AFTER WE MADE IT | HESSA

Chapter 17

Tessa's POV

a week later

I check the cupboard for one last time to see if I have left anything unpacked. I packed my bags yesterday itself to avoid any end time hassles. I still have enough time though, my flight is in about five hours from now, I can do a recheck once more before I leave. I hate that I am leaving! An entire week has passed away and I still feel as if it was just yesterday when we had our "almost getting married" trip to vegas. This entire week has been nothing but a dream come true for me! A dreamt that I kept dreaming about for almost two years, and now when I finally got the chance to live it, it felt as if the time slipped away. Only if I could go back in time and relive the entire week, I would. Every single moment I got to spend with him, all the kisses, the morning cuddles, our endless passion for sex, the promises we made, I am going to miss it all so damn much. I haven't even left yet and I am already starting to feel a sudden sense of hollow and emptiness inside of me. It feels as if I am away from him already!

But where is he?

I haven't seen him ever since I woke up! I have gotten so used to waking up in his arms, that it felt strange waking up in the bed all alone. When I went down to see him, he wasn't there. Karen told me that he had taken Abby to the park, as much as weird it sounded to me, I adore him so much for doing that. The way he bonds with her is so heart warming. It's hard to believe that he is the same person who once hated the word "kids", and now, it's so much different. Time literally flew away!

I am still weirded about the fact that he didn't wake me up. I know he is a little upset that I am leaving today. He wanted our flights to be on the same day, but none of the flights to Chicago and New York had the same timing. It always clashed! Either the flights were already booked or there were none available. The flights we booked were the best we could find as per Hardin's wish, that's the reason he is going to fly tomorrow morning and I am leaving today. I remember the way he frowned when he walked in the room to see me pack my bags.

"So you are leaving me again, huh?" he had joked, but I could see the sadness behind his playful smile. We both knew that the clock was ticking and it was finally time for the unwanted goodbye.

I am not sure how things are going to be once he is back in Chicago and I am back in New York! I hope everything works out for us this time! It has to! We both have dealt with enough and for once we deserve to be happy.

Last night was certainly the highlight of this week, we made love to each other, but the best part wasn't even the sex it was the after sex. He kept promising me how much he loved me, how much he had missed me and that he wouldn't ever let me go.

"You are my life, Tessa. My everything!" he had whispered in my ears, as he buried himself into me.

Small, promising things like this makes me feel so positive about us!

I wish he would just come back soon! Today is our last day together and I want to spend each second of it, with him. I already lost the past two hours and I don't want to waste any more time alone. I quickly grab my phone from the bed and dial his number. As soon as the call starts ringing, I hear Abby's laugh come from downstairs. He came back! I move to open the door to get downstairs, but I decide against it. If I go downstairs now, we would have to spend time with everyone and I don't want that. I know it's selfish of me to even think that way, but I need to spend the last of my time in Washington with him, I need us. I take a seat on the edge of the bed and wait patiently for him to show up, and that is exactly what happens.

Within minutes I hear his boots stomping across the hallway and the door finally opens. There he is, perfect and beautiful as ever. Even though I have been seeing him all week, my emotions feel as if they are heightened. I want to kiss him, tell him how much I love him, how much I am going to miss him.