Page 77 of Cross My Heart
But now it’s time to pay for that reckless indulgence.
“What did you expect, for me to interrogate the girl in front of everyone?” My mother asks. “That would hardly have been polite. But I’m interested. I understand she’s a student of yours.”
“She’s twenty-six,” I reply, defensive. “It’s hardly a scandal.”
“Of course not. But Peterson…” she muses. “I can’t say I’m familiar with her family.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to be.” I fix her with a look. “They’re public school teachers, in Illinois.”
“Oh.” She dabs her lips with a napkin. “How nice.”
I sigh. My mother’s snobbery runs deep. Her family can trace its lineage back to the court of Henry the Eighth, and now, as Duchess of Ashford, she’s determined that Robert and I will follow in her footsteps and make good,appropriatemarriages.
“Did I tell you, I ran into the Chumleys at the opera last week?” Lillian changes the subject. “Their renovations at the Manor are exquisite.”
“Uh huh…” I start to tune her out, wondering if I can tempt Tessa away from her studies for another dinner.
Or dessert.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. Every night we spend together, every adventure is wilder and more passionate than the last. I’m still moving slow, not wanting to push her limits too far, but damn if she doesn’t urge me on. I thought it would be easy to keep control, the way I always do, but there’s something about her that makesmefeel like the one who’s discovering desire for the very first time. The way she begged for me at the club, the way she moaned, and put on such a show, loving the thrill of being watched…
Lust tightens in my body, just remembering the look in her eyes when I finally removed that blindfold. She was blissed-out. Reeling.
The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
“… And of course, Lisbeth is a credit to them.”
“Uh huh.” I try to banish thoughts of Tessa from my mind, because getting hard at lunch with my mother?
Not something I want to try.
“You remember Lisbeth, don’t you?” My mother smiles at me, with suspicious warmth. “She just graduated with her history of art degree, she’s interning at Sotheby’s. Lovely girl, so well-spoken, and cultured. We were chatting about the Caravaggios almost all night!”
I try a slice of cake.
“The two of you should get together,” she continues brightly. “Have dinner sometime and catch up. I told her you’d give her a call.”
My head snaps up. “Now why would you do something like that?” I ask, my voice dropping dangerously.
“Why not?” Lillian replies, playing dumb.
“Because I’m otherwise engaged.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize.”
I narrow my eyes. “With Tessa,” I tell her slowly.
“But that’s not serious,” she says dismissively.
“It could be.”
As I say the words, I’m surprised to realize that they’re true. I was planning for it to be just another fun fling, but everything with Tessa feels different, somehow.
Every night I spend with her just makes me want another. Every kiss makes me hungry for more.
“Well, it’s not like there’s a ring on her finger,” my mother continues, undeterred. “You’re young, still waiting to find the right fit. And Lisbeth is from a wonderful family, of course. Their land holdings, the export business…”
“Do you want me to go out with Lisbeth, or the family accountant?”