Chapter 9 Star #2
I drag my gaze away from his mouth. “Uh. The filet. Medium rare. And definitely the mac and cheese.” I grab my glass and down it in one swallow, hoping to cool the fire burning through me a little bit.
Tanner’s fingers flex on my leg, heat radiating straight to my core. “Add the ribeye, rare, and loaded fries. She’ll need a Caesar, too. Extra croutons.”
I swear his voice could melt butter. The waitress beams, scribbles down our order, and bounces away.
Tanner leans in until his lips brush my ear. “We’ll finish this after dinner.” His hand goes higher. I’m seconds from whimpering again.
Holy cow. I’m not sure if that was a warning or a promise.
I try to breathe, but my brain isn’t getting enough oxygen with his hand burning a hole through my pants. I have to turn this conversation to safer topics. Now.
“So,” I swallow, “tell me about your family.”
He raises one eyebrow, smirking. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
"You know Maggie. I also have three annoying as fuck brothers. Our parents died in a plane crash several years ago, and Hudson, my oldest brother, stepped in to take over running the family business. He’s a dick most of the time, but I wouldn’t want to have to deal with the shit he has to on a daily basis.
Cole is next in line. He recently found his soulmate and moved to Montana to help run her family’s ranch.
" He runs his thumb across my knuckles. "Then there's me, the best-looking Carrington.
Next is Silas and Maggie, who are twins.
I can’t help it—I grin like an idiot. “Maggie said you’re the family comedian.”
“I’m actually the chaos coordinator.” He grins, eyes locked on my mouth.
Thankfully, the food arrives, and I’m able to cool my jets a little bit while we enjoy the best steak I’ve ever eaten in my life.
We demolish the meal, talking about nothing and everything.
Tanner tells me about growing up on the ranch, about his brothers, about the time he lost a rodeo bet and had to wear a pink tutu for an entire day.
I tell him about my hippie parents, my disastrous attempt at joining a commune, and the summer I lived in a van because I couldn’t afford real rent.
I keep expecting him to get bored or start scrolling through his phone.
He doesn’t. He laughs at my jokes, asks follow-up questions, and every now and then, he leans in so close I feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek.
At one point, I catch him staring at my lips, and my entire body short-circuits.
I could fall for this man. Actually, who am I fooling? I already have.
By the time the check arrives, the restaurant is half-empty, and I’m giddy, full, and buzzed in a way that has nothing to do with the wine.
Tanner takes care of the bill without ceremony, and when he stands, he offers me his hand to help me out of the booth.
His palm is rough and hot, and when I take it, he doesn’t let go.
The night wraps around us like a blanket as we step outside, Silver Spoon Falls’ town square bathed in moonlight that turns everything silver-edged.
The valet brings the SUV around, and Tanner opens the passenger door to help me in. I settle into the soft leather seat and take several deep breaths, trying to center myself.
It’s a lost cause. My pulse is going wild. The inside of this car smells like leather and pure, undiluted Tanner, and the second he slides behind the wheel, it’s like the oxygen gets sucked right out of the cab.
He doesn’t start the engine.
Instead, he turns in his seat, big body shifting, arm coming up to bracket the top of my headrest. His eyes are on me, so hot and intense I actually forget how to breathe.
His hand is still on my thigh, thumb tracing slow, lazy circles, drifting higher and higher, and suddenly there is exactly zero space left between us.
Holy. Cow.
He leans in, and it’s not slow or sweet. His mouth is on mine, hot and hungry, tongue sweeping deep, and I make a helpless noise. His thumb slides across my cheek, and I nearly melt into the seat. He kisses me like we’re the last two people left on earth and the world is ending in five minutes.
I don’t even try to play it cool.
My hands fist in the front of his shirt, tugging him closer, like I’m physically incapable of letting him go. His mouth is hot and wild, tongue sweeping in, and I’m instantly addicted. Every single cell in my body goes haywire.
He tilts my head back, kissing me even deeper, like he’s determined to devour me. And holy crap, he’s succeeding. He breaks the kiss, breath ragged, and presses his forehead to mine. For a second, it’s just the two of us in this luxury SUV, the rest of the world fading into nothing.
“I want to take you home and finish this,” he growls, voice all gravel and promise. The look in his eyes nearly destroys me.
My brain is barely functioning. “Let’s go to my place,” I whisper, clinging to his shirt like I’ll die if he lets go. “It’s closer.”
He pulls back just enough to stare at me, a little dangerous, a lot hungry. “Yeah?” he rasps. “Good. Because if I have to wait another second, I might lose my fucking mind.”
I’m barely holding it together on the drive back to my cottage. My pulse is going so wild my Apple Watch gives me a warning, and my hands are actually shaking. Tanner’s hand is wrapped around my thigh with his thumb tracing lazy circles.
I’m so turned on, I’m ready to jump out of my skin.
Just breathe, Star. Center yourself. You teach breathing for a living, so you can survive one car ride. But nope. Every inhale smells like his cologne, like expensive leather and dark promises. Every glance he throws me is molten, like he’s thinking of a hundred filthy things to do to me.
I’m going to combust before we even make it inside. He parks out front and comes around to help me out of the SUV. At my front door, he stops and turns, crowding me gently. He’s so close I can see the faint stubble along his jaw, the flecks of hazel in his eyes.
He brushes a strand of hair from my face. “Star,” he says, voice soft, “are you sure?”
My heart skips. “Positive.” The second I say it, something breaks in him.
His mouth crashes down on mine, and holy hell, it’s like the whole world goes white-hot for a second. He kisses me hard and hungry, tongue plunging deep, and every single one of my nerve endings lights up at once. I whimper into his mouth as his hands move down my back to grasp my ass.
He crowds me back against the door, pinning me there with nothing but the sheer size of his body. I swear he’s actually trembling, barely holding himself in check.
His lips tear away from mine and skim down my jaw, rough stubble scraping my skin, his breath ragged and wild against my neck. “You have no idea what you do to me,” he growls.
I shudder, clutching at his shirt, because if I let go, I know my legs won’t hold me up. “Take me inside and show me.” He doesn’t wait another second.
He takes my keys from my hand and unlocks the door. Bruno wanders over, and I grab a few treats and drop them on his doggie bed in front of the television. I turn on his favorite show and turn back to Tanner. “That should keep him occupied.”