Izzy perched on the edge of the couch. “So, you didn’t seem real excited about your science class over dinner. Why is that?”
“It’s Booor-rinnnng.” Hayley rolled her eyes as she stretched out the single word.
Izzy laughed. She’d felt the same way about school growing up. Her mind had always wandered, imagining music and dances in her head while the teacher rambled on about math and science.
Hayley leaned forward, like she had a secret to share. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure, honey. You can ask me anything.”
“Are you going out with my Dad?” Hayley turned a knowing gaze on Izzy, a maturity in her look well beyond her eight years.
While Izzy and Tanner hadn’t shown any affection in front of Hayley, dinner with his family was like announcing it on Twitter. “I don’t know, honey. What do you think about that?”
“I think it’s awesome. He gets sad sometimes, but he’s been happier recently.”
Izzy had been equally unable to keep a smile off her face. She thought back to how she’d practically mauled him at the teen center the other day and how Natalie had immediately picked up on Izzy’s mood when she returned to the dance studio.
“I’m glad that your Dad’s happy. But I want to make sure you don’t have any worries about you being in my dance class.”
Hayley’s eyes widened, and she clasped her hands in front of her as she bounced in her seat. “Are you kidding? I think it’s awesome. I just knew this was going to be a great year.”
Tanner returned at that moment carrying a tray filled with popcorn and sodas. “What are you girls talking about?”
She shared a private look with Hayley. Girls gotta have their secrets, after all. “Nothing.”
Tanner slid the tray onto the coffee table and sank onto the couch beside Izzy. “Are you sure? Hayley?”
“It’s nothing, Daddy.” She hopped up and sprawled on the floor in front of the television. Did she always watch movies like that, or was she intentionally leaving the couch for Izzy and Tanner? Either way, she’d take it. Hayley approved of her relationship with Tanner, although Izzy wasn’t quite sure Hayley had a full understanding of what that meant. Well, that was something for Tanner to handle. For now, she’d take Hayley’s acceptance for what it was and enjoy an evening with Tanner and his daughter.
Tanner turned down the lights, and a few minutes later, animated characters danced across the television.
Izzy kept her eyes focused on the screen, but she wasn’t seeing the movie. How could she focus with Tanner beside her, her thigh pressed up against his, the spicy scent of his after shave sending jolts through her system? Especially when he rested his hand on her knee and drew circles with his thumb. Each revolution brought his hand up her thigh, and heat built in her core. She slapped her hand over his and whispered, “Behave.”
He flipped his hand over and linked his fingers with hers, sliding their joined hands into her lap. She glanced at Hayley.
He leaned in close. “You don’t have to worry about her. She fell asleep thirty minutes ago.”
Izzy looked closer. Hayley’s eyes were closed and her head rested on her hands. Izzy had been so focused on Tanner’s touch, she hadn’t noticed how Hayley had gone quiet.
“She never makes it through an entire movie after dinner.”
He wrapped his arm around Izzy and pulled her to him. She rested her head on his shoulder. Spending the evening with the family reminded her of what she had always wanted but never had. She’d all but given up on having a kids of her own while she was with Erik, but after dating Tanner for even this short period of time, hope grew in her heart.
She snuggled deeper into Tanner and focused on his scent and the warmth that wrapped around the two of them while dreams of a future with more scenes like this danced through her mind.
Chapter Fourteen
The movie credits scrolled across the screen, but Tanner didn’t move. He stayed exactly where he was, basking in the perfection of this moment for a bit longer. His daughter was sprawled on the floor, her breathing deep and calm, and the woman he was quickly falling for was asleep on his shoulder. He hated to wake Izzy but he needed to put Hayley to bed.
And Izzy regretfully had to go home. But hopefully she wouldn’t be going home alone.
Tanner shook her gently. “Izzy, wake up.”
