have on those he loves. Before that happens, he can’t truly appreciate the good of what he is and what he does.”
Although he disagreed with her interpretation and still hated the film, Tanner shut up and watched the movie with her. As it continued to play, he scooted closer and closer to her on the couch, draped his arm around her, and began stroking her neck. But he kept his eyes focused on the TV.
She was a bit stiff at first, but she soon relaxed, raising her hand to rest on his chest. Then she snuggled closer and sighed at parts of the movie she particularly liked.
When the movie ended, Tanner looked down and noticed that she was so relaxed, in fact, that she’d fallen asleep in his arms. Carefully cradling her to him, he lifted her up and proceeded down the short hallway to what was obviously her bedroom.
He managed to pull back a handmade quilt while still holding her, and then laid her down on the soft sheets. After covering her up, he stared down at her face, so beautiful and at peace.
Turning and walking away – God, it was hard — he switched off her lights and made sure her front door was locked. Now this was frightening. In less than three weeks, this woman had become more than just a conquest to him.
The question was, what did he want to do about that?
When he stepped back inside his apartment, feeling pretty great, if still confused, his foot suddenly slipped out from beneath him and he went flying into the air, a resounding oof coming from his lungs as he landed hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Once he caught his breath, he realized he was flat on his back and in at least two inches of water. If he’d been paying attention, he would have noticed the water leaking out into the hallway.
Jumping up and feeling a nasty ache run down his back, he sloshed his way through the water and made it into his kitchen, where he could hear the distinct sound of gushing. When he opened the cupboard below the sink, he was immediately sprayed in the face. He jumped back and found himself staring at a burst pipe.
He was drenched by the time he located the shutoff valve, and the language he was using about this building and all its problems wouldn’t have gone over well with the cute little kiddies at the mall. This was hell, pure damnation, and suddenly the rest of his sentence in this building seemed like it would stretch an eternity.
He snatched up his phone and woke his assistant up to demand that a plumber be sent over right freaking now. This was going to cost him a fortune. Because of the judge’s orders, now that he had to repair the pipes in his own worthless apartment, it looked as if the entire building would be getting new ones too.
When he called the police to explain that he needed to change apartments, they were less than sympathetic, offering to bring him a pair of hip waders. After slamming down the phone, Tanner sloshed to his bedroom, his good mood long forgotten as he prepared himself for a “holiday” week without even a