CHAPTER 27

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'Darling wake up, we're almost home.' Tessa patted Brad's knee.

She smiled to herself as she watched Brad lounging on the recliner. His head against the back rest, eyes shut. She wanted him to rest, he hardly ever rested in the day, but then, she wanted Brad to share her enthusiasm. They were about to land at JFK.

'Home?' he smiled lazily. 'I thought Surrey was our home.'

Tessa lifted her eyes to Brad's teasing ones. 'Okay then, my home before I married you.'

'We could live here in New York, if it's your wish,' Brad's palm closed over her hand on his knee. He would do anything for his wife. If his money could buy it, it would be his pleasure to shower his wife with whatever her heart desired.

'No, never!' She responded immediately.
She loved their home in Surrey. She could not wait for Lyndon to start horse riding lessons and was looking forward to introducing their new baby to their Surrey home's tranquil and picturesque garden. Instinctively her hand reached her tummy.

'Everything okay darling?' Brad's voice was filled with concern.

'Yes,' she smiled reassuringly. 'No problems at all. I love our home in Surrey,' she laced her fingers through Brad's. 'That's where I want our children to grow up.'

Brad's eyes filled with pride. 'I will make it the best home possible,' his tone was husky.

'Want to know a secret,' she whispered, her palm cupping his face.

'Yes.'

'I think you're going to have a daughter.'

'Really? How do you know?' Brad was ecstatic. He would want nothing more than that, considering they have a boy.

'I don't,' Tessa smiled. 'Just a feeling,' she shrugged her shoulders.

'We will love our baby no matter,' Brad promised.

'Yes.' Tessa whispered in agreement. She leaned towards Brad and exchanged a gentle yet passionate kiss with him.

Neither heard the warning light sensor alerting them to buckle up. Tessa pulled Brad closer, her fingers caressing the nape of his neck.

'Er---excuse me. Mr. Blakely; Mrs. Blakely, please buckle up.'

'Lyndon!' Brad murmured hurriedly and stood up. 'I'll check on him.'

Still smarting from their passionate embrace, Tessa needed a few moments to regroup. She managed a nod before Brad dashed off.

'Hey son, you want to sit with mummy and me?

'Yes my daddy,' Lyndon's eyes brightened. He reached his hands out expectantly.

'You better hurry Mr. Blakely,' Stacy urged. 'You don't have much time.'

'Thank you Stacy,' he acknowledged her helping Lyndon out of his seatbelt.

'There you go tiger,' Brad buckled Lyndon in, next to Tessa.

'Hi momma,' Lyndon offered Tessa a bright smile, clasping his hand into hers.

'Hi my baby,' Tessa kissed his chubby cheek. She patted his curly hair lovingly.

'I'm going to see my grandpa momma.'

'I know' Tessa smiled. She suspected her son was going to forget all about his mummy and daddy, when his grandpa was around.

'I want to buy grandpa a present momma. Will you give me some money please?'

'Sure,' a wicked smile splashed across her face. She reached into Brad's pocket, removed his credit card from his wallet and gave it to Lyndon.'

Brad raised an eyebrow. A smirk hovered about his lips but did not completely form.

'What can I buy with this?' Lyndon flipped the card around in confusion.

'Oh lots of things my angel,' Tessa bit on her lower lip. 'You could buy a jet like this.' She was certain the bank would approve it within thirty seconds flat.

'But my grandpa has his own jet.'

'Oh that's right,' Tessa's lips twitched again

'You could take mummy's credit card,' Brad suggested and buy grandpa one of those super yachts that sails around the world.'

'Yes, grandpa loves boats and he does not have one. 'Give me your card momma.'

'Er---I left mine at home,' she could barely contain herself as Brad threw his head back and roared with laughter.

'So how are you going to buy me food in New York momma?'

'We will have to eat carrots and spinach from grandma's garden.'

The look on Lyndon's face suggested he'd like to throw up right at that moment.

Carrots are good for---.'

'Yes I know momma. They make me see better and spinach gives me muscles.'

'See what an intelligent son I have,' Tessa grinned, draping her arm around Lyndon.

'Can we go and stay with Fabian?' Lyndon pleaded, 'maybe he will have chicken and steak.'

Brad and Tessa laughed. 'We have some money to feed you son,' Brad kissed the top of Lyndon's head.

'I will share it with you and my daddy momma.'

