Chapter Thirteen
Tessa
I wake up alone in my bed and my heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. I turn to scan the floor and all his clothes are gone, the house silent. I sit up, aching between my legs from the marathon of sex we participated in last night, but it’s nowhere near the pain I have in my chest.
I let him play me. I laid under him while he filled my head and heart full of empty promises. I swipe at a tear that I let escape from my eye and sit up straight, knowing it will be the last one I cry for him. What the hell had I expected? He’d showed up on my doorstep with a hand full of wild flowers, bought at a bachelor auction by my mother, and in a moment of lust-filled weakness I offered myself up to him on a silver platter.
I’m so fucking stupid, I think to myself as I push up off the bed, unable to ignore the soreness radiating out from my core. It had been great sex, the best I’ve ever had, and maybe all the orgasms were a little bit worth it.
I run through the shower and dress. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I start a new job and begin a new life. I’ve been in town around two months and he hasn’t come for me. Not that it doesn’t stop me from looking over my shoulder anytime I go anywhere, or that I’m overly cautious when I come home to an empty house.
Matthew and I are just two damaged people who saw something in each other and found what we needed in the wonderful moments we’d shared. He’d given me hope and I’d soothed his pain with the balm of my soul.
Life has thrown me curve balls, and several of them have hit me. But I didn’t step away from the plate. I let my bruises heal and continued to play the game.
I take one last look at myself in the full-length mirror hanging from my closet door before going downstairs. By no means am I a supermodel or have the closet that comes along with the title, but I have done the best with what I have available in my closet, and I look polished and professional.
I round the corner into my kitchen and stop. Matthew is standing shirtless in front of the stove with a hand towel thrown over his shoulder. He turns when I gasp.
He looks me up and down, then smiles. “Good morning, gorgeous,” he greets me, as if we do this every morning.
He gestures for me to take a stool at the island. When I do, he slides a plate in front of me, then turns to retrieve a pan.
I’m still in shock that he’s here. He hadn’t left, which means he meant all the words he said to me last night. I can’t seem to wipe the shock off my face and he sees it.
“What?” he asks.
“I thought you’d left,” I admit, a little embarrassed that I’d thought the worst about him.
“I remember us discussing the fact that I wasn’t a dick?” He points the spatula in his hands at me. “Eggs? Oh no, wait,” he says turning placing the pan back on the stove and wipes his hands on his fine ass, then smacks them together in front of him. “Coffee first,” he announces, taking a mug down from the hooks I have lining the underside of the cabinets. “Because I know the women I live with…” He stops, looking at me when I scoff at him. He leans in. “Piper is a hellcat if she doesn’t get her coffee.” He pours me a cup, setting it in front of me, then offers me the milk and sugar.
I wave him off. “Black.” I take up the cup and look across the brim of it at him. “When she doesn’t have coffee?” I address the second half of his statement.
“Well, more so when she’s not caffeinated,” he says as he serves me the remaining eggs in the pan.
“I think she may need something more along the lines of Adderall or something.” I smile when he laughs.
“Yeah, that would probably work better.” I watch him turn from me, taking the chance to steal a few glances up and down his fine body. The man is a sculpted Grecian statue, everything in perfect proportions, the ink covering his body only adding to his flawless physique.
He turns quickly, catching me, and my eyes dart down to my untouched food. I quickly shove a forkful of the eggs into my mouth. “This is good,” I tell him around a mouthful of food.
He rests his ass against the counter, crossing his arm over his chest, tucking his hand in the pit of the arm that’s holding his coffee. I keep my attention on the eggs in the plate, trying not to add to the embarrassment of getting caught eye fucking him over breakfast and coffee.
He clears his throat, pulling my attention up to him and the handsome smirk he has on his face. “So, what are your plans for today?” He gestures at me with his coffee cup.
I chew the last bite of eggs and lay my fork on my plate, wiping my mouth. “Today’s my first day of work at the county tax accessor’s office.” I stand with my plate, rounding the island to him. He takes my plate from me and washes it along with the pan. “Wow, you’re just a full-service kinda guy, aren’t you?”
