“GOOD NIGHT, BEA.” I HUG her good-bye and watch her stagger up the stairs to her house before I proceed toward my apartment building with Tanner.
Two seconds later, my cell phone dings.
Bea: Hmm . . . curiosity will kill me tonight. Do the deed, and worry later.
I hammer back a quick response, shielding the lit screen from Tanner.
Me: Don’t worry about me tonight. Have fun with Roger Rabbit.
I giggle, and Tanner suspiciously eyes me but asks nothing.
Bea: Just take notes, smart-ass.
Letting the texting cease, I tuck my phone into my back pocket.
Tanner and I don’t talk much on the short distance back to our apartment building. Yes, we live only two floors away from one another. It was a must for my parents. In order for me to have my freedom, I had to be close enough for Brad to watch me. I’m not sure there’s been a time in my life when my parents didn’t put the responsibility of my safety on Brad.
“You sure you don’t mind me crashing at your place?” Tanner breaks the silence.
Goose bumps rush up my spine when his hand brushes mine as we walk side by side.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I doubt Wendi would want you in her bed—”
Tanner quickly interrupts me, “I wouldn’t say that.” He cocks his head to the side and lifts one shoulder.
I roll my eyes and continue, “So . . . I’ll sleep there, and you can have my bed.” I inwardly cringe. I should have waited to bring this up later instead of planning our play-by-play for the night. Why can’t I be the take-charge girl who seduces a guy into what she wants? I’m constantly surprised by how I can be outspoken to others, but Tanner McCain quiets me every time.
“I can take the couch if you’d like.” He’s so matter-of-fact, it’s hard to tell what his expectations are tonight.
“Okay.”
We reach the apartment door, and Tanner swipes his key card along the sensor before pulling the door open for me to walk through first. Steadily stepping past the archway, I press the Up button on the elevator. It’s eerily quiet in the lobby. I guess it’s still early, being only one in the morning. Most college students haven’t even made their trip to the Euro Gyro, the after-hours restaurant, yet.
Once in the confined space of the elevator, we separate like strangers to opposite corners. Why is it incredibly weird now? We appeared to have some sort of silent conversation back at the party. Did the plans change because the alcohol is wearing off? Now thinking of it, I never saw Tanner with a drink, which isn’t like him. He has to be as tipsy as I am to spout all those sexual innuendos toward me, right?
We exit into the dim hallway, and I dig my key out of my front pocket, ready to open the door before heading into what I’m positive will be more awkwardness. He leans against the wall, and my heart thumps from him watching me while I nervously fiddle with my key in the lock.
The damn super sure is taking his own sweet time to fix it after Wendi’s call last week.
“Having a hard time fitting it in?” Tanner teases.
My face heats up from the double meaning of his words.
I glance over at him, and a smile engulfs my face due to his smirk. Tanner and I have always maintained an easy friendship, but maybe it’s because he’s so likable.
“Maybe you’d have better luck,” I prod him, holding the key up in the air.
He pushes off the wall and plucks it from my hand. “I’ve never found a hole I can’t fit in.” He chuckles loudly at his own joke.
As much as I don’t want to hear about the girls he’s been with, I prefer this banter side of our relationship rather than the uneasy one from seconds ago.
“First of all, ew. Second, spare me your sexual escapade stories.” I roll my eyes.
Tanner’s laughter never falters as he easily twists the key and opens my door to silence. Without warning, the vacancy of my apartment makes everything more real.
He steps back, allowing me to pass through first, but places his hand on my wrist to stop me just past the doorframe. When I turn around, his hands are on either side of the door, and he leans his chest forward. I hold my breath, afraid to release it with him so close.
“You have a dirty mind, Piper Ashby.”
He lingers with his feet in the hallway, and I’m just about to let out my breath when he grips my wrist tighter.
“Breathe now,” he whispers.
The air deflates from my lungs while our eyes fix on each other.
What are we doing? Playing with fire—that’s what.
I should deny him further entrance because once the door shuts, nothing will stop the chemistry brewing between us.
Quickly, I step away, and, Tanner hesitates for a second in the hallway. I wonder if the same questions are swimming through his mind. There’s no going back if his foot crosses over the metal piece separating the hallway and my living room. Just when I think he’s changed his mind, I watch his hand splay on the door, pushing it open. He walks across the threshold, and my pulse quickening. As fast as I questioned if he should come in, trepidations surface that I won’t be enough for him.
Unable to hide my anxiety from Tanner being in my apartment, I twist around and head to the kitchen. He’s been here before with my brother or when he needed to borrow my biology notes but not after we’ve been drinking and flirting with each other all night.
I scour the kitchen for a bottle of anything. Since Wendi is more of the study group person, I usually party up at Brad and Tanner’s or over at Bea’s. If I’m going to have the guts to go through with this tonight, I’ll require at least another dab of alcohol in my veins.
Following me, Tanner takes a seat on the barstool. I sense him looking at me as I open and shut every cabinet, coming up empty-handed. When I whirl around, his lips are curled at the corners, and his hands are clasped together on top of the counter as he intently watches me.
“What?” I ask. I use the counter behind me as my support system because his predatory gaze weakens my knees.
“You.” His sight remains fixed on me.
“Me?” I swallow a huge gulp when he swivels in the chair and stands up.
I watch him walk over to me, and my palms dig into the edge of the countertop. My ankles cross and then uncross, unable to remain still while he closes the distance between us.
Once we’re chest-to-chest, my heart is beating so fast that a faint feeling comes over me. He cups my face in his strong hands and tilts it to look up at him.
“You, Piper,” he clarifies and my shoulders fall.
I sink into his burning eyes filled with desire for me.
This is it. He’s going to kiss me, and all will change in our lives. I want this, and I’m going to take it—or him in this case.
In slow motion, he bends down, and my eyelids close in response to his actions. The softness of his lips brush against mine, and my hands lose their grip, falling to my sides. He manipulates my head to bring me to the exact angle he wants. I follow willingly, and my mouth parts, silently giving him the signal that I’m all in. His tongue sneaks through, and my mouth explodes with the taste of his peppermint breath.
My body leans in closer, and Tanner matches the motion by stepping into me, our bodies resting against each other. I wrap my arms around his neck, and a moan whimpers out of me when his tongue mixes with mine in a slow and delicate pace. The fact that he’s treating me so gingerly swells my heart.
Then, out of nowhere, he surprises me when his lips press harder, his tongue digging deeper. My hips rock into him, and my fingers tighten their hold on his wavy strands. He groans into my mouth as his hands move down to my hips. He pushes me against the counter, and having no choice, I open my stance. He slides into the miniscule space while our tongues find our groove. One might think we did this all the time with how easily we come together.