Chapter 6: The Perfect Night

It's been a successful three weeks of dating for Gage and Tessa. He's personal favorites are the ones where she cooks dinner. He was now very thankful of his work out regime or he knew he would be a whale. Tess has even been bringing homemade lunches for them. They have lunch for almost everyday except when she had lunch meetings. Doing a lot of thinking Gage has finally grown some courage to ask her to be officially his only problem he wanted to do it in such a romantic way he just wasn't sure which route he wanted to take. Riding up the elevator with Axel was somewhat helpful. "How about a nighttime picnic the weathers been great. Maybe take her night fishing she loves that you can spell out 'be mine' in like the rose looking L.E.D. lights." Axel told him as he started to love that idea. The doors opened leaving both of them in shock. They never used this elevator.

"Good morning Mr. James." Axel told him smiling widely at him Axel got along great with the three bosses ahead of him Tessa worked under. "Don't go making me feel old dude." Jaxon smirked running his hand down his jaw line. "Sorry man. Jaxon this is the man I've been telling you about." Axel said looking to his cousin. "Ah the brainiac cousin it's a pleasure to meet you. Look I was about to come hunt you down we have a meeting at ten on this project and Axel here has talked you up so much that I want you to head start it. I've seen your work and I am impressed. I should the current owner and he wants you to start this. If you do well you well be project manager from now on. It's a nice pay raise you keep your office. You make and create teams to make all this happen. What do you say?" Axel was beaming to his cousin.

Gage was left in shock this was the opportunity of a lifetime. They were going to be opening a C.S.O soon and this could be his ticket. "I would be honored for a shot like this. Thank you Mr. James." Gage held out his hand. Looking at him with a concerned look he realized he never gave his name. "Sorry. Gage. Gage Brooks." "You're Gage Brooks?" Jaxon was now beaming himself. "Well I is a pleasure to meet you. You know now that I think about it I can't think of a more perfect person for this job. You know Axel is not the only who sings your praises up there." Pointing o the top floor. "Really?" "Really?" Axel and Gage looked at each other as he word left their mouth. "Oh yeah, trust me man you really know how to leave an impression. Meet up in my office by ten." Jaxon pointed to him as he walked off on the thirtieth floor.

Gage and Axel looked at each other congratulations bro you on your way now." Axel said hugging his cousin proudly. "Do you think Tessa been talking you up, you know up there? I mean she knows you crazy smart." Axel asked him scratching his head. "Honestly man I don't know who else it could be. I'm not as smart as her though I still have not won a game of chess. She's leaps and bounds ahead of me man." Gage said running his hands on his face. "How man your nerdy as was first in the country at chess." "You would be amazed man. She be hustlin' like its her day job. Pool, chess, cards, sports man she got a special system and she never fails. Like we went with Vince to the boxing ring three days ago. She refused to let us bet until we say one match of the guy first. Then told us who to bet on. Don't get me wrong we won like ten grand each but she went into detail with Vincent about how which foot twitches before he hits and all kinds of other things. I think Vincent in love with her now." Both men laughing off the lift.

After getting settled in his office before he could sit down Elizabeth came walking in. "Hey Gage how you been?" Using a sweet voice he didn't noticed. "Fine." Looking at her screen. "I was thinking maybe you and I can go catch a movie sometime?" Walking a little closer to his desk. "No, I'm busy." "Well how about dinner tonight? You know catch up?" "Catch up on what? We literally don't talk about anything." Gage not even looking at her. Until they heard someone coming in the door. "Hey Gage, can you be my date to a special event tonight?" Tessa came in smiling ear to ear. "He's busy this evening." Elizabeth snapped to her giving her a glare.

"I'm not busy. I'd love to be your date. Anything for you my beautiful lady." Gage got up to wrap his hands around her waist and give her a kiss. "Good morning." He added. Good morning. Who's your friend." "You." He looked confused until he turned back to see the office slut still in his office. "Oh that? That's Elizabeth she works the reception desk down the hall there. We are not friends." He shivered saying the last par low enough for her to hear. "Oh alright. Hi I'm Tessenia." She said reaching her hand out as Gage put his hand in I instead shaking his head no to her and blocking the hand shake. "Yeah I know lots of talk about you going around." Elizabeth told her with an evil smirk.

