by Mj Fields
The door bell rang, and Lucas answered the door,
���I���ll open the gate: you can take it around back,��� he shut the door and smiled at Tessa. ���I���ll be right back.���
���Tessa it will be too much,��� Maggie said.
Kendall and Jake stood on the stairs and looked disappointed.
���Okay, so how about I bring them home tomorrow, and we hang out here tonight? I���m so sorry.��� She said, and Lucas walked in. ���I also think we could plan a real trip to the city before school starts if you want, or back up north?���
���The city,��� Kendall and Jake said at the same time.
���Okay, so tonight we plan a trip, maybe see a game and a show,��� Lucas said. ���But before that, you can all watch as Tessa gets annoyed that I just spent too much money. Come check it out.���
They followed him to the back.��� It can all move with us in three years when we go back home.���
There were men putting together a Gazebo, a tent was going up, and a portable dance floor being set out.
���What no pool or hot tub?��� Jake laughed.
���Not yet. The Gazebo is ours. The other stuff is rented. And the grill will be here soon,��� he said and looked at Tessa, ���Is that alright?���
���Lucas we are supposed to talk before you do it. Discuss things, remember?��� she said and looked at him, ���But it looks great. Are they going to disturb the plants?���
���No, they aren’t,��� he hugged her. ���Your brother and sister can stay for the party Tessa.���
���Can we please Mom?��� Kendall asked.
���I don���t know,��� she said.
���I think they���d be fine,��� John smiled at Maggie.
���Fine but if you change your mind, you call alright?��� Maggie looked concerned.
���Cool,��� Jake beamed.
* * *
Tessa helped Kendall do her hair and get ready for the party Lucas, and Jake planned the trip to the city. All the food was done, and they had about thirty minutes before the party started.
Jose was the first to arrive and helped them set up food under the tent. They had made pulled pork and chicken there were several salads and a table full of appetizers.
���Wow, it looks great out here,��� Jose smiled.
���Tessa did the landscaping the day we came home from training camp, and she and Kendall made all the food. I said I would have it catered, but she insisted it wasn���t a big deal,��� Lucas laughed.
Several people started coming in, and within an hour there were over fifty people in their new backyard oasis. Kendall and Jake stuck next to each other and looked nervous. Jose stayed near and talked with them as much as he could.
Lucas introduced Tessa to the new guys on the team, and she smiled warmly to all of them. Coach Brown walked in and came up to Tessa and hugged her.
���Hey, piss pot,��� Coach Brown smiled.
���Hey yourself, old man��� she laughed.
���Did you do all this?��� he asked.
���With some help from my sister and brother, Lucas and Jose helped too.���
���You better not work him too hard; we need him real bad this year, these clowns look awful.���
���How���s the defense? They going to protect him?���
���I hope so,��� he said.
���Good, if not I could come help out,��� she smirked and he laughed.
���Wow, look at those colors, who did the landscaping?���
���I did,���
���Really?��� he laughed sarcastically.
���Yes really,��� she smiled. ���I���m very talented.���
���Why don���t you go make me a plate,��� he ordered, smiling.
���Right after you kiss my������ she started.
���Tessa ��� be nice,��� Lucas���s jaw dropped.
Coach Brown laughed and walked away, ���Don���t stifle her personality, she���s terrific.���
���What���s going on with you and my coach?��� Lucas asked confused.
���He reminds me of my grandfather but don���t tell him I said that. Lucas, the first words out of his mouth were ���hey piss pot��� ��� she laughed. ���I think he can handle me.���
Lucas hugged and kissed her.
���You can dress her up, and she looks all hot but ������ he started.
���You better watch it, pal,��� she said and walked away as he laughed.
The night was fun, there were a lot of girlfriends, and many of them seemed to enjoy looking at Lucas. She did, however, notice many of the new guys watching her and more importantly she noticed Lucas noticing it. Lucas clung to her most of the night.
���Kendall, you look beautiful,��� Jose said.
���Thank you,��� she blushed.
Tessa and Lucas sat snuggled in a chair watching them.
���What���s going on over there?��� Tessa asked.
���I don���t know, but she could be naked, and he wouldn���t touch her, he���s saving himself for marriage,��� he smiled.
���Yeah, so was I,��� she rolled her eyes and laughed.
