Tempting Tessa Read online

Thirty minutes later my makeup is complete and I can’t believe how great a job Paige did. She pulled off the perfect eye, it’s not too much and not too little. I really feel beautiful.

  Now that all the pampering is done, we head to the dressing room to get dressed. I know Caroline invited a few of our other friends, but I’m not sure who is coming for sure. The dress she picked out for me is beautiful. It shows off a little more cleavage than I have in a long time and is shorter than anything I’ve worn in the same amount of time, but it fits me perfect and makes me feel confident and beautiful.

  When we are ready to leave the spa, we are once again led out to the waiting limo. The restaurant is only a few minutes away so we get there quickly. Once we arrive, Caroline checks us in at the hostess stand. We are about 5 minutes early for our reservation and I don’t see anyone else that I know, so I’m sure they must wait to seat us until everyone else arrives. To my surprise, a couple of minutes later they say they can seat us now, but instead of leading us toward the normal dining area they lead us to a private room they use for private parties. Now I’m curious what she has up her sleeve.

  “Surprise!!!!!!” The full room of people yells out to me as Caroline and I enter the room. I stand there in shock! The room is filled with friends and family. My parents and siblings and their wives, Matt’s siblings and parents, Luke, some of my fellow nurses, friends that Caroline and I went to high school with that we both kept in contact with over the years, and Jake. They are all here.

  “By the look on your face, I’ll assume I actually pulled off the surprise?”

  “Um ya,” I stammer, still stunned. “I thought it was just going to be a few of us girls tonight.”

  “Oh no, Tessa, everyone wanted to celebrate you, so we just made it one big party.”

  “Who has the boys?” I ask, noticing that none of our children are here.

  “I hired a teenager to come watch them all. Don’t worry about anything! I have it covered. I called and talked to your mom a few weeks ago, and we came up with the perfect plan. They will still keep Ty tonight, but this allowed them to come and celebrate with you at dinner.”

  “Thank you so much, Caroline,” I tell her while holding back tears and wrap her into a huge hug.

  The shock of the large room full of people here to celebrate me starts to wear off as I make my way around the room to say hello to everyone. I finally make my way around and find a seat. I’m sure Caroline had a hand in it, as the only seat open is the one between her and Jake. I had only said hello to him as I made my way around the room before, so it will be nice to talk to him while we enjoy dinner.

  “Happy birthday,” Jake says as he leans toward me.

  “Thank you, I didn’t expect all of this.” I wave my hand around.

  “Did you enjoy your day of pampering? You look beautiful tonight.”

  “It was amazing. I decided that I need to remodel my master bathroom shower to make it like the one they had. It had a ton of shower heads that were amazing. I could have spent all day under the water,” I tell him and can feel myself start to blush.

  “Tell me more about this perfect shower,” he says to me in a deep sexy voice while bouncing his eyebrows up and down.

  This gets my hormones to ramp up to overdrive. I rub my thighs together to try and relieve some of the pressure I suddenly am feeling. If he keeps up talking to me like that I don’t think I’ll make it through dinner without dragging him into the bathroom or a dark corner to attack him. I’m sure Jake notices my discomfort and how much I’m blushing. I just hope no one else notices how much he is affecting me right now.

  The rest of the dinner goes great. I have lots of wonderful conversations with everyone that has come. They bring out a huge cake that Caroline ordered and we all enjoy dessert. It’s now time to move on to our next stop for the evening and it sounds like there will be a much smaller group of us moving on from the restaurant to a large country bar downtown that has line dancing and a karaoke room. Before kids, it was one of our favorite bars to go to in downtown Nashville.

  Since we arrived at the restaurant in the limo from the spa, I figure we will just pile in Luke or Jake’s trucks. Little did I know, everyone that is going on to the bar got rides from our parents or took a cab to the restaurant. Luke and Caroline hired another limo to transport all of us so that everyone can get home safely and still enjoy themselves tonight. She really did think of everything to make tonight perfect.

