes. Our glances meet. I really like her. I’m falling so hard.
Tonight, seeing her next to Paisley, there was no comparison.
There was that one point when Ben told that funny story. And Paisley chuckled. But Tessa laughed so hard, she was practically crying. She gives everything.
I feel so lucky.
And her eyes say the same. And her open smile. The way she looks at me—like she can’t get enough of me, like she can’t believe I’m hers.
I can’t believe she’s mine.
Something loosens in my chest, opening up and breathing again. That pain from Paisley is lessening.
Chapter thirty-eight
Tessa
Iputmycupof coffee down on my office desk and turn on my computer. I didn’t get much sleep again last night, but it was for a very good cause. My lips curve up in a smile. Lakshmi’s bag is by her chair, so she must be in the office already but at a meeting.
Jack:Come to my office immediately.
That’s weird. Jack has never texted me before. I rush downstairs and walk into his office. He’s reading a document at the round table. He takes off his glasses and puts them down slowly on the table.
“I thought you should know that Tom told his mentor that you were in a relationship with an associate at Capital Management when you were representing them and hadn’t disclosed it,” Jack says.
A chill ices me. An accusation of ethical misconduct. I know it’s not true, but still …
An ethics investigation could torpedo my whole career.
“He’s not the client. I have no conflict of interest with the client,” I say.
“You are dating Zeger van der Zee?”
