“Shush. It’s perfectly fine. Must’ve been good sex if it knocked you out so completely.” She grinned.
Sean couldn’t believe she was being that understanding. He didn’t know if he would have been quite that patient if she had fallen asleep on him like that, without so much as a “by your leave” for what had been one of the most fantastic sexual experiences of his life.
He sank back onto the couch, taking her with him, holding her on his lap. “I thought you might have gone home.”
“And drive that behemoth you call a truck? I’d need a pile of phone books just to see over the dash! No, thank you. I figured you’d wake up sometime, and then I’d bug you to take me home.”
“Or not.” He smiled mischievously. “You could stay the night.”
“Yeah, I had thought of that, too, but I don’t have anything of mine over here – no clothes, no cosmetics...”
He looked very disappointed, but agreed. “You’re right.” He didn’t want to be too presumptive – what was he thinking? Yes, he definitely did want to be that presumptive! “How about I grab some things for work and we stay at your place tonight? I don’t really want to let you get away from me that easily. I need you.”
It was the last phrase that got her. He needed her. She adored the sound of that.
After that they were inseparable, always spending the night at either his home or hers – usually hers – just because she had more possessions than he did, even though his was the bigger place.
Neither of them had much family left, beyond siblings and their kids that lived elsewhere, so they became each other’s family.
Pam worked for Tess the following Saturday, and with both shops closed on Sundays, they cobbled together a three-day weekend at a resort. They danced to the live band in the Wolf’s Den, right in the middle of the casino, and lost a frightening amount of money at both the table games and the slots. But what a time they had! They retired early every evening, enjoying a suite with a two-person Jacuzzi before ravishing each other in the king-sized bed until they each fell into an exhausted sleep. It was a great mental-health break; both were rested, relaxed and ready to go back to work Tuesday morning.
As the weeks passed, they made their own traditions. Thanksgiving turned into their personal holiday, since both of their businesses were closed on Thanksgiving and the day after. Christmas time was extremely busy for Tess; she handmade dozens of beautiful centerpieces that were very popular and sold out every year. Unfortunately, the extra business demands put a bit of a crimp in their style, but Sean was completely understanding and often came by just to sit with her in the shop after-hours while she did her magic with evergreen boughs, ribbons and candles.
Sean began to keep a weather-eye on her health. She attacked life flat-out, and he wasn’t about to let her neglect herself because of it. He encouraged her to hire a couple of new part time employees – one to handle deliveries and one to help Pam. Tess thought that was a phenomenal idea, although she knew it was going to cut into her profits. She found that she could now concentrate more on the creative end of things, while her employees handled the front end as well as making all the deliveries.
It turned out to be her best Christmas ever, business-wise, despite the financial bite of two more employees. She had thought that it might be the best otherwise too; Tess had a bit of a hunch that perhaps Sean might propose on Christmas or Christmas Eve, but it didn’t happen. They exchanged thoughtful gifts, Tess giving him a new set of tools she knew he wanted for around the house. Her gift from him came in several parts. He gave her a new set of panties and bra in a beautiful peacock blue with lots of peek-a-boo lace, as well as a gift certificate for a new paint job for her car, as well as a mysterious envelope.
“What is this?” she asked when he handed it to her on Christmas morning.
“Open it and see.”
It was a copy of the reservations he’d made for them at Foxwoods. He had made the reservations for three days – the day before, of, and after Valentine’s Day.
Tess’s face fell immediately. “I can’t.”
Sean’s eyebrow rose. “What do you mean you can’t?” He wondered if she was just being stubborn, not wanting him to pay for things, something he was trying to discourage. But she had tears in her eyes when she looked up at him, and it made his gut twist to see it.
“Valentine’s is our biggest holiday. I won’t be able to do anything for a couple of weeks beforehand, at the least.”
“No problem,” he said. “I’ll cancel these and reschedule. We’ll leave the day after. You’ll need a break by then, anyway.”
He was as good as his word, rearranging everything around her work schedule, supporting her through one of the busiest times of the year for her, holding her hand and keeping a watchful eye on her the entire time, until, finally, it was closing time on February 14th.
Tess had been so busy she hadn’t noticed that she hadn’t seen him at all that day. She was opening early and closing late this last week, to cram in as much business as she could. She’d kissed him goodbye that morning and hadn’t been able to think of him once all day long.
As she closed the door behind her last customer, she saw him walking towards her. He looked like everything she wasn’t at that moment – freshly showered, shaved and dressed in a gorgeous three piece suit, carrying an enormous box of very expensive chocolates – she could tell just by the box.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, my love,” he said as he gave her the