She moaned and the sound shot straight to his groin. It had been torture sitting here with Izzy’s sweet perfume filling his senses and her soft body pressed against him for the entire movie. She didn’t wake up, though. She snuggled closer to him. What he wouldn’t give to have this scene every night. To spend time together as a family and then make love with Izzy and fall asleep with her beside him.
Whoa. Where did that thought come from? He’d sworn after Vanessa that he wasn’t getting serious with another woman. Not as long as Hayley was still young. But she seemed to be happy about his dating Izzy. When he’d warned his daughter in advance that Izzy was coming to dinner, the whoops and hollers told him all he needed to know.
And he was sure he interrupted a conversation between the girls when he walked into the room. He wanted Izzy and Hayley to build a relationship outside of dance, as long as it didn’t jeopardize their bond in class.
Hayley had come out of her shell so much in the past few weeks, and Izzy was a big part of that. But no relationship was worth risking his daughter’s happiness.
He nudged Izzy again, and she raised her eyes slowly. Is this how she woke up after a night making love. Maybe he’d have a chance to see that for himself—soon.
She stretched her hands above her head, her T-shirt straining across her breasts and exposing a small patch of skin at her waist. “I guess I missed the movie, huh?”
When she saw where his gaze had landed, she snickered and tugged her T-shirt down. Busted again. He couldn’t help that seeing that tempting creaminess made him want to explore her entire body.
He helped her sit up. “No worries. Just let me put Hayley to bed, and then I’ll take you home.”
“I drove myself. You don’t need to take —”
He put his finger to her lips. “Not up for discussion.” He jumped up and scooped his daughter into his arms. A minute later, Izzy padded behind him. He carried Hayley into her room and stepped over toys and dolls to get to her rumpled bed. As much as he complained about the mess, it was as much as part of Hayley as anything else. He laid his daughter’s head down on her pillow and tucked the covers up to her chin. Her blond curls framed her face, and she looked like an angel. His angel. How’d he get so lucky?
He leaned down and pressed his lips to Hayley’s forehead. “Night, Princess.”
She whispered, “Night night, Daddy,” but didn’t open her eyes.
After one last look at his sleeping daughter, he eased out of the room, his hand wrapped around Izzy’s smaller, softer one. He pulled Hayley’s door closed and then glanced at Mary’s, left slightly open. He’d gotten so lucky when he found her. Not many people would take on a single father with a daughter, but Mary had moved in and given his family the support he was so desperate for.
He led Izzy down the hall and grabbed his keys off the front table.
“You really don’t have to drive me home.”
“Oh, yes, I do. Mary already knows that I’m leaving with you. Hayley doesn’t wake up at night. Besides, you’re tired. I don’t want you falling asleep on the way home.”
“I’m not tired anymore. I had a nap.” She raised her eyebrows, and his cock hardened painfully. They had to get out of here before he took her right here on the couch.
“Enough of that.” He hurried her out the door and down the steps.
“How am I going to get my car?”
“I’ll bring you back in the morning.” Now it was his turn to waggle his eyebrows, and she laughed.
“A bit presumptuous, aren’t we?”
He couldn’t stand it any longer. Those sassy lips had tempted him all night
. He yanked her toward him and crashed his mouth down on hers. She came willingly, her body pressed against his as their tongues tangled. She tasted of garlic and butter and something he would forever on associate with Izzy.
When she ground her hips into his, he couldn’t suppress the groan that built deep in his gut.
They were shrouded in darkness, and it was just the two of them. Alone. But they weren’t alone. Someone could drive by. A neighbor could peek out the window. He broke the kiss and set her back from him.
She yanked her keys out of her purse. “How about I drive and you follow me home? Then you don’t have to bring me back in the morning, and Hayley won’t wonder why my car is here.”
She was probably right. Mary was taking Hayley to the aquarium in the morning, but Izzy’s car in the driveway would bring up questions he wasn’t ready to explain to his eight-year-old daughter. As much as he loathed to let Izzy go, even for a few minutes, following her home made sense. “Good idea.”
He took one more kiss before escorting her to the driver’s door. She climbed in, her long legs tempting him as she hung out the opening. They needed privacy. And a bed. Fast.
