Seventeen
“I hate her already.”
Cassie laughed. “That’s because she’s stunning, rich and nice. Let’s tie her up by her perfectly polished toes.”
Tessa eyed Lily Beaumont, Southern beauty and female lead, as Bronson and Anthony showed her around the property and pointed out her trailer.
Cassie and Tessa had been trying to work, but they were just as starstruck as everyone else. The film star’s beauty and that Southern accent had all the men at Stony Acres ogling the Hollywood sweetheart.
“It’s hard to hate someone when they’re beautiful and sweet,” Tessa sighed. “I really want to, though. I mean, she’s not even fat. Is she perfect everywhere?”
“Maybe she has a third nipple.”
Cassie laughed at her own joke as Tessa slung her arms over a fence post. If she was honest with herself, it wasn’t Lily’s beauty that bothered her so much...it was how Grant would react to it.
The man lived in the land of perfection, worked with gorgeous women all the time. And Tessa had seen Lily in movies before, but in person...she was beyond stunning.
“Regardless of our green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head,” Cassie said, leaning in next to her on the fence, “Lily is the perfect person to play the younger version of Mom.”
Tessa smiled. “She really is. Mom’s beauty was flawless, she had that accent and such delicate mannerisms. Lily may not have to do much acting at all.”
“We better get back to work.” Her sister patted her arm. “Once our jealousy for her perfect figure and her ability to look beautiful after flying across the country subsides, we’ll go introduce ourselves.”
Tessa started to turn when she spotted her father coming from the house. “Looks like Dad is already beating us. I wonder what he thinks of her playing Mom.”
“He okayed it. That was one stipulation for him agreeing to the film,” Cassie informed her. “He wanted to have final say so over who portrayed him and Mom.”
Tessa turned her gaze to her sister. “I didn’t know that. I’m glad. I think Max and Lily will be perfect.”
While Tessa had hated the thought of this film in the beginning, now she was growing more and more anxious to see the finished product. After getting to know Grant, seeing how much care he was taking with her family’s legacy and portraying everything just so, she realized this film would be a beautiful tribute to her parents.
Cassie’s arm came around to settle on Tessa’s shoulders. “This is going to be hard for us. Seeing how Mom and Dad fell in love, married, raised a family...”
“...and when she died,” Tessa finished, around the lump in her throat. “Yeah, it will be hard, but I’m sure Dad will need us to be strong. This film is a good thing. Our family has worked hard for where we are, and I’m glad Hollywood took notice of it.”
“Speaking of working hard, let’s get to it, sis.”
Tessa looped her arm around her sister’s waist and they turned from the fence, heading back to the stable. As they held on to each other, Tessa knew they’d be doing a lot of leaning on the other for support during this time. As exciting as it was to have Hollywood’s hottest actors and producers making this film, the reality was that their family had real emotions and would forever have that void that only Rose Barrington had filled.
* * *
Grant hadn’t seen Tessa in two days. He’d barely seen her flash by in the ring. He’d put in long nights, sometimes all night, as some scenes needed to be shot late and the lighting with the moon and such had to be exactly right.
He worried that she’d been in her house, in her spacious bed, waiting for him. And as much as he ached to sneak back over there, he hadn’t been able to catch a break.
On the mornings when she’d come over to the estate, he’d been heading into the cottage to catch a few hours’ sleep before going at it again.
She hadn’t approached him, hadn’t even glanced his way.
So, being the smart man that he was, he knew she was either trying to hide their relationship, was pissed or was worried about training. He’d venture to say all of the above.
Lily had told him how wonderful the Barrington ladies were and how much Tessa looked like her mother. Grant had merely nodded, because he seriously feared if he opened his mouth and started discussing Tessa with anyone on the set, all his emotions would show.
But a second day of not seeing Tessa was killing him. In two more days the crew was taking a three-day break. It had been scheduled in advance, and Grant knew exactly what he would do with that time off.
He needed to be with Tessa for more than just sex. He needed to show her how important she was to him.
