One Night Forever (Vacation Getaway)

3. Tanner

CHAPTER 3

Tanner

S he’s driving me crazy. I’ve wanted Bella since the moment I laid eyes on her. Hell, I thought the night we shared would have led to more—something I don’t do. Not ever. I never bring a woman to my home, but with Arabella, I made the exception, and she upped and left without leaving her number. Two weeks I’d been thinking about her, dreaming about her and to find out that she’s been under my nose all along. She's my damn assistant, the one that replies with snarky messages whenever I send her a message.

It’s near impossible to get any work done with her around. The lingering smell of her perfume is everywhere. I hear her sultry voice when she answers the phone, and I’m instantly reminded of her moans while I was deep inside of her.

I hear her laughter. My gaze moves to where she’s currently sitting at her desk while she looks up at James Howler, my best friend and business partner. Anger pulses through me as the two of them laugh and chat. Fuck no. This shit isn’t happening.

I can't take it anymore. I buzz her intercom.

"Miss Fox, my office. Now," I snap, unable to keep the irritation from my voice.

Her heels click against the hardwood floor as she approaches. My heart races, palms sweaty as I grip the edge of my desk. The door opens and there she is—professional, poised, infuriatingly beautiful.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Thorne?" Her voice is cool, detached. I fucking hate it. I want to hear her moan, hear her groan, and cry out my name while I’m seated deep inside of her.

I stand, circling my desk slowly. "Is there a reason that you’re flirting with James?"

A flicker of surprise crosses her face before she schools her features. "I'm not sure what you mean, sir."

"Cut the act, Bella," I growl, closing the distance between us. "You think I haven’t heard and seen the laughter and flirting between the two of you."

Her cheeks flush, but her gaze remains steady. "I’m not flirting with him,” she hisses. “I’m friendly, that’s who I am, I’m always polite and friendly.”

“Except with me,” I snarl.

Her eyes narrow, a spark of defiance igniting in their depths. "What do you want from me, Mr. Thorne? I'm doing my job, nothing more, nothing less."

I'm so close to her now I can feel the heat radiating from her body. Her scent envelops me, clouding my judgment. "I want you to stop pretending," I say, my voice low and dangerous. "I want you to admit that there's something between us."

Bella takes a step back, her spine straightening. "There's nothing between us except a professional relationship. What happened that night was a mistake."

Her words are like a knife to my gut, but I refuse to let her see how much they affect me. Instead, I lean in, my lips barely grazing her ear. "We both know that's a lie, Bella. I can see it in your eyes, feel it in the way you look at me.” It’s no doubt the same want that I look at her with. Never have I wanted anyone the way I want Arabella.

Her eyes flash with defiance. "You're my boss, Mr. Thorne. I maintain a professional demeanor with you, as is appropriate."

"Professional?" I scoff, taking another step closer. "Is that what you call those snarky messages you send me?"

She tilts her chin up, meeting my gaze. "I respond efficiently and effectively to your requests. If you find my tone objectionable, perhaps you should reconsider your own communication style."

The tension between us is palpable, electric. I can see her pulse racing at the base of her throat, her chest rising and falling rapidly. God, I want to touch her so badly.

"You didn't seem to object to my style that night," I say, my voice low and husky.

Her eyes widen, a mix of desire and anger swirling in their depths. "That was different. That was..."

"Magnificent,” I say. “The best I’ve ever had.”

Bella's breath catches, her lips parting slightly. For a moment, I think she might give in, might admit what we both know is true. But then she takes a step back, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter what it was," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "It can't happen again. I won't jeopardize my career for a fling."

Her words sting, but I can see the conflict in her eyes. She wants this as much as I do, she's just too stubborn to admit it.

"Who said anything about a fling?" I growl, closing the distance between us again. "I don't do flings, Bella. I told you that."

She swallows hard, her eyes darting to my lips before meeting my gaze again. "Then what do you want?"

"You," I say simply. "All of you. I want you to be my assistant, you’re good at what you do. But I also want you in my bed and in my life. I’m forty years old, Bella, forty. I’ve never met anyone like you. So no, it’s not a fling I want, it’s a fuck of a lot more than that.”

