Page 37 of Hot Blooded

She thought of the floral arrangements that Amos always had for her visits—a perfect symbol for the sweet, thoughtful man he was. “Flowers,” she said.

“Flowers,” he repeated. “And if you can’t speak?”

“I’ll… snap?”

“Can you snap easily?” Amos sounded doubtful.

Tessa held her hand out and demonstrated three quick, loud snaps.

His brows rose. “Huh. I’ve never been good at that.” He gave her a rueful smile. “Alright, snap three times if you can’t speak.”

She immediately envisioned Amos’s big hand pressed over her mouth while he grabbed her from behind. She couldn’t suppress the eager shiver that ran down her spine.

“Flowers or three snaps,” she confirmed.

“Good.” Amos suddenly stepped in close, wrapping an arm around Tessa’s waist and hauling her body against his. “Goodbye, Tessa.” He dipped his head and kissed her. It was sweet and soft and, despite that gentleness, it set Tessa on fire from head to toe. All too soon, he released her.

“Goodbye,” she said breathlessly.

He stood on the sidewalk as she climbed the front steps. Her shoe scuffed over something small and oddly shaped and she paused, looking down—it was a little pewter keychain cast in the shape of a teddy bear. She bent to pick it up.

“Tessa?”

“I’m good,” she assured Amos. “I think the mail carrier lost a piece off their keychain, though.” She straightened, reaching for the door. “Goodbye, Amos.”

He watched silently while she let herself inside. She locked the door, and when she peered out the window to get one last glimpse of him, he was gone.

She snuck silently upstairs—something she hadn’t done since high school. It would be best if Ma didn’t know she’d spent the whole night with her “friend.” She was a grown-ass woman and she was entitled to spend the night anywhere she wanted with anybody she wanted. That didn’t mean she wanted her mother to know about it.

She crept past Ma’s bedroom, grateful to hear light snoring. Still asleep. But not for long. She scuttled to her room and quickly but silently changed into pajamas, then crept back downstairs.

Despite having totally opposite schedules, they had developed a routine of having breakfast together before Ma headed to work and Tessa went to bed. Tessa settled herself on the couch, trying to look like she’d been there for hours, and turned the TV on low.

Not even five minutes later, she heard the creak of the stairs as Ma came down. “Well, well,” she said from the living room doorway, voice still raspy with sleep. “When did you get back?”

“A while ago,” Tessa answered evasively. “Just watching TV. Do you want me to make breakfast?” It was a pointless question. Ma wouldn’t hear of letting anyone else cook in her kitchen. Even at her most catatonic after Dad passed, she’d still handled all the cooking.

“I’ll cook,” Ma answered immediately. “I’m off today and tomorrow—the office is closed for roof repairs. You want eggs?”

“Sure. Thanks.”

Tessa put the coffee on for Ma, then made herself a mug of chamomile tea and settled in at the kitchen table. Despite her long nap at Amos’s, she was ready for bed. This was her usual sleep time, and her body hadn’t forgotten that.

She listened sleepily as Ma shared work gossip about people Tessa had never met and didn’t care about. Ma worked in an insurance office as an administrative assistant, and she knew mortifying personal details about every single coworker.

“—but what did she expect from a guy like that?” Ma suddenly demanded.

“Oh my god, right?” Tessa put in, not totally sure what she was agreeing with. “So, then what?”

“Well, of course the poor girl’s heartbroken.”

“Of course.”

“So, I told her…”

Tessa tuned back out again, sipping her tea and staring out the window as the light rose. Amos would be in his lightproof bedroom, in his daysleep. Tessa imagined herself curled up next to him.

“And do you think she listened?” Ma’s voice suddenly cut into Tessa’s musing.

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