Breaking Tessa: A College Sport Romance

by T Christensen

  Holy hell, who could refuse the pleading specimen of hotness in front of her? Ignoring the nervous tightening in her gut, Tessa reluctantly stood and allowed Jordan to grab her hand. Once he had dragged her to center court, he dropped her hand. She folded her arms protectively in front of her and prepared to be embarrassed.

  Jordan cupped her chin and raised her eyes to his.

  “Hey, this is supposed to be fun. I’m not going to make you run up and down the court or play one-on-one with me.”

  His soft tone eased some of the tension from her body, but only some.

  “I really am bad, Jordan.”

  He cocked his head, and his lips kicked up. “Maybe you need something to help you forget your nerves.”

  Tessa’s eyebrows pulled in. What was he talking about? When Jordan started to lower his head, she stilled with anticipation. His lips lightly pushed against hers, and then they were coaxing them to life.

  The electricity generated from the kiss was like a dream. A dream she didn’t want to awaken from. Tessa slowly raised her hands until they were tangled in his hair. He anchored his hands to her hips and pulled her closer while deepening their kiss. Tessa molded herself to his hardness, and nothing else mattered except stoking the fire racing through her blood.

  Her fingers demanded skin contact, so Tessa swept them under Jordan’s t-shirt. She hummed with satisfaction when she felt his body contract with her exploration. When she slid her hand down to cup his erection, Jordan’s groan made the aching spot between her legs pulse.

  Jordan reached down and enclosed her wrist, stopping her. He pulled their lips apart, and their foreheads drifted together. They stood in the middle of the court as their erratic breathing slowed down.

  As more oxygen reached her brain, Tessa could feel her rising embarrassment. Jordan had meant to give her a simple kiss, and she had started pawing him. The heat left her body, and her muscles began tightening.

  She needed to apologize. It would be hard to do when Tessa wasn’t sure if she would be able to talk or look at Jordan ever again.

  When she tried to pull away, he raised his hands to cup her face and softly said, “No.”

  Tessa kept her eyes closed.

  “Open your eyes.” When she still didn’t move, Jordan said with a bit more bite, “Tessa, look at me.”

  Knowing she would have to eventually, she slid them open and locked eyes with Jordan. In a low, resolute tone, he said, “Don’t pull away. Don’t tense up. It was an amazing kiss, and that’s all you’re going to think.”

  She stared at him as she considered his words.

  “Don’t overthink it. Just be happy you aren’t nervous anymore.”

  “What?”

  As soon as the words left her lips, she remembered. This had all started as a way to get her to loosen up and play basketball.

  Jordan released her and sauntered to get the ball. “Ready for your lesson?”

  Tessa groaned. She was still embarrassed, but she was taking the out Jordan offered her.

  “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  For the next hour, Tessa marveled at Jordan’s abilities and knowledge of the game. He was remarkably patient with her when she tried to mimic the skills he was showing her. Unbelievably, Tessa had fun, but she still owed Jordan two tutoring sessions.

  _________________________

  Tessa and Lindy lay on their beds facing each other. Both of them were cuddling their pillows as Tessa finished recapping her night with Jordan.

  “So, what you’re saying is it was a date and not a tutoring session.”

  Tessa thought about it. “I’m not sure. We didn’t study, but playing basketball was impromptu. It’s not like Jordan planned it as a date.”

  Tessa didn’t want to place more value on the experience than she should. If she did, it would be like she was asking to get her heart broken.

  Lindy ticked off the points with her fingers. “It was just the two of you, you talked and played basketball, you kissed, and he walked you to your car. It was a date.”

  Good thing she hadn’t told Lindy about the lingering kiss Jordan had given her right before she had gotten in the car. It had packed enough punch that her lips were still tingly as she drove away.

  “You’re thinking about the kiss right now, aren’t you?” Lindy drawled knowingly.

  “No.” It was true. Tessa wasn’t thinking about the kiss on the court. “And yes, those things happened, but it wasn’t a date. It’s not like he called to ask me to dinner and a movie. He called me for help in Composition.”

