Man of My Dreams

Chapter 8 (Tessa)

I'm so angry right now. I'm angry at Hardin. I'm angry at Molly. I'm angry at Emma for bringing me to this dreadful house again. But mostly, I'm angry at myself for being so stupid.

As I'm trying to rush through the house hoping to find Emma, I frantically wipe at the tears running down my cheeks. That's when I hear that damn British accent again.

"Tessa! Wait! Tessa!"

I ignore Hardin and keep walking.

"Tessa! Tess... please stop!" Hardin begs as he follows me through the house.

I don't know why, but there's something about the way he says 'Tess' that makes me stop dead in my tracks.

"Tess..." Hardin says softly as he gently grabs my arm to turn me around. "Please, let me explain."

"What's to explain, Hardin?" I cry. "You're just stringing me along so you and Molly can make fun of me behind my back. Well, you can tell her that T-Tessa is done with your cruel, womanizing ass!"

"No..." Hardin says desperately. "Please, please, let me explain!"

"No," I sob. "I'm finished with you!"

"Tess..." Hardin says so softly I almost don't hear him. He reaches up and wipes the tears from my cheek. "I was hoping you'd come tonight because I wanted to see you. Molly heard me talking to Nate about you and then she threw herself on my lap and started kissing me. I tried to push her off, but it was too late. You had already seen."

"I..."

"Please, you have to believe me!"

"Why? Why do I have to believe you?"

"Because..."

"Because why?!" I shout.

"Because I can't stop thinking about you! Okay?!" Hardin shouts back.

"You what?"

"I can't stop thinking about you..." Hardin says more softly.

"What does that mean? You want to have sex with me so you can get it out of your system?" I glare at him.

"No. I mean... I wouldn't complain..." He smirks, but I continue to glare at him. "Anyway..." He clears his throat. "After seeing you at the campus cafe, then again here last Friday... After the moment in my room and in my car... Well, I haven't stopped thinking about you. And I don't just mean in a sexual way. Although, my thoughts have been pretty dirty..." He smirks again, and I still glare at him. "Um... what you said in my room last week really bothered me."

"I said a lot of things, Hardin."

"The part where you said I'm nothing like how you thought I'd be, what did you mean by that?"

"It doesn't matter what I meant, Hardin." I sigh.

"It does to me." His emerald eyes burn into mine as he waits for an answer.

"I don't know why, but I thought you'd be a decent guy. I thought you'd be a man who respects women and believes in love and romance."

"Who says I don't believe in love or romance?"

"You spend your time sleeping with the entire female population on campus. How is that love?"

"First, it's not the entire female population. Second, I do read romance novels. I'm open to the idea of love... I just haven't found anyone I want to be around twenty-four seven yet. And as far as that other part... I do respect women. I would never sleep with a woman if it wasn't something she wanted. And they always know it's a one time thing."