Deadly Valentine (27 page)

"What did Cora say?" Tess asked.

"What does Cora always say? She didn't like him. Wanted me to stay away from him."

"The same thing she says about me."

"She'll come around," he said pulling her to him. "I thought we weren't going to talk about all this. Tonight is just about you and me and our first real date."

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"How do you feel about sleepovers on the first date?"

Her lips twitched."Oh, I don't know about that."

"I've got a really great bedroom."

"But will you respect me in the morning?"

"Perhaps we can take into consideration that we've known each other for years."

"Or maybe that we've already played bedroom games," she said with a coy smile.

He gave her quick kiss then took her hand and led her to the stairway.

"The home had five bedrooms and a nursery upstairs, but I took two rooms and the nursery, and converted them to a master suite."

"Sounds lovely."

"Some of the rooms haven't been renovated yet," he said when they reached the top of the stairs.

"You said you're selling it?"

"I was. I've changed my mind." He gave her hand a squeeze, the only gesture he felt safe to give her about his plans to stick around.

He pushed the door to the room open and stood with her as she took in the room.

Tess grew up with rich people and knew of the opulence that money could buy. But of all the mansions and luxury homes she'd been in her life, she'd never seen a room like this. It wasn't over the top dripping with gold or crystal, but it was clear only a man with money could create this room. The floors were a dark wood, nearly black. White trim outlined bluish gray walls. Two opposing walls held French doors out to balconies. At the far end was a fireplace with the softest looking rug resting in front of it. Bookshelves filled with books flanked the fireplace reminding her of her home. A sitting area with chairs and table were set equidistance from a bookshelf and a French door. One could read by the fire or enjoy the breeze of a spring day. And in the middle was the largest bed she'd ever seen.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"It's like an oasis."

They both stood in the doorway as she marveled at the room. She felt him turn, his finger under her chin guided her gaze to his.

"That's good, right?" He dipped his head letting his lips hover over hers.

"Very good."

He kissed her then. One of those kisses that immediately warmed her blood. It was soft yet thorough. He settled into it as if he intended to stand there kissing her for the rest of the night. But she wanted more. She slipped her hands over his shoulders, letting her fingers thread through his hair, and turned up the heat on the kiss.

She heard him groan, felt it vibrate deep in his chest. He shifted, moving her with him as he guided her toward the ocean of bed. On the way, clothes were shed, left on the floor in their wake, until finally she felt the coolness of the bed under her.

Jack lay beside her, kissed her again as if he had all the time in world. Finally his hands began to move, but even they moved slowly. The effect was heady. She could feel her blood thicken and pool in her center. But her nerve endings sizzled with each touch. Her body was humming as if he was a musician and she was the instrument. It was maddening, too intense.

She let her hands roam, fumbled to find him. He took her hands, entwining his fingers with hers holding them over her head.

"What's the hurry?"

Nothing she thought. Except that she felt like she might implode.

He dipped his head, kissed her. It was if he was starting over at the beginning again. Tess hadn't known there could be different paces or moods to love making. With Brad there was pretty much one speed; urgent. But this slow, excruciating dance was like nothing she'd experienced before.

Her hands gripped his back. She could feel his muscles bunch, the dampness of perspiration. Felt him hard and hot against her, and yet he still took his time. He was about to get his wish from the night before. She was about to scream, except it wouldn't be from pleasure, it would be from unbearable frustration.

It went on forever it seemed. And all she could do was hold on, let him take her wherever he was headed. She nearly cried out in desperation when he moved away. And then nearly wept for joy when she saw him deal with protection.

He levered himself above her, joined with her. But even then there was no urgency. He still took his time, moving with her, as if in a dance.

"Tess." She looked up, saw his eyes clouded with desire, but intense as they watched her. He shifted, thrust and hit that one exquisite mark. She was close, so close. She arched, her head dropped back.

"Watch me."

It was difficult, but she forced her eyes open, and watched as he lead her up and up until there was nowhere else to go and she shattered in his arms.

Tess felt as if every muscle had turned to noodles. She couldn't move if her life depended on it. Slowly she opened her eyes to find him smiling down on her.  She lost herself in the blue-green brilliance of his eyes. She wondered for a moment what color was listed on his driver's license. Was turquoise or teal an eye color? They held an intensity that matched the slow, thorough, driven way he'd just loved her. He dipped his head kissing her with a gentleness that nearly brought tears to her eyes.

“I love you, Tess.”

Her heart stopped. She knew she was supposed to feel elated, but she was pretty sure that overwhelming pressure in her chest was fear. Now it made sense, this change in him. He'd wanted to show her how he felt. With each slow touch of his fingers and caress of his lips, he'd been telling her he loved her. 

She started to open her mouth, not quite sure what was going to come out. Before she could find out, he pressed a finger to her lips.

“I'm not used to keeping my feelings to myself. I guess I can't anymore when it comes to you. But unless you're going to say you love me too, I'd rather you not say anything at all.”

She gave a short nod to let him know she understood and remained quiet. She saw the hurt and disappointment in his eyes. He'd hoped she tell him she loved him. But how could she? Saying it would make it real. As it was, she was more involved with him that she'd ever wanted to be. Laying naked and emotionally stripped bare, she was too vulnerable. How could she give him the power to shatter her life, to break her? And yet, the way he looked at her. Touched her. The way her body and her heart, if she was to be honest with herself, responded to him. She remembered when he'd said that of the two of them, he was the one most at risk of getting his heart broken. He was right. He was constantly giving her his heart and she was always trying to push it away.

She desperately wanted to tell him something, but couldn't find the words that would make him happy and still protect her heart.

"Will you stay the night or do I need to take you home?"

"Do you want me to stay?"