���Well, you only partway broke that promise to yourself. We just did it before our wedding. So chin up future Mrs. Lucas Links. Oh, by the way, that���s how I want you addressed Mrs. Lucas Links not Mrs. Tessa Links do you got that?��� he asked, and she started to elbow him. ���Hey, remember the boo- boo baby?���
���You are so lucky.���
���I know I am,��� he said and kissed her. ���Do you notice all the guys checking you out?���
���Do you notice all the girls checking you out?���
They both laughed.
���Can I have your attention please,��� Coach Brown said and everyone quieted down. ���I wanted to thank Lucas and Tessa for hosting this party for all of us. We can have a great season this year, we have some of our old players and many new faces. Remember you���re a team, and we���ll be all set. I was speaking to Tessa earlier, and she asked me how the defense looked. I told her it was going all right. Tessa informed me that if you little girls couldn���t take care of it, she would. She looks sweet and innocent, but I don���t think any of you want to see her bad side. Believe you me, it���s not pretty.���
They all laughed.
���I have been on the receiving end, she loves your quarterback take care of him, or I will hire her to boss your asses around.���
Tessa hopped up and hugged him and whispered in his ear, ���Thank you.���
���No, Tessa thank you.���
���Alright now I���m going to leave so you guys can get this party started. Tessa you have my number in case you need me to come back right?��� she smiled and he pulled her to the side. ���Can we talk for a minute alone?���
She followed him inside, ���He is an amazing player, just as good if not better than Miles. But that boy can���t function unless you are square up his ass. He told me you were going to start some new dance class, I am going to put feelers out I think I can set up some classes here at SU.���
She scowled.
���It���s not a handout, trust me. I���ve never wanted one of the bimbos to travel with us, but you���re different. I am not asking you to stay if you’re unhappy or compromise yourself, but you proved yourself with Miles,
and you love this boy. Anything you need Tessa Ross, you little piss pot,��� he smiled. ���Call me.���
���Okay, but don���t ever refer to me as a Bimbo,��� she scowled closing the door behind him.
���What was that all about?��� Lucas asked when she came back outside.
���Did you say something about Zumba?��� she asked and raised her eyebrows.
���Sorry,��� he grinned.
���As well you should be oh, and he wants me to travel with you?���
He smiled, ���What did you say?���
���I told him no,��� she got up and he followed her.
���I might change my mind if you dance with me,��� she laughed.
���Is that all it takes?���
���Oh no, there will be more demands later,��� she yelled behind her.
He laughed and joined her. She motioned for Jose, Kendall, and Jake, and they all danced and laughed. The others started to join them. Tessa watched, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. She kissed Lucas and ran inside to grab more food. The new backup quarterback Mark walked in behind her.
���Tessa right?���
���Yep, sorry I forgot your name,��� she smiled.
���Mark, can I help you with anything?���
���Sure if you give me a minute.���
���No problem,��� he sat at the kitchen island.
���So where are you from?���
���Kansas,��� he said, ���The middle of nowhere.���
���I���m from here, well an hour away, the middle of nowhere as well,��� she laughed. ���Do you miss home?���
���Not yet, it���s been busy.���
���Well, if you ever need anything Lucas will help you out. He was in your shoes last year. Oh ��� and Jose is a great guy,��� She smiled.
���Well, how about you?��� he smiled.
���Oh sure, you just won���t see me as much though. There we go, can you carry these?��� She asked and handed him cupcakes,
���Remember yours are margarita,��� she smiled.
���Alright then and what are yours?���
���Chocolate Cherry,��� she said.
They walked out, and Lucas came up and kissed her, ���I was wondering where you went.���
���Mark here offered to help with the cupcakes. Thank you, Mark,��� she smiled.
���You are more than welcome,��� he said and smiled at her.
���Dance with me?��� Lucas asked.
���Of course,��� she said.
���I think Mark has a thing for you, Tessa,��� he pulled her possessively against him.
���I think he is far away from home, and I can almost bet he has sisters that he is missing.���
���What do you want to bet, baby?��� he smiled.
���What are you thinking?��� he rubbed his hand down her back and grabbed her butt. ���Try again.���
���Oh, I will,��� he laughed.
���That���s not what I was talking about,��� she laughed.
���Come on just try.���
���Alright, if I am wrong you can attempt��� if I win ��� no sex of any type for a month.���
���Nope,��� he said.
���Thank God,��� they both laughed.
���Mark,��� she yelled and motioned him over. ���Do you have siblings?���
���I do, I have two older sisters,��� Mark smiled.
���I bet you miss them.���
���I do, but don���t tell them that,��� he laughed.
