Promises (TP 6)

83 - Irritable

The afternoon sea breeze made the deck comfortable. They had been having a string of hot days, so Tessa relented, and she and the girls had been staying at Patrick's. His kids were returning home in the morning. It had been two weeks of bliss. The plan was to stay at Patrick's only on the weekends and at her house during the week. With the heat, it made sense to be by the beach.

It wasn't as weird being there without him as she expected. Chloe and Maya played with Abbie all week. For their last night with his kids, Megan had insisted on keeping them for dinner, so she and Patrick could enjoy some time alone.

Tessa enjoyed the scenery as Patrick mowed his lawn. His flexed muscles glistened with sweat. Even working four days a week, he had a nice tan. Thinking of him as hers sent jolts through her body like fireworks bursting in every direction.

The hum of the engine stopped, and he disappeared. She wasn't used to having nothing to do. She had done some laundry earlier, mixing his with hers and the girls. He had his house cleaner and ordered groceries online. They cooked and cleaned up together, so she felt pampered.

He stepped onto the deck from the kitchen, guzzling a bottle of cold water.

"I'm all yours for the next two-and-a-half hours."

"You need a shower."

"Don't you have sunscreen to wash off?" He had a wicked grin.

They had never showered together, but she and David had.

He said, "It's fine if you don't want to, but we may never get another opportunity."

Smiling, she pinched her nose. "You need a head start."

"Can you smell me?" He sniffed his armpit and made a face.

She laughed. "I was teasing about the smell."

"I'm going but Tess, don't take too long." He winked.

He had been calling her Tess a lot. It didn't feel sad. It was true David called her Tess, but her family did too. The edge was gone when she thought of David. She didn't lie awake thinking about how he left her. It was hard to think of another man when Patrick was holding her.

She would go home in the morning to give him time with his kids. He argued they would probably run to their friends. She countered, "They still need to know you're waiting for them and missed them."

Tessa hoped she could sleep without him. She stood and walked up the stairs. The bathroom was steamy and his sweaty clothes were on the floor.

"I didn't think you were coming."

She pulled her shirt over her head. Her shorts wouldn't button as she slipped them off along with her underthings. She wasn't shy with her nakedness. She opened the shower door. He was wet with his hair slicked back and water droplets darkening his lashes. As he looked at her, she watched his body respond.

When he reached out for her, she expected him to pull her to him. Instead, he put his hand on her belly. "You're showing. My son." He smiled.

Patrick had been amazed every minute of the ultrasound. She kept watching his face and not the screen. When they heard it was a boy, he was so happy. "We didn't need another girl."

The technician asked how many they had. Tessa said, "We each have two."

Patrick said, "Now I'll have two sons."

The technician said, "Six."

Tessa said, "Yours, mine and ours." She remembered watching that movie but never thought it would be her life.