Chapter Eleven

Zara

"Give me that!"

"Stop it, Alexander. There's enough for everyone. You just need to share." He grabs the leaves from in front of Skye and glares up at me, defying me to argue with him. "Put them back," I say, hardening my voice.

He tilts his head, but makes no move to return the leaves to Skye, who's a very pretty little girl with dark hair. She's painfully shy, and I guess that makes me even more protective of her, although Alexander's attitude isn't helping, and I glance at Margot, uncertain what to do. She's busy with some of the other children and hasn't noticed my predicament, but even if she had, this is my classroom, and I guess I need to make the rules.

"If you can't join in like everyone else, you'll have to sit at the back of the classroom by yourself."

His shoulders drop. "But we're making pictures."

"I know, and part of that is learning to share."

He narrows his eyes, and after a second or two, turns back around, grabbing the leaves and dropping them in front of Skye again. Fortunately, he didn't throw them in her face, or I'd have had to think up another punishment. As it is, I decide against pulling him out of the art class, and let things lie, my heart beating fast in my chest.

This was supposed to be a fun exercise for a Thursday afternoon, not a battleground, but as it is, I'm grateful when I look at the clock and see we've only got fifteen minutes until the end of the school day, and I can get the children to clear away.

Needless to say, Alexander does as little as possible, and I have to tell him off twice for throwing twigs around the room when everyone else is tidying up.

Eventually, though, the classroom is back to normal, the children are lined up, and the bell rings, signaling the end of the day… thank goodness. Margot leads them out to the schoolyard, perhaps sensing I've had enough for today, and I bring up the rear, checking we haven't left anyone behind.

There's no sign of Tanner this afternoon, but I wasn't expecting to see him.

That doesn't mean I haven't spent the better part of my day thinking about him, though, or remembering all the things we did together last night.

He was so kind, and patient, and gentle, and I can't help smiling when I think about the fact that he so clearly wanted to make love with me. It was obvious… and that reminds me of our conversation about not making love with someone unless you're in love with them. He agreed he couldn't do that… so does that mean he's in love with me? I hope so, because I'm growing more and more in love with him every minute of the day.

That's why I stopped him last night… and yes, I know that sounds strange. I'm in love with Tanner, so why wouldn't I want him to make love with me? It's an obvious question and the honest answer is, no matter how much I want him, it all felt like it was moving a little too fast. At least, it did in my head. My body was screaming for more, all the while my brain was urging caution… telling me it wouldn't hurt to wait just a little longer. After all, I've only known Tanner for a couple of days, and we don't have to rush into anything. Do we?

I figured we didn't, and although my body was cursing my head for being so prudent, the outcome was still pretty damn perfect. Tanner didn't judge me for my inexperience, and – best of all – we had fun together. We laughed, and fooled around, and enjoyed our picnic in his living room. And, better still, he said I could go to his place whenever I want… which is why he's got no reason to be here.

As the children disperse to their parents, I can't help watching out for Nash, though. I'm still desperate to see what his mom looks like, although at the moment, Nash is standing to one side of the schoolyard, talking to a little girl. She has dark curly hair, tied up in a ponytail, and is gazing at Nash like he's the centre of her universe, which is very sweet.

"Nash!"

He turns his head at the same time as I do, both of us startled by the loud male voice bellowing from the school gate. This isn't Tanner. It's another man. The same one who collected Nash yesterday, and I guess that must make him Sabrina's boyfriend. My skin prickles as he taps his foot, checking his watch impatiently. There's something about this man I don't like, and as Nash says goodbye to his friend, the man calls his name again, his voice loaded with even greater impatience.

Nash turns toward him, starting on his way, but the man heads back to his car, not bothering to wait, and I watch while he climbs in behind the wheel, leaving Nash to negotiate the busy street by himself.

There's a lot of traffic outside the gate today, and my heart leaps into my mouth as Nash approaches. I can't let him try to cross by himself. It would be negligent… not just as Tanner's girlfriend, but as a teacher at this school.

