Chapter Sixteen – Matt
“Come in.” He stepped back, and for a moment, he sensed her hesitation.
Maybe this was a mistake, Matt said to his bear. I should have booked a restaurant.
No, his bear replied. Just give her a moment.
Tessa looked down at her feet and then took a step forward, and another, crossing the threshold into his house. Matt wanted to slam the door shut and lock it, and throw away the key so she could never leave again.
I think Rachel might notice her friend is missing, Matt’s bear told him, even though he would love for their mate to never leave again.
“You have a beautiful home.” Tessa looked around, taking in the rustic wooden beams and the warm glow of the fire crackling in the stone hearth. “It’s so cozy.”
That was the plan, his bear murmured. A cozy den for two.
Matt could barely breathe as he watched her.
She wore the same sundress as she had at the farmers’ market, only now she wore a cardigan draped over her shoulders.
It took all his self-control not to tug it off, to reveal her bare shoulders.
Shoulders he longed to kiss. Then he would slide the straps of her dress down and kiss lower…
“Would you like some wine?” he asked, his voice rougher than he’d intended. “I’ve got a bottle chilling in the kitchen.”
“That would be lovely,” she said with a smile that made his heart stutter.
“This way.” He led her through the living room toward the kitchen. The rich aroma of herbs and lemon filled the air. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
The kitchen gleamed with copper pots hanging from the ceiling and warm light reflecting off granite countertops. This was the center of his home, where he spent the most time, experimenting with new dishes for the restaurant. But now, with Tessa here, it felt like the heart of his home.
Matt moved to the open bottle of wine and poured two glasses of the pale golden liquid.
“This is from the Thornberg Vineyard,” he explained, holding out a glass to her.
As Tessa reached for it, Matt deliberately let his fingers brush against hers.
The contact sent a jolt of electricity up his arm, and he watched her reaction carefully.
Her eyes widened at the touch, her lips parting slightly as she looked up at him.
Something intense and unspoken passed between them as their gazes locked.
Time seemed to stretch, the moment expanding until it contained just the two of them, standing close enough that he could smell the subtle floral scent of her perfume, could see the pulse fluttering at her throat.
His bear rumbled with pleasure. Kiss her. Now.
With enormous effort, Matt broke the connection, stepping back before he could give in to the urge. “I should check on dinner,” he said, his voice husky.
Tessa nodded, a flush coloring her cheeks as she took a sip of her wine. “This is delicious,” she murmured. “I can taste pear, peach, and honey.”
“You have a good palate,” Matt complimented as he busied himself with the oven, stirring the risotto and checking the salmon.
“I’ve never really thought about wine too much,” Tessa admitted. “But since you have introduced me to the Thornberg wine, I’m becoming addicted.”
Just as we are addicted to our mate, his bear purred.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Tessa asked.
“No, I have it covered,” Matt replied. “Make yourself at home.”
Yes, please, his bear said happily.
While Matt fetched plates from the cupboard, Tessa wandered into the hallway with her wineglass. He could hear her soft footsteps as she moved, the caress of fabric against her thighs, and the quiet creaking of floorboards beneath her feet.
Unable to bear being apart from her, he quickly finished his preparations and went to join her.
“I love your family photos,” she said, looking up at the various framed photos that lined the hallway wall. “Especially this one.”
“That’s my brothers and me,” Matt said, coming to stand beside her.
The photo showed six boys perched in the branches of an enormous oak tree, their grins wide and carefree. Another nearby showed the same boys splashing in a creek, their clothes soaked, faces alight with laughter.
“This is Caleb,” he said, pointing to the tallest boy. “And that’s Elliot. Kirk. Leo and Spencer. And me.”
“You all look so happy,” Tessa said, her eyes moving from picture to picture. “It looks like you had a charmed childhood.”
“We did,” Matt agreed, studying the images of his younger self. “Growing up here, with all this space to run and explore... we were lucky.” He turned to her. “Do you have any siblings?”
Tessa shook her head, her smile fading slightly. “No. Just me.”
She hugged herself, a small gesture that spoke volumes. Matt fought the urge to wrap his arms around her, to pull her against him and offer comfort. Instead, he cleared his throat.
“Dinner’s ready,” he said gently. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starving,” she said and followed him into the kitchen, where Matt had transformed the small table into an intimate dining space.
A crisp white tablecloth covered the wood, and two tapered candles stood ready to cast a soft, intimate glow over the setting.
