Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

BAILEY

P oor Cheetah. Kam was such a mess when I sent her off this morning. I gave him a rundown of how to handle her on the plane but I’m sure nothing prepared him for how crazy she gets when flying. But she officially took her first flight without me. She texted that they landed safely. I’ve got my first flight without her tomorrow.

It’s Christmas Eve, and we’re on our way to Fallon’s house. I’ve been there a handful of times over the past few months, but I haven’t met her parents. Her father had some complications with his broken ankle and was bedridden longer than expected. Apparently he’s fine now.

Tanner turns to me. “I have a nanny-appropriate gift to give you tonight. It’s from both Fallon and me. She called me with the idea, and of course I said yes. I have a gift from me that I’ll give to you in private.”

“A dirty gift?”

He chuckles. “Your mind is in the gutter.”

“I have a dirty old man doing unspeakable things to my body all the time. You’ve turned my mind as gutter-like as Kam’s. ”

He raises an eyebrow. “Old man.”

I smile at him as I gently scrape my fingernails across the gray in his beard. The sexy as hell gray in his beard. “I’ve never been with a man with gray hair until you.”

“Are you looking for a spanking later?”

I bite my lip. I will never understand why that turns me on so much, but it does. I better change the topic before we end up on the side of the road having sex. “You didn’t have to get me a gift. This trip is more than a gift. I’m excited to try skiing. I never even saw snow until we moved to Chicago.”

“You’re still young, and you’re a world-class athlete. You’ll pick it up quickly. I have no doubt.”

“Is Harper a good skier?”

He smiles. “When they’re young they have no fear. It’s the best time to teach them. She’s great. Dylan has been skiing since she could walk, so she’s good too. I arranged for the two of them to go to ski school in the mornings. You and I can take our time in the mornings. I figured I’d teach you how to ski. Then we’ll ski with them in the afternoons. There are tons of good restaurants around. It’s a beautiful town. The cabin I rented has four bedrooms. I’ll leave the master for Fallon. This way you and I will have an adjoining bathroom to come and go as we please.”

“Are you going to sneak into my room at night, Mr. Montgomery?”

He briefly closes his eyes as he squirms in his seat. “You know it makes me hard when you call me that.”

“It makes you hard when I call you Daddy.”

He leans his head back on the headrest and groans. “Fuuuck. It makes my cock leak when you call me Daddy. Hard when you call me Mr. Montgomery. Both names get me riled up. Don’t do that to me before we head into my ex-wife’s house.”

I can’t help but smile. “Me too.”

He grabs my hand and kisses it. “Who am I kidding? Everything you do gets me riled up. This desperate need to be close to you at all times isn’t waning. It’s only growing. ”

I don’t know how to respond to that. I feel the exact same way, but he’s always been clear about what we are. Is he changing his mind?

Before I can overanalyze his words, we arrive at Fallon’s beautifully decorated home. I haven’t seen it with Christmas lights. It’s stunning.

Tanner knocks on the front door. I’m surprised he doesn’t just walk in like she does at his house.

“Don’t you have a key? I even have a key to this house.”

He scrunches his face. “I don’t like to just walk in. It feels invasive even though I’m happy Fallon does it at my house…except when I’m in bed with you.”

I smile just as the front door opens. Harper runs out and jumps into my arms. “Bailey’s here!”

I squeeze her tight. “Merry Christmas, angel.”

Tanner grumbles, “What about me?”

I joke, “Merry Christmas to you too, Mr. Montgomery.”

He narrows his eyes at me. Harper and I both giggle, and she wiggles her way down from my arms and into his. “Merry Christmas, Daddy.”

“You too. Are you all packed for our trip?”

She nods enthusiastically. “Yes. Mommy said the cabin you rented has an outdoor hot tub. Is that true?”

“It sure is. It’s cold out, so you have to run really fast to get in and out of it. Can you do that?”

“Yes! I’m superfast.”

He nods. “I agree. The hot tub overlooks the Rocky Mountains. It will be beautiful.” He winks at me. “Think of all the fun we can have in that hot tub.”

