by Bria Berg
Jim left after a little more than an hour later, telling the brothers that he would contact them when he could. It was late into night by then, and Tessa still hadn’t come out of the bathroom. Sam had noticed too so he walked over to the bathroom, but before he could knock, Milo stopped him. “I’ll get her,” he said.
Sam gave him a knowing smile muttering, “She already got you,” and hurried away before Milo could respond in any way.
Milo knocked on the door, and when there was no response, he knocked again calling her name with still no answer so without any hesitations, swung the door open. It wasn’t locked but he was ready to break it down if needed. The bathroom was empty, and he panicked. She couldn’t have snuck past them while they were talking, he would have noticed, and the one small window was closed with the blinds looking untouched. The shower curtain was drawn halfway, so he frantically opened the rest and relief flooded his veins when he saw her. She was asleep, curled up in a little ball inside the white porcelain bathtub, using a wadded-up towel as her pillow.
She looked so peaceful and a hint of a smile even played on her lips, so he didn’t want to wake her as he gently lifted her into his arms, and carried her out. Sam and Ethan sat at the counter each eating a popsicle, talking about how they had forgotten how awesome it was to have food at the ready and inside the refrigerator and freezer. They stopped when Milo appeared, holding the sleeping Tessa in his arms. They were all wondering the same thing, where should Tessa sleep? They hadn’t really planned this through all the way. They had a guest bedroom, currently without a bed and stacked with boxes of things from their childhood.
“I can make a bed for her on the couch,” Sam suggested.
“She’s not going to sleep on the couch,” Milo decided.
“She can take my bed,” Ethan offered.
Milo didn’t at all like the subtle smile Ethan was trying to hide. “She can have my bed,” he said leaving no room for questions.
Ethan quirked an eyebrow. “I’m guessing she is off limits then.”
A dark warning look was all he got in reply as Milo turned to the stairs and carried Tessa up to his bedroom. He laid her down trying his best not to wake her, before he pulled the blanket up to cover her. He watched her a moment while she slept, before he quickly grabbed some gym shorts then left as quietly as he could. He changed into his shorts and brushed his teeth before going back down.
Sam and Ethan had since finished their frozen treat and had gone to bed by the time Milo padded down the stairs. He made a makeshift bed on the biggest couch, which was still shorter than his body, but it would work. He had forgotten to grab an extra pillow, but he spotted Tessa’s pillow sitting on top of her bag full of things she had brought, and grabbed that one to use instead. Her pillow smelt like her hair, and he settled his head down in the sweet smelling scent of what smelt like a mixture of flowers and licorice. It didn’t take long before he fell asleep.
Chapter 24
Tessa woke suddenly, not knowing where she was. It took her a moment to remember that she was in Milo’s, Sam’s and Ethan’s house, but from there she was at a loss. She most certainly wasn’t in the bathroom tub, where she had last remembered being. She hopped out of the bed, but whose bed was still a mystery. It was dark, but as her eyes adjusted she was able to make her way to the door and then find a light switch.
The room was sparsely decorated, definitely a boys room. The king size bed had a soft dark gray comforter with gray, tan, and brown pillows, two of which she had been sleeping on. The dresser had a picture of the Ricks family, when they were much younger. She could easily pick out each of the boys, but they had all had a major growth spurt since the picture was taken. Their parents looked happy, as they each had an arm draped around their smiling boys. On the dresser sat a small fountain with the water trickling softly down the pebbles. Leaning against the dresser was a fishing pole, and just beyond that was a desk scattered with little fishing hooks and bobbers. There was no clear indication to who this room belonged to.
Tessa looked down at her clothes. She was still in the jeans and t-shirt that she had worn all day and spent hours cleaning in. Remembering that her bag was downstairs, she tiptoed out of the room careful not to wake anyone. The stairs along with the halls had illuminated built in night lights which she was grateful for, making it much easier to navigate around. After quickly finding her bag, she went to the bathroom to change, and do her nightly routine of washing her face, and brushing her teeth. When she finished, she went to return the bag and movement from the couch startled her.
