Before

Chapter 12

                 

(Sooooo I didn't want to wait until Thursday hah. I got impatient, but I will still update tomorrow :) love you! )

Hardin POV

I drive the car down one last narrow street and park toward the end of the small gravel patch nestled between a group of massive trees. I love it out here, no one ever comes here and that's perfect for me. Especially on a nice day like today when it's rarely not raining in the Olympic Peninsula. The dead sky is one thing I've been used to since growing up in Hampstead, the sun is a rare sighting most Fall days.

Tessa glances the around the area and her eyebrows draw together.  "Don't worry, I didn't bring you out here to kill you," I pester her, attempting to evoke a laugh from her. She stares toward the field of yellow wildflowers and her shoulders slightly relax. What is she thinking?

"What are we going to do here?" she asks me.

"Well, first, a bit of walking."
Tessa sighs and follows me down the dirt that used to be grass-path. She looks miserable already. What was I thinking? "Not too much walking,"

She doesn't trust me and she seems to be in a bad mood today. Go figure. When is she not? I focus my attention on the cloud of dust that my boots make when they hit the dry, dusty trail. Tessa's steps are nearly silent and she's incredibly slow.

"Well, if we hurry we may make it before sundown," I tease her when we reach a tree with an old abandoned bicycle tied to it. It's the halfway marker and the walk is about a mile. Not too bad. Tessa slows down the walk but her face when we reach the water is worth every wasted moment. She gasps a little, as if this simple stream in the middle of the woods is magical. Her lips lift and her eyes go wide.

Does she even like swimming? I probably should have asked her. I stay quiet and let her take in her surroundings before asking anything of her. Now that we're alone together I can't think of shit to talk about. Maybe I should just get into the water? Tessa's standing in the same spot she was the last time I looked at her. She's pushing the dirt around with her shoe to avoid looking at me.

Fuck this awkward shit. I'm getting in the water. I pull my t-shirt over my head and listen for the whimpering sound to come from Tessa. She doesn't say much but she's very animated when it comes to a soundtrack of her expressions. With a smile usually comes a sigh, with annoyance comes huffing, and with arousal comes her panting.

"Wait, why are you undressing?" She inquires. I don't think she's aware of just how hard she's staring at my bare chest. She clears her throat and asks, "You are going to swim? In that?"

She points to the water with a look of disgust on her face. Of course Little Miss Priss doesn't want to get her clothes and hair wet?

"Yeah, and you are, too. I do it all the time." I pop open the button on my jeans and Tessa continues to complain. She watches me undress while doing so.

"I am not swimming in that." This water is clearer than most lakes around here. This is exactly why I can't stand stuck up snobby girls who are afraid to get dirt under their manicured nails.

"And why is that? It's clean enough that you can see the bottom." I point toward the sparkling water. I thought she would be more impressed than she is. The idea that I never know what she's thinking unnerves me.

"So . . . there are probably fish and God knows what in there." She shrieks. Fish? Really? That's what this strange girl is worried about? "Besides, you didn't tell me we were going swimming so I have nothing to swim in."

"You're telling me you're the kind of girl who doesn't wear underwear?" I smile at her, desperate to see her in them.  "Yeah, so go in your bra and panties." There's no way in hell she's going for that. I can see the anger building behind those gray eyes and I can't wait to hear her reply.