"Not as much as the talk about you I'm sure." Tessa said looking her up and down with a disgusted look. "Anyways think about my offer Gage. Call me when you decide what you want." "I don't know what your talking about, but next time you come in here uninvited you need to either have a reason, or an appointment. People actually work around here Elizabeth." He snapped to her bored. "I don't know what the hell that rick wants, but don't touch her like ever. You don't know what she got up on her, and on top of that she looks like if you touch she'd be sticky." Gage told Tess holding her chin to make her look him in the eye. Laughing hard.

"Ok I won't touch office tramp barbie. Look tonight is a black tie event please make sure your phone is charged I want to take lots of pictures tonight." "What's this grand event for?" Gage getting curious. "It's a surprise. Don't worry about the paparazzi they know better then to take pictures of us. It will be just one great evening." Kissing him again sweetly. "Hey speaking of special I have something special planned for you myself. Are you free Saturday night?" "I am now." Walking to the door. "Hey Tess." Turning around at the frame. "Are you in your office today?" Scratching the back of his head. "No I have to go out scouting some areas today but I will be seeing you tonight I'll pick you at five it starts at six and I want to get there early I made sure to get the best seats." With a small excited squeal and bounce she left his office.

After getting his research done he got up and walked up to the elevator and was welcomed in Jaxon's office. Being caught off guard he saw two of the other main CO's. "There he is. Mr. Brooks. Please come in I can't wait for you to meet Andre' Moore." "You can call me Dre'." Shaking his hand. "Hunter Allen." "Just Hunter." Shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you. Kind of weird to be on first name basis with the head bosses." Gage said scratching his head. "You have no idea man." Dre' told him in a chuckle for Hunter to nudge his side. "Well the guys and the owner have decided looking over your work and the two proposals you managed to get done before coming in here the position is yours." Jaxon told him proudly with a smile.

"Seriously?" Gage was stunned. "Yeah man your work over the years gets better and better you have improved from the moment you got in here and it's been mind blowing since." Hunter told him pointing to the four pile of files in front of him. "What's that?" "Every project you've done working here. Oh this one was my favorite last year I believe it was you tried to tell our partner in Italy company that their system was getting weak and needed new walls and shit like that. When they argue with you. The next day you go into their whole main frame with a picture of a weird dog saying I told you so on every part of their data base." Everyone was laughing hard making Gage blush. Instead of getting in trouble these guys gave him a raise.

"Well thank you guys you have the plans when do you want me to put the teams together?" "After our meeting in the conference room with the clients they have to approve one of these first. Then we can get to work on it straight away. Now we leave for that in just a few minutes there is something else we want to discuss with you." Hunter told him as they all got up closer to him crossing their arms. "We don't want you telling Tessenia we promoted you." "Why?" "Well even though you go this job on your own. With not one word from her, the management coming in situation is a little tricky." Dre' told him using his hand to wave a little. "We are not telling her, because she's been holding a secret from us." Jaxon told him. "What could she be keeping from you that would involve me?" "You." Hunter told him flatly.

"Tessenia is our best friend. All three of ours. A little sister to us." Jaxon told him glaring at him. "Now she tells us she's been seeing a man name Gage but refuses to introduce us to him because she knows we'll embarrass her." Jaxon continued. "Which is one hundred percent true." Dre' added nodding. "However we just want to make sure what kind of guy you are because I think she is sinking pretty fast with you man and if you aren't meeting up on the same page with her we want you to bow out now. You won't lose your position or anything we just want to protect our little angel." Hunter told him. "If you are being serious with her than I want you to know we approve you. We can weed out a piece of shit real quick let me tell you but you man. You alright." Jaxon told him patting his shoulder.

"That is a lot to take in. Look I'm not messing with her or leading her on or anything I'm actually hoping to get official Saturday. I'm just new to all this so I need you to understand I will make mistakes a lot but not intentionally." "Brother you a man we already know you going to fuck up now and then." Dre' told him like it was basic knowledge. "It's been about month man since you've been seeing each other. I aint trying to rush you or anything but damn man do something about it." Hunter told him flatly. "Are you going to claim her up or not?" Jaxon asked him in a nice tone. "Yeah I am going to if she takes me." "OK well let me warn you know man we got two other friends powerful friends coming in next week." Jaxon looking him in the eye to make sure he understanding him.