“I thought we covered that last night too.” He gives me a devious smile, his eyes going dark with lust as he looks at me. I can feel the burn of his gaze as he looks me over.
I feel my face flush and have to clear my throat to keep from choking on the breath I gasp in. He taps my nose with his index finger, still holding that smile that melts my panties. He pulls me to him, wrapping me in his bare arms. He smells of sex and sweat, an intoxicating mixture of me and him on his skin.
The butterflies take flight in my stomach with the way he’s looking at me. He tracks the movement of my tongue as I wet my lips in hopeful anticipation that he’s going to kiss me, like he had so many times last night.
He takes my chin between his forefinger and thumb, forcing my face up to his. “I’m gonna have Roman come by and look at your house in the next couple days. Because the fake ass rock outside your front door with the key, babe, has got to fucking go. No more keys under fake rocks right beside your front door. Agreed?” His eyes are intense as he waits for me to agree. “Tessa, give me the words.”
“Okay, I’ll get rid of it and hide it somewhere else,” I appease him.
He shakes his head. “No. No more hidden keys.”
I laugh. “Matthew, you don’t understand how many times I’ve locked myself out of my house.” I try and plead my case for having the key.
“It doesn’t matter. When Roman gets done, all you’ll need is your thumb print to unlock the door.”
I lay my hands on his chest. “Okay, hold on there, big boy.” I push away from him. “Where in the hell do you think I’m gonna get the money for this?” He goes to speak, but I hold up my hand, stopping him. “And don’t say for me not to worry about it.” I narrow my eyes at him.
He sighs, shoving his hand through his still sex messed hair. “Tessa—” he starts, but I stop him again.
“Don’t “Tessa” me, Matthew. Whatever this is between us is new. It’s not in the ‘install a five-thousand-dollar security system in my house’ place right now.” I step back to him, running my finger over his peck and feel it flex under my touch.
He grabs my hand and presses my palm flat against his chest. “I’ll just do it while you’re at work. I know where you keep the key.” His smile is devilish and almost impossible to resist, but I have to.
I roll my eyes. “Please don’t, Matthew. Then I’ll feel obligated to like you.”
He looks almost hurt. “Obligated to like me?”
I sigh, my hand still on his chest. “I like you just fine now, but the last thing I need is a man bulldozing his way through my life right now. Not when I’m just getting it back.”
His brows furrow. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing. It means nothing.” I turn from him, but he still has a hold of my wrist and pulls me back to him.
“What does that mean, Tessa?” He asks again, a bit more forceful this time.
I lower my head but he places his finger under my chin forcing my face back up to his. His brow is furrowed as his intense hazel eyes study mine for some clue of my past. He can look all he wants but over the years I’ve learned to still my features and control the level of emotion in my eyes.
“I didn’t force you to explain your past last night, Matthew, so please don’t press me to talk about mine.”
He studies me with a skeptical eye. “I’ll let it go, for now.”
I try to duck away again, but he doesn’t let me. “And the security system too?” I add, since he isn’t letting me go anytime soon.
His eyes are intense, still searching for something in mine. “For now,” he nods. “But for the love of God, get rid of the damn key under the fake rock.”
I laugh, lightening the mood a little. “Okay, if I have to.”
He leans in, kissing me. “I will protect you, Tessa, I swear, from whatever you’re running from, or what the hell ever is chasing you.” His eyes are narrowed and his features are set. I have no doubt he’s telling the truth. “We’ll talk about this later, but let’s get you to work.” He takes my hand and pulls me towards the front of the house, but stops to pull his shirt over his head before leading me out the door.
I watch him through my rearview as he tails me into town. The whole time I’m worrying I’d let a little too much slip out in the kitchen. He’s the last person I want to know how weak of a woman I’ve been in the past. I want him to get to know the real me, not the one who’s been beaten down.
I’ve been so consumed with Matthew this weekend, I haven’t had time to be nervous about starting a new job. But as I pull under the first light into town, a different kind of butterflies, other than the ones Matthew ignites, begin to flutter through my gut. I look back to see that he’s still with me as I turn down the street, heading for the courthouse.
~~~~~~
Matty
I follow Tessa into town, trying to get Eno on the phone. After three rings he finally picks up.