  We arrive downtown and the bar is packed! Not surprising for a Saturday night. With CMA fest going on down here next week, there are a ton of people already in town for all those events. Maybe we will luck out later with a surprise free concert. Artists are known to just pop in and play a few songs around this time of year.

  We finally make our way into the bar and Luke and Jake offer to go up and get us all a round of drinks. They come back and Jake hands me my drink and leans in and kisses my cheek and whispers in my ear, “Make sure you save me a dance sometime tonight, sweetheart.”

  I instantly blush, and just nod my head yes. I can’t think of anyone else besides my girlfriends that I would want to dance with tonight, so you can bet I will be taking him up on that offer once I get a little more alcohol in me and loosen up. Caroline reaches over and grabs my hand and starts pulling me out to the dance floor. I quickly deposit my drink on the table that we are standing around and follow her out.

  Vacation by Thomas Rhett comes on and we start shaking our asses dancing to the song. Hit after hit continues for the next half hour or so. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. I’m in serious need of a drink, so when Cruise by Florida Georgia Line ends, I tug on Caroline’s arm to pull her back to the table so I can get something to drink. I need water along with another vodka and cranberry, so I head for the bar. Jake snags my arm as I walk by the table. “Where do you think you are going?”

  “I need a new drink and some water,” I tell him as I point toward the bar. He pulls me closer to him, as it’s very loud and hard to hear each other.

  “I’ll get it for you. You, birthday girl, are not buying yourself anything tonight. What does the birthday girl want to drink?” he asks, directly into my ear so I can hear him. His breath on my neck causes a shiver to work its way down my back and goose bumps to break out on my skin.

  “I’ll take a vodka cranberry and a bottle of water, please,” I tell him as I lean in more so he can hear my reply.

  “Coming right up,” he says as he places a kiss on my temple and then releases me to walk over to get the bartender’s attention.

  He returns with my drinks and I finish off the water in just a few gulps. I didn’t realize how thirsty I had gotten with all that dancing. We are all just enjoying our drinks and listening to the music when the DJ interrupts the music to announce they have a special guest in the house tonight who is about to take the stage for a few-song set. Caroline and I turn to each other all giddy! Looks like our wish came true tonight! Now I just hope it’s someone I love!

  About 5 minutes later the lights go down and out walks Brett Eldredge onto the stage! I love his music! I grab both Jake and Caroline’s arms and pull them out to the dance floor. I will be enjoying the live music front and center. Jake grabs me by the hips and I lean into him. I could get used to his touch very easily. The opening cords to Lose My Mind come over the speakers and the crowd goes wild. We’re all dancing and singing along just enjoying ourselves. He continues through a few more of his hits when he says that his time is almost up, but he wants to play one more before he goes. As soon as I hear the notes I know it’s my favorite song of his, Wanna Be That Song. I couldn’t have picked a better song to slow dance with Jake to.

  Jakes spins me around and wraps his arms around me, settling his hands along my lower back. I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his chest. Even with heels on I fit under his chin perfectly. It feels so perfect to be in his arms, pressed up against his body. We sway slow to the song and I could get lost in the
feeling. I wish the song didn’t have to end.

  As the song ends, Jake leans back as he slides one of his hands up to cup my face. The look of desire on his face is intoxicating to look at. He slowly lowers his lips to mine and gives me the gentlest kiss I’ve ever experienced. It’s magical. He pulls back far enough to press his forehead to mine and just looks at me. The silent conversation taking place between our eyes is static filled.

  “You are an amazing woman, Tessa. What am I going to do with you?”

  “You aren’t so bad yourself,” I respond back to him as I press a light kiss to his lips.

  Our moment is interrupted when the lights come back on and the DJ announces they have another special guest that will be on the stage in about 45 minutes. Our group heads back toward our table to get another drink. I’m not sure if I will be able to make it another 45 minutes as it’s almost midnight.

  “Hey, guys, I don’t think I can make it much longer. Is everyone else ready to head out?”

