She’d done just the opposite for him. Instead of questioning his feelings for Izzy, seeing her like this, her entire being vulnerable as she poured herself into her dance, solidified how he’d felt for her all along. But there was no way she was ready to hear that, so he bit back the words that wanted to sneak out.
That didn’t mean he couldn’t show her, did it? He kicked off his shoes, remembering her caution about the floor from the day they met, and strode across the room with purpose, not saying anything as he pulled her into her arms. His mouth crashing down on hers. It had been way too long since he’d held her, since he’d tasted her lips.
He drank from her like he was dying of thirst and she was a fresh sip of water. Her hands landed on his arms, her fingers digging into his skin as her tongue thrust into his mouth. Damn, his girl could kiss. And she was kissing him. If he had his way, she’d never kiss another man again.
His head swam as all blood traveled to his groin. The twitch he’d felt in his crotch when he came upon her dancing had grown into a full-blown erection. He hadn’t thought this through very well. It wasn’t like he could lay her on the floor and make love to her, as much as he’d like to.
He slid his hands down her back, tracing the muscles that had been gloriously on display as she danced, until his hands reached her ass. God, he loved her body. He squeezed, eliciting a gasp from her, then pulled her more firmly into him. Her core aligned perfectly against his cock. And then she rotated her hips, the vixen, and he grew even harder. As if that were even possible.
She broke the kiss and thumped her head on his shoulder. Her chest heaved, although this time the exertion had nothing to do with dancing. “We have to stop.”
His ragged breaths matched hers. “I agree. As much as I’d love to keep kissing you, anyone could walk in.”
He tried to take a step back, to put some physical distance between them, before he did something he shouldn’t.
But she didn’t let him go. She nodded her head and then stopped him. “Yes, I mean, no, I don’t want to stop. I just think that we should take this somewhere more private.”
He pulled her in for another punishing kiss, his tongue tangling with hers before he stepped away again. “As much as I’d love to, we don’t have nearly enough time to get to your house and back.”
* * *
Izzy waggled her eyebrows. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I have a shower right here in the studio, huh?”
She grabbed his hand and ran toward the door. She’d only thought to make it easier for her to shower after working out. Now she had a much better use for her shower. But he stopped her before they reached the back office. Had she misread the signals? Maybe that wasn’t what he had in mind after all.
Tanner grinned at her and popped a quick kiss on her mouth. “Wait right here a minute.”
What was he up to? It only took a second for her to realize, as he raced back to the front door, flipping the lock with a click. Thank God he was thinking.
Once they reached the office, she pulled off one ballet shoe and then the other on her way through the room. Right now, all she could focus on was having Tanner’s hands on her naked body and feeling him inside her. After they stepped into the bathroom and locked the door, she turned on the water.
His gaze bored into her, like he could see straight into her soul. But his feelings no longer scared her. They empowered her. She loved knowing that she could make him crazy, if the impressive thickness beneath his zipper was any indication.
Her gaze stayed locked on his as she hooked her thumb in the shoulder of her leotard. She could do this. He’d worshipped every inch of her body when they made love. And she’d left the light on.
Izzy didn’t break his gaze as she tugged the fabric down her arm. She wasn’t wearing a bra—she rarely needed to—so it exposed one of her breasts.
Before she could reach for her other shoulder, Tanner closed the distance between them. He cupped her breast with his calloused hand and squeezed, thumbing her nipple, each brush sending jolts through her body. Oh God, he was going to make her come with just his hand. She squeezed her thighs together to hold off the building storm. Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more of his clever fingers, he bent his head down and sucked her nipple into his mouth.
If she thought his hand felt good, the warmth of his mouth around her was unbearably wonderful. She arched her back and leaned into him, a gentle moan escaping her lips.
While he continued licking and sucking her nipple, he tugged the other sleeve down her arm, Izzy helping him until her leotard bunched at her waist. He palmed her other breast, his large hand covering her completely.
