by C. A. Harms
Carson agreed as the laughter flowed from the group. The girls were fighting their smiles, Tanner was still seething, and I let my head fall forward, shaking it from side to side. The only two that were missing from this crazy scenario were Zander and Riley.
Tanner had gone from barely acknowledging me to being my own personal bodyguard in less than five months. I was sure everyone in this bar had figured out we were together. Hell, I was surprised he even let me pee alone.
***
“You still mad at me?” he asked as I walked past him toward his bedroom.
I pulled my shirt over my head and slipped on one of his T-shirts to replace it. I shimmied from side to side as I unzipped my jeans, letting them slide down my legs and pool at my feet.
Tanner stood in the doorway, bracing an arm on each side of it, his muscles flexing. “You gonna talk to me?” he asked.
I glared at him before turning around and yanking down the covers. I crawled under them and pulled them up around my neck, tucking myself in tightly.
I listened to him grumbling as he moved around the room. When the mattress dipped behind me, I held my breath. He shifted around until I felt his arm slip around me beneath the covers. “Don’t be mad at me,” he said. “I just don’t like other guys checking you out.”
I turned and looked back over my shoulder. “It’s embarrassing, Tanner. I could understand if they were going overboard, but half the time you take what they do or say out of context. You yelling at some poor guy for holding the door open for me was awful.”
His jaw ticked. “Lily, he was leaning forward to look down your damn shirt as you walked by.”
I rolled my eyes and flopped back over on my side. “You are ridiculous.”
“I’m not trying to be, Lil, I just don’t like that shit. This is all new to me. I used to make fun of Z and my brothers when they acted all jealous. Now I know what they felt. It’s like my common sense takes a backseat to my temper and I act on the anger.”
I was trying to hold back my smile, but it was too hard.
“Are you laughing at me?” he asked, and all I could do was shake my head and try to frown. “You are.”
He grabbed my waist, yanked me backward, and pinned me beneath him, then placed my hands above my head and held them securely in one of his.
“I’ve never felt this way before,” he confessed as his gaze raked over my face and finally settled back on my eyes. “What I feel for you, I’ll be honest, it freaks me out sometimes. I just want everyone to know you’re mine. The thought of someone else touching you drives me insane.”
“No one will,” I assured him.
“Damn right they won’t.”
I smiled up at him, and he returned it. “There are other ways to handle things besides intimidation,” I replied. “You don’t have to be ready to throw down every time some random guy glances in my direction. Half the time I don’t even know they’re looking. That should mean something.”
“It does mean something, but I still don’t like it,” he admitted.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him to me. “I am exactly where I want to be. Where I have wanted to be for so long. Stop being such a caveman and look at it as a compliment.”
“Look at what as a compliment?”
“That other guys admire what’s all yours.” I leaned up to place a soft kiss against his lips.
“Not happening, babe. Can’t ignore that shit.”
He wasn’t going to budge. This was who he was. I closed my eyes tightly and giggled to myself. “You’re so ridiculous.”
“Yeah, but admit it, you like that I get jealous,” he whispered just before kissing me, claiming me once again.
He was right, I did like it. I would never in a million years tell him that, but his possessiveness did make me feel good. It was amazing to know I meant enough to him that he felt the need to let everyone else know it too.
He just really needed to rethink his approach.
***
Riley yawned as she looked back at me. She had been to her doctor a couple times after being released from the hospital, but her swelling hadn’t gotten any better, so he hadn’t cleared her for regular activity. As a result, she’s been feeling cooped up and hungry for gossip. Every Tuesday and Thursday morning I was on watch until Kate or Kelly could get here for the afternoon shift. It was actually nice to be able to take the time to get to know Riley a little better. We were always around the others, so the one-on-one was more of a chance for just us to talk.
“Things have been good. He’s been really busy with the new construction on McClure, so we don’t see much of each other during the week these days. We talk every day, though.” I shrugged like it was no big deal. I missed him, but I knew his reputation was important to him. He pushed hard to complete every job ahead of schedule.
“He took yesterday afternoon off to help Dad get a new washer and dryer. I just assumed he’d spend the rest of the day with you.”
I’d had no idea he hadn’t been at work. He hadn’t said anything or even called until later that night. I hadn’t even been out to his house in over a week. We’d stayed at my apartment the last couple times we’d been together.
When I was relieved of Riley duty, I drove by the property on McClure and saw his truck parked out front. The fact I had even checked up on him made me feel sick to my stomach. He must have had a reason for not mentioning yesterday. He knows I’m busy during the day too, so he probably just didn’t want to bother me. I had to trust him. I had no reason not to.
I pushed the entire thing out of my mind and went about my day after sending him a quick text just to let him know he was on my mind.
Me: I miss you.
Chapter Twenty
Tanner
Lily: I miss you.