"Watch the kids," I say to Margot, who nods her head, as I run for the gate "Nash?"

He spins around, tilting his head. "Have I done something wrong, Miss?"

"No. I was just gonna help you across the street."

"Oh. Okay." He offers his hand and I take it, checking the traffic, and waiting for a couple of cars to pass before I guide him to the other side. The man has climbed out of his bright yellow car and is leaning on the door, giving me a broad smile.

"I don't think we've been introduced," he says.

"I'm Miss Howell."

"I'm Dean."

I'm not about to give him my first name, and after a second's pause, he nods his head, looking down at Nash, who's still holding my hand. "He's quite capable of crossing the street by himself, you know?"

"If you say so."

I let go of Nash's hand, and he smiles up at me.

"Thanks, Miss."

"You're welcome."

I wait while he climbs into the car, ignoring Dean, and then walk back across the street and in through the school gates, the sound of the car's throaty engine making me jump. I hope he doesn't drive too fast with Nash in the car, but I guess there's not much I can do about that, and I return to Margot, who's talking to Miss Bryant. She teaches second grade, I think, and as all the children in our class have gone home now, I give them a nod of my head, and make my way into the school.

It feels peaceful in here, now it's empty, and I make the most of it, taking a few deep breaths as I clear up the classroom.

"How did the art project go?"

I turn, smiling at the sight of Russ, who's standing on the threshold.

"It went okay. Thanks again for staying behind last night to help collect everything."

"That's okay," he says, shrugging his shoulders and coming inside. "Hattie was on a late shift, so I had nothing to rush home for." He perches on the edge of one of the tables, looking over at me. "How's it going with that parent you were seeing?"

"It's going really well, thanks. I'm seeing him again tonight."

He nods his head. "That sounds like it's getting serious."

"I don't know…" I say, although that's not strictly true. As far as I'm concerned, I don't think it could be any more serious… and I really hope Tanner feels the same way.

I have a pile of books to check over, and I grab them, waiting for Russ to leave the room ahead of me, so I can close the door.

"Are you gonna look at those here, or take them home with you?" he asks, nodding down at the books.

"I'm gonna start them here. We did some work on seasons today. It might only have been basic, but I think it's important that I give the children feedback on everything they do."

"I couldn't agree more," he says.

"The problem is, if I take this home, I'm slightly worried I'll find something else to do and won't get it finished."

"I know how you feel," he says. "I've got some books to go over, too."

"In that case, you can fix the coffee."

I finished my work by just after five and left Russ to complete his, rushing home to take a shower and change into another summer dress.

It's like the one I wore yesterday, but is pale yellow, with blue flowers, and once I'm dressed, I grab my purse, checking I've got my keys, and leave the house.

It's a warm evening, so I haven't bothered with a cardigan, and it only takes me a few minutes to get to Tanner's place, ringing the bell at the back door. I can't wait to see him, and my stomach flips over a couple of times when I hear the sound of footsteps coming from inside. As the door cracks open, he appears, with a broad smile on his face, and reaches out, taking my hand in his.

"I've just closed the store," he says. "Come on in."

I follow, letting him lead me up the stairs, and once we reach the top, he turns, looks down at me, and pulls me into his arms, his lips meeting mine. He groans, tilting his head, and our tongues collide, my body aching for his touch. I want more, even if my head is still telling me to wait, and I moan into his mouth, hoping he'll understand how much of a struggle this is for me.

He pulls back, breathing hard, although he doesn't let me go, and just stares into my eyes, focusing on one and then the other before he licks his bottom lip and lets out a sigh.

"I've been looking forward to that all day," he says.

"So have I."

He smiles, kissing me again, much more briefly, his lips barely touching mine.

"Can I get you a glass of wine?" he says as he pulls back again.

"Yes, please."

