Chapter 23
I’m no stranger to remote work. I work from home most Fridays during the summer and the entire office went remote during the pandemic. I learned to catch up on emails, while taking a meeting on Zoom and researching precedents for my cases, all at the same time.
I should be able to tackle emails and delegate essential tasks to my team in the back of the camper while Tessa drives with no problem.
But the problem is: I can still see Tessa.
Smell Tessa’s perfume drifting through the air…
Remember exactly how Tessa’s pussy feels locked around my cock when I’m coming buried deep inside her…
Clearing my throat, I turn back to my screen. Must not think of Tessa’s pussy. Must not think of Tessa at all until my work is done and I’m free to play.
That’s what it feels like, being with her—play. Shopping at Trout World felt like play, devouring a nice meal surrounded by clowns felt like play, and last night was the steamiest, sexiest play of all. I just have such a good time with her. It feels like I’ve known her so much longer than a few years and like I’ve been wanting to know her even longer than that.
I’m pretty sure she’s my person, my partner in crime, the Lady Gray to my Preston, the Beauty to my Beast, and a friend I’d be lucky to have by my side for the rest of my life.
Yeah, and telling her that anytime soon is a good way to end up as unhappy as Mr. and Mrs. Yackoff. You need to slow your roll, dude, or you’ll scare her away all over again.
Admitting the voice of caution has a point, I force myself to focus on Yackoff vs. Yackoff until I have all my research completed and my recommendations sent to my client.
Thankfully, by the time Tessa pulls over for gas around lunchtime, I’m finished with everything that can’t wait until next week. After slipping Freya into her harness, I emerge from the camper.
“Hey,” Tessa says, smiling as I join her at the gas tank. “How’s the donut making going?”
“The donuts are all made,” I say, passing Freya into her arms and leaning in for a kiss, my chest filling with more warm bubbles when she hums happily against my lips. “Everything has been delegated, and I’m free until next week,” I say as I pull back and nod toward the grassy area beside the convenience store. “Go ahead and take Freya for her potty break. I can finish up here.”
“Okay.” She snuggles Freya closer, scratching her neck. “But then we have to have a serious discussion about whether to do sandwiches for lunch or stop for barbeque at Wild Bill’s Barbeque Rodeo Palace.”
My brows lift. “Barbeque Rodeo Palace? That sounds exciting. A little confusing, but exciting.”
“Right?” She laughs, her dimple popping in that way that makes me want to kiss it, to kiss her.
Fuck, I’m so glad I’m done with work and get to sit up front with her for the rest of the drive to the park. That’s all it takes to make me feel like I’ve won the lottery, just the chance to be close to her.
“We are about thirty minutes ahead of schedule,” she adds, batting her lashes at me. “Since I’m such a fantastic driver and all. We should have time to stop and still make it to the park in plenty of time to set up camp and get a short hike in before dinner.”
“Let’s do it,” I say, tapping my credit card to the sensor. “But fair warning, I’m a filthy animal with a plate of ribs. I’ll have to wear a bib.”
She winks as she backs away. “Hot. I can’t wait to see that.”
I waggle my brows, mouthing, “Bibs make you horny?”
Laughing, she nods, before turning and jogging toward the grass, Freya in her arms. Making a mental note to procure an extra bib to take with us to the park, one I can use to surprise Tessa with a “bib only” strip tease later tonight, I start filling the tank, scrolling through my texts while I wait.
I always turn off my notifications while I’m working, so I’m not surprised to have a few messages waiting. I am, however, surprised to see that one is from Darcy.
Stomach tightening, I scroll past the text from my mother asking if I remembered to pack sunscreen, opening the message from my ex that reads—Hey, Wes. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. And I’ve decided I don’t want to be mad anymore.
The tension in my jaw releases with an audible pop as I continue to read.
Yes, what you did was shitty, but…what I did was shitty, too. I knew you were going to break up with me when you got back from your camping trip. I just knew it. And I knew I should have kept the pregnancy scare news to myself until I had time to find out if I really was pregnant.
The text is followed by a gif of a stuffed bear looking ashamed of itself, which doesn’t really feel appropriate considering the seriousness of the topic, but is very Darcy.
In her next message, she continues, But I didn’t keep it to myself. I told you, partly to shame you into staying with me. And I held off telling you that I’d started my period for about six weeks after I knew we were in the clear.
My head rears back. That’s the first I’m hearing about that. As far as I knew, she didn’t start her period again until a couple weeks before we broke up. We weren’t sleeping together anymore at that point, so I had to take her word for it.
So, I guess I lied, too, she adds in the next text.
“You guess?” I mutter to myself, scowling at the screen.
I’m sorry about that. And I’m sorry for letting my ego and hurt feelings take control this past weekend. I’ll make sure Daria leaves you and Tessa alone from now on. I’ve already hired someone to take down the billboard with your face on it. Though the devil horns and dead tooth did kind of make me laugh. *smiling emoji* Hope you’re okay and…sorry again. I don’t think we’ll ever be friends, but I do wish you well. I hope whoever you end up with makes you happy.
“Everything okay?” Tessa asks.
I glance up, considering sharing the message with her, but deciding the less said about my ex, the better. Tessa and I are finally moving on from all the Darcy drama, and I don’t want to do anything to derail that.
Tucking my cell back in my pocket, I nod and smile, “Yeah, everything’s great. I’m excited about barbeque and hikes and hunting treasure tomorrow.”
She bounces up and down with a soft squeal, echoed by Freya who clucks in excitement and runs back and forth at our feet. “I can’t wait. I’m ridiculously excited about this treasure hunt, Wes. Even if we don’t find anything, it’ll be a real adventure. I haven’t had enough of those in my life.”
“Then we’ll have to keep adventure high on our priority list,” I say as I slide the gas nozzle back into its holder. “Make up for lost time.”
She smiles up at me. “That sounds good. I like making up for lost time with you.”
“Same,” I assure her, sealing the words with a kiss.
An hour later, I’m kissing her again, this time while wearing a Wild Bill’s Barbeque Rodeo Palace bib and a plastic crown with the words “King of the Rib Plate” emblazoned across the front.
“So proud,” Tessa murmurs, laughing as she wipes a bit of rib sauce from my chin.
I return the favor on hers. “Thank you, but I couldn’t have finished the entire thing without the help of the woman who wore me out last night.”
“And this morning,” she says, her eyes dancing. “Don’t worry, we’ll burn even more calories during our hike this afternoon.”
I nod seriously. “Right. The hike. That’s probably the only exercise we’ll be getting today. After all the driving you’ve done, I’m sure you’ll be too tired for anything else.”
She mimics my earnest tone, “Right. And you’ve been working. And neither of us slept much last night. We should definitely call it an early night.”
Spoiler alert—we don’t call it an early night.
Not even close.