Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Berkleigh
There was once a time when my job was my whole life.
It’s everything I have worked toward, trained for, and I dedicated everything I am to learning my craft.
But now that I know what else the world has to offer, my eyes have been opened to new possibilities that I never thought were available to me.
It’s been two weeks since I enacted my own kind of karma on Reginald Tiny Dick, and while my home life has been like a dream, spending every night curled up in Tanner’s bed with him, my work life just feels monotonous. Dull. Unfulfilling in every way.
Okay, I’m exaggerating because I have exactly two clients who actually make my whole day, but I only see each of them once a month, and one of them is always virtual.
Yawning, I lean back in my soft, leather chair and look around.
Being stagnant and stuck in this office for over sixty hours a week doesn’t light my fire anymore.
The books on the shelves are all educational in some way—which I love—the art on the walls is supposed to be stimulating in various ways, everything on my desk is laid out perfectly…
but the last couple of months have changed me.
I want more.
“You look like you’re about to break something.” That’s Tanner’s way of asking if I’m okay.
I glare over at him sitting on the couch. Well, lying on the couch as he absentmindedly tosses a blue hacky sack into the air and easily catches it without even looking.
“Is there something wrong with me?” I shift my eyes toward the ceiling, pretending the smooth white surface holds all my answers.
“Probably. There’s something wrong with all of us, it’s why your profession even exists.” From my peripheral, I can see him sit up, leaning forward and watching me.
“This is about to sound insane, so bear with me.” Slowly, I tilt my head so I’m looking at him again, and the asshole is trying to hold back a laugh. “Oh, fuck you.” I squint my eyes and growl, though it sounds a lot like Marge Simpson rather than anything that is actually menacing.
“Yes, please. This couch will do nicely.” The laugh transforms into more of a seductive grin as he stands, stalking toward me and avoiding the obstacles with ease.
In front of me now, he holds out his palm, which I obviously take, and he pulls me to standing with him.
“Nothing you say or do could ever be considered insane to me.” With his free hand, he grasps the back of my head, his thumb grazing my cheek, and kisses me.
It’s quick, efficient, and over way too soon, making my stomach fizz with excitement. “What’s on your mind?”
“Well I can’t remember now! You just scrambled my brain and you’re looking down at me as though you want to eat me. How am I supposed to have a conversation like this?” I huff, but press my body closer into his and pout.
Chuckling, he shakes his head. “And so the tables have turned.” Letting go of my hand, he grips my ass and lifts me.
My legs automatically wrap around his waist, where I can feel his hard length against my core.
I have to suppress my shudder, and I’m certain my erect nipples are sharp enough to cut through my bra.
“What do you mean?” Sliding my palms over his strong shoulders, I give myself leverage to rub against him.
Delicious…until he places me on my desk and peels my arms from around his neck.
“Uh uh. No conversation for me, no cock for you.” His smirk says payback, and his eyes say he’s enjoying this more than he should. I can’t believe he’s using my own threat against me.
“Ugh, you’re such an asshole!”
“So you’ve said. Why do you think there’s something wrong with you?
” The trademark smirk turns into a more serious expression as he sits himself in my chair and rolls it so he’s in between my thighs.
He rests his elbows on my knees and clasps his hands, balancing his chin on them, and stares up at me.
“Are you trying to be cute? Because it isn’t working. Your head this close to my vagina is a massive distraction.” Yeah, I’m avoiding the conversation I brought up because I kinda wish I hadn’t now. It feels silly. I’ve made too much of it.
“You can ride my face after you tell me what’s on that beautiful mind of yours.”
He doesn’t move, and the sincerity in his tone, his expression, all of it, almost makes me want to cry.
“Okay. Fine.” I huff. “It’s no big deal.”
“Doesn’t matter. Tell me anyway.”
“My life is pretty amazing, I have more than a lot of people could hope for at my age, but…” I sigh. “But I don’t want it all. I have spent my life in education for a job that bores me. Does that make me ungrateful?”
Tanner laughs, just the one, singular sound of a light chuckle. “No, Sweet Bee. It doesn’t.”