'Thank you my angel,' Tessa hid a developing smirk.

The phone next to Brad buzzed. When he answered, it was the captain announcing it was two minutes to landing time.


It was late morning, Tessa agreed when Brad asked if they could go straight to the GR office. Brad was in a formal day suit. Tessa was dressed in a chic dress shirt that she played down to look smartly casual.

Tessa poked her head into the boardroom. She had expected Brad to be sitting at the head of the boardroom table, but it was the New York regional manager occupying that chair. She cast a cursory glance around unsuccessfully trying to locate Brad. There were close on twenty staff with their heads bent, perusing some document. A few of the heads lifted, when they heard her knock. She did not want to go in and distract them.

'Good afternoon everybody,' Tessa smiled politely. 'Brad,' she shrugged apologetically, 'please wave at me.'

'Here,' Brad waved his hand to get Tessa's attention. He was seated about left of centre amongst some of the marketing and advertising staff. He stood up and extended his hand for Tessa to join him. The others stood when Brad did.

'Please sit down,' she indicated with her hand. 'I'm not Her Majesty or something,' Tessa smiled. Laughter from around the room filled the air as they took their seats again. She felt loathe to disturb Brad, his face had been a sea of concentration, though his eyes looked tired.

'Could I steal you for two minutes please?' she looked pleadingly at Brad.

'Take five everybody,' Brad walked out to Tessa.

'What's up sweetheart?' Brad placed his palm at Tessa's lower back.

'Where can we go?' Tessa wanted privacy.

'In here,' Brad pointed to an office adjoining the boardroom. He allowed Tessa to precede him, then locked it.

'I'm sorry to disturb you,' Tessa lifted her face up apologetically.

'You know you can disturb me anytime,' Brad curved his arms around her and rested his forehead on hers.

'You look tired darling.'

'Attempting a new marketing strategy,' Brad sighed. 'No consensus yet.'

'Seth called me,' Tessa smiled. 'Apparently a television channel filmed our arrival at JFK.'

'Your ex boss?'

'Yeah. He invited me to their office for drinks. Seeing you're going to be busy for probably another three hours, I thought I'd accept his invitation.'

'It's no problem,' Brad kissed her cheek. 'You could have just sent me a text.'

'I wanted to kiss you,' she draped her arms around him. 'You know you started something on the jet.'

I think it was you that started it,' he murmured against her inviting lips. Tessa deepened the kiss. She purred her pleasure, but she would have to wait till evening. Brad could not tear himself away.

'I'll see you at home then?' she murmured against his throat.

'Yeah.'

'Don't be too late,' she pleaded. Brad knew she did not want to be with her father, without him there as back up. He had reassured her very subtly that she had nothing to be concerned about where Joseph was concerned, but his wife was still unconvinced.

'I'll be home before you know it. I promise,' Brad hugged Tessa, and walked her to the elevator.


Bentley was finishing the report he was typing for Brad on the Australian leg of their tour. Keri was on her laptop, busy with a financial report the newly installed Australian editor-in chief had forwarded for Brad's attention.
He and Keri had not spoken much since they left Singapore and it was all his fault. Keri had repeatedly apologized to him. She had tried to engage in conversation with him. He had either given her monosyllabic answers or had been so annoyingly polite that she had totally stopped trying to reach out to him.

He cast a quick look at Keri curled up on a sofa. She was distractingly at the periphery of his vision. Hard as he tried not to, his eyes constantly strayed in her direction. Warmth unfurled deep inside him at the sight of her. Keri had striking eyes. They were a blue-grey, interchangeable like the raging ocean on a stormy day.

Today Keri's eyes were more azure, as if in defence mode, than the steel grey when she was angry. He smiled to himself. Not that he saw her angry much. She was generally a happy person who smiled often. He had to confess, she had not smiled much in the last twenty four hours and he was totally to blame. He discreetly studied Keri trying to make head or tail of the financial report Kim St Claire had forwarded. He held back the grin as he watched her teeth worry over her lower lip. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

'Keri are you done with the financials?' Bentley's face was grave. 'I'd like to attach it to my report.'

'Almost,' Keri looked up and smiled good naturedly. Bentley swallowed, as their eyes met. She looked so adorable when she smiled. He wanted to reach out and crush her in his arms.

'Except I am not balancing something here,' Keri sighed. 'She's projected thirty percent more expenses than she's supposed to and I can't figure it out.'

