Chapter 20
Tanner didn’t like this.
The guesthouse was all right, but there were only two bedrooms and it looked like someone was having to sleep on the sofa.
And he was pretty certain he knew who that person was.
His girl was far too self-sacrificing for his peace of mind.
She’d totally believed that shit that Linc had said to her. Which reminded him, he owed that bastard a black eye. He’d wait until Ryleigh was feeling better.
He was just nice that way.
People failed to see that he was nicest Malone brother.
It was baffling how they missed it.
Lilac was in one bedroom, getting Kye settled while Opal made him a bottle. As soon as Opal disappeared, he started snooping. Fuck. They barely had any food. A loaf of bread. Some peanut butter. Creamer and coffee.
This wasn’t good enough.
Grabbing his keys, he headed toward the door. What the fuck right did Linc have to go off at Lilac for not taking care of Ryleigh when he was letting them live here with no food?
Well, he’d soon remedy that.
Yes, he’d rather move Lilac in with him so he’d know that she was being looked after.
But he knew that was likely too soon.
He’d give it a week.
The lack of food worried him, though. Was this why she was so thin? He could see her making sure everyone else was fed and taken care of first and forgetting about herself.
That was going to change.
“You’re leaving.”
He glanced over to see Lilac staring at him with a look of resignation. There was no surprise. Just a hint of sadness.
“I’m going to the grocery store.”
“Okay.”
“I should be about an hour,” he added.
“You’re coming back?”
“Yeah. With groceries.”
She frowned as though she didn’t understand what he was saying. He walked forward, cupping the side of her face. “Baby, you don’t have any food.”
Surprise filled her face. “You’re going to the grocery store to buy us food?”
“Yep. Is there anything you want? Chocolate? Ice cream? Any allergies I should cater for? What about sanitary products?”
“S-sanitary products? Are you seriously asking me if I want you to buy me tampons?”
“Well, I don’t know when you guys are due. You might need to restock.”
“Tanner!” She slapped his chest, wincing as she obviously hurt her wrist. “You can’t offer to buy us sanitary products!”
“Why not?” he asked, genuinely confused.
“B-because it’s something personal. I don’t talk about things like that. Not with . . . not with you.” She glanced away, blushing.
Was she . . . embarrassed?
Nope. He wasn’t having that.
Picking her up, he carried her to the sofa and sat with her on his lap.
“Tanner,” she said with a sigh.
“If you’re about to complain about me picking you up and carrying you around, then just stop.”
“Just stop?”
“Yep. I want to do it and you look like you barely have the energy to blink, let alone walk. So just . . . let me take care of you, okay?” He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice but didn’t think he fully managed it.
“You don’t have to take care of me. We’re not . . . you and I aren’t . . .”
“Did you forget the conversation we just had about me claiming you?”
She buried her face into his chest with a groan. “I don’t have the energy to argue with you.”
“Good. Then don’t.”
“Tanner, I don’t know what’s happening here.”
“Yes, you do. You’re just in denial. We’ll work on that. As well as your inability to ask for help, your tendency to work too hard, and the fact that you don’t seem to be eating.”
She tensed in his arms.
Fuck. What if she’d grown so thin because she was ill? Or had an eating disorder?
He drew her back so he could stare down at her. “I know I’m not the most sensitive guy and I should likely handle this differently. But you need to know this. I am not going to let you hurt yourself.”
“I-I’m not.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he replied, unsure it was true. “But if you were, you can tell me. I’ll hear you out. I’ll listen and I won’t judge.”
“Uh-huh. And then what will you do?” She gave him a skeptical look.
“I’ll do whatever I think is in your best interests.”
She sighed. “Even if I don’t like what you choose to do?”
He grinned. “You know me so well. I should have known you couldn’t stay away from me, that you’d turn up eventually. I mean, I am freaking irresistible.”
Lilac groaned. “You’re impossible, is what you are.”
“Impossible to resist.” He winked at her and lifted her off him before standing. “I want you to have a rest. I’ll bring back dinner too.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“If you’re mine, I take care of you. So yes, I do.”
“Well, just don’t go overboard, all right?”
“Who me?” He put his hand to his chest. “I will be restrained like always.”
He grinned as he left, listening to her groan.