He nods his head, and releases me, stepping away, although I notice he pulls down his shirt before he turns around. He did that yesterday, too. And I know why. I'm not that much of an innocent, and I like his reactions. He's aroused by me, and I feel exactly the same. I just hope he knows it.

He goes to the kitchen, returning moments later with a single glass of wine.

"Aren't you having one?" I ask, looking up at him as he hands it over.

"If it's okay with you, I'm just gonna take a quick shower."

I nod my head. "Of course it's okay with me."

"Make yourself at home," he says, backing away toward one of the doors in the far wall, with a smile on his face. "I won't be long."

I wait for him to open the door and disappear inside, closing it behind him, before I sit on the couch and take a sip of my wine. I'm no expert, but I know this tastes light and fruity, and is perfectly chilled, and I put the glass on the table in front of me, glancing around the room.

Like my house, the layout is open plan, with the kitchen area at the front, overlooking Main Street. A set of stairs forms a kind of divider between that and the living space, and I imagine leads to a bedroom on the top floor – probably the bedroom with no door, if I remember rightly – and at the back of this room are those two doors. One obviously leads to the bathroom, and I guess the other must be Nash's bedroom

I smile, recalling how jealous I felt last night, when I imagined Sabrina decorating this place. It's so tasteful, and I feel a little embarrassed now that I was surprised to find it was Tanner who was responsible for the decor, and not his ex-wife. Looking around now, I have to admire his choice of colors. I love the muted gray in here, and the pale blue in the kitchen, which complement each other perfectly. I wonder what it's like in the other rooms, and whether I'll get to find out… someday soon.

I startle out of my daydream as the bathroom door opens, a waft of steam escaping, followed by Tanner, who's bare chested, a towel wrapped low around his hips, and his clothes hanging over one arm. He looks breathtaking… droplets of water dripping over his toned abs, and I can't help staring, my mouth drying at the sight of him.

"Sorry," he says, his eyes fixed on mine as he walks past, heading for the stairs. "I won't be a minute."

I wish I had the courage to ask him to stay, but I don't. In fact, my voice seems to have stopped working altogether, and I just stare, open-mouthed as he climbs the stairs, admiring his back, his broad shoulders, and his toned legs… or what I can see of them.

My skin tingles as a shiver runs through me, even though I'm melting on the inside. It's a weird sensation to be both hot and cold at the same time, and I take a gulp of chilled wine, which seems to help a little… at least until I hear Tanner's footsteps on the stairs. I turn to see him coming down, his feet bare, his legs encased in jeans and his chest hidden by a dark gray t-shirt. He looks spectacular, even with his clothes on, and he gives me a smile before wandering to the kitchen and pouring himself a glass of wine, which he brings back, sitting beside me.

"I'm sorry," he says again.

"What for?"

"Embarrassing you. I didn't mean to. I should have taken some clean clothes into the bathroom with me."

"Please don't apologize. I didn't mind. In fact, I liked it."

I can feel myself blush, but I don't care. I may not have an obvious way of showing him what he does to me, but he needs to know.

He bites on his bottom lip, trying not to smile.

"What did you like?" he says.

"What I saw."

"You wanna see some more?" His voice is low and gravelly, and I shudder, that familiar heat pooling at my core and tingling, no matter how hard I clench my thighs. I suck in a breath, but before I can reply, he shakes his head. "Sorry. I'm not playing fair." He leans in and kisses me, holding the back of my head with one hand, while the other creeps around my waist, his tongue darting into my mouth, and finding mine. If that wasn't playing fair, what's this? Kissing me into submission? Even if it is, I certainly don't want him to stop. I sigh in to him and, as though he can sense my need, he pushes me onto my back, settling between my parted legs, his hand roaming down my side, caressing the swell of my breast. I can feel his arousal pressing into me. It feels long and hard, and I wish he hadn't bothered to get dressed now. He must be uncomfortable in jeans, but I don't have the courage to suggest he takes them off.

He breaks the kiss, sucking on my bottom lip, which makes my stomach flip over and over, until he pulls back, raising himself above me, and staring down into my eyes.