He struck a match and lit them, hoping the romantic atmosphere wouldn’t overwhelm her.
“This is beautiful,” Tessa said as she took her seat. “You didn’t need to go to so much trouble.”
“I did,” Matt said as he served the first course—a delicate salad of local greens with candied walnuts and goat cheese. The tension in Tessa’s shoulders seemed to ease as they began to eat, her expression brightening with the first bite.
“This is the cheese from the market?” she asked.
“It is. What do you think?” Matt always liked to hear other people’s opinions of his recipes. But Tessa’s opinion mattered most.
“It’s delicious,” she said, closing her eyes briefly as she savored the bite. “The tanginess of the cheese with the sweetness of the walnuts... It’s like they were made for each other.”Like us, his bear rumbled in satisfaction.
As they ate, conversation flowed more easily. Tessa told him about how she and Rachel had met in college, been roommates, and stayed close even when life pulled them in different directions.
“She was my rock when Mom got sick,” Tessa admitted. “Called me every day, sent care packages. When she invited me to visit Bear Creek, I nearly said no. I was still trying to figure out what I was going to do next. I’m glad I didn’t.”
“I’m glad too,” Matt said, his voice low and sincere.
She ducked her head and stared at her plate for a moment, but then looked at him through her lashes, and he knew in that moment tonight was the night.
But not yet. He wanted to get through dinner and then find the right moment.
“Did the girls like the stones for the fairy garden?” he asked, lightening the mood.
Tessa’s face lit up. “They loved them. Lucy has already arranged them all according to some fairy-approved system I couldn’t quite follow.”
Matt laughed as he served the main course—herb-crusted salmon on a bed of lemon risotto, with roasted asparagus alongside. The rich aroma filled the space between them.
“Tell me more about Bear Creek,” Tessa said as they settled into their main course. “About the mountains. I’ve never lived anywhere so beautiful.”
Matt launched into a vivid description of everything he loved about the town, the mountains, and the forests. “The Thornbergs were here when the town was founded. It’s a part of us. And we’re a part of it.”
Tessa took another sip of her wine, her eyes out of focus as if she were turning his words into pictures. “I can see why you’re so rooted here. There’s something special about this place.”
They ate in companionable silence for a while. Yet beneath the quiet, Matt could feel something building between them—words unspoken, questions unasked.
Making small talk feels like we’re skirting around what we really want to say, Matt said to his bear.
Then say it, his bear urged.
Not until after dessert, Matt replied firmly.
When the main course was finished, Matt brought out dessert—individual chocolate soufflés with a molten center, topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Tessa’s eyes widened at the sight.
“You made these?” she asked, clearly impressed.
Matt nodded, watching as she took her first bite. Her eyes closed briefly in appreciation, and the small sound of pleasure she made sent heat coursing through him.
Throughout dessert, their eyes met and held with increasing frequency, each glance lasting a heartbeat longer than the last. The tension between them was palpable now, like a living, breathing thing.
When they finished eating, Tessa stood to help him clear the table. “Let me,” she insisted when he protested.
They moved around each other in the small kitchen, plates and glasses in hand. As they reached the sink at the same time, they nearly collided. Matt caught her by the shoulders to steady her, the plates forgotten as they stood face to face.
Tessa looked up at him, her eyes wide and dark in the candlelight. A strand of hair had escaped her bun, curling against her cheek. Matt reached up slowly, tucking it behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her skin.
“Tessa,” he whispered.
She leaned into his touch, her eyes never leaving his. Matt bent his head, closing the distance between them until his lips met hers in a kiss that started gently but quickly deepened with shared hunger.
His bear roared in triumph as Matt wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer. This kiss was different from the one they’d shared on the lookout—more certain, more demanding. Tessa’s hands slid up his chest to curl around his neck, her body fitting against his as if made for him.
And she was. She was made for him. His mate, his perfect match. The knowledge burned through him with absolute certainty as the kiss deepened, leaving them both breathless when they finally pulled apart.
“I’ve been wanting to do that again since you got here,” Matt admitted, his forehead resting against hers.
“Me too,” Tessa whispered, her fingers still playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.
The dishes could wait. Everything could wait.
No, his bear said. There is one thing that cannot wait.
His bear was right. As much as he wanted to carry Tessa to bed and make love to her right now, he owed her the truth first.
And then… Then he would claim her.