by Lexi Lawton
She couldn’t hide out in Tanner’s bathroom all night. Nor did she want to.
“Hey, you okay in there?” Tanner’s muffled voice snapped her attention back to the moment.
With another deep breath, she left the bathroom and walked into the living room. “Yeah, sorry, I…” Her words faltered, and all coherent thought packed up and left. Tanner was propped up in the corner of the sectional, half sitting, half lying down. He had one hand tucked behind his head, the other resting naturally on his chest. He’d changed into sweatpants and a T-shirt that was stretched deliciously over his broad shoulders. God, he made those clothes look good. If she tried to pull off sweats and a T-shirt, she’d end up looking like a hobo. His dark hair was messy, and she had the sudden urge to run her fingers through his hair. She clutched her phone tighter, willing the sensation to pass.
“You were what?” Amusement colored his tone, and his lips twitched as if he was holding back a smile.
“Um, I was, uh, texting.” She held up her phone and waved it at him like an idiot.
“You hid in the bathroom to text?” One corner of his mouth lifted, and his dimple peeked out at her.
“No, I went to the bathroom to pee.” Yeah, that’ll turn him on. Keep talking, moron. She rolled her eyes at how unsexy she sounded right now. “But then Mariah texted to see how I was.”
“I see.” He nodded. “And how are you?”
“I’m good.” She’d be a hell of a lot better if he took his shirt off, though. Not that it did anything to hide his upper body. She could still see the definition of every muscle.
“Good. You’re not planning to stand there all night, are you?” His gaze darted to the empty spot next to him on the couch then back to her. Then he lifted his hand and crooked his finger, beckoning.
Her heart tripped over itself trying to get to him, to give itself to him fully, regardless of how hard she tried to stop that from happening. She set her phone on the coffee table. “Has anyone ever told you that you should’ve been a model?”
He laughed, the sound like tiny tendrils reaching out and wrapping around her. “No, but I’ll keep it in mind if the whole med school thing doesn’t work out.”
Heart racing, she straddled him. His stomach clenched slightly, and his eyes darkened, but he didn’t move. He lay exactly as he had been, and he watched her. Was it possible to orgasm from a look? Because she was damn close to the edge. “You’re going to be a great doctor.” She rested her hands on his abs.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you have a way of calming people. You can’t teach that kind of bedside manner.”
“Is that so?” He moved his hand from his chest to her thigh, rubbing his fingers in swirly motions, which were anything but innocent. Sensations ricocheted inside her.
“Mm-hmm. You’re also ridiculously hot.” She eased the hem of his shirt up until her hands found bare skin. “Seriously. How does anyone get a body like this?” It was absolute perfection.
“I go to the gym every day.”
She tilted her head. “You do?” Of course he did. She felt sort of foolish for not knowing that.
“What does any of that have to do with me being a good doctor?” His hand moved up her thigh, his thumb coming dangerously close to her sex.
She held her breath, waiting to see if he’d touch her. When he didn’t, she exhaled slowly, trying—and failing—to ignore the intense throbbing between her legs. “Because your residency will be like a real-life version of Grey’s Anatomy. The female doctors and nurses will be all over you. They’ll probably nickname you Dr. McSexy Abs.”
He roared with laughter, and it vibrated through her in all the right places. She bit on her lip to keep from moaning. But she couldn’t stop herself from pressing down on him, letting his length settle snuggly between her thighs.
“Dr. McSexy Abs, huh?” His eyes danced with amused delight, stealing her breath and turning her bones to mush. It was a damn miracle she was able to sit upright. But that look right there, that’s how she wanted him to always look at her. With honesty and desire and respect. Like she was the only woman in the world.
“Yup. There will be more hooking up than healing patients.”
“Oh really?” He propped himself on his elbows, bringing his torso upright and his face within inches of hers.
