Her eyes widened, but she did not fly at him in anger as she had done before when he told her he wanted her to leave the tour.
“I have two weeks left of my European visit.” Tess said.
“Spend them with my family. My mom wishes to meet you and Elena is home from the university. I’m sure she will enjoy your company.”
“You told your mother about me?” Tess asked.
“Yes.” He replied
His mother6would have been very hurt if he had sprung a bride on her out of the blue. And she was very excited about the prospect of grandchildren… Something Dash wasn’t even sure that he was ready for. But one thing at a time.
“What did you tell her?” Tess asked, looking at him as if he’d grown donkey ears.
“Why the shock?” He had told Tess his intentions. “I told my mother that I had met a woman I wanted for my wife.” She looked like she wasn’t listening so he said, “Tess?”
“Yeah I heard you.” She said. She took a gulp of coffee and then started coughing.
He was around the table in a moment, pressing a glass of water into her hands.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes. It was too hot.” She replied.
“Be more careful, Tess. If you burn your mouth, how can I kiss it?”
She blushed and set the glass of water down with a trembling hand as he resumed his seat.
“I wasn’t sure you were serious, about marriage I mean.” Again the charming blush.
“I am.” He said.
She nodded, the soft curls around her face bouncing. “I can see that, but it’s such a shock.”
To him as well. He had not been anticipating marriage just yet, particularly to a shy virgin. “Life is not so easily predicted.” He said.
“I suppose you’re right.”
“So, will you come with me and stay in my home with my mother and sister? At least for a while so you can get to know them”
“I don’t know.” Tess replied.
He stifled his impatience. She was skittish, like an untried mare. He did not want to spook her when his plans were finally working out as he had originally expected. Perhaps the emergency in New York had been a gift from the good God because it had given her time to make up her mind to him.
“What makes you hesitate?” he asked, allowing none of his impatience to show in his voice. “Are you concerned for your virtue? My mom will act as sufficient chaperone surely, like I told you before, she is very old fashioned.”
“I’m not worried about that. I am twenty six years old. I don’t need your mother’s protection.”
He smiled at her feistiness. “What then?”
“My dad might not like it.” She said.
“I have already spoken to your father.”
“You have?” Once again she looked like a doe startled by an unexpected sound.
“Yes. It is only natural I should speak to him when I wish to marry his daughter.”
He said nothing of the fact Neal Patchett had been the one to instigate the meeting. That was not relevant to he and Tess. He wanted to marry her. That was the only issue she needed to be concerned with.
“How can you say that so calmly?”
“Say what?” he asked.
“That bit about wanting to marry me. I mean we haven’t even led up to it and suddenly, boom, here you are saying you want to marry me like it’s a foregone conclusion. You haven’t even asked me.”
Nor had he courted her and a woman deserved to be courted to marriage.
“Have we not led up to it? The kiss we shared at that party, the kisses we shared last week, they lead to bed and bed with a virgin means marriage for me”
Her pale skin took on a fiercely rosy hue. “That’s not what I meant.” She said
“Do you still deny the way we kissed gave me claim to you?” He had thought they were past that. He hated going backwards.
“No, but marriage is not necessarily the next inevitable step.”
“It is.” He said.
“Come on, Dash. Like I’ve said before, you can’t tell me you marry every woman you kiss passionately.”
Had he ever shared a passion so volatile with another woman? He did not think so. But a marriage to her was necessary right now.
“I have never kissed another virgin.” He said, which was true. But that wasn’t his only reason for wanting to marry her.
“Hush!” She looked around, her expression almost comical. “This is not the place to discuss my sexual experience, or lack thereof.” She said.
“I agree.” Even if this marriage wasn’t his idea, It was exciting him to think of introducing her into the pleasures of the flesh. He wanted to be able to walk when they left the restaurant, but if they didn’t change the subject he wasn’t going to be able to.
“When we return home, come stay at my place and let me convince you.”
“You mean like a courtship?” Tess asked.
“Yes. Exactly.” He replied.
“I didn’t think men still did that.”
“It is a ritual that will continue through the millennia, whatever you choose to call it. Men will pursue their chosen mate with whatever means at their disposal.”
“And your means are a couple of weeks with your family?” She sounded bemused, shocked even.
“Yes.” He replied.
“All right.”
“You don’t have to look as though your world has come to an end,” Matt ground out as he watched Savannah.
“I think I’m allowed to when I know that I’m making the worst decision ever” Savannah replied.
“Do you have to be sarcastic about everything?” Matt asked.
“I’m not being sarcastic. This is a bad idea. We both know it”
“You really think being with me is a bad idea?” he asked
“Yes I do” Savannah replied. “And you know why. You know, you didn’t have to bring up this ridiculous requirement to give me that job. You are just trying to torment me. I think you’re incredibly mean.” She turned to look out of the window.
“Mean?” he repeated. Fighting an inexplicable urge to laugh, Matt stared at the back of her head. “I haven’t heard that word since I started at boarding school.”
“And I bet you were a complete nightmare at boarding school, and I’m sure they would agree with me”