Chapter Ten
T anner had worked out a routine by the end of the week, and he stuck to it.
He got Savannah up, fed her breakfast, cleaned the kitchen, and made calls when he could stand it.
Most of them went nowhere. By Friday afternoon he had a short list in his pocket, a headache building behind his eyes, and just enough food left in the house that he couldn’t put off going to the grocery store any longer.
Savannah sat in the cart seat with a box of crackers in her lap, humming to herself while Tanner pushed her down the cereal aisle.
He kept one eye on her and the other on the shelves, adding up prices in his head before he picked anything up.
He had a basket clipped into the cart with the things they actually needed.
Bread. Milk. Pasta. Apples. Diapers for nighttime because Savannah still needed them.
He reached for a jar of pasta sauce, checked the price, and put it back for the cheaper one.
“You always look this happy buying groceries?”
Tanner turned too fast and nearly clipped the cart into the shelf. Miles stood at the end of the aisle in his uniform with his hat tucked under one arm and a basket in his hand. He must have just come in off shift or was heading in to work. Tanner’s stomach tightened before he could stop it.
Savannah looked up and smiled at once. “Hi.”
Miles smiled back, easier than Tanner felt. “Hey, sweetheart.”
Tanner kept one hand on the cart handle. “What are you doing here?”
“Buying food,” Miles said. “Thought that part was obvious.”
Tanner gave him a look, but it didn’t hit the way he wanted it to. Not with Savannah already twisting in her seat to see him better. Miles stepped closer and rested his basket against his leg.
“You okay?” he asked.
Tanner shrugged. “Getting groceries.”
“I can see that.”
Tanner looked away, fingers tightening around the cart handle. “Thanks for sorting the electric.”
Miles’ expression softened, but he didn’t make a big deal out of it. “I wanted too.”
“You paid the reconnection fee.”
“And you can pay me back when you’re able.”
Tanner hated that. He hated that Miles said it like it was simple. “We’re good.”
Savannah held up the crackers. “I got these.”
Miles nodded seriously. “Good choice.”
Tanner watched him for a second, then looked away.
It had been a week since Miles had been at the house and dropped off the groceries Cody had given him.
A week since Tanner had stood in the kitchen with him and kissed him, then more.
He’d thought about it more than he wanted to admit.
Had told himself it had only happened once, and he should forget about it, but found he couldn’t.
Miles glanced into the cart. “You want help unloading the heavy stuff?”
“I can manage.”
“I figured you could.”
There was something in his voice that made Tanner look at him again. Not pushing. “We’re good.”
Savannah said, “Can he come over?”
Tanner’s grip tightened on the handle. “Savannah.”
“What?” she asked, wide-eyed and innocent in the way kids got when they knew exactly what they were doing.
Miles scratched his jaw, and Tanner could tell he was trying not to smile. “That depends.”
“On what?” Savannah asked.
“On your brother.”
Tanner stared at a shelf full of cereal boxes and wished he’d chosen any other aisle that didn’t have a certain hot deputy in it. “You’re working.”
“Till eight.”
Tanner said nothing and Miles waited him out.
Savannah leaned back against the seat. “Come over.”
Tanner let out a breath. “You don’t invite people to the house.”
“Why?”
Tanner didn’t say what he was thinking. Because once somebody was in your space, they saw things you didn’t want them to. “Because that’s rude.”
Miles shifted the basket in his hand. “I can ignore the invitation. No harm done.”
Tanner glanced at him. Miles looked calm, but there was a question under it. A real one. This one was personal, and that felt worse. He heard himself say, “If you want to come by later, come by later.”
Miles’ expression changed a fraction. Not by much, but Tanner caught it. “After Savannah’s asleep?” Miles asked.
“Yeah.” Tanner swallowed seeing Miles’ eyes drop to his lips then back up again.
Miles held his gaze for a second, then said, “All right.”
Savannah beamed. “You have dinner.”
“Don’t promise people food I haven’t bought yet.”
Miles chuckled softly. “I’ll take my chances.”
He moved on after that because he had to, and Tanner finished shopping with his pulse still a little unsteady. At checkout, he caught himself looking toward the front windows, half expecting Miles to still be there.
Back home, Tanner unpacked groceries while Savannah sat at the table and drew with a stubby blue crayon.
The house stayed quiet except for the scrape of chair legs and the hum of the fridge.
He kept moving because stopping would mean thinking too much.
He put the milk away, lined cans in the cupboard, and stood for a moment with his hand on the pantry shelf.
