Saint James, Elle - Unbridled and Undone [The Double Men Rider's Club] (Siren Publishing Menage Everlasting) (14 page)

“I’m here for the reading of my grandmother’s will,” Tessa told the smartly dressed receptionist. “My name is Tessa Calloway.”

The thin woman rose carefully from her desk and led Tessa down a long, paneled hallway to a set of double doors. Knowing she was a minute or two late, Tessa stepped inside the last office at the end of the hall as likely the very final participant.

An early-afternoon, busy lunch crowd hadn’t given her much time to get ready. Although she’d changed clothes quickly in Dell and Zachary’s hotel suite, she probably smelled exactly like what she was, a busy barista.

The senior partner, Eli Blair nodded once. “Miss Calloway, please be seated.” He stood behind a huge desk, and the requisite leather business chair waited directly behind him. He didn’t come around to greet her but was likely the most civil participant in these proceedings.

Her father didn’t say anything, but his dark expression said,
Where the hell have you been, and why are you even thirty seconds late?

She directed her focus at any and every other place in the room besides his face and pretended not to notice his angry stare.

Tessa easily admitted that she didn’t want to be here. She’d been too young when her mother died to attend the reading of
that
will, but Gamma had told her the gist of the event much later when she’d been old enough to understand. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears the moment her grandmother’s face appeared in her memory. Although Tessa missed her desperately, she was comforted by the fact that Gamma wasn’t in pain anymore, either.

Having met the two most perfect men this week also made her melancholy. Her gamma would have loved Dell and Zachary. She probably wouldn’t have even batted an eye at the unusual arrangement Tessa shared with them. Gamma had been very progressive.

Instead of lots of extended family seated in wing chairs strewn about the law office waiting to find out what treasure they would carry away after the will was read, Tessa only shared the room with her father and other various assorted lawyers.

As the youngest of five, Gamma didn’t have any remaining siblings left alive. The bulk of her family had long passed. She’d been widowed for many years, and her only child, Tessa’s mother, was already gone, as well. There were a few distant cousins scattered around the country, but none close enough in friendship or location to warrant inclusion in the reading of her will.

“Shall we begin?” Mr. Blair seated himself at his desk, perched a set of black-rimmed reading glasses at the end of his nose, and brought an official-looking document up as if to begin reading. Before he uttered the first word, a buzzing sound from a box on his desk interrupted him.

“My apologies,” he said and reached out for his phone. “I thought I told you not to interrupt for the next hour.” He listened for a moment before his stern gaze found hers. “Miss Calloway, there is a man outside who says he is your attorney. His name is Zachary Barrett?”

Tessa’s mouth fell open a moment before she recovered.

Zachary? Here?

She’d reminded him last night about today’s meeting and he’d generously offered to attend. She’d told him where it was and the time, but he’d backed off because of an unexpected and newly scheduled private lunch meeting. He couldn’t get out of it, but promised to cut it short if possible. She hadn’t expected him to make an effort. She should have known better.

She cleared her throat and pretended she expected him all along. “I didn’t expect him to make it. He had another appointment across town during this same time. I guess he had better luck with the after-lunch traffic than I thought he would. Let him in, please.”

“Why do
you
need a lawyer?” her father asked.

“Why do you need one, Dad?” she replied without missing a beat. “He’s a friend, and I asked him to join us if he could. As I said, I didn’t even expect him to make it.”

“I see.” If Mr. Blair was surprised, he hid it well. “Yes, Miss Jennings, please send him in, then. He’s expected.”

Tessa stood as Zachary strolled in with an amused smile on his gorgeous face. He extended his hand, which she grabbed like a lifeline, so grateful not to be all alone with her father during this dreadfully difficult reading.

“I’m sorry to be late, Miss Calloway. I wasn’t sure I’d make it at all.”

“Thank you so much for being here, Mr. Barrett. I know you had a previous engagement.” Pretending she hadn’t had his impressive cock in her mouth less than twelve hours ago as he reciprocated with his mouth on her pussy, she stood and shook his hand for what was probably longer than prudence allowed.

“Nothing as important as this, I assure you.” His expression very lawyerly and serious, Zachary took the seat next to hers, placed his briefcase on the floor next to his chair, and smiled at Mr. Blair. “Please excuse my interruption and continue on.”

Her father was certain to have questions about Zachary’s presence. She decided against glancing in his direction. She kept her gaze on Mr. Blair with rapt attention.

“Yes. Well, that’s fine.” Mr. Blair coughed one last time and brought the document back up to eye level and started reading again. “We are here today to officiate the formal reading of the last will and testament of Virginia Alice McBride Butler…” He continued to read through lots of legalese before any pertinent information was dispersed.

All the while, Tessa felt the weight of Zachary’s attendance and fought the urge to stare at his profile. If she dared one single glance, she might be too mesmerized to ever look away. For as much as she never expected him to come today, she was very grateful that he had. She wanted to slide her fingers into his hand for comfort during this difficult day but resisted that urge as well.

Her father glanced at Zachary more than once as Mr. Blair spoke. She rehearsed what she wanted to say and found the words came easier than expected. She’d simply tell her father she was an adult and capable of making her own decision regarding her life.

The relationship with Dell and Zachary made her not only more self-confident, but a little bit more assertive as well.

Mr. Blair continued speaking in an even tone.
 
Somehow the reading of her grandmother’s will made Tessa feel the loss even more than when she’d died. It was like this meeting made everything final. She’d never see Gamma Butler again, and Tessa naturally missed her very much. She did her best to shut away the pain. And instead, she focused on her future. The one she wanted with Dell and Zachary.