"VERY POWERFUL FRIENDS!" Jaxon stressed out. "Hey, have had a thing for her since we was all little tikes in school. You don't have to worry about them, they are worried about you. Remember that. You have the one thing they would give their left nut for. Now since they close friends and work partners and all we all have to be civil and respectful. They will not be nice to you when she aint around because they going to want you gone man. We are on your side. We will help you just let us know if she start going down with them." "Why are you on my side if you guys are all close?" Gage asked them curiously. "You are changing Tessa and we like it. If she chooses you then so do we. We family man. Family supports family." Dre' told him again like it was simple knowledge. "We don't want you to worry about them alright. If you start getting worked up about anything or they start shoving doubts in your head just remember we all go way back. If she really had any interest in these tools she would have been with them already." Hunter told using his hands gesturing for them to leave to the meeting.

Getting in the special elevator going down to the conference room. "Well thank you guys for everything. The job, the information the support. It means a lot to me. I don't make friends that easily." "Neither do we man, you good. We cool." Jaxon said. "Yeah man you alright. Just remember your back bone though alright don't let no one push you around. Especially in these meetings it's demanded to be respectful, but you can respectfully tell them in a non direct way to shove it also." Dre' told him making sure he got it. "Yeah this guy we are meeting is a piece of work. A perverted piece of work which is why we got our little angel running research locations today. "Our job is to back you up in there. You know your project inside and out so if they start beating it down you fight for it, if you believe it will work fight for it." Jaxon told him flatly."

After a good two hours in his first meeting selling his self made system to their partner company he was now at his office desk making a list of three teams to get three separate companies done. " I heard you dealt with Walters today, and you didn't lay his old ass out. Trust me I know what kind of courage that takes. Hell we no longer allow woman in the room with him anymore. That man gross as fuck." Axel told him. "Yeah I'm both proud and disappointed I walked out there as man as I did without punching him clear in his fucking face man." Shaking his head he couldn't believe people like that man actually exist he could only hope and pray that man doesn't breed.

"Can I ask you something?" Gage asked as Axel look over the list of names to help gather the teams together with him. "Always." Looking up to him. "Do you hang out with Jaxon and those guys like a lot?" "Sometimes. Like we do lunch, and meet up once in a while in a club or something we pretty good with each other I'd say we were friends. Why?" "Did you know they are Tessa's best friends and they all checked me over in the meeting before the one with Walters." "SHIT man really?! How did that go?" "Well it went well I got the big brother approval." Gage gave him a mocking smile with two thumbs making him laugh at his silliness.

"Well that's a great thing man. Trust me when I warn you these are powerful men so to impress them this much is a great sign. Now you got to ask her to be your woman." Although he knew he was teasing him their was also some seriousness in there. I know I think this was the kick I needed to get myself into gear. Saturday will be the day. Wish me luck." "Today being Thursday you think you can hold it together until then?" "Yes you ass now go gather those people into the meeting room we have details to go over." Waving him off Gage made sure to make special notes of what he needs for Saturday. Hopefully it won't be too corny or cliché for her.

Gage was getting a little nervous after telling her how beautiful she was in her dark blue halter top dress that hugged her body just right, and split down on both sides of her legs. After the driver opened the door, Gage held his hand out to help out of the limo. "You don't have a purse?" Shocked looking at her he never seen a woman looking this beautiful without holding a clutch. "Cell phone wallet has my spare key, money, ID and of course the phone fits right here in my boob without popping out to much." Smiling to him. "You are perfect." Kissing her sweetly. "Now that we're here can I know what this whole red carpet thing is about?" Smiling widely to him point to the sign. "No way! ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?! This is the world red carpet premiere of he new Star Wars movie." Gage was getting so excited trying not to nerd out all over the place.

"I know you said you wanted to see it when it came out and I came across some of these special passes, and thought we had to go." Showing him the special V.I.P pass to meet the cast and crew of the movie after party. Looking up to her in shock and awe. "These are impossible to get even for my mom and she dresses these people tonight. Did you seriously do all of this for me?" Being completely taking back he honestly wanted to cry no one ever done something this amazing for him before. They would by him a ticket and make him go alone not his friends but they would be busy to go. Not his Tessa she got them all dressed up and went above and beyond and she's actually happy to be there with him. "You are so incredible Tess I just don't deserve you." Cupping her cheek in his hand looking at her in admiration. "You deserve the world. As long as I'm with you. I'll make damn sure you get it." Something about her made him believe it.

After the movie which they loved and barely blinked for. They were like two kids in candy shop taking pictures with the actors the people dressed up as the characters they ate well. Tessenia never smiled so much. When coming to his home. "You want to come and just hang out?" Gage asked her not ready for the night to end as they were on their adrenaline high. "Yeah I'm really thirsty though you got something like Snapple apple, or water, soda?" "Yeah help yourself to the fridge." After shutting the door behind him and waving off the driver. Sitting on the couch watching White Chicks on the T.V. laughing at their silly stories they were telling each other about when they were younger and pranks hey pulled. Somehow in the brief silence they found themselves closer then the were and before they knew it they were in a heated embrace kissing each other fighting for dominance which she gave in.

