Thirteen
Things were starting to progress at Stony Ridge. Trailers were set up for the actors and other producers and directors, who should be arriving in just a few days. This film was about to get under way, and for once Tessa was glad.
Now maybe Grant would have other things to do besides tempt her, tease her, then walk away. How dare he do that to her twice? What game was he playing?
She might be a virgin, but she wasn’t that naive. He wanted her, yet he kept denying himself. Did he think he was being gallant? Chivalrous? Well, in her opinion he was being a player, and she would put a stop to that as soon as her training for the day was over.
She’d had enough of being pulled around. And honestly, she cared for him and knew he cared for her, or he would’ve already taken her or moved on. Grant had self-control, and he was holding on to every last shred for her.
Well, enough was enough. Tessa wanted him, and she would be the one to decide what was best for her body...not him.
She leaned down, patted Don Pedro and set out at a trot. Today she’d keep it easy, especially since Cassie had to take Emily to the doctor for shots.
“Care if I ride with you?”
Tessa turned to see her father coming from the stables, leading Cassie’s newest problem child, Macduff.
“Not at all. You sure you want to get on him?”
Damon shrugged. “He’ll be fine. I’m bigger than you, so you were easier to buck. And Cassie’s been working with him.”
Tessa nodded. “Then saddle up and let’s go.”
She waited, actually finding herself eager to ride with her father. So much in life got in the way of their time together. Between her training and preparing for the movie, Tessa figured this would be the last time for quite a while that they would have alone, with no added pressure.
She gripped the reins and fell in behind her dad. When he set out toward the back of the estate, she kicked her horse into gear and eased up beside him. She knew exactly where he was heading.
The early-morning sun beat down, promising another beautiful, yet unpredictable spring day. As always, she’d checked the forecast when she’d woken, and seen possible thunderstorms later in the afternoon.
“Won’t be long, this place will be overrun with famous actors and the threat of paparazzi,” her dad told her as he took in the new on-site trailers.
“I hope whatever security they have will be able to keep the crazies away.” Tessa hated the thought of strangers around her horses. “I just hope they respect my privacy.”
Damon laughed. “You may find you like the behind-the-scenes view. If not, you can always hide over at your house. No one will come there.”
“Not unless it’s reporters or crazed fans,” she muttered as they passed the last of the trailers.
Damon laughed. “We have security for your property, too.”
Tessa smiled, but her eyes were on the man talking to some workers who’d brought the trailers. Grant had on well-worn jeans, aviator sunglasses and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up his muscular forearms. He might be trying to look as if he belonged in the country, but the man was still polished, still citified and damn sexy. Even his sporty rental car stood out next to the full-size trucks on the estate.
“Your producer is working hard to make sure everything is perfect for his crew,” her father commented as they neared the pond.
“He’s not my producer,” she retorted.
Damon pulled back on his reins at the edge of the water and glanced over. “Honey, I know I’m an old man, and your father to boot, but anyone can see the way you look at him. And, more importantly, the way he looks at you.”
Tessa groaned. She did not want to be discussing this with her dad. Cassie was about the only person Tessa ever confided her secrets to. Maybe if their mother had lived...
“I miss her, too,” he told her in a low voice. “I know you miss her, especially now. I can tell you’re confused, but if you want advice, I’d be happy to give it.”
Tessa laughed. “I’m not discussing the birds and the bees with you.”
Damon’s own robust laughter rippled through the air. “Please, I don’t plan on getting that in-depth here. I was talking more about your heart, Tessa.”
When she glanced over to him, she saw he was serious. He wanted to offer his thoughts from a parenting standpoint. Considering he was the only parent she had, she valued his opinion and the special bond they had.
“What about it?” she asked, almost afraid of his response.
“Risks have to happen. If you want anything out of life, you have to take a risk. Standing on the sideline, watching as chances go by, will only leave you with regrets.”
She swallowed and looked back out onto the glistening pond.
“You take a risk every time you compete,” he went on. “You take a risk of getting hurt, of hurting someone else or your horse.”
