Tessa's Treasures Read online

  A small hand rose from her lap to fidget with the cloth napkin. “I don’t drink on a workday.”

  “Do you have a problem with alcohol?” He winced. Brain and mouth disconnect.

  “Of course not!” Her face flushed. “I don’t like to drink when I have to work in the morning.”

  “I’m sorry if I offended you.” He reached out, and again took her hand in both of his. “The only people I’ve ever met who had rules about alcohol were those who had a problem with it.” He flashed a full-mouth smile as he rubbed her knuckles. “Forgive me?”

  She hesitated for a moment. “Yes, of course.” Her breasts rose and fell, drawing his attention to the taut fabric as it stretched over her chest when she inhaled and gently eased her hand from beneath his. “I’m the type of person who seems to have rules for everything.”

  He pulled his gaze from her chest to her eyes. “Before our waitress’s partner, Salt, comes along to deliver our drinks, tell me about Jonathan.”

  “There’s nothing to tell. He’s a friend of mine. We go out occasionally, sometimes here, or to a movie . Nothing fascinating.”

  Foam oozed over the side of the mug to puddle on the tablecloth as Pepper set a beer in front of Lucas and the wine before Tessa. She smiled her thanks to the girl, then circled her slender fingers around the stem of the glass.

  “Have you guys decided on what y’all want for dinner?” Snap, snap.

  Lucas cocked one eyebrow. “Are you ready, Tessa?”

  “I’ll have a baked potato, no butter or sour cream, and grilled asparagus.”

  “No steak?” Snap, snap.

  Tessa shook her head, took a sip of wine.

  The teeny bopper turned her perky attention to him.

  “I’ll have the rib eye steak and fries.”

  “Ya want the asparagus with that?” Snap, snap.

  His shoulders slumped. “If you must.”

  Pepper breezed off.

  Tessa had her hand over her mouth to hide a smile. “Don’t like vegetables?”

  He shuddered. “I force myself once in a while, but no, I don’t in general like green things. You don’t like steak?”

  Tessa’s chin rose a notch. “I’m a vegetarian. I eat some fish, but no meat.”

  “My Kiowa grandpappy said his tribe’s definition of a vegetarian is ‘bad hunter.’”

  Tessa frowned, but her lips twitched.

  Oh boy. Rules, vegetables, and no alcohol during the week. He sure picked the wrong woman to get horny over. But his body had stopped paying attention to his brain this morning, right about the time she fell into his arms. The scent of lilacs floated in the air as she shifted in her seat. Heat gathered in an uncomfortable spot.

  “Why the need to feel secure?” At her startled look, he added, “You thought I forgot, didn’t you?” A little conversation would get his blood back to his brain.

  Her attempt at a smile fell short. “This is beginning to sound like an interrogation.”

  “I apologize again. Force of habit, I’m afraid.”

  Her tongue darted to clear the drop of wine from her lip. “Oh?”

  Blood rushed downward again. At this rate he’d probably pass out from lack of blood flow to his brain. “During my twenty-five years at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation I did a lot of interrogating. I don’t mean to come across like I’m questioning you. I’m just interested.” Leaning forward, he attempted a more casual stance, his forearms resting on the table.

  “Things in my marriage were—difficult. I wanted familiar things around me while I recovered.”

  His hands tightened around the beer glass as large, very loud bells went off in his head. “Recovered?”

  Her face flushed a bright red. “Oh, wrong word. Sorry. I mean—um—I was tired from all the hours I’d put in at work. You know, stress.”

  Boy, if she were a suspect, I’d be locking her up right about now.

  Their food arrived and conversation ceased for a while.

  ****

  Tessa studied Lucas while they ate. Even in the midst of her intense youthful crush his gaze never affected her like this. Hot and cold at the same time she felt as giddy as Pepper, the gum-snapping waitress.

  His interest in Jonathan surprised her. She and Jonathan had been in school together. He stayed in Duncan all his life, and had three ex-wives. She had no desire to be ex-wife number four, and having had enough in the way of child support and alimony payments, Jonathan had kept his hands off. But he was fun and they enjoyed many of the same things. Comfortable was the right word. That’s what she wanted in her middle years, comfortable. Being with Lucas would be something entirely different—something exciting and wild and foolish.

