her self-loathing.
I rubbed my temples, wondering why I kept getting myself into these impossibly complicated situations with women. First Skye, now Aubrey. Didn’t I have enough going on?
“I don’t know, Aubrey. I’m not in the habit of feeling much of anything, to be honest. I certainly wasn’t looking to find this incredible sexy strong woman. I wasn’t prepared to have a new obsession. I definitely didn’t think that if I ever did find someone I felt something for that she would be living a secret life…” So, maybe I wasn’t helping myself. Her face transformed into a neutral unreadable mask.
“You didn’t have to track me down. You could have just left it as a one-night stand and washed your hands of me.”
I didn’t know how to make her understand.
“Believe me; I had every intention of doing just that. It’s not possible to forget about you. I can’t get you out of my head. You’re like that song on the radio that I don’t really want to hear but every time it comes on I just have to sing along. There’s no avoiding you in my brain and I hoped that seeing you again would fix that.”
“Has it?”
“Fuck no. Tell me who you are.”
“That’s not going to happen, Tanner. I’m sorry; I have two reputations to protect.”
My blood was molten in my veins. I didn’t know if I was angrier at her or myself. What did I really expect? If she’d lived her life this long in secret, why did I think she’d change that for me?
“You know, I could find out regardless.”
The moment I said it, I realized how stupid it was. I was angry and being dumb. I didn’t mean to threaten her like that, but I could tell instantly from her body language that she took it as a personal attack.
“I’m sure you could. Please don’t.”
There was a hint of fear in her voice that tugged at my heartstrings. I couldn’t deny this woman what she wanted, even if what she wanted was to keep me at arm’s length.
“I won’t. I promise.”
As hard as it was for me to agree to stay out of her life, the wave of relief that washed over her made it worth it. I wanted to protect her, even if it was from me.
“Thank you Tanner, that means a lot to me.”
I nodded without a word, mulling over the last few minutes. I didn’t think I could just let her go that easily, but what choice did I have?
“I wish things were different…” she muttered. I saw remorse start to creep in to replace her self-deprecating fury.
“Why can’t they be? Please, tell me,” I begged, surprised even with myself. I wasn’t the kind of guy to be this desperate. I wasn’t the type of man to be defeated so easily.
She sighed and pulled off the road. I could tell she was getting overwhelmed. It shocked me how easily I could read her emotions. I didn’t even really know her and yet I could pinpoint her breaking point and the way her shoulders slumped.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. I couldn’t resist the opportunity. I’d been craving her taste for nearly a week and I couldn’t deny her when she was presented to me so perfectly.
My hand slipped behind her head and grasped the back of her neck, gently pulling her toward me. Our lips met in an electric embrace. It was so familiar and comforting, but exotic and spicy at the same time. Her lips molded to mine as if they were meant to fit together like puzzle pieces. Her soft gasps and hushed moans sent my hormones on an express trip to memory lane. I couldn’t forget her naked body underneath me, wrapped around me, engulfing me. I couldn’t forget the way her face contorted in ecstasy as I made her come apart over and over again.
I groaned and tried to angle closer to her, our embrace made awkward by the close confines of the car. She finally broke the kiss, a bewildered look on her face, her lipstick smeared and her cheeks flushed with want.
There were no words exchanged between us. We were both looking for things in that kiss that we couldn’t find. We
I rubbed my temples, wondering why I kept getting myself into these impossibly complicated situations with women. First Skye, now Aubrey. Didn’t I have enough going on?
“I don’t know, Aubrey. I’m not in the habit of feeling much of anything, to be honest. I certainly wasn’t looking to find this incredible sexy strong woman. I wasn’t prepared to have a new obsession. I definitely didn’t think that if I ever did find someone I felt something for that she would be living a secret life…” So, maybe I wasn’t helping myself. Her face transformed into a neutral unreadable mask.
“You didn’t have to track me down. You could have just left it as a one-night stand and washed your hands of me.”
I didn’t know how to make her understand.
“Believe me; I had every intention of doing just that. It’s not possible to forget about you. I can’t get you out of my head. You’re like that song on the radio that I don’t really want to hear but every time it comes on I just have to sing along. There’s no avoiding you in my brain and I hoped that seeing you again would fix that.”
“Has it?”
“Fuck no. Tell me who you are.”
“That’s not going to happen, Tanner. I’m sorry; I have two reputations to protect.”
My blood was molten in my veins. I didn’t know if I was angrier at her or myself. What did I really expect? If she’d lived her life this long in secret, why did I think she’d change that for me?
“You know, I could find out regardless.”
The moment I said it, I realized how stupid it was. I was angry and being dumb. I didn’t mean to threaten her like that, but I could tell instantly from her body language that she took it as a personal attack.
“I’m sure you could. Please don’t.”
There was a hint of fear in her voice that tugged at my heartstrings. I couldn’t deny this woman what she wanted, even if what she wanted was to keep me at arm’s length.
“I won’t. I promise.”
As hard as it was for me to agree to stay out of her life, the wave of relief that washed over her made it worth it. I wanted to protect her, even if it was from me.
“Thank you Tanner, that means a lot to me.”
I nodded without a word, mulling over the last few minutes. I didn’t think I could just let her go that easily, but what choice did I have?
“I wish things were different…” she muttered. I saw remorse start to creep in to replace her self-deprecating fury.
“Why can’t they be? Please, tell me,” I begged, surprised even with myself. I wasn’t the kind of guy to be this desperate. I wasn’t the type of man to be defeated so easily.
She sighed and pulled off the road. I could tell she was getting overwhelmed. It shocked me how easily I could read her emotions. I didn’t even really know her and yet I could pinpoint her breaking point and the way her shoulders slumped.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. I couldn’t resist the opportunity. I’d been craving her taste for nearly a week and I couldn’t deny her when she was presented to me so perfectly.
My hand slipped behind her head and grasped the back of her neck, gently pulling her toward me. Our lips met in an electric embrace. It was so familiar and comforting, but exotic and spicy at the same time. Her lips molded to mine as if they were meant to fit together like puzzle pieces. Her soft gasps and hushed moans sent my hormones on an express trip to memory lane. I couldn’t forget her naked body underneath me, wrapped around me, engulfing me. I couldn’t forget the way her face contorted in ecstasy as I made her come apart over and over again.
I groaned and tried to angle closer to her, our embrace made awkward by the close confines of the car. She finally broke the kiss, a bewildered look on her face, her lipstick smeared and her cheeks flushed with want.
There were no words exchanged between us. We were both looking for things in that kiss that we couldn’t find. We
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