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The next day passed quickly. From the minute she had woken up she had been too busy to think about her situation. All morning and afternoon she had calmed nervous dancers, carried out rehearsal after rehearsal and ensured that mothers knew exactly what was expected of them, providing them with costume sheets and a place to ensure that their children could get changed. She had organised for food to be delivered to the venue for all of the children as a treat for all their hard work, and also to ensure that they were fed before the big event, and as was usual with Show nights, she had felt both nervous and exhilarated at the same time. Tessa loved the bustle of the whole event, and had many times laughed at the antics of the smallest children, the 5 to 6 year olds, the day’s hectic activity a welcome relief from the strange turn of events that had become her life.
Finally it was time for curtains, and she had stood in the centre of the stage, a warm smile on her face as she had welcomed the sea of faces before her. The venue was excellent, an old smaller theatre, which provided comfortable seating for the many family members of the children, all trying hard to stay silent while their faces shone with the excitement they felt.
After thanking all those involved, including the parents and the children themselves, she had introduced the youngest class, gently guiding all the youngsters to where they needed to be hovering close to the edge of the stage in case any of them moved too close.
Sitting at the back of the hall Alexis had smiled, seeing as a couple of the young children had taken one look at the audience then run to throw their little hands around her legs. She had hugged them comfortingly while allowing the others to work through their routine, which was so cute the whole audience either laughed or awed constantly. With a smile he knew he had made the right choice. Tessa Jones would make a wonderful mother.
The whole show moved along at a steady rate, and he was impressed with how well organised the production seemed to run, with the changeovers happening with seemingly little effort, until finally it was the last dance. Leaning forward, he was surprised to see that Tessa herself with two of the other older girls was dancing, his body reacting immediately at seeing her. Wearing a black leotard and black fishnet tights her long legs made even longer by the high heels, she looked stunning. White cuffs around her wrist and a white collar with bow tie were the only splash of colour, her long hair pulled up in a bun, with tendrils falling down her face only made her graceful neck seem longer. Her perfect figure with flat stomach and perfectly curved back had him swallowing hard to stop the moan from escaping his lips. He was aware that he was not the only one aware of how sensual she looked as many of the other men around him had openly admired the woman on the stage, some whistling softly, as partners would prod them with annoyance. As she had danced, he could see how gracefully she moved, her body flexible as she and the other girls had high kicked and pouted their way perfectly through the routine.
As the music had stopped, and the audience had broken once more into applause, she had bowed to the other girls, her wonderful smile lighting up her beautiful face. Bringing on all of the children she had once more thanked everybody for their help and their support making the school such a success, before some of the children had moved forward to give her a large bouquet of flowers, which he could see was making her struggle to stop the happy tears from falling. With a small frown he had remembered her tears from the previous evening, not happy ones, but frightened and sad ones, once more wondering why she had agreed to the marriage when she had been so against it. John Jones had ured him, that Tessa wanted money, and lots of it, but the woman on the stage seemed to contradict his words. With a frown he had pushed his disquiet to the side determined that she would be his wife, the mother of the children he longed for. Slowly he had risen and quietly with the other parents he had slipped out leaving her to her well-earned moment of glory.
Chapter Five
Waking the following morning at her usual time, Tessa had smiled at the memory of the previous evening. The show had been a spectacular success, with many of the local papers appearing to take pictures of the dancers, happy at the free publicity. Already she knew that the intake for the next year was high, and expected to have more interest once the articles had been read by the local mothers. Happily, she had known that there was now a need to move to a larger studio which would give her the chance for more income. Tessa had opened the studio several years before, with a vision. A vision of one day owning several studios, all offering the best tuition for children, and with a contented sigh, she felt the warm glow of satisfaction, that that vision was within her grasp. With a small frown she had remembered Alexis, biting her lip softly. His expectations were that she be a dutiful wife to him, did that also mean that he expected her to give up her work? Groaning, she had pushed the bed clothes away from herself, moving into the kitchen for coffee. The realisation once more filling her that neither knew the other, yet they were to be married within 2 weeks. This thought filling her with panic.
As she had looked around the small flat, which she had personalised as her own, she had felt sadness at leaving it, her first real home of her own. She had taken jobs which had seen her moving constantly, first as a model and then as a dancer on cruise ships, never staying long enough in one place to call it home. This truly had been the first place of her own that she had known. There had been one other place she had felt safe and happy in, the memory of which had make a soft smile touch her lips, but looking around again she had thought how this place had made her feel secure and safe. Lifting her coffee cup, she had looked into the hot steaming liquid thoughtfully, saddened by the knowledge that from that day on she would have to live a lie. A loveless marriage to a man who was a complete stranger to her, a small shiver passing down her spine as the memory of his hands holding her had once more entered her mind.
The ringing of the doorbell had pulled her from her reverie. Frowning down at her night clothes, a skimpy night vest top and matching pants, she had moved to answer the door, hiding behind it as she had opened it expecting to see the mail man. However, with a gasp she had been shocked to see Alexis stood on her doorstep holding back the small moan of desire seeing him dressed in a suit, exuding an aura of power and sensuality.
“I …I didn’t expect you” she had stuttered, her whole being in shock.
“I realised I had not let you know the arrangements for you moving in…….so thought I would come and inform you personally”
Tessa could feel the goose bumps of awareness prickling her whole body, as she had fought to control her breathing at seeing him there.
“May I come in?” he had asked gently.
Stepping aside, and suddenly wishing she had pulled on a dressing gown she had ushered him into her home, feeling under dressed and vulnerable for some unknown reason.
“I was just having a coffee…….would you like one?” she had asked, trying to cover the disquiet in her voice.
“Thank you” he had replied softly. As he had followed the woman to what appeared to be the kitchen, once more feeling the overpowering need for her, surprising himself at the strength of it. Alexis Demitri was both powerful and attractive and women had always fallen at his feet, thrown themselves into his bed. He had enjoyed them as much as they him, but Tessa Jones, had held back from him. He had felt the passion and fire in her, but unlike others, she had tried to fight her desire, and this excited him more. Looking at her back his eyes had flicked over her. Wearing the skimpiest vest top which hugged her body like a second skin before showing her bare midriff, the low pants sitting on her revealing her small slender waist and flat belly he had felt his tightening awareness of this woman. As she had turned to face him, he could see how flushed she looked, her s hardening under his scrutiny, as she had tried to move her hands to cover her body, to hide from him her own longing so visible before him.
With a small masculine note in the back of his throat he had moved forward towards her, pulling her into his arms, lifting her high, as her arms had instinctively flown around his neck, her legs moving around his waist. Their kiss was raw and frantic, her fingers pulling at his hair as they scraped through the thick black locks. She was aware of his jacket falling on the floor, as his hands had moved to cup her , holding her so hard against him, the feel of his straining excitement filling Tessa with a wanton disregard as she had pushed her harder against him, causing him to gasp loudly.
“Where is the bedroom?” he had whispered against her mouth, moving in the direction she pointed, his mouth keeping up the onslaught on hers, as she had pulled him harder to her. Lying Tessa down on the bed, he had pulled away, his hands tearing at the tie around his neck, pulling the shirt from the waist band of his trousers, his eyes holding hers hypnotically the whole time as she had remained still on the crumpled sheets. As he had rejoined her, his kiss was less frantic, softer, sending all new kinds of tremors through her as her fingers had pulled at the buttons of his shirt, until she could feel his warm skin under her fingertips, lazily sliding them down his side feeling as he had shivered whispering something Greek against her mouth.
