Authors: MJ Fields
“
Tessa, don’t be angry with me,” he responded.
How could I not be, you ass, she thought
, “How many were not related to you?” he asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“
Is it any of your business?” she asked coldly trying to pull away from him.
“
I want to know,” he said gently.
“
Fine, none that was my first real kiss Luke. Are you happy? My first kiss,” she said.
“
I am so glad,” he said his breath hot against her neck, “It was the most amazing kiss I have ever had. Tessa I have kissed a lot of girls, and you are by far my favorite: so curious, so receptive, and so incredibly hot. Thank you for answering my question. Will you look at me now?” Luke asked and let go of her.
“
I don’t know,” she said seriously.
“
Can I take your hand and walk with you to dinner?” Luke asked.
“
No, you can race me,” she said and took off running while he followed.
~
When they got to the table Tessa sat and Luke joined her sitting right next to her. When a dish was passed Luke asked her if she wanted it, and if she said yes, he put it on her plate for her. They ate crab legs, Tessa’s favorite, with corn on the cob and a various assortment of salads.
Becca and Phoebe grabbed blankets and laid them on the ground near the bonfire. They turned the radio on. Tessa sat with them and Jade with Tommy. Alex and Luke stood by the fire.
“Are you having fun?” Jade asked Tommy, “What do you usually do on a Saturday night?”
“
I am with you; of course I am having fun, a normal Saturday night? I don’t know, last weekend we had a bunch of people over to Luke’s pool for an end of summer bash I guess. What would you normally do?” He repeated back to her.
“
This pretty much, hang out with family and just, hang out,” Jade said. “How many girlfriends have you had?”
Uh oh, she thought, did she really want to know.
“
Three,” he said.
“
How long was your longest relationship?” Jade continued.
“
Six months,” Tommy said never loosing eye contact.
“
Would you tell me about it?” she asked.
“
Sure, she was in my grade at our old school, and we broke up at the end of school last year. She goes to a different school now,” Tommy said.
“
Did you love her?” she asked.
“
I thought I did,” he admitted, “but I don’t think so,” he answered honestly.
“
Oh,” Jade said and sat quietly.
“
Is that it for the questioning”, he asked quietly. She shook her head yes. “Can I ask you a question then?” he said. She shook her head yes. “Can I take you for a walk and kiss you Jade? I mean really kiss you, please?” His eyes were intense. She looked around and everyone’s back was to them except Tessa’s, but she was busy talking to the girls so she shook her head yes.
He stood and pulled her up; they walked behind the storage shed.
“Jade, one more thing, have you had many boyfriends?” he asked.
“
I don’t know,” she said, confirming what he had already guessed.
“
It would not matter to me if you have had none or one hundred Jade,” he said taking her face in his hands, “I’ve wanted to do this since I saw you walking out of the water over there.” He kissed her neck slowly down one side and then up the other side of her face slowly. As he kissed her face he ran his finger across her lips and traced the imaginary line with his tongue. He kissed her lightly then pulled away gazing at her. He continued again with another slow kiss; one hand tangled in her long black hair, the other pulling her body close to him. He opened his mouth then closed it pulling on her lips. While his tongue rubbed her lips she opened them slightly allowing him to move it further into her mouth, as she pulled back she let out a breath and he put his mouth around hers. Their tongues danced and caressed each other. His hands lowered to her butt, but she quickly moved it up to her lower back. As he kissed her deeper and harder, she fell into him taking his assault willingly. He pulled her head to the left and kissed her neck down to her shoulder. He leaned up and kissed her lips hard again. She opened her mouth and grabbed his head as they kissed hard and deep until their lips hurt and they couldn’t breathe. Jade pulled away and laid her head on his shoulder taking deep breaths as he rubbed her back.
“
Thank you Jade,” he said breathing deeply as he went on, “I want you to know that was amazing, and I hope you understand I may not ask next time I kiss you because I don’t think I will be able to help myself.” They walked back to the fire hand in hand. Tommy kissed her hand as he walked towards the guys and her towards the girls.
“
And then there were four,” Tessa said. “Where did you two disappear to?”
“
Heaven,” Jade said falling into them.
They all laughed.
“Speaking of heaven we brought a cake,” Phoebe said. “Do you guys want to go back and have some?”
“
Hey Alex, we are going back down to have cake if you guys would like to join us,” Tessa yelled behind her as they skipped arm in arm down to Doe Camp.”
~
The guys put the fire out and walked to meet up with the girls. They had started a fire in the fireplace and changed into pajamas. The girls insisted on singing Happy Birthday and put eighteen candles on it.
“
Present time,” Jade announced.
“
Jade I’m not twelve, not necessary,” Tessa said annoyed.
Luke smiled as he watched her face turn red. She was not like any other girl he had ever been attracted to. She was smart and kind and feisty, he liked her, a lot.
Everyone set their gifts on the table. Jade gave her a Pearl Jam CD from the concert they attended the past summer in Albany and a gift card to the movies. Becca and Phoebe gave a gift card to a movie as well; they all knew that was her favorite escape. There were two other packages; one containing a ski pass to a nearby ski resort from Tommy, and the last package was from Luke, a Vera Bradley book bag containing a teddy bear that smelled like him, his sweatshirt she had given back, and a note that said READ ME LATER.
“
Thank you all,” she said and took a deep breath, “It was not necessary.”
