Page 51 of All I Feel

Without delay, I walked out of my place, hopped in my truck, and made my way to the deli where Tessa and I had planned to meet.

I had no idea why she’d felt it necessary to even ask me if I still wanted to meet for lunch with her. Did she honestly believe I’d decline? That I’d somehow come up with better plans than spending the afternoon with her?

Tessa had been on my mind constantly for days now. Obviously, I’d been thinking about her ever since things went down that night at Lou’s when she learned her ex was cheating. But ever since I’d taken her roller skating earlier this week, I hadn’t been able to get her out of my mind.

I consistently recalled specific things fromthat night.

There was the way she laughed and allowed me to hold her hand nearly the entire evening. Having seen her upset on so many occasions recently, nothing gave me the feeling of contentment quite like seeing her so joyful. And to know she was holding on to me while she did it only made the feeling that much better.

There was the way her legs looked in those shorts. God, the number of times I’d thought about having those gorgeous legs wrapped around my waist was embarrassing. The fantasy had played out in my head so many times, I’d lost count. It felt like both a blessing and a curse. Because there wasn’t anything I disliked about imagining Tessa naked and writhing against me while she held on tight with her legs. If I was home in the shower or my bed, I’d relish the fantasy for a while. The problem was when those intrusive thoughts appeared at the most inopportune time. Like when I was at work and her brother wasn’t more than a few feet away.

Then there was the way she thanked and hugged me that night. I’d held Tessa in my arms before when she’d been upset or emotional. This had been different than that. I loved the way her warm, soft body felt pressed close to mine and how it seemed she was trying to leave a piece of herself with me. I swore I could smell her scent surrounding me in the days that followed. Even now, as I drove to the café, a hint of her still lingered.

We’d had a few opportunities to communicate briefly throughout the rest of the week, but Tessa and I hadn’t seen one another since I’d taken her out that night. If I hadn’t been trying to do things right and take it slow for her sake, I’d have probably pushed to see her sooner. But I didn’twant to screw this up, so I forced myself to have some restraint.

As I pulled into the parking lot at the café, I was relieved to see her car already here. It had been a strategic move on my part to select a spot closer to where she was working this morning. Other than a situation like this, it was unlikely I’d ever arrive somewhere after her.

I laughed as I recalled how frustrated she got when she thought about her inability to be on time for just about anything. But after I opened the door and stepped inside the café, the smile was wiped clean off my face. I regretted choosing a place that would allow her to show up ahead of me. Because I’d inadvertently put Tessa in a position that I didn’t think she felt very comfortable in, nor did I like very much.

Tessa was seated at a table already, but her ex was also there. Even from a distance, I couldn’t miss the way her shoulders had tensed and crept up toward her ears. Her back was to me, but since he was crouched at the side of the table, talking to her, I could see her profile.

Maybe it was time to make a bigger statement, since this asshole wasn’t getting it. Without giving it a second thought, my legs carried me across the small dining space to where Tessa was. And as I approached, I heard the tail end of his words. “… This is a sign, babe. We’re here at the same time. We need to talk this out. I told you I was sorry. I’m a changed man now, and?—”

“I don’t care what you think you are now, Ryan. Leave me alone.”

“I can’t even call you anymore. You blocked my number.”

“Yeah, because you wouldn’t stop reaching out to me, even after you were repeatedly asked not to.”

“I told you I’m not listening to anything that guy says.”

I got the feeling they were discussing me, so there was no better time to step in. I took the remaining two steps in their direction, placed my hand on Tessa’s shoulder, and waited for her to look at me.

Once her eyes locked on mine, I winked and bent toward her. I made it to her ear, drove my fingers into her hair, and whispered, “Play along.”

She parted her lips to say something, but I didn’t stop moving. I captured her mouth with mine. The second my lips hit hers, it was an effort not to deepen that kiss and drive my tongue inside her beautiful mouth. It would’ve been easy to become completely consumed. By all of her, yes. But especially those lips, the way she smelled, and how she tasted. It was easily the best kiss of my whole life, and I’d only just gotten a small taste.

Begrudgingly, I tugged lightly on her hair and separated my mouth from Tessa’s. And with my face just inches from hers, I couldn’t miss the heat in her stare, the pink on her cheeks, or the way her chest was rapidly rising and falling.

“How was your morning, Princess?”

She swallowed roughly, still gazing up at me like she thought I was some sort of superhero. “Good.”

“Good.” I smiled and winked again before tearing my attention away from her and looking at her ex, who was staring at us with a bit of shock in his expression. “Is there a problem here?”

“Why did you just kiss my girlfriend?”

My hand shifted out of Tessa’s hair, went to her opposite shoulder, and curled her toward me. Her head was right bymy hip. “Tessa is no longer your girlfriend. I’m not quite sure why you haven’t gotten the message. I believe I’ve already told you that Tessa is off limits.”

“This might come as a surprise to you, man, but just like I told her earlier this week, I don’t take orders from you.”

My eyes cut to Tessa. She hadn’t mentioned Hastings had reached out to her. Focusing on him again, I said, “You need to go now, and leave Tessa alone permanently.”

“Dude, this has nothing to do with you.”

“It was my mouth that was just on hers, wasn’t it?” I smirked at him. “I’d say this has everything to do with me.”

Ryan didn’t like that I’d gotten involved and dropped his gaze to Tessa. “Babe, we need to talk. You name the time and the place, and I’ll be there.”