His stomach muscles rippled and tightened beneath her palms, and she dragged her hands up over his pecs and hard nipples, causing him to groan. An unexpected zap of pleasure shot straight to her core.
“Wanna know a secret?” he whispered in a deep, raspy bedroom voice.
“Yes.” She licked her lips, her gaze lingering on his mouth.
“All the doctors and nurses in the world can give me any stupid nickname they want. They can stare at me like I’m a talking sex toy put on this earth for their personal enjoyment. Hell, they can touch themselves while thinking about me if that’s what does it for them.” Shifting his weight onto his left arm, he reached up and slid his hand around to the back of her neck. Goose bumps consumed every inch of her body. “But none of that matters, and you know why?”
Her throat was drought-in-the-desert dry. “No.”
“Because the only person who gets to have me is you.”
She whimpered a fraction of a second before their mouths collided. There was no other way to describe it. It was a collision of lips and tongues and teeth. And it was mind-altering. She swore her brain dissolved into a puddle of hormones. He fell back onto the couch, bringing her down on top of him. Moaning, she deepened the kiss, and his hands landed on her ass, using his hold to rock her against him. Against his massive erection.
She gasped. “My God, you’re always so hard.”
“I’ve been a walking fucking erection since meeting you.” He nipped at her lips, teasing them apart with his tongue.
What a weirdly awesome compliment, and one she’d needed to hear. He was hard for her. Because of her. No one else. That knowledge settled in her mind, calming some of her fears and doubts. Making her feel powerful. She tugged at his shirt and pulled it over his head. She wasted no time lowering her mouth to his neck. She peppered his throat with heated kisses and moved down to his chest, teasing his nipples with the tip of her tongue.
“Shit.” He breathed out the word.
He wants me.
She dragged her mouth down his sternum and over his abs. The subtle way her shirt shifted across her bra from her movements had her nipples hardening. She could almost feel his strong, warm hands cupping her breasts. Continuing her descent, she kissed his belly button, and he jerked beneath her.
He likes what I’m doing, how I’m touching him.
Each positive thought pushed out more of the bad, and confidence filled her veins, encouraging her to keep going. The thick, unmistakable outline of his cock was oh-so-tempting, but before she could get her hands on him, he fisted a handful of her hair and brought her mouth back to his. Juliana bore down on him, rotating her hips and rubbing her aching clit against him. She’d never been electrocuted before, but she guessed it was a lot like what she was feeling right now—uncontrollable tingles, an out-of-body sensation, nerve endings short circuiting and sizzling.
“Holy fuck, Jules.” His words were guttural, his tone snarl-like.
She slipped her hand between their bodies, determined to touch him.
He snatched her wrist, pulled her hand away, and flattened her palm on his chest.
“Oh no,” he said, shaking his head.
“What?” Panic squeezed her chest. Why didn’t he want her to touch him? She thought he liked it.
“Fucking Christ, I’m going to seriously hate myself for this in the morning, but this isn’t happening tonight, baby.”
Baby? There went her heart. It was now officially beating for him and him alone. “Why not?” She could feel how much he wanted her. The evidence pulsed hard and thick between her legs.
“Because you’ve been drinking and—”
; “But I’m not drunk. A little buzzed, but I know what I’m doing, and I want to do you.”
“I want to do you, too.” A smile flitted across his face. “But I want you stone-cold sober the first time we have sex. I want you to remember every second of what it feels like to be with me. Every touch. Every kiss.” He brought her mouth back to his. “Every orgasm.” His voice dipped low as his tongue swept across her lips.
And with those words, she plunged over the edge, leaving her heart and trust in his capable hands. She kissed him, and he lifted his hips, grinding against her. “Tanner.” It was a whiny plea for more.
His lips moved across her jaw and down her neck. “You know how badly I want you, right?” He teased the soft spot behind her ear.