My heart starts beating faster. This man.

I notice the candy necklace around Harper’s neck. “Ohh, is this fancy jewelry new?”

She smiles. “Yes. My grandparents got it for me.”

“I love it. They know you well.”

The door widens and Fallon’s beautiful, grinning face appears. “Merry Christmas. Come inside.” She shivers. “It’s freezing cold out here.”

I walk in and hug her. “Wow. You look gorgeous.” I’ve never seen Fallon in anything but scrubs and leggings. She’s in flattering jeans, a tight sweater, and boots, with her hair blown out and makeup on tonight. She’s an undeniably stunning woman.

She rubs my arm. “You’re beautiful, as always.”

I hand her two bottles of wine. “Thank you for having me.”

She takes them. “We’re thrilled to have you. Harper is excited to introduce you to her grandparents. And I’ll open the wine for you and me.”

Harper grabs my hand. “Come on, Bails. They’re dying to meet you.”

I let her drag me through the house into the living room. There’s so much Christmas cheer in this house. It’s such a contrast to what I grew up with. My father did his best, but he was basically on an island doing everything with limited resources. Fallon’s tree is enormous and looks like it was professionally decorated. In fact, all of her holiday decorations look like a professional did it.

I squeeze Harper’s hand. “Wow. This is beautiful. You’re a lucky little lady that your mommy did all this for you.”

An older woman, likely in her sixties, very much resembling Fallon, waves her hand dismissively. “Nonsense. Joel and I did it all for her.” She holds out her hand. “I’m Doris. This is my husband, Joel. Harper never stops talking about you. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m sorry it’s taken so long. We’ve had a bit of a rough fall season.”

I take her hand. “I’m glad he’s healed. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

She holds my arms and looks my body up and down. “Aren’t you a pretty thing? You must have a line of suitors out the door.”

I let out a laugh. “Something like that, though I think the same can be said about your daughter. ”

Doris raises an eyebrow at Fallon. “I couldn’t possibly agree more. If only she’d open that door and let them in.”

Fallon blows out a breath and jokingly grits out, “Bailey, you’re supposed to be on my side. Girl code.”

We all smile as Tanner walks into the room and kisses Doris’s cheek. “You look well, Doris. You never seem to age.”

She rubs the gray in his beard. “I wish I could say the same for you, Tanner.”

Fallon shakes her head. “Be nice, Mother.”

Doris bats her eyelashes. “I’m always nice.”

I meet her father too, who still seems a little squeamish on his feet. I hear a bit about everything he’s been through the past few months from infections to casts that were too tight. It doesn’t sound fun.

Harper insists on exchanging gifts. I gift her the bat from the game-winning hit in the league championship game, signed by the entire team. Harper starts crying from excitement, calling it her most prized possession.

Fallon hands me an envelope. “This is from the three of us.” She seems so excited to give it to me.

I open it and my eyes nearly bug out of my head. It’s front-row seats to Coldplay when they’re in town this spring. It includes backstage passes.

“Oh my god. I can’t believe you guys did this.”

Tanner shrugs. “Fallon insisted that they’re your favorite band. I hope she was right.”

She remembered. “They are. This is honestly one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone has ever given me. Thank you, Fallon.”

She hugs me and whispers into my ear, “Thank you for all you do for Harper. For loving her the way you do.”

Tanner grumbles, “They’re from me too.”

I smile and move to hug him in gratitude. I need to keep it appropriate. “Thank you, Mr. Montgomery.”

I gently hug him but can feel and hear him turn his nose into my neck to inhale me. I doubt he meant to do it, but it happened .

Quickly pulling away, I look around. Fallon didn’t notice, but her mom definitely did.

A few hours later, Tanner and I are in bed enjoying our after-sex glow. He reaches over and hands me another envelope.

“What’s this?”

“Your real gift.”

“Coldplay was more than real. With the way you were talking in the car, I thought it was going to be a sweater, not backstage passes to see my favorite band. It was over the top.”

He shrugs. “This gift is for both of us.”