  And scary.

  He finished his coffee and sat back, stretching his legs, his eyes never leaving hers. “You look good, Tessa.”

  Heat pooled in an awkward spot. “Thanks. You look pretty good, too.”

  “How’d you and your ex end up in California?”

  “I met him in college. Dean was one of the security guards on campus. California was his home state. We moved there, and he joined the San Jose police department. Not much more to tell.” She shrugged. “It didn’t work out, so I came home.” It amazed even her that she could sum up the torture of her ten-year-marriage with a shrug and it didn’t work out. Even her brother wasn’t privy to the horror of those years.

  “Children?”

  Her muscles tensed. “No. He didn’t want kids.” She attempted a smile. “How about you and Patty? Kids?”

  “Twins. Boys. Lucky for us, cause that gave us an excuse why they came early.” His expression said more than his words.

  So Patty had been pregnant. Tessa swallowed, her mouth dry. She’d always wondered about his quick wedding and move to Oklahoma City. Her teenage heart had been crushed. She’d hoped he would wait for her to grow up.

  Pepper skipped back, check in hand, ponytail swinging. “Anything else I can get you guys?” Snap, snap.

  Lucas reached for the bill. “No. That’s fine. Thank you, Pepper.”

  “Okay, y’all have a good night.” Snap, snap.

  They grinned at each other as they rose. Lucas threw bills on the table and took Tessa’s hand. After years of avoiding men, more specifically men who touched without first asking, it amazed her how comforting it felt to have his hand on hers. Because he’s an old friend, or was there more to it? She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

  Caroline spotted them as they left, held her pinky to her mouth and thumb to her ear, mouthing the words “call me.” Lucas tugged on his hat, before giving Caroline a slight smile.

  Once settled in the jeep, Tessa turned to him. “Caroline seems to know you pretty well.” She could have bitten her tongue. That was definitely a smirk on his face.

  “I knew Caro from Oklahoma City. She’s a cousin, or something, to one of the women at the Bureau. She visited once in a while, and we had lunch a couple times. Nothing more than that. I was married until a year ago.” He shot her a look. “I don’t cheat.”

  Wow. That response was a little strong. She’d bet there was more to his story, too. Silence filled the Jeep during the short ride to the store. Strong hands yanked the wheel and whipped the Jeep into the parking lot behind her store. Her pale blue Honda Fit sat by itself, under the LED area light.

  Her gaze fluttered to her lap, where stiff fingers fumbled with her skirt. “Is Caroline the reason you moved back home?”

  Lucas released his seat belt and turned toward her. “Would that matter?” His deep voice slid over her like a warm blanket.

  She shrugged, staring straight ahead. Her heart flipped and her stomach settled in relief. ”Tessa. Look at me.”

  Almost of its own will, her head turned. The smile in his eyes contained a sensuous flame. Her nipples tightened and her stomach clenched. Sensations she’d not felt in years. He tilted his head ever so slightly to the left. She’d seen that look before on several of Dean’s friends
, most of them sporting wedding rings. It left her wondering if her husband had set her up—a little “test” to go along with his other quirks.

  “There’s a strong attraction here, I hope you feel it too. The last thing I want to do is frighten you.”

  She stiffened.

  “Relax.” His knuckles stroked her cheek. “I’m too old for seduction in the front seat of a car.” With his warm hand on her chin, he kissed her softly, a mere brush of lips.

  He tasted like coffee and an after dinner mint. And something else all Lucas. His soft lips started slow, then claimed her mouth in a hard kiss. She pulled back, her eyes wide. “I better go.” Her insides twisted with fear and regret. This was twenty-five years too late. Never again would she allow a man to get close.

  “Okay.” He watched her with curious eyes. “I’ll walk you to your car.” He left the Jeep, came around and opened her door.

  She pulled the calendar out of her purse. “Lucas, we never made an appointment.”

