Page 13 of My Heart Still Beats
“No problem.” I rise and give her a hug. “This is Tessa Logan. Skye’s maid of honor.”
“Oh, hi. I’m Apple.” She reaches out with her right hand.
“Nice to meet you,” Tessa says, but she doesn’t return Apple’s handshake.
Apple pulls back, the brightness in her face dimming a bit. I could explain Tessa’s preference to not be touched, but it isn’t my place. If Tessa wants to tell her, she will.
But she doesn’t.
“You want to join us?” I ask Apple.
“No, that’s okay. I’m meeting some friends. Good to see you both.” She smiles and walks away.
“That’s Addison Ames’s sister,” Tessa says.
I return to my seat. “It is.”
Addison Ames is the woman who gave Skye her big break as an influencer. Long story there, but the relationship didn’t end well.
Tessa grabs a wallet out of her small purse and takes out a few five-dollar bills.
I scoot the money back toward her. “Please. It’s on me. Leanna’s got my tab up at the bar.”
“All right. Thank you.” She stands. “If we’re done here…”
I suppose we’re done. But something inside me doesn’t want her to leave.
Not yet.
“Tessa…”
She raises her eyebrows at me.
“Skye asked me to have you meet me. In person.”
“I figured as much.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you when I called. We’ll do the rest of the stuff over the phone if you want. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.”
“I’m perfectly comfortable,” she says. “But if we’re done, I’d like to go.”
“All right.” Though I desperately want her to stay.
I would never hurt a woman. In fact, I got out of the BDSM lifestyle because I no longer wanted to hurt women, even if we both got pleasure out of it.
But Tessa doesn’t know that. Right now, to her,everyman is a threat.
And while I understand it’s justified, I wish there were something I could do to ease that fear in her.
I stand. “Would you like to…go on a walk sometime? Tomorrow is Saturday. And for once, I’m not working this weekend. Braden and Skye are in New York. We could—”
She gestures for me to stop. “Thank you, but no.”
Then she turns, and within seconds she’s disappeared into the ladies’ room.
I’ve never had a woman practically running to get away from me before.What a brilliant fuck-up, Ben. If we weren’t going to be forced to see each other again because of Braden and Skye’s wedding, I doubt I’d ever see Tessa Logan again after tonight.
Chapter Three