"If I'm gonna wait for you, I guess I'd better find something else to do for a while."

"Oh? Like what?"

"I was thinking about dinner," he says with a smile. I sigh out my disappointment, and his smile widens to a grin. "Did you have something else in mind?"

"Maybe."

He chuckles, shaking his head, and bends to kiss me again, keeping it brief, before he kneels up, and then stands and offers his hand. I can't hide my confusion as he pulls me to my feet and into his arms, and he looks down at me.

"You still wanna take it slow… right?"

"I don't know. I think so. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"I liked what we were doing."

He laughs, pulling me closer. "So did I, and we can do some more later."

"But we have to stop for now?" I ask and he rests his forehead against mine.

"We do if I'm gonna stay sane."

I thought I might help Tanner cook, but he insisted on doing it all himself while I watched… which I have to say was just as much fun. He made us a stir-fry, and I'm relieved by how quick and easy it was to prepare, and once we've eaten it, he clears away the dishes and returns to me on the couch, pulling me into his arms.

"Do you have any idea how sexy you are?" he whispers, placing his finger beneath my chin and raising my face, his lips hovering over mine.

"No. I don't think I'm even remotely sexy. You, on the other hand…" He silences me with a kiss as he lowers me to the couch, his body pressed hard to mine. I part my legs, like I did before, and he nestles between them, grinding his hips. It's like he wants me to know what I'm doing to him, and I wish there was some way I could do the same thing. There's no outward sign of my need for him, but it's there, burning away at me.

He leans back, tilting his head, both of us trying to catch our breath as he shifts over and lies beside me, turning me to face him and pulling me into his arms. "Would now be a good time for me to cool things down a little?"

"In what way?"

"By telling you I won't be able to see you tomorrow." My disappointment is overwhelming, and although I know it's pathetic, I can feel a sting of tears behind my eyes. Tanner pulls me a little closer. "In fact," he says, "I won't be able to see you until Sunday evening, after I take Nash home."

"Of course." I can't believe I forgot. He has responsibilities, and even if I hate the fact that there's going to be an enforced break in our budding relationship, I can't begrudge him the scant time he gets to spend with his son.

"Would it be okay if I came straight to your place afterwards?" he asks and I nod my head, leaning up to kiss him. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, babe, but I can't introduce you to Nash just yet."

I lean back, although he holds on to me. "You already have… outside my classroom, remember? And I spoke to him today."

It's Tanner's turn to pull back now.

"You did?" he says.

"Yes. I helped him cross the street outside the school, and…"

He leans up on his elbow, looking down at me. "Excuse me? Why did Nash need help to cross the street?"

"Because Dean didn't wait for him."

Tanner twists around and kneels up now, pushing his fingers back through his hair, his face a picture of confusion.

"Dean was there? Again?"

"Yes. He even introduced himself."

"That was big of him," he grumbles.

"Don't get mad, Tanner."

"I'm not mad at you."

"Maybe not. But you're mad about Dean."

"Wouldn't you be?" he says. "I don't know why he can't be more responsible… or why Sabrina even lets him collect Nash in the first place. She knows I'll do it, if she asks."

"I agree with you, but what can you do?"

"Talk to her, I guess. I doubt it'll go well, but I can't just stand by and watch while her boyfriend neglects our son." He huffs out a breath and I wait, giving him time to calm down. His brow is furrowed, his eyes filled with worry, and I wonder if I should say something. He seems upset, and I want to help. I'm about to open my mouth when he snaps out of his trance and focuses on me again, his expression softening. "Sorry," he whispers, lowering himself down, and lying beside me again. "I'm grateful to you for taking care of Nash. Honestly, I am. And to get back to what we were saying before, I hadn't forgotten that I'd introduced him to you. The thing is, I haven't introduced you to him… not with any kind of explanation of who you are to me. And for now, that's gonna have to wait."

