by Mj Fields
���Tessa has the lead,��� Becca explained.
���You sing?��� Ben asked.
���I do,��� Tessa replied.
���Awesome, I play guitar,��� he said.
Tessa looked down, not wanting to see Lucas���s expression.
���Do you go to church, Ben?��� Becca asked.
���Yep, not as much as I should, but I do.��� Ben smiled politely at Becca.
Lucas threw down two jacks and they took four points. ���Are we done now?���
���No man, we play to fifteen.��� Ben smiled and pointed to Lucas���s seat. ���I���m not done with you yet.���
Tessa laughed and looked at Lucas, who was clearly annoyed. She bit her cheeks to try to stop.
���Hey Lucas, can we do this?���
���Absolutely,��� Lucas said as he sat.
���Good,��� she said. ���I like this game. So Ben do you dance?���
���A little,��� he said smirking. ���I bid three.���
���I go four,��� Lucas said immediately not waiting his turn or looking at his cards.
Tessa and Becca laughed.
Lucas led with the queen of hearts, and smiled at Tessa who looked terrified, she threw the two, Ben a seven and Becca could not follow suit. Lucas threw the King of hearts, Tessa the ten, and Ben the eight. Tessa looked at Lucas and laughed. He threw six, Ben threw a jack and smiled, Tessa threw the ace. They all laughed. When the game was over Lucas got up and walked away.
���So Tess, how long did you two date?��� Ben asked, smiling.
���Not long.���
���Long enough? I mean, are you done with it?��� Ben asked, thoughtfully.
She looked him in the eyes. ���Yes, but we���re still friends.���
���That���s it?���
���Yep.���
���Good. He���s not going to get all crazy on me, is he? I would hate to have to kick his ass in front of you.��� Ben winked.
She laughed. ���No he���s a good guy.���
���Go for a walk with me?���
���Sure,��� she said.
They walked down to the pond.
���I have to tell you, Tessa; I have been crushing on you since I was about five,��� Ben laughed.
���Oh, yeah?��� she said. ���So where were you three months ago?���
He laughed. ���When you���re available, and if you���re interested, let me know.���
���I will definitely keep that in mind,��� she said. ���In the meantime, tell me about yourself, Ben.���
Ben smiled. ���Ask me anything you want. I am an open book.���
���Okay, let���s walk; favorite subject?��� Tessa asked.
They walked back down to the cabin as she asked him several questions. Ben���s favorite subject was science, his favorite color was green, his favorite sport to play was basketball, he loves water sports, music, racing dirt bike, hanging out with his boys, he went to church camp every summer until his sophomore year, his parents were still together, none of his relationships ended badly, all in fact because the girls moved. He didn���t feel the need to keep in contact with them but was friends with them on Facebook which he reminded her she had not accepted his request yet.
They walked in and grabbed a drink and walked back out to the porch, Ben sat down.
���Your turn, Tessa. I want to know everything.��� She felt comfortable enough to tell him about everything except that she loved Lucas.
They went inside smiling, Alex invited Ben to stay at the house and join them in the hot tub.
���If Tess doesn���t mind, I would love to,��� Ben said.
���Sounds like fun,��� Tessa smiled.
���I���ll meet you guys there.��� she cleaned up in the camp. Lucas had already started cleaning off the counter.
���How���s it going?��� Lucas asked, avoiding eye contact.
���Alright,��� Tessa said softly.
���Cool.���
���I���m in no hurry, Lucas. I���m still not over my ex,��� Tessa said, moving in front of him so he had to look at her.
���I am alright, Tessa, okay?��� he said, looking quickly at her.
���Then take me home and get in the hot tub with us,��� she stomped her foot.
���Okay,��� he said. He double bagged the garbage and threw it in the back of his SUV. They pulled in and Lucas dropped her by the door, then drove out back to put the garbage in the dumpster.
* * *
When he went inside Tessa was coming out with swim shorts and a long- sleeved rash guard l top. He laughed as he walked by.
���What,��� she asked.
���That���s a lot of clothes for a hot tub,��� he said as he bound up the stairs.
Tessa ran up behind him. ���Fine! I really feel like you���re trying to whore me out!���
She took the shirt off and threw it at him; he looked over and saw her bare back, then stood and watched as she slipped a top over her head and tried to tie it. She stomped her foot.
���Let me get that,��� he said softly. His hot breath hit the back of her neck. ���I just want you to be happy.��� Lucas spun her around and kissed the top of her head. He looked down and pulled her top up a bit. ���Perfect,��� he said. She stared at him. ���Go Tessa, I���ll be out in a few minutes.���
She walked outside and got in the hot tub.