Tessa whipped her head back around. “I never even consider that a possibility.”
His smiled warmed her. “Because you’ve learned to take the risk and lead by faith. You let your heart guide you each time you get on that horse and head toward the finish line. Love is no different.”
“I never said anything about love.” Even to her, the defense sounded weak. “He just...he confuses me.”
“Your mother used to confuse the hell out of me,” Damon said with a soft chuckle. “I started asking her out when she was sixteen, and she didn’t say yes until she was eighteen. I knew she was the one, but I was older than her, and to be honest, I think that scared her. In some crazy way, she worried she wouldn’t measure up to standards I’d set for the woman I wanted.”
Tessa swallowed, unable to admit that was one of her main fears. Was it that easy to just let go?
“What worries you about Grant?”
With a shrug, she pulled on the reins when Don Pedro started to shift. “We’re so different, Dad. He’s not a country boy, but practically drips big city.”
“And?”
“What do you mean, and? I hate the city. That was one of the reasons I broke it off with Aaron.”
Her father’s face turned to stone. “That man isn’t even worthy of mentioning, and he is nothing like Grant. Aaron didn’t care about you. If he’d looked at you even remotely the way Grant does, then things may have been different. But Aaron was using you and trying to steer you away from your career. Has Grant done any of those things?”
Tessa shook her head and sighed. “He’s amazing.”
“Well, you’re an adult and you make your own decisions, but please, don’t get so caught up in racing and this image of a perfect world you’ve built for yourself that you don’t stop to take a risk...and enjoy the benefits.”
Tessa closed her eyes, relishing the soft breeze, wondering what risk she should be taking. Maybe admit to Grant that she had developed feelings for him? Go to his cottage tonight and seduce him?
She nearly laughed. She wouldn’t know the first thing about seducing a man, and certainly not one as sexy as Grant Carter.
But one thing was for sure. She was done waiting and playing his game.
* * *
Grant was completely worn-out. There had been a mix-up with the number of trailers and they were still one short, but after some calls he’d gotten everything straightened out.
He’d sent a text to his coproducers, informing them they were good to go whenever they wanted to come. He figured they’d arrive earlier than stars Max Ford and Lily Beaumont.
The two headliners of the film were going to help him catapult to a whole new level, and Grant could hardly contain himself at the thought of his own production company. Marty had sent an email outlining the prospect, and Grant was glad no one had been around to see him read it, because he’d been smiling like a kid with a new puppy. And he may have read it through twice. Okay, three times.
He had just unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it from his jeans when someone knocked on his door.
Please, don’t let it be another issue with the trailers.
When he jerked open the door, Tessa stood there, her hair flying loose around her shoulders. A fitted tank, with a long-sleeved plaid shirt over top, unbuttoned, showcased her flat stomach. Her jeans hugged her hips, and the punch of lust to his gut nearly made his knees give out.
She’d never looked this...relaxed. Seeing that massive amount of red hair dancing about in the wind, he nearly groaned, because he could practically feel it sliding along his bare body.
Which meant she couldn’t come inside. The emotional impact she kept hitting him with was targeting closer and closer to his heart.
Grant stepped out onto the porch, pulling the door shut behind him.
“I’m sorry,” she told him. “Is this a bad time?”
Her eyes raked over his bare chest and Grant clenched his fists. “No.”
Those bright blue eyes darted around, as if she was suddenly insecure about something...or was reconsidering coming here.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
With a sigh, she shook her head. “Actually, no. I can’t handle this tension between us anymore.”
Damn. She was about to get aggressive, and he wasn’t sure he could turn her down if she started showing signs of power and control. He’d witnessed this only in her schedules, never with attraction. And damn if that wasn’t a whole new level of sexy. He was already turned on as it was, and his zipper was growing exceedingly tighter.
Taking her hand, he led her off the porch.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He kept walking, heading toward the back of the estate, away from his cottage and the closest bed. Although he was about to his breaking point, so even the grass was looking pretty inviting right about now.