Steam swirled around them as the shower heated.
“That feels so good.” Izzy huffed on a breath as she clung to him. His erection, straining against his jeans, pressed into her still-covered crotch. Every nerve in her body was firing from the attention Tanner lavished on her breasts.
She couldn’t wait another minute to feel his naked body against her. She fumbled with her leotard. Damn, why did she have to be wearing something so tight. Finally, the fabric relented and she jerked it over her hips, catching her tights with her thumbs. In moments, she stood naked in front of him, proud of the body that had been her shame for far too long.
His arms extended, but she laughed and stepped toward the stall. “Oh, no you don’t. I need a shower and I think”—she nodded toward his crotch—“you do, too.”
She pulled her hair out of the bun and then reached for his shirt, the two of them pulling his clothes off in record time. He snatched a condom from his jeans and she took his hand again and guided him into the hot stream of water.
Izzy stepped under the showerhead and closed her eyes, allowing the water to run over her hair and body for just a minute. Her feelings were coursing through her as fast as her arousal.
Tanner’s hands landed on top of hers as he threaded his fingers through her hair. The feel of his naked body against hers, his erection pressing against her belly, was more than she could bear.
She reached between them and encircled his cock, palming his thickness and squeezing the silky softness smooth around his hard shaft. She twisted her hand, moving to the base of his cock as she did.
His eyes shut as he flopped his chin down. “Oh, God. That feels so good. But you can’t do that. I’m not going to last long.”
Her hand grasped the back of his head and tilted it up. “Look at me.”
He slowly opened his eyes, his lids hooded.
“I want to do this. I want to make you feel good.” Tanner was putty in her hands and she wanted to bring him a small amount of the pleasure he’d shown her.
When he shook his head, she laid her finger against his lips. “No arguments. You had your way with me last time. It’s my turn.”
He held his hands out in defeat, and his lips quirked into a little smile as she wrapped her fingers around him again. His body tensed as she twisted and stroked, running her thumb under the tip. He wrapped his hand around hers and squeezed. “A little harder. Yeah, just like that.”
Him telling her what he wanted and teaching her how to please him empowered her. If his ragged breathing was any indication, she was doing something right. He grew even bigger in her hand, and his entire body tensed. All of a sudden, he snapped back from her and wrenched her hand off him.
“Enough. I’m about to blow.”
He crashed his lips down on hers and shoved his hand between her legs, thrusting a single finger into her as he brushed his thumb over her clit. Jolts shot through her body, every nerve ending on fire. Her body begged for the release that was building quickly in her gut. He stroked her intimately a few times and then withdrew.
Before she could complain, he reached to the bench behind him and came up with a condom. At least he was thinking about protection because she certainly wasn’t. A minute later, he sheathed himself and hooked his hands under her ass.
“This is going to be hard and fast. I ha
ve to be inside you.”
Thank God he said it so she didn’t have to. He lifted her like she didn’t weigh a thing and rammed her back against the tile. Just as she wrapped her legs around his waist, he slammed into her, filling her completely with a single stroke.
She moaned and flopped her head on the tile, her fingers fumbling to grasp the wet skin on his shoulders, anything to hold onto while he drove into her over and over. She finally got a hold on his back and dug her fingers in. She was probably leaving a mark with her nails, but she didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything except what he was doing to her, the sensation of his thickness filling her. His groin pressed against her clit, each thrust hitting a spot deep inside her, like brushing up against a live wire, exciting a spark.
She was coming alive with Tanner, finding a part of herself that she didn’t know existed. It wasn’t just that he helped her achieve the orgasms that had been elusive, it was that she was able to be herself with him, to give in to the feelings that he created in her, like she never had before.
He moaned deep in his gut and his thrusts quickened. He squeezed her ass as he pulled her to him. She rolled her hips, driving him further into her until he cried out. He pulsed thick as he thrust into her, his final action pushing her over the edge. She moaned, molding her hips to him, needing the feel of him within her as she rode out the waves of her orgasm.
