by Mj Fields
“Please tell them I am sorry,” Luke said and grinned.
Tessa lifted her shirt, “Tell them yourself,” she said grinning.
She had on a blue lace bra that snapped in the front, “Tessa,” he said in a strained voice.
“Don’t talk to me talk to them,” she said and laughed. He reached his hand over and she slapped it, “You better apologize to them first, they are not that kind of girls,” she said smirking.
“I am very sorry, more sorry than you can imagine that I didn’t take you up on your offer at the lake, you are lovely and I want nothing more than to touch you right now, may I,” he asked.
She pulled her shirt down, “They accept your apology but want you to wait until Friday,” she said laughing.
“I will take that,” he said sitting back in the seat, breathing deeply.
“What else?” she asked grinning with excitement.
“I think we are good for right now Tessa, I would prefer to not walk into your house stiff to talk to your parents,” he said as he was trying to breathe deeply to relax himself.
She smiled and took his hand, “Both hands on the wheel please,” he said throwing his head back into the seat, she laughed.
~
Maggie was upstairs when they walked in, “Tessa, Lucas, come up here please,” she yelled down
“Good luck,” Alex said clearly annoyed.
They walked up the stairs. Maggie was screwing something into the door. “These are door alarms,” she said, “at night John will turn them on at bedtime and in the morning he will turn them off.”
“Okay Mrs. Ross,” Luke said, completely understanding what she was doing.
“So what if we have to pee in the middle of the night?” Tessa asked crossly and Luke gave her a look, hoping she would not argue.
“Well the alarm will go off, honey, kind of the point,” Maggie said sarcastically. She opened the door and closed it and the alarm went off and then silenced. “See no big deal, right Lucas?” she asked.
“No big deal Mrs. Ross,” he said and smiled softly.
“Tessa your Dad filled me in on the details, all of them,” Maggie said and glared at her. “Lucas, I am sorry about everything you have gone through I truly am, please remember she is my daughter, and she means the world to me,” she said with sincerity in her voice.
“Yes Ma’am I will,” and Luke meant it.
“Alright then Tessa you will come with me on Wednesday nights understand?” she said.
“Yes,” Tessa said softly.
“Alright then I will see you then,” Maggie hugged Tessa and kissed her head struggling with leaving her; she shook her head and walked away.
John was in the kitchen, “Do you know what you’re doing?” Maggie asked.
“Do any of us Maggie?” John asked with hurt in his voice.
Maggie shook her head no and tears filled her eyes. John hated to see her upset, he always had. He grabbed her and hugged her and she let him.
A few moments passed and Maggie looked up at him, “See you Wednesday,” she wiped her eyes and walked out the door. John’s heart sank.
~
Maggie had set up the boys room. She had Molly’s old bed in there and had already made it, and she had put up a clothes rack and a bin for him to use to put his clothes away. Tessa was pulling his clothes out and putting them on hangers. She smiled when she grabbed a pair of black boxer briefs. She threw them across the hall to her room, and grinned at him.
“What are you doing?” Luke asked smiling.
“New pajamas,” she said smiling and mumbled under her breath, “I am going to be in your pants tonight.”
“What did you say,” he asked laughing.
“Do I really need to repeat myself,” Tessa smiled and looked down at his groin and raised her eyebrow.
“Please don’t,” Luke said in a soft deep voice.
Tessa laughed and continued going through his stuff. She found his white hat and put it on his head, “The first time I saw you this was on your head, you look so hot in white hats,” she said.
“I thought I was an arrogant ass,” Luke said smiling.
“You were, sometimes still are, but you’ve always been a lot of fun to look at,” Tessa said grinning. She grabbed his cologne and took it in her room and sprayed her bed. Luke followed her and laughed.
Luke jumped on her bed and said, “This is where you sleep every night hu?” she smiled and shook her head and jumped on him; she kissed him and sat up.
His eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw, “I promised your father no hands,” he said quietly.
