Teddy

"SOON. IF YOU'RE A GOOD GIRL."

That was a few weeks ago. I am beginning to suspect that Jensen and I have different definitions of the word soon. Or, maybe, it's that I haven't been much of a good girl.

I smirk at the thought as I clean up the animal pens.

Tonight marks the opener of the Wood Fire Pizza Nights that take place every Friday and Saturday from now until late fall. The petting zoo gets extra attention on these nights, so I try to spiff up the pens a little more than normal.

Cleo follows me out of the pig pen when I finish up in there and tags along as I move on to the goats. As always, the pig waits for me just outside the fence. Sometimes he's brave and will stick his snout between two wooden slats, but a goat or two usually discovers him and scares him away.

As I work, my thoughts drift back to my questionable good girl status. I've completely abandoned Rylie's ludicrous plan and I've doubled my efforts trying to get Jensen to cave earlier than whatever secret timeline he has in his head. We've had some pretty heavy petting sessions, but we've yet to lose any clothing items. Hands wander under clothes quite often, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

Although I'm left frustrated and wanting more every time we're together, I do have to admit—only to myself, never to my stubborn boyfriend—that making out like teenagers has been fun. I think I'm getting more action in vehicles and random nooks and crannies in my 30s than I ever did as a teenager. Having Jensen's attention on me, whether it's his hands or his mouth or even just his eyes, is quite exhilarating.

It doesn't mean I don't crave more, though. Man, do I ever crave it.

Just the feel of him over his pants—in my hand or rubbing against my clothed vagina—sends rushes all through my body. If my estimations can be trusted, he's big. That thought both thrills and frightens me.

I've been with plenty of men before, but I know it'll be a completely out of body experience with Jensen. That is, when he finally relents and gives in to his own desires. Damn him and his almighty willpower!

My thoughts are so loud that I don't even hear someone approaching. "Teddy!" a voice shouts.

I turn to see Vivi peering over the fence. She smiles at me, suppressing a laugh. "Daydreaming, huh?" she asks, finally giving in to a fit of giggles.

Those damn Anderson siblings are the worst busybodies. I can only imagine the things being said in the group text thread between the siblings. No doubt Jensen and I are the butt of all their jokes. I've sat through enough at Roxy's and in the breakroom and basically anywhere more than one of them congregates.

In lieu of answering, I turn my back on her and get back to work.

"I'm sorry, Teddy! I know we're the worst. Forgive me. I know better than this. Believe it or not, I didn't come here to tease you about my dumb brother."

Her apology sounds genuine, so I walk over to her at the fence. "What is it, Viv?"

"I'm just double checking the roster tonight. You know how crazy the opening night is. All hands on deck and all." She pulls out her phone and swipes through the various organizational apps she keeps on it.

Vivi is the event coordinator at the farm. She has her hand in just about everything.

"Just tell me where you want me and I'll be there. You know I'm always happy to help out wherever you need me." I prop my forearm against the fence, resting my chin on top of it.

The end of May feels so much different than the beginning. Where winter still had its teeth in the first part of the month, spring is fighting a war against the encroaching summer at the end. Sweat glistens on my upper lip and I turn my head to wipe it across my arm.

"I appreciate it, Teddy. I think I'm short on prep. If you wouldn't mind coming early to chop and dice and whatever else needs to be done for the pizza toppings, I'd appreciate that." She scrolls through her phone a bit more before looking up for my response. "Yeah?"

"Of course, Vivi. I can do that."

"I can always put my brother to work, too, ya know? It's been a while since he's been behind the scenes at one of these things. Think he still knows how to get dirty with the rest of us?" She's laughing at the thought of Jensen stepping out of his office to work alongside his crew.

"Actually," I hedge, "I'm pretty sure he misses it, to be honest. Office work isn't really what he thought it was, I don't think. Of course, he's never come right out and said it because he's a proud, stubborn ass—as you well know—but I can read between the lines pretty easily."

"It's kind of weird, you know?" Vivi puts her hand up to shield against the midmorning sun, squinting at me. "For as long as I've known you both, you've been inseparable. We always knew someday you guys would figure it out, but it's still a bit weird how not-weird it is. You two together is just so natural."

"I suppose it helps that we know each other so well. We don't have that awkward getting to know each other stage. Although your idiot brother seems to think we need to take it as slow as a pair of teenagers in the 9th grade."

Vivi laughs and takes a few steps back, apparently wrapping up our conversation. She taps a few things on her phone before giving me her full attention again. "Who knew Jensen would be the one with self-control? Not any of us. Oh, the grief he gets in the group text!"

"Let me guess, Finn is having the time of his life giving J hell?"

Chuckling, she nods in agreement. "You know it. But even Sully, who absolutely hates the text thread and isn't quiet about it ever, is joining in with some good jabs."

"J won't let me read the texts. He's constantly grumbling at his phone, acting like he wants to crush it or chuck it across the room. Maybe both. But he refuses to let me see."

"Oh," Vivi says, amusement lighting her face. She steps back toward me, scrolling through her phone again. She hands it over the fence to me, grinning maniacally. "Well, let's remedy that, shall we?"

"Shut. Up." I stare at the phone she's offering me in disbelief. "No way. You're really going to let me read these super-secret sibling texts?"