He didn't realize his hand was on her waist, and the other cupping her breast. It wasn't until she was straddling him rubbing and grinding against him did he realize it was going to far to fast. He wanted all of this with her. Wanted to keep it going. Wanting to take her to his room and show her the night of their life. He just really wanted to have her be fully his first. "Wait. Stop. We got to slow down." Gage blurted out s they tried to catch their breath helping her off of him standing up for a second trying to rid himself of the raging hard on in his pants.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" "I just think that maybe we should uh, slow it down a bit." "Did I do something wrong?" "No, nothing like that." "Do you not want me?" Getting a little emotional but trying to hide it Tess couldn't figure out why they were all of a sudden slowing things down when he initiated all of it. They've been seeing each other for a month. Was he changing his mind about her? What guy is going to stop when they are that hard. She knew they both wanted this why deny it. "I want this more than anything baby please believe me. I just don't want it to be like this." "Like what?" Never feeling more rejected and confused in her life.

"You know just like casually dating. I want to be you know officially together before I take you for the first time. I want it done right." "As romantic as that is, I mean as long as were both happy and together does it really matter?" "It matters to me I want it done right." He pushed again. "Who's to say what's right. I mean that's a feeling not a plan. It's a feeling in the moment being with someone you trust, crave and need. I mean unless your a virgin this isn't something you plan out you go by your heart. That's it aint you're a virgin?" It wasn't asked in an embarrassing way but he was embarrassed by the truth of it. "Yeah I am and there's nothing wrong with waiting until your actually with someone. You know yeah the feeling and being in the moment all that stuff is really great but it's also how careless people get caught making a lot of bad mistakes or choices. HE snapped back to her and immediately regretted it.

Gage didn't mean it like that he was just licking his pride wounds, taking out in the wrong way. "So what your saying is anything further right now would just be a mistake by me being careless? Just some what little harlot throwing caution in the wind or something. You know I get how important it is for you to make sure you do this by your own damn playbook here Gage and you have every right to do so. BUT GUESS WHAT?! It's just as important for me too. I had one only been with man and it was for six years Gage. Then he died when I was seventeen. Yes I threw away logic and morality and let me tell you it was no mistake. It will never be a mistake to give yourself to someone you trust and truly care about. I didn't know given into me would be so careless for you." Getting up and getting her shoes walking out the door he caught her arm in his front yard.

"Tess, that's not what I meant at all. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to see where I was coming from. Of course I trust you like that. It's just. Where are you going it's two in the morning at least let me drive you home." "Get off me Gage. Clearly you need time to gather yourself up before making any other mistakes tonight. I'm fine just go back in the house!" "Tess no, please." "GO!" She snapped to him yanking her hand off walking down the street barefoot in anger while holding her shoes; using her phone to call an Uber. Walking back in the house. The night was going so well. Why the fuck did I do all that. I made every first move than just threw it all in her face. What an asshole. Tears were rolling off his face. Not believing he could hurt the way he just after the whole night she made just for him. After always putting his needs first, his comfort first.

It shouldn't be that way. It should be me putting her first. What kind of fucking man am I? Who does that to an amazing woman like her. Who the hell tosses paint on a master piece. I need to fix this. I need to give her time to calm down. Some space would be a great thing I'll just get up early tomorrow and go to her office with some coffee and we maybe we can talk it out before work. Laying in bed he didn't sleep at all. One of the best nights in my life and I trashed it.

It was four in the morning in her workout pants and sports bra and crop top. "You know you wrong right?" Jaxon told her as they were both working the punching bag. "How am I wrong." "Tess, all the man said was he wanted to make you his woman officially before you two hopped in the bed. I think from his no dating ever experience you should have accepted that term. It was reasonable request. He's a virgin you said. If he disappoints you and you are his girlfriend he knows the odds of you still staying around are like you know guaranteed, because you would be with him for so much more. If you just causally dating and you don't get satisfied and you cut him off. Not only is heart broke from being attached to you. He's back to being the lonely nerdy guy he thinks no one would want from one bad sexual experience man that would fuck with any mans head." Jaxon stood up to look at her wiping the sweat from his brow.