If he’d asked her that yesterday, she wouldn’t have believed him. But now? Now she knew, without a doubt, that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. “Yes,” she whispered, rotating her hips. His cock jerked beneath her, and then… In the blink of an eye, he had them flipped over so she was flat on her back and he kneeled over her. “What—?”
“Hey, didn’t realize you were…home. And half naked and sweaty.” Jason laughed.
Juliana’s eyes widened, and she covered her face with her hands. Flames of embarrassment covered her cheeks. She sat up and peeked over the back of the couch.
“Oh. Shit.” Jason’s gaze darted between her and Tanner. “Seriously, dude. You couldn’t wait until you got to your room?”
“Fuck you.” Tanner laughed. But he made no effort to move or let her get up.
Holly giggled then gave Juliana a knowing wink. “C’mon, let’s leave them alone.” She looped her arm through Jason’s and tugged him down the hallway.
“How did you know he was going to walk in?” she asked.
“I heard him fumbling with the lock.” Tanner moved off her and dragged a hand through his hair. “Figured you didn’t want him to catch us dry humping like two teenagers who don’t know how to do the real thing.”
She laughed at how easily he tossed her words back at her. “Yeah. Thanks.”
He took her hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “I’m having a really hard time not asking you to spend the night with me.”
Her heart jumped into her throat. “If you do, I’d have a really hard time saying no.”
He grumbled incoherently, his eyes turning a darker shade of brown. “That’s not helpful.”
She grinned and stood. If she didn’t get off the couch, she was going to throw herself at him again. Tanner stood, cradled her against his chest, and rested his cheek on her head. “All that bullshit Rebecca said tonight… It’s not true. Not a single word of it,” he whispered.
Juliana squeezed her eyes shut and hugged him tightly, never wanting to let go.
“And you never have to prove anything to me, Jules.” He pulled back enough to put his hand under her chin and tilt her head up.
She nodded, knowing she couldn’t speak without breaking down into a sobbing mess.
Chapter Nineteen
Tanner entered his Clinical Lab class to find Juliana already there. He walked up behind her, his fingers trailing across her lower back. “Have I ever told you how sexy you are in this white lab coat?”
“No.” She turned and smiled. “But I’m listening now.”
He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “I missed you.” He set his books on the table and grabbed his lab coat from the hook on the back wall. He slipped it on, making sure his embroidered name was visible. Everything about this class was supposed to mimic real-life rounds.
“Guess who’s the proud owner of a new apartment?” she said once he took the seat beside her.
His eyes widened. “You found one?”
She nodded. “I got the call this morning.”
“That’s great. Where?”
“You know the bakery on Elm?”
He nodded. “That’s where I get the donuts you like.” Scooting closer, he buried his face against her neck. “You know, the ones you eat like you’re making love to them.”
She playfully elbowed him, and he nipped at her earlobe, causing a small gasp.
“You made my dick so hard that day, without even knowing it,” he whispered. “And that’s fucking hot.” He straightened, proud of the way she blushed at his words.
“You’re going to pay for that,” she warned.
“So…this apartment?”
“Right.” She cleared her throat. “There are two apartments above the bakery, and the owner is desperate to get them rented.”
“When are you moving?”
“Today, actually. Devon and Lucas are helping.”
“Oh.” She’d said she wanted to take their relationship slow, which was fine with him. He was willing to wait for her, but why hadn’t she asked for his help? “Is there anything I can do to help?”
She turned on her stool and faced him. “It would help a lot if you could go to Cardiology today. We have our first test coming up, and I don’t want to miss any notes.”
Disappointment landed in his gut like a lead weight. “Wait, you’re skipping class to move?” She was top of their class, and her grades were important to her, so it didn’t make sense she’d ask him to go to class and get notes instead of going herself.
“Yeah, I don’t really have a choice. The owner of the building lives several hours away, and today was the only time he had available to sign the lease and give me the keys.”
“All right.” Professor Leeson clapped his hands. “Grab your clipboards and move through the simulated rooms. Be sure to concisely state your diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis. Sheets are due at the end of class.”
