Page 27 of Cherished Lands
"I'm fine."
"Tessa, you're bleeding."
She released a dramatic exhale as she finally uncurled her fingers. I grasped her delicate wrist, pulling her hand closer to examine the cut. A thin red line crossed the pad of her finger, blood beading along its length. As soon as I touched her, my heart picked up. I tried to focus on the cut, not on how soft her skin was or the faint thrum of her pulse under my fingers.
"It's not too bad. You better not have bled on my strawberries."
The corner of her mouth quirked upward, and she fluttered those striking green eyes at me, a glimpse of her usual sass returning.
"Hold this," I instructed. "I'll get you a band aid."
She pressed the paper towels to her finger. I returned a moment later and wrapped it around her cut.
She looked up at me with her breath coming in short bursts and a completely inscrutable look on her beautiful, make-up free face. We were standing so close together that each time she exhaled, her chest brushed against mine.
I cleared my throat and took a big step back. When I looked from Tessa to my dad, he was grinning at me. I shot him a glare that said something along the lines of,All right, old man. Keep your mouth shut.Tessa resumed her work cutting the fruit, a pretty flush on her cheeks.
"Why don't we have a little chat," Dad said. He sat at the kitchen table with his own mug of coffee, and I joined him.
Mom put a gentle hand on Tessa's shoulder and reached for the knife. "Go on. I'll finish up. Thank you for your help."
Tessa nodded and made her way to the table, chewing on her bottom lip.
"So," Dad began, "to what do we owe the pleasure of your company this morning?"
Tessa let out a long sigh. "I attended an event last night. An acquaintance caught word about my investing in the cidery and accidentally let it slip to my parents before I'd had a chance to inform them. They're not happy."
"How does that result in you being in our kitchen for breakfast?" I asked a little more harshly than necessary. Dad shot me abe nicelook.
But Tessa didn't miss a beat. "I'm sorry, is my presencebotheringyou?"
"Yeah, actually, it is."
She glared at me. I glared back.
Mom came over and began setting food on the table. "Forgive my first-born. He must have left his manners in that tiny little house of his." She swatted me on the head with an oven mitt as she walked back to the kitchen.
"My father told me not to come home," Tessa said quietly. "I'm sorry. I should have just gotten a hotel, but I was upset, and I just started driving and..."
"Ended up in a ditch," Dad finished for her.
"The fuck?" I demanded. "A ditch?"
"My car slid off the road in the snow," Tessa admitted, almost like she was embarrassed that she couldn't control the elements. If anyone could, though, it'd be her. "I was just lucky your dad was driving by."
"It was no problem," he said. "You're always welcome,Tessa, despite what Elliot says." Thelookwas back. "Isn't his house, anyways."
Tessa stuck her tongue out at me, and I rolled my eyes. Then the front door banged.
"Somethin' smells good!"
Chase sauntered into the kitchen with Natalie and Jasper right behind him. Just as I had, all three stopped on a dime when they saw Tessa. Their expressions were a mixture of mischief—Chase—and confusion—Jas and Nat.
"Mornin' Tessa," Chase said with a grin. "'Bout time you two banged it out."
"Chase Matthew!" Mom shouted.
The three newcomers took their seats at the table. Chase laughed. Jasper and Natalie continued to exchange confused looks, their eyes bouncing from me to Tessa and back again.
