Old Flames Never Die: Valentine Mystery Book 2

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Excerpt (Abridged Chapter 1)

What am I doing? Tess looked into the antique mirror over the dresser to view herself in the teal-colored shirt that dipped down between her breasts. Did her new La Perla bra show? Turning slightly, she inventoried her butt in the skintight jeans. She felt like pork sausage about to burst from its casings. The very idea that she was dressed like this because it made a certain man grin and ogle was equally disturbing. If anyone told her three months ago that her house and law practice would go up in smoke and that she would be hopelessly in love, she'd think they were one peanut short of a Snickers bar. Yet here she was; homeless, jobless and stuffing her curves into clothing clearly too small just so she could turn on a certain blue-green-eyed man.

She wondered if Jack missed her as much as she'd missed him. He left Friday morning for a board meeting in Washington, D.C. and stayed the weekend to meet with his right-hand man and Tess' former fiancé, Brad Chancellor, about business. This morning, he drove straight to Worthington Media Corporation offices in Jefferson Tavern, Virginia, for a Monday morning meeting. His next stop would be home. It was the first time since their reunion in February they'd been apart for more than a day.

Jack had invited her to go with him and even enticed her with bribes about making love in government monuments. But she had a house and a career to rebuild again and opted to stay behind. Instead, she spent the weekend buying new lingerie at Cezarier's boutique and making chocolate truffles in preparation for his return.

"Honey, I'm home." He called from downstairs.

"Show time." She blew out a breath and called, "I'm upstairs."

She could hear him bounding up the stairs.

"Tell me you're naked." He rushed into the room, skidding to a stop a few feet from her. A slow wide grin spread on his face. She blushed, embarrassed. How did he do that?

"You know what that outfit does for me, don't you?" He wrapped his arms around her. With a hand on each buttock, he pulled her flush against his body.

"Why else would I spend hours to get into it?"

"I'll be happy to help you remove it."

She slid her arms over his shoulders and looked up into his striking blue-green eyes. He leaned down to kiss her. It was a kiss of renewal. As if they'd been without water for days and could finally drink their fill. They stopped only because they needed to breathe.

"How was your trip?" Tess asked still whirling from the intoxicating effect he had on her.

"Uneventful. Brad says 'hi'."

"And how were things at Worthington today?"

"I think they're beginning to see how beneficial my purchase of the company will be for them."

"Ah. Greed."

"Not just greed. Slothfulness too. They won't have to work."

Tess laughed. "And what about the fact that you're related to them?"

"I think that is the only reason they're going along with the merger. The company does technically stay in the family."

"You look tired." Tess brushed his dark hair from his forehead.

"I am. I'm not used to working every day." He grinned, showing the one dimple that got him whatever he wanted. "I can't wait to hand the whole thing over to someone."

"That won't be popular."

"It'll be my company." His hands squeezed her butt. "Can we get back to this outfit and getting you out of it? I have another meeting tonight."

"Tonight?" Tess couldn't hide her disappointment.

"Actually..."

The tone of Jack's voice had Tess thinking she wasn't going to like what he had to say.

"I got a call from an old friend...old girlfriend."

"Oh." Tess automatically took a step back.

"Don't do that, Tess. Her husband was murdered over the weekend. She just needs some support."

"From you?"

He shrugged. "Liv wasn't one to have lots of girlfriends."

That could only mean one thing: She was tall, gorgeous and bitchy. "How about family?"

"There's no one here. It's just dinner. You can come if you want. I figured you wouldn't want to."

"Why would you figure that?"

He shrugged and stepped away, apparently deciding sex was no longer going to happen. "You're insecure when it comes to relationships."

That was true, but it sounded pathetic to hear it. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"For now. But for how long? Even though I've asked you to stay, you're working on getting your home back."

"I have to rebuild it. It's sitting charred in the middle of a residential neighborhood."

"I don't want to fight about this, Tess. I love you and I'm sorry if it bothers you that I'm having dinner with Liv. But she was there for me when my mother died. I should do the same for her."

"I'm not mad that you're having dinner with her. I'm mad that you think I'm not committed to this thing between us."

"I know you love me and you're as committed as you can be. I just wish you'd trust that my feelings are sincere." He unbuttoned his shirt. "I'm going to take a quick shower before I have to go."

Tess frowned at his back as he entered the bathroom. That didn't go as planned. Just because she was wary and nervous about their relationship didn't mean she was insecure. It's not like she didn't have good reason not to trust in love. But she was here. With him. What else did he want?



Jack let the water spray over his head hoping it would wash the frustration away. He'd had a tough day sparring with the Worthingtons. When Liv called, his first instinct was to tell her he couldn't meet her. He'd been looking forward to a reunion with Tess from the moment he'd left her three days ago. The smell of chocolate and her kick-ass clothes told him she'd been thinking the same thing. But he couldn't abandon Liv. It wasn't that long ago that she'd saved him from himself. With her help he got back to work and ended up in a position where he could meet Tess again, and be worthy of her love.

But as fate would have it, his reunion with Tess and moving a step closer to keeping her would turn out to be two steps back. He knew having dinner with an old flame was a bad idea under the best of circumstances. With Tess, it could be disastrous. But he owed Liv. It seemed only right that he be there for her.

He picked up the bar of soap when he heard the shower door open and felt a burst of cool air. He turned to see Tess stepping into the shower with him. Immediately, his body heated and his annoyance was replaced by desire. She had a body that drove him nuts. She had no idea how potent she was, which only added to her allure. She had chestnut colored hair that naturally formed large soft curls he wanted to run his fingers through. Indulging himself, he slipped his fingers through her hair as he pulled her to him for a kiss that was equally as potent.

"You're killing me, you know that?" He looked into her eyes. It had been her eyes that first captured his attention. They were the color of aged whisky and were filled with a fire that he felt burn deep in his soul. He never grew tired of looking into them.

"I can leave."

"Don't you dare." He pulled her body against his. She was small in height, but had curves in all the right places. Because she worked out, her body was one soft curve over firm muscle after another. His hands slid down over her bare backside and squeezed its firm roundness.

"I missed you," he whispered in her ear.

Her hands slid up his chest and over his shoulders "Show me."