"You made him feel ashamed and inadequate when you brought up the virgin thing, and it hurt him when you basically told him waiting until your official is stupid and he just give in to his urges." "I didn't say anything like that." "But you did Tess. You told him it wasn't really realistic to wait. Did you ever think maybe he wasn't ready either mentally, emotionally, or physically before you said those things? Did you take in count if he was actually ready to give up his V-card just because you were get hot and heavy on the couch. There's a line and you crossed it. Should he have said those things when he was just wounded pride man, no but that didn't mean he was wrong either. If one of the two people were not actually ready to put out and they put out going by body urges then in the morning they feel regret, a mistake and they hate themselves for it." Taking a deep breath before he continued.

"Gage sounds like he was just trying to tell you he needed to wait until you were actually his. He wanted to give him self to you before he gives himself to you, you get me? I hate to say it Tess, but you sounded like a man who lashed out for not getting any. You felt rejected and hurt and you misunderstood his words in the wrong way because of it and in the end you just mad because you didn't get any because he wasn't ready. Sounds like Gage is the victim and you like every basic man dog." Looking at him in shock. Tears filled her eyes looking at her best friend.

"Oh SHIT! Don't cry. I've never seen you cry. I don't know what to do, what do I do?" "You're right. It's my fault. I ruined our perfect night. I hurt him, I made him feel like crap just because he pushed me away. I'm no better than a horny dog." Crying harder not being able to remember the las time she cried. When did she become so emotional. "Tess I never in our lives ever seen emotions come out of you and it's scaring me I don't know what to do." Grabbing her things she cleaned herself up and went home. Where she called herself in and cried herself to sleep. He'll leave for sure now. I don't blame him I was never worthy of him anyways was the last thing she thought to herself as he world turned dark.

Gage waited outside her office for thirty minutes when Jaxon walked up taking her coffee and drinking it in front of Gage. "Looks like you had a long night. Seems like your night got away from you. Funny my morning got away from me. Around three a.m. until about five thirty I was working out in a gym with a very heart broken angel. Interesting no? It's not as uncommon as you think mind you we do that at least twice a month early morning but it sure was for a whole other reason this morning." Drinking the beverage tilting his head towards

"I fucked up already. I said some pretty hurtful things I shouldn't have said to her. I just. I was hoping to catch her before work to try to work it out." Gage scratched the back of his head. "I don't think so home skillet. See she told me what you did and what you said. I don't want to offend you but bro I knew you were a virgin when I met you, it's a gift I have. I am on your side on this. I think she over reacted. Misread the situation and both of you feeling things like hurt, rejection, shame, anger and a bunch of other things clouding your minds to tune out your hearts and lashing out each other in the process. You have to push away those feelings when the bottle up like that and try to remain calm as you can and try to use your words better. Both of you."

"Gage you were valid in all of it. I talked to her, and I may have made it worse. So I wish you luck in this." Toasting his cup to the man in front of him. "What you mean? You made it worse?" "Yeah and how. Let me know how it goes." Jaxon said walking into his office as Gage started running his fingers through his hair and tugged them in place waiting for his computer to load some things. "You look like shit what happened?" Axel asked him with Vince and Ace with him as he brought the stuff he could use for Saturday. "Well I'm with you man." Ace said hands up in the air. "I'm not." Vince said crossing his arms staring at his friend. "Me either." Axel followed the same sui with his body.

"Dude she went out of her way to give you the perfect gift and night. Then what do you do? You kiss her, you felt her up, you drug her on your lap only to toss her off. Telling her it was basically a mistake to go further if you're not together. You my friend are a grade A asshole." Vince told him pointing to him. "Dude you could have worded it so much better no where in that story did you give her the impression that you wanted or was planning to make it official with her. No plans of being together just it's a mistake if we cave into our basic human needs right now and I engrave you into my mattress." Axel pointe out to him. Now feeling even worse seeing how she got so hurt by what he said made everything so much worse. "Her phones off. You think she'll break up me?" Gage asked in a broken voice.

"Well according to you lashing out last night there really isn't anything there to break is there?" Vince pointed out. "Yeah man you may the stupidest smartest person I know." Ace looked at him. Looking down and then back up to his friends. "I'm not giving up on this. I got a plan. I need some help though." "Alright, what you need us to do?" They sat there for twenty minutes before everyone got back to their real jobs. HE gave up texting and calling her by two p.m., he's been at it since last night. He would give her the space she needed for the rest of the day but come tomorrow he was getting his woman one way or the other.

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