Tanner stood, and she grabbed his wrist. He sat back down. “Will you come over to the apartment tonight? We can order some food, hang out,” she said.
The disappointment he’d felt vanished. “Consider me there.”
“Thank you.”
After working through the lab, Tanner hung up his white coat and waited for Juliana. They walked out of the building together. “What time do you want me to come over later?” he asked.
“I don’t really have a lot to move, so it shouldn’t take too long.” She shrugged. “Six?”
He nodded. “I’ll be there.”
Their faces were inches apart, and neither of them was making any effort to move away. In fact, she was slowly moving closer, taunting him.
“I’d better get going. Devon’s not a very patient person,” she finally said.
Knowing she was spending the day with Devon and Lucas grated on him, like a rash under his skin he couldn’t scratch. He clutched her chin between his fingers and peered into her eyes. Then he lowered his mouth to hers. Her soft sigh wrapped around him, and he barely found the strength to pull away.
“See you at six,” she called over her shoulder.
Tanner watched until she disappeared into the crowd, and then he headed toward class.
…
At exactly six o’clock, Tanner stood outside Juliana’s door. He knocked, and when she answered, he held out the two dozen red and white roses he’d bought for her on the way over.
“Tanner.” She took the flowers and smelled them. “They’re gorgeous. Thank you.”
He kissed her cheek. “They’re rotting weeds compared to you.”
“Thanks.” Stepping aside, she motioned for him to come in. “I need to buy furniture, but it beats sharing a room with Rebecca.”
He stepped inside and looked around. There was a lot of open space, with no walls dividing the living room and kitchen. A short hallway revealed two doors, which he assumed were the bathroom and bedroom. “This is nice,” he said.
“It’s not bad.” She closed the door. “Not nearly as nice as your place.” She carried the flowers to the kitchen and set them on the counter.
“How did Rebecca take it when she found out you were moving?”
“She called me stupid, said I was a shitty person for choosing you over her,
and then said she really didn’t give a flying fuck what I did.” She filled a vase with water. “It went better than I expected.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re out of there.”
“Me, too.”
He stood behind her and slid his arms around her stomach, nuzzling his face against her neck. “Mmm, I’ve missed you.”
He turned her to face him, and she put her arms around his neck, leaning into his embrace. God, she felt perfect in his arms.
“Oh yeah? How much?” she asked.
“There aren’t words for how much.”
“Good answer.”
He adjusted his hold, drawing her closer. “So, what’s the plan for tonight?”
She shrugged, and her breasts rubbed against his chest. His cock hardened instantly. Almost two weeks of heavy making out and no sex had him wound so fucking tight the slightest touch, intentional or not, had the potential to make him snap.
He brushed his lips over hers, and the friction of the touch ignited in his chest. A slow burn spread throughout his body, lighting him on fire. He hadn’t meant to do anything other than give her a quick kiss, but the moment he felt her lips part for him, he was lost. All coherent thought vanished. She stroked her fingers across the nape of his neck, and he groaned, deepening the kiss. Releasing her lips, he nipped at her chin, letting her small gasp of pleasure hang in the air for a moment before he kissed along her jaw.
“That feels good.” She turned her head, giving him greater access to her neck.
He smiled against her throat. “So do you.” Her ragged breaths and rapid pulse spurred him on, and he peppered her neck with heated kisses, each press of his lips lingering longer than the last.
She ran her hands down his arms, across his stomach, and then up the back of his shirt. Her delicate fingers whispering over his bare flesh made his body tremble, and he pulled back, watching the way she looked at him. Lips plump from his kiss, the bottom one tucked between her teeth, eyes heavy with desire. She was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen.
“Tanner.” She threaded her fingers through his hair, and he swore his eyes rolled to the back of his head with how incredible it felt. Then she brought his mouth back to hers in a hungry kiss hotter than anything he’d ever experienced.