by T. K. Rapp
His one-word answer made my legs feel heavy and numb—not the response I expected.
“Us?” I repeated before reality smacked me in the gut.
There is no us.
“I told them we’re friends,” I answered, feeling disappointment wash over me at the words.
“Friends,” he repeated, nodding his head. “I guess I was just hoping…” He trailed off.
“Hoping what?” I asked, a little too eager, even though I knew the answer.
He looked down at his watch. “Hey, we better go.”
Tabor retreated across the hallway to the kitchen, the moment between us long gone.
Idiot! That was your chance, I mentally scolded.
I walked to the front door where Tabor joined me, wishing I could rewind ten minutes just to have all of those feelings again.
“Ready?” he asked cheerfully, as if completely unaffected by what had happened. I wasn’t able to say anything, fearful my voice would crack with disappointment, so I nodded and walked out the door.
***
“Fair warning, my parents might freak out,” I told him as we turned down the street. “I told them to act like you were any other guy, but I apologize in advance if my dad cries. He’s a big fan.”
“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here?” He smirked.
“I think Dad would disown me if I didn’t bring you.” I grinned. “Besides, you’re old news.”
Despite the pushes from my friends and family, I was still not prepared to take the leap with Tabor. And the almost-kiss would go down as one of my regrets. I’d kissed him already. I knew what I was missing. He hadn’t pushed too hard since I’d said the dreaded F-word, and that both relieved and disappointed me.
Tabor insisted on bringing a bottle of wine, even though it wasn’t necessary. There was no arguing with him, so I let it go. We met at the front of my car and walked the short distance to the front door, which Mom opened before we had a chance to knock.
“You’re finally here,” Mom gushed, waving us inside.
“Mom, Dad, this is Tabor,” I said, stepping aside.
“Tabor, this is Tessa and Neil—my parents. And Grace is probably somewhere inside with Trevor and my niece, Cleo.”
I had begged Grace to play it cool and not make a big deal about Tabor, but I saw her trying too hard sitting on the couch with Trevor next to her. Her leg was bouncing nervously and her toothy smile made her look creepy. Still beautiful, but creepy nonetheless.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Tabor smiled, shaking my parents’ hands. “Oh, I brought this for you.”
He handed Mom the bottle of wine and she looked from Tabor to me with an impassive mask on her face.
“Dani, didn’t you tell him that we don’t drink in this house?”
I bit my lip, watching his reaction to the news, as if he’d just been told he smelled like shit. He looked down at me and Mom and I both burst into laughter.
“I’m just kidding.”
Tabor’s nervous laugh was the sweetest thing I’d heard all day, but his unease vanished quickly as he followed my dad inside.
“Ignore her,” he scolded playfully. “She thinks she’s funny.”
“Dani laughed,” Mom defended.
“You should have seen the look on your face,” I said behind Tabor.
“Are you sure you want to be friends with this one?” Dad challenged, nudging his thumb in my direction.
Tabor looked over his shoulder, his eyes locking with mine. “No sir, I don’t. But I’m not going anywhere.”
I felt lightheaded at his words, my stomach flipping in a million different directions. He winked and turned around to follow my dad back into the living room, leaving me standing still. Mom walked past me, bumping my shoulder on her way, acknowledging the moment.
***
The initial awe of JT Hunter wore off after about an hour of “what’s so-and-so like,” followed up by a short round of “have you met this guy?” It was pretty impressive to watch Tabor handle the questions and not miss a beat. He was charming and sweet, and everyone quickly realized what I already had: he was just a really great guy.
My brother-in-law Trevor worked as a realtor and discussed the housing market, something that seemed to interest Tabor. The three men congregated around the grill, drinking beer and laughing at whatever lame jokes my dad managed to tell. Dad was cooking the burgers while Mom and Grace chatted inside.
And where was I? I was a floater.
I stayed with my niece, Cleo, who needed constant supervision. But my ears were alert, waiting for anything that might give me some insight into Tabor’s life. I’m sure he would have told me anything I asked, but I was looking for some imperfection to justify my friend logic.
“Jeez, Dani,” Grace gushed, interrupting my inspection of Tabor. “The way he looks at you…damn. It’s no secret he likes you.”
“No—especially since he told me so himself,” I said to a squealing Grace.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
“Gracie, I don’t know what to do. I told him that I’m not ready for his fandom.”
“Then throw him back and let some other lucky girl have a chance at catching him,” she teased. But when she saw the look on my face she quieted her voice. “Holy shit, you do like him—I mean, like-like him, and you want to date him. Don’t you?”
“He’s so sweet and funny. I like talking to him and spending time with him,” I admitted.
“Then you should tell him that, sweetie,” Mom said, joining the conversation.
“I just need a little time,” I said truthfully.
Mom wrapped me in a hug and kissed my temple. “What happened to my daughter who isn’t scared of anything? Have you seen her?”
“I’m right here, Mom,” Grace waved. “But sadly, I’m already taken.”
“You wish,” I muttered.
“Then go get your man,” Grace challenged.
