by Mj Fields
* * *
They rode to school together quietly. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw him look away.
���So you don���t like a������ Tessa started to ask.
���Tessa. please don���t,��� he said, cutting her off.
She grinned and looked out the window. He glanced at her and saw her smile, then shook his head. Tessa the Tease, he thought.
She plugged her iPod in. ���Wanna here a new song?���
���Sure, Tessa,��� he said in the monotone voice he had been using with her lately.
���It���s by Buck Cherry,��� Tessa said grinning.
Lucas���s eyes widened. ���It���s not a new song, Tessa,��� he said through clenched teeth.
���It���s all new to me, Lucas,��� Tessa laughed as she blasted Crazy Bitch.
As they pulled in the school driveway, Lucas tapped the controls on the steering wheel and turned down the music.
She jumped out and looked in at him. ���You coming?���
���Not yet,��� he said, looking at her with his eyes heavy and hot.
Tessa leaned in and looked down. ���Need some help,��� she whispered.
Lucas threw his head back against the head rest. ���Go away now,��� he hissed.
Sadi was walking by and heard him; she smirked and walked in behind Tessa.
���How���s your face, farm girl,��� she yelled behind her.
Lucas heard Sadi and immediately jumped out and walked toward them.
���Mine will heal. Yours, however, will look like that forever.��� Tessa saw Lucas coming, ���Hey Lucas, I think Ben was on to something, but maybe after you shove it in her ass you could gag her with it so she learns to shut the fuck up.���
Sadi started running toward her. Lucas grabbed her arm. ���I told you to leave her the fuck alone, and I wasn���t joking. She and I will be friends, you and I will be nothing, Sadi. Do you get it? Baby or not, you and I will be nothing.��� Lucas released her arm.
He caught up to Tessa. ���You okay?���
She smiled and looked down. ���You look better. Well, not better, just more��� relaxed. That was fast Lucas. Dead Puppies?���
���No her fucking voice,��� Lucas said. They laughed.
She stared at him and smiled.
���What?��� he asked grinning.
���For a few minutes, you looked happy again.��� She felt her eyes get warm. ���I miss that.��� She walked away.
Me too, he thought.
* * *
Ben was in the parking lot changing his shirt when she walked out of the building.
���Picking me up shirtless, Ben, isn���t it a bit cold out for that?��� Tessa said as he walked toward her. He bent down and kissed her check.
���Didn���t think you���d like Bambi blood all over me,��� Ben said, laughing as he slid his sweatshirt over his head. ���Your friend Sadi is watching,��� he whispered in her ear. He picked her up, threw her on his back, and ran to the truck.
���That show would have been more effective if you had left that damn sweatshirt off,��� Tessa said smiling.
���Tess have you checked out my ass? Effect enough,��� Ben smiled. She looked confused and he laughed. ���When you feel like it, check it out I have been told it���s kind of nice,��� Ben said smiling.
���By lots of people?��� Tessa asked curiously.
���A couple, but mainly my mom,��� Ben said. They laughed.
���You are a lot of fun to be around, Ben,��� she said. ���Is there a serious side?���
���Are you ready for there to be?��� Ben asked. She shrugged her shoulders. ���Okay yes, I can be serious, but I love to have fun, and I really like to make you laugh, Ross.��� He smiled. ���Okay relationship talk; I already told you about the three long relationships I have been in. They were all based on friendship first and trust. I have slept with three girls, well not really slept, actually��� he said laughing, ���I have only actually slept with you. I���m very busy and active, my attention is easily distracted so I am very busy in bed as well,��� she gasped. ���Trying to be honest.���
���So if you���re easily distracted how does that work then?���
���There are hundreds of ways to please someone Tess,��� Ben said grinning, ���Busy is a good thing, I like to try and learn new things,��� he paused and watched her eyes, she was trying not to grin. ���However as much as I love to be distracted I prefer the person I���m with to be completely focused on me, I have issues when it comes to that. When I love or make love it���s two people, there is no other way for me.���
He pulled into the driveway and jumped out and opened her door. She was trying not to smile, and avoiding eye contact. ���Can���t look at me huh?��� he asked, ���good that���s step one. See you tonight Tess, oh when I walk away you could check out my ass,��� he kissed her on the head and walked away.
She laughed as she walked in the house. After doing her homework at the kitchen table she threw together dinner and put it in the oven. She decided to go for a run. She grabbed her running shoes and as she was heading out the door Lucas pulled in the driveway.
���Going for a run?��� Lucas asked.
���Yep, dinners in the oven,��� she told him as she stretched out.
���I talked to Sadi today,��� he said, looking down.
