After 3

Chapter 242.

The songs for this chapter are:

Red - Taylor Swift

Kiss me- Ed Sheeran

Edge of Desire- John Mayer

Hardin's POV.

"Hardin!" Tessa squeals and literally runs across the room, her socks slide against the hardwood floor and I nearly have a god damned heart attack. One of her knees hits the floor but she collects herself f before hurling into my arms.

This is sure as hell not the reaction I had expected from her.

I thought I would be granted with an uncomfortable "hello," and a smile that didn't meet her eyes, but I was proven wrong. Very wrong. She tightens her arms around my neck and I bury my head into her hair. The sweet scent of her shampoo fills my senses and I'm momentarily overwhelmed by her presence, warm and welcoming, in my arms.

"Hi," I finally say and she glances up at me.

"You're freezing," she remarks. Her hands move to my cheeks, instantly heating them.

"It's freezing rain out there, it's worse back home.. my home, I mean." I correct myself. Her eyes quickly dart to the floor before looking back up at me.

"What are you doing here?" She whispers to me, trying her best to shield her question from our company.

"I called Christian on the way up." I inform Kimberly, she continues to glare at me, a smirk playing on her painted lips.

"Couldn't stay away, could you?" She mouths to me behind Tessa's back. Kimberly is the biggest ball-buster around, I'm not sure how Christian puts up with her, willingly at that.

"You can stay in the room across from Tessa's, she can show you." Kimberly says aloud.

Instead of responding to her, I detached myself from Tessa and Kimberly quietly disappears from the foyer, leaving us alone.

"I'm sorry!" Tessa stutters immediately while looking around the room. "I don't know why I did that, it's just nice to see a familiar face." She blushes.

I didn't let her go because I don't want to hold her, she just took it that way.

"It's good to see you too." I tell her, trying to free her of her embarrassment.

"I slipped on the floor," she flushes again and I bite down on the inside of my cheek, trying my best not to laugh at her.

"Yeah, I saw that." I can't help the small chuckle that escapes from me and she shakes her head, laughing at herself.

"Are you really staying?" She asks.

"Yes, if that's okay with you?" Her eyes are bright and a lighter shade of gray than usual. Her hair is down, slightly wavy and un-styled. Not a trace of makeup litters her complexion and she looks absolutely fucking perfect. The amount of hours that I spent picturing her face in front of me did not  prepare me for this moment when I am finally able to look at her again. My mind cannot possibly catch all of her, all the details, the freckle just below her neckline, the curve of her lips, it's fucking impossible.

Her t-shirt is loose on her body and those hideous fluffy cloud pants cover her legs. She keeps adjusting her shirt, tugging it down, playing with the collar, she's the only girl who I've ever seen wear these ugly ass clothes to bed but somehow she looks so damn sexy. Her t-shirt is white and her bra is black.. she's wearing that black lace bra. I wonder if she is aware that I can see right through her shirt..

"What changed your mind? Where is the rest of your stuff?" Tessa asks as she leads me down the hallway. "Everyone else's rooms are upstairs." She adds, unaware of my perverted thoughts.