'Oh,' Bentley stood up and walked to Keri. 'I know why,' he seated himself on the armrest of Keri's sofa.

'Why?' Keri asked suspiciously.

He found it difficult holding the gaze of those sparkling blue eyes.

'Kim St. Claire requested a thirty percent capital top up for advertising and some market research she intends to undertake. Mr. Blakely okayed the shifting of funds from head quarters.'

'Now you tell me!' Keri sighed happily. It was the first sentence Bentley had spoken that was actually more than five words.

'She is the new boss there. Mr. Blakely wants to give her a wide enough berth to ensure she can be successful.'

'I see,' Keri held Bentley's gaze. She wished Bentley could be as accommodating with her, as Mr. Blakely was with his new editor-in-chief in Australia. Keri knew she was staring. When she wanted to look away, Bentley's dark mesmerising eyes were luring, locking into the depths of her eyes and she was drawn by the magnetic pull. She could swear Bentley's head lowered a fraction towards her. Boldly Keri angled her mouth closer to his. She heard his soft groan. His mouth moved another few inches to hers. Keri decided it was now or never. She reached out for him. In that instant, he came back to his senses and stood up.

'Er---I need that financials,' Bentley spoke, killing the mood.

'Bentley---,' she gripped his arm. 'Have dinner with me tonight---please.'

'Are you asking me on a date?' His eyebrows quirked.

'Yes,' her fingers tightened around his wrist. Her thumb provocatively caressed a sensitive spot on his arm.

'Mr. Blakely could need me.' His eyes bulged, he tried to shift away.

'You don't work twenty four seven.' She reminded him. His eyes darted away and weakly returned to her eyes.

'Fine, I will meet you in the lobby at eight,' he offered.

They were staying in one of the fancy hotels in New York. Tessa had offered them accommodation at her home in Scarsdale. Stacy had accepted because she needed to be near Lyndon. Keri and Bentley had politely declined, wanting their bosses to have some private time with their family. Bentley had booked them accommodation, separate bedrooms off course.

'Thank you,' Keri beamed happily.

'The sooner you give me that report, the quicker we can leave here,' Bentley's eyes darkened with unmistakable desire.

'Right,' Keri rushed back to her laptop to print the wretched report for him.

Bentley held his breath as Keri exited the hotel elevator. She looked sensational in a figure hugging cream evening dress. The plunging neckline was going to cause him cardiac arrest. Her skin glowed. Her attractive hair was tied up. The dress allowed Keri to show off the platinum earrings she had retrieved from the bin. A warm fuzzy feeling rushed through his blood. He knew the platinum would look good on his lady.

'I never did thank you for my exquisite earrings,' Keri gushed as she drew up next to him.

'No you did not,' Bentley smiled mischievously.

'Allow me to remedy that.' Keri rose on tip toes. Her fingers clutched his bulky upper arms as her lips brushed his tenderly. 'Thank you,' she whispered. 'Nobody has ever given me such an expensive gift.'

'I just knew platinum needed to be on you, to look that good,' he tried to pull it off brashly, but his tone was more gruff than he would have liked. Keri warmed at the compliment. Self consciously she laughed; delighted that Bentley seemed in an affable mood.

'I'm paying our dinner bill,' she remarked. Bentley's eyes widened a fraction, but he remained non committal as he led her into the hotel's dining room. There seemed to be an unspoken truce tonight. They chatted amicably, bantering with each other lightly, the conversation on occasion, scintillating. Bentley was curious as to why she was staying in a hotel in her home town. Reluctant to divulge too much about her private life, she informed him her father was late. Bentley offered his condolences. She thanked him. Her mother was enjoying living in a rustic senior citizens retreat which Keri was paying an arm and a leg for. Her parents had been poor. She had worked as a waitress to pay for her own college tuition. Her mom loved the friends she made, all around her own age. Keri called her mom once a week.

She was always delightfully in good spirits. Keri had given up, the apartment she had been renting, before she moved to London. She had no other accommodation in New York, hence her stay in the hotel, unless she called on Max, her scheming, louse of an ex fiancé. Keri would rather sleep on the street than knock on the door of that two-timing snake.

After their delicious main course, Keri did not think she had any space for dessert, but Bentley ordered the most sumptuous, malva pudding. It just melted in Keri's mouth. She was surprised when she was scraping every last bit from her plate. After a lengthy coffee, Bentley enquired if she wanted anything else, when Keri smiled lazily, declining, Bentley nodded at the waiter and stood up to help Keri out of her chair.

