New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 39: Tessa

I can't stop laughing as Hardin carries me over his shoulder to the bedroom. I'm proud of myself for the prank I pulled on him with Josie's help, and maybe now he'll talk to me about stuff like that instead of hiding it from me because he thinks I'll be mad.

"I still cannot believe you did that." He places me gently onto the bed so I'm lying on my back. "I didn't know what I was about to do after she slapped you."

I giggle as pain suddenly courses through my head. These bobby pins are so uncomfortable, and I know there are at least twenty in my hair. I struggle to pull them out since the hairspray acts like glue. I wince as I rip a couple strands of hair out with each bobby pin I pull.

"Let me help you." Hardin sits next to me as he notices my struggle. I sit up and allow him to carefully pluck the hairpins.

"I hate having hairspray in my hair." I tell him, trying not to wince as he also pulls some hair out with each hairpin.

"Your hair feels like straw." He laughs.

"Ow!" I hold my head. "That hurt!"

Instead of saying sorry, Hardin just laughs. "Oh please, stop being so dramatic."

I roll my eyes as he pulls out the last one. "There."

"Thanks." I run my fingers through my hair, well more like attempt to, and they barely get through it. "I feel like I should just take all of my makeup off." I tell Hardin, feeling disgusting and knowing that I'm probably gonna get pimples from all this shit on my face.

He agrees and allows me to get up. I go to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. I am a married woman now. It's definitely all in my head, but I feel like I look older than I did yesterday, so maybe marriage does that to you. I take a makeup wipe from the package in one of the drawers and begin rubbing it on my face. I admire people who can wear makeup like this all day every day, but I could never do it. I am scrubbing so hard, and every time I think the stroke of the makeup wipe against my face will be the last, more makeup comes off. After about ten minutes, I think I got a majority of it off. My face is a little red from all the rubbing, but at least my skin can breathe now. I grab a hair tie from my medicine bag and put my hair into a bun. When I get a glance of what I look like in the mirror, I laugh to myself. My blotchy face and messy hair paired with this beautiful dress is definitely a sight for sore eyes...

"There she is." Hardin smiles brightly when I enter the bedroom.

"Yep! In all her beauty!" I know I look ridiculous with crazy hair and a makeup free face.

Hardin slowly walks up to me. He cups my cheeks, rubbing them with his rough fingers that feel like silk against my skin. "There's the woman I married. Bare faced, scraggly hair and all."

I lightly shove at his chest, although I am flattered by his comment. I move to my dresser to get into my comfortable clothes, aka Hardin's shirt. I begin to reach back and attempt to unbutton the dress, but I feel hands quickly slap them away.

"What are you doing?" I turn to Hardin who is only a foot away from me.

"I said I would take this dress off of you." He says seductively, and I tighten my legs to try and suppress my hormones.

"Of course." I smile and turn back around, allowing Hardin access to unbutton my dress. His index finger traces my spine, and I feel his warm breath on my neck. Slowly, I feel him unbutton my dress. I can't do anything with him tonight because he just had surgery, but if he keeps touching me this way, I don't think I'll be able to put up a fight. He turns me around, and moves his hands to my shoulder to take off the thin straps from the dress.