Another Changed Life Ch. 03

"Why not? I can feel like that about any other woman but not about her? I can't help it, I want her and she wants me."

"She doesn't know what she's doing," he said, still very obviously angry at me.

Tess cleared her throat behind him, making him turn.

"'She' is right here, you know. Mark, you are being a prick about this. You were just like Dan before you met Charlie, and now you have the best thing that's ever happened to you. How can you of all people not give him a chance?"

"He took advantage of you," he told her.

"No he didn't. Much as it might piss you off to hear this, I'm not some naïve young virgin. I asked him for the night we spent together, and I knew exactly what I was doing. You are the one who has spent years telling me exactly what Dan's attitude to women is, so you can't possibly claim I had no idea what he was like. I wanted it anyway, and I have to say, I had the best night of my life with him."

I heard Mark groan, but I was smiling at her review. I couldn't see his expression, but I was guessing he was reeling a little from the firm tone of her voice and I knew he wouldn't be glaring at her the way he had been at me.

"You were happy for him right up until you saw it was me," she continued. "This is my decision, and I want to be with him. You have to at least play nice because I am not putting up with you being rude and threatening to my boyfriend."

Even from the back I saw Mark wince at that, and Charlie obviously saw it too because he sidled up to him and kissed his cheek.

"Mark, you have to let them sort this out. Tess knows what she is doing, and you believed Dan when he told you what he was feeling. You should trust him."

Mark turned towards Charlie then and I got the impression although he had calmed, he still was not happy.

"You knew about this? Why didn't you tell me?"

To his credit, Charlie didn't even bat an eyelid at what was clearly an accusation.

"Because we were all fairly sure of how you would react, and there wasn't any point getting into this conversation unless they sorted things out and got together. I'm really happy they have, because frankly, hearing any more about how wonderful Dan was would probably have made me sick!"

I looked across at Tess in enquiry and she'd gone slightly red, just making her look more beautiful. I grinned at her, and she crossed the room to me, ignoring Mark who was still trying to sort this out with Charlie, and ending up in my arms. I dimly heard the other two were still discussing things and that Mark wasn't happy that he had been kept out of the loop, but all I was really aware of was Tess.

"So... how wonderful am I?" I asked, teasing her.

"You're okay, I guess!"

Smart words in reply didn't seem like the right answer so I kissed her, immediately feeling her body pressing to mine, her arms coming up around my neck. Our lips met in a string of soft kisses, light and airy but full of promise for next time we were alone. After a little while I started to have too much of a reaction even to this, and I had to stop before I got too carried away. I stared into her beautiful eyes and smiled at the love I could see in them.

"Can I see you after work? Please?"

I knew I was sounding needy again, but I really didn't care.

"Of course you can. Come round when you finish, I don't go to bed early unless have to work next day so we can spend some time together even if it's late."

"That sounds wonderful. What can I bring you?"

"Just you will be fine baby."

A second round of kisses was interrupted by a loud cough, clearly Mark, and I stiffened and tried to take a step back from Tess, looking at him nervously. It might have been better if I actually could get away from her, but she hadn't let go and there was barely any space between us. He didn't look angry any more, but still not impressed and I swallowed hard, expecting more words.

"If you hurt her you will have me to answer to."

"I won't," I said with certainty.

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