Previously: Light verbal assault and this isn’t how any of this works.
—
Marines: Hardin grabs Tessa by the neck. She claims it’s to deepen the kiss, but I don’t know, I’m not convinced he isn’t trying to murder her with his apology. Tessa says that all of his anger and frustration is being converted into lust and affection.
Samantha:
Mari: Yeah, that formula doesn’t make sense to me either, but that’s not going to end this scene.
They sloppy kiss each other all the way to the bed. Tessa straddles him and takes off her shirt and bra. Hardin starts kneading her boobs, but Tessa stops him. She’s got her own sexy plans and they don’t involve treating her breast like uncooked baked goods. She helps Hardin take his pants off and as soon as she touches his dick, he’s all GASP! Wow, gasp, who would’ve thought that this sex you are having would lead to her having contact with your genitals. Honestly, shocking.
Tessa “bravely” takes him into her mouth, but no word on why this bitch thinks she deserves a Medal of Honor. (S: He had a lot of rage being converted into lust. Maybe it’ll, like, electric shock her idk how fake science works.) Hardin is quiet for 0.2 seconds, and Tessa realizes she misses his dirty talk. She doesn’t have to miss it for one second longer, though, because he tells her that she looks sexy when her “smart mouth” is on him. Next, he’s going to tell her to go make him a sandwich. I’m sure of it.
Samantha: Look at how funny this book is! Joking about how he doesn’t like when she talks back! This is both vaguely paternal and definitely misogynistic! Wait, I think I got funny wrong!
Mari: Hardin stops her before he comes. They finish undressing, and Tessa checks in on all that anger in the room. Update: “the angry tension between us has decreased.” It’s like testing for wind.
Things continue to get hot and heavy as Hardin fingers Tessa. She’s enjoying things, thinking about how good Hardin is at it, things are going great for her and then:
“”You are going to listen to me from now on. Am I right?” he says against my neck, gently biting the skin.
What?
“Tell me you will listen to me or I won’t let you come.””
Tessa doesn’t think he’s serious, but he stops her from moving at all. Tessa quickly says okay, she’ll obey him or whatever, and he smirks.
“I want to slap him for doing this right now. He is using my most vulnerable time against me but I can’t find my anger through my need for him.”
Told you it was like testing for wind. Which way is the anger blowing? Hardin calls her a good girl and tells her to look at him when she comes because only he can do that to her. Oh, Hardin, honey. No.
Tessa briefly tries to tell him he’s a dick for that whole OBEY ME OR ELSE thing, but obviously, she doesn’t get a few words out before he silences her with his kisses. But! Tessa has learned a thing or two about whatever the hell is going on here. She grabs his dick and squeezes? It’s like a chokehold but also a threat that there will be no more sexy times until he apologies. He does. I’m sure he means it.
Samantha: What. the fuck. is happening?
Mari: I’m not entirely sure, but unfortunately for me, this means sex continues. Tessa figures out how to ride Hardin as he tells her that she means everything to him. He can’t lose her. Thems the magic words and they come together in perfect synchronization, of course.
Tessa is glad that he chased after her after he, you know, sent her away. He apologizes about that. He can be an asshole “sometimes.” Tessa calls him out on the “sometimes,” and I guess it’s supposed to be cute that her boyfriend is literally always an asshole.
They have like a pleasant two seconds, they even chuckle a little over what a jerk he is, and then Tessa asks what happened between him and Dan. She tells him that Jace led on that there were problems between the two of them. Hardin plays it off as not important and fake smiles at Tessa. She doesn’t push it because she thinks these last two scenes are an example of how they are getting better at communicating and working through their problems.
Samantha: Breaking new, turns out that deciding to not communicate is the opposite of getting better at it.
Mari: Talk turns to that apartment they are getting together. (S: Oh god.) Tessa wants to know how much it costs, but Hardin won’t say. Her worry is cable. Tessa adds groceries, too. Hardin asks if she’s going to tell her mother about their moving in together. Tessa says probably not immediately. Hardin is sorry things are tough with her mom, but also says he’s too selfish to remove himself from the situation. Thankfully, it’s not entirely your damn decision, idiot.
Hardin tells Tessa she should probably go to sleep because it’s close to midnight. Tessa thought it was later and Hardin jokes that if she weren’t so tight, he could’ve lasted longer. The “joke” is just in time because the end of the chapter means I can go throw up now.
Next time on After: A phone call from Noah in Chapter 86.
I'm a 30-something south Floridan who loves the beach but cannot swim. Such is my life, full of small contradictions and little trivialities. My main life goals are never to take life too seriously, but to do everything I attempt seriously well. After that, my life goals devolve into things like not wearing pants and eating all of the Zebra Cakes in the world. THE WORLD.
I'm a 28 year old graduated English major and almost librarian. I can often be found singing too loudly (poorly) in the car or spending some time (hours) on Tumblr. I am a lover of Harry Potter, the Spice Girls, and too many other things.