  Tessa grabbed her phone to end the debate with Lindy. She smiled when she saw the text from Jordan.

  J: You distracted me last night. Get together today for tutoring?

  Tessa’s heart skipped a beat. Keeping her head down to hide her face, she typed back.

  T: Your fault. Told you I wasn’t a basketball player.

  J: Today?

  “It’s him, isn’t it?” Lindy asked smugly.

  Tessa looked at her with her eyebrows drawn together.

  “Your face lit up as you read the message, and there has been a smile on your face ever since.”

  Tessa looked back down and started typing as she admitted, “Yeah, it’s him.”

  Lindy popped up from her bed, swinging her fist up in victory. “I knew it!”

  Tessa ignored her and went back to texting.

  __________________

  Chapter 13

  __________________

  Jordan and Tessa had been texting more frequently. Every time her phone screen lit up, butterflies would start running amok in her stomach. When it was Jordan, she felt like a giddy thirteen-year-old girl. If it was any other name on the screen, her gut clenched in disappointment.

  How had she turned into a Jordan fan girl? It wasn’t very long ago that Tessa had been happily absorbed in her own studies and her own bubble. Now every time she heard the name Jordan she stopped what she was doing and her ears perked up.

  “Hi, chica!”

  Lindy’s cheerful greeting made Tessa jump. Laughing, Lindy sat in the seat across from her in the cafeteria.

  “What were you thinking about so intently that you didn’t even hear me come up? Student teaching?”

  “Yeah,” Tessa agreed, even though it wasn’t true.

  Usually she shared everything with Lindy, but she didn’t want to talk about her feelings again. Especially since Tessa wasn’t sure how she felt. And she was nervous about student teaching.

  “Remember when we had a substitute teacher in elementary school? Our class would eat them alive. We rarely had a sub who came back for a second day, and this is the school I asked to be at.”

  “I do remember.” Lindy nodded. “But you’re aware of what you’ll walk into and you’ll handle it. Establish your authority from the beginning.”

  Who needed textbooks when you had Lindy? She was right. If Tessa didn’t establish herself in the very first hour, it was all over. No one in the class would listen to her.

  “Maybe you can come in and whip them into shape for me?” she teased. None of their classmates had ever messed with Lindy.

  “You call me, I’m there!”

  Tessa chuckled, knowing Lindy actually would come if she asked. She wouldn’t ever do it, but it was fun imagining her tearing into a fourth-grade class. Lindy interrupted her fun daydream with a topic Tessa had been hoping to avoid.

  “Now tell me what is going on with Jordan.”

  “What do you mean?” Tessa asked innocently.

  “It means I’ve seen you looking at your phone a hundred times a day. I usually have to remind you to take it out of your bag.”

  Tessa thought about trying to play it off, but Lindy wouldn’t believe her. She heaved a breath and grumbled, “Fine, I’ve become an obsessed Jordan Davis fan. And I’m disgusted with myself.”

  Lindy busted out laughing, and Tessa threw her napkin at her.

  “Stop! It’
s not that funny!”

  “Sorry, Tessa, it’s just that you’ve never been even remotely interested in a guy. When you decide to like someone, you go for the campus celebrity. Hell, I think he’s the most recognizable face in San Jose right now!”

  Tessa groaned and sank down in her chair. “I know. I know this will never last, but I still can’t stop thinking about him.”

  Lindy’s laughter was gone in the blink of an eye, and her finger in Tessa’s face startled her. “I didn’t say it wouldn’t last. I meant you hate being the center of attention, and the guy you are lusting after is always in the spotlight. You are hot, intelligent, and sweet. There is no reason it couldn’t last.”

  “Okay, take the finger down, Lindy.” Tessa had both arms raised in an I give up motion.

  Lindy nodded and declared, “You’re going to a party with me on Friday. And don’t screw your face up like that.”

  It was hard, but Tessa unscrunched her face. She hated parties. “Where did that idea come from, and why is it a good one?”

  “Well, for one, I’ll give you a makeover and then stand back and watch all of the guys compete for your attention. You need some confidence, and you can practice being in the spotlight.”

