Bare Yourself (Consumed)

He stops laughing, but a smile still lingers. “You’re right. It’s not funny.” He contradicts his words by letting a short chuckle slip free. “Actually, it is kinda funny.” At my growl, his face sobers again. “Come on, Willow. I’m telling you, it’s going to be fine. Just wait until you meet him. You’ll see.”

He leans over the console and lays a soft kiss against my lips. His intoxicating male scent surrounds me, and I want nothing more than to leave here and go back to his place, where we can devour each other until neither of us can think straight. Unfortunately, I know that’s not possible. His dad would really hate me if we left without going inside.

Tegan climbs from the truck and pulls my door open, grabs me by the waist, and helps me down.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m meeting my dad’s girlfriend for the first time,” he remarks. “Well, technically, I’ve met her before, but she was his nurse then.”

“When he was in the hospital after his stroke?” I ask.

“Yep.” He stops me at the door. “You should probably know, I asked her out and flirted with her.” I snicker, and he has the decency to look embarrassed. “I didn’t realize she was interested in my dad though.”

I laugh, because that shit is funny. I can imagine the awkward feeling Tegan’s about to have. That right there makes me feel so much better.

We hear laughter when we walk inside. Tegan drags me toward the sound and we enter the kitchen a moment later. A man who looks like an older replica of Tegan is pressed up against the back of a woman at the stove. He has his arms around her, as if showing her how to cook something.

Tegan clears his throat, and the woman screeches, sending what looks like strips of peppers through the air. Tegan’s dad curses under his breath and turns away from the woman, waving his hand.

“Damn it, son. You can’t sneak up on us like that,” he grumbles.

“Oh, Benjamin, I’m so sorry,” the woman says with worry, then grabbing him by the arm and dragging him to the sink. Turning on the tap, she pushes his hand under the running water. “Keep it there for a minute.”

“Sorry, old man,” Tegan says, walking us further in the room.

I stand awkwardly by his side as the woman fusses over his dad’s hand. She’s young. A lot younger than I would have expected his dad’s girlfriend to be. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just didn’t expect it.

When he sees me standing there, something passes over his face. Almost like relief and happiness.

“Hand me that towel, will you, Samantha,” he asks. He dries his hand and steps over to us.

“Dad, I’d like you to meet Willow, my girlfriend. Willow, this is my dad, Benjamin.”

He extends his hand. “Hello, young lady. It’s a pleasure to meet you. And please, just call me Ben.”

I smile timidly and take his hand. “The honor is all mine.”

He smiles, and I swear it makes him look even more like Tegan. The resemblance is uncanny. It if wasn’t for the gray scattered in his hair and the few lines on his face, they could pass for twins.

The smile along with the entire situation serve to help relax me, and I wonder why I was so worried. I’ve only just met him, but I already feel welcome.

Releasing my hand, he reaches out for the woman. “Come here, you.” When his arm is firmly planted around her waist, he says proudly, “This is Samantha. You’ve already met my son, Tegan.” He winks. Tegan looks slightly embarrassed, while Samantha looks smug. “This here is his girlfriend, Willow.”

We smile at each other and say hello. She’s pretty with wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her smile is genuine and kind. I’d place her in her late twenties to mid-thirties, which probably puts her at twenty years Ben’s junior. When they look at each other, they do it with love and adoration in their eyes. I don’t know these people, but I can’t help but be happy for them.

“So, what’s for dinner?” Tegan asks. “It smells delicious.”

“Oh, crap!” Samantha cries, and rushes away to the stove.

“Teriyaki stir-fry. When you walked in I was teaching Samantha how to cook the veggies so they aren’t soggy and keep their crispness. Either of you want a beer?”

“Or there’s wine,” Samantha puts in.

On his way to the fridge, Ben stops by her to lay a kiss to her cheek. He looks at us over his shoulder. “Or there’s wine,” he repeats.

Tegan looks down at me for an answer.

“Wine, please.”

“Beer for me.”

He grabs both, hands the beer to Tegan and pours me and Samantha glasses of the wine.

“Come sit.” He gestures toward a four-seater table in the middle of the room.

Before we walk away, I ask Samantha, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

She turns with a smile. “No thanks. This is almost done and everything else is finished. You go sit and relax.”

I take a seat beside Tegan at the table. He throws his arm over the back of my chair, then leans back, puts his ankle over one knee, and rests the bottle of beer on his thigh. I take a sip of my wine and welcome the sweet but bitter taste.

“So,” Ben starts, leaning his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together. “Tell me about you, Willow. I’m intrigued because you’re the first girl Tegan’s ever brought home.”

I slide my eyes to Tegan and he winks at me.

“He told me as much on the way here.” I turn back to Ben, some of the anxiety coming back. I never like talking about my life because so much of it lately hasn’t been good. “I was born and raised in Texas.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “When my mom passed away a couple months ago, I decided to move here, as I had no family left there.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss.” And he genuinely looks sad on my behalf. “What about your father?”

A searing pain hits my chest, but I push it back. “He died when I was in college. Robbery gone wrong.”