over her shoulder, in the sultry way that he found so damned attractive. The way she turned her head and looked at him from the side of her eyes was beyond enchanting. God, this assignment needed to end soon or he would be in trouble of the worst kind. Tessa needed to change. But the more time he spent with her the more he found he liked her just the way she was.
“So after you unfreeze these people,” she waved her hand around the room imperiously, “I’m supposed to apologize for living? Are those the magic words that will allow me to stop this craziness? I have other things I’d like to do with my life.” Her glare was defiant.
“What might these other things be?” Liam asked, already knowing the answer. It was time for Tessa to make a breakthrough and that meant getting her to talk. Not to rant. Nor rave. But talk.
“I want to teach.” Her voice had lost some of its edge. “Silent spells. To my knowledge there isn’t a single coven of witches anywhere in the world that practice silent spells except for ours.”
She flashed him a rare smile, one that sent a zing straight to his heart. This was the time to step back from her. Instead he took a step toward her. “Tell me more.”
She eyed him, a sudden wariness in her expression. But the temptation to share her passion was apparently too strong for her to resist.
“Come closer to me, Liam.” The way she said his name, what her tongue did to those four letters, bewitched him.
She reached out for his hands and drew him closer. Her hands were warm as they held his.
“This will work better if you stand behind me,” she said. Without waiting for a response she moved in front of him, settling back against him so that her back was pressed against his chest. “Loosen up,” she said, guiding his wrists so that she could manipulate his hands. “Let my body do the work. Just relax.”
She asked the impossible.
“Take a deep breath. That may help,” she instructed him.
He did as he was told and inhaled. Gardenia, mimosa and the slightest trace of orange flower laced with passion flower scent. No. The breathing wouldn’t help.
“What are you going to do?” Liam heard how husky his voice sounded. He was way too close to Tessa for comfort.
In answer, she nestled just a bit closer to him, took his hand in hers, and guided his fingers over her palm. Her touch was light and the pattern she traced was intricate. Intimate.
He closed his eyes against a wave of desire that threatened to pull him out to sea.
“Oh, I do hate to interrupt whatever this is.”
Liam pulled away from Tessa and spun around. He’d been so intent on his attraction to her that he hadn’t heard the door open.
He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw it was only Fiona. But she wasn’t smiling her perpetual smile.
“What’s wrong Fiona?”
“I need to speak to you.” Her voice was as grave as her expression. “In private.”
“Who the hell are you?” Tessa glared at Fiona before she turned back to him. “Who is this and why isn’t she freaking out that she’s in a room full of frozen people?”
Tessa radiated sparks of anger and frustration. It amazed him how she went from calm to furious within seconds. She needed his attention now more than anyone back at corporate possibly could.
“Later, Fiona,” he said. “Give me a couple of hours.”
She shook her head. “Now.”
Something wasn’t right. He turned to Tessa. “I’ll just be a moment.”
She shrugged. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll just stand here and burn calories while you’re gone.”
The last thing he wanted to do now was leave Tessa. But he turned and followed Fiona through the door. First things first.
***
Tessa watched Liam leave the room with a sting of disappointment that he hadn’t chosen her over the blond Fiona. So like a man to follow a slender blonde just because she snapped her fingers. Not that she cared of course.
She glanced around the room of people who seemed frozen in time