Tessa's Treasures (6 page)

Wally shook his head in bewilderment and cast a glance at Lucas. “You the fella that called?”

“Yes. Lucas Raven.”

“Wally Canton.” The two men shook hands after Lucas stepped forward. “Hey, aren’t you the guy that bought the Rogers house?” At Lucas’ nod, the officer continued. “Out of OSBI?”

“That’s right. Left the Bureau a month ago.”

“Tough job.” Wally pulled out a notebook and pushed the brim of his cap back. “So tell me what happened.”

Tessa took a deep breath. “I locked the store as usual, then Lucas and I went to dinner.”

“Where?”

“A Chinese restaurant outside of town.” She turned to Lucas. “What was the name?”

“Royal Palace.”

As she spoke Wally wrote furiously. “The new place.”

“Right. After dinner we drove back here to pick up my car. When we arrived, we saw lights on inside the store. I’m sure I had turned them all off.”

Lucas strolled around the store, his hands in his pockets. Every once in a while, he used his fingers to comb back the hair that fell on his forehead. He bent to touch something on the floor, and then glanced at the counter.

“Okay, Tessa.” Wally flipped to a new page. “What happened next?”

Tessa tore her gaze from Lucas before turning to Wally. “Lucas took my keys and let himself in the front door. And this is what we found.” She waved her hand around.

Once he was finished writing, Wally shoved his notebook in his shirt pocket. “Lucas, what do you think?”

“I don’t know. Front and back doors were both locked. I checked the windows. Don’t seem to have been opened.” He walked to the counter, leaned against it, his arms crossed. “Kids messing around is my guess. But I can’t figure out how they got in. Or out.”

Wally turned to Tessa. “Can you tell if anything’s missing?”

Her heart sped up again at the thought of someone coming into her space and moving things around when she wasn’t there. “It’s hard to remember exactly what I had on those shelves, but I’ll check my records. Everything is logged on the computer at home.”

“All right, folks,” Wally said from behind them. “There doesn’t seem to be much more I can do tonight. I’ll check with Mason, see if he wants someone to come out and dust for fingerprints. Check those records and give me a list of anything that’s missing.” He opened the front door, then turned back. “I’ll tell ya, though, if nothing’s missing and there don’t appear to be any vandalism, probably not a whole lot your brother will do about it. Be sure to lock up. I’ll be waiting to hear from ya.”

Lucas uncrossed his arms and walked to her. “You want help putting things back?”

“Not tonight. I have the makings of a very bad headache.” She rubbed her forehead with her thumb and index finger, giving him a half smile. “It can wait for tomorrow. I’ll print out the inventory list and bring it with me in the morning.” He walked behind her, his hands sliding over her shoulders, and began to knead her neck muscles. She dropped her head forward and moaned. “That feels good.”

“You’re all knotted up back here.” He edged aside hair that had loosened from her pony tail to continue his ministrations. It’d been so long since she’d allowed a man this close to her. And longer still since she felt excitement from a man’s touch. Her heart sped; her breathing increased. She should stop this before it went too far.

“Come home with me.” His warm breath floated over her ear, vibrating against her skin. “I’ll take care of your headache.”

She stiffened. Familiar words Dean had growled before he used her. Would Lucas be rough and fast—or slow and caring? Her instincts favored slow and caring, but instinct had also put her in Dean’s clutches. Although tempted, it was too soon. “No, Lucas, I can’t.”

“Spend the night. Let me take care of you. Nothing else, I promise. You’ve had a shock, you shouldn’t be alone.”

Panting as if she’d run a race, Tessa turned to face him, and ran her tongue around moist lips.

Lucas smoothed her hair from her face. “What’s the matter, honey?” His voice rasped as he searched her eyes.

She crossed her arms, hugging herself. “I can’t, Lucas. I just can’t.”

His kissed her forehead. “It’s okay, no pressure.” He put his finger under her chin and tilted her face. “Ah, don’t cry, Tessa.”

“It’s just that I’m so...I don’t know. Scared, maybe.”

“Shh, it’s okay. I understand. Believe me, more than you know.”

