Chapter Five #2
Tana woke to her girls standing over her, giggling at the drool that escaped from her open mouth.
“Mommy, you look funny,” Sarah laughed as she wiped her face.
After Torren left just before sunrise, she lay back down on the sofa and fell back to sleep.
She glanced at the clock and realized that it was just past eight, and she knew that the girls were probably watching her for about an hour before waking her.
They were both early risers, and if she wasn’t up before them, they usually got into a good bit of trouble.
Her girls seemed to be giggling a little more than some escaped drool would warrant.
She groaned and swung her legs onto the floor to stand.
“What are you little monkeys up to this morning? Have you been behaving, or have the two of you been up to no good already?” Sarah covered her mouth to hide her giggle, and Elizabeth full-on belly laughed.
Yep, something was up, and her little angels were probably at the center of some crazy mess that she was going to spend the day cleaning.
She stood to make her way into the kitchen, planning on going from room to room to find the chaos that her daughters had created.
She stopped short when Tucker came running out of her kitchen and jumped around her legs excitedly.
“Tucker, how did you get here?” She picked up the puppy and cuddled him, her daughters laughing behind her. “Girls, would you like to explain how Mr. Torren’s puppy got here?”
“Um, that would be because Mr. Torren brought him over about an hour ago. I didn’t want to wake you since you were snoring,” Torren said.
Tana gasped, and Torren did nothing to hide his smile.
“Oh yeah, and you had the cutest little bit of drool running down your chin.” Great.
Here she was trying to put her best foot forward and show Torren that she had what it took to compete with the numerous women in town for his affections, and he saw her at one of her lowest points.
“Great, that’s just perfect.” She handed the puppy to Sarah and stomped into her little kitchen for a cup of coffee.
If she was going to be expected to have a coherent conversation, she was going to need to be caffeinated.
“How about you start with why you are here, Tor? Then we can circle back around to my snoring and drool after I’ve had a few cups of coffee. ”
“Well, I was at home sleeping in my bed—” He paused, giving her a sexy, knowing wink that did crazy things to her girl parts.
“And well, Elizabeth must have gotten hold of your cell phone and called me to let me know that you were sleeping on the sofa and that they were both hungry for donuts. So, I told the girls to let you sleep and to watch some cartoons while I ran into Sunny’s bakery to get us some donuts.
” Tana shot Sarah and Elizabeth, her angriest mom glance.
“Elizabeth, you know better than to call people on my cell phone. What were you thinking?” Her daughter shrugged and looked at the floor.
“Mr. Torren’s picture came up on your phone when I tried to play my game. I touched his face, and your phone just called him.” Torren chuckled, but Tana found the whole situation somewhat less funny.
“That might have been my fault. I texted you just before Elizabeth called me, so maybe she called by accident.” Tana knew that was probably true, but she didn’t need Torren showing up at her house with donuts every time one of her daughters decided to find Torren’s face on her phone and call him up.
“So, you have a picture of me on your phone?” Tana must have turned bright pink—her cheeks felt like they were on fire.
She snuck a picture of him when they were at his cookout and set it up as her contact for Torren.
He already gave her his number in case of an emergency while she watched Tucker.
“It’s just a picture that I snuck of you at your cookout.
It’s easier for me to have a picture with the name.
That way, I don’t accidentally call someone that I don’t mean to.
It’s just a little quirk, I guess you could say.
” Torren was smirking at her as if he didn’t believe a word that she was saying.
Honestly, she just wanted a picture of him, and who wouldn’t?
Sarah and Beth sat up at her little kitchen table, and each grabbed a donut and a glass of milk that Torren poured for them.
“Thank you for bringing the girls a special treat—you didn’t have to.
I’m sorry that we interrupted your morning.
” Torren took Tana’s free hand and led her back into the family room, taking her coffee from her to set down on her side table.
He pulled her into his arms, and she willingly went, plastering herself against his body.
“Is this okay, honey? I think that the donuts will keep them busy for a few minutes,” Torren said, bobbing his eyebrows at her.
Tana laughed, “I think you are being a little optimistic about how long food will keep my girls distracted.”
“Well, they have the puppy too, and he seems to keep them busy. I hope that it’s okay that I got them donuts and just showed up here.
I couldn’t go back to sleep this morning thinking about you.
” He kissed her lips and worked down her jawline to her neck, kissing and nipping at her skin.
“I propose a change of plans.” He let his hands roam her body, making her crazy with need and finally coming to rest on her ass.
She could get used to waking up to an overly handsy Torren, but she kept a close eye on the hallway for any sign of the girls.
“What would you like to change about our plans?” She stuttered as he flexed his fingers, digging them into her ass.
“I want to spend the whole day with you guys—as long as you didn’t already have plans.
” Tana smiled back up at him, loving the way Torren wasn’t afraid of spending his day off not only with her but both of her girls.
She imagined that most men would be put off by her twin four-year-olds, but Torren seemed to want to just jump right into their perfect chaos.
He was making it harder to remember that this was just a fling because what she was feeling for him was turning into so much more than casual.
“It’s all right, Tana. Don’t worry about it—we can stick with the original plan and I’ll head back over this afternoon,” Torren said.
He must have taken her silence as a no, but the thought of spending the whole day together seemed like a wonderful dream.
“I’m sorry, Tor. I haven’t fully woken up yet, and you took away my coffee.
I would love for us all to spend the whole day together.
I’m sure the girls would be thrilled—they seem to love you.
” Tana giggled as Torren picked up her coffee mug and handed it back to her, his smile back in place.
“How about you drink your coffee and get dressed. The girls and I will clean up the mess we made in the kitchen and watch some cartoons until you are ready.” Tana couldn’t remember the last time she took a shower or even went to the bathroom, for that matter, by herself.
The idea seemed like a little slice of heaven—she might even be able to shave her legs.
And, since Torren planned on spending the night in her bed, that was probably a good idea.
She enthusiastically nodded her head, chugged her lukewarm coffee, and handed Torren back her empty mug.
She turned to head upstairs to get ready for their day when Torren stopped her.
“Tana,” he called. “I think it’s sexy that you snuck a picture of me and have it on your phone.
” He winked at her as she turned to finish the trek up to her room.
What was it about this man that made her feel like a giddy schoolgirl and a pampered princess, all wrapped up in one woman?
Whatever it was, she sure felt like a very lucky woman to have met Torren Harrison.