“Okay,” she smiled and her bottom circled his lap and she bit her bottom lip.
He started to grab her and she said, “No hands Mr. Links,” she said smiling and moved again.
He put his hands in the air and stood up she had to grab on, her eyes where huge and smile just as big when she felt him beneath her, “Down girl…please.”
Tessa slid down his body seductively all the way to her knees. He stepped over her and groaned. “You’re killing me Tessa.”
She followed him across the hall and grabbed his waist. “You said down girl, I was going down.”
He took her hands and kissed them, “It is going to be a long three months if I am fighting this every day,” he said and kissed her head.
She saw the pain in his eyes, “Does it hurt?”
“Kind of,” he said grinning.
“Well how, what’s it feel like?” Tessa asked.
“Like pressure and no explosion,” Luke said shaking his head.
She asks the damndest questions, he thought.
“Well what does the explosion feel like,” Tessa asked grinning.
“Well for me it’s kind of like when you have to pee really bad and you have to hold it for a long time. That’s the pressure. And then when you finally go the bathroom, that feeling times twenty, not sure what it feels like for a girl though. But the way you talk so openly about everything regardless of how uncomfortable it may be,” he said smiling, “I am sure you’ll tell me and I hope it’s while it’s happening.”
“Deal I will let you know, okay so next Friday you get these,” she said pointing to her chest. “And the next Friday I get that,” Tessa said grinning from ear to ear.
“Tessa you guys done up there?” John yelled up.
“For now,” she said and Luke closed his eyes and shook his head from side to side.
Slow down Tessa she heard her heart say.
“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours now?” Luke asked.
Without thinking she said, “I am dirty when I am around you,” he looked wounded, “I am sorry Luke, and I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just feel like I am ready to burst when I am around you, like I can’t get enough, like I could eat you up over and over again. I am scared that after we do it, it’ll be great; I mean really great,” she smiled, “but then what? The chase is over; we have already had sex and then what? I am scared of that Luke.”
He hugged her, “What happens after Tessa is love. You told me that and I know it will be true with you. I love you, I want you forever, and I don’t want to share you with anyone. I want to make you smile for the rest of our lives, love is what happens, just a deeper version of what we have now,” he kissed her. Her head was spinning, Lucas Links with the dirty dozen that grew up without guidance was the sweetest boy she had ever met. “You know Tessa I am scared too,” he admitted, “I have been with lots of girls, even thought I was in love once. But nothing like what I have with you, I have never felt this way, ever about anyone, not even my parents Tessa. You want what’s best for me, you have even hidden your hurt to allow me to shine. And I am scared shitless that you’re going to hurt me too. But I won’t let that happen to us, I won’t ever give you reason to doubt how I feel.”
She looked at him and knew what he said was true and at this very moment she trusted him with her heart.
“I am sorry Lucas, I will never doubt t
hat again,” she said, “we better get downstairs,” she said looking up at him, she pushed herself up on her toes and kissed his lips.
~
The hunting crew was starting to pull in for the normal Sunday target practice. Already she thought. She had about two hours to get dinner before they would be in. She pulled the covered casserole dish from the cupboard and preheated the oven, Luke was standing there, she smiled at him, “Can I help,” he asked.
“Nope go shoot, I will be out when dinner is in the oven,” Tessa smiled.
“That’s my girl,” Luke said, “Cooking me dinner, that is so hot,” he said and smiled, he kissed her on the cheek and went out.
~
Tessa got a large roast out of the freezer, and ran it under warm water thawing it to loosen the wrapping; she grabbed potatoes and peeled them. She sliced onions and celery and carrots. She got out some seasonings and threw them on top along with garlic. Everything was in the dish and she put it in the oven. Twenty minute prep ninety minutes to perfection she thought. She washed her hands and cleaned up. She switched the laundry and looked out the window as Kendall and Jake played with Chewy. The lawn was getting pretty bad and there wouldn’t be many more days that mowing would be possible. It was one of her favorite things to do.
