Hardin Scott has been madly in love with Tessa Young since the moment he first laid eyes on her, but there's no way she could ever see him as anything more than a friend. After all, he's a bad boy with a promiscuous past and she's a sweet and innoce...
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The next morning I wake up to Hardin snoring in my ear. When I open my eyes, I see his arm wrapped tightly around my waist and his legs intertwined with mine.
I was so angry at him last night. I was also exhausted from our fight. I didn't even wake up when he got into bed with me. Part of me wants to kick him out of bed, but when I look down at him, I see he has that same peaceful look he only gets when he's sleeping with me safely in his arms. No matter how mad I am at him, and right now it's a lot, I can't wake him.
I wiggle free from his grasp and tip-toe out of the bedroom to go have a shower.
When I return to the bedroom, Hardin is sitting on the edge of the bed, with his elbows resting on his thighs and his face buried in his hands. I don't say anything and instead grab what I came into the bedroom for. As I'm about to leave, Hardin starts to speak.
"Tess?"
I don't answer him. Instead, I stand with my back to him, facing the door.
"Tess... please look at me," he begs.
I turn around, but I still don't speak.
"I can't stand you being mad at me. Last night, when I tried to sleep on the couch, I had the worst sleep. It wasn't until I was able to hold you that I actually had a peaceful sleep."
"Hardin..."
"Tess," he says as he gets up and walks over to me. "Please, please forgive me," he says as he takes my hands in his.
"I want to, but this is becoming a pattern. You can't get jealous and start fights with me every time a guy talks to me."
"I know..."
"Do you? Or are you just saying that until the next time you can't control your jealousy?"
"I know, Tessa. I know."
"If you want me to forgive you, you have to understand that I'm not going to stop seeing my best friend and that Noah could be with her."
"Fine, Tessa. If it will get you to forgive me, I'll learn to live with that."
"I hope you mean that."
"But Tess?"
"Yes?"
"Promise me you won't hang out with Noah alone?"
"Hardin!"
"Please, Tessa. There's no reason for you to be alone with him. If you're with Emma and he shows up, I can find a way to deal with that, but I can't deal with you being alone with him."
"Fine, Hardin," I sigh.
"You promise?"
"Yes, I promise, okay?" I practically shout.
"Thank you, Tessa," Hardin says quietly.
"Anything else or can I finish getting ready now?" I groan.
"Can I have a hug?" he asks with the saddest look on his face.
"Come here, you big jerk," I say as I pull him into a hug.
"And maybe a kiss?" he asks with a small grin.
I roll my eyes, but kiss him anyway. I leave the bedroom and Hardin follows me.
"Where are you going, Tess?"
"Shopping."
"For...?"
"Food. It doesn't just buy itself, you know," I say sarcastically.
"Still mad at me, I see," Hardin says as he looks at the ground and turns to leave.
"Hardin, wait... Did you want to come?"
"Really?" he chirps.
"Yes."
"Of course." He smiles at me.
"Okay. I'm leaving soon, so go get ready."
"Okay. I love you, baby, so much," he says as he leaves to go get ready.
Fifteen minutes later Hardin is ready to go. He grabs his car keys off the counter.
"No," I say as I look at the keys in his hand.
"No, what?" he asks, confused.
"You're not driving. I'm taking my car."
"Oh, okay. Just make sure you get us there in one piece," he jokes as he nudges me.
"Watch it mister, you're already on thin ice with me," I joke back.
"Okay, Tess," he quietly chuckles.
Hearing him laugh again puts the broken pieces of my heart back together again and I can't help but hug him tightly. I feel whole again as I inhale his minty scent. It's only been one night, but I've missed my grumpy Hardin so much.
