CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Will
The Teresa I fell asleep holding last night is not the same Teresa I woke up with. A few minutes ago, we pulled into Ouachita and I watched from my lean against the car as she attached her GoPro to Southpaw’s collar, instructing him in murmurs to act natural. As soon as she finished her handiwork, he went hurtling down a path toward the trees, last night’s bout of exhaustion apparently a thing of the past. For now. Teresa walks beside me on the path, her eyes looking shaded and tired, telling me she didn’t catch as many Z’s as I did. Christ, I haven’t logged this many hours of sleep in a decade—all since Teresa showed up.
Neither she nor Southpaw were in bed when I woke, shocked to find daylight filtering in through the white hotel room curtains. But I could hear the happy jingle of Southpaw’s collar out in the living room, his exuberant snuffs telling me I could afford to lie in bed a few extra minutes. And I needed them, because the relief that I had another day with him was followed by the bracing reality of how I feel about Teresa. She knew exactly what I needed last night, even when I didn’t and all I could think of was dragging her back to bed so I could worship her pussy.
When I walked into the living room, intending to do just that, I found her already showered and dressed, twisting a cup of coffee side to side on the breakfast bar, looking distant. Anxious. Not in a fuck it better, Will kind of way, either, otherwise we would still be wrecking the bed. I don’t have experience with women beyond casual sex, but there’s nothing casual about me and Teresa. She’s got something on her mind and I need to know about it so I can fix it. Then we’ll get to the wrecking.
After the phone call with my associate yesterday, one of my theories is she’s on the run after some shady shit went down at her job. Something worse than just the illegal activity she initially told me about. If that’s the case, it’s already being handled. I can’t tell her that, though, or she’ll know I dug into her personal life. And we’re not solid enough yet to put a potential crack in the foundation we’re building.
One I intend to keep building, no matter what.
Teresa is mine. My bones know it. My head. Even the heart I thought was too damaged and scabbed over to be touched knows she belongs with me.
The hard part is being patient while she figures it out.
“You’re quiet,” I say. “You’re missing your pink cowgirl room, aren’t you?”
Her surprised laugh hits me right in the stomach. “You caught me.” She rolls her lips together on a long pause. “No, it’s just…I’ve had a change of plans, Will.”
My feet stop moving on the path, a boulder coming to rest inside my stomach. Tamping down on my instincts is hard as a motherfucker. I want to get right up in her personal space and tell her yes, they have changed. To include me. But I don’t think I’d get another word out of her if I followed those impulses. And I need to know what I’m up against.
Teresa stops on the path, too, looking everywhere but me while continuing her explanation. “I-I guess I’ve been debating when and how to tell you. Or if this thing between us…if it’s substantial enough that I even need to tell you I’m—”
“It is.”
A puff of air leaves her. “Okay. I’m flying to New York tomorrow morning.” She adjusts her sunglasses. “The friend I’m staying with is leaving on a trip soon. We have to do the apartment key hand off, plus I want to see her before she goes.”
“When did you speak to your friend?”
Her right eyebrow arches. “She messaged me last night while we were sleeping. I got it this morning.”
“Her trip kind of came out of nowhere, didn’t it?”
“Um. Welcome to the age of spontaneous millenials. Make yourself at home.”
We’re squared off on the path, almost-lovers to adversaries in a matter of seconds. I’ve never wanted to fuck her more than I do right now, the other park-goers be damned. I’d plant her open knees on the path and give her my cock from behind, while I patiently explain in her ear that I’m becoming more than a little obsessed with her. And her getting on a plane without me isn’t an option if I want to keep my sanity intact. “Fine.” As I move past her, I plant a hard kiss on her lips. “I’ll handle plane reservations.”
She jogs after me. “Reservations plural?”
“Yes.”
“Will,” she mutters, grabbing hold of my arm. “Would you stop for a second?”
I quit moving even though I want to jump out of my skin. “Let me ask you a question, Teresa. Do you want to leave?”