Tessa threw on one of Luke’s sweatshirts and went out to the shop and checked the gas in the big green machine. She added some to it. She asked the kids to take Chewy inside. She loved the sweet smell of the grass when it was freshly cut; this was the one chore she had never complained about. It took a little over an hour to finish the yard around the house. She parked the mower and went inside, it smelled great. She hadn’t remembered a time in the last two months that she had not either been stressed about her parents or Luke. Tessa and her mother were finally getting along and Luke was here. She didn’t have to feel guilty. She laughed thinking that this morning she woke up in his arms, they went to church together, packed his bags, and put his stuff away together. Now dinner was in the oven, he was hanging out with her family and she was mowing the lawn. Life could not get any better.
Tessa turned around and Luke was standing there leaning on the counter smiling at her. “Does it ever stop Tessa?” he asked smiling.
“Does what stop,” she laughed feeling busted.
“That mind, what are you thinking?” Luke asked, if he didn’t know she wouldn’t tell him.
“Guess,” she said.
“Is it about me,” he said walking up to her. Always she thought.
“You are very full of yourself aren’t you,” she laughed.
“Just hopeful I guess. You didn’t answer my question,” he laughed and hugged her.
“Yes it was about you,” she let slip out.
“Good,” he said “can I help with anything?” he asked as she was reaching up in the cupboard to grab plates.
“Nope I want to take care of you tonight,” she said smiling.
Luke pulled himself up on the counter and watched her set the table. She pulled out the roast and checked the temperature, it was done. She walked into the bathroom and grabbed a hair tie and threw her hair up and walked back into the kitchen, he still sat there smiling at her. She smirked. She walked next to him and opened the under the counter CD player and popped in the Pearl Jam CD Jade had given her. She hit number twelve and turned it up. She loved this song. She sang along to Black. She pulled the roast out and pulled it apart with a fork. She took a piece over for Luke to taste, he opened his mouth and she put it in. Luke quickly closed his mouth around her finger and gently sucked it. Tessa smiled and bent her finger hooking his teeth and brought his face to hers and lightly kissed his cheek. How does that happen she wondered as she felt her body tingle when he sucked her finger.
She walked away and he grabbed her waist and turned her around and pulled her into him, “Dance with me?”
She wrapped her arm around his neck and his hands rested on her hips. He can dance she thought, of course he could he is amazing at everything. The song ended and she stepped away just in time as her Dad and her brothers and sister came in.
“Tessa you mowed that lawn and made dinner?” John asked. “Feeling guilty?”
“Ha Ha Dad,” Tessa said giving him apologetic eyes.
~
They ate and Luke and Alex did dishes, Tessa sat on the counter and took pictures of the big bad boys in blue doing dishes. She told them when they missed a spot and laughed when Alex was annoyed. Kendall and Jake were busy sneaking clean dishes from the cupboards and setting them up to be cleaned. It took Alex and Luke about fifteen extra dishes to realize what was going on. Tessa laughed and Alex grabbed the sprayer and got Tessa, Kendall, and Jake soaked. They then sat on the counter laughing as they cleaned up the mess. Tessa wanted to be mad but couldn’t, it was very funny.
The younger two showered and headed up to bed. Tessa ironed her clothes for the next day. Alex brought some down and she ironed his and the kids. She turned off the iron and turned around, Luke was sitting there with his clothes and she tried to grab them, “No Tessa, I have done it myself for years I got it,” Luke said.
Tessa took them and said, “I want to,” and he let her. She thought of all the years that her mother had taken care of her and knew Luke probably didn’t get the same growing up. She wanted to take care of him, and she decided for the next three months she would.
Tessa showered and put on her nightgown and his black boxer briefs under them. She put on a black knee length rob knowing her Dad would probably prefer it that way.
Luke was outside talking to his father when she came out to get a drink, from the looks of things he didn’t need to stress it like he thought he would. He came in and looked at her, and smiled, “All is well.”