The lawyer droned on for several moments as Tessa did her best not to touch Zachary inappropriately. And she
so
wanted to touch him. Memories of the night before filtered into her conscious mind, and sexy images of Dell and Zachary drowned out Mr. Blair’s monotonous voice. So enthralled in succulent touches, whispered endearments, and remembered orgasms, Tessa almost missed hearing the reason she was here.

“To my granddaughter, Tessa, I leave my home and its contents to do with as she pleases in accordance with the laws attached to the property.” There were a few other donations to various charities, and then Mr. Blair mentioned a final bequeath, and Tessa figured she should do her best to pay attention rather than speculate further on how good Zachary looked in his suit. The incredible scent wafting off of him made her want to rip his clothes off, push him backward onto the surface of Mr. Blair’s enormous desk, and
do
him.

“To my son-in-law, Mickey Calloway, as prescribed in a previous agreement, you shall have the property promised to you by my late husband.” Mr. Blair read a plot number and some county tax information. One of the county names mentioned sounded familiar, but Tessa didn’t pay attention.

She turned her gaze to her attorney. Zachary had a small notebook in hand. He had started taking notes after her portion of the will was read. She found his studious intent of the proceedings on her behalf very sexy.

Zachary made her hungry. Tessa shifted in her seat and tried to pay attention as unsuitable thoughts of her lawyer circled in her head. Zachary had his attention focused on Mr. Blair. The notepad that she hadn’t noticed him retrieve from his briefcase rested on his knee. He took notes here and there as the probate attorney finally finished the reading.

Her father lifted up from his chair and turned to Zachary. He extended a hand. “I’m Tessa’s father, Mick. Good to meet you. I didn’t even know my daughter had a lawyer at her disposal.”

“I’m Zachary Barrett. Good to meet you, as well.”

“How did you come to be in the services of my daughter?

Tessa inwardly rolled her eyes. “I met him through Dell Harper, Dad. Zachary is also Dell’s lawyer,” she answered quickly. She hated putting Zachary on the spot.

Zachary smiled. “In addition to being his general council, I’m also Dell’s business partner. We own our ranch together in
Wyoming
. I handle the legal aspects of the business and he runs the ranch.”

“You sound like a very busy man.” Her father sounded sincere in his queries, but she didn’t trust him to keep the conversation civil for very long.

“I’d say I’m busy enough. Truthfully, the law is more of a side venture for me these days, but I’m still certified to practice in both
Colorado
,
Wyoming
, and a few other states.”

“Interesting. Your business partner, Dell Harper, is joining us for dinner tonight. Why don’t you come on over, too. I always say, ‘the more the merrier.’”

Tessa couldn’t believe her father had just unwittingly solved a delicate problem for her. She had wanted to bring both Dell and Zachary along to dinner. Both were a part of her love life, not just one. Even though her father had his own ulterior motives for inviting Zachary, she didn’t care. It would be nice to share a meal in public with them and not feel like she was leaving someone out. They told her not to worry about such things, but she imagined she always would to some degree.

Zachary turned to Tessa, but before he asked, she answered, “Yes. Why don’t you join us for dinner?”

He smiled and nodded once in her father’s direction. “Thank you. I’d be delighted to have dinner with all of you.”

Her father and all of the other lawyers exited, including Mr. Blair.

Zachary leaned in close. “Have I mentioned that you have a very beautiful and decidedly expressive face?”

“You may have mentioned it.” Tessa grinned.

“What were you thinking about during the reading?” Zachary asked.

She glanced back at Mr. Blair’s desk and thought of all the decadent fantasies she’d conjured up as the will was read. With a smile curving her lips, she murmured, “I’ll show you later.”

He gave her a penetrating gaze and murmured, “Say the word and I’ll slam the office door shut, cocoon us inside, and sweep the desk contents onto the floor.”

She was so surprised at his accurate depiction of what she’d been thinking about for the past hour that she paused and stared at him. “How did you know what I was thinking?” Her gaze went over his shoulder to the backs of all those down the hall who’d just been in the office.

He shrugged and a half smile formed on his masculine lips. “You just told me, beautiful.”

“Was I
that
obvious during the reading?”

“Only to my innate skill. Besides, I was thinking the exact same thing.”

She turned her head and gave the desk one last glance. “Sorry, but I don’t like audiences. Being in front of a window where no one can see me is one thing. Having sex in front of a crowd is not my cup of coffee.”

A blank expression crossed his face momentarily, wiping away the predatory grin he’d displayed.

A thought occurred that Zachary, and also Dell, for that matter, probably didn’t care if anyone saw them fucking like sex-crazed rabbits in a public place. Wasn’t he the one who licked her pussy as she was splayed before the city lights the first night they’d met?

“What’s wrong?” Tessa hoped her continued reluctance of public exhibition didn’t cool his ardor. Or Dell’s.

His gaze landed on hers again, and he shook off his trance. “Nothing, beautiful. Let’s get going. Believe it or not, I’m anxious to have dinner in public with you and Dell tonight. Even if it means keeping my hands off of you in front of your father.”

“Just so you know, I plan to have carnal and inappropriate thoughts circling in my head all throughout the meal.”

“All the better to eat you up later once the three of us are alone.”

Tessa followed him to the parking garage still unconvinced she hadn’t committed some sexual
faux pas
by not wanting to reenact her fantasies in Mr. Blair’s office. Perhaps she needed to make an overture to soothe his appetite. Perhaps she’d lure him into the backseat of her car before they left.

They entered the elevator alone, and she pushed level three. “Will you walk me to my car?”

“Sure. Where are you parked?”

She gestured to the far corner of the large, darkened parking space. “Over there in the west corner.” Light from the three open sides of the parking structure still didn’t filter all the way to where her car waited. There were a few lights spaced across the back row, but her car remained in the shadows. Perfect for her version of public displays of sexual decadence and affection.