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“You got that information I asked for yesterday yet?” I bite off without even greeting him.
“Well, hello to you too, and no, I don’t, but I’m working on it,” he replies.
“Working on it?” I snap, my tone a bit more clipped than it should be.
“Yeah, I’m working on it. It’s been, like, twelve hours, dude. Getting the shit you asked for takes time, you know that.” I can’t get her words from earlier out of my head.
“Are you at the office today?” I ask as I pull into the spot next to where Tessa had parked.
“Yeah, man.”
“I’ll be there in thirty. Gotta go home and shower.” I cut the call before I have to answer a million questions, but prepare myself for them all when I get to the garage.
I drop my phone into the cup holder of the center console and move out of the truck, rushing to Tessa’s door to open it for her, but she beats me to it. “I could’ve gotten that, you know.”
She smiles at me, then leans back in to grab her purse. I take the time to appreciate her fine ass. “I know, Matthew, but you don’t always have to nearly break your neck to do it.”
She stands back up. Catching me, she slaps my chest. “Busted.”
I hold out my arms and she walks into them. I encircle her, holding her tight as I kiss her hair. “I had a wonderful time this weekend,” I whisper against her hair. She sighs a content sound and I smile, knowing she did too. “Look forward to more,” I add.
She leans back, pushing up on her toes to give me a kiss on the lips, then freezes. “What?” I ask her.
“Are we doing that whole PDA thing?”
“I would hope so.” I reach down, taking one of her ass cheeks in my hand and giving it a good squeeze.
“Oh.” She squeaks. “Matthew.” The smallest hint of red beginning to tint her cheeks.
“Just showing you some PDA, babe.” I lean in and steal another kiss. “You better get going. You don’t want to be late on your first day because you’re mauling me in the parking lot.” She steps back and turns for the steps, and I swat her ass one good time, making her jump. She throws a smile over her shoulder at me as she rubs the spot. “See you later?” I ask, but she just waves her hand at me.
I watch her disappear through the doors, then for some reason, I look across the street to see a man leaning against a light pole, staring at me. I nod at him as I round my truck and climb in. Glancing up into my rearview, I see him still standing there, his eyes still on me.
I throw the truck in reverse, keeping my eyes on the man the whole time and make it a point to drive by him, committing his face to memory. He isn’t familiar to me, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him around town or at the bar.
I maintain eye contact with him until I can no longer look out my window at him. When I look in the rearview mirror, he’s gone. The whole situation and encounter has my hackles up.
~~~~~~~
I run through the shower and ride my bike to the garage. Once through the fence, I head straight to Eno in the security office.
I sling open the door to find him at his desk. “Hey, man,” I say, a little more politely than I had talked to him earlier.
“What the hell had your panties in a wad this morning?” he asks, leaning back in his chair, swinging it from side to side.
I take the chair across the desk from him, sighing as I lower my body into the seat. I run my fingers through my hair, still trying to get used to it being shorter than I’ve had it in years. “Something Tessa said this morning about her past, and that she’s just getting her life back.” He falls silent, and when I look up at him, he has a smile on his face.
“This morning, huh?” He has his elbows rested on the arms of his chair, and steeples his fingers to rest against his chin.
I level my eyes at him, sneering. “Yes, this morning.” He goes to open his mouth and let out what I’m sure is a sarcastic comment, so I hold my hand up, stopping him. “Don’t say a fucking word.”
He clears his throat and pushes his body up in the chair, scooting it up to his desk. “What do you think she meant by that?”
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t have a fucking clue, man. That’s why I’d like to have that information I asked you for.”
“Like I told you, I’m working on it. I’ve got a call into that girl.” I know exactly who he’s talking about. We had, on more than one occasion, made her the meat in a Matty/Eno sandwich. The chick is a freak. “Anyway, she’s working on it on the side, but I haven’t heard back from her. I’ll give her a call in a little while and let you know if she’s found anything.”
I stand, turning for the door. “Thanks, man.” Then the incident with the stranger on the street comes to mind. “Another thing. There was a man this morning.” I relay the information to him. “He was just standing across the street watching us when I dropped her off at work.”
“Ever seen him before?” He asks me.
