Chapter 142

Tess's back had tightened during the night.

"Claire? Honey, are you here?" Tess asked.

"Yeah Mom, I'm here, are you all right?" Claire asked. from the doorway. "I was just going to go to breakfast. I want to get my chores finished early today."

"Well, my back is really tight right now. I can't move very well. Could you get me a heating pad and some Paradol please?"

"Yeah, hold on." Claire returned with a glass of water and a couple pills. "I don't see a heating pad. I'll see if they have one up at the house."

"Claire, have breakfast while you're up there, just come check on me before you head out on your chores," said Tess.

"I will Mom, I'm sorry your back hurts. You were still awesome in the derby though."

"Tess? Are you okay? Claire told me you were hurting pretty bad here. I brought you a heating pad, and some breakfast. I told Claire she could go ahead and get started on her chores, and that I'd come check on you," Jodi said as she walked into the cottage.

"I'm alive and I think the Paradol is starting to kick in. I'm hoping that if I warm up the muscles in my back, maybe they'll start moving again," Tess explained.

"It seems like a good thought." Jodi looked at her sister lying awkwardly in bed, clearly in pain. "Man, that Demolition Derby really hurt you. Stevie and Matt didn't get hurt nearly this bad from taking impacts," said Jodi.

"There was one specific hit when I really felt myself really get tossed around. I banged my head hard on the steering wheel when Stevie had me pinned on the wall and the other car rear ended me point blank. That one really hurt. I knew as soon as I saw it in my rearview mirror that it was going to hurt. I completely understand why they require helmets for all the drivers."

"You did so great out there. I'm sorry you're hurting." said Jodi.

"Well, I knew my family would be there to help me heal. Sure enough, here you are." said Tess.

"You were right, of course I'm here."

"This is why Finn wouldn't stay last night," said Tess.

"What do you mean?" asked Jodi.

"I wanted Finn to stay last night, and to be with him, to sleep with him, but he told me no. He said that if he stayed, he wouldn't be able to resist, and he would make love to me," said Tess.

"Well that doesn't sound so bad," Jodi teased.

"No, it sounded pretty nice to me, but Finn told me that when we do that for the first time together, he wants it to be perfect for both of us, and that he wanted no restrictions or limitations, just the two of us together all night. He told me my bad neck and back would prevent him from doing what he wanted to do to me, and that he would rather wait until he could have all of me," said Tess.

"Well, I'll be damned, that was smooth. It sounds like your bloke has some moves in mind for you," said Jodi.

"It was the sexiest denial I've ever received, I'll say that. Now, I really want my back to heal up to see what exactly he wants to do with me. Do you think he has some crazy American moves we've never heard of?" asked Tess.

"I'm not sure I want to know exactly what moves Finn has, but I'm guessing he was just looking out for you. You wouldn't want to be in this kind of pain with Finn in your bed right now." said Jodi.

"Jodi, I haven't had sex in nine years. I thought about this last night. What if I'm not any good any more? I thought I had some moves back in my twenties and my thirties, but I'm in my forties now. I've never done this as a forty-something. He's never seen me naked. No one has seen me naked in my forties except my doctor. What if he's disappointed? What if he isn't attracted to me at that level? What if we don't have the same chemistry in bed as we do out of bed?" worried Tess.

"Oh Tess, Finn loves you and he knows how old you are. If he wanted some pert little twenty something, he wouldn't have fallen for you. He is in his forties too, he probably doesn't look the same as he did twenty years ago either, but you still think he's sexy. You told me that kissing him was really intense passionate, and, sex is just a continuation of a kiss. If your kisses are good, I'm sure the sex will be good. Oh, and don't worry about the amount of time passed, it's just like riding a bike, or well, it's like riding something..." Jodi winked at Tess. "It's normal to be nervous for the first time with someone. You know that. Finn has already shown he will do what he can to make you comfortable with him, this will be no different," said Jodi.

"I know, I just sort of want to get it over with, so I don't have to be nervous about it anymore."

"That's a bad plan and you know it. We tell our girls to wait for something special, wait until the time is right. Well, take our own advice. Finn seems to be taking it. The time is not right if you can barely get out of bed or move. Relax and heal up, then you'll be ready for a special night with Finn, " advised Jodi.

"I still don't understand how my little sister got so wise."

"Who do you think I was learning from in my late teens and early twenties? You, Claire, Becky, Stevie, my mom, even Kate. I'm not wise, I just got to learn from the best. Charlotte said she would cover your chores with Claire. I'm going to send Meggie in to check on you in a little bit."

"Thanks Jodi."