After he made a few calls, he headed back to the pond, where today’s sequence would be filmed. A simple picnic with Max and Lily...aka Damon and Rose.
Watching them fall in love through the camera was magical. Everything about this film so far gave him goose bumps, and that rarely happened on the set. Perhaps he was so emotionally involved with the family, he automatically felt a strong bond with the backstory of the characters.
But as he watched on the screen for the first kiss, Grant didn’t see Max and Lily, or even Damon and Rose. He saw himself and Tessa.
Had he fallen for her? How the hell did that happen? He’d warned himself not to get in too deep with her, but now that he’d admitted to himself how he felt, he knew more than ever he had a past he needed to face. If he didn’t, there would be no chance of a future.
Grant had every intention of settling down, of falling in love. He wanted a marriage like his parents had, like the Barringtons had.
And Tessa might have a list of reasons as to why they didn’t belong together, but he was about to show her all the reasons they did.
* * *
If Grant wanted to catch Tessa, he knew he’d have to beat her to the stables and talk to her before she started her training. Thankfully, he’d gotten to bed around one in the morning, as opposed to being up all night. After a few hours of sleep, he was ready to talk to her and drop a hint of his surprise.
Grant pulled his barn jacket tighter around his chest as the cool early-morning air sliced through him. As soon as the low-hanging fog wore off, however, the day promised to be beautiful.
The fresh smell of straw and horses hit him before he entered the stable. While he was getting more used to the atmosphere, he still wasn’t fully comfortable.
Oliver bobbed his head over the door of his stall, almost as if looking for him. “Hey, buddy,” Grant said.
There, talking to the horse was a major step. Touching and, heaven forbid, riding were still off-limits.
He moved farther into the stables, nearly jumping out of his skin when Macduff started causing a ruckus, stamping his hooves and bucking.
That one would need a lot of work and loving care, but he had confidence in Cassie. From what he’d seen of her as a sister, daughter and mother, she was gentle and nurturing. Just what that hellion needed.
As he passed by Macduff, very cautiously, Grant eased over to the other side of the aisle...and tripped. Once he’d regained his footing, he turned back to see what he’d fallen over.
And saw a foot sticking out of the open stall.
Tessa was lying amid the hay, a plaid blanket wrapped around her, straw in her hair and the most peaceful look on her face.
Moving into the stall, Grant squatted down beside the sleeping beauty and pushed a strand of crimson hair from her silky cheek. She stirred, but remained asleep, a small smile lighting up her face.
Even in sleep she stole his breath. Given this reckless manner in which he’d found her, Grant couldn’t help but smile himself. Miss In Control At All Times looked as if she’d spent the night rolling around in the stall.
Which conjured up another image, of both of them in the stall. A bit itchy and uncomfortable, but he’d take Tessa any way and anywhere he could. His attraction and need for her knew no bounds.
“Hey, Country.” He cupped her shoulder and squeezed. “You’re sleeping the day away.”
Watching her lids flutter as she came awake only added to that zing in his heart. Damn it. Zing? He was totally gone where she was concerned, if he was thinking of words like zing.
But there was nothing about her he didn’t find appealing. Now what would she have to say about that, once he decided to tell her how he truly felt?
“Grant.” She sat up, smiled and wiped straw and hair from her face. “What are you doing here? Did you work all night again?”
“We wrapped up around one or so.” Because he wanted, needed to touch her, he plucked straw from her flannel shirt. “What are you doing, sleeping with the horses?”
“Keeping an eye on them.”
She came to her feet and promptly started folding her blanket. Grant stood as well, crossing his arms over his chest.
“What on earth are you watching them for?” he asked.
“Macduff wasn’t acting right, and Nash offered to stay, but I sent him on home.”
“Is Macduff okay?”
She stacked the blanket on a tack box in the corner and turned back to offer a smile. “I think he’s still adjusting. If he keeps acting off, not eating and being pouty, I’ll have Cassie call the vet.”
With her hair in disarray, her shirt untucked and rumpled, Grant found himself liking this morning Tessa.
