The Media Baron's Heiress

CHAPTER 3

'Has he still not made an appearance?' Tessa questioned Marco three days later.

'Nope.'

'Where the hell is he?  Who the hell is he?' Tessa gritted her teeth.

'Oh boy somebody's got it bad,' Marco murmured under his breath.

'I heard that,' she glared at him as he pretended to be busy making drinks. 
How could a person just disappear off the face off the earth?   
But then he'd been in the same room with her for the grand sum total of probably five minutes, so what leverage was she using here?

'No.  Give me vodka,' she shoved the martini away.

One eyebrow batted neatly, but Marco remained silent.   She only ever ordered herself martinis.  She only sipped vodkas if a man purchased it for her.  Tessa tipped the glass to her mouth and emptied it. 
'Marco make it a double this time,' Tessa instructed.  'Fabian dance with me,' Tessa pulled him off his chair.

'Tessa I have two left feet,' Fabian complained.

'That's okay.  I have two right feet,' she grinned.  'So we're perfect,' she sipped from her glass.

'You're not going to tip that on my blazer now are you?'  Fabian asked wearily, 'This is my favourite blazer.'

'Men can be so vain,' she complained.  'So how you been?  Haven't seen you for a few days,' Tessa artfully twirled Fabian around the dance floor.

'Carl wanted me to give him a final cost estimate__.'

'Ssh, we're not talking business tonight,' she pressed a finger to his lips.

'So how's the heiress doing?' Fabian teased.

'We're not talking about that either,' she laughed, emptying her glass.  She did not mind Fabian teasing her.

'Boy am I glad that glass is empty.'

'You know pretty boy, you can be a sissy sometimes.'

'Tessa, I think you've just insulted me.'

'Yeah?  What you going to do about it?'

They stopped on the dance floor even though the music was still continuing. 

No.  I'm not taking him to bed.  For heaven's sake, he's like my brother. 

'May I have this dance?'

Though he asked, he hadn't waited for Fabian to release Tessa.  He was pulling her into his arms.

Tessa was still trying to process that moment between her and Fabian.  'So you've come back?' was the first stupid comment Tessa's brain thought to vocalize.

'Missed me?' his voice was smooth, too smooth.

'Yes__no.  Maybe.'

'Are you always this sure off yourself,' he grinned as he spun her around.

Wow it was a long time, a very long time since a man was able to lead her on a dance floor with such dexterity.  If Tessa was a bit tipsy when she had been in Fabian's arms, she was stone cold sober now.

'What's your name?' Tessa crossed her arms around his neck. She like that leashed power he seemed to hold with barely controlled restraint.  She enjoyed being in his arms, liked the feel of those sturdy shoulders.

'Bradley Blakely.'

'Wow that's a mouthful,' Tessa giggled.  'My name is__'

'Tessa von Biljoen.  I know,' he finished.