37. Victoria
37
VICTORIA
A s the morning light peeks through his blinds, I look around Tanner's bedroom. This big, dark, wooden sleigh bed is luxuriously comfortable. I am warm, snuggled, and feel entirely content. He has photographs of Whispers around his room, the landscape, some of the distillery that I recognize. All in black and white. A large bathroom is off to the side, and his walk-in closet rivals the size of my shed. I spot an equal mix of suits and jeans through the opening; the contradiction of the man continues even in his wardrobe choices.
After our rumble in the living room and showering, we talked all night over dinner, before we fell into bed and made love again, our stamina for each other like nothing I have experienced before.
I am falling for him. Hard. What started as a fury of passion has turned into something more. Much more. I have no idea what it means. I can’t get a handle on it. I have never felt this way. He consumes me. Every waking moment, my first thought is him. That didn’t even happen with Josh and I was engaged to that asshole. Looking at the ceiling, I say my thanks to the Lord above for helping me dodge that bullet.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Tanner asks from where he is lying next to me in his crumpled bedsheets. His hand darts over and runs across my naked stomach, tenderly caressing my skin before he cups my breast.
“Hmm, just thinking about things,” I tell him as I turn over, the two of us lying face-to-face. “What about you?”
He looks down at my body and back to my eyes. “I’m just thinking about how perfect your naked body is and how perfect it looks in my bed. I am remembering the first time I saw it in your bathroom when you hurt your leg.”
“I thought you said you didn’t see anything!” I smack his chest playfully, shocked, because that little memory was one that filled me with embarrassment.
“Oh, I saw enough. It’s been ingrained in my brain ever since,” he says, huffing a laugh.
“Hmm, well, I like looking at you naked too,” I admit, and he winks at me.
“I really like having you in my bed,” he says, pulling me to him, and my body slides across the sheets and into his arms. “Or your bed. Just you and me in bed is what I want.”
“I could get used to this as well.” Pressing a soft kiss to his lips, his hands trail up and down my back.
“So next week, I have an event in the city… I would like you to come with me. Be my date?” he asks, and I hold my breath .
“Really?” I ask, smiling. “What is it?” I’m keen to know more about his city life.
“Fundraising dinner for a literacy program in Baltimore. We will go, then get the jet back to New York that night and stay in my penthouse for a few days. It might do us both good to get out of here for a while.” He says it all so casually while I reel at the information.
“I’m not sure I have anything to wear to a fundraising dinner,” I say with a frown.
“I will get something for you. I’ll organize it all, you just say yes.” He searches my eyes, and I smile even brighter.
“Then yes,” I say without any more hesitation, leaning in to kiss him again. He pulls back a little and looks at me, his fingers lightly brushing down my arm and leaving goosebumps in his wake.
“Last week when the accident happened…” Pausing, he shakes his head. “I just…” He stops himself again, trying to find the words. “Wasn’t sure if you would pack up… go back home…”
I’m shaking my head before he’s even finished.
“I’m not going back to the city, Tanner. I like Whispers. I like Marmalade and Gertie. I like you,” I admit, feeling vulnerable. I hold my breath as I wait for his response.
“I think I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you.” His smile reappears at hearing my confession, his hand coming to caress my cheek, and I lean into his palm.
“Sounds like we are on the same page, then,” I say carefully, seeing nothing but extreme adoration in his eyes .
“Sounds like it,” he says before he seals our words with another mind-melting kiss.
“The weather is so beautiful this time of year,” I say, looking around the landscaping as we walk together back to the distillery. It is early, guests still have not arrived, but the workers are getting things ready for what no doubt will be another busy day. Once we get to the driveway near his office, the walk for me to get home is only about five minutes from here.
“Here,” he says, throwing me a set of keys.
“You want me to drive your truck?” My heart pounds a little in fear but also excitement. His truck is luxe.
“No, you can drive your own.” He points to a truck in the driveway. I look at it, shiny and new, black like his, but the logo is different. It is blue with a picture of a house, Marie’s Place written underneath it.
“What?” I ask, as I look at him, confused.
“It’s yours.”
I think my heart actually stops.
“What? I can’t accept this. Tanner, you have done too much already.” I am never going to be able to repay him.
“You can,” he says, nodding like it is a done deal.
“I can’t,” I say back, shaking my head, even as my stomach flips. It is too much.
“Baby girl, it is all yours.” Cupping my face, he tilts my head up to look at him. He’s actually serious about this… but I need to stand firm .
“Tanner,” I say in a stern warning, but the warmth in my chest wants me to accept it.
“You need a vehicle to get around in. I can’t take you all the time.”
I balk because I do need a vehicle, and I don’t want to be a burden to him or the girls who have been chauffeuring me all week. He knows my weak spot.