I narrowed my eyes and wrinkled my nose before turning my back and heading outside to join my company. Dad and Trevor walked past me with the platter of burgers as they went inside. Cleo came running out the door with her doll, throwing herself against my leg while Tabor looked on. I’d never met anyone famous and wondered if they were all as down to earth as he was, or was he some sort of anomaly. It’s funny—as a kid, you imagine your heroes being larger than life, and though Tabor wasn’t a hero of mine in the traditional sense, he was still larger than life.
“How old is she?” he asked, walking over and squatting in front of Cleo.
“Fifteen months, I think,” I answered, trying to recall the last month Grace had mentioned. I never understood the months-versus-year thing. “She turned one a few months ago.”
“C’mere, Cleo,” Tabor said sweetly.
She looked up at him and giggled, but clung to me as if her life depended on it.
“I hear ya, kid,” I muttered.
Tabor was in front of her with his arms outstretched, but she was hesitant to take the leap.
He started making some weird sound, and she was intrigued enough to leave my leg and toddle over to him. Tabor hoisted her up in the air and started playing with her, causing her to laugh. She melted into a puddle of goo, so I stood up and walked over to the pair and kissed Cleo’s cheek.
“Sellout,” I muttered into her ear.
Cleo ignored me, opting instead to shower Tabor with all of her affection. He walked down the few steps to the grass, set her down, and followed behind as she ran around. She made it a habit of falling down and then laughing until he picked her up again.
He sat down on the grass and Cleo started using him as a human jungle gym, and he obliged. Tabor’s hands were ready to catch her if she fell the short distance, and my heart began to warm.
“You’re good with her.”
Is that the sound of my biological clock actually ticking? Down, girl!
“Kids are easy,” he answered.
“You think?”
“Well,
I can’t speak from a parent’s perspective, but yeah. Kids are real. They don’t know how to be fake.”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“Hell—” He covered his mouth and grinned. “Sorry. Heck, I’m sure you know that from your program.”
I nodded and walked over to sit next to him. Cleo ran into my arms and I fell back with her so that she was on top of me. I raised her in the air and moved her around in my arms, pretending she was an airplane, and then I set her so down so she was straddling my stomach. Before I could register the action, Tabor leaned down and kissed me. It wasn’t passionate, but it was exactly the type of kiss to make me question the friends thing. He stood up and Cleo raised her arms in the air, so he picked her up and I quickly got to my feet as he walked away with her in his arms.
Tabor looked over his shoulder at me and smirked. “It’s the adults you have to worry about.”
C h a p t e r 13
T A B O R
For the rest of the night, all I could think about was that kiss. It wasn’t the first time I’d kissed her, but this one was in the open where anyone in her family could have seen it. She was nervous about entering my life and what my sister dubbed the JT Hunter Circus. What Dani saw as an obstacle, I saw as a glimpse into who she was, and I liked it.
As we left the Miners’ house, I said goodbye to her family and stifled my laughter when I spotted her dad giving her a thumbs-up. Her cheeks burned red and she shooed him off as she tried to get her poker face on. I had some work ahead of me with Dani, but something told me she was worth the effort.
She gave me a sideways glance when I asked if she’d let me drive her Bel Air. It was a nice car, and despite her reluctance, she gave in. Inside I was content knowing that she seemed to trust me.
As we made our way back to my place, I could feel her eyes on me. And all I could think about was the kiss I’d given her. I knew it had been ballsy, but I couldn’t stop myself from doing it either. Seeing her with Cleo and laughing so freely had tugged at something inside me.
“Can you come inside for minute?” I asked as we pulled into my driveway.
“I should really get home,” she said, opening the passenger door and shutting it behind her. We were standing in front of the car and I cocked my head to the side, gauging her mood.
“Ten minutes,” I said, watching as she debated. “Please?”
We were in a silent standoff, me smirking and her with a furrowed brow. I wished like hell I could read her mind.
“What was that kiss about earlier?” she finally asked.
“Wait…do friends not kiss?” I asked, feigning shock.
“Not in my experience,” she answered humorously.
“Look, please Dani, just come inside for a minute.”
I reached out for her hand and she allowed me to guide her down the path that led to my back door. I still hadn’t said anything and it began to feel awkward between us. I thought it would be easier to talk, and yet I found myself staring at her as if she was the one who asked to come in.
“So why did you want me to come inside?” she asked quietly.
Dani looked calm, crossing her arms over her chest, but it wasn’t convincing. As I rested my arms on the countertop in front of me, I knew that she was someone worth putting myself out there for. We were separated by the massive granite island in the center and she looked grateful for the barrier.
I grabbed two beers and handed one to her, standing in front of her, but giving her enough space to think. She smiled nervously as she took a sip of her beer. I watched her run her finger along the condensation on the bottle, nervously avoiding me.
“So you kissed me earlier,” she said casually, but kept her eyes on the beer label that she had started peeling off.
“Yeah. And if I recall, you kissed me back.”
She shifted uncomfortably and brought her eyes to mine, a look of determination flooding her. “I didn’t.”
“Why are you lying?” I took a swig of beer and raised a brow.