���How did that go?���
She jumped up and down a few times trying to loosen up.
���You are very distracting,��� Lucas said as he watched her bounce around.
���Sorry, walk with me. Let���s talk.���
���But you wanted to run.���
���I would rather talk to my friend,��� Tessa smiled at him, ���and Jade has been very busy lately.���
���So I have heard, over and over again,��� Lucas said, laughing.
She smiled when she saw him laugh. ���Your smile��� God Lucas, I love your smile.���
���Sorry,��� Lucas said more seriously.
���Don���t be sorry. It makes me happy.��� She jumped up and down again.
���You are very silly today.��� What have I done to you? Lucas thought, looking at her.
They walked for a bit without talking.
���So let���s hear it; what happened with Sadi?��� she finally asked.
Lucas looked at her with concern. ���You sure?��� She nodded. ���Well, I think it bothered her a lot when I yelled at her this morning, because she actually apologized. I told her that I thought we should go to counseling; you know, to learn how to deal with each other for the baby.��� He stopped and looked at her. ���Should I stop?���
���No, go on.���
���She agreed, so I am going to find someone and go once a week until we can act civil to each other.��� He stopped and looked into her eyes. They were blank.
She swallowed. ���I think that���s a good idea, Lucas.���
���She also agreed to allow me to go the doctor appointment in three weeks if things went well,��� Lucas looked at her. ���Do you want to sit and talk, Tessa?���
���Nope, we can walk,��� she said.
She wanted to run and scream. He was going to be with her once a week, talking to her about feelings. He was going to her doctor appointment with her and he was having a precious little baby with her. All the things she knew he shou
ld do. She encouraged it; he was going to be with Sadi, and Tessa was going to either fall apart or be here picking up sand sized pieces of her heart trying to put it back together. Breathe Tessa she told herself. He was doing the right thing. Let him, be his friend, just breathe. She tripped and fell. The tears came immediately. Lucas squatted down beside her.
���You okay, Tessa?���
���No. It hurts.��� She curled into a ball and put her face into her legs. Tears poured into her lap as she tried to breathe.
���Let me help you up.���
���I can do it. Just give me a minute,��� Tessa winced.
Lucas watched her trying to be strong, and he wanted to just run away like she had asked him to the night before. But he had to be a man; she would hate him either way. He reached out and rubbed her back, and she stopped breathing.
���Sorry Tessa, does that hurt?���
���Yep,��� she said. Everything hurts. ���So what else happened with her?���
���She told me I needed to move out of here,��� he answered quietly.
She started to shake. ���And what did you say?���
���I told her I���d work on it, but it may be two more months,��� Lucas said softly.
She was taking deep breaths. ���So are you working on it?���
���I think I should,��� Lucas said softly.
���Oh,��� she said, defeated. She held her breath and the tears fell harder.
���I know you don���t want help up, but we should really get you back to clean up that leg.���
Tessa hadn���t even realized she was bleeding. The pain in her leg was nothing compared to the tear in her heart. She sat up and lifted her shirt to wipe her eyes and looked down at her leg. She exhaled and shook her head. He put his hand out and she took it. He lifted her up.
���Thank you,��� she said softly.
���Can you walk?���
���I���m going to have to figure it out,��� she said breathing in deeply.
���I can���t let you limp all the way to the house. Tessa.���
���Well, that one, you���re just going to have to figure out.��� Tessa forced a smile.
���Friends, Tessa?��� Lucas asked, searching her eyes.
���Anyways.��� Tessa swallowed hard and looked away.
NEW LOVE
Book 2
CHAPTER ONE
Tessa came home from play practice and turned on the hot tub. Chewy, her yellow lab met her at the door, wagging his tail with his ball in his mouth. She smiled and pet him. He dropped the ball at her feet and she picked it up and threw it.
���Good boy Chewy,��� she patted his head when he returned with the ball.
Lucas pulled in the driveway and Chewy brought him the ball Tessa had just thrown. He forced a smile. ���Hello Tessa.���
���Hey.���
He walked past her and went in the house. She took a deep breath as he passed her. She loved the way he smelled. When he wasn���t fresh from the shower, he smelled warm and outdoorsy.
After a few minutes, she walked inside.
Lucas was walking out of the bathroom when they bumped into each other.
���Sorry bab��� Tessa.���
Tessa smiled and went in and changed out of her clothes and into a modest bathing suit. She came out into the living room, and he was sitting on the couch with his hands in his hair.
���You okay?���
���Nope,��� he looked up and raised his eyebrow.