She hadn’t noticed someone sleeping there before, and her first thought was that her father had stayed the night. The corners of her coral pillow case were visible as they poked out over the arm of the chair and she groaned slightly hoping her dad’s cologne wouldn’t rub off on it. Torn between prying her pillow away and just going back to sleep, she decided on the latter. Turning to go, her foot caught on one of the straps of her bag and with a quiet squeal she tumbled down. Before she could even turn to untangle her foot, a pair of hands grasped her shoulders.
“Tess you okay?”
She was alarmed again by the voice, because it was Milo’s not her fathers. “I’m okay, just clumsy,” she groaned turning her body to face him. He pulled her to her feet in the process, and Tessa was met with a solid wall of flesh. Even in the dim light she could see his toned muscular body, and her mouth went dry as her eyes roamed over him.
“You sure?” Milo asked drawing her out of her revere.
Only then did she realize her hands and arms were pressed up against his chest, his very warm, soft yet firm chest, and quickly stepped away. She cleared her throat. “Um yeah. Sorry I woke you.”
He grinned and she was sure he could see her undoubtedly scarlet cheeks. “What were you doing?”
“I woke up and needed to brush my teeth and stuff. What are you doing down here anyway?”
“Well I thought it might have scared you if I slept in my bed too, so I came down here. Guess I scared you either way.”
She laughed out once, a quick image of them sleeping in the same bed making butterflies dance in her stomach. “You can have your bed back and I’ll take the couch. That’s what I was planning on anyways.”
Milo quickly shook that idea away. “No way, I’m good. We have a guest room that just needs cleaning out and we can do that tomorrow, then you can stay in there.”
Tessa nodded once, knowing that no matter what she said it wouldn’t change his mind. “Thanks,” she said a bit awkwardly. It was hard to look at him without a shirt on, because so many impish thoughts that she had never had before swirled in her mind, so she averted her eyes.
Milo followed her gaze to the couch. “Do you want your pillow back? We can switch.”
“No, you can use it,” Tessa replied quickly. His was one smell she wouldn’t mind having on her pillow. “I’m just going to go back to bed now. Your bed is really comfortable.”
“I’m glad you like it,” he replied, and they both seemed to notice the innuendo of that at the same time. Tessa nodded once, and then turned to go back upstairs, hiding her smile as she went. Milo stood watching her until she turned the corner up the stairs, before he fell onto the couch, burying his face into her pillow. His resolve to not think of her in any other way other than a friend was becoming harder and harder with every second he spent with her. She was making him crazy, but the part that troubled him the most about the situation was his ability to protect her. How could he keep her safe if whenever he looked at her, he thought of her lips and how soft and sweet they would taste, or his hands tangled in her hair, roaming over her body… This needed to stop.
Milo woke from his agitated sleep to the smell and sound of sizzling bacon the next morning. He sat up, rolling his neck and shoulders in the process before angling his body towards the kitchen. Sure enough, Tessa was in there, cooking something over the stove. A pang of yearning washed over him as he stared. She wore plaid blue pajama s
horts and a gray slightly baggy t-shirt with her hair piled in a messy knot on top of her head, looking completely adorable. Her back was to him, and he couldn’t help but take a moment to admire the view. She turned around then, smiling when she saw he was awake, but seemed oblivious to the fact that he was practically devouring her with his eyes.
“I hope I didn’t wake you again, I was trying to be super quiet,” she said rather cheerfully, while in her own way making a very strong attempt to not ogle at his chest and stomach again which in the light of day was even more impressive.
He shook his head to focus as he walked tiredly to the counter and sat on a stool. “I’m pretty sure no man would ever be upset to wake up to the smell of bacon.”