“Good,” Tessa said and hugged him. She grabbed her physics book off the counter, “Do you have any homework?” she asked.
“No but I should probably do some studying, I need to try to beat your brother out as valedictorian,” Luke smiled.
Tessa sat on the couch with her book and a notepad, she sat cross legged and he thought she looked much younger than normal; he smiled and shook his head when he noticed his underwear.
“Nice hu?” she asked, “Surprisingly comfortable. I like them,” she said and raised her eyebrows.
“I like you in them,” Luke grinned.
He grabbed a pillow from the back of the couch and set it on his lap and clenched his teeth. She laughed, he shook his head.
“Killing. Me,” Luke whispered.
John was falling asleep in the chair and Tessa was on the couch. Luke watched her as she drifted off. He liked it here with her, and her family. He wondered if it would get old. She whispered his name in her sleep and he realized no, never. He woke her up with a kiss.
“Hey baby, it’s time to go to bed,” Luke whispered so her father didn’t hear him.
“Ok,” Tessa said and she stretched and got up.
They walked up the stairs and he walked her into her room, he kissed her as they stood in front of her bed. He pressed his forehead to hers looking in her eyes and untied her rob. He stood back and slipped it off her shoulders. He lifted her nightgown and smiled at the boxer briefs. He kissed her again and shook his head and walked out the door. Luke walked down the stairs and John was waking up.
“Mr. Ross I am going to bed now, thank you for all this,” Luke said sincerely.
“Luke we all need help now and then, you’re a good kid, it’s not a problem,” John said. “Now get up there so I can set those alarms, or Maggie will have my hide.”
Chapter 19
Tessa opened the door expecting the alarm to go off, it didn’t John had already turned them off. She walked downstairs and grabbed the crockpot and took the pork roast out of the fridge and put it in with a bottle of barbeque sauce. She went into the bathroom and jumped in the shower and conditioned her hair, she had already shaved and shampooed last night. She stepped out of the shower and realized she had forgotten to grab towels;
she stepped across the floor and slipped. Luke walked in and caught her, “Forgot to lock the door baby, sorry, I’m not looking,” he said.
“No but I guess we don’t have to wait till Friday,” she whispered and he realized his hand was on her breast.
Tessa grabbed the towel with her foot and dragged it to her and grabbed it with her hand. She covered herself. He had not moved his hand. She turned her head towards him, “Good morning Lucas,” she smiled.
He slowly opened one eye and started to pull his hand away. She put her hand over his holding it there.
“Good morning Tessa,” he said frozen.
He leaned down and kissed her, she moved her hand and left his there. She kissed him back and she felt his fingers caressing her. She let out a small quiet groan and enjoyed the moment. Luke slowly caressed her breast as he kissed her softly.
Tessa heard the kids walking around upstairs and pulled gently away, she stood and wrapped the towel around her.
“I will go out you stay,” she turned and kissed him as she walked out trying to gather her wits.
Tessa dressed and went to get breakfast; she made eggs, toast, and sausage. She grabbed five glasses and filled them with Orange juice and set them on the table. She pulled out the plates and filled them with food, everyone came out and ate. Luke didn’t look at her; he stared down as he ate his food.
Luke cleaned off the table as she got the kids lunch packed. Kendall and Jake thanked her and hugged her and ran out the door to catch the bus. Alex was in the shower.
Tessa smiled at him and he smiled back. They said nothing.
Alex, Luke, and Tessa piled in the truck a bit early today. They pulled in the school parking lot and Alex and Luke got out of the truck and Tessa left to go get Jade.
~
The girls were at their locker when Tommy and Luke came up the stairs. “Good morning pretty girl,” Tommy said as he kissed Jade. He didn’t have to ask anymore, they were in love and it was so good to see Jade smile, besides her father she had lost everything, including her mother to drugs and depression.
“Hello again Tessa,” Luke said as he grabbed her hand and bent down to kiss her.