She stood briefly and watched his face, his jaw set; his green eyes looked lost as if he were searching hers for answers. He shook his head and smiled. She noticed his smile didn���t reach his eyes and knew he was hurting.
Tessa ran upstairs and grabbed his trunks. She ran downstairs and threw them at him.
���Suit up grumpy, relaxation time.���
���Tessa there is nothing relaxing about being in there with you,��� Lucas scowled.
���Suck it up and let���s go,��� Tessa said as she walked out the door.
* * *
Tessa was in the hot tub when he walked out, she had on dark sunglasses so he couldn���t see her checking him out. One of the many ways she had figured out how she would get through this.
Lucas stepped in and sat across from her.
���So what���s going on Lucas?���
���Honestly Tessa, three hours ago you sat out there in the field������ Lucas started.
���I got hurt Lucas,��� she said dryly.
���Do you think I���m stupid?��� Lucas asked, sitting back scowling slightly.
���Depends.���
���Are you drunk?��� Lucas asked callously.
She threw her sunglasses atop her head swiftly, ���Are you stoned?���
���Tessa you have on sunglasses, it���s dark, and I really don���t see why that offends you,��� Lucas said sarcastically.
���I���ve drank three times in my life, how many times have you been stoned?���
He smirked, ���Sorry bab��� Tessa.���
Tessa threw a towel at him.
���Sit back and cover your face,��� she demanded.
���What?��� he asked laughing.
���Cover your face it���ll be less dist������ she started, ���It will help you relax.��� Lucas did what she asked, and she watched his chest rise and fall with each breath. His lips were full and delicious she wanted to suck them. She bit her lip as she looked at him; he lifted the towel and saw her watching him.
���Damn it Tessa,��� he stood up.
She stood in front of him.
���I want to talk about what���s bugging you Lucas,��� she said softly.
Lucas looked her up and down, his nostrils flared, and he clenched his jaw. Tessa reached up slowly to touch him, he closed his eyes. She pushed him down so that he was sitting and turned around and bent over the hot tub and grabbed two bottles of water.
Fuck, he thought as he looked at her.
Tessa turned around and handed him the water.
She sat down and took a drink, ���So besides all that what���s going on?���
���I talked to the sheriff; he said I HAD to stay until mom was home. I argued, and he caved a little: I can go home on my nineteenth birthday,��� Lucas looked away from her, so she didn���t see the hurt in his eyes.
���Wow Lucas��� I don���t even know your birthday,��� Tessa looked pissed. ���How could I not know that?���
���It���s not a big deal,��� Lucas���s birthdays where normal celebrated by mailbox gifts from his dad and partying with his mom, they really weren���t a big deal. She was scowling and looked down. ���It���s December thirty- first.���
���Of course, it is,��� Tessa smiled coyly.
���Why does that amuse you?��� Lucas tilted his head to the side.
���Don���t ask questions you don���t want answers to,��� Tessa pulled down her sunglasses.
���No, I want to know.���
���That was the date I picked,��� he was confused. ���THE date.���
���You were really going to make me wait that long?��� he laughed. ���You wouldn���t have lasted.���
���I thought it was a sweet date,��� she said softly, ���you would have helped me stick to it.���
���Sorry Bab���Tessa, I was just p
laying with you.���
���Okay, so that���s only a few weeks away,��� she said, ���your mom doesn���t get back for a few weeks after that right?���
���Tessa it���s a long time,��� his brows knitted together.
���Lucas it���s less than five weeks. You get to visit your Mom Sunday right?���
���I do, don���t I?���
���Yes you do, and then what are your plans for Thanksgiving?���
���I���m supposed to go to Jersey to see Dad and my sisters.���
I was supposed to ask you ��� that was the date I picked, he thought.
���And that���s next week. See, you���ll be gone before you know it.���
Her smile faded.
He looked at her for a few minutes, and then whispered, ���I can���t see you sad for another day.���
���And I can���t see you go through this all alone,��� she stared at him. ���We can make this work, remember the rules from before about friendship?���
���Honestly I don���t. I���m pretty sure we broke almost all of them.���
���Well, we can���t anymore,��� Tessa forced a smile. ���I need to be your friend, and I need you to be mine, nothing less,��� she started tearing up, and she laughed. ���Didn���t we sort of go through this earlier?���
���We did,��� he nodded and fought the urge to hug her.
���We���re both smart right?���
���I guess we are.���
���And super competitive,��� she added, a little louder.
���Absolutely.���
���And hot,��� she laughed.
���No doubt bab���Tessa,��� he shook his head and they laughed.
���We got this then.���
���Hug?���
���Hell no.���
���I love you���my friend.���
���You too, bud,��� Tessa smiled.
* * *