Tessa smiled and began chopping up some fruit. Sam and Ethan came hurtling down the stairs soon after, Sam yawning, while Ethan looked like a kid in the candy store. “Oh man. I can get used to this,” Ethan said plopping down next to Milo. He was clearly a morning person like Tessa.
Milo shot Ethan a glare. “We didn’t bring her here to cook for us.”
“True, but you gotta love the perks of having her here,” Sam winked with a smile as he sat down.
“I actually love cooking,” Tessa put in. It was even more fun cooking for people who appreciated her. “Since you guys are placing your lives on hold for me, it’s the least I can do.”
The brothers each broke into a line about how they weren’t putting their lives on hold, and how they were in need of some excitement as Tessa went back to cooking the food. They ate stuffed French toast with bacon and fruit for breakfast, filling their stomachs to the brink of exploding. When they finished, once again the brothers cleaned up the kitchen while Tessa went back upstairs to take a shower.
Milo’s bathroom was what she would imagine a guy’s bathroom to look like. The shower curtain was dark blue with matching bath rugs. The walls were just the basic white with no embellishments or decorations whatsoever. The counter had an electric razor, an electric toothbrush, a rolled tube of toothpaste and a tub of hair styling putty. The counter contents were so sparse compared to a girl’s.
When she finished with her shower, indulging a little longer than normal, she wrapped herself snugly in a towel and walked back into Milo’s room. On the nightstand, her phone twinkled, indicating she had just received a voicemail. It was from her dad.
Hey Tess, just calling to check in. I’m sorry everything went down the way it did, but I want you to know I’ve always loved you. I guess I’ll just talk to you later, I love you. Bye.
Tessa’s thumb hovered over the delete button a moment before deciding to save it. It wasn’t often she heard her father or anyone tell her they loved her, and those three small words sunk deeply into her heart, with the beginnings of filling a void that she had always wanted but never had.
A soft knock on the door made her jump and fold her arms tightly across her body, holding the towel securely. “Yeah?” she called out.
“So we were thinking we should try and see what you can do.” It was Ethan’s calm and easy voice.
“Okay,” Tessa agreed allowing herself to breathe again.
“And we also thought to teach you some self-defense, you know, just in case.”
Tessa smiled as she tried to imagine it, although Ethan couldn’t see it. “Sounds like fun. I just need to get dressed then I’ll be down.”
She listened to Ethan’s steps retreat down the hall before she stood and went through her bag of clothes. If she was going to be learning some self-defense, then her yoga pants and a long sleeved t-shirt would work. After quickly dressing, she threw her still wet hair into a twisted bun and went downstairs.
The brothers were dressed in workout clothes and lounging on the couches.
“I think I should teach you guys how to cook. You shouldn’t go back to eating out every single meal once the weekend is over,” she said moving to the cupboard and grabbing a cup for water.
The brothers shared an uneasy look not sure how she would take the decision they had made with her father. “Uh Tess, we talked a lot with your dad last night and we all think it’s best if you stayed here, until Dracul is gone,” Sam explained since each Milo and Ethan didn’t seem to want to be the ones to break the news to her.
She paused with a cup of water halfway to her lips and turned. “But that could take a while. I’m already such a weight on you guys and I don’t want to impose any more than I already have to.” Her eyes filled with tears, something that had been happening a lot lately and before the brothers could try to say anything to the contrary, she broke down. “It isn’t fair, none of this is, especially to you Milo. I’m not worth it, I’m not worth any of your lives!”
The brothers stared at each other with pained expressions before Sam moved to stand before Tessa. “You’re right, this isn’t fair, for any of us, but Tess, we are glad you are in our lives. We all want to keep you safe, especially Milo, because we care about you. Think of us as extremely protective older brothers if you want, because as long as we know you, we are going to want to be around you and watch over you. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can accept the truth.”
“What truth? You shouldn’t have to care about me at all,” she sniffled.
