Chapter 4

Chapter Four

F inn

The package looks innocent enough sitting on my porch—small, unassuming, taped neatly like every other delivery that comes out this way. I ordered a few new things last week, just a couple of tools that were supposed to arrive today. Shep sniffs at the box as if he knows it’s for me, wagging his tail lazily before flopping onto the porch with a huff.

“Let’s see what we’ve got,” I mutter, ripping the tape off the top. The second the flaps open, a low rumble and buzz starts up, vibrating so intensely it’s like the damn thing’s trying to escape the box.

“What the fuck?” I bark, startled as the noise grows louder, and Shep sits up, his head cocked in curiosity.

From the corner of my eye, I see Tessa’s head whip up from where she’s kneeling in her garden. She’s wearing one of those sundresses she’s too fond of—thin straps, a skirt that clings to her curves and leaves little to the imagination, and a floral print that’s entirely too cheerful. Her hands are covered in dirt, her face flushed from the heat, and I’m immediately suspicious when she stands and starts storming over like she’s got something to prove.

Her red cheeks deepen when she sees what I’m holding. “Oh no,” she groans, dropping her trowel and yanking off her gloves.

The buzzing intensifies. Shep barks.

“Care to explain?” I ask, holding up the offending object—a bright pink toy that definitely isn’t the drill I was expecting.

Tessa’s face goes as red as the tulips she was just planting. “That’s... that’s not yours,” she stammers, reaching for it, but I hold it just out of her reach.

“You sure about that?” I ask, fighting the grin pulling at the corners of my mouth.

“Yes, I’m sure!” she snaps, her embarrassment only fueling my amusement. “It’s mine, okay? The delivery guy must’ve mixed up the addresses.”

I raise an eyebrow, letting the vibrator buzz in my grip for a second longer. “Seems like a fun tool for gardening,” I deadpan.

“Oh, give it to me!” she huffs, lunging forward and snatching it out of my hand.

The buzzing doesn’t stop.

She fumbles with it, pressing random buttons in a desperate attempt to turn it off. Her hands shake, her frustration mounting, and Shep—ever the opportunist—thinks it’s a game. He jumps to his feet, his tail wagging as he lunges forward, barking and eyeing the toy like it’s the best thing he’s ever seen.

“Keep your dog away from me!” Tessa yells, holding the vibrator above her head as if that’ll save her.

“Shep, no!” I bark, stepping between them and shoving the dog back. “Jesus, Tessa, you better hurry up before he thinks you’re playing fetch.”

Her glare could cut through stone. “You’re not helping!”

“I could’ve guessed that,” I shoot back, watching her struggle with the still-buzzing device.

Her fingers mash every button in rapid succession, but the thing refuses to quit. I lean against the porch railing, crossing my arms as I watch her squirm.

“This thing’s got stamina,” I say, grinning when she groans in frustration.

“Oh my god, can you just—ugh!” She lets out a strangled sound, her face practically glowing with humiliation.

“Relax, Sunshine,” I tease. “Shep and I are just enjoying the show.”

“Enjoy this,” she snaps, throwing me a glare that should’ve made me wither. Instead, it just makes me want to rile her up more.

“You know,” I say, my voice low and deliberately casual, “if you’re relying on that thing, you’re clearly not doing it right.”

Her head jerks up, her wide eyes meeting mine. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” I reply, my smirk deepening. “Sounds like you need a real man to show you a thing or two instead of relying on... batteries.”

Her jaw drops, and for a second, I think she’s going to swing the vibrator at my head. “Who? You?” she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I shrug. “Wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, would it?”

“Oh, give me a break,” she scoffs, crossing her arms and glaring at me. “An avalanche could threaten to take us out, and I still wouldn’t let you near me.”

The words are sharp, but there’s a flicker of something in her eyes—a spark, a challenge. And damn it if I’m not tempted to take her up on it.

I take a step closer, the smirk fading as I let my gaze linger on her flushed cheeks, her parted lips, the way her chest rises and falls as she struggles to catch her breath. I can see the outline of her nipples through her thin dress and it takes everything in me not to drop my head and suck one into my mouth right now. The air between us thickens, charged with something I can’t quite name.

“Tessa,” I murmur, my voice quieter now.

She swallows hard, her eyes darting to my lips before she quickly looks away. “Don’t,” she says, her voice barely audible.

“Don’t what?” I ask, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face.

Her breath hitches, and for a moment, we’re frozen—her, clutching the still-buzzing vibrator like it’s a lifeline, and me, staring at her like she’s the only thing keeping me tethered to the ground.

Then, just as I think she might lean in, she pulls away, tucking the toy under her arm and spinning on her heel.

“I—I’ve got to go,” she says, her voice unsteady.

I watch her retreat, my hands curling into fists as I resist the urge to follow her. Shep whines beside me, his ears drooping as if he feels the tension radiating off me.

“Yeah, I know, buddy,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

I watch her walk back to her garden, the sunlight catching in her hair, the sway of her hips making it impossible to look away. She’s a storm I can’t quite weather, a fire I shouldn’t touch—but damn if I don’t want to get burned.

And as she disappears into her cabin, slamming the door behind her, I realize something I’ve been trying to deny for weeks.

I don’t just want her.

I need her.