16. Logan
Chapter sixteen
Logan
Keeping my hands to myself has been a challenge.
Tessa looks fucking stunning in the purple sundress she’s wearing, and it has taken what little self-control I have to maintain a respectable boundary.
I was testing my limits on the drive over here with my hand on her leg, the heat of her skin soaking through the thin material of her dress, but I don’t want her to think I’m only interested in the physical aspect.
While that’s definitely something I would like a repeat of, I want to know her.
I want to know what her favorite late-night snack is, what movie she could watch a dozen times and never get bored with, and what her dreams are for the future.
I want to know who she is as a person, what makes her smile, and what makes her tick.
I want to know what it is she dreams about when she finally goes to bed and closes her eyes at night.
“I might not need an excuse, but I’m gonna take advantage of a situation when I can if it means getting my hands on you,” I tell her, dragging her closer as I lean down and feather my nose along hers.
That familiar shade of pink rises to her cheeks as she softly smiles, gently shaking her head back and forth. “You’re ridiculous,” she murmurs.
I’m not sure if the comment is for me, or if she’s merely thinking out loud.
Taking a step back, I lift a hand to the loose waves of dark brown hair falling over her shoulders.
“Maybe”—I twine a strand around my fingers before tucking it behind her ear—“but I’m a sucker for those smiles, and if being ridiculous is how I earn them, then so be it. ”
Her blush deepens as she catches her bottom lip between her teeth, her gaze dropping to the ground.
Fuck. Maybe I’m coming on too strong, but I can’t help it. Earning her smiles is quickly becoming one of my favorite things.
Sliding a finger beneath her chin, I guide her gaze up until her eyes meet mine. “Ready for lunch?” I ask, reaching for her hand. “We can keep walking until we find a shaded area to stop, and then I’ll run back to the truck to grab the cooler.”
Tessa slips her hand into mine, and my heart kicks in my chest as she laces our fingers together.
Thankfully, the garden seems bigger than it actually is, and we’re able to find a spot to eat not too far from where we came in.
I press a quick kiss to her cheek before heading back to the truck.
In hindsight, I probably should have just dealt with carrying the thing around instead of having to leave her while I grab it, but I wanted to make sure both of my hands were free.
With the blanket slung over my shoulder and the cooler in hand, I find her right where I left her with a far-off look in her eyes. A smile crawls across my face as I watch her. She seems to be completely lost in thought, like what she’s looking at isn’t what she’s actually seeing.
“Sorry about that,” I say as I approach, setting the cooler down on the grass. She blinks away the haze and smiles as she reaches for the blanket draped over my shoulder.
“You really thought of everything, huh?” She hands one end of the blanket to me as she takes the other, and we spread it out before laying it down on the ground. She lowers herself carefully, tucking her dress beneath her as she sits and folds her legs to the side.
I chuckle, dropping onto the blanket across from her before pulling the cooler over. “It’s just a blanket, darlin’. Figured it was better not to chance having to sit on wet grass.”
Her nose scrunches as she grimaces, clearly not a fan of the idea. “So, did your little game of twenty questions pay off?” she asks, sitting up a little taller as she leans forward to check and see what I brought.
I swat her hand away with a smile, and she laughs.
“Let’s see,” I start, dragging the words out as I make it a point to slowly pull things out of the cooler.
“Turkey sandwich from Duke’s with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and easy mayo on that Italian herb bread.
” I hand the wrapped sandwich over to her, watching as a smile spreads across her face.
“You gave me a couple of options for your favorite drink, so I brought them all.” Her mouth drops open as I start pulling them out—Dr. Pepper, raspberry iced tea, a bottle of water, and an energy drink.
I didn’t know which she would be in the mood for, and I wanted her to have options.
A laugh bursts free from her chest as she reaches for the water. “You’re setting the bar pretty high for yourself,” she teases.
“Remembering what you like to eat and drink shouldn’t be where the bar is set,” I say, pulling out my own wrapped sandwich and another Dr. Pepper. “I also brought some fruit and a little something for dessert.”
“I will throw this at you if you say that you’re the dessert.” Her hazel eyes narrow as she holds up her sandwich.
“There’s no need for violence,” I laugh. “I stuck to your favorites.”
“Oreos?”
I shrug. “A couple different packs.”
“Wait, really?” She shifts to her knees as she peers into the cooler before pulling out two packs of her favorite store-bought cookie.
She didn’t specify which ones she preferred, so I grabbed a pack of the original double-stuffed and a pack of the golden ones.
“I love both, but these are my all-time favorite.” She sits back down, carefully making sure her dress hasn’t ridden up as she sets the blue package on the blanket between us.
“Gonna skip lunch and go straight for the cookies?” I tease, not opposed to doing exactly that.
“No,” she giggles. “But I don’t usually get to enjoy something as simple as a few cookies without Jake wanting some too. Which is fine, but sometimes, I’m not in the mood to share.” Her teeth scrape over her bottom lip before she says, “I’m sorry, that sounded bad.”
“Sounds like it’s probably normal mom stuff to me,” I tell her. I have no idea what it takes to be a parent, but I can’t imagine it’s an easy thing to do on your own.
I’ve been wondering what happened to her son’s father since running into them at the grocery store and discovering her son is the little boy who said his father was a police officer and that his mom, Tessa, said his father was a hero.
If things are going to progress between us the way I hope they will, I need to know.
Whatever happened is part of what’s made her into the woman she is, strong and fierce.
It’s part of her story, and there’s not a single chapter I’m not interested in.
I want to ask, but I don’t want to overstep.
This is only our first date—the first of many, I hope—and I don’t know if it’s a story she would be comfortable sharing.
But then again, isn’t that what first dates are for?
Getting to know one another and finding out if there’s potential for something more.
“Can I ask…” Fuck. How do I even ask a question like this?
A thin layer of sweat begins to bead at the base of my neck and on my palms. Wiping them on my jeans, I clear my throat and try again.
“Can I ask what happened? To Jake’s dad?
” Her eyes lift to mine, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Shit. Did I overstep? “You don’t have to tell me if it’s too hard, but I just—”
“No, I don’t mind telling you, I just can’t think of the last time anyone asked me that. Sometimes it feels like everyone in town already knows.” She sighs, fingers toying with the hem of her dress as her gaze drops.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, and I don’t want to overstep.”
“You really haven’t heard anything about it? Even working at the station?”
I offer her a soft smile in what I hope comes across as reassurance.
Reaching across the small distance between us, I settle my hand on hers.
“The only thing I’ve heard is that he was a police officer and a hero, and I heard that from Jake.
” Her brows pinch as her gaze lifts back to mine.
“He mentioned it when we did the fire safety demonstration at his school.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” she says with a gentle laugh.
“He’s been obsessed with community helpers since he was a toddler.
” She falls silent for a moment as tears well in her eyes.
“I wanted him to know about his dad, but there’s no guidebook for this.
Nobody tells you how to handle explaining death to a child. ”
I have no idea how to respond to something like that. Instead of speaking, I shift closer to her, my hand tightening around hers. “I’m here, Tess. For as much or as little as you want to share with me.”