Her lips twitch. “You really don’t know how to turn it all off do you?”
“Not sure Irememberhow.”
She tilts her head, eyes soft but sharp as always. “You could try.”
I press a kiss to her temple. “I promise, I am.”
A twinkle of mischief sparks in her eyes. “Oh. So, you’re not going to say something about how youcan’tbecause of me?”
“I’m still in a sex haze. Give me a minute.” I wink back at her.
“Is it always like this?” Tessa asks, tracing her fingers over my chest.
“Like what, baby?”
“So…explosive. So…intense. In a good way.”
“It’s only been like this with you,” I confess.
She rolls her eyes. “Bullshit, Chief. There’s no way a man like you was a saint.”
I lean down and gently bit her shoulder. “Never said I was. I just said it’s only been like this with you.Youmake me lose control.Youconsume all of me.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.” I smirk.
Tess shifts and wiggles off my lap, taking the blanket with her.
I soak her in as she wanders over to the living room window and looks out at the snow covered world.
The snow’s deep, but I know the main roads have already been cleared thanks to early morning messages from both Shane and Charlie while Tessa slept. It’s only a matter of time before the phone rings or someone knocks, looking for me. Another occupational hazard.
“We should probably see about your car,” I finally say as I get up off the sofa and walk up behind her. I wrap my arms aroundher waist and rest my head on her shoulder, not daring to tell her that I’ve already had her car towed out. The front bumper is toast and the axle is cracked. She won’t be driving anywhere for a while, but I’m not ready to break that news to her, yet.
“But first, a shower.”
Tessa nods. “Right. Back to reality.”
Her voice dips on the last word, and something twists in my gut. Because I know that tone—the one that says she’s already pulling back, bracing for the fallout of all … this.
Before I can stop myself, I spin her around and tip her chin up. “Tess.”
She looks at me, uncertain and beautiful and so damn stubborn.
“I meant it,” I tell her quietly. “Last night. This morning. Every word.”
Her breath catches. “You mean…?”
“I’m not walking away from this. From you.”
She studies me for a long second, eyes glassy with something that makes my chest ache. “You mean that?”
“Yeah,” I say, voice low. “I do.”
She lets out a shaky laugh, half relief, half disbelief.
I can’t help it. I pull her in again, holding her tight enough that I feel her heartbeat against mine.
