Live and Breathe Words ~ Wessa

Part 8- This Moment

“I love you now more desperately, this moment, than I have ever loved you before, and in an hour I will love you more than that.”

Tessa decided in the split moment as she pushed open the door to the library that she would act as if nothing had ever happened in regards to the whole kissing incident. She certainly did not want to relive the experience again in her mind, and Will didn’t need to know how much it bothered her, although she had convinced herself it didn’t. 

But as Tessa tentatively walked into the library, silently praying that he would be nowhere in sight, her heart sunk as her eyes connected with none other than a pair of bright midnight ones. Will was sitting on top of her desk, swinging his legs, probably intentionally sprawled on top of her work so she couldn’t ignore him. 

“Do you mind getting your ass off my papers?” she snapped, wincing as her words came out harsher than intended. Will seemed unfazed by the lack of greeting and harsh tone though, and his expression turned meditative as he stared dramatically into the distance. 

“Many fine women would pay handsomely to have my ass touch their papers.”

Tessa snorted, unable to help herself. He lifted his head to meet her gaze, the midnight blue of his eyes twinkling in the light of the chandelier, and a smile tugging on the corners of his lips. His hair was as messy as ever, strands sticking every which way, and a single midnight lock fell across his eyes. He was so beautiful it hurt, and Tessa looked away. 

“Tess?” The gentleness in his tone shook her out of her trance, and she cocked her head to the side. 

“Yeah?”

His expression was impossibly soft and tender and she was finding it increasingly hard to suppress the urge to reach out and cup the graceful curve of his features. 

“I’m sorry. I know you said you don’t care, and that’s fine, but it feels wrong to just leave it like this and not explain myself.”

She inwardly groaned at the mention of the one topic she didn’t want to talk about—Tessa had never been one for drama—but she remained silent, and he took her lack of objection as a signal to continue. 

“I don’t—I don’t have any feelings for Jessamine. Not like I do for…” He paused for a moment, a pained expression crossing his features. “Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. But I dated her for like a week, a year ago. I don’t know why she oh-so-rudely decided to pay me a visit and violate her restraining order, but when she kissed me, I was so shocked I just froze. So yeah…” He awkwardly trailed off, and Tessa just stood there, stunned. Oh. 

“I—it’s alright—I’m sorry, I mean that you have to deal with her,” she stuttered, unsure of what to say and how to react. Her eyes suddenly brightened, and she couldn’t help a smirk. 

“Did you really file a restraining order against her?”

He gave her a goofy half-grin—which practically made her melt on the spot—and sighed dramatically, his light-hearted humor returning in an instant. He raised his hand to his forehead, feigning discontent and unhappiness. 

“Alas, the world is a cruel place and did not allow for such a thing to happen.” He suddenly straightened, perking up as a thought popped into his mind. “I did dream about it once though. That remains one of my favorite dreams to date.”

Tessa laughed, and Will seemed pleased with himself that he had cheered her up, and that the awkwardness over the Jessamine situation was settled and in the past already. Now that Tessa thought of it, the whole affair seemed so trivial—it was just a kiss after all, one that didn’t mean anything to Will, and even if it did, it’s not like Tessa’s in any position to dictate his life. She felt silly at having made a big deal over the situation, and was quite grateful now that things could go back to normal between the two of them.