"It is?" I thought I felt disappointed before, but that was nothing compared to how this feels. "Because I'm a teacher at his school, you mean? You think he might find it confusing?"

He shakes his head. "No."

"Is… Is it because you need to be sure about me? About us?" That prospect is even more painful than anything that's gone before, but what else can he be thinking?

"No, baby. Of course not. I'm already sure about you, and about us. I may be waiting to make love with you, Zara, but I'm about as joined to you as I can be, and I know we're right together."

My heart skips a beat, my head spinning as his words filter through my stunned mind. Did he really say all that… and mean it, too? He's sure about me? He's sure about us? That's a relief, because I'm absolutely certain about him.

"In that case…" I murmur, more confused than ever by his reticence.

"It's Sabrina," he says. "I don't want Nash to tell her about you before I do, and I don't want him to feel like he has to keep secrets, either. When she moved Dean into her place, she told Nash not to mention him to me, and it made him uncomfortable. I won't do that to him."

"I wouldn't ask you to."

"I know," he says, caressing my cheek with his fingertips. "But that means I have to explain to Sabrina that we're seeing each other before I tell Nash. I want you to be a big part of my son's life, but to do that, and do it right, I have to keep Sabrina in the loop. Do you see?"

"Yes, I do."

What I don't see is how I'm gonna get through this weekend without you.

So far, today has gone by so quickly, I feel like my feet have hardly touched the floor. As far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing… not because I'm looking forward to a weekend without Tanner, but because I'm exhausted, and I need to get home, so I can sit for a while and just absorb the silence. Lunchtime always seems a little crazy, with so much to fit in to a short break, and today it wasn't helped by Alexander picking on Jessica in the schoolyard. I saw him out of the corner of my eye, but by the time I'd gone over, she'd wandered back to her friends, and he was standing there, a picture of innocence. I didn't feel like I could act, but it didn't sit well with me to do nothing, either.

I grabbed a few minutes with Margot and asked her for advice.

"I know he's a problem, but I'm not sure what we can do," she said, which seemed extremely unhelpful.

"There must be something. We can't just let him carry on like this."

"It won't pay you to interfere," she said, then moved a little closer and lowered her voice. "I'm guessing you're not aware of the connection between him and Miss Montgomery?"

"What connection?"

She smiled. "His mom is Miss Montgomery's niece."

"Is that why she behaves like she owns the place?"

Margot laughed. "I think she'd behave like that anyway… but it's why she gets away with it, and it's why her precious son feels entitled to do whatever he damn well pleases."

I shook my head as she walked away, wondering why Tanner hadn't told me of the connection when he was explaining about Mrs. Knox.

Fortunately, the afternoon has gone by with no further problems, and I'm relieved to get to the end of it, keeping a smile on my face as I wave goodbye to each of the children. I've been watching for Tanner ever since I came out here, and notice him the moment he arrives, our eyes locking as soon as he catches sight of me. I have to smile and he smiles back, although Nash interrupts our moment, rushing over to his father. Tanner bends down and says something, and then Nash runs off, toward the little girl I saw him with yesterday. Tanner watches for a second, and then turns to me, striding over.

"Hi," he says, looking down and taking a deep breath. "I know I said I couldn't see you today, but I had to. I've been going crazy with the thought of not even setting eyes on you until Sunday evening."

"I know. I feel the same."

He smiles. "I was hoping you'd say that." He glances around, then looks back at me, shaking his head. "I wish I could kiss you."

"So do I, but you can't. Not here."

"I know." He sighs, then takes my hand in his, rubbing his thumb along my knuckles. "I'll text you later."

"Okay."

He stares into my eyes for a second or two, then turns and leaves, walking to Nash, who says something to the little girl, and then takes Tanner's hand, the two of them leaving, deep in conversation.

I love the way they look together, even though I'm dreading a weekend alone, and I'm just relieved that Tanner's been so open with me about how he feels. At least I've got his words to live on, even if we can't be together.