“Leave you and Southpaw?” she whispers. I give a single nod and attempt to prepare myself for her answer. When she shakes her head, it’s like I’ve just been given a stay of execution. “No. I really don’t.”
“Okay. That’s good.” I clear my throat of rust. “Do you have to leave?”
“Yes.”
I can’t pinpoint what is it about her too-fast answer that makes me suspicious, but there’s something off about the hint of pleading in her tone. The way she’s trembling even though the sun beats down on us. “Is this friend of yours really a man?” The question is out before my brain gives the formal command. No, when it comes to Teresa and other men, my brain vacates the building. “I hope for his sake that’s not the case.”
“It’s not.” Fire kindles in her eyes—and I was wrong before. It’s possible to want to fuck her even more than I already did. “I’m giving your macho attitude a lot of leeway.”
“I appreciate that.”
“Good. Don’t push it.”
We’re both breathing heavy, but we’re forced to put our stand-off on hold while a family of four passes. No, their arrival doesn’t make me any less horny, and as soon as they’re out of earshot, I take a step closer to Teresa, putting our faces a few inches apart. “You don’t want to leave us, but you have no choice. I do have a choice. So I’m making it. Because I’m not letting you get away from me.”
The flames in her eyes are doused, her mouth softening. “But this trip is important to you.” She looks off toward the tree line, her words halting. “It’s important to him. Y-you should think about it a little harder.”
“Jesus.” Frustration snaking into my throat, I reach up to shake her shoulders but let my hands drop before I can follow through. “Maybe this trip wasn’t just about giving Southpaw the final days he deserves. Maybe it was about meeting you. No. You know what? It was.” I pace away and come back, energy snapping in my joints. “I used to wake up at five in the morning. And now, it’s like I’m making up for every single minute of sleep I’ve missed my entire life. Maybe I was missing sleep because I knew you were out there, baby, and I hadn’t met you yet.”
“Will. Stop,” she breathes, covering her face with both hands. “Oh God, this is moving too fast. I didn’t expect you to be you. Didn’t expect any of this.”
“Yeah? Me either.” I pry her wrists away from her face, alarmed to see panic in her expression, before she can hide it. “Am I really moving too fast or is there something holding you back? I will demolish it to keep you with me, Teresa. Just talk to me.”
“Yes, it’s moving too fast,” she blurts, jumping on the explanation I wish I hadn’t offered her. The step she takes backwards might as well be the length of a mile, her eyes staring at nothing over my shoulder, same as they were this morning. “I only left home a week ago. I don’t want to be tied down before I even get where I’m going. God.”
The strong sense that she’s not being truthful doesn’t completely ease the blow. What I hear is that she doesn’t feel the same—and considering what I’d be willing to sacrifice for her now and in the future, considering I’m aching just looking at this woman, those words are unacceptable. “You’ve got me tied down. How about that? I’m tied the fuck down.”
“Will…” she whispers.
“For the record, baby, I think you’re full of shit. It’s going to kill me to ask you this, but when was the last time you slept beside someone?”
No hesitation. “A long time ago.”
“Yeah. Good.” I twist a fist in the hem of my shirt. “You spent the night warming every inch of your skin on mine, purring for back rubs and tucking your hands and feet in places so I could heat them up. It’s been a long time for me, too, but I know it’s not supposed to feel that goddamn natural and right. Your mouth needs a little longer to admit we’ve got each other tied down? Fine. But I’m going to end up back in New York sooner or later, and if you think I’m not going to knock fucking walls down to get to you, you’ve got another think coming, woman.” I pause to let her sputter. “Give me until morning to convince you to let me fly you there tomorrow. That’s what I’m asking.”
“How did this happen?” she says, seemingly to herself. I miss the second half of what she says, but it sounds like, “He’s trying to convince me…”
“Tomorrow morning, Teresa.” I move into her space and capture her dropped open mouth with a hard kiss. “I’m going to get us a map at the visitor center. Stay on the path and I’ll catch up.”
Leaving her standing there looking half stricken, half impressed is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But I harden myself against the need to turn back and kiss her until she’s convinced right now.
Instead, I keep walking…and start to make plans.