He pulled her back into an easy embrace. She rested her head into the crook of his shoulder. They stood holding each other. Visions of a hot cup of tea, her soft snuggly bathrobe and bed—alone—teased her tired mind. The image was soon replaced with a picture of her head in Lucas' lap as he massaged her scalp.

Don’t go there.

Lucas kissed her gently on the mouth and released her. “I think we better close up and leave if you don’t want to deal with this mess tonight.” They put the lamps back on tables and turned them off. Lucas grabbed her keys and locked the door as they left. He placed his arm loosely around her shoulder as they walked to her car. “Will you humor me for a little longer?”

She raised her eyebrows in question.

“Let me follow you home. I’d feel a lot better if I saw you safe and sound to your doorstep.” He raised his finger to her lips when she began to protest. “No, not what you’re thinking. I’ll see you home, make sure you’re safely inside, and leave. Remember, no pressure, I want you to trust me.”

****

The weather didn’t seem ready to cooperate with Lucas' plans, but clouds or not, he had no intention of canceling this boat trip with Tessa. The
Amore Perduto
sat at the Waurika Lake Marina, ready to go. Yesterday, he’d fueled up and loaded a couple of beers, soft drinks, and ice in the fridge. With a grin and hope in his heart, he’d changed the sheets on the bed.

He jumped in the Jeep and headed to Tessa’s, replaying the night her store was vandalized. With all his years of investigating, he still couldn’t figure out how the little devils got in and out. The windows and both doors had been locked from the inside. But one thing he’d learned in his OSBI work was that kids could be clever. Her inventory list showed nothing missing. As Wally predicted, the police filed the report and dismissed it. Yet something about it continued to bug him.

On another front, even though Brandon had assured him a call to Dean Phillips' parole officer would be a waste of time, Lucas contacted her anyway. Yes, she confirmed, she hadn’t heard from Phillips since his release. He was four weeks late in reporting in. Reluctant at first, she finally agreed to call him if the parolee made contact. Mentioning his former association with OSBI might have helped to convince her. No matter what the PO said, every cell in Lucas’ body screamed Phillips didn’t check in because he was headed to Oklahoma.

Or was already here. Never one to sit and wait, it frustrated him there wasn’t more to do.

He braked in front of her house, a tiny cottage painted a bright white with pale blue shutters. Early summer flowers lined the entire front of the house. Crisp white curtains snapped in the breeze against the front windows. Tessa waited on her porch, picnic basket at her feet. In her white jeans and lemon yellow checked blouse, she carried her own sunshine. She waved at him and picked up the basket. Lucas put the Jeep into park and got out to help.

The weight of the basket took him by surprise. How much could vegetables weigh? “What did you pack?”

“Plenty of vegetables.” She smiled at his grimace. “And...cheese chunks, yogurt, crackers, fruit, and one very large cheeseburger from Mama’s House. You said you have a microwave on the boat?”

Lucas wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. “Yes, plus a refrigerator, small freezer, and stove. Thank you for not torturing me with all vegetables.”

“I also packed several bottles of water and a jug of tea.”

“And I have plenty of soft drinks on the boat, and even a beer for me, so at least we won’t die of thirst.” He swung the passenger door open, helped Tessa get situated, then placed the basket in the back seat before making his way to the driver’s side. “Did you bring your bathing suit?”

She glanced at the clouds overhead. “I did, but I doubt it’s warm enough to swim.”

“I don’t know. It looks to me like it’s clearing up, I think we’re gonna have sunshine after all.” He slid his sunglasses from his forehead, blocking out the tiny bit of sun coming through the clouds. He slid a Carrie Underwood CD in the slot and headed to the lake.

By the time they reached the marina, sunlight sparkled like small diamonds on the water. Boats lined the wharf, rocking gently as Lucas and Tessa took the short walk from his car to the end of the pier where the
Amore Perduto
awaited. Lucas carried the basket with one hand, his other firmly gripping their interlaced fingers.

“Lucas, this is beautiful!” He hadn’t seen her smile so big since they’d reconnected, and he liked it. He wanted to see her look like that forever. Happy.

“Thanks, I’ve had a love affair with her for a long time now.” He tugged Tessa forward, and they climbed into the boat.

“What does
Amore Perduto
mean?”

He glanced at her briefly and looked away. “It’s Italian.” He got busy untying the ropes anchoring the boat to the dock.