It's weird that we only met last Monday and yet, I miss him so much already. After just three dates, he's become a part of my life, and by the time I get home, I'm wondering what I'm going to do with myself for the next two days.

The answer is staring me in the face the moment I open the front door.

Unpacking.

It's still not done, and I guess I might as well use this time to put that right. Especially as Tanner said he was going to come over here on Sunday night, and at the moment, we'd be struggling to find somewhere to sit.

There are also a few things I need to line up for next week's lessons… so I won't be idle, even if I have every expectation of being lonely.

The first thing I need is a shower, and I drop my purse on the breakfast bar, along with the day's mail, which arrived after I left this morning, and head straight for the bathroom.

It's refreshing to take a shower at the end of a hard week, and I luxuriate for a little longer than I normally would before I get out and wrap a towel around myself, wandering from the bathroom, just as my phone beeps.

It's in my purse and I pull it out, smiling when I see I've got a message from Tanner.

No… I've got two. This latest one just says, ‘Are you okay?' and I frown, scrolling back to the first, which came in about twenty minutes ago, not long after I got in the shower.

— Hi. It's me. I've been home for five minutes and I miss you already. How am I supposed to survive until Sunday? Any helpful answers would be appreciated. T xx

I chuckle and type out my reply, perching up on a stool as I do so.

— Hello. Sorry for taking so long to come back. I was in the shower. I miss you too, but I'm afraid I don't have any helpful answers for what to do about it. xx

He comes back immediately.

— Don't say things like that. xx

— Like what?

— Don't tell me you've been in the shower.

— Why not?

— Because I want to be in there with you.

I suck in a breath, smiling at the thought.

— How do you think I feel? You're only using your imagination. I've seen the reality. xx

— The reality of what?

— You, immediately after a shower. xx

My body heats at the memory, but I press ‘send', and hold on to my phone, smiling when it beeps almost straight away.

— If I remember rightly, you liked what you saw. xxx

— I did. Very much. xxx

— If I wasn't waiting for you, I might have to suggest we did something about that. xxxx

He keeps adding extra kisses, and I like that. I just wish I could feel them for real.

— Like what? xxxxx

I add an extra kiss of my own, my skin tingling.

— Don't tease.

No kisses at all? I don't know whether to feel reprimanded, but I don't want to stop, either.

— I'm not.

— And now I miss you more than ever. xxxxxx

I chuckle, but before I can reply, another message comes in.

— I've gotta go. I'll call you later. xxxxxxx

I send back a row of eight kisses and get to my feet, although I can barely feel the floor beneath them as I make my way to my bedroom.

It transpires Tanner's idea of ‘later' is fairly late. I ate dinner ages ago and cleared up after myself. After that, I unpacked a couple of boxes while pretending to watch a dreadful movie, and now, even though it's only nine-thirty, I'm exhausted.

It's been a crazy week, in every sense of the word, and as I climb under the covers, letting my phone rest beside me, I have to smile. I've started my new job, which has turned out better than I expected, and I've fallen in love.

What more could a girl want?

I startle awake at the sound of my phone ringing and hunt around on the bed for it, finding it tucked under the covers.

"Hello?"

"Hi, babe." It's Tanner and I sigh out my relief, settling back on the pillows. "Sorry it's so late. I thought Nash was never gonna go to bed."

I check the time in the top left-hand corner of the screen, surprised to find it's ten-fifteen already.

"That's okay. I came to bed a while ago."

"Did I wake you?" he says.

"Yes. But it's okay. I don't mind. Where are you?"

"I'm in bed, too. It's the only way I can be sure Nash won't hear me."

"I see."

He sighs. "This is weird."

"What is?"

"The fact that my bed feels so empty without you, even though you've never been in it."

I shudder at the thought. "There's never been anyone in my bed, but I feel the same."

"I like the idea that no-one's ever been in your bed," he says in a low whisper. "And I like the idea of being your first, too."

