Man of My Dreams

Chapter 22 (Hardin)

"Okay, Tess, I just ordered our takeout. It'll be awhile, since we're so far away from... anything."

"Oh, that's okay."

"I'm so sorry I forgot to bring the bag of food I bought. I planned on making you a romantic dinner and everything. I was just so nervous about this trip that grabbing the bag of food totally slipped my mind when I was leaving to pick you up."

"You were nervous?"

"Well, yeah."

"Hardin, why were you nervous?"

"I just really wanted this weekend to be special and I wasn't sure you'd like the surprise."

"Well, I don't like it. I love it." Tessa giggles.

"I'm so glad." I smile at her.

"I think I'm going to go change into something more comfortable than jeans before dinner." Tessa grabs a change of clothes from her bag. "I'll be right back!" she says before running up the stairs.

While Tessa changes, I take a moment for myself. I was definitely nervous she wouldn't like this surprise, but that's not the only reason I've been so nervous. I plan on telling Tessa something this weekend and I'm completely freaking out about it. I don't know if it's too soon or if she feels the same way. I just hope I don't chicken out.

"Hardin?" Tessa yells from upstairs. "Could you please grab my brush out of my bag and bring it to me?"

"Sure! Just a minute." I walk over to her unzipped bag and dig through it, looking for her brush. I freeze when I see something I didn't expect to find in her bag. I reach in and pull out a box of condoms. Tessa brought condoms on our trip? Does that mean she wants to... have sex? Or does she feel pressured because of me? I'm still staring at the box of condoms when I hear Tessa coming down the stairs, so I quickly hide them behind my back.

"Hardin? What's taking you so long?"

"Tess... I think we need to talk."

"Okay. What about?"

"Come here, baby." I guide her toward the couch and pat the cushion beside me.

She sits down and gives me a confused look. "Hardin, you're scaring me."

"Tess, I hope you know I didn't bring you here just so you would sleep with me."

"What?" she asks and continues to give me a confused look.

"Do you feel pressured to have sex with me?"

"What? Of course not! Hardin, why are you saying this?"

"I found these in your bag." I show her the box of condoms I was hiding behind my back.

"Oh my gosh!" she shrieks and snatches the box from me.

"Tess, what's going on?"

"This is all Emma's fault. She gave me these to bring on the trip, but I left them on my bed. She must have put them in my bag when I wasn't looking."

"Oh. Is that why you were acting so weird in your dorm and on the way up here?"

"Yeah. She kept talking about how you and I might... you know this weekend and it made me really nervous."

"Please don't be nervous. I only brought you here so we could be alone and celebrate our anniversary with no interruptions. I just wanted it to be romantic. I didn't want you to think I was pressuring you into having sex with me."

"I didn't think you were pressuring me, but it did get me thinking about it. I just don't know if I'm ready." Tessa shyly looks away.

I gently force her to look at me. "That's okay, Tess. All that matters is that you're my girlfriend and you're here with me, celebrating our two month anniversary." I gently brush her hair behind her ear.

"Okay," she whispers.

I take Tessa's hands in mine. "Tess, these last two months have been the best of my life. I'm so thankful I met you and you were willing to give me chance after chance. Every day I feel like I need to pinch myself because I can't believe you are really mine."

"Hardin..." Tessa says with a smile plastered on her face.

"I really wanted this weekend to be as romantic and perfect as possible because I have something I want to tell you. Tess, I... Well, I..."

"Hardin, you can tell me anything."

"Tess, I l—" Just as I'm in the middle of confessing my feelings to Tessa, the door bell rings. Fuck.

"Oh, that must be the food!" Tessa sprints toward the door to retrieve our takeout. She puts the food on the counter and then sits down beside me again. "I'm so sorry. What were you saying?"

"Nothing that can't wait. Let's eat," I say with disappointment thick in my voice.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Tessa and I snuggle on the couch and watch a movie while we eat. We're sharing a blanket and I can feel the warmth from her body against mine. Having her this close to me is making it hard to concentrate on the movie, especially when I have something important to tell her.

"Hardin? Are you even paying attention?"

"Hmm?"

Tessa pauses the movie and turns to face me. "Hardin, what's wrong? Do you not like the movie?"

Okay, I guess it's now or never. "Tess, you know how I wanted to tell you something before?"

"Yes. What is it?" she asks as her eyes feel like they're staring right into my soul.

I reach up and cup her cheek, gently rubbing my thumb across her skin. I look directly into her eyes and finally tell her what I've been so nervous to say. "Tess, I love you."

Tessa's lips part slightly, but no words come out and she stares blankly at me for what feels like an eternity.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same. I just wanted you to know that I love you." I drop my hand from her cheek and turn away from her. I feel humiliated. The only person I've ever loved doesn't feel the same about me.

"Hardin? Please look at me."

I turn to look at Tessa again, even though I don't want to. She's pitying me. The boy who nobody loves has finally fallen in love, but with someone who is so far out of his league it's laughable he thought she could actually love him back.

"Hardin, I love you, too."

"You what?" I look at her with a surprised expression.

"I love you!" She wraps her arms around me and nuzzles against my neck.

"You l-love me? Really?"

Tessa pulls back and looks at me. "Of course I do!"

"Tess, you have no idea how much this means to me."

"Tell me again?" She giggles.

"I love you. I love you, so fucking much!" I press my lips to Tessa's and I swear this is the sweetest tasting kiss I've ever had. When I pull away from her perfect rosy lips, we both have goofy smiles plastered across our faces. I don't know what to say next, so I nervously blurt out, "So, should we finish the movie?"

"I have a better idea," Tessa says with a hint of seduction in her voice.

"What's that?"

"How about you show me the bedroom again?"