Her muscles finally relaxed and she collapsed on Tanner, her back against the wall and his head on her shoulder as he struggled to catch his breath. She closed her eyes, unwilling to allow him to see what she could no longer hide. She was in love with this man.
Chapter Nineteen
“Hayley, come sit down for a minute.” Tanner patted the couch beside him on Saturday night. He’d put off this conversation for long enough—they were having dinner with Izzy’s mother tomorrow. Mary had gone to her room about an hour ago. Tanner had given her a heads-up about the discussion he planned to have with Hayley, so she could give them some privacy, and so she could be prepared if Hayley came to her with questions. He’d gotten lucky when he’d found Mary and was thankful every day that she had come into their lives. But things were changing, and that was what he needed to discuss with his daughter.
Hayley leapt up from where she was sprawled on the floor with Blue. The puppy yipped and hopped around Hayley’s feet, jumping up beside her when she flopped on the couch.
Tanner snapped his fingers. “Down, Blue.” The puppy tilted his head and threw Tanner an expression that said, “I don’t understand.” Or more specifically, “I know what you’re saying but I don’t care because I’m cute and you’ll never make me get down.”
Yeah, it was probably the latter. Hayley scratched the puppy’s head and he rested his chin on her leg. When he looked at them with his little droopy eyes, and made Hayley so happy, it was hard to be angry at the chewed up shoes, ripped up tissues and peed on carpet.
“What did you want, Daddy?”
“I wanted to talk to you about tomorrow.”
The smile fell from Hayley’s face. God, he hated that she was so wary about any new situation. Tanner had learned long ago to discuss events with her in advance, answer any questions she had, and make it easy for her to transition with as little anxiety as possible. At least she already knew Izzy. “We’re going to go to Izzy’s house for dinner tomorrow.”
Hayley’s eyes brightened and she bounced on the couch. “Yay, I love Izzy.”
“Well, here’s the thing… We’re having dinner with her mother.”
“Oh.” Hayley fiddled with the hem of her T-shirt, worrying it into a bunch. “Do you think she’ll like me?”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Of course she will. She actually asked if we could have dinner so she could meet you. Besides, what’s not to love? Well, except maybe the messy room.” He leaned back so he could look her in the eye and lowered his voice. “But we won’t tell her about that, how ‘bout it?”
Hayley giggled and he knew she’d be okay. It didn’t usually take much, but telling her tonight would give her a chance to prepare for dinner tomorrow. She was always fine once she adjusted, and being with him and Izzy would make that transition smoother.
She started to climb off the couch, but he rested his hand on her arm. “Wait a minute, honey. There’s something else. I, uh, I wanted to know what you thought about Izzy?”
“I think she’s great. She’s always nice in class and helps the girls that don’t understand what to do, and she never yells. And she smiles a lot.”
“Yeah—”
“And she makes you smile more.”
He couldn’t argue with that. It was like a switch had been turned on when he’d met Izzy. He’d been the one to throw up roadblocks in the first place, all because of Hayley, but this was better. Discussing Izzy openly with his daughter. Hayley was getting older now—she could handle things that she couldn’t before. “Yes, she does. So how do you feel about her being my girlfriend?”
“I think it’s great. I like having Izzy around.” She hesitated a minute, and Tanner waited for the other shoe to drop. “What if… what if Mommy…?”
His heart broke and he pulled her into his arms. As Hayley got older, she asked more about her mother. He told her what he could, which wasn’t much. He would never say anything negative to influence Hayley’s feelings about Vanessa, but he wouldn’t sugarcoat the situation. Not anymore. “What about Mommy, honey?”
“What if she comes back?”
“For a long time after she left, I hoped she would. But after a while when I didn’t hear from her, I had to get on with my life. For me… and for you. I didn’t want you always waiting by the window, looking for her car to pull in the driveway. We’re doing okay, aren’t we? Just the two of us?” He held his breath. As much as he loved his daughter, there were times she needed a mother, and hers wasn’t here. More and more, though, he was feeling as though Izzy could have a role like that in Hayley’s life.
