Chapter 8 #3
“I like you, too.” April said, not missing how his hand had slipped into hers.
Their fingers intertwined, and she was loving the warmth of his skin against her palms. This felt nice.
Really nice. But it was wrong for so many reasons.
“Do you think maybe we’re kind of rushing things a bit?
I mean, we’ve barely known each other a week or so.
” It was such a lame thing to say. It’s not like the man was proposing to her.
But him being so friendly with the jack of all trades Officer Sinclair was really throwing her off.
“No. I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve spent with you, and it only makes me want to spend more time with you.
But if you need more time to decide if you want to be with me, I’ll give you all the time you want.
I’m not trying to pressure you here. If you’d rather wait until we’ve run a marathon, and you’ve peeled enough potatoes to feed half of Texas, I’m totally cool with that.
But I’m well past the age of playing games.
When I know what I want, I don’t mess around. I just go for it.”
She used to be that way, and she honestly missed that version of herself. “Okay,” she said, both overwhelmed and completely touched by what he’d just said.
“Yeah?” He asked.
April couldn’t believe she was actually doing this.
It had to be those blue eyes. They definitely had the power to hypnotize her into doing almost anything.
“Yes. I don’t need to run a marathon with you, and if I never peel another potato, it will be too soon.
” She smiled, and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, the callouses on his fingers and the warmth of his palms grounding her in a way nothing else could.
“I can always pick you up and drop you off if you need a ride,” Tanner said.
April shook her head. “I don’t mind using Uber.” She perked up then and gave him her best smile. “But maybe I'll let you drive me back sometime. You know, I don’t just go around giving my home address to every guy I run with.”
Tanner barked out a laugh. Then his expression sobered, the second part of what she said catching up to him. “You run with other guys?”
April shrugged, then shot him a quick glance. “You look like you’re about ready to strangle me.”
“Not the way you might think,” he noted. “Are there others?”
April walked a few more steps before sitting on a bench off to the side and patting the empty spot next to her.
He sat. The tension radiating off him spoke volumes, and it felt good to know he cared. “April?”
She rested her hands on her lap as the heat of the sun beat down on the back of her neck. “No, Tanner. There are no other guys. But you and me - this - I wasn’t really looking for a relationship at this time in my life.”
Tanner straightened. “Don’t the best things in life find us when we’re not looking for them?”
April had no idea how to answer him. She’d gone so far down this rabbit hole of dating Tanner for the sake of getting to know him for Violet that she didn’t know how to get out of it anymore.
And she wasn’t sure she wanted to. What had started as a simple plan to learn more about Violet’s biological father, had turned into something more.
Something April hadn’t planned on at all.
“You’re scared. I am, too,” Tanner said.
“But you can’t sit there and tell me there’s nothing between us.
That you haven’t been looking forward to our morning runs the same way I have.
I wasn’t looking for a relationship either, April.
Then I bumped into you, and it was like everything in my life suddenly made sense.
Because I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I was looking for you.”
She felt those words land on a place in her heart that hadn’t been dusted off in many years. And then without thinking, she leaned into him and pressed her mouth to his.
His warm, soft lips covered hers and the moment she let out a breathy sigh, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in and deepening the kiss.
He threaded his fingers into her hair and she turned her head to get a better angle.
The whole world could’ve been burning down around them and she wouldn’t have noticed or cared.
Panic coursed through April’s body. No wait, that was excitement and arousal.
And she was starving for more of it. Heat pooled low in her belly as the sexiest man she’d ever laid eyes on devoured her mouth like it was his last meal here on Earth.
A moan escaped from low in her throat and that only egged him on more.
His hands were in her hair, around her back, cupping her neck.
He seemed to be everywhere, all around her, and she sank into every touch, every caress, every nip.
She needed him right now like she’d never needed anyone, and she almost didn’t care that they were outside a soup kitchen, completely exposed to anyone who might come out into the garden.
She gave and returned every touch, every nibble, every caress until her body felt like it was molten with need.
Only then did he slowly, and very carefully, pull back.
His eyes were hooded with the same lust she was feeling, and his jeans were very obviously tented.
“I don’t know what came over me,” she quietly admitted.
“Whatever it was, it’s safe to say I caught it, too. And I’m sure glad I did because that was the best kiss of my life.”
April licked her lips, liking the fruity taste of her smoothie mixed with the musky mint flavor that was all Tanner.
“Mine, too.” Horror and mortification seeped into her like a slow rising tidal wave.
She’d been completely resolved to not dating this guy.
She’d told herself that everything she’d done with him had only been with Violet in mind.
She had a plan. But after seeing him here, cooking, interacting with the kids, patiently showing her around, there was no way she could ignore the very real feelings she had for this man.
She’d tried to convince herself that running with him was enough. But now, after a kiss like that - a kiss that could shatter worlds - April didn’t think she’d ever get enough of him.
His finger came up to touch her moist bottom lip and her gaze shot up to meet his. She was the worst person in the world for giving in to her feelings for Tanner. The worst aunt. But she could no longer deny wanting this man with a kind of frenzy that would put a normal woman to shame.
“Tell me you want this,” he said, his voice low and almost growly.
“I want this.” And it wasn’t a lie. Far from it.
She was complete putty in his arms. She did want this.
Wanted him. The tiny voice in her head didn’t fail to remind her that he was friends with Sinclair, but she shut it up for now.
Tanner was a nice guy. He was probably friends with a lot of cops and some of them were likely on Ned’s payroll.
That didn’t mean Tanner was. In fact, he hadn’t raised a single red flag since she’d met him.
Tanner’s mouth split into a wide grin. “Thank goodness I’m not the only one feeling this way.
Which brings me to my next question.” His gaze never left hers.
It was like the man was staring into the depths of her soul, and she couldn’t bring herself to break away.
She didn’t want to break whatever this hold he had on her was, because then the rest of the world would come rushing in.
This place with Tanner, where it was just him and her, was perfect. Too perfect.
“What question?” Her words came out soft and a bit hoarse.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
April swallowed hard, and carefully licked her lips, feeling his gaze follow every slight movement. “What do you want me to be doing tomorrow?” She couldn’t believe how insanely desperate that sounded, but now that the words were out, there was no way to take them back.
“My friends are having a barbeque. Will you come?”
April wasn’t sure if she was ready to meet his friends. That was a big step in a relationship, and she wasn’t even sure what this was between them.
Tanner cocked his head as if reading her mind. “Don’t say we’d be moving too fast. If you have other plans, or would rather do something else, just say that. But don’t warn me about moving too fast.”
“I’d love to come meet your friends,” April said.
They were moving too fast, but this wasn’t about them.
All she had to do was think of Violet, and the truth was, they weren’t moving fast enough.
Meeting his friends would help her see another side of him.
And she needed to have all the facts on this man before she entrusted him with her niece.
Maybe her plan to stay platonic with this guy had failed, but her first and only priority had always been to save Violet from Ned, and April would not fail her niece.
Tanner’s eyes heated as he lowered his head. His mouth barely touched her lips when they were interrupted by a panicked shriek, followed by someone yelling, “Call 9-1-1. Ethan’s been hurt!”