I twist my lips. Admittedly, I’m excited to see what he came up with. “Fine.” I excitedly open it and see that it’s a skydiving session for two. I shake my head. “There’s no way—”

He interrupts, “You said that Kam is the wild one and you’ve always had to be the sensible, motherly one. It’s time for Bailey Hart to have a little fun of her own. I’ve gone several times. It’s one of my favorite things to do, besides you.”

“You skydive? Mr. Business Suit and Tie. Mr. High-end Whiskey On the Rocks. Mr. I’ve Never Seen Your Clothes Wrinkled.”

He chuckles as he nods. “Yes. Do you have any idea how incredible it is to let go and freefall from thousands of feet in the air? It’s a rush like no other. One of the only irresponsible things I still indulge in. I want you to experience it.”

I take a few breaths. “Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

“I’m certified. You’ll be attached to me while I control the parachute.” He smirks. “Your life will be in my hands. It’s the ultimate act of submission for you.”

“Did you just make skydiving sexual?”

He wiggles his thick eyebrows. “Oh, sweet girl, you have no idea.”

Tanner

We’ve had an amazing week in Vail. Not surprising at all, Bailey picked up skiing very quickly. She’s such a naturally gifted athlete.

We’ve settled into a routine. Harper and Dylan go to ski school in the mornings, leaving Bailey and me to have coffee and then ski on our own.

We have lunch with the girls and then ski all together during the afternoons. We go out for dinner every night. If there’s time afterward, we play board or card games, and when the girls go to bed, Bailey and I sit in the hot tub and talk. We then go at it for hours and fall asleep together. She wakes at some point during the night and sneaks back into her room. Just to be safe.

It’s been heavenly, and I don’t want it to end but it is. Fallon arrives tomorrow, so this is my last night with Bailey. We can’t risk any sneaking around tomorrow night.

We’re in the hot tub with drinks, and she smiles. “This was one of the most relaxing weeks of my life. Thank you for bringing me.”

I chuckle. “A vacation with two kids was relaxing?”

“It was. They were great. They’re so fun. And obviously getting this uninterrupted time with you has been perfect.” She lets out a laugh. “Do you realize that this is the longest Kam and I have ever been apart?”

I shake my head. “That’s incredible. Hard to believe.”

“It is. I love my sister. Not having her around feels like a limb is missing, but there’s also a little bit of peace I don’t always get to enjoy with her being…her.”

“She’s a character, for sure. Have you spoken with her?”

“Of course. She and Cheetah are up to all kinds of shenanigans. ”

“No doubt about that. Do you think there’s something genuine between them?”

She shrugs. “Who knows? If there was ever anyone perfect for my sister, it’s him. I’m not sure she’s the settle-down type though.”

I blow out a breath. “I’m not sure he is either.”

She bites her lip. I know she wants to ask me the same question, but I don’t want to talk about this right now. She won’t like the answer.

I continue, “I think this is a healthy break for you and her. The codependency is a lot. You’re getting too old for that. You’ve lived your life for her. It’s time you live it for you.”

Her face falls. “I live it for me.”

“Is that so? Why aren’t you teaching? Oh, because of Kamryn. She needs you to play softball with her. At twenty-eight. Why do you live in Philly? Because of Kamryn. What about your books? You’ve mentioned two drafts sitting on your computer. You have time to work on them. Why haven’t you? Let me guess. Kamryn.”

Her stare hardens. “You have a lot of opinions for a man who keeps everyone in his life at arm’s length.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You do. Besides your monthly poker game with clients, you don’t really socialize at all. And you’re only forty-three. Why won’t you consider getting married again and having more children?”

I start to speak but she holds up her hands. “I’m not talking about doing it with me. I mean in general. There’s no reason for you to close that door and seal it shut the way you have.”

“I’m not interested in talking about this.”

“Right. Because anytime things get too emotionally intimate, you turn away. You deflect. I’ve watched you do it for as long as I’ve known you. You’ll talk about me, judge me, but not you. I don’t really know that much about you. We’ve been doing this,” she points her finger back and forth between us, “for months. I’ve been in your house three or four days a week for nearly six months. I know about your marriage ending, but nothing substantive beyond that.”