“No, but I got a good look at him and would recognize him again if I saw him.” I rest my hand on the door, getting ready to push it open when his question stops me.
“You think he might have something to do with what she said this morning?” He gives me a concerned look.
I shake my head, fighting back the fear that she may be in danger, but she couldn’t have run into a better man if she is. I just wish I knew what, or who, the threat is she’s running from. I can’t get that information fast enough. “I don’t know, but maybe I can get her to open up about it.” I pull the door open. “Later, man,” I say to him over my shoulder.
I leave my bike parked in front of the security office and walk across the lot to the garage, my mind racing with thoughts of Tessa. The woman is a mystery, completely intriguing in every possible way, and she’s quickly making me an addict. Last night with her was amazing, and had she not had to go to work this morning, I’m sure we would still be naked in her bed right now.
This is going to be a long fucking day with thoughts of her naked and under me filling my head and making my cock hard. I adjust myself as I walk through the bay doors to find Dalton bent over the engine of a sweet cherry red ride, and I know exactly who it belongs to. “When did she bring this in?” I ask him, leaning a hip against the fender, crossing my arms over my chest.
He stands, wiping his hands on a cloth he pulled from his back pocket and smiles. “This morning, and she was looking for you. But I thought I would help a brother out and do the oil change for you.” He mimics my pose, giving me a serious look. “Is she going to be a problem with…” he gestures at me, “whatever it is you got going on with Tessa?”
I push off the car. “No, she isn’t,” I say with finality. I’m gonna have to stop whatever angle she’s playing. “She in the clubhouse?” I ask him, already knowing the answer to the question.
“Hey, Matty,” he calls to me as I walk out into the hot sun. It’s only nine thirty in the morning, but the humidity is already hanging thick in the air, making small beads of sweat break out.
I turn to him. “Yeah?”
“Watch out for that one.” He tilts his head. “She’s cooking something.” I hear him laugh. “You want me to call Piper?”
I scoff. “No, I’ve got this. Thanks, Dalton.”
“Welcome.” I wave my hand over my head back at him. One thing I can always count on is that my brothers have my back.
I jerk the door open and the cool air from inside the clubhouse bum-rushes me, chilling the dampness on my skin. I step in and stand in the middle of the silent room, knowing where she is. I head back to my room, slinging open the door to find her laid out naked on my bed. When she sees me, she rises to her knees, dragging her red tipped fingers over her exposed breasts.
“Hey, Matty. I’ve been waiting for you.” Two weeks ago, I would’ve jumped at the chance to get my dick wet. Hell, I had, but not now. Everything is different.
I turn away from her, giving her my back. “Get your clothes on, Aerial, we’re not doing this anymore.” I hear the bed shift behind me, then feel her hands on me. A shudder runs through me and I step away from her.
“I thought we could have a little fun while Dalton works on my car,” she coos, once again trying to touch me, but this time, I take her wrists in my hands and hold them away from me.
“He’s done, and you need to find another place to have your car worked on. Get dressed and get the fuck out of here.”
“Is this because of her?” she snaps bitterly.
“No, this is because of me, and be very careful, Aerial. Get dressed and go home to your husband,” I tell her again. She steps back, giving me a pouty face.
“You’ll get bored with her and you’ll come looking for me again, so why can’t we do this?” She drops to her knees in front of me, taking my belt in her hands. I once again take her wrists in my hands, pulling them away from my belt.
“No, I won’t, not again.” And yes, it has everything to do with Tessa and the person I want to be for her. She has me wanting and needing different things other than mindless sex with women I feel nothing for. She makes me think I can have the real thing again, and I want that with her. The woman kneeling in front of me, I’ve buried my dick in many times, but she’s lost the allure, and the thought of being inside of her turns my stomach. I once again step away from her, fixing my belt.
When I finish, I offer my hand to her. Taking it, she pulls herself up, rubbing her body against mine on the way. I sigh when she finishes and I look down at her. “That’s it.” I take her by the arm, walking her across the room, picking up her clothes as we go. I shove her into the bathroom and toss the clothes to her. “Get fucking dressed and get the hell out.” I slam the door on her stunned face.