  He leaned his forearm on the car, staring off into space for a moment. “How about taking a look now?”

  The grown-up fearful woman in her wanted to run home and bolt the door. The teenager with the wild crush on Lucas Raven said “go for it.” The teenager won. “That would work. It’s still early.”

  Lucas gave her that heart-thumping smile. “Okay, follow me in your car.”

  ****

  Sarah Rogers moved into her house the day she married her Fred, lived there for forty-nine years, then put it up for sale after he died. Before she relocated to a retirement home, Sarah came in the shop from time to time, talking about all the “treasures” in her attic. The antique lover in Tessa nearly salivated at the thought of getting her hands on some of them.

  She pulled up behind Lucas in the driveway. The old house was obviously going through renovations. A huge blue tarpaulin stretched across part of the roof and was anchored down by bricks. The white shingles sported a new coat of paint, as did the black trim on the doorway and shutters. A new solid oak porch replaced the rickety one Tessa remembered. As she and Lucas made their way into the house and up the stairs, the smell of new wood perfumed her nostrils.

  Though the evening temperature only reached seventy degrees, the stifling air in the attic took her breath away. She pressed her fingers against the wall to regain her equilibrium and her breath while she adjusted to the heat. One dim light bulb hung from a cord in the middle of the huge space. A yellowish glow filtered across the room, leaving most of it cloaked in shadow.

  “I put the things in those three boxes.” Lucas pointed at a small stack near the back wall. “Given the poor light in here, I’ll carry them down to the kitchen for you to analyze.”

  She headed toward the stack. “I can carry one.”

  Lucas stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “No, let me. You go on to the kitchen. There’s iced tea in the fridge.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Pour me a glass if you will.”

  His touch continued to both excite and scare her. She didn’t want this. Or maybe she didn’t want to want it. Her life had been comfortable before Lucas walked into her store this morning. But was she too young for comfortable?

  The smell of paint reached her before she entered the kitchen. A great deal of work had been done in the room. A long time ago, she’d brought some soup to Sarah when she wasn’t feeling well. That kitchen in no way resembled this modern, bright yellow room. New white cabinets replaced the old ones made of dark wood and a shiny gray tile floor was a vast improvement over the ripped and faded linoleum. A huge bay window with a padded bench underneath filled a wall that used to hold a small single window with blinds drawn tight. Her spirits lifted as soon as she stepped across the threshold. What a great place to cook a meal!

  Unlike most bachelors, Lucas' refrigerator had food in it. She smiled. On second glance, the beer, iced tea, leftover pizza, eggs, steak, and hamburger patties in no way compared to her small fridge at home stocked with yogurt, tofu and salad fixings.

  She rummaged around the cabinets till she found two tall glasses and poured the tea. As she placed them on the table, Lucas entered, carrying the three boxes, his muscles bulging with the strain. He lined them up on the table, and sucked down a large gulp of the tea. “Thanks.”

  Tessa slid dark-framed reading glasses out of her pocket and bent over the boxes. Some items such as the china pieces and small crystals would sell very quickly, the old books she wasn’t too sure about.

  “Take your time.” His voice, close to her ear, broke with huskiness. He pulled back when she jumped, then shifted a bit. Moving away from her, he straddled a chair, and placed the empty tea glass on the table. “What made you go into the antique business?”

  She took a deep breath to calm herself. “It seemed to suit my personality. I love history, and all things old.” She turned toward him and took a sip of tea. “I was a history major in college.” When he nodded, she continued. “After I returned from California, I needed to earn a living, so I began working in the shop.”

  He flashed a smile and her stomach fluttered. “Was the owner’s name Tessa, too? Like in Tessa’s Treasures?”

  “No. His name was Warren Mallory and he called the store This Old Stuff.” She winced. “Can you imagine?”

  “I must admit, I like Tessa’s Treasures much better.”

  She pulled a doll from a box. Standing about eighteen inches tall, it had a painted face from which glassy black eyes gazed at her like a shark. The hair, also black, could have been human or synthetic. The old and faded dress was most likely hand-made. “What’s this?”