Thank God she didn’t live far away. He didn’t know how much longer he could last before having her beneath him.
He stayed right on her tail the entire time, the red lights the only illumination on the pitch-black roads. Every once in a while, she would wave to him in the rearview mirror, and he would flash his lights.
Was she as aroused as he was? Was she thinking of how many ways they could make love? If her mind was racing as much as his, it was a wonder either of them could keep their cars on the road.
Izzy’s blinker finally flashed and she turned into the drive that wound to her cottage. He’d have to make sure he left before her mother got up in the morning. That was all he needed, her mother eyeing him from across the yard as he crept out of Izzy’s house.
He climbed out of his car. When he extended his hand, she took it and they walked into her house as though it was a daily occurrence. But her fingers trembled. Just slightly. He squeezed her hand. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, yeah. I just want to…”
She stepped into the house and once he joined her, she pushed the door closed and shoved him against it. Her hands were everywhere, stoking the fire that had been burning for her since the day they met. Her tongue plunged into his mouth, and he stroked it while his hands trailed down her back. When he reached her waist, he slid his hands under her loose T-shirt, his fingers smoothing along the soft skin.
Something brushed against his leg, and he jumped. “What the heck was that?”
She chuckled. “Freddie!” She bent down and picked up a Jack Russel terrier, his tongue licking at Izzy as fast as it could.
Tanner scratched the dog’s head. “You told me about him, but I’d forgotten.”
“Sorry. Freddie comes to greet me every time I walk through the door.” She sat the dog down and motioned toward the kitchen. “Bed.”
Tanner could swear the dog hung his head. Who could blame him? He’d feel the same if Izzy was dismissing him. But Freddie hurried out of the room, anyway.
She laid her hands on Tanner’s chest, the heat of her touch spreading out, consuming him.
He gripped her hips, refocusing after the interruption. “Now, where were we?”
“How about we take this somewhere a little more private?”
Now she was talking. He nodded, words of love stuck in his throat. She led him down a short hallway into her bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, she spun into his arms. He tangled his fingers in her hair, letting the soft strands fall over his hands as he lowered his head. It was just a gentle touch, a brush of lips, but a jolt shot through him, landing straight in his groin.
She pressed her body to his, her hands clawing at his back. But he wouldn’t be rushed. They had all night, and he intended to take full advantage of the time. Izzy deserved to be savored, to be worshiped. Tanner didn’t know what had happened with her ex in New York, but he was an idiot to let her go. He wasn’t complaining. That guy’s loss was Tanner’s gain.
He nipped at her lower lip and soothed the spot with his tongue. She melted into him, and he pulled her against him, walking her backwards toward the bed. The only light in the room was the moon streaming through the window, but that wasn’t good enough for him. He wanted to see every inch of her.
After her knees hit the bed, he laid her back and reached for the lamp.
Her hand covered his. “Leave it off.”
“Nuh-uh. I want to see you.”
He flipped on the lamp, the soft light washing Izzy in warmth. For a minute, he stared at the woman sprawled on the bed. His eyes trailed down her body, over her perfect breasts to the nip of her waist, across the curve of her hips and down her long, sculpted, sexy legs. He couldn’t wait to have those legs wrapped around him as he drove into her.
But first things first. He pulled each of her boots off, dropping them behind him. Her socks came next. Then he pressed a kiss to the ball of her foot. There was so much of Izzy to explore.
She squirmed. “I hate my feet. Too many hours in pointe shoes.”
“Every inch of you is perfect.” He kissed the other one and slid up her body, running his hands along her calves and thighs, brushing over her core briefly before moving to her waist. He’d spend plenty of time there later, but for now, there were other parts of Izzy he was interested in.
He slid her T-shirt up just enough to expose the swath of skin above her jeans. That patch that had been driving him wild for days. He leaned over, and his tongue circled her naval, licking the skin of her belly. Yep, her skin tasted sweet.