“You are worth it Tess,” Milo said this time. “Knowing you has already changed all of our lives. We are better because of you, and we will never let you go.”
Tessa cried in earnest now, as all three brothers surrounded her with their comforting arms. “I don’t deserve you guys,” she attempted to laugh as she wiggled out of their embrace. “But thank you. Nobody has ever cared about me like this before, and I didn’t realize how much I wanted someone too. I always wondered what it would be like to have a brother or brothers,” she finished with a smile before stepping away. She hurried up the stairs to grab something from her bag after that.
“Brothers?” Ethan questioned Sam skeptically.
Sam fidgeted slightly as he shrugged, “Well that’s how it should be, right?” then shooting Milo an apprehensive look. “I mean what else should I have said to get the point across?”
Milo looked uncomfortable from whatever it was he was thinking, while Ethan stretched his hands behind his neck saying, “I’m pretty sure that if I had a sister I wouldn’t think of her the way I’ve thought of Tessa.”
Milo shot him a dark look before deciding to change the conversation all together. “Let’s go melt the snow in the yard and dry the grass so we can practice out there.”
When Tessa went out to the backyard several minutes later, she gaped at the sight. A large square of perfect green grass sat, completely surrounded by icy snow. She stepped down onto the lawn, and was surprised it was completely dry. Even the air surrounding them seemed to be warmer than it should be in the winter. The brothers stood in the center of the grass patch, waiting for her.
“What first?” she asked moving closer.
“Self-defense first, magic later,” Ethan said swinging his arms and stretching them back and forth.
Chapter 25
Over the next hour and a half, the brothers taught Tessa how to do a choke hold, how to get out of one, and how to throw an effective punch. They also taught her what to do if someone grabbed her from behind, which was do whatever she could to jab them hard in the throat. If she couldn’t do that, then she needed to grab her attacker’s hand and pull his fingers in the opposite direction, which would cause extreme pain. The brothers had been training to fight since they were children, and were all very capable, which made them good teachers.
It ended up being more fun and lighthearted than Tessa imagined it would be. She laughed every time two of the brothers demonstrated with each other first, and usually ended up in a full on wrestling match. It was entertaining to say the least as she realized that in some areas, men never grow up. The only time it got at all serious what when Milo put her in a choke hold, and as she maneuvered out of it, their bodies somehow ended up pressed right against each other. When
that happened, their eyes locked and for a moment neither of them pulled away until Ethan cleared his throat, and they both stumbled away from each other awkwardly.
None of the self-defense she learned would super helpful against a dark Gifted, but Tessa knew they were also teaching her in case she needed to use it against anyone at school as well. When they were finished with that training for the day, they took a late lunch break. Everyone helped make turkey sandwiches, which they ate in easy conversation.
“So,” Sam began as they were finishing up. “Milo said that when Mai attacked him, you countered her somehow. I wonder if that is something you can only do with your protector?”
“I don’t know,” Tessa shrugged. “I honestly don’t even know what I was doing. Milo had just saved my life by putting his hands over my chest and telling me to breathe, so I just acted, doing to same thing to him.”
“You don’t have active powers though,” Ethan thought. “Somehow you were able to harness Milo’s power to be strong enough to save him against Mai, which is crazy impressive since air is her element.”
“Let’s give it a try,” Sam decided. “Try to draw power out of me. We can start with something easy and in my element, like make a flower bloom.”
“That doesn’t sound easy,” Tessa said nervously.
“It was one of the first things Ethan and I learned to do with our power. All you have to do is imagine the flower blooming, then command the elements to make it so.”
“Right,” Tessa said skeptically as she moved outside. It was colder than in was earlier, and she shivered.
“Sorry,” Ethan said holding his arms out above him. Instantly, the air became warmer all around them.
“Cool,” Tessa breathed out.
Sam walked around a moment until he found a frozen, dead flower and motioned for Tessa to join him. She knelt down beside him with a questioning look.