Bella's eyes widen, a mix of shock and yearning flickering across her face before she quickly masks it. "Mr. Thorne, I?—"

"Tanner," I interrupt. "Call me Tanner, Bella. At least when we're alone."

She shakes her head, taking another step back. "This isn't appropriate. We can't?—"

I close the distance between us again, backing her up against the wall. "Can't what? Can't admit that there's something real between us? Can't explore this connection that's driving us both mad?"

Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her breath coming in quick gasps. "It's not that simple," she whispers.

"It can be," I murmur, bringing my hand up to cup her cheek. "Just say yes, Bella. Say you want this too."

For a moment, she leans into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed. I can feel her resolve weakening, the tension in her body softening. My thumb traces her cheekbone, and I hear her breath hitch.

"Tanner," she whispers, and the sound of my name on her lips sends a shiver down my spine.

I lean in, my lips barely grazing hers. "Say yes," I murmur against her mouth.

She trembles, her hands coming up to rest on my chest. For a heartbeat, I think she's going to push me away. Instead, her fingers curl into the fabric of my shirt, pulling me closer.

"I want to," she breathes, and then her lips are on mine.

The kiss is explosive, all the pent-up tension between us finally unleashing. My hands slide down to her waist, pulling her flush against me as her fingers thread through my hair. The kiss deepens, our tongues tangling. I press her against the wall, my body molding to hers as if we were made for each other.

Bella moans softly into my mouth, the sound driving me wild. I trail kisses along her jaw, down the column of her throat. Her head falls back, giving me better access as I suck gently on her pulse point.

"Tanner," she gasps, her nails scraping lightly against my scalp. "We shouldn't... not here..."

I pull back slightly, my forehead resting against hers as we both catch our breath. "You're right," I say, my voice rough with desire. "Not here. Come home with me tonight."

She hesitates, conflict clear in her eyes. "I don't know if that's a good idea.”

I cup her face in my hands, my thumbs gently caressing her cheeks. "Bella, listen to me. We've been dancing around this for too long. I'm tired of pretending, of holding back. I want you in my life, in every way possible. Come home with me tonight, and let's see where this leads."

She bites her lip, uncertainty warring with desire in her eyes. "What about work? The company? If this goes wrong..."

"It won't," I say firmly. "I won't let it. We're both adults, we can handle this. And if anyone has a problem with it, they'll have to deal with me."

Bella searches my face as if looking for any sign of doubt or deception. Finding none, she takes a deep breath. "Okay," she says softly. "Okay, I'll come home with you."

Relief washes through me. Fuck. This is what I want. Ever since I had her in my bed, all I’ve wanted is her.

“Bella. I want to take you to dinner, talk without the constraints of the office. And then..."

My voice trails off suggestively, and I feel her shiver against me. Her hands are still fisted in my shirt, as if she can't bear to let go.

"And then?" she whispers, her eyes dark with desire.

I reach for her chin, tilting her head and forcing her to meet my gaze. "And then I want to worship every inch of you. Show you exactly how much I want you, how much I need you."

Bella's breath catches, her pupils dilating. "Tanner, I..."

"No more excuses," I say firmly. "No more hiding behind professionalism or fear. We both want this, Bella. Let's stop pretending otherwise."

She nods slowly, her resolve visibly crumbling. "You're right," she whispers. "I'm tired of fighting this."

I lean in, capturing her lips in another searing kiss. This time, there's no hesitation from either of us. Bella melts into me, her arms winding around my neck as she returns the kiss with just as much passion and want.

When we finally break apart, we're both breathing heavily. I rest my forehead against hers, savoring the closeness.

"We should probably get back to work," Bella murmurs, though she makes no move to step away from me.

I chuckle, placing a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "Probably. Though I'm not sure how productive I'll be for the rest of the day."

She giggles as she turns to leave.

“Tanner,” she whispers as she reaches the door and turns to face me. “Please,” she begs. “Don’t hurt me.” She exits my office before I can answer.

Fuck. I never want to hurt her. I knew from the moment I saw her that she was it for me. I’ve never had that feeling before and I know I never will again. Arabella Fox is mine and I’ll be damned if I ever hurt her. Fuck, I’m not letting her go.