Wait (The Fast Series) (19 page)

“Oh, Jesus Christ, Tessa, a lot, okay. I’ve been with a lot of girls. It doesn’t mean I’m not capable of waiting.”

“Why would you want to wait for me? What if I’m not worth the wait? What makes me anymore special than the all those other girls?”

“Everything. I never thought about other girls the way I think about you. You’re in my thoughts non-stop, driving me crazy. I take you out because I want to be with you. I ask you things because I want to know. Yes, I messed up with the birthday, but I tried to surprise you with a big ass horse cake. Doesn’t that tell you something? Doesn’t that let you know that you’re special to me and I will wait?”

“But last night, you thought I meant sex and you can’t even probably begin to know what I was actually thinking.”

“I made a mistake, but I thought about it and now I think I know what you really meant by going further.”

Tessa closes her eyes. “No you don’t.”

“I do. I should have grabbed your boob.”

“What?” she gasps, her eyes go wide. “Grabbed my boob? And then what?” Hands on her hips, she stands waiting for me to answer.

“Grabbed the other one?” I say unsure, raising my hands up with a scared smile.

The shock on her face makes me cringe. Her mouth hangs open, awkwardness lingering and then the corners of her mouth lift. “I don’t even know how to respond to that,” she laughs.

“Please, come out with me right now, breakfast, lunch, laundry, whatever you want.” I’m pleading for a date from a girl who wants to wait, and the way she talks, it’s gonna be a long wait. Can she really not see how crazy about her I am?

“Okay, fine.”

I give her a pleased grin.

“Just do me a favor, don’t
grab
my boob. Either of them.”

“I didn’t mean grab,” I say, now realizing how rough the word sounded.

“You said grab.” She’s laughing at me.

I wait for her to stop laughing so I can clarify.

“When my fingers dance across your delicate skin for the first time and I’m able fill my hands with your softness, I promise you, baby, I’ll be nothing but gentle.”

Her breath catches and she gulps loud enough for me to hear. Damn right she’s turned on. I know a thing a two about a girl’s body. When she gives me the go ahead, she isn’t gonna know what hit her.

“I really I have a lot of stuff to do today,” she says. “I have to go to the store, call home, do laundry and I’m starving.”

“Get your stuff, let’s go do everything.”

“Alright.” She smiles at me before turning to gather her stuff.

I can’t believe it, we talked, said what we needed and now we’re going out together. We were able to work it out without a big ordeal, quite an accomplishment for us.

“Can I drive?” she asks returning with her arms loaded.

I hold up my keys. “No, we’ll take my truck.”

“Yeah, I know. Can I drive your truck?”

How can I say no to her? “Sure.” It would be cute watching her sweet little body driving my big masculine truck. I hand over my keys and carry her bags down to the parking lot.

Tessa takes a few seconds scanning the dashboard figuring out what’s what before turning the key bringing my truck roaring to life. “You sure about this?” she turns her head giving me a mischievous grin.

“I’m sure.” I grin back.

Big mistake. The girl whizzes down the roads so fast I need to clutch onto the overhead handle for dear life. Save me. Swerves so sharp my stomach drops. I only release my white fisted grip once we miraculously arrive into town in one piece. For a girl who likes to take things slow, she certainly drives fast.

The day is filled with errands, cell phone service, a quick lunch and a rather romantic dinner date.
I
drive us back to camp and kiss Tessa goodnight at her door.

“That’s it? A quick kiss at the door?” Shiny blue eyes sparkle up at me.

“I can wait.” I give her a wink before leaving.

CHAPTER FOUR

Ashley:
Grabbed? If you’re going to use what I said, at least get it right.

Tucker:
I corrected myself.

Ashley:
I heard about that too.

Tucker:
So, I’m like you? Tell me - all of this insanity, it’s worth it?

Ashley:
Absolutely.

Mark

I take a deep breath, throwing my legs over the side of my bed to sit up and get this over with. “Sawyer, I think I need to talk to you about something.” This is gonna be one of the most uncomfortable conversations of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever dreaded anything more.

