Chapter 28 #2
Tanner took her by the hands. She got up from the bed and stood in front of him.
Her clothes stripped away easy enough, and he circled his arms around her, drawing her against him.
His cock folded up against his body, pressed into her stomach.
His forehead touched hers, and it was just like last night at the bar when they’d been dancing.
Except now, there was absolutely nothing between them, and they didn’t need any music except their heartbeats. He swayed her back and forth.
“Never seen anything so beautiful as you,” he murmured.
She touched his cheek, and then they were kissing again. This was calmer, sweeter, not so urgent as before. Yet his need for her felt even deeper, going to a place inside him he hardly recognized. It was scary, but he didn’t want it to stop.
He wanted to give everything to her. He wanted to be brave enough for that.
Reluctantly, Tanner broke their kiss. He grabbed a condom and a bottle of lube from his nightstand, then lay flat on his back on the bed, one knee casually bent.
He beckoned his fingers. “Come here.”
Faith seemed to know what he wanted, climbing over to straddle his thighs. She leaned forward at the same time that he lifted onto one elbow, their mouths meeting in the middle.
She moaned when his fingers dipped between her legs. While they kissed, he used his hand to make sure she was wet and ready.
Tanner lay back to roll the condom on and lube himself up. He knew she might need the extra moisture in this position, especially with how tight she’d been last night.
Faith watched all this with her lips slightly open, a haze of desire in her expression. “You want me on top of you?”
Other men—he wasn’t going to think their names, not right now—had made her feel weak and helpless. He wanted to give her complete control over how this went. She’d set the pace. Tanner wanted her to chase her own pleasure and use his body to do it.
“Yes. You want that, too?” He was still holding his cock upright.
She answered by moving until she was right over him, her opening at his tip. She took a sharp inhale as she lowered herself. The progress was slow at first, as it had been last night. But Tanner relished every moment of this. Seeing the look of wonder on her face as he slid ever deeper inside her.
Finally, she was seated all the way onto him. Her lips pressed together. She breathed through her nose.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Just admiring you. I can see you better than last night.” Her eyes raked over him.
“Yeah?” He couldn’t explain the sudden twinge of shyness he felt. “Do I meet with your approval?”
“Expectations were high,” she said in a businesslike tone. “But you keep exceeding them.”
Faith rocked her hips, and Tanner groaned involuntarily. Her movements were slow, even hesitant, forcing him to use that patience he’d promised her before.
But this view was pretty damn amazing. Her legs spread over him, her round breasts swaying.
She worked up to a steadier rhythm. Her breathy pants and moans increased in speed. Faster. Rougher. Her eyes fluttered closed. Tanner’s hands ran all over her. Up her thighs and stomach and tits. Down her arms and shoulders.
He lifted up again onto his elbow. Her palms landed on his chest, and Faith’s hair fell like a curtain around them. Tanner nipped at her lower lip, rolling it between his teeth.
She thrust herself against him. Fucking herself on his cock.
He saw the very moment she came undone. Felt it.
He already felt so attuned to her. Like they’d both landed on the same frequency.
Faith dug her fingers into his hair as she rode that wave.
Tanner grabbed her hip with one hand and pumped into her.
Didn’t take much before he was right there with her, coming apart and pulsing and groaning.
She collapsed onto him, head on his chest. Tanner drew circles onto her back.
A few minutes later, they were curled up together beneath the covers. They hadn’t had dinner, and it was nowhere near bedtime. But neither made a move to get dressed.
Faith exhaled, and he felt her mood shift.
“Jon wants me to accept another of his ‘deliveries.’”
Tanner clenched his ab muscles, keeping back the tirade he wanted to unleash at her ex.
“I’m not going to do it,” she said. “But I don’t know how to handle it.”
“You can’t just tell him no?”
“I tried. He wouldn’t listen, probably because he’s so desperate. When he called yesterday, he made sure I saw him on video. Somebody beat him up. Black eyes, broken nose, cuts all over his face.”
“Shit. For real?” Tanner almost felt bad for the guy. But it sounded like Jon had used the beating to manipulate her.
“I think it was Kyle.”
Kyle Spaulding. The man who’d threatened her.
Attacked her. If only Tanner could track the asshole down and make him experience the fear he’d put into Faith.
“My friend Sean is a detective in the LAPD Gang and Narcotics unit. I asked Sean to look into Kyle. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.
” He hadn’t wanted to upset her further by bringing up the subject unless it seemed necessary. Now, it was.
“What did Sean find out?”
“Kyle hasn’t been in the L.A. area for long. He’s got a record back in Texas, including possession with intent to sell. But nothing specifically ties him to drug trafficking in California.”
“Jon said it was Kyle’s idea to use my place for storing these ‘packages.’ I can’t believe this is a legitimate business.”
“No, that’s unlikely, given Kyle’s record. And your ex’s history.”
She nodded. “I got the impression Jon’s not in control of what’s going on. He said, ‘They won’t let me change the plan.’ And he said if I go to the police, they’ll come after me.”
“So it’s more than just Kyle?”
“Maybe.” She rubbed the skin between her eyes. “Jon swore Kyle wouldn’t come near me again, which means other people are involved in this, too. It scares me.”
“I’m not going to let anybody touch you.” He felt the surety in his bones, even though he wasn’t sure of many things these days.
Her eyes raised, but she didn’t look reassured. “But I don’t know what these people will do if I won’t cooperate.”
If it were up to him, Tanner would’ve turned this whole mess over to Sean and the other authorities. But he worried Faith wouldn’t be willing to go there.
How could Tanner protect the woman he cared about if she still had these ties to her ex?
“You know Jon’s just taking advantage of your kindness, right?” he said softly. “He wants you to feel sorry for him.”
“I do feel sorry for him, but I’m not going to do what he wants.” She spoke adamantly. “I need to figure out what I can do. How I can finally get free of him without also getting Jon killed or anyone else hurt.”
Tanner didn’t care much what happened to Jon. But these people had threatened her, too.
“Would it be easier if I talk to him?” Tanner asked. “So you don’t have to?”
Her head fell back against his shoulder. “I don’t want him to know about you if I can help it.”
That smarted. “Why?”
“Because he’ll turn it into another guilt trip. ‘You already have a boyfriend, and we’re not even divorced.’ Jon has a way of turning things…ugly.”
Tanner tried to project a laidback persona. But fading into the background when someone was in danger? Especially someone he cared for? Not his style. Not even close.
“I’m confused,” he said. “Do you want my help with this?”
“I do. But I don’t want you to take over for me. I need to fix this myself somehow. Jon and Kyle have both made me feel powerless. I’m stepping up and taking responsibility.”
He understood. Faith had told him again and again she needed freedom. She didn’t want anyone making her decisions for her.
“Tell me what you want me to do,” he said.
“Stay next to me as I try to figure this out? I need to talk to Sylvie and Ethan, too, since it could affect them.”
“Sounds like wingman duty.” He flashed a grin. “I can handle that. I’ll be right by your side, and we’ll sort it out together.”
Even though his natural instinct was to bear the brunt of it himself.