ethan
after dinner, i help tessa clear off the table as richard starts talking to me about random things that aren't important. i know he wants to discuss some defense leads that he has, but he's avoiding the topic for tessa.
it honestly gets her more worked up than me.
why the hell did i promise her that i'd be there on the 20th? there's no possible way for me keep that promise if the very worst happens on the 14th.
after all the dishes are done, tessa cuts in between our conversation.
"hey, ethan and i will be upstairs."
his eyes travel between the two of us, definitely wanting to say no or at least suggest something else. i keep my face blank— innocent.
"okay," he finally says in a strangled voice that i can only describe as 'worried father'.
tessa immediately pushes my side and ushers me out of the kitchen and doesn't stop until we reach the bottom of the stairs.
"you're acting weird," i say.
"shhh..." she holds a finger to her lips. "i have an idea."
"an idea for what?" i whisper back and follow her quick hops up the steps.
she opens her bedroom door, shoves me in, then leaves it open as she yanks my arm towards her bathroom door.
"ow," i complain and rub the small scratch on my arm that her nails left. "what's wrong with you?"
she simply smiles, looking up at me.
right before i open my mouth to speak again, she stands on her toes, bringing my face to hers and kissing me instantly. out of slight surprise, it takes me a second to process it, but eventually i circle my arms around her waist and pull her closer.
it's hard to keep my grin down at the feeling of her so close to me after barely looking my direction at dinner. i know she was just doing it to not make things uncomfortable, but still.
"wow," i say, placing one last kiss lips. "that was unexpected."
"i know, i'm sorry," she breathes out, still on her tip toes and running her hands through the hair on the back of my head. "i just simply can't even imagine showing you any sort of affection with my dad looming over us like hawks."
shrugging, i reply, "i guess i've never cared about that stuff as long as i'm not like, full on making out with someone in front of their great grandpa. i mean, parents know we do stuff when they're not there, so why hide it?"
"because my dad is crazy," she deadpans.
i laugh, letting my head fall back. "he isn't crazy... just protective."
"you're the first boy i've ever had in my room."
i raise an eyebrow. "his fault or yours?"
she rolls her eyes, trying to wriggle away from my hold around her waist.
"kidding!" i promise and keep her from running away. she bites back a smile.
we lay on her bed as she scrolls through my phone on twitter— her dad won't let her have it— and my eye catches the open door.
"is he just going to pop out of nowhere?" i ask.
"if the door is open he'll stay downstairs," she replies monotonously and keeps her eyes fixated on the screen.
nodding, i go back to laying my head on her shoulder as she scrolls through my timeline. eventually she sighs, turning off my phone and throwing it to the side of the bed.
"what's wrong?" i ask softly, furrowing my eyebrows.
"nothinggg..." she groans out dramatically and drapes herself across me. i chuckle and she reaches for my hand, playing with my fingers.
she travels up my arm and begins to trace my tattoos there. i don't have a full sleeve with absolutely no spaces, but i would say it's pretty filled. i did keep one arm clean, though.
"what's this one about?" tessa asks, and i look down to see her tracing the one on the inside of my elbow. it's a man holding up a half moon.
"don't know," i shrug. "thought it would look cool."
she giggles, continuing to graze her finger along the black outlines. "is that the reasoning behind most of them?"
"the ones on my legs are more meaningful."
she furrows her eyebrows. "legs?"
"have i never worn shorts around you?"
"i guess not," she chews on her bottom lip. "how many on your legs?"
"quite a few."
"you'll have to show me sometime."
"i will," i smirk.
tessa rolls her eyes and playfully pushes me away, but i roll her back in and connect our lips. she instantly relaxes, kissing me back with the same amount of energy i have.
and then the footsteps come, and she's scrambling away, desperately pushing my chest to the point where i roll right off the bed and narrowly avoid hitting my head on the nightstand.
i land with a groan and stay there for a second, and tessa leans over the side with wide eyes. "are you okay—"
"tess?" a hand reaches in, knocks on the open door, then richard appears. he looks at tessa, then does a double-take back to me.
"are you... okay?" he asks a little confusedly.
i give him a proud thumbs up. "testing your carpet softness."
"it pass?"
"yeah, i think so," i say, sitting up and shooting a dirty look at tessa.
she smiles apologetically.
"okay..." he narrows his eyes, clearly not believing my excuse. "i was wondering if ethan brought an envelope that mary-anne should've given him."
"oh, it's in my car," i reply and stretch out my hurt back.
"i'll get it," tessa announces and stands up.
"it's either in my front glove box or middle console, i can't remember," i call out as she disappears down the hall.
"got it!" she calls out.
YOU ARE READING
troubled | e.d.
Fanfiction"don't hang around him, tessa." "why not?" "trouble follows him everywhere." tessa works for her father's law firm the summer before college. she thinks she knows the ins and outs of everyone there, but as soon as the mysterious, quiet ethan dolan s...