"You know what I want," he said with a terseness that made her jump even though his weight still pressed her to the mattress. "I want you."

"I want you too." That she could give him.

She felt him shift and worried that he was leaving. That her offer wasn't enough. Instead she felt herself pulled along with him as he rolled to his back. He took her face in his palms.

"Show me."

Chapter Thirty-One

Tess found it hard to keep the spring out of her step or the goofy grin off her face. Not only had she spent a second incredible night with Jack, but she discovered she'd lost three pounds, assuming Jack's scale was correct. If things worked out with Jack, she could get rid of her treadmill.
Good riddance
, she thought.  She felt so good and confident that she was willing to brave the Worthington family to find out if Helen had bought whatever story Daniel had told her and was ignoring her.

Tess made her way up the front steps of the Worthington Mansion, not sure which was worse, the biting cold outside or the bitter coolness that was likely to meet her on the inside. Walter met her at the door and led her to the parlor to wait while he went let Helen know she was there. Tess stood in the room not sure if she should make herself comfortable by sitting. Her confidence began to wane, so she remained standing.

She turned when she heard the doors open. Senator Worthington entered the room heading for the bar. He stopped when he noticed her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize we had a guest."

"Hello Senator," Tess said.

He continued toward the bar. "You're Daniel's friend?"

Tess felt certain she was no longer Daniel's friend, but it didn't seem like a good time to explain the situation. "Yes sir."

"Would you like a drink?" he said as he held up a container of orange juice

"No, thank you."

He finished mixing his drink and held it up as if to make a toast. "You know what they say."

Unsure what he was asking she said, "What do they say?"

"It's five o'clock somewhere."

"I suppose it is," she said figuring it was still barely lunch in Europe. He'd need to be in Asia probably for it to be 5 o'clock.

"It's been a rough week."

She nodded. "I'm very sorry."

His sharp blue eyes watched her. "You were the one who found him?"

"Yes," she said as the image of Asa's body slumped over his desk and blood running everywhere came into her mind. Perhaps she should sit after all.

"I didn't see him. Not until the funeral."

Tess wasn't sure how to respond to that. "I’m sure he'd rather you remember how he was when he was living."

"No doubt about that," he said taking a long drink. "It had to gall him that someone got the best of him."

Tess was sure it would gall anyone to be murdered, but she understood what the Senator meant. Asa controlled and manipulated people for his benefit and amusement. She wondered if he had time to realize that someone had outmaneuvered him, before he died.

"And the list of people who wanted him gone is longer than my arm," continued the Senator. "But who had the balls to actually make it happen? I can't think of one person."

"I guess sometimes people can be pushed too far," she said.

"Daniel seems to be on the case. He's taking a long look at that Mr. Valentine."

Tess nodded.

"Who else could it have been?" She wondered if he was trying to talk himself into believing Jack was the murderer, because he didn't want to think a family member was a killer.

Since the Senator was being so chatty, Tess decided to ask him a few questions. She knew she was crossing the line, particularly if she wanted to salvage her relationship with Daniel.

"Something that has been bothering me about that night is that Mr. Worthington said the party was just for family. Not even Laurel Worthington was allowed to stay."

"That's right," said the Senator.

"Then why was Mr. Valentine invited?"

His brows drew together. "Invited. I don't think he was."

"Yes. Mr. Worthington invited him."

The Senator appeared to think on that as he poured another drink, this time without vodka. "I can't imagine why Asa would invite him. Especially to an event like that."

"I was invited and I'm not family."

The Senator smiled. "Not yet. But Daniel has his eye on you."

Tess took a deep breath. She wondered if everyone in Jefferson Tavern saw her and Daniel as an inevitability.

"But to share his illness with anyone outside of the family, that is a surprise," he said.

"Is that what the dinner was about?"

"What else?"

Tess shrugged. "He suggested to Mr. Valentine that it was a business dinner."

The Senator's eyes narrowed. "Business? What kind of business?"

"No one seems to know or can tell us. Not even Tom seems to know."

The Senator shook his head. "Terrible thing about Tom. Poor Helen is distraught. She thinks it's related to Asa's murder. But Daniel says Mr. Valentine has an alibi." Daniel apparently hadn't told the Senator who the alibi was. She wondered if he told Helen.

She realized that this moment could be her best, perhaps only opportunity to ask the Senator about Delia. She took a deep a breath. "Mr. Worthington had a file on Mr. Valentine along with information about a Delia Jackson."

The change was instantaneous. His eyes darkened and narrowed, and like little laser beams focused on her. "How do you know about that?"

"Mr. Valentine told me."

"Why would Valentine know about Delia? She died before any of you were born," he said as he reached for the vodka bottle.

"He didn't know who she was." Tess knew she had to be careful. She couldn't reveal that her information was taken from Asa's computer, yet she wanted him to know that the information existed.

"She worked for me. Many years ago. She died … tragically." He gulped down the final bit of orange juice this time filling his glass with vodka. "What the hell was that boy thinking?"

Tess couldn't be sure who the Senator was referring to; Asa or Jack.

"The information said she had a baby."

The Senator set his drink down. His palms pressed against the top of the counter as if he were trying to keep himself upright. "The baby died with her." His voice sounded distant, and very sad.

Tess closed her eyes, as she battled with herself over how much more to reveal. "The article said the baby wasn't found," she finally said.

He turned to her, the vacant look in his eyes turning to inquiry. "What's your point?"

Tess decided she'd come to the end of the road. She couldn't reveal anymore without seriously compromising her relationship; professional and personal with Jack. "I guess it's sad to think about such a loss. That hopeful part of me wonders if it could be possible that he survived?'

The Senator laughed. "You're still young. You probably still believe in true love too." He gave his head a shake. "God knows what Asa had in mind, but I can't see how any of this relates to his death."