“Not in bed?” she asked.
“Stockton?”
“My name is Tessa,” she said with pointed emphasis. No more Stockton. If Blaize Callagan wanted her, he could toe the line she set.
He laughed. It was a soft laugh with a warm ring of pleasure in it. “Yes, of course,” he murmured. “Definitely Tessa.”
Her heart leapt in exultation. Another point won. “I trust you have a good memory.”
“Excellent.”
“I wouldn’t like you to forget what my name really is.”
“Trust me.”
That was a tall order. On second thoughts, he hadn’t said anything he hadn’t meant so far, Tessa reminded herself. “I’m coming back to Sydney in the morning.”
“It will save time if we meet at Akuna Bay.”
“I don’t know how to get there.”
“I’ll send a car to pick you up and bring you to the marina. What’s your parents’ address?”
She told him. There was a pause while he wrote it down. “It’s always good to get an early start. Will eight o’clock suit?” he asked.
“Fine,” she said, smugly pleased that he had asked her instead of telling her.
“Mmm...I guess I can attribute this change of mind to my not-too-bad legs.”
“You may have a few other good points,” she said airily.
“Like what?”
“I’ll think about it, see what I can come up with.”
Again he laughed. “Tessa...you have just made my weekend.”
“Don’t be too sure of that... Blaize,” she said daringly. “There’s many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip.”
“I’ll try to please.”
“I wouldn’t like to be riding at anchor the whole weekend.”
“Rest assured you shall have everything.”
“I do have a mind, as well,” she said dryly.
“We’ll explore it together—” a slight pause “—darling.”
“Do you get onto such intimate terms with all your women so quickly—” a sense of wickedness made her add sweetly “—darling?”
“I swear this is the first time it’s ever happened in my life. Are you in bed?”
“No. Are you?”
“Yes. I was thinking of you. A very bad case of emptiness. Worst I’ve ever seen.”
“Willing me to call?”
“Yes. It worked, too,” he said smugly.
“Oh, I wouldn’t bet on that, darling Blaize. Maybe I just feel like some distraction.”
Silence. Then... “Been having a hard time of it, Tessa?” he asked softly.
“Not easy,” she admitted.
“You want another interlude.”
“Perhaps.” She didn’t want him too certain of her. She didn’t want to be taken for granted ever again.
“Am I being used?” he asked musingly.
“Yes,” she retorted.
“We’ll go on a journey of discovery together.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“We are in agreement then. Good night, Tessa. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
“So am I.”
“Don’t change your mind.”
“There’s no one else in my life to change it over.”
“Keep it that way.”
“I’ll try.” He had better try, too, she thought, or they would reach the end in very quick time. She didn’t have another four years to waste on a man who didn’t give her what she wanted.
“Sweet dreams,” he said softly, seductively.
“Good night,” Tessa said offhandedly.
She set the radio alarm by her bed for seven o’clock. She lay awake for quite some time, imagining Blaize in his bed. It made her body tingle. Her mother was undoubtedly right. She was wayward, wilful and wanton, as well, but she was going to try her luck with Blaize Callagan. If it came to a bad end, it did. If she could waste four years with Grant Durham, she could waste a weekend on Blaize Callagan.
Eventually she fell asleep. She woke to music on the radio. Her parents were already up. She could hear them talking in the kitchen when she dashed into the bathroom for a quick shower. Her mother’s voice didn’t sound quite so strident this morning. She hoped she wasn’t going to be subjected to another scene over breakfast.
Tessa dressed in white jeans and a yellow T-shirt. She put her hair up in a ponytail. She didn’t want it blowing everywhere once they were on the water. She didn’t bother with any makeup at all. If Blaize Callagan wanted to be part of her real life, he could accept her as she was. Without frills. Fortunately she kept an old bikini at her parents’ home so she stuffed that into her bag, zipped it up, then carried it out to the hallway near the front door.
She braced herself for another possible onslaught, then went out to the kitchen to face her parents. “Morning, Mum...Dad,” she said breezily, heading straight for the cupboard that held the breakfast muesli.
“Good morning, Tessa,” her father replied, looking up from his newspaper and giving her a smile.
“Good morning, Tessa,” her mother said stiffly. “Do you want coffee?”
“No thanks, Mum. I’ll just have a plate of cereal and then I’ll be going.” She quickly poured some muesli into a porridge plate and headed for the refrigerator to get the milk.
“Going?”
“Yes.” She flashed her father a look of appeal. “Dad said he’d do the necessary cancellations. And since I’m only upsetting you further...”
“I have every reason to be upset, Tessa.”
“Yes, I know, Mum. I’m sorry. Truly I am. But I can’t marry Grant.” She poured the milk over the breakfast cereal and returned it to the refrigerator.
“Why not?” her mother demanded.
Tessa looked at her mother and knew she would never understand. Grant’s infidelity was beyond her comprehension. In fact, even if she accepted it as truth, she would probably blame Tessa for it anyway. But she was not going to be satisfied without a reason, so Tessa gave her one.
“Because I’m in love with someone else, Mum,” she said quietly. It was probably a stupid thing to say, but she just couldn’t stand any more recriminations.
Her mother’s jaw dropped open.
Her father looked up from his newspaper, eyes sparking with keen interest.
“You’ve got someone else?” her mother squawked.