  “We’re ready to go if you guys are,” Caroline says.

  The rest of the group that came with us has disbursed, so it’s down to just the 4 of us left.

  “I’m ready if you guys are,” Jake adds, wrapping his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side.

  “Thank you all again for such a wonderful birthday. I’ve had such an amazing day,” I tell them as we head out to the waiting limo.

  The limo ride is pretty quiet as we are all pretty tired from our fun night out. We drop Caroline and Luke off first and the driver asks what address we would like to go to next.

  “Would you like to come to my house tonight?” Jake asks me.

  Since we slow danced earlier I’ve been thinking about the possibility of him either asking me to come to his house or him ending up at mine, and I’m at peace with moving on.

  “I would love that,” I tell him with a shy smile on my face.

  He gives the driver his address and we are off.

  Jake

  I’ve had such an amazing evening with Tessa celebrating her birthday. I just don’t want the night to end. The idea strikes me to invite her over to my place for the night. As much as I’m looking forward to stripping her out of that hot as fuck dress she’s wearing, I’m more interested in just getting to hold her tonight and kissing her more. If she’s comfortable with more, than fuck yes, I will be on board. But I can tell she is still a little nervous about the physical connection we are forming.

  “Would you like to come to my house tonight?” I ask her.

  “I would love that,” she tells me, and I place a chaste kiss on her temple.

  After giving my address to the driver, I sit back and pull her back next to me. I feel like I can’t touch her enough. Thankfully, she seems to be in the same mindset as I am.

  My house is less than 10 minutes from Luke and Caroline’s and there isn’t much traffic due to how late it is. I get out first and offer Tessa my hand as she gets out of the limo. Once inside I head into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water for myself and offer one to Tessa.

  “I can go grab you a t-shirt and some shorts or sweats to change into if you want to get out of your dress.”

  “That would be amazing. As much as I love this dress, getting out of it sounds better,” she says while taking in my house.

  I didn’t miss her innuendo, and I noticed that she caught it as soon as she said it. I hold in the smartass reply and head to go find her something she can change into.

  “I left something on my bed. There’s a master bath in there as well,” I tell her, pointing toward the door. “I’ll wait for you out in the living room. If you want to shower, the towels hanging up are clean and I set out a new toothbrush on the counter if you need one.”

  “Thanks, Jake, I will be right out.” She lifts up on her toes to give me a quick kiss. I slip out of the room and head for the living room. Before I make it more than 5 steps, I hear Tessa calling for me. “Hey, Jake?”

  “Yeah?” I stop and call back to her.

  “Can you come back in here and help me please?”

  I walk back into my bedroom and realize she can’t get the zipper open on her dress. My dick twitches in my pants at the thought of taking that dress off her body. I slowly walk toward her, never taking my eyes off hers. It only takes me a few strides to reach her, and she turns so her back is against my front. I slowly trace my finger along her shoulder blade and down her spine until I grasp the zipper and slowly pull it down. I have to stop myself from helping the dress from falling from her hot as fuck body. Just as I’m about to step back and leave the room, she looks me in the eyes again from over her shoulder.

  “Please don’t go,” she says on a whisper.

  That is the opening I needed. I spin her around so she is facing me. The motion makes her dress fall down to the floor and she’s standing before me in a skimpy black lacy bra and matching panty set that makes my mouth water. She is so fucking beautiful.

  “You are so fucking beautiful,” I growl out to her.

  I cup her face again and bring my lips to hers. She lifts up on her toes to deepen the kiss and I swipe my tongue across her lips looking for access to her mouth. She opens for me and I deepen the kiss and take complete control. I lift her up and she wraps her legs around my waist. I can feel her heat and arousal through her wet panties and fuck, that’s hot and makes my cock hard as steel. I could devour this woman all night and never tire from it.