The three of them went and sat at one of the rented tables. They talked for a long time. Tessa noticed Kendall was dancing with Jose.
���That���s my little sister dancing with Jose,��� she looked at Lucas.
He smiled, ���I think he likes her.���
���She���s sixteen!���
���And he is twenty; it���s only four years difference. So in four of five years it���ll be perfect.���
���In four or five years I will completely agree with you,��� she scowled.
* * *
They woke up at five in the morning and left by six. They dropped Kendall and Jake off at the farm and headed to the city.
They walked into the theater, and she was immediately intimidated. She turned around.
���Lucas I can���t do this.���
���You can and you will,��� he kissed her, ���Find out when you have a break, and I���ll come hang out with you.���
She looked around and took a deep breath. ���I haven���t played a competitive sport in a year, I have ten pounds extra on my ass, and this,��� she waved her hand around the theater, ���is freaking me out.���
���I happen to love your ass, you have never lost your competitive edge, and this Tessa is going to make it possible for us to be together more. It���s going to give you more time with your family and you will no longer have to do whatever it is you do at work. Why don���t I know what a C N A does?���
She laughed, ���You don���t want to know.���
She walked up to the registration desk and handed them her print out. Lucas waited for her.
���No lunch break, I would assume we will be done half an hour early, most of these things end early,��� she said softly.
He kissed and hugged her, ���I love you baby, kick ass.���
* * *
Lucas walked into the theater and saw her sweating, she was better than most of them. He smiled, she looked amazing. His favorite move was the ass shaking and thrusting.
There was a contest, and the class participants were being eliminated when they did the moves incorrectly. She was second to the last standing. He watched his girl shaking and jumping around.
Tessa won and was given a tank top that said Zumba. She was hanging out with a bunch of the students, laughing and enjoying herself. She saw Lucas standing in the back of the room and smiled and waved to him. He mouthed nice and smiled.
���Who is that?��� one of the girls asked.
���My fianc�� Lucas,��� Tessa smiled.
���Damn girl, he���s fine,��� she said and they all agreed.
���I agree,��� Tessa laughed.
The instructor smiled ���Can he dance?���
���If he can, can we leave early?��� Tessa asked.
She shook her head yes.
���Come here, hot stuff,��� she said and he walked over, and he kissed her.
���How���s it going, baby?��� he asked.
���Good, we can all leave early if you can move that fine ass of yours,��� she winked at him.
���I don���t know,��� he shook his head from side to side.
���Please,��� they all begged.
She played a song that he remembered from Florida and he did great, ���You owe me big baby,��� he yelled, and they all laughed, ���And I mean big!���
At the end of the song, Lucas grabbed her and swung her around.
They all clapped, and he bowed.
She went and showered and he sat waiting for her.
She smiled at him and laughed as she walked out, ���I love you.���
���If it wasn���t obvious before that little show, I think you know I love you as well,��� Lucas grabbed her hand. ���What
do you want to do?���
���Go to our hotel,��� she smiled, ���I���m exhausted.���
���Can we do dinner first?���
���Sure.���
���Good, Dad and Audrianna are bringing the girls into the city,��� he smiled.
They ate dinner and went to central park, Lucas played on the playground with the girls, and she watched him, smiling.
���How are things?��� Audrianna asked.
���Great.���
���I���m glad I want you to know I adore you, Tessa.���
���Well, I feel the same,��� Tessa smiled at her.
���Tessa,��� Landon said, ���Can I talk to you for a moment?���
���Sure.���
They walked down the path and grabbed ice cream for the girls.
���I want to apologize for what I said at the shower. My wife kindly pointed out that if one of our girls were dating Lucas, I would probably have killed him by now.���
She wondered where he was going with this and felt a little defensive. ���Lucas is a good person, he is kind, he has a big heart, and he works hard at everything he does.���
���I agree Tessa, but what I said to you was wrong, it isn���t your responsibility, it was mine,��� he said softly. ���So I���m apologizing for my behavior.���
���Well, I accept your apology,��� she smiled. ���We���re going to have to deal with one another for a very long time, so can we just put that past us?���
���Of course and thank you,��� he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
They said goodbye to the princesses and they hugged Tessa.
���I love you,��� she said to them.
They giggled ���We love you, too.���
They went back to the hotel and rode the elevator up to the twelfth floor. She walked into their suite and smiled.
���You look tired, baby,��� Lucas kissed her head.
���I am. Are you?��� she asked sort of hoping he would say yes.