She looks like she wants to say even more but then thinks better of it and stops herself.

My jaw stiffens. How dare she. “I don’t owe you my deepest, darkest secrets, Bailey. We’re fuck buddies. I’ve been clear about that from day one.”

Tears rise in her eyes at my cold words. Ones that pain me to say but I know she needs to hear.

She steels herself. “I know we have no future. You’ve made that crystal clear. You’ve asked me to open up, and then you opine on my life. I’m only asking for the same in return.”

I exhale a long breath, feeling like the dick I know I am. “I’m sorry. I honestly feel like I’ve opened up to you more than most. I’m not ready to give more.”

“Then my personal life is off limits too, including your thoughts on my loving relationship with my sister. I’m sorry you can’t relate to a strong sibling bond, but I won’t apologize for having one with my sister.”

I nod. “Fair enough.”

She tilts her head to the side. “Do you know what it’s like to have someone in your life who you trust one hundred percent? Someone who will have your back no matter what? Who loves you so unconditionally? Who would undoubtedly take a bullet for you?”

I answer the truth. “No. I don’t have that. My brother is a piece of shit. My wife cheated on me. My best—” I stop myself, unwilling to talk about this with her. It’s too much. “No, I’ve learned the hard way that I can only truly rely on myself.”

She shakes her head. “That’s sad, Tanner. I know my sister is a lot to take, but she’s that for me and it’s everything.” She stands. “I think maybe I should go to bed. I don’t want to say anything else I might regret.”

My shoulders fall. “It’s our last night. It’s been a great week. I don’t want it to end like this. Don’t go to bed angry.” I pull her to straddle my lap, pinning her to me when she fights it. “It’s been nice having this time with you. Away from Philly. Away from work. Away from real life. I want to enjoy every second of you that I can get.”

I bend and kiss the spot on her neck that she loves. I whisper, “Don’t pull away. You can hate me tomorrow. Not tonight. I don’t want a wonderful week to end this way.”

She relaxes her body and tentatively wraps her arms around my neck. She’s still mad at me but nods in agreement. “I know. I feel the same. I don’t want to fight with you.”

“I don’t want to fight with you either.” I softly kiss her lips, and then we hear a noise. We both snap our heads toward the open sliding glass door but don’t see anything.

She attempts to pull away, but I hold her tight. “Please stay with me.”

“The girls could come out.”

I wiggle my eyebrows. “They can’t see what’s going on underwater.”

She sighs. “I’m not up for this tonight. I’m sorry.”

“Are you mad at me?”

“Maybe a little. Let me sleep on it.” She pulls away and stands. “I need to call my sister and check in on her. You know, the whole codependency thing. I’ll see you in the morning.”

As she towels off, I grab the glass of whiskey sitting next to me and down it in one go. She stares at me for a second and then looks at the bottle of whiskey sitting on the ledge of the tub. The one that’s nearly empty. “Typical. Go drown your sorrows at the bottom of that. ”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I challenge.

“You know exactly what it means. When was the last night you didn’t drink?”

I can feel my whole body tense in an instant. “Don’t project your mother’s shit onto me. I’m not an alcoholic. I’ll have a glass or two, not a bottle or two.”

“Do you think she started by drinking two bottles a day? No. It started when she couldn’t get through a single day without a drink, Tanner. Sound familiar?”

I turn around, throw the glass out into the snowy abyss, and then shout, “There. Happy?”

“Good night, Tanner. Maybe you’ll grow up a little by the morning.”

Once I’m alone, I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my hair in frustration. How dare she insinuate that. I’m a fucking grown man. I can have a glass of whiskey in the evenings.

Without even thinking, I grab the bottle and take a long gulp. As I pull it away from my lips, it hits me what I just did. Fuck.

The fact is that Bailey sees right through me in a way no one ever has. She challenges me in a way no one ever has.

I don’t want to lose her. I need to make this right.