“I’m not saying I want to kill a whole bunch more people, but I felt more alive then than I do sitting in this office and giving advice I would never take.
I want to travel. I want to learn more about protecting myself.
I want to have more time to play with cars—which feels like it’s coming from so far left field, but I love spending time with my Firebird.
If I had taken a different route in life, one for me rather than my parents, I would have chosen mechanics.
” Tanner’s face doesn’t twitch or flinch as he listens to me rambling on.
“But I didn’t, and now I know jack shit other than what YouTube and my dad have taught me, I’m stuck with student loans, a mortgage on the same house I grew up in, and a job that bores the hell out of me.
You are literally the only thing that brings me real joy and I never wanted to be the woman who relied on a man for happiness and… and…”
Tanner stops me, making me jump as he grabs my hips and pulls me closer to him, leaning his head forward to place a gentle kiss over the crotch of my deep-purple pants.
Then he looks up through those stunning dark lashes of his, the deep brown of his irises like melted chocolate, and his grin grows dangerous.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Why does that sound like I don’t want to know?” I raise my brows in question, but I also can’t help running my fingers through his short hair as he rests his chin between my thighs.
He shrugs and pulls away, grasping my hands in his and kissing my knuckles. Oh, God, is he about to propose? Is that what this is? Do I want that?
“I sold your house.”
Not where I thought this was going, and also…
“What the fuck? And how the hell is that even possible without my signature?” I try to pull my hands away from his to…I don’t know what. Swat at him, maybe, but he holds firm.
Raising his own brow, the combination of the look in his eyes and the half grin on his face are telling me that was a stupid question.
“I kill people for a living, Sweet Bee. Do you think I’d bat an eye at forging your signature? Sold mine too, so we need to find somewhere else to live by Halloween.”
“But…” I’m not lost for words, however, they aren’t coming easily because while I should definitely be angry about this…am I? “Why?”
Standing, Tanner places my hands at his waist and palms the sides of my face, tilting my head upward to look him in the eye, all traces of fun and games vanished.
“Those houses are full of pain and suffering. For you and for me. They hold nothing but reminders of our pasts, of things I know we’d both like to push away and move on from.
The only thing I want to remember from those houses”—he kisses the top of my nose—“is you.” His lips ghost over my skin, making me close my eyes as he kisses them, one by one.
“And this.” A kiss on my mouth follows, with just a small slip of his tongue before he pulls away, one of his hands dropping as he reaches into the back pocket of his jeans.
Holding up a piece of paper folded neatly into a square, tucked into itself, he grins.
“What is that?” My curiosity is piqued. Any anger or shock or what would be deemed a normal reaction to having my house sold from under me has dissipated.
“Don’t you remember? Open it.” He hands it to me, and when I read the scratchy writing, slightly faded with time, I smile too.
Will you run away with me to live in a big house with a pool?
Yes
No
“This was the last note you wrote me.” It’s a bittersweet memory. Even knowing the reasons behind it all now doesn’t stop the twinge of pain from all those years of hurt. “I tried to give it back with my answer, but you had already left for the summer to…yeah…” I sigh.
“Hey.” Tanner lifts my chin. “I didn’t give you this to make you sad. I’m just reminding you of the contract we made.” There’s the smirk. “So let’s go house shopping.”
His laugh is infectious, the excitement he has for doing this with me makes my heart beat wildly, but I’m dizzy with how this conversation has gone.
“You’re a crazy asshole and we’re going to have a conversation about you not forging my signature again, but thank you.
It’s actually kinda nice to have the decision taken away, makes me feel less guilty about giving up my parents’ house.
” Something I’m going to need to talk to them about at some point.
“However, as wonderful as house shopping is, it feels like a Band-Aid.”
“No, baby, it’s just the beginning.”
“Call me baby again and I’ll go on a cock-strike for a week.” I fold my arms across my chest.
“Baby, you could no more have a cock-strike than I could have a pussy-strike. You’re too needy to make me wait for a week. I give you twenty-four hours, tops.”
My nipples and my pulsing clit agree with him.
Asshole.