“What’s up?” Sawyer’s sits across from me on his bed. He’s, with good reason, been acting funny around me ever since I declared my love for whoever was hidden under the covers of his bed.

“Listen man, I got to just say it. Cassie, well, she’s not my sister.”

“What?” He looks over at me confused, scratching his chin. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I don’t know. We thought it would make things easier for us this summer here, but instead it turned out to just make things harder.” Each word I’m saying comes out stilted and unsure. I’m probably not even making sense.

“Alright, so, why are you telling me this now?” A question that makes perfect sense to ask.

“Because, we are …” I scratch my head. How can I share a room with this guy after I admit this to him? “Because, we’re together now.”

He raises his eyebrows and coughs out a laugh. “What?” His eyes dart down to the floor and back up. “Are you fucking with me?”

“No, I’m serious. We’re not related. My last name is Ford.”

“Um, yeah, well, I don’t know what her last name even is, so, I guess I’ll have to take your word on that.”

“Last weekend when I said those things to whoever that was in your bed, I thought it was Cassie.”

Sawyer rests his arms on his knees, folding his hands together and looks across at me. “So, dude, if you liked her why didn’t you just tell me the truth and ask me to back off?” Again, a very valid question to ask.

“Yeah, I wish I had, but I think we were still figuring some stuff out.”

Sawyer stands up and pulls out a fresh shirt from his drawer. Tugging it over his head and pulling it into place he turns and looks at me. “Alright. Whatever. All of this is cool,” he says but of course it isn’t. It’s not cool. It’s the most awkward thing imaginable. The guy thought she was my sister five minutes ago.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m gonna be avoiding you guys the rest of the time we’re here,” Sawyers says looking at the door I know he desperately wants to escape out of.

“I completely understand.”
And appreciate it
. As soon as he’s gone I cup my hand over my mouth, closing my eyes and let out a laugh. This is one of the most absurd conversations I could ever picture happening. Something this crazy could only happen to me and Cassie. One thing with her…life is never boring.

Tucker

After a trip to an ice cream stand Tessa’s on my lap once again in the front of my truck. My hands are lost in her hair combing through the passion fruit scented curls, the taste of orange sherbet on her tongue.

“Okay, go ahead,” she says, removing her lips from mine.

“Huh?” I have no idea what she’s talking about; admittedly my brain isn’t at its sharpest when she’s kissing me.

“You can do the dancing fingers, gentle boob thing.”

“The what?”

“You know, further. My further, not yours.” Her voice skips with fear and her face is panicked.

Oh, got it. I’ve received clearance to let my hands slide up her shirt. My hands immediately slip down to the hem of her top.

Her lips tremble from my simple movement. One look in her eyes and I see it. She’s terrified.

Of second base
.

“I can’t,” I whisper softly. “Not when you look like that. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

“I want to do it.” Her fingers play nervously with the collar on my shirt. “I’m just a little scared and want to get it over with.”

“You’re thinking about it too much, making yourself crazy. I don’t want to do it just because you want to get it over with.”

She drops her forehead to my shoulder. “I don’t mean it like that, because I really do want you to do it. But what if I’m not good at it or I don’t like it? I’ve waited so long to let someone do it and then what if it’s not good?”

Are we still talking about the same thing here? “I’m the one who should be worried, not you. You leave it up to me.”

Her thinking gets me thinking. What if she doesn’t think I’m good at it and she doesn’t like it? She’s letting me be the first one to touch her. I don’t want to mess this up. I want it to feel good, what if it doesn’t? I’ve never had thoughts like this before - in my life.

Tessa takes a breath and calms down, her face relaxes. “You’re right. I’m ready.” She leans in and kisses me.

I’m right
, is that what she just said? That I should be worried? This suddenly feels like a huge amount of pressure. I made that stupid comment about my fingers dancing on her skin, handfuls of softness, and obviously she remembers because she brought it up. How do fingers dance? I promised her gentle, am I gentle? What do I usually do? You know something, maybe I do just grab at them. Now here she is kissing me, expecting me to make her feel ecstasy from the dancing fingers I promised her. Without even realizing I’ve stopped kissing her.

“What’s the matter?” she asks, alarmed.