"So do I." He chokes slightly. "Are you okay?" I ask.

"Hmm… just trying not to think too hard about being your first."

"Would it help if I changed the subject?"

"Probably."

I snuggle down under the covers, pulling them up and getting comfortable. "Was there a reason you didn't tell me about the connection between Mrs. Knox and Miss Montgomery?"

There's a second's pause before he says, "That was definitely a change of subject, and in answer to your question, I forgot. Why?"

"Because I had some trouble with Alexander Knox today, and I was asking Margot what I should do about it. She told me Mrs. Knox is Miss Montgomery's niece, implying there wouldn't be any point in raising my issues with her, and it just made me wonder why you hadn't told me."

"There was nothing sinister behind it. I promise."

"Has that done the trick?" I ask, smiling even though he can't see me.

"Done what trick?"

"Has my change of subject distracted you enough?"

"I'll admit, the thought of Miss Montgomery seems to have had the desired effect."

I chuckle and he joins in.

"Do you think it's odd that we miss each other so much, even though we've only been together for such a short time?" I ask.

"No," he says simply.

"So this is normal, is it?"

"I don't know. All I know is I miss you, and you miss me… and aside from the fact that we'd rather be together, that's great. At least we both feel the same."

"I guess so."

"Don't question it, baby," he says. "I'm not."

"Okay. I won't."

"I can't wait for Sunday night."

"Neither can I."

"What are you doing over the weekend?" he asks.

"Unpacking."

He laughs. "Because I'm not providing you with an excuse not to?"

"Exactly."

"In that case, I apologize."

"I'd rather be with you," I say.

"From what I've been able to gather, you'd rather do anything than unpack."

"That's not what I meant. I'd just rather be with you." I hear him sigh.

"Thank you for saying that."

"It's the truth, Tanner."

"We'll be together soon, baby. I promise."

I hope so.

I really hope so.

I put my hands on my hips and stare around the living room, feeling pleased with all my hard work. Yesterday morning, I went to the grocery store, and in the afternoon, I caught up with all my schoolwork. That meant I could devote the whole of today to the unpacking, and now it's done, the place looks so tidy, I barely recognize it.

The shelves are full, the boxes are flattened and stored in the garage for now, and I've even had time to shower and change, which is good, because Tanner should be here soon.

He didn't say exactly when he'd be coming over, but I doubt he'll be too late, and I have to smile to myself, recalling our phone calls over the last couple of days, and our intermittent text messages, too.

It's clear we've both been missing each other, that we both want the same things, and maybe even feel the same way, and…

The doorbell rings and I spin around, running to open it, although I quickly clasp my hand to my mouth, stifling a gasp.

I'd been expecting to see Tanner, but not like this…

He's wearing pale blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a tan-colored cowboy hat… and I've never seen anyone look so sexy in my life.

"I thought I'd prove that romance isn't confined to novels," he says, smiling down at me as I giggle, and I jump up into his open arms. He catches me, spinning me around and around, before he lowers me to the floor and walks me back into the house, kicking the door closed. His eyes are fixed on mine, and he pushes me up against the wall, our bodies fused.

He removes the hat, throwing it over his shoulder and his lips are on mine in an instant, his kiss so ferocious I can barely breathe. I writhe against him, his hands on my ass, pulling me close so I can feel his arousal pressing against me, and I cling to him, sighing and moaning. I need him. He makes me feel more than I ever believed possible, and I can't hold back. Not now.

He pulls away, sucking in a long breath, but before he can say a word, I look up into his eyes and whisper, "I don't wanna wait anymore."

He tilts his head. "Excuse me?"

"I don't wanna wait anymore, Tanner. Please…"

His eyes light up and he holds me just a little closer. "Are you sure?" I nod my head and he smiles. "Where's your bedroom, baby?"

"Second door on the left."

He lifts me into his arms, his eyes still locked on mine, and strides to my bedroom door, pushing it open, as he lowers his lips to mine.