When I face her, I see her raised eyebrows, and her lips are turned up into a smirk.
“Do I really have to say it? You know, Bea. You’ve always known.”
I go to sit back down on the bench, but Bea grips my wrist to keep me in place.
“Say it,” she eggs on, wiggling her eyebrows. She’s got me cornered, and she knows it.
“Really?” I try to move, but her nails dig into the flesh of my wrist.
“Fine.” I inch forward. “We’re sleeping together,” I whisper.
Her head falls back as she lets out a bellow laugh. She points her finger at me. “That’s not all. There’s more involved,” she confirms her correct intuition.
“Let it rest, Bea.” I’m lucky the bar is at its usual loudness. Otherwise, everyone within twenty feet would have overheard her.
“All right,” she sulks. “You don’t let me have any fun.”
“Sorry.” I half-ass mean it, finally sitting down on the bench.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Bea yanks me up by the arm into a standing position. She checks the dance floor and then turns back to me. “You are going to go in the back, into the men’s restroom, and pin your very fine boyfriend against the wall of a stall. Then—”
“You don’t need to finish that thought.” I smile, biting my lip. Do I have the ability to push my inhibitions to the side? “He’s not my boyfriend.” Arguing with Bea will surely give Tanner enough time to return, getting me out of this predicament.
“Wrong. He just gave you all his attention while a very available and willing girl tried to hook him.” She twists me around, facing the back of the bar. “Go!” She pushes me forward.
My feet step one at a time until the dark hallway is in front of me.
Inhaling a deep breath, I’m about to weave between the girls gossiping and couples making out when Tanner’s tall form exits the restroom. Our eyes find each other, and without asking a question, he grabs my hand and escorts me out the back door, propping a rock into the frame so that it won’t shut behind us.
My heart races as I wait to discover his next move. In all the years I’ve known him, I didn’t know how spontaneous he was.
“Come on.” He leads me to a dark spot in the alley where two buildings meet.
He unleashes his hand from mine and places both on my hips before gently propping me against the brick wall. It scratches my back, but I’m not about to complain when his scent wafts under my nostrils. His arousing and alluring manly smell crowds my brain with memories of my time with him—not just this past week, but years gone by, too. I stare at his lips only millimeters away, and I lick my own, preparing them for his taste. But he doesn’t close the gap. Instead, he stays steady, allowing his body to encase mine in the dark alleyway.
“Don’t doubt me, Piper.”
His stern voice shocks me, and my head tips back, brushing against the rough bricks. The dim light next to the door shines on his piercing green irises, and doubt fills me if I am enough for him.
Maybe he felt my insecurity in the booth, and I hate myself for it as much as he does. Just when I find my voice and I’m about to argue the truth, his thumbs stroke along the flesh of each side of my hips, goose bumps instantly spreading from his touch. My body sinks in his hands, and I notice the smirk on his lips as the qualm in myself vanishes.
“I don’t want to hide anymore.” His head bobs down, and his soft lips flutter against my neckline. “I want you to occupy the space next to me . . .”
With another kiss to my jaw, my head tilts the side, anticipating his travel up to my lips.
“Telling every girl that I’m yours.”
I’m putty in his arms, and he doesn’t relent as his breath tickles my lips.
“Okay?”
Not having the willpower to argue, I nod, and he finally gives me what I’ve been waiting for. He slides his tongue along my seam, parting my lips, and I attempt to hold out, purposely not seeming too eager. After a few strokes of his tongue along mine, I give up the fight inside of me and join him. When my tongue twirls with his, his hands tighten around my hips, and he juts his body into mine, pushing his arousal against my stomach. Our mouths turn frantic, and my hands grab fists of his hair as my right leg wraps around him. His hands rise up my rib cage, and I breathe heavily, barely handling the lust rushing through me. He lifts me, and my ankles are almost locked around his waist when the back door slams shut.
I pull my lips off, and my legs fall to his sides, but Tanner holds still. His hands are on my ass, his lips on my neck. Smacking my hand against his muscled back does nothing to stop him, and panic takes over as I wait to spot the person emerging into my vision.
“Tan,” I whisper.
He shakes his head in the crook of my neck. His lips make my heart races, and my skin tingle. If it’s Brad, we’re screwed. When I hit Tanner again, he finally stops, and my feet fall to the ground.
Laughter echoes throughout the small bypass between the buildings, and when I sidestep out of the darkness, I spot a few guys joking around before they turn the corner to the main road. Meanwhile, Tanner’s palms are pressed against the brick wall with his head fallen in defeat.
Walking up to him, I place my hand on his shoulder blade, testing his reaction first. Tanner’s never been anything but respectful to me—well, except once, back in middle school. I really hope I didn’t ruin our chance for children when I kneed him between the legs as payback for him throwing his gum into my hair. But I shouldn’t get ahead of myself by thinking about our kids. We need to handle this first.
“Tan,” I softly say in case anyone is around, but no one is.
He stays in place, not one muscle twitching. “Just don’t.”
“It could have been Brad,” I argue, remaining a step away from him.
He flips around, and this time, the light catches his intense vision lasered directly at me. I gasp from the sheer anger pouring out of them.
“What if it was, Piper? I told you, I’m done with this can’t-catch-us shit.” His fingers thread through his wavy brown hair.
I step forward, and my hands inch up the thin fabric of his shirt, and my fingers graze his skin. Sucking in, his stomach indents, signaling he might be fighting my touch even though he enjoys it all the same.
“Please, give this more time.” My finger flicks between the two of us while I inch closer, trusting my nearness will sway him.
“Give me a damn reason?”
As much as I want to turn away, I don’t. I can’t allow him to see how scared I am. I’m scared this might not work out, that he’ll hurt me, that in the end, I’ll ruin a lifelong friendship between Tanner and Brad. I stay firm and match his strength of intensity.
“We’ve only been together a week, Tanner.” I’ll admit, it’s a weak excuse, but it’s all I come up with right now.
How can I say, I’m petrified that I won’t live up to what Sara said ten minutes ago? If Tanner’s wanted me for years, like he’s said, and Sara thought she couldn’t touch the pedestal he’s placed me on, then I’m afraid we’re doomed before we begin. As badly as our end would hurt me, it would destroy Brad. Brad wouldn’t be able to ever forgive Tanner. So, time will help me. Time will allow me to trust Tanner and trust that he won’t hurt me. Won’t it?
“Are you ashamed of me?” he asks with a low voice.
I step further, locking my arms around his waist. “No,” I quickly reply. “How could you think that I’d ever be ashamed?” I argue his absurd question.
Then, he picks up his head, and I notice a sparkle in his eyes as his lips turn up. Swatting at his stomach, I shake my head, and he laughs.
“Jerk.”
I can’t make my escape fast enough before his arms tighten around me, and he pulls me close.
“Aw . . . come here, baby.”
“Whatever,” is my best comeback right now.
“I was kidding. I’ll give you a little more time, but I’m growing tired of it, Piper.” His lips straighten, and the playfulness ends immediately.