“I’m freaked out.” I run a hand over my hair. “You got me all crazed that I’m not gonna do it right or be any good.”

“You? You’ve been with so many girls. You’re probably the best at everything.”

The best at everything? She has me scared to go to second base and now she’s labeling me the best at everything. How can I live up to that?

“Forget it,” I say. “Let’s go to a movie.”

Tessa sits back in her seat, picking at her nails sulking out the window. I don’t feel bad. This one is on her.

I wait in line for popcorn and sodas while Tessa runs to the ladies room. Phone out, text sent.

Tucker:
She labeled me “the best at everything.”

Ashley:
???????????

Tucker:
Everything. I’m scared to touch her now.

Ashley
: I’m sorry, but LMFAO!

Tucker:
Thanks.

Ashley:
Try not to stress. She’s got nothing to compare you to.

Ashley’s texts do little to make me feel better.

We both fidget through the movie that, no surprise, has a ton of female frontal nudity. I’m not sure, should I be uncomfortable or take notes?

After the movie we head back to camp, not a whole lot has been said since the movie ended. The high beams light up the dark road on the lookout for any signs of deer. Tessa flips through the radio stations then settles for the music on my iPod instead. A sign reflects in my headlights for “scenic view one mile.” I glance in her direction and she gives me a lip biting smile. Time to try this again. I pull over to the empty nook on the side of the road and park.

Tessa turns the volume up on the music. This time we take advantage of the truck’s big bench seat. I lay her back, careful not to relax too much of my weight on her. Her kisses are eager, boosting my confidence. Having my favorite music blasting in the background also helps. I won’t let myself overthink it as I inch up the bottom of her shirt sweeping my hand across her skin. Her stomach constricts against my palm, I keep going up. The next song comes on. I reach her bra, delicately stroking the satin fabric. So far so good, I reach around feeling for the clasp, smooth, no clasp. My hand comes back around and undoes the front freeing her to be touched. Never before have I anticipated the feel of breasts like I do right now. Cupping the precious skin gently, I let my thumb explore slowly, feeling her perk up to my touch.

“Tucker, I don’t know why I was worried. That feels so good,” she purrs. Her mouth presses up to my ear allowing me to hear her rapid breaths, melting away the earlier stress, reassuring me. Deeper kisses from her follow. More soft touching from me.

“I love the way you’re touching me,” she exclaims surprisingly loud. “Wow, your hands feel amazing.” And then, “Keep doing that. Oh my God, Tucker, that feels so good.”

I groan close to achieving what I certainly should not be achieving this soon,
doing just this
. Does she realize how hot this is? What it’s doing to me? It’s a struggle to make myself stop and sit back up off of her.

Tessa fixes her shirt and sits up resting a hand on my shoulder. “It’s excited again?”

“What you were just doing,” I exhale, lowering the music. “The talking, it was kinda dirty.”

“No it wasn’t. I was saying all nice things. I didn’t say anything dirty.”

I can’t even look in her direction, fearing I might catch a glimpse of her innocent face in the moonlight. “Saying nice things, and yes, everything you said was very nice. But saying nice things at
certain
times can actually be considered a little dirty.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize.” She drops her head and I can’t even imagine what color her skin is turning. “I won’t do it anymore.”

“I’m not saying that. Maybe, just wait, save it for a later date.” I squeeze my eyes shut and rub my forehead, on a later date this girl is going to blow my mind. She already is.

“Tucker, everything with us is so good. But this part, are we ever going to get it right?” She leans into the crook of my arm.

“Yes, come on, this is good. You’re getting me to experience all sorts of new things right along with you.” I raise my arm up and she cuddles in deeper, blonde curls crush against my chest tickling my neck. Our eyes are fixed out the window taking in the beautiful scenic view being lit up by the big round moon. I run my finger down the smooth skin of her arm.

“Tucker,” she says bashfully into my shirt. “Just so ya know…It really did feel good.”

I grin down at the unknowing little vixen wiggling into me. The girl has officially wiggled herself right into my heart. At this very moment I know for sure I’m in love with her. But I’ll wait to tell her. Some things scare me too.