I smiled as I looked at Lily’s message. Between her classes and my job and work on the house, things had really cooled down between us. I had overbooked myself, and I was working overtime to dig myself out of the hole I was in. I had only taken a small break to help my dad out yesterday before digging back in. I had to stay on top of the workload. The bids were going out and the jobs were coming in, and it was great but hard to keep up with. I’d put the word out that I was looking for some more hands, and I was hoping soon I would find some reliable guys.
Tapping out a message, I vowed soon I would make time for us.
Me: I miss you too, Lil.
An hour here and thirty minutes there wasn’t cutting it. I needed more.
***
I drove to my house, took a quick shower, and was now on my way to Lily’s place.
I hadn’t called to forewarn her; I wanted it to be a surprise. As I knocked on the door impatiently, I didn’t expect her to answer it looking as she did. Staring back at me was a puffy-faced, red-rimmed-eyed, brokenhearted girl.
My excited smile disappeared quickly as I stepped inside and pulled her close. “What’s wrong, Lil’?”
“I’m just being a girl,” she whispered against my neck.
“Well, be a girl and tell me what’s going on, then.” I led her toward the couch just as Logan stepped out of his room, wheeling a suitcase out behind him. It appeared he was leaving again. I hated the thought of Lily being here alone all the time.
“Hey, Tanner,” he said as his stare shifted toward Lily. “Did you tell him yet?”
She shook her head, and her eyes filled with tears once again.
“Tell me what?” I asked.
Logan stopped at the back of the couch and leaned over to place a kiss on top of Lily’s head. “I’ll be back tomorrow night. This is a short trip,” he assured her as he forced a smile in my direction.
I didn’t like the fucking tension pooling around me. When the door clicked shut, I pulled Lily onto my lap. “Start talking, babe.”
There was pain in her voice when she whispered, “We’re moving.”
An uneasy feeling set deep in my chest. I cleared my throat and took a moment before
speaking. “Moving where?”
“Logan got a job offer with an airline in Texas, and Sam’s job can be done from pretty much any location.” She sniffled.
“So they’re moving. We’ll visit ’em when we can.” She sat up straighter and looked at me like I had grown two heads. I chuckled at her expression.
“Tanner, I…”
I placed my finger against her lips. “Before you say anything more, let me just clarify the fact that you aren’t going anywhere. Your ass is staying here.” I didn’t give a shit how hard she fought me on this, she wasn’t moving to Texas.
“I can’t afford the apartment.” I tried to calm her but it was useless, she had already worked herself up. Her mind was in overdrive, and all I could do was patiently wait for her to take a breather so I could reassure her things would be okay.
“I’d have to find a roommate, and I barely have time to look for one before they leave. We only have a little over a month left before the lease is up anyway.” Lily was a wreck at the thought of leaving Arizona.
“Living with a complete stranger was not what I had in mind. I can stay and finish up the classes I have, then transfer. I’m close to graduation anyway, and I can have Logan help me get a job since he knows the area. It just makes sense to go with them.”
“You done?” I asked.
She stared back at me and nodded.
I positioned her more securely on my lap and took her hand in mine. “What makes sense is you staying here. You don’t need to get a roommate. You don’t need to transfer colleges.” She started to argue, and I just arched an eyebrow at her, which made her halt quickly. She bit down on her bottom lip, and I smiled. “My house is your house.”
Her eyes grew wide, and this time I did chuckle. “What’s that look for? Do you actually think I’m gonna let you leave me? You’re not going anywhere, Lil. There’s not a goddamn chance of that happening.”
She sat in silence, as if still unsure of how to respond. “Don’t even think about fighting me on it,” I continued. “You won’t win.”
The look on her face was cute—a mixture of irritation and shock. She seriously had nothing to say. I knew I’d just thrown her for a loop—hell, I’d thrown myself for one too.
When I left work today, I never would have thought I’d be asking Lily to move in with me. Okay, so I didn’t ask, I demanded. But she was out of her mind if she thought I wouldn’t stop her from leaving. What the hell did she think this was between us, just something to pass the time?
***
For the next week, every time Lily left for class or for any other reason, I slowly began snatching items out of her room.
I started out small, taking things from the back of her closet and the bottoms of her drawers. Anything big she might have noticed was missing I left alone. She was still being stubborn about living with me, going on and on about annoying me, and me growing sick of her over time. On more than one occasion she caught me rolling my eyes at the stupid shit she was spewing.
Sam and Logan both told me she was going to be livid today when I walked into their apartment with Max following closely behind. He’d brought his truck, which he’d attached to a big trailer. Today was the day I’d take the shit she would miss. If she didn’t want to come willingly, I would give her no other choice. She could either sleep on the floor in her empty bedroom or sleep in our room at our house.
I left a note taped to the door of her old room, one I was more than positive would piss her off. I could handle it, though. I knew the best way to divert her anger.
Logan chuckled as I walked past him. “So you’re actually going to leave me to face the raging inferno. You do know she is going to kick your ass when she comes home and sees what you’ve done.”