“Let’s go for a walk,” he told her. “Things are about to get crazy around here, and maybe I want to just do nothing. Not work and not talk about us. Maybe I just want to walk and hold your hand.”
Tessa groaned. “It’s going to storm soon,” she told him. “And I need to talk about us. I need to know where I stand with you.”
Grant kept walking, knowing his silence was driving her insane. But honestly, he had no clue what to say to her. He wanted her, plain and simple, but he really didn’t think she was ready, and the last thing he wanted for her was regrets. He wanted so, so much more. But since he couldn’t identify those wants, how could he express them to her? Life had been much simpler when this was only sexual attraction.
Tessa’s delicate hand remained in his as they walked through the pasture. In the near distance, frogs croaked from the pond. Grant was starting to really settle in here, but he knew in his heart he couldn’t get too attached to this place...this woman.
But that didn’t stop him from wanting her, from aching for her and waking every night fantasizing about her.
“If you’ve decided I’m not worth your time, I get that,” she finally said.
Grant smiled. He’d known she wouldn’t be able to just relax and take a walk. He remained silent, because he also knew she wasn’t finished saying whatever was on her mind that had caused her to show up at his cottage.
“I mean, you’ve had enough time to think about this, and knowing how different we are and how...inexperienced I am, I can totally see why you would want to keep your distance. But what I don’t understand is why you kiss me, why you say you want me, yet do nothing about it.”
The first fat drops of rain started and he jerked her to a halt, turning her to face him.
“I do nothing about it, Tessa, because I’m filled with nothing but lust. That’s not what you need. You need gentle, and I can’t guarantee that, either. I want you on a level I’ve never known. You drive me crazy with an ache that threatens to overtake me.”
The skies cut lose as he thrust his hands into her hair and captured her lips. His tongue invaded her mouth, taking her, pleading for her to take him. She gripped his shoulders as the cool drops soaked them. But nothing could make him pull away from her. He’d come to the point where he craved her taste, needed her touch. What the hell would happen if he got her naked, lying against his body?
When she pulled back, glancing up at him with droplets dripping from her lashes, he groaned and took her mouth again. His hands traveled down to her abdomen and gripped the hem of her tank, tugging it up. He needed more...needed whatever she was willing to give. And when this was over, he’d have to be satisfied with what he got.
Tessa’s body arched into his, her hips grinding against his erection. He encircled her bare waist with his hands, allowing his pinky fingers to dip below the edge of her jeans.
Never in his life had he craved a woman as he did Tessa. And seeing as how this was new ground for him, he was terrified he’d hurt her.
A clap of thunder tore them apart as lightning lit up the darkening sky. Tessa grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the pond. She was running and laughing as the rain continued to drench them. Even with her hair and clothing plastered to her body, she was stunning as she guided him through the storm.
They circled the pond, and Grant knew exactly where they were seeking shelter: the old cabin nestled in a grove of trees. Tessa led him onto the porch as another thunder and lightning combination filled the evening.
Panting, she leaned against the post and smiled up at him. But as he moved closer, her eyes widened, her smiled faded. He was losing control, and he wondered if he’d ever had it where she was concerned.
“Tessa—”
She covered his lips with one slender fingertip. “Please. Don’t stop this again, Grant. I need you. I need this.”
He was lost. No way could he say no to her.
This beautiful, precious woman was offering something so rare and special. He wanted to be the one to show her all about passion and desire. He wanted to be everything to her...but all he could be was her lover. No more.
“I can’t deny you,” he told her, pushing strands of clingy red hair away from her face. “I don’t know why I tried. But I admit...I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
“This. You. Your first time shouldn’t be in a shack in a thunderstorm.”
“This shack holds special memories for me. I used to dream here as a little girl. I would daydream about horses and Prince Charming.” Tessa reached up, sliding her body against his as she circled his neck with her arms. “My first time can be anywhere, as long as it’s with you.”
He dropped his forehead to hers and whispered, “This may as well be my first time, as nervous as I am right now.”
Tessa nipped at his lips. “Then let’s get inside and fumble through this together.”