Page 12 of Tess, Property of Blaze

She steps up on her tiptoes and kisses me on my cheek, then looks into my eyes with one hand cupping my face. “Anything for my boy.” She tightens her dressing gown, and I take a seat, watching as she prepares my coffee for me. I take it from her outstretched hand and have a few sips while it’s still hot.

“So,” she says, grabbing a mixing bowl from the cupboard above and walking to the pantry, where she grabs a bag of flour. “I want you to tell me everything.”

I turn away and face the table as I continue to drink my coffee. I don’t want to talk about it, but my mother is going to persist until I tell her everything. The problem is, I don’t know Tess’s reasons. I may have left in anger because my pride had been hurt, but this has to end now. I’ve asked her twice now, and she can’t give me a clear-as-fuck answer when she says she can’t marry me. I love her, she’s it for me, I want her by my side forever, on the back of my bike, and to be the mother of my children, so why? Why the fuck is she saying no?

A thought comes to my mind: Tracker. Tracker can help me out. Maybe he can do a background trace on her. Just the thought of it has me sick to my stomach. How can I go behind my woman’s back and do a search into her past? She would hate me, but what other choice do I have when she won’t talk to me about it.

With that decision made, I turn to my mom. “Didn’t have a chance to ask her yet, Mom, but don’t worry, it will happen soon.”

She turns and smiles. “Sooner rather than later, Dalton, I need me some grandbabies soon.” I return her smile; if she only knew how desperately I want that too. An image of Tess barefoot and pregnant in our kitchen has my stomach flipping. I envy what Quill and Hawke, and now Trigger, have. I want that too. So, so much.

Tess and my mom had a strong connection from the first day I introduced them. They became close instantly. I think it’s because Tess didn’t have a mom growing up. She hasn’t told me much about her folks, but when I asked her about them, she only ever spoke of her mom, and how she died when Tess was born. I never pushed her because I didn’t want to upset her, and she didn’t seem like she wanted to talk about it. A few months later, I brought up the subject again, hoping I would get some insight into her past, but she just changed the subject. I’ve never pushed her, was just happy that she was with me, under my protection, but something tells me her resistance to marry me has something to do with her past, and it’s about time I find out what the real reason is.

“Don’t worry, Mom, it will happen soon. I promise.”

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