“But I can’t afford this. It’s too much,” I tell him honestly. My eyes flick to the truck and then back to him.
“Yeah, but I can, so it’s yours.” He’s smirking now.
“Tanner!”
“Baby girl. Get in, let’s go for a drive, and go take a look at this property you are designing,” he says smoothly, and that’s enough to spark my interest and distract me for a moment.
“You know where it is?” I ask him, surprised, though I thought he might.
“I know everything about this town. It’s down on Billionaire Boulevard,” he confirms as he walks past me, slapping my butt to move me along.
“Do you know who owns it?” I ask as I run after him, the large gift he just bestowed a distant memory now that we are talking about interiors. Rushing to unlock the truck, I pull myself up. It is a fair ways off the ground, but I like being this high. I take a moment, pulling in some deep breaths, but the overwhelming panic doesn't come.
“Breathe, baby girl. It’s alright. I promise,” Tanner says, looking at me from the passenger side, and I swallow before nodding to him.
“So, do you know who owns it?” I ask him again as I push away the negativity and fear and buckle up .
“Maybe,” he says coyly as he puts on his seat belt.
“Want to tell me?” I quirk an eyebrow his way as I get a feel for the steering.
“Nope. From what Griffin tells me, you are in charge of the design and to tell you the owner may skew your ideas,” he says, and I frown. He makes a good point.
“You’re no fun.” I huff as I turn the key and hear the truck come to life. Looking at him, my smile’s wide at the rumble. This truck is much newer than Marie’s, and I already feel safer. My stomach flutters once more at his thoughtfulness. He knew how much I needed this.
“You got it?” he asks me to ensure I am comfortable.
“I got it,” I say, nodding as I reverse and start to drive.
Within fifteen minutes, I am driving right up the driveway of the property.
“Wow, this is so beautiful.” I’m in awe, trying to watch where I am driving but also take in the surroundings. I park at the end of the driveway, and we get out.
“Good view, isn’t it?”
We meet at the front of the truck and look out. A large green lawn spreads out before us, but then farther out is what could be miles of rolling green hills. You can just make out the distillery too. It is almost like this property oversees the entire town.
“It is far enough away to be private and high enough to not have the view interrupted. It is almost like one of the photos in your bedroom,” I comment, remembering the photographic art on his walls.
“The frame is up…” he says, turning, looking at the start of what will be the house.
“It is much bigger in real life. I have seen the plans, already started with my ideas, but seeing it now makes it all so much more real,” I say to him as we walk up to the frame and step inside, going through each room.
“Griffin's team works fast; that is what he is known for. He has multiple teams and runs multiple projects at once,” Tanner says, looking over everything with a critical eye as my mind is whirling with so many design ideas.
“Oh, the living space is much bigger than I realized…” I murmur as I walk into that space. Even though there are no walls or ceiling, I imagine them and frown.
“What are you thinking?” Tanner asks, observing my reaction.
“Well, this is the living space. The plans have this walled up. I was thinking of an open fireplace and mantle, but…” I say, moving around, trying to look at it all.
“But what?”
“Well… what if it was a wall of windows instead?” I suggest, and his eyebrows rise.
“Windows?”
“Hear me out. They would need to be thick and have some structural support, but this view, it is too beautiful to just have a normal large window and then block it all off. What if instead it was kept open, with large sliding doors that you can open right up, bring the inside out and outside in. It would be amazing in spring and summer, and then in the cooler months, you close it up but still get the view. The fireplace could go to the side instead.” As I’m visualizing it all, I see him deep in thought.
“Floor-to-ceiling windows… I think that is an am azing idea and probably why the owner wanted you to design it. You should tell Griffin,” he says, and I smile at his support.
“Come and tell me what else you are thinking.”
Taking my hand, we spend the next thirty minutes going through each room, and every time I do, a new visual comes into my brain. I can’t wait to get home to start sketching and pulling imagery from online.
“Oh, there needs to be a helipad over there,” Tanner says, pointing to the side.
“What?” I ask, having never thought about that.
“Oh, baby, this place needs a helipad. It is too far away from the airstrip to drive. Especially at night,” he tells me, watching me closely. That makes sense, considering the type of wealthy person who probably owns this place.
I nod silently, thinking about how magnificent this is going to be. He comes to stand behind me as we look out over the vista. Taking a big breath in, I feel his hands wrap around my waist before he leans over me, kissing my cheek.
“It’s perfect out here,” I tell him whimsically. This would be my dream house.
“It sure is,” he agrees, pulling me to him, the two of us feeling contented surrounded by large trees, a soon-to-be luxury ranch, and just the sounds of the birds and wildlife. It’s perfect.