���Sit here, Tess,��� Ben said, standing up and reaching for her hand. Shit, she thought, he is perfect! Alex turned on the music, and after a couple songs Lucas came out and brought everyone drinks. He opened Tessa���s before he handed it to her. They all thanked him. He stepped in and Tessa put a towel over her face.
���So you guys hunting all week?��� Ben asked.
���I will go out before school and after practice,��� Alex said.
���How about you, Lucas?��� Ben asked.
Lucas sat down. ���I���m not sure yet. This is my first year, gotta see how I like it.���
���Nice, I bet you���ll love it,��� Ben said. ���Hey Tessa, you still cry if someone shoots a doe?���
���Yes,��� she smiled. ���Actually, no. I don���t care.���
���Yes, she does,��� Alex laughed. ���She just doesn���t try to beat us up anymore. Oh, and Bambi is completely off limits.���
She took the towel off her face and splashed Alex. Tessa looked at Lucas. His eyes were twinkling. She put the towel back over her face and laid back. Alex turned up the music and Two Princes by the Black Crows started playing. Ben laughed. He has a good laugh. Tessa bit her lip and tried not to smile.
���Tessa, why aren���t you singing tonight?��� Lucas asked with a smile in his voice. ���You always sing.���
���Come on, Tessa! Let���s hear you sing,��� Ben said.
���Seriously? Is this eighth grade or a Broadway production,��� she giggled. ���I���m good.���
The song ended and she took the towel off her head and sat up. She took a sip of her soda. ���You boys need to be up early, don���t stay out here too late.���
Tessa stood up and walked past them, she stepped out of the hot tub and walked inside.
���Do you know how disturbing it is to watch you two checking her out like that?��� Alex asked.
They looked at each other.
���If she wasn���t your sister, you���d be doing it too,��� Ben chuckled.
���Alright, that���s my queue. Lucas you can close this up, right?��� Alex asked.
���Yep, see you inside.���
���Well, this is uncomfortable,��� Ben laughed.
���I don���t think so,��� Lucas looked him without reaction.
���As soon as you left the game I asked Tessa how long you two dated.���
���She and I are friends; as long as you���re a good guy, I am cool with that. I just want her be happy, man. She���s special,��� Lucas warned.
���What happened with you two?��� Ben asked.
���She didn���t tell you?���
���No.���
���She deserves better,��� Lucas looked away.
���Says you or her?���
���Me,��� Lucas said curtly.
���Alright then, no rush here.���
���Good,��� Lucas said. ���She deserves the best, Ben.���
���Agreed,��� he stuck out his hand. Lucas shook it. ���You sure you���re done?���
���Yes,��� Lucas cleared his throat. As if I have a choice, he thought.
���Okay, I don���t want to be the rebound. I can wait,��� he said. ���You live here man?���
���Only until after the holidays,��� Lucas answered.
* * *
They went inside and Tessa was sitting at the computer on Facebook. Ben leaned over her and clicked on friend requests, he clicked on his name, ���You take it from here Ross,��� she pushed accept. He sat down next to her and dried his hair with the towel. ���Click on my page, I will show you around.���
Tessa clicked on his page and went straight to pictures, he showed her his best friends and she saw him in a band. ���You have a band?���
���Sure do,��� Ben smiled.
���You sing?���
���Some of the songs but I also play the guitar,��� he smiled. ���You���ll have to come see us sometime.���
���I���d like that.���
Ben showed her his mother, his ex- girlfriends and some pictures of him being crowned Homecoming king. She laughed and Lucas came into the kitchen still in his swim bottoms, he washed out his glass and put it in the strainer.
���Hey Lucas, Ben was homecoming king too,��� she laughed.
���Cool, three for three Tessa,��� he messed up her hair as he walked by.
���What���s that about?��� Ben asked smiling.
She clicked on her page and showed him Toby, ���This is Toby, possibly my future husband.��� She laughed, ���He was my date to homecoming. He was homecoming king three years ago.���
���Nice Tess, you deserve royalty,��� Ben smiled.
* * *
They all went to bed without alarms, John stayed at camp. Like clockwork, she woke at around 2:30 and Lucas went in. He had promised her a couple weeks ago he would wake her and he decided he should in case Ben woke up hearing her. ���Tessa you���re okay, wake up,��� Lucas said.
���Everything okay?��� Ben asked sleepily as he walked in.
���Yep she does this every night, she has for a few weeks,��� Lucas said. ���Tessa wake up, you���re okay, everyone is fine,��� she started crying, he started to pick her up and looked at Ben. ���You wanna take care if this?���
���Sure I guess,��� Ben said looking confused.
���You have to pick her up,��� Lucas said and he did, she grabbed his neck and cried softly. ���You may want to talk to her and try to calm her down,��� Lucas instructed anxiously.
Ben sat ���Tess wake up girl,��� he said. She opened her eyes, ���she���s awake.���
���No she���s not, she will probably kiss you,��� Lucas warned him, and probably say my name he thought.