Jade saw she was uncomfortable and broke the silence yelling,
“Group Hug,” Tessa finally let out a breath as they all hugged.
They played cards and laughed; they listened to music and laughed some more as they all took turns changing the words to the songs. It was a perfect night, a welcome distraction from the tension going on in her life.
~
Finally,
the guys went out the front door heading to their tents. It was midnight. Alex and Tommy fell asleep, but Luke could not. He watched the girls’ shadows dancing in the cabin being silly. When things finally settled down and the cabin appeared quiet he texted Tessa.
-So? Did you read my letter…Luke
He saw a light glowing from the back porch as he received a response
-doing it now…Tessa
He walked out back and stood about ten feet from her as she read; he watched her smile and bite her lip.
-you look happy, why can
’t you look that way when I am looking in your eyes?
She read the text and replied
-I don’t know
“
It’s not that hard Tessa,” he said now standing next to her.
She jumped then started to laugh. Luke quickly put his hand over her mouth so she wouldn
’t wake anyone.
“
Sorry,” she whispered smiling.
“
I love your smile Tessa,” Luke whispered, and she looked away.
He picked up the note.
“So can you answer me or do you need time?” He looked at her pulling her to sit in front of him, knee to knee. He held her face in his hands, “Please don’t look away.”
“
OK, “she said her eyes widening and displaying obvious nervousness.
“
Tessa Ross, will you date me exclusively?” he asked.
“
There are a lot of crazy things going on in my life right now,” Tessa said, “I don’t want to jump into a relationship that is going to fail or that I cannot give one hundred percent to.”
“
Then don’t,” Luke said smiling, “Don’t let it fail Tessa. I see what’s going on in your life and it sucks. I get it, but we could be very good together. I have very strong feelings for you that I don’t want to push under the rug until a better time that may not come. But, if I am reading you wrong let me know, and I will stop pressuring you. This can be a good thing; I think we both know it,” he pushed her hair away from her face, “What do you say Tessa?”
“
Ok, let’s try it,” Tessa said looking down.
He grabbed her face and kissed her lips, again he tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth, she responded by opening and letting his hot sweet tongue in her mouth again. She willingly let him explore. He put his hands in her hair and gently lifted her so they were on their knees. His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeper. They heard rain drops lightly hit the tin roof of the cabin. She gently pulled away, and Luke put her head to his chest, she could hear his heart thumping as she tried to catch her breath. He lifted her chin and their eyes met, they smiled at each other and the rain started coming down harder.
“I better get back to the tent before your brother wakes up,” he said smiling and then he kissed her and pulled her up and ran for the tent.
~
She smiled and hugged herself as she looked at her phone, its 12:15, her birthday and she has a boyfriend. It’s going to be okay, going to be okay, not as bad a year as anticipated. She walked into the cabin and Jade was creeping in the front door, they both started laughing.
“
What’s going on?” Becca asked sitting up rubbing her eyes.
“
It’s raining out,” Tessa said quickly.
“
Oh no, the boys are in the tent,” Phoebe said rubbing her sleepy eyes.
Jade and Tessa laughed again,
“Why is that funny?” Becca asked as they continued laughing.
Just then, the boys stumbled in,
“Looks like we are crashing in here,” Alex announced.
The girls took the downstairs and the boys went up in the loft.
They packed up camp at eight o’clock and all left at nine in the morning.
Once in the truck Jade and Tessa laughed as they looked at each other.
“How was your night?” Tessa asked Jade.
“
It was amazing Tessa, he is amazing, he’s funny too and we kissed a lot. I swear my head is spinning,” Jade said beaming from ear to ear. “He asked me to be his girlfriend, and I of course said yes. I mean, why wouldn’t I? By the way, how was yours?”
“
Pretty much the same,” she said smiling.
“
Tessa, are you and Luke going out?” Jade asked excitedly.
“
Yes, I think so, dating exclusively, that’s the same thing isn’t it?” Tessa asked.
“
Yes, of course,” Jade said laughing.
~
The boys walked into the church with Tessa’s father. Tommy wondered where Jade was. They sat in the third pew on the left next to Tessa’s mom and younger brother and sister. Becca and her family sat behind them. The chorus walked in and Luke smiled when he saw Tessa in the long green robe.
The Pastor asked for announcements and John announced Tessa
’s eighteenth birthday causing her to blush and look at Jade who sat next to her. The sermon was on adultery.
This is lovely Tessa thought, Luke and Tommy won’t ever want to come again
. Today youth choir would be singing, they did this once a month. Tessa, Jade, and three others stood and walked to the front of the church. Jade’s stomach flipped remembering Tommy was there and she had her very first solo. She knew Tessa would be nervous as well. Jade grabbed her hand and smiled as the pianist began to play.
Tessa wasn
’t nervous because it was the same song she had sang alone as a child on stage at vacation bible school in Cape Cod while she stayed with her aunt, Blessed Be Your Name. The song began with Tessa’s solo, and she nailed it. The chorus joined and Jade’s solo was next, she sang softly and sweetly. Tessa smiled at her as the two sang the bridge together, and then squeezed her hand when she was finished. When the song ended Tommy stood up whistling and cheering. Jade’s face turned red, and she grinned at him.
When church ended Tommy and Luke stood in the fellowship room with the congregation feeling a bit out of place. They saw Jade walking up to them.
“Hey pretty girl,” Tommy said, “You sang beautifully,” he kissed her cheek.