'But we've not paid the bill,' she protested.

'It's taken care of,' his eyes met hers.

'I was supposed to pay,' Keri sulked.
'You're not going to make a scene now are you Keri,' he murmured in her ear, as his palm cupped her lower back. She forgot what they were arguing about. His fingers were like a high voltage sensor, triggering a response from her body.

'I---no,' she stammered, their eyes locked.
Their bodies were feeding off each others' heat. Momentarily their surroundings were forgotten. Only when Bentley gently ushered her forward, did Keri realize she had been openly drooling over him. Caught up in her own thoughts, she was silent as Bentley pressed the elevator button. Would he go to her room? Would he invite her to his room? Keri did not want the evening to end. She did not want Bentley to say good night to her just yet. She wanted more time with him.

'Are you coming in?' Keri held her bedroom door open expectantly. Bentley shook his head. Keri sighed disappointedly. Even though he shook his head, his eyes settled on her lips, sending her a different message altogether. Keri placed her palm on his arm. 'Are you sure?' She questioned hopefully.

'No---. I mean yes. I'm sure. I have to be up early tomorrow. Good night,' he turned and hurried into his own room. Keri wondered why he needed to be up early. Neither of them had received any instructions for tomorrow morning. Keri suspected he just wanted to get rid of her. Clearly he has lost interest. It was her after all that had instigated their meal together tonight. It meant nothing to him obviously.

Bentley shut his eyes and leaned against his door. He was mad to walk away when he wanted to stay with her. And she wanted him. He saw the disappointment in her eyes when he had declined her offer. Should he have stayed? He did not want her playing games with him. Either she commit to him one hundred percent or not. He could not have Keri leading him on, turning him on, then switching off when he wanted to go to the next level. If she had issues with her ex, best she sort them out before she and him could think of a relationship. He did not want her coming to him with baggage, and he certainly did not want to be with a woman who was still pining for her ex. The last time he held her in his arms he was not convinced, she was ready for them to begin a courtship. If and when Keri was ready, he would know it. Tonight he would have to settle for a cold shower.

Brad was busy with his executive team, when he received a text message from Tessa informing him she was going to JeTag. Immediately Brad's antenna shot up. He did not want Tessa visiting a bar filled with testosterone. When she had been single there had been no boundaries, but damn it she was his wife now.
You're not drinking now. What is the point of visiting a bar?

It was not just any bar. It was the one singles bar, his wife had favoured before they married. Never mind that it was an upmarket, very classy bar. Three quarters of a riveting book could be filled of her adventurous life at JeTag, if his wife ever consented to a biography.

Tessa had spent the day with Aunt Bertha. She had used one of the golf carts on their property and had driven Aunt Bertha around their scenic gardens. She showed her, her favourite spot at the river she had loved so much. Aunt Bertha, Lyndon and Tessa had, had a picnic lunch by the river. Tessa had told Aunt Bertha of the many hours she had spent at the river when she was growing up. It had been a source of solace. Bertha now understood why Brad and Tessa had such a solid and loving relationship. Both were only children, with scarred upbringings. Tessa's was a little different from Brad's, but lonely and traumatic nonetheless.

Tessa knew Brad would be home late that evening. She was keen to meet Marco and some of her old mates who used to hang around with her at JeTag. It was more than six months since she and Brad had last visited New York. Their previous trip was a short rushed one. At least on this trip, she could visit at her own leisure.

Brad had intended dining with his executives that evening. That had been the plan. Now that dinner outing had lost its appeal, especially since his wife was dangerously making an appearance alone at JeTag.

'Take your hands of my wife!'

Tessa's head swung around. 'Brad? You were supposed to be at dinner!'

'You heard me,' Brad ignored Tessa. 'Don't touch my wife.'

'Brad,' Tessa laughed. 'This is Marco, remember?' She leaned her arm on Marco's shoulder as he gently lowered her back to the floor.

'Excuse me,' Marco stormed into the private inner office of JeTag.

'What is wrong with you?' Tessa glared at Brad and followed Marco into the office that was "off limits" to JeTag's patrons.

'Marco, I'm sorry,' Tessa rested her hand on his arm apologetically.

'What the hell are you apologising to him

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