He had invited Miles over. He wasn’t sure why he’d done it. All he knew was he didn’t want to go another week without seeing him.
Savannah chattered through dinner, then through bath time, then through two books and a drink of water and one more trip to the bathroom.
By the time she finally settled, Tanner felt wrung out.
He stood in the doorway of her room until her breathing evened out, then pulled the door almost closed and went back downstairs.
He cleaned the kitchen that didn’t need cleaning. Wiped the counters. Checked the lock on the back door. Picked up Savannah’s stuffed rabbit from the floor and put it on the couch. At twenty past eight there were headlights outside.
Tanner stood still for a second before he crossed the room and opened the door.
Miles was out of uniform this time. Jeans, dark T-shirt, jacket unzipped. He looked broader, less official, and Tanner couldn’t help but look at him. Tight thighs and nice shoulders he’d seen naked flashed in his memory, and he pushed it to one side.
Miles held up a paper bag. “I brought pie.”
Tanner stared at it. “Why?”
“Because I stopped at the diner and figured it would be nice to share.”
“Oh.” Tanner nodded because he didn’t know what to say.
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah.” Tanner stepped back to let him in. “Savannah’s asleep.”
Miles lowered his voice as he came through the door. “Good.”
Tanner shut the door behind him and took the bag. “What kind?”
“Chicken pot pie.”
“That’s not pie.”
Miles looked over his shoulder at him. “You want me to take it back?”
Tanner put the bag on the counter. “No.”
There was an awkward silence after that. Not because either of them didn’t know why Miles was there but because they did. Miles stood by the counter, and Tanner was suddenly too aware of his own breathing.
“You’ve had a week.”
Tanner nodded. “Yeah.”
“You still want me here?”
Tanner looked at him. “I let you in.”
Miles held his gaze another second, then stepped closer. Tanner didn’t move back. He should have. He knew he should have. He stood there and waited until Miles’ hand came up and settled on the side of his neck.
The kiss wasn’t rushed. Miles kissed him slowly, giving Tanner plenty of time to stop it, but he didn’t stop it. He grabbed the front of Miles’ T-shirt instead and pulled him in closer.
Miles’ other hand went to Tanner’s waist, then slid up his back, and Tanner kissed him with all the arousal he felt building inside. They hit the edge of the counter, and nearly knocked into a chair before Miles got a grip on Tanner’s hip and turned them both toward the stairs.
“Bedroom?” Miles asked against his mouth.
Tanner swallowed. “Yeah.”
Miles kissed him again the second they reached the bedroom, and slid a hand under his shirt. Tanner let him take it off, then reached for Miles’ and dragged it over his head. They undressed each other slowly, pausing for kisses.
Miles touched him like he had time, his mouth moving over Tanner’s jaw, his throat, his chest, then his nipples and Tanner felt every bit of it.
There was no sharp edge to this, none of the frantic need that had marked the first time they’d ended up in bed.
Miles kept looking at him, checking him without saying anything, and Tanner let him.
When they finally got onto the bed, it stayed slow. Miles kissed him until Tanner stopped thinking about anything outside the room. Miles moved between Tanner’s legs, he spread them without hesitation. His body wanted this.
Tanner groaned when Miles licked up his dick before sucking on the head.
His fingers rubbed over his asshole and Tanner tensed before relaxing.
He heard Miles open the lube and gasped when wet fingers stroked over him before one slid inside.
It didn’t take long for Miles to stretch him and when he moved up over Tanner’s body to kiss, Tanner nodded when he said, “Ready?”
Miles pushed inside then held steady until Tanner nodded.
He moved slowly and Tanner let out a shaky breath, his hands sliding up Miles’ back.
They stayed close the whole time, more kissing than words, Miles braced over him while Tanner’s legs stayed wrapped around his waist. Again, there was no rush, just the slow build of pleasure until Tanner came with Miles’ name caught in his throat and Miles followed not long after, still holding him close.
Tanner lay on his back with one arm over his eyes and tried to get his breathing under control. Sweat cooled on his skin. The room smelled of sex and Miles. That should have unsettled him, but it didn’t.
Miles shifted beside him and said, “Are you okay?”
Tanner lowered his arm. “Why do you keep asking me that?”
“Because I’ll understand if you’re not.”
Tanner turned his head on the pillow. Miles was propped on one elbow looking down at him, hair a mess, mouth still swollen from kissing. Tanner looked away first.
“I’m fine,” he muttered.
Miles didn’t argue. He reached down, dragged the sheet up over Tanner’s hip, and said, “You want to shower?”
Tanner pushed himself upright. “I’ll go.”