  Lucas stood and took it out of her hand. “It appears to be made out of bone.”

  Tessa took a step back. “Bone?”

  “Actually, it Scrimshaw.” At her quizzical look, he continued. “Scrimshaw is the long-standing art of carving objects from bone, mostly whalebone. Scrimshaw started on whaling ships around the mid 1700’s, when whalers did it to pass the time. I’m surprised you aren’t familiar with it.”

  She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “No, I’m not.” As he held it up to the light and turned it, another shiver danced over her flesh. The eyes appeared to look straight at her, no matter which angle Lucas turned it.

  He seemed to pick up on her reluctance. “You don’t have to take it.”

  She laughed, but the uneasy feeling settled firmly in her stomach. “No. I’ll take it. It’s different. I may find a buyer who actually likes it.”

  “Stack the things you want on the counter,” he said. “I’ll find another box to put them in. These are kind of dusty from the attic.”

  Tessa packed the doll, an old journal, various pieces of china, some crystal, several bookends, a beautifully painted lighthouse, and a small statue of a woman holding a child to her breast, into the box Lucas gave her.

  He lifted the box and started toward the door. “Just so we’re clear. I don’t want anything for these. I just wanted to get rid of stuff.”

  Tessa put her glasses back in her pocket, leaving her unfinished tea sitting on the counter. Lucas carried the items to her car. Once the box was securely placed in the back seat, Lucas turned and rested his hands on her shoulders.

  “That’s not right,” she said. “If I get money for these things, you’re entitled to your share.”

  Her skin was on fire where his hands rested and his warm thumbs rubbed the sides of her throat. She had the unsettling urge to purr like a contented cat.

  His voice lowered to a husky whisper. “Tell you what. If you sell anything, you can take me to dinner. Deal?”

  Hmm. He was asking for dinner, but his eyes glowed with a savage inner fire, inviting much more. No, please, don’t ask. I’m not ready. Won’t ever be ready.

  “Deal.” The word came out before she even thought it. Every inch of her body went high alert. If I don’t move away from him soon, I’ll melt into the ground like a puddle of mush or run screaming into the night.

&
nbsp; He cupped her face and slowly bent his head. “I have to do this,” he murmured before he captured her lips. The smell of musky aftershave, clean cotton, and Lucas, along with the faint taste of beer, made her nostrils flare.

  Tessa’s heart sped up till she feared it would choke her. Lights flashed behind her eyelids. Too quickly he pulled away, ran his knuckles over her cheek. “Good night.”

  He walked her to the driver’s side and opened the door. She stepped in, reached behind her and pulled the strap down to hook her seat belt. Lucas closed the door, leaning his forearm on the door frame. “Drive carefully.” He stepped back.

  In a daze, Tessa started the car and pulled away. Three blocks over her brain kicked in. Big trouble. Big, big trouble.

  Chapter Three

  Lucas stood in his kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee. His thoughts, as always, centered on Tessa Jordan. He’d searched her out with the full intention of discovering if his feelings were the same as twenty-five years ago. They weren’t. They were ten times stronger. At twenty-two he’d been a horny young man, fully aware that a seventeen-year-old was jail bait. And if he touched her, Mason would have beaten the hell out of him. So he played around, waiting for Tessa to grow up. But Patty and the pregnancy got in the way.

  Patty. Twenty-four years of marriage to the wrong woman. His wife felt it. She was as unhappy as he, but chose to soothe her unhappiness with a number of affairs. Guilt at not loving her as he should, and his need to be an important part of the twins’ lives, kept him from considering divorce. By the time he’d actually considered it, she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, and there was no way he would’ve abandoned her then, unlike her latest lover. But now he was free and so was Tessa. He finished his coffee and put the mug in the dishwasher.

  There was something going on with her. It troubled him that she almost seemed afraid of him. Good God, he’d grown up with her, had spent more nights sleeping in Mason’s room than his own. At times she had that deer in the headlights look about her. Every time his brain started to sort it out, he shoved it to the back of his mind. He refused to go down the path his thoughts wanted to take him.