“We’re great, Daddy. But what if Mommy comes back and sees us with Izzy?”
Damn, the questions just kept getting harder. “You know how your friend Eva has two houses—how she spends some nights with her mommy and others with her daddy?”
“Yeah…”
“If your Mommy comes back, it would be like that. I’d like nothing more than for you to have Mommy as a part of your life, and I’m sorry I can’t make that happen. What I would hope is for you, me, and Izzy to spend more time together.”
“Like a family?”
He sucked in a breath. He’d been afraid to admit that was definitely a long-term goal. But he didn’t want to move too fast for Izzy or Hayley. This was getting complicated. Maybe it was time to reach out to the counselor again, to check in and get her advice. But he’d started this conversation, and he needed to see it through. “Right now, as three people who like to laugh and play together, and people who want to spend time with each other. How does that sound?”
“That sounds good, Daddy. But do you think Izzy could maybe sometime be part of our family?”
He scratched his chin. That wasn’t a question he’d expected to field tonight. “I don’t know, honey. That’s a big decision, and a grown-up one that we’ll have to talk about after we’ve known each other longer. Why are you asking about Izzy being part of our family?”
“Because the other girls have a mom to take them shopping and get manicures. You know, all that stuff that girls do. Since I don’t have a mom, I thought maybe Izzy could do some of those things with me.”
“She’s really busy at the dance studio, but I bet if we ask her, she’d love to take you shopping.”
“I can’t wait to ask her tomorrow.” Hayley’s exuberance woke Blue, who yipped along with Hayley’s cheers. He hopped down and Hayley followed. “Is that all?”
“Yeah, that’s all. Time for bed.”
“Aww, Daddy. Can I have fifteen more minutes?”
And just like that, his little girl was back. �
�I guess. But then straight to bed—no complaints.”
She popped a kiss on his cheek and rushed down the hall, Blue hot on her heels. That conversation had gone a lot better than he’d expected. Hayley was further along than he was as far as a relationship with Izzy. But to know that she was open to a serious relationship was a great feeling.
He sank back on the couch and laid his head back. He had thought when Hayley was a baby and he was bleary eyed from night terrors and frustrated with potty training was the hardest part of being a parent. He was wrong. That was physical exhaustion. This conversation exhausted him mentally and emotionally. How in the hell was he going to handle the teenage years? If he had his way, it would be with Izzy by his side. Hayley was certainly receptive to that idea.
Once he was confident Hayley was asleep, he locked up and headed to his room. After pulling on a T-shirt and boxers, he whipped out his phone and dashed off a text. “Hayley’s excited about tomorrow.”
“I’m glad. Can’t wait to see you both.”
“I also talked to her about us.”
“and…”
“Green light. But…” He wasn’t sure the best way to approach this. Maybe he should talk to Izzy in person instead of trying to dash off a text. As if she read his mind, his phone buzzed, and a picture of his Izzy flashed on the screen. “I was just thinking of calling you.”
“I figured you’d like to talk.”
“Maybe I like hearing your voice.” Which was the truth. He could sit and listen to her sweet, sultry voice anytime. She could make reading the phone book sexy. “But yeah, I wanted to talk about something. Hayley brought up her mom tonight.”
Izzy sucked in a breath. “Oh.”
“She was worried about what would happen if Vanessa came home and saw that you and I were dating and Hayley was spending time with you.”
“What did you tell her?”
“I reminded her of a friend of hers whose parents are divorced and how they have two houses. I explained that’s how it would be for us if Vanessa came home. She seemed okay with that.”
“That sounds good.” She didn’t respond and he appreciated the moment to gather his thoughts. “But that’s not the only thing bothering you.”
Chasing Dreams: A Small Town Single Dad Romance (Harper Family Series Book 1) Page 17