“Yeah, probably.” I shrugged. “But in the end she’ll accept it, and I’ll have my girl at my home with me, where she belongs.”
I winked as I closed the door behind me and walked over to Max, who was leaning against the tailgate of his truck.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, bro. Lily may break out the moves you showed her and pin your ass to the floor,” he said.
“I fucking hope so, man.” I wagged my eyebrows and opened up my truck door. “Angry sex is fucking hot.”
He chuckled as he turned toward his truck. He knew exactly what I was talking about. On more than one occasion he has carried off a kicking, screaming, and pissed-off brunette. He and Bree would always resurface later wearing matching smiles.
I could handle Lily; in fact, I was looking forward to it. Dealing with her anger would be a small price to pay if she would accept that she belonged in my house.
I was expecting a fight. I knew it would come, but in the end everything would work out.
Chapter Twenty-One
Lily
My day had been long and exhausting. It probably hadn’t helped that I stayed up half the night cramming for the exam I had today. I still wasn’t sure I did the best I could have. The whole situation with Tanner demanding that I move in with him was constantly nagging at me. Yes, living with him would solve all the problems I currently had, but it may only create others. Problems I wasn’t sure our relationship was strong enough to handle at this point. I worried about Tanner not being ready for that step yet making it because he didn’t want me to move to Texas. That really wasn’t a good enough reason to make such a big decision.
I dragged my bag along as I approached the front door of the apartment I shared with Logan. I would miss this place. He and I had made some good memories here after Dad died. We’d left behind our home, the house we were raised in, Logan was finishing college, and I was still in high school. We’d had to downsize. My mother, if that’s what you wanna call her, had taken off long ago, and I didn’t care if I ever saw her again.
Logan had made the best home he could for us, and it would soon be someone else’s. My feelings about that were bittersweet.
My brother and Sam were laughing at something on TV when I walked in. They stopped as soon as they saw me and eyed me closely.
“Hey,” I groaned as I walked past them.
I could have sworn I heard one of them mumble, “Oh shit,” but I brushed it off. I didn’t notice the note taped to my door until I had already pushed it open. I had envisioned coming home and soaking my exhaustion away in a tub full of hot water, but that vision faded as I stood in the doorway of my room, staring at nothing but emptiness.
My face heated and I clenched my hands at my sides. “You’ve got to kidding me,” I complained. I took a deep breath, attempting to calm my irritation, but failed.
I yanked away the piece of paper that was taped to my door and flipped it open.
It read:
I told you that you belonged with me,
“I’m going to kill him,” I groaned as I jerked my bag up from the floor and dug inside my purse for my phone. I stormed down the hall and into the living room, where I pointed at my brother and his partner. “When I’m done with him, you two are next. I can’t believe you let him take all of my things.”
I slammed the front door behind me, not waiting for either of them to explain.
Walking straight for my car, I tapped out Tanner’s number on the screen. If it was possible for a person to breathe fire from anger, I would have been at that moment.
“Hey, babe.” I could tell by his voice he was expecting my call.
“You better lock your door, Tanner Parks. And if you want to live through the night to see tomorrow, you better hide. Because I am gonna to kill you.” I hit End and threw the phone back into my purse.
***
When I pulled up to Tanner’s house, Max was just getting into his truck. The trailer hooked to the back of it showed me that he was an accomplice.
When he saw me, he shot me a cocky grin that reminded me so much of Tanner I seriously wanted to kick him in the shins. But Max was a grizzly bear, so I wasn’t sure it would even faze him. I glared at him instead and then zoned in on the front do
or of Tanner’s house.
“Go easy on him, Lil.” Max chuckled as I stormed off. “Don’t hurt him too bad.”
“I’m not making any promises,” I growled. The fierce tone of my voice surprised me.
I didn’t knock. I didn’t pause. I shoved open the door and went straight to the room I knew I would find him in. The moment I rounded the corner I stopped dead in my tracks, scanning the room that had once been his. I covered my mouth as I gasped.
Tanner had created almost an exact replica of my room at the apartment. He had even painted the walls lavender to match the bedspread that now covered his bed.
“What are doing?” I asked.
“Moving in my girl.”
I turned to observe him as he rounded the chair near the window. The look on his face had depleted all the intentions I had of inflicting pain on his caveman ass. He looked so hopeful—and happy.
“We’re not ready for this,” I whispered as he closed the distance between us.
“Who says?” he asked.
“We’ve only been together a short time.”
“But we’ve known each other a long time.” He cupped my face and forced me to look at him. “I purchased this house before you and I officially started dating, but the idea of sharing it with you one day was always in my mind. Yeah, we were just friends at the time, but I knew I wanted more. I placed an offer on this house with you in mind.”
My eyes grew wide.
“I hoped at that time we would one day be more, but if we weren’t, I still wanted you to be a part of my life. Your friendship means the world to me, Lil. You’re the first person I think of when something big happens or even when I’m just having a bad day.”