Chapter 15
Tessa
Pain slams into my face, and I feel myself fall backwards.
I hear somebody shout my name, but I can’t focus on it.
All I can focus on is the pain pulsing through my face.
“Tess.” I think it’s Slater’s voice, but it all kind of feels a little fuzzy.
Somebody pulls me into a sitting position and curses.
I reach up and try to staunch the flow of blood coming from my nose.
“Quint!” Slater roars from right next to me, startling me.
I finally manage to open my eyes, but I can’t see through them because of the tears tracking down my cheeks.
Something is held against my nose to stop the flow of blood.
“Tessa,” I hear Evie cry.
“Stay back,” I hear Zane say in a low, urgent tone; and I can’t make sense of it.
“Is she okay?” Evie asks.
I can’t make heads or tails of anything except the pulsing pain. And then Slater is right there. “Hey, I’m going to get you inside, okay?”
I think I nod. I’m not really sure why he’s asking until I suddenly feel strong arms come around me and lift me.
It shocks me so much, I don't think about the pain in my nose for just a moment. “I’m sorry it hurts.” His voice is soft and so much gentler than I’ve heard from him before.
I’m pretty sure he carries me inside because it’s much quieter now.
“You don’t have to carry me,” I tell him. Or, I try to tell him. My voice sounds funny.
“I’m going to put you on the couch and get something for the pain.”
He lowers me a moment later, and I feel the soft couch underneath me. I instantly try to get up. “I’ll get blood everywhere.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
I’m pretty sure it does, but I don’t argue.
My nose is killing me, and I have a headache developing.
I need whatever pain killer he can find.
He comes back a moment later. “Here.” I blink open my eyes and take the pain pills and the water bottle.
I swallow the pills and hand him back the water but pause midway.
“What happened to your shirt?” He’s shirtless right now, and that sight is enough to make me forget I ever got hit in the first place.
“It’s currently being used.” Then he puts something cold on my nose, ending our conversation about his lack of shirt.
“Ow.” I try to pull away, but the cold follows me.
“Believe me; you’re going to want ice.”
I don’t, but it hurts to talk. It hurts to do anything. So, I don’t. I lean back against the couch and let the ice and pain pills do their magic. I hear the door to the backyard open. “Hey, Man, you good?” I recognize Zane’s voice, but I don’t open my eyes.
“Why are you asking him?” I get out. “I’m the one with a busted nose.”
I hear a low chuckle. “Sorry, Tess. You’re right. How are you feeling?”
“Like somebody tried to flatten my nose.”
“Sorry,” Zane says, and I can hear the apologetic tone. “Is it safe for Quint to come in?”
His words confuse me. “It’s fine for everybody to come in,” I say behind the ice on my nose.
It’s quiet a beat. “Slate?”
I finally manage to open my eyes. I take in two things at once.
First, Slater is standing in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest. Second, Zane is standing over by the door, even though he’s talking to Slater.
“What’s going on?” I manage to get out, but my voice still sounds really nasally.
I figure it’s from all the blood. Zane looks over at me, but Slater moves so Zane can no longer see me.
“Slater?” I ask in confusion. He turns around, and I look up at him.
His eyes are darker than normal, and his jaw is locked, like he’s mad.
I glance over at Zane, and he gives me a look.
..like I’m supposed to understand whatever it is he’s trying to convey. I don’t.
“Evie wants to come check on Tessa,” Zane says quietly. “I just need to know it’s safe to let her come in.”
“Safe? Why wouldn’t it be safe?” I look between the two of them. “I don’t know why you’re all acting weird, but let Evie come inside for goodness’ sake.”
Zane looks back at Slater, but I miss whatever communication they have. But Zane opens the door. “Come on in,” he says in a gentle voice that’s only reserved for my bestie.
“Tessa,” Evie says as soon as she comes inside.
“Are you okay?” She walks towards me, but Slater steps in front of her.
Suddenly, Zane is standing next to Evie.
The whole thing is bizarre, and I wonder if the hit my nose took is somehow affecting my brain.
Whatever it is, I’ve had enough. “Slater, move.” He looks down at me, and I frown up at him.
I don’t even have to force it; it’s just my resting face right now.
He finally moves to the side, and I watch as Evie approaches me.
She gives Slater a wary glance before dropping down next to me on the couch.
“I’m so sorry you got hit. Can I see?”
I pull the ice pack away from my nose. She grimaces. “Well, at least it stopped bleeding. I guess that’s the last time you use your face to stop the ball, huh?”
“Not funny, Evie.”
She gives me a small smile. “I really am sorry.”
“Well, I'm using this as my card to never have to play sports here again.”
She laughs. “Got it. I’m pretty sure you have the sympathetic vote right now, so you’d be fine.”
