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I'm writing for my own enjoyment, as well as that of my readers. Please review this piece, and let me know if there are suggestions, ideas, or just your thoughts. I appreciate the feedback.

CHAPTER 5

Tessa had drifted off the sleep, still intertwined with John. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as bright rays of light started drifting through the narrow windows at the top of her walls. Her thin lavender sheets had been pulled up to cover her, and remained draped up to John's waist. She could take a long and unfettered look at the behemoth man laying next to her. His chest rose and fell evenly; when he exhaled his abs became more defined. John's arms were massive, and they tapered down into his calloused hands. The cotton sheet lay draped across his waist, revealing the small cuts in his obliques pointing Tessa's attention down lower. She felt like this was entirely too odd and good to be any kind of truth. As John stirred lightly, she tucked her head back on his chest and closed her eyes. She tried to convince herself silently; enjoy this while you can, Tes, enjoy while you get the chance – it's going to be over soon when you really wake up.

John's eyes slowly slid open, and he tried to quickly survey his surroundings. Immediately, he looked down to the warmth that was clinging to his side. Her long leg had untucked itself from her cover, and it now lay on his thigh. Her caramel hair was falling over his arm, which he had kept under her all night. Tessa's hand rested lightly on his chest, and her head was steadied on his bare shoulder while her face was buried into his flesh. He could see her curves hidden beneath the sheet, and his instant reaction to her was noticeable. John moved his attention up to the ceiling again in an effort to minimize her effects on him. This is such a calm and peaceful way to wake up, he thought; I should do this more often.

Before he could have a full-blown planning session with his own subconscious, John felt Tessa begin to stir. He watched at her eyes slowly opened, and greeted her warmly with a smile.

"Good morning, lovely. How did you rest?" Tessa let a half-cocked smile cross her lips.

"Very well, thank you – you have a promising career ahead of you as a pillow. How about you? I hope I didn't make you too uncomfortable." Tessa turned her head, resting her chin on John's chest while talking to him. The morning was still pretty quiet and they spoke in hushed tones.

"Like you could have moved me to make me uncomfortable. I could bench press you." Tessa cocked her eyebrow at him.

"Okay then, so is this where the awkward morning conversation commences?" He laughed at her direct nature. Tessa had never been considered a person with a working filter on her thoughts – mostly, people could count on her being honest and saying whatever was in her mind at the moment.

"Can't really think there is any conversation that needs to be had. You're adult, I'm adult, and that's it. I don't have any reason to say much else."

"So that's it? Just like that?" John had to read the confusion on Tessa's face, and responded with his trademarked smile. "Oh-kay then. I can get up and give you a ride home. I'm sure your camp is wondering where you managed to run off to." John held her firmly in place before she could try to get up.

"I'm just fine right here if you are. It's peaceful down here. You, me, your stuffed bear in that chair staring at me. Let's just relax a bit, what do you say?" Tessa laughed softly and snuggled back against his shoulder. "We can get up in a little while." He was entirely too comfortable having her in his arms, and since he had waited so long for it, his only interest was in preserving it.

John followed Tessa's sundress up the stairs and through her house. He was still working on fastening the remaining buttons on his shirt as they came into the kitchen. They had managed to drift back and forth between sleep and conversation for the last hour before giving up, finally getting up for the day.

"Coffee? Breakfast? Anything?" Tessa was already bent over in front of the refrigerator as she made the offer. She pulled back up holding a large orange in one hand. She had a very bright smile across her face as she shut the door.

"How about a little coffee? I can get it – where are the mugs?" John opened a couple cabinets in vain, and resigned himself to watching Tessa stretch to grab a small mug and fill it. She handed him the warm liquid with a silent nod and followed her out to the porch that started it all.

"Good morning, honey." Tessa's mom was curled up on her favorite chair out on the porch. "Good morning to your friend, too." John gave a very reserved waive. Tessa's mom was almost the elder spitting image of Tessa. She had the same eyes and hair, and slender fingers that he noticed as they were wrapped around her mug. Her legs looked long and thin tucked between her chest and the arm of the chair. Her smile was warm and bright – identical to Tessa's.

"Mom," Tessa motioned to John as she sat down on the bench seat closest to her mother, "This is John Cena. John, this is my mom, Maggie."

"Mom, Maggie, whichever works out better for you, John." Maggie smiled at him again, and he instantly felt at ease.

"Is Mrs. Finch too formal?" John raised the mug and took a small sip.

"It's been forever since someone has called me that. Probably since the first time Jeff came over to play when he was five." Tessa snickered as she peeled her orange and popped the first wedge into her mouth. Her mother shook her head. "All that time in a desert, and she still has that love of oranges. You should have taken that offer to Florida, but I would have lost you to some orange grove owner. Although, you ended up there anyways, so six in one hand..."

Tessa smiled and a small drip of juice ran over her lip. She wiped it off with the back of her hand and continued on with her breakfast. "John and I ran into each other at that stupid reunion, and I thought it better to have him crash here than either of us drive after drinking too much."

"Tessa, it's fine. You're a grown-up now, kiddo. No reason to have to explain anything to me. Honestly, you haven't done a thing wrong. Good job on being responsible, though." Maggie drained her mug, and took a long look at her daughter and the face that finally matched the name so often mentioned. "I hate to leave this party, but I have a quilt to bind. John, very nice to see you, please feel welcome to come around anytime. Especially since you seem polite, and I bet you pick up after yourself."

"Nice to meet you too, Ms. Finch." John started to get up as Maggie climbed out of her chair and walked back into the house. He sat back down as Tessa giggled slightly.

"Ms. Finch? Are you twelve?" She laughed louder as John blushed slightly.

"I was raised to be polite. Sue me."

"Never can tell, I just might sometime." Tessa collected the peels from her orange and stood from the bench. "C'mon, I'll take you home."

Tessa pulled her rental up into the driveway at the house as directed by John. There were several people seated around a table on the back porch she could see from the side of the drive. John sat next to Tessa for a moment, then grinned.

"Would you like to come in? Matt's here with his newest girlfriend, and I think we are going to grill out today. If you don't have plans…" John's face was bright, expecting. It was as if he was lyrically speaking to Tessa, his voice wafting into her ears.

"John, that's very nice of you – it really is. Maggie needs me to help her run some errands today though, and I promised to help." Tessa felt a mix of disappointment and relief – she had just sank herself into this situation, and adding more people into it might further complicate things.

John tried to keep his face stoic. His time with her was running out, and despite how well things turned out last night, it may be limited to that one visceral experience. "I understand. So,"

Tessa watched his eyes closely. "So?" The awkward situation that they had avoided earlier had come home to roost now.

"What happens now? When are you leaving to go back? I'm out tomorrow morning for our next spot." John was wringing his hands together, hoping that something would allow him to cut the tension from this conversation.

"Oh, well, I'm flying back to Miami on the red eye tonight. Maggie has to dump me at the airport at 2:30."

"Tessa, can I call you sometime?" Tessa blushed hard as John took out his phone. She gingerly took it from his hand, noticing the questioning look on his face. She typed in some info and John heard the sound of a sent text message sending from his phone.

"Keep in touch, John. I had a great time." Tessa's eyes were sparkling bright as he reached for the door handle. John leaned slowly toward her, and Tessa toward him. As their lips brushed together, the rest of the world seemed to melt away. After a couple a seconds, John leaned back and popped open the door.

"I will, Tessa. Have a good flight home."