54. Ava
Or every room
Tanner did, in fact, go along with my request, and we christened the kitchen counter. When I asked him if we needed to christen every room to banish any ghosts, he pointed out that no one had ever lived here but him.
Somehow, I liked that this place had only been his. Not because I needed it to be mine and only mine, but because of what Tanner had said. He was a commitment kind of guy, and I was a commitment kind of girl.
This space would hold that love for us. Growly determined within the first few hours that the front window was the best spot in the house. It stretched all the way to the floor, and he could sit there watching the birds, premium entertainment for him. He was entranced.
“Do you ever think about letting him outside?” Tanner asked at one point.
I gasped, my palm flying to my chest. “Tanner! He almost died in the wilderness.”
“Clearly, he survived,” Tanner pointed out.
“He got hit by a car and was so thin when they found him. He could’ve died.
” I narrowed my eyes at him, using my sternest tone.
“Not to mention, aside from the fact that I want to keep him safe, cats are not great for wildlife. Especially birds. They eat them. He’s happy inside.
He’s comfortable and warm, and that’s all I want for him. All the time.”
I crossed the room to where he stood. After christening the counter, we called the one delivery service in Willow Brook and ordered takeout from the Gallery Café. We had ordered too much, and Tanner was putting the leftovers away.
I stepped closer and caged him between my arms, curling my hands on the counter beside him. “I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.”
He turned, smiling down at me. “You do?”
“I’m so glad I broke my ankle.”
A chuckle rumbled in his chest. “You’re glad you broke your ankle?”
“Yes!” I nodded vigorously in emphasis. “Because I might not have met you if I hadn’t. You carried me down a mountain. That’s a very rescue-y meet cute.”
His smile softened. “However I met you, I’m glad you’re here. That’s all that matters.”
I reached up, curling my palm around the back of his neck and tugging him down for a lingering kiss. By the time he lifted his head, my knees felt weak, and I felt breathless all over again.
“We have lots of time,” he said, a naughty gleam lighting his eyes.
“For what?” I asked.
“To christen every room.”
“We sure do,” I agreed. “But we also don’t have to wait.”
He laughed softly as he scooped me into his arms.
“Oh, yes, firefighter rescue again!” I exclaimed.
He carried me upstairs without breaking stride. When I fell asleep that night in his arms, I felt the way I always did when I fell asleep with Tanner—safe and protected.
I could not have asked for anything more.
Thank you for reading Ava & Tanner’s story!