“I’m not,” she started to object, as she leaned back against the counter behind her. But I suppose it was farther than she realized because she stumbled backward. I stepped forward and reached out, catching her elbow, and held on until she stabilized. “Lying,” she finished.
When I released Dani’s arm, I brushed a stray hair from her face. Her body shivered as my fingers grazed her cheek.
“Why are you so adamant that we shouldn’t at least try?”
“Why are you so adamant that we should?”
“Because…why not?”
It wasn’t a sound argument, but with Dani mere inches away, it seemed good enough and she seemed to believe it too. She sighed and closed her eyes briefly before our eyes locked again.
“What is it you’re so scared about?” I cocked my head to the side, genuinely intrigued by her reasoning.
“I hate that word,” she huffed. “It’s a helpless word…a weak word.”
“I don’t know you very well, but from what I’ve seen so far, you are neither helpless or weak.”
“Honestly, I’m just not sure it’s the right time for me to get involved with someone.”
“With someone? Or with me?”
“Tabor,” she started, but I interrupted.
“I have women sending me private messages, nude pictures, and throwing themselves at me,” I told her, shaking my head as the words came out. “They have no idea who I am, they just want a piece of me because I’m relevant at the moment. How are you any different? You’re holding who I am against me, just like it’s a selling point for them. I want to get to know you. I don’t care about the shit they do. I’m not stupid, I know what they’re after. You can say whatever you want, but I know you like me, too. So if you’re not scared, what is it?”
“Are you always so cocky?”
“When I know I’m right, I am.”
Dani shook her head and set the beer down, bracing her hands on the granite behind her as she looked into my eyes. “What makes you so sure you’re right?”
I didn’t answer right away, instead setting my own beer down and sauntering the few steps it took to stand in front of her. I rested my hands on either side of her body, pinning her in, but leaned down to look into her eyes. As I began to speak, I wanted her to know every word coming from me was truth.
“Because, when I saw you the other day fixing your tire, you agreed to a date. Because you kissed me the other night and I know you felt something. Because you told your friends about me. Because whenever we’re together, I can see it in your eyes,” I said with a smirk. “Do I need to go on?”
Dani shook her head slowly, knowing I was right. Every bit of it. I’d put my cards on the table and wanted to get to know her, but she was the one who was slowing the pace.
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“What if it does?” I fired back. “We may find out we have nothing in common and maybe we really are better off as friends. But the way I see it, we won’t know until we try.”
I leaned forward so I was close enough to smell her hair as she continued to talk.
“But I still don’t want everyone to know—at least not yet. I’d like to keep this between us and the few people that know, because I like my privacy.”
“Something else I like about you,” I said, moving my lips to her cheek.
I leaned back and watched as her eyes fluttered closed. She slowly opened them and took a deep breath, but when she spoke I knew the game was over.
“What else do you like about me?” she asked, grinning up at me.
I leaned in and kissed her pink, full lips. “The first thing I liked, was how messy you were trying to change that damn tire,” I said, kissing the corner of her mouth.
“And second?” she asked breathily.
“That you didn’t seem impressed by me,” I chuckled, kissing her cheek.
“I’m not.” She laughed softly before closing her eyes as I trailed more kisses along her jaw. “What else?”
“You’re not trying too hard,” I answered, kissing just below her ear.
“You’re just a guy,” she murmured, unable to speak in her normal voice as I kissed her neck.
I brought my forehead to hers and closed my eyes. My arm was wrapped around her waist and I gently pulled her against me. Dani’s hands were braced on my arms and I didn’t want her to let go.
“That’s right,” I said as I stood up to my full height. “I’m just a guy. Take away the endorsements, agents, and teammates, and I’m just like any other guy.”
She snaked her arm around my neck and pulled me to her, finally kissing me the way I had hoped. Dani was one of the few women I’d met that I wanted to spend time getting to know, and I wanted her to feel the same.
Dani pulled away, ending the kiss, and narrowed her eyes playfully. “I hope you’re not like any other guy. I’m going out on a limb here because I think you might be unlike anyone I’ve met before…all that stuff you mentioned aside. So don’t break me. Okay?”
Those words held so much vulnerability in them, because this was her way of letting me know that she wanted to try. So I did the only thing I could think of: I kissed her—promising, with my touch, that I would do everything in my power not to hurt her. Because she deserved my best.
My free hand traveled up her back until it tangled in her hair, holding her to me. Her body responded to my touch and her soft moans as she let her guard down were all I wanted.
I released her from my arms as she separated from my lips, even though it was that last thing I wanted. We were breathing heavily, and as she took a step back I watched the beauty that was Dani Miner. She smiled up at me and I couldn’t help but return it with my own when I saw her cheeks flush.
“I should go,” she said hesitantly, but I got the feeling she wanted to stay. “You probably have a lot going on tomorrow.”
I reached for her hand and smiled. “I have a late appointment, so no need to rush out…unless you want to go.”
“I don’t.”
I grabbed our beers with my free hand and nodded my head toward the living room.
“Where are we going?” she asked, chuckling behind me.
“Thought maybe we can watch a movie or something.”