She did and he slowly pulled away, ���Dude this is odd.���
���I can leave,��� Lucas said.
Fuck that he thought.
���Tessa wake up,��� he said and shook her lightly. ���Tessa wake up,��� he said in a firmer louder tone.
Tessa jumped and looked around confused. She looked at Ben and then at Lucas who knelt before her, her eyes got wide; she stood up and ran down the stairs.
* * *
She sat in the bathroom crying and Lucas opened the door. ���Tessa,��� he said. ���Are you awake now?���
���Yes, I���m awake,��� she snapped.
She was angry and confused.
���Are you mad at me?��� Lucas asked confused.
���Yes!���
���He heard you and walked in as I was trying to wake you. I told him to pick you up, and he did, you kissed him,��� Lucas said.
���I what? And you let me?��� she snapped.
���Tessa it may have been more odd if you were kissing me in front of him,��� he said trying to make some sense out of what happened. ���Or not I don���t know, Tessa what the fuck did you want me to do?��� he asked and now he was mad.
���I don���t know get Alex,��� Tessa cried.
���That would be a bit odd ��� watching you shove your tongue in your brother���s mouth,��� they looked at each other, both pissed off and then they both started laughing. He wiped her tears away and kissed the top of her head. ���Sorry baby I didn���t know what to do.���
���This needs to stop, I need to know why I am doing this.���
���On a positive note you didn���t ask him to do the things you ask me to do,��� Lucas laughed and she slugged him.
They walked up the stairs and Alex and Ben were sitting in her room, ���You okay Tessa,��� Alex asked.
���I guess I have kind of been freaking out at night, Ben I am sorry I shoved my tongue down your throat, however as Lucas kindly pointed out at least it wasn���t Alex who I tried to assault,��� she smiled.
���Tessa Ross you don���t have to be sorry, I really enjoyed it,��� Ben smiled.
Alex smacked him, ���I am going to stay in here tonight.��� Alex walked across the hall and he grabbed the bottle of water off his nightstand. He walked back in, ���this should work to wake you up.���
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Tessa woke up in the morning and remembered her dream. She showered and made breakfast. She was dancing to the music when Ben and Alex walked in.
���Good morning Tess,��� Ben said. ���You look happy this morning.���
���I am. I slept very well.���
���Steak and eggs, huh? I guess so. Remember anything?��� Ben asked smiling.
���I do. I remember the whole dream; it seemed real. I���m ready to take on the world,��� she smiled.
Lucas walked in the kitchen; ���Good morning,��� he said and grabbed a glass of milk.
���You going to school today or hunting?��� Ben asked.
���I need to go to school.���
���What time did you get in?��� Alex asked.
���About two,��� Lucas said and yawned, ���Good morning, Tessa.���
���Good morning Lucas,��� she smiled thinking of her dream.
���Tess remembers her dream, she said she slept well, must have been the music,��� Ben winked at her. He threw the last bite of egg in his mou
th. ���You going to take Tess to school?���
���I can,��� Lucas said quietly.
���Good because I wouldn���t want to run into that Sadi thing again. She told me she was pregnant right before she went all rabid dog on Tess. You know there is anal for that kind of girl,��� Ben laughed.
Tessa���s eyes widened and she held her mouth in a line trying not to laugh.
���Not my thing man,��� Lucas said looking down.
���Maybe it should be,��� Ben stood up and cleaned his plate.
���So Ben,��� Tessa said trying not to laugh. ���You���re into anal huh?��� she asked smiling.
���I am in to all sorts of things,��� Ben winked ���I like anal about as much as I like shooting Bambi. See you later Tess, maybe we can talk about it more when you are done with practice,��� Ben kissed her cheek and left.
* * *
���That���s disgusting,��� Lucas said, ���Maybe you should rethink the whole Ben thing.���
Tessa laughed. ���I don���t know maybe I will like it.���
���It���s not like your dreams, Tessa. I think you need to stop having them. Maybe it will curb your appetite.��� Lucas raised his eyebrow.
She gasped. ���I was awake last night.���
���You were,��� Lucas tried not to smile.
Her face turned red. ���Why didn���t you say something?���
���Like what, Tessa?��� Lucas asked.
She looked down. She didn���t want to upset him. She didn���t want him to leave again. ���I don���t know; ���you���re awake��� might have worked.���
���You wouldn���t have slept,��� Lucas said, scowling. ���Then you would have drank and possibly spit in my face again.��� He glared at her.
���Sorry.���
���I bet.���
She walked over to hug him and he stiffened.
���Oh,��� she was surprised. ���Sorry.��� She stomped out of the room.
He relaxed and grinned. She still loves me! Screw you, anal Ben!