She twitched. That’s right—she was ticklish. He nuzzled her belly and rested his hands on her hips. She squirmed and clenched her muscles. As much as he was enjoying watching her, he had more important things to attend to—like her breasts, the perfect globes begging for his touch. He tugged her shirt higher until he exposed the small, lacy triangles of her bra.
“Perfect.” He pressed an open-mouthed kiss to one breast through the fabric and then slid over to the other.
She grabbed her T-shirt, and he helped her pull it over her head. A minute later, his joined hers on the floor and he pulled her back to him. Her skin felt so good against his.
She rubbed her covered breasts against his chest, and his skin prickled. As much as he wanted to savor this feeling, he couldn’t wait a minute longer to feel her breasts. He laid her back and ran his hands to the latch of her bra, and released it. The fabric fell to the sides and her breasts sprang free, nipples taut and begging for attention.
She moved her arms to cover herself, a foreign emotion swirling in her eyes.
He leaned over, her hands trapped between them, and slid his lips over hers. “You have nothing to hide from me. You’re beautiful.”
Her lashes lowered, but she fought the impulse and locked her gaze with his.
He eased her hands off her body and then pressed his chest to hers, her nipples brushing against him, as he lowered his lips. But this time, he trailed a path of kisses down her cheek to her ear, loving how she squirmed beneath him as he licked the smooth skin. He sucked the lobe in between his lips and smiled as she moaned, her anxiety apparently gone.
“God, you’re exquisite.” As he kissed down her neck, his hand slid up her body and cupped her breast, the mound soft and perfect. He thumbed her nipple and felt it harden. She was so responsive, and every touch of her skin on his had arousal building in his gut. But he wasn’t going to rush this. He planned to relish every moment with her.
He slid his lips down and sucked a stiff bud into his mouth. He circled one nipple as he stroked the other into a tight nub and then sucked that nub into his mouth. Damn, he could spend all night feasting on her breasts. But the rest of her beautiful body called to him.
He released her nipple and licked his way down her belly. Her fingers dug into the covers as she thrust her hips. He
chuckled and rested his hand on her waist. Heat poured off of her in waves as a sheen of moisture formed on her body. He loved that he had that effect on her.
When he reached her jeans, he popped the button and lowered the zipper. Every inch of exposed skin had his cock thickening, until he spied the pink panties below. He lifted his eyes to watch her. Her eyes were closed and her head was thrown back, her lips parted as she drew in shallow breaths. Her beauty on any given day astounded him, but seeing her giving herself over to him completely overwhelmed him.
He pressed a kiss to the skin he exposed above her panties and then slid his hands into the waist of her jeans. The round globes of her ass tempted him, but he had other plans. A minute later, the denim joined their other clothes on the floor. She now lay sprawled on her bed with only a small scrap of fabric covering her beautiful body. But that was still too much.
As he pulled her panties off, she lifted her head to stare at him, her eyelids heavy and her lips swollen from his kisses. His eyes made a slow trip down her body, over her breasts pinked from his attention, to her flat belly and her rounded hips, past the patch of curls the same shade of honey as her hair.
Her knee bore the scars of her injury and surgery and he soothed his tongue over the faded pink lines. Her injury may have ended her career in New York, but it had also brought her to him.
“Tanner, please.” Her voice had taken on a pleading sound.
“Please what? I need to hear you say it.”
She stretched her arms out to him. “I need you.”
Her words lit a fire in him and his cock grew even harder. He shed his own jeans and boxers, grabbing a condom from his wallet and throwing it beside Izzy. Her eyes widened as his cock stretched out, begging to be inside her. He sucked in a deep breath and gritted his teeth. Not yet.
He climbed back onto the bed and covered her body with his. Skin-to-skin. With nothing between them, they came together, thigh to thigh, hip to hip, and breast to chest. She fit against him perfectly, her soft curves cradling him. “For as long as you’ll have me.”
Chasing Dreams_A Small Town Single Dad Romance Page 13