The Tessa Randolph Collection, Books 1-3 by Paula Lester (best ereader for comics .txt) 📗

She swallowed hard, wondering what he was going to say.

He stepped closer, grabbing her hands in his, and looked her in the eye. “I want you to know that I have feelings for you. I want to explore that—explore having a relationship.”

Tessa let out a breath. She felt relief that she wouldn’t have to ask him. Hot on the heels of the relief was more worry. Something in Silas’s expression wasn’t right. “I . . . I’d like that,” she said softly, hoping that would release whatever tension he had.

But it didn’t. Instead he squeezed her hands again and nodded. “Good. That’s good. There’s just one caveat.”

Her chest squeezed in anticipation. Somehow, she knew what he was going to say.

He swallowed and then gave her a look that was almost pleading. His voice was soft and gentle. “If we’re going to date, you’re going to have to put up with me being busy with my job a lot. I get emergency calls sometimes when something needs to be fixed. If that happens, I might have to leave a nice dinner or duck out in the middle of a movie.”

Tessa felt her shoulders relax. “Oh. That’s okay. I understand. I can definitely work around that.” She felt relieved that he hadn’t said anything about having the feeling that she was keeping something from him.

“Good.” He squeezed her hands again. “Good. I’m glad to hear that. But, also, I have to know our relationship is being built on honesty. So, if we’re going to do this—if we’re going to date—I don’t want there to be anything between us, causing either of us to doubt the other one.”

She nodded. “Neither do I.”

“I’m glad you agree. Because if I’m going to get close to you—if you and I are going to give this a real shot,” he pulled in a deep breath and then said, in a rush of words, “you’re going to need to be honest about what you do. Tell me about your job—about the souls you reap.”

Book 3: Reap What She Sows: Chapter 1

“IF YOU AND I ARE GOING to give this a real shot,” Silas pulled in a deep breath and then said, in a rush of words, “you’re going to need to be honest about what you do. Tell me about your job—about the souls you reap.”

Tessa blinked. In the week they’d spent together in Florida, Silas, her handsome landlord, had turned from friend to something else. Something more. Silas was kind and thoughtful. He was everything her previous boyfriend, Frank, wasn’t. And she felt completely sideswiped by his words.

Of course, it wasn’t possible for all of the air to be sucked out of the space around her, but that was how it felt for a moment. Her ears were ringing. She went cold.

She opened her mouth and then shut it again a couple of times before clamping her lips tightly together to avoid looking like a dying fish—because that was not an attractive look.

She had to admit that she did want to look attractive to the man in front of her. Tessa wanted him to feel how she felt. And she thought he did. Despite the fact he had just effectively outed her super-secret job as a grim reaper.

Slowly, her brain came out of its shock, and Tessa realized she had let too much time go by without answering.

How did he figure it out anyway?

Tessa knew she’d been giving off clues left and right while they were in Miami. This was all her fault. She should never have suggested that Silas use the money their neighbor, sweet Mrs. Cross, had gifted him to go on a vacation in the same place as her grim reaper convention. She’d been asking for trouble.

And there had been plenty of trouble in Florida. A reaper died on the plane and another while snorkeling. Not to mention, when out on a date with Silas, Tessa had been called to perform her duties. Silas had followed her on the job. Luckily, she hadn’t actually reaped a soul then. Still, Silas had still been suspicious of what was going on.

And that hadn’t been the only time he had shown skepticism about Tessa’s cover story—that she was a life insurance agent. During her first week on the job, Chet Sanborn, who was a resident of their apartment building, was murdered. Unfortunately, Tessa had been late to that job and lost his soul. It’d been a mad dash to find and cross him over. Silas had been around the periphery of that crazy situation.

Okay, Tessa. It’s been too long. Say something!

She went over her options. She could tell him the truth. But if she did, it could be dangerous for both of them.

Or she could lie. But lying seemed like a horrible way to start their five-second-old relationship.

She gazed into Silas’s hazel eyes. They were too perfect and intent, waiting for her answer. She looked away from his eyes, studying his square jawline etched with stubble. It was no help either.

“Um.” Oh, fantastic. Just brilliant. Now he’s going to think I’m unattractive and dumb.

Good thing she was watching his jaw because then Silas broke into an adorable grin, showing the dimple in his right cheek, and he winked. “I mean, hanging out with those co-workers of yours was pretty depressing. It felt more like hanging out with a bunch of grim reapers than life insurance agents. You ever think about that?”

“About what?”

“It seems like it has the wrong name.” He chuckled. “But I guess death insurance doesn’t have the same ring to it.”

Tessa barked out an over-the-top laugh, fueled by the relief that she felt. He’d been joking. She quickly reined it in with a gulp.

“Yeah,” she squeaked. “It’s hard enough to sell already. It would probably be even harder to get people to buy it with a name like that.”

“Your co-workers sure have a morbid sense of humor.”

She nodded. “I’m still