“Is it safe to come in?” I hear Quint ask.
“Of course it’s safe to come in. Everybody knows you didn’t do it on purpose.” My voice still sounds weird.
“Oh, Tessa, you sound awful. What’s the damage?” Quint says. For once, he doesn’t have a smile on his face.
“It’s fine, Quint. I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”
“If he did, he wouldn’t be walking,” a voice behind me says. The room goes quiet, and I turn to see Slater standing against the wall, right over my shoulder.
“Would you knock it off? Stop making him feel bad. It was an accident.”
Those gray eyes flash to mine and then drop to my nose. His jaw tightens before he looks away. “Slate, find a shirt,” Zane says.
“Yeah, where is your shirt?” I didn’t get an answer when I asked earlier, other than that it was being used.
“Look down,” Evie says. I look down at my lap and see his balled-up shirt covered in my blood.
“Oh, Slater. I’m sorry. I totally ruined your shirt.”
“It’s fine.” His words are gruff and I feel terrible. But he doesn’t move.
“Go. She’ll be fine,” Zane says, and I wonder why they’re making such a big deal of this. “Put a shirt on.”
I kind of wonder why he’s making such a big deal about Slater not wearing a shirt.
I’m pretty sure they all take them off for practices all the time, but it’s probably best for my mental clarity that he puts on a shirt anyway.
That much bronzed skin and perfection should really be covered up.
I feel my face flush. “Tessa, are you feeling okay?” Evie asks in concern.
“Your cheeks are flushed.” I feel my face heat even more.
“I’m fine.” I feel the eyes of everyone on me, and I don’t really want to be the center of attention anymore.
I pull the ice from my nose and decide it’s time to check my face in the bathroom.
I start to stand up, and Slater’s there immediately.
He pulls me gently to my feet, hovering over me.
I look up at him, unsure what to do with him.
His face is so intense; well, more intense than usual.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” I blurt out.
He nods and moves a step away. I make my way to the bathroom and shut the door behind me.
I take one look in the mirror and stare at myself.
I look like a victim straight out of a horror movie.
There’s blood caked all over my face. I must have smeared it around with the shirt when I was trying to staunch the flow of blood.
First, I deal with my most pressing need of going to the bathroom.
“Hey, Evie,” I call out as I open the door.
Slater stands right outside the bathroom, surprising me.
“Oh, do you have paper towels or something I can use to—”
He hands me a towel before I finish my tirade. But when I reach for it, he pulls it back. “Let me help you.”
“I’m fine,” I start, and he makes a low sound in his chest that makes my eyes fly to his.
I take in the dark look in his eyes, and give in.
“Okay. Sure.” He steps into the bathroom with me.
The bathroom didn’t really feel small until Slater stands in it with me.
Now, there’s not really enough room for both of us.
He stands right next to me and turns on the hot water.
Once he gets it to where he wants, he nods at the counter.
I eye it and then him. “You want me to sit on the counter? I think you seriously overestimate my ability to get up there.”
He moves right into my personal space. “Put your hands on my shoulders.”
I stare up at him and take in the set of his jaw and notice it does absolutely nothing to detract from the sexy athlete vibe he has going that works so well for him.
The shaved head, bronzed skin from the sun, the dark tattoos that creep down his arm under his sleeves.
I suddenly wish I’d gotten a better look at those tats when his shirt was off.
I suddenly remember his words and throw my hands up to his shoulders, mortified at myself.
I know I look a mess, and here I am ogling him just because he’s being nice.
As soon as my hands are on his shoulders—which requires me to stand on my tiptoes—he drops his hands to my waist. I freeze at the contact and lift my eyes to his.
His dark eyes meet mine, and I shiver at the intensity there.
I remind myself that I look like a horror victim and glance down.
He lifts me like I weigh nothing at all and sets me on the sink.
I grab the sink and feel my face begin to heat.
But he doesn’t give me a moment to recover.
He steps close and uses a finger to lift my chin towards him.
Unable to look him in the eye, I close my eyes.
I feel the dab of the warm water on my cheek.
“Does that hurt?” His voice is low and gravelly.
“No.” I wince at the breathlessness of my voice.
I don’t say a word, nor do I open my eyes while he continues to wash the blood from my cheeks and chin.
But when he moves to my nose, I make a sound and he stops.
“Sorry,” I apologize and steel myself. “Okay. I’m ready.
” When I don’t feel anything, I crack my eyes open and see his own directly in front of me.
“It’s okay; you can do it. I’m ready.” His eyes look so pained.
I would laugh if I weren’t in pain myself. “It’s fine, Slater.”
His eyes slam into mine, and I shiver at the darkness there. “It’s not fine,” he all but growls at me. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say a shiver of deliciousness rolls down my spine.