She tilted her head. “But what does it mean?”

“What?” He’d have to get his hearing checked out sometime soon.
Yeah, right.

“What does
Amore Peduto
mean?”

Lucas dropped the ropes into the boat and turned to her. “It means
love lost
.”

“Oh. What a strange name.” She picked up the basket and carried it down the stairs to the galley.

Lucas watched her descend. His wife of twenty-four years was never interested enough to ask what the Italian phrase meant. Good thing. It was as close as he came to cheating; naming his boat in memory of what never had been between him and Tessa. If things went the way he hoped they would, he’d change the name to
love found.

****

Rivulets of sweat ran down their faces as the scorching sun sat high in the noon sky. A feeling of rightness filled Lucas like never before. After he wolfed down the burger and chunks of cheese and fruit, he had a good excuse to pass on the vegetables. A cold beer and two iced teas quenched his thirst but still left him warm enough to crave a swim in the clear blue water.

He stood, pulled off his white T-shirt, and tossed it aside. When his hands moved to his belt buckle, Tessa stood abruptly, her eyes wide. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going for a swim.” He continued to unbuckle his belt and shoved his jeans down. Tessa spun, turning her back to him. “I’m wearing a swim suit under my jeans.”

She turned slowly and managed a small, tentative smile. The blush rising over her cheeks sent an ache straight to his heart. “See.” He held his arms out. “Bathing suit.” He threw his jeans on top of the T-shirt. “Why don’t you join me?”

She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. “It certainly seems hot enough now.” She picked up a white canvas bag with
Tessa
embroidered in dark blue thread on the front, and hurried down the stairs. Each day he’d seen some of Tessa’s natural enthusiasm for life, so much a part of the girl he remembered, emerge. This boat trip had been a great idea.

Lucas gathered the remains of lunch, smiling when he crushed the hamburger wrapper, and tossed it across the deck into the garbage can. “Score!” He was forced to walk across the deck, though, when a soda can missed.

Tessa came up the stairs fixing her hair into a top knot. Her red and white two-piece swim suit still managed to cover her whole lovely body. Not quite as modest as he’d expected with the high cut legs, he smiled broadly when she reached the top of the stairs. “Very nice.”

“Thank you. It’s called a tankini. I bought it only yesterday. It’s been ages since I’ve even owned a swim suit.” Her face glowed with a slight blush and happiness.

Progress.
He approached her and placed his hands on her sun-warmed shoulders. She didn’t flinch, or stiffen. Encouraged, he leaned in, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. “You take my breath away, Tessa Jordan.”

Her hands slid up his chest, circled his neck. He pulled her closer and captured her lips. When she moaned softly, he slid his tongue in, swept around the inside of her warm moist mouth. He swore he tasted honey. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders, she leaned into him, her soft body fitting nicely into his hard one.

He scooped her up and sank into a chair, continuing his assault on her mouth as she settled in his lap. His heart jolted and his pulse pounded. All the years of emptiness fell away as he held her in his arms. As a young man he’d admired her, felt a strong attraction to her, but those feelings had grown, and now it all came together into what could only be called love. He loved this woman, and would do anything to keep her, protect her, and make the rest of her life happy.

She pulled away, putting shaky hands to her lips. “I think a nice cool swim is a good idea at this point.” Her legs swung over his knees, she stood and backed away. It took him a minute to focus, to get his breathing under control.

His befuddled mind wondered who the hell had mentioned swimming. “You want to swim?”

Her chest rose and fell with a deep breath. “Yes, I think it’s a good idea.” She turned and bent to pick up her towel from the deck, and the back of her tankini opened.

“Tessa.” Lucas' voice sounded strangled to his own ears.

“What?”

He leaped from his seat, grabbed her shoulders and held her at arm’s length. The sun cast almost an ethereal glow on her skin. His eyes grew wide and his mouth broke into a huge grin as his gaze focused on her lower back. “You have a tramp stamp!”

Chapter Six

“Oh, I always forget about that.” Tessa pulled free of Lucas' hold, heat rising in her face. She turned and walked backward until she hit the boat’s handrail. She unconsciously slid her hand around to her lower back to cover the tattoo of a colorful butterfly set in the middle of a string of vines.