“Oh, no,” she said, holding her hands up. “You’ve got that look.”
He stepped forward. “What look is that?”
“You know.”
Grant smiled, closing the gap between them. “I do know, but you don’t seem to be putting up much of a fight.”
Her eyes darted around as she backed into the corner.
“Nowhere to go,” he whispered as he reached her. “And we’re all alone.”
He placed a hand on either side of her face, caging her in between his body and the wall. Her eyes widened and arousal shot through them as she stared back. That unpainted mouth beckoned him...and who was he to refuse.
Softly, slowly, Grant claimed her lips. Tessa’s body arched into his as she opened for him. He could completely drown in her love. That may be his ego, and his hope, talking, but Grant had a gut feeling that what they’d formed here was indeed love. He knew she felt it as well, but saying the words aloud needed to come at the right time.
And he couldn’t fully give himself until he confronted his family and his past.
He nipped at her lips and lifted his head, pleased to see her swollen mouth and closed lids.
“I had a reason for coming in here,” he murmured. “But you make me lose my train of thought.”
Tessa looked up at him. “You mean preying on a sleeping woman wasn’t your goal?”
“No, just an added perk.” He rested his hands on her shoulders, loving the feel of her delicate body beneath them. “I have a three-day break coming up.”
“Really? And I suppose you have plans in mind?”
Did he ever. “We have plans,” he corrected. “I’ve even discussed things with Cassie, and she thinks it’s a great idea for you to take some time off.”
Tessa broke free of his hold and stepped around him. “Wait a minute. I can’t take three days off. I’m training.”
He turned to face her, ready to defend his case, because he knew this argument was coming. “You’ve been training and living in the stables your entire life, Tessa. Let’s be honest, all you’ve done is work. You deserve a break.”
With jerky, frantic motions she started pulling her hair back into a low ponytail, then tugged a band from her wrist to secure it.
“I can’t just leave. I have a schedule, Slick. I need to stick to it. My horses need to be exercised daily.”
“And Cassie has already said she’d be more than happy to do that.”
Tessa crossed her arms, chewed on her lip, and Grant knew she was thinking of another reason. Was she worried about spending so much time alone with him? The getaway certainly added a whole new layer to their relationship.
He merely kept his mouth shut and waited, because for every argument she had, he had a response. He would be taking her away from here even if he had to throw her over his shoulder and manhandle her out.
“I’m not comfortable leaving Nash, with him being so new.”
Grant laughed. “He’s your father’s employee. I’m sure your dad has control over his own worker. Besides, he’s been here long enough to know what to do for a couple days.”
“What about the clause? Now Cassie knows we’re...”
Still smiling, Grant shrugged. “She’s your sister. I was aware she already knew, and I know she won’t tell anybody. I trust her, and I needed someone to help me get all this arranged, anyway.”
Tessa sighed, glancing up to the ceiling and shaking her head. “Why am I even considering this?”
Grant eased forward, knowing he had her, but going in for the kill, anyway. “Because you want to.” He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him. “Because you know you need the break and because you want my body.”
“Well, that’s a little TMI for this early in the morning.”
Both Grant and Tessa turned to see Cassie smiling at them.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said. “Just thought I was coming to work.”
Tessa laughed. “Don’t mind him. He’s got a one-track mind.”
Grant’s cell chimed from his pocket. Stepping back from Tessa, he pulled it out and sighed. “I have to take this,” he told her. “We’ll talk later.”
As much as he hated leaving without her definite answer, even though he knew she’d go, he had to take the call. Max Ford’s agent was on the phone and the man was not known for his patience, so keeping him waiting was not smart.
After Grant stepped outside and took the call, he sent off some texts to Tessa, letting her know when to be ready, when he’d pick her up and what to pack. The packing thing was easy, considering he had that detail planned, as well.
He could hardly wait to wrap up today’s shoot, because for the next three glorious days, Tessa Barrington would be his, and she was going to find out just how important she’d become to him.