  I gently lie her down on my bed, her legs still wrapped around me and grind myself into her. This makes a deep moan escape from her. I can feel the moan form deep within her. I move my lips to kiss along her jawline and down her neck. From the moans leaving her, I am going to guess she likes what I’m doing and I keep working my way down to her collarbone. I then kiss my way back up to behind her ear and graze my teeth across her earlobe. I whisper in her ear, “Is all this ok, do I need to stop?”

  “Don’t stop,” she says between moans. “Don’t you fucking stop.”

  Roger that! I continue to kiss my way down her neck and across the tops of her full breasts. They have been on display tonight and I’ve been dreaming of when I could get my hands and lips on them. I quickly locate the clasp of her bra and flick it open and drop it to the floor. I kiss my way down one breast, sucking her nipple into my mouth and use my hand on her other one rolling her nipple between my fingers. This extracts a few louder moans from her and has her arching her back to thrust her breast into me even more. I release her nipple with a pop and look up at her. The look of desire on her face tells me everything I need to know.

  “You have too many clothes on,” she says to me, pulling at my shirt.

  I reach behind my head and grab my shirt and rip it over my head. Her hands run down from my shoulders to my abs, tracing a few of my tattoos along the way. She also traces over one of the scars from one of my many surgeries. “Does it hurt when I touch your scars?” she asks tenderly.

  “No, they haven’t hurt me in years. The only scars that I get pain in sometimes are on my leg along my stump.”

  I lean down and capture her lips again with mine while I explore her body with my hands. I lift her higher up on the bed and then kiss my way back down her body. I love the feeling of her muscles twitching beneath my fingertips and lips. I’m sure my few days’ worth of stubble is adding another layer of stimulation. Once I reach the top of her panties, I hook my fingers in the sides of them and slowly pull them down off her hips and down her toned sexy legs. I toss them behind me once I have them off her. I can see her arousal glistening and can’t help but need to taste her.

  As I lean down, I kiss her inner thighs, first on her left leg and then the right working my way toward her center. I flick out my tongue and swipe her slit. “Fuck, you taste fucking amazing,” I moan into her pussy before sucking her clit into my mouth. I slip my hand around and run my finger along her opening and then press one finger in. Her body immediately pulses around my finger and the moans and encouragement coming fr
om her spur me on. I add a second finger and rotate them until I find that perfect spot that has her lifting off the bed. It only takes a few more seconds before she’s coming all over me. I can’t get enough of her. I slowly kiss my way back up her body, allowing her time to come down from her orgasm.

  “Holy shit, that was hot, baby,” I whisper to her.

  “I need you inside me right now,” she pants back to me.

  I stand, needing to drop my jeans and remove my prosthetic, as well as grab a condom from my nightstand. Sex with my prosthetic on is uncomfortable. It just gets in my way. I have never been insecure about people seeing either my prosthetic or my leg without it on. It is just a part of who I am. I look down at her, beautiful, open, and ready for me. I give a couple tugs to my cock before sliding the condom down into place. I crawl back up her body, sucking a nipple into my mouth as I make my way back up to take her lips with mine. I drag my cock along her wet slit and along her clit, dragging moans out of her as I do. I break the kiss to pull back and look in her eyes.

  “Are you sure you’re ready?” I ask. I would hate for her to regret this in the morning.

  “I’m sure, please get inside me now,” she moans back to me, doing her best to press me into her with her legs that are wrapped back around my waist.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I tell her as I gently slip the tip of my cock into her warm folds. I stop for a few seconds to let her adjust and then thrust the rest of the way inside her. Holy fuck, she is perfect. So fucking tight. It’s almost like her body was created to fit mine. I’m not going to last long at this rate. I find our rhythm and within a few minutes we are both on the brink of orgasm. I reach down between us and flick her clit and she explodes around me. I follow her over the edge and have the best orgasm I have ever had in my life. I kiss her and then roll so I’m not crushing her and pull her so she is beside me with her head on my chest. I wrap my arms around her and just melt into the bed.

  I need to take care of the condom, so I slip out of bed and into the bathroom. I come back out with a warm washcloth to help clean her up and then climb back in and pull her into my arms.