I snatch the phone out of her hand before she can think better of it, and I immediately dive in.

FINN: How's the hand, J? Need some heavy duty ointment for the chafing?

CHARLIE: You know one thing that'll help, right? Fucking your girl.

SUTTON: I really didn't think he'd hold out this long. Teddy's a snack.

VIVI: Leave him alone already. Poor guy's stressed enough. You know, with using up all his willpower to resist Teddy's advances.

FINN: Not sure how he does it. I would have caved in two seconds flat. We've all seen her. She's definitely more than a snack.

JENSEN: Shut it the fuck down.

SULLY: Still, J? Did you need some blue pills or something? What's the problem?

JJ: Can he have some of your stash, Sully?

SULLY: No need for pills for me, Double J. Just ask the girl that just left my place.

VIVI: Gross. Ew. Please no.

FINN: Sully is like our sibling hero. Am I right?

CHARLIE: 100%

SUTTON: Pretty sure Dad has some of those blue pills. Want me to sneak you some, big brother?

JENSEN: Fuck off.

FINN: Performance anxiety?

CHARLIE: Maybe he's afraid of being a disappointment after all these years lusting after each other.

JJ: They've been eye-fucking for years. Pretty sure I almost got pregnant once for standing too close.

SUTTON: Truth.

VIVI: It's a little sweet that J wants to go slow, guys. Cut him some slack. I mean, maybe not this slow.....

SULLY: If he goes any slower, Teddy's eggs will be raisins.

SUTTON: If you want kids, you might want to speed things up, J. Just saying.

FINN: Maybe that's the issue. He's afraid he'll be too fast. Blue pills will help with that too.

JENSEN: You guys are the biggest fucking jackoffs. Fuck the fuck off.

"What are you girls giggling about?" a husky voice asks, interrupting our reading.

When I notice Jensen approaching, I quickly shove the phone back at Vivi and stuff my hands in my pockets, free of any damning evidence. "None of your business, big guy."

Jensen's eyes flip between his sister and me, settling on Vivi. He extends his arm toward her. "Hand it over."

An almost apologetic smile creeps slowly across Vivi's face as she places the phone in his outstretched hand. When Jensen realizes what's on the phone, his head shoots up and he glares at his sister.

"What the fuck, Vivi? Why would you show her that? That breaks like 300 sibling codes. The main one being, 'Jensen will fucking kill you if you show this to his girlfriend.'"

When I notice Vivi's guilty expression, I immediately speak up. "Don't blame her. I pretty much forced her into it. Turns out, some of the Anderson siblings don't have such amazing self-control. Who knew?" I smirk at my surly boyfriend, trying to break through the sibling tension.

"Jesus, enough with this shit. I make one decision and the whole damn world thinks they get an opinion." He roughly offers the phone back to his sister, who accepts it swiftly and begins backing up.

"Be here about 4:00, Teddy. You know, for the pizza prep." She's all but power walking away now, but she pauses to call over her shoulder, "You can bring that grumpy guy if he settles down before then."

"Really, Teddy?" He leans his hip against the fence in front of me, the displeasure written clearly on his face.

"I'll admit my blame in the whole text convo thing. I knew you didn't want me to read that, and I'm sorry. You have every right to be upset about that. But," I hold up a finger and then poke him in the chest with it. "I am allowed an opinion on your 'one decision' since it most definitely impacts me, so I will not apologize for that."

He snatches my finger and brings it to his mouth, softly biting it. "I came looking for my girl because I've been thinking about you, and what I get is you joining in with my asshole siblings. I get enough of their shit. I don't like it from you, too."

I step onto the bottom board of the fence to lift myself up to Jensen's height, and I take his head in my hands. "Jensen," I say before planting a kiss on his lips. "I'm sorry." Another kiss. "Please forgive me." I kiss him again, but this time I swipe my tongue along the seam of his lips, pulling away before the kiss can deepen. "Will you please stop being so grumpy now?"

In response, he wraps a hand around the back of my neck, pulling me into him. He tugs my bottom lip between his teeth, biting gently, before releasing it and pecking my lips roughly. "You're forgiven. Just don't go tricking my innocent sister into reading the texts again. Those are sacred."

"You mean, you prefer them to remain secret so I can't know the way the almighty Jensen is mistreated by his younger siblings."

He raises an eyebrow at the grin on my face. "You're pushing your luck, baby. Maybe I decide to go even slower?"

A burst of laughter shoots out of me, causing all the goats to rush over in the excitement. They surround me on the fence, sniffing at my pockets for treats.

"If you go any slower, J, my eggs will surely be raisins." I jump off the fence as he attempts to grab me. The goats surround me, a layer of protection from my brute of a boyfriend. They glare at him, daring him to try something. These animals really do not like him.

"Get back over here," he demands gruffly, eyeing up the goats suspiciously. "I'm not done with you yet."

"Nah, I'm good over here." I fish out some pellets from my pockets, offering them to my protectors in thanks.

Cleo takes the moment to saunter over and rub his snout against Jensen's leg, declaring his loyalty. Huh, I guess one animal does like him after all.

"We're in a fight, Teddy," Jensen declares, pointing at me. He glares at me a final time before stalking off in the direction he came.