  That sounded scary. “Is there a two?” Tessa asked, hoping she would like the second part better.

  Lindy’s finger was back. “Yes, smarty-pants. Two, you will be having so much fun you will forget to look at your phone to see if Mr. Basketball has contacted you.”

  “It’s a good thing you’re not in debate, Lindy, because those arguments are not winning me over.”

  “Fine,” she snapped. “Three, you owe me. At the last party, you ducked out early and left my drunk ass by myself.”

  Holy hell, sinking disappointment swept through her. Lindy was right.

  “Fine,” Tessa begrudged.

  _________________________

  Lindy was true to her word. It was Friday, Tessa didn’t recognize herself, and they were on their way to a party. Tessa was awed and intimidated as they walked up to a house way out of their zip code.

  “Holy cow Lindy, where are we?” she whispered as they walk into a Mediterranean-style home overlooking Almaden Valley. The house had to be worth at least five million dollars.

  It had an open floor plan with vaulted ceilings. The hall they were walking down was defined by Doric columns. The expensive, shiny floor beneath her seemed too fancy for her to walk on with her worn-out Converse.

  Tessa noted the varying neutral shades of off-white and light and dark tan as she trailed behind Lindy. She felt uncomfortable in her soft-pink spaghetti-strap crop top and frayed blue jean mini-skirt. Tessa wasn’t sure she had ever shown this much skin, but Lindy had insisted that she looked good.

  “Stop pulling your shirt down. You look hot—wear it proudly.”

  “That was before I knew we were coming to a freakin’ mansion, Lindy. Are you sure I’m going to fit in? Is there even a party here?”

  Lindy responded by rolling her eyes and continuing to walk. She seemed to know where she was going, so Tessa followed after her and then stopped.

  “How do you know your way around?”

  Lindy tried to tug her along, but Tessa dug in. “Something is rotten in Denmark, Lindy Garcia. What is going on?”

  Lindy crossed her arms and tilted her head, avoiding Tessa’s eyes. “I might’ve been here before.”

  “What!” The echo reverberated through the hard-surfaced room.

  “Shh!” Lindy admonished, looking around.

  “Whose house is this, Lindy?” Tessa demanded.

  “Deion Jones’s.”

  It took a second, but Tessa connected the dots, and her smile grew while Lindy appeared to get more uneasy. “Deion, the guy you’ve been texting? The guy you have a crush on? Why didn’t you tell me the party was here?”

  Lindy whipped her head around, scanned the area, and hissed in a hushed voice, “Yes, that Deion. And I didn’t tell you for this exact reason. Now be a good friend and stop talking about it!”

  The nerves making Tessa’s body tense disappeared now that she knew she was actually there to support Lindy. It was so unusual to see her agitated that she had to tease her.

  “You know, all you had to do was tell me you wanted to see your boyfriend and I would have gladly been your wingwoman. There was no need to dress me!”

  Lindy stopped so suddenly that Tessa almost ran into her. She pointed her finger in her face. “He is not my boyfriend, Tessa. And remember, you’re here to have fun, not fade into the background.”

  __________________

  Chapter 14

  __________________

  Like always when they arrived at the party, Lindy drew the male crowd to her like a magnet. Usually those same guys would hardly give Tessa a second glance. Tonight they slowly traveled their gazes up and down her body.

  Tessa didn’t know how to act and wasn’t very adept at flirting. Luckily Lindy stayed by her side to help her. Deion found them, and eventually they all ended up on the dance floor set up on the basketball court. At first she was self-conscious, but her anxiety gradually disappeared and she started having fun.

  After dancing for a while, Tessa needed a break. She wandered away to find a drink and then found a corner in which to observe the crowd. Tessa had every intention of going back to party but needed a reprieve.

  She wandered her eyes around the crowded pool area where most of the guests were hanging out. The party lights crisscrossing the whole space gave it a warm, intimate feeling. The pool area included a basketball court, a pool house, an outdoor kitchen, a seating area with a movie screen and a fireplace, and an amazing pool. Tessa was sure she could live in the outdoor space's serenity, which was bigger than her apartment.

  The music had been just background noise to everyone who wasn’t on the dance floor, but now someone had cranked it up and it was spilling over to every area of the party. The beat pulled at Tessa, and she decided to find Lindy and convince her to dance again. She had just taken a couple steps out of the corner before she stopped.

  Jordan had walked from the house’s open sliding-glass doors into the pool area. A girl hung on each of his arms. Tessa flinched like she had been punched in the gut. They had made no commitments to each other, and all they had done was kiss, but it still felt like a betrayal.

  Jordan wore white canvas shoes, dark jeans, a hoody sweatshirt, and a baseball hat turned backward. He was dressed like most of the other guys, but there was no mistaking him as just another guy. The party buzzed with the arrival of The Jordan Davis.

  Tessa slunk back into the shadows. It felt like someone was stabbing her repeatedly in the heart. She wasn’t going to run, but she needed a few seconds to get her emotions under control. Jordan wasn’t going to ruin her night.

  He stopped outside of the glass doors and started searching for someone. Tessa took in slow, measured breaths and dared to hope. Was it her? No, Jordan didn’t know she would be here tonight. Tessa watched every move he made. Who was he looking for?

  One of the girls clinging to his arm leaned up and into him, whispering in his ear. Tessa stopped breathing, but then hope flared. Jordan leaned away from her, took her hand off his chest, and coldly stared down at her while speaking. Tessa’s heart soared.

  The girl stiffened and walked away. A smile broke out on Tessa’s face. She was relishing Jordan’s rejection of the girl when he turned his head and pinned her to her spot. Delicious shivers ran through her at his intensity. Jordan lifted his lips in a predatory smile.

  Without taking his eyes off Tessa, he said something that made the other girl also leave. Then he was prowling toward her. Tessa stood rooted to the floor.

  Jordan stopped two feet from her and ran his eyes all along her body. Tessa felt him linger on the exposed skin between her crop top and skirt and the area where her shirt hugged her breasts.

  She took an involuntary step back, and the cold stone wall at her back stopped her progr
ess. Her heart thudded and her muscles tensed as Jordan took one step closer.

  Tessa took a trembling inhale and smelled the familiar spices she always associated with him. She croaked out, “Hi.”

  Jordan tilted his head. “Why are you nervous?”

  She swept her gaze behind him, taking in all of the curious eyes. “Ummm, I don’t like being the center of attention?” It was true, but that wasn’t the reason.

  Jordan took a step closer and put one of his hands on the wall beside her head.

  “Now no one can see you.”

  Tessa fought the chants in her head encouraging her to get closer, closer, closer.

  “Yeah, but I’m pretty sure everyone is still looking,” Tessa breathed out.

  Jordan shrugged one shoulder and then settled his free hand on her hip. She couldn’t stop the hiss of air that escaped her.

  “Are you going to be upset if I kiss you right now? I don’t like the way these guys are looking at you. Let me show them you’re with me.”

  Her brain was no longer able to overrule her body. Tessa slowly nodded as she watched Jordan’s heated eyes. As soon as his lips settled over hers, she stretched to her toes, reaching up to put her hands on his neck and anchor herself to him.

  Jordan stepped closer and put both hands on her hips. Just as she felt his arm muscles contract to lift her a familiar voice hissed, “Tessa!”

  Lindy snapped the sensual cloud Jordan had wrapped around her.

  Tessa’s eyes popped open. Jordan took a step back, but his hands were still attached to her hips. With wide eyes, they blinked at each other and struggled to catch their breath.

  Lindy yanked on Tessa’s hand and pulled her away from Jordan while announcing, “Tessa is going to the bathroom with me.”

  She stumbled and struggled to keep up with Lindy. When she got her feet underneath her, she looked around and then ducked her head. Everyone they passed was staring.

  Tessa couldn’t believe she had kissed Jordan in such a public place. Not only that, but she had also been oblivious to the party going on around them. Some people tried to pretend they weren’t looking, but most were openly gawking. A few—okay, most—of the girls were glaring daggers at her.