42. Alec

42

ALEC

I t's been a few days since we confronted Julian, but the unease hasn't left me. Tessa seems calmer now, maybe even hopeful since Julian was taken out of the picture. But I can't shake this nagging feeling about Ryan. Julian's words keep replaying in my head, and something just doesn't sit right.

We've been taking it easy today, lounging around the house while Tessa catches up on some work. Devin and Jace are both trying to keep things light, but I know they feel the same tension beneath the surface.

I pull them aside, just out of earshot from Tessa, and keep my voice low. "I know she doesn't want us to push this with Ryan, but I can't stop thinking about it. There's something there—some kind of connection. We need to look into him."

Devin frowns, clearly not thrilled with the idea of going against Tessa's wishes. Jace crosses his arms, looking between us, but I can tell he's on the same page as me.

"Look, I know we're going behind her back and we just talked a lot about trusting each other but I have a gut feeling that Ryan might be a solid lead here," I tell Devin, who sighs.

He crosses his arms. "Fine. We'll look into it and tell you what we find. Just keep Tessa distracted while we're out."

The two of them head out and I amble back into the living room where Tessa is curled up on the couch, typing away on her laptop. She's been running herself ragged with everything going on—school, the newspaper, and now the weight of the stalking situation. I can see the exhaustion in her eyes, even if she tries to hide it.

"Hey," I say, sitting beside her, "how about we take a break? You've been going nonstop."

Tessa shakes her head. "I can't, Alec. There's so much to do, and I'm behind on?—"

I cut her off, gently taking the laptop from her lap and setting it on the coffee table. "I know you've got a lot on your plate, but you need to rest. Especially now." I brush my hand across her belly for emphasis, and she sighs, but I see the tiniest smile tug at the corner of her lips.

She hesitates, her eyes flicking to the work she's leaving behind. "But I?—"

"You'll feel better if you lie down for a bit," I coax. "Come on, let's take a nap. I'll stay with you, okay?"

That does the trick. She's always more willing to relax if one of us is there with her. There's something about the way we've started falling into these roles like this odd but perfect little family forming around us. Without a word, she nods and lets me help her up.

We head upstairs to the bedroom, and once we settle into bed, I can feel her body slowly relaxing next to mine. I stretch my arm around her, pulling her closer, and she nuzzles into my chest, letting out a soft sigh.

"It's crazy," she murmurs after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "At the start of the school year, I had so many plans, so much I was going to do with my life. But then everything happened and it's not at all how I thought things would go, but…" She pauses like she's searching for the right words.

I tilt my head, looking down at her. "But what?"

She glances up at me, her green eyes soft. "I'm happy it happened. I mean, it's been a whirlwind, and frankly, the thought of having three babies is terrifying, but I can't imagine not having them…or not having you guys."

Her words settle in me, warm and grounding, and I realize I feel the same way. It's been anything but conventional, but the thought of these babies, of being a part of her life in this way…I wouldn't change it.

"I'm happy too," I admit quietly, running a hand through her hair. "I didn't expect any of this, but it feels right, doesn't it?"

Tessa turns and looks up at me, pulling me forward to press our lips together.

The kiss is soft, sweet, like a warm hug on a cold day, but then it deepens and she shifts, pushing her body into mine as her leg comes up over my thigh. I feel the heat from her core radiating against me and I nip at her bottom lip, pulling back slightly.

"I thought you were tired," I tease.

"I'm suddenly wide awake," she says, her voice low and husky. "And I feel like we haven't had a chance to connect in a few days. You've always got studying or fraternity work lately."

I nuzzle into her neck, kissing it slowly. "I know. We've both been busy. But we have some time now. We should make the most of it."

Tessa sighs as I continue to kiss her neck, looping her arms around me and nosing into my shoulder, giving me her answer. Our hands move, exploring each other's bodies as I kiss down her neck and across the collar of her borrowed Sigma Theta T-shirt. It's taut over her belly, but I think it looks adorable as I run my hands over the bump, feeling the smooth expanse of skin. She's started to feel the babies moving around inside her, which is called the quickening according to Dr. Shepard, who's been her prenatal care doctor since we went to the ER.

My hands rub slow circles into her belly, then they drift lower and lower until I dip into her leggings, cupping her ass and kneading it under my fingers.

Her breathing is heavier now, eyes trained on me as I slip a finger into her seam, my fingers immediately sticky with her arousal.

My cock hangs between my thighs, trapped by my sweatpants as I grind into her. I reach down with my other hand and pull it out, rubbing it along the front of her vulva as I continue to tease her with my fingers.

"Can we make love?" she asks, her voice a whisper in the shadowy afternoon sun.

"Yes," I breathe out, need filling me until I feel like I'm going to melt in the heat. "I want to make love to you."

I push down Tessa's leggings and underwear and lift her leg a little higher, lining my cock at her entrance. We're still lying sideways—a more comfortable position for her at the moment—and I slip inside, and bring her leg back down over my thigh.

Slowly, we start to rock back and forth, our bodies clinging to each other as I gaze into Tessa's green eyes, counting the freckles that are scattered across her cheeks like constellations in the night sky.

Her eyes bore into mine and for a moment it feels like our souls are touching. I can't believe I resisted this for so long when I could have had all this and more from the beginning.

"Oh Alec," Tessa says, and it sounds like a sigh as she rolls her hips into me. "This feels so good. So right."

"I know," I say, unable to hold back the feelings inside me any longer. "I wish I'd let you into my life and my heart much sooner, sweetheart."

Her inner walls feel like soft silk as my cock pushes into her over and over again. I need this, I need her. The thought should scare me but it doesn't. It's exhilarating, knowing that I've found someone I could see spending the rest of my life with.

Every agonizingly slow roll of our hips inches us closer and closer to the edge. I press my face to her chest, breathing her in as I try to memorize this moment, to make it last as long as possible.

Tessa squeezes around me and the exquisite heat is enough to drive me right over the edge. I can't stop myself from coming apart as I push as deep into her as I can, filling her with my seed.

She continues to work her hips into me, chasing her own release. My fingers move down to the spot between us, pressing two digits against her clit as I rub in tight circles, encouraging her to come for me.

"That's right, sweetheart. Come for me. I want you to come for me now," I murmur into her ear. With a soft gasp, she tenses up and shudders, her orgasm rippling through her, wave after wave of pleasure racking her body.

"Alec!" she cries out, her voice soft and breathy. "Oh Alec…"

I press my forehead to hers as we breathe together, relaxing into the bed. My cock slips from her entrance but as I lay there, it starts to stir with interest again.

"You're so beautiful," I say, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I wish I could have told you that sooner."

"You make me feel beautiful," she says, giving me a tender smile. "I feel like I'm on top of the world when you look at me."

"I do too," I admit. "I was so focused on being the best president that our fraternity ever had, so determined to right the wrongs of our former brothers that I didn't even allow myself to think I could find someone like you."

Tessa lays her head on my chest. "I didn't think I'd find anyone like you, or Devin, or Jace. I can be stubborn, persistent, a little annoying and I refuse to take no for an answer. It scares off most guys, but you three aren't like most guys."

I kiss the tip of her nose, wanting closeness. "We can be," I admit. "But we're trying to be better."

The front door creaks open just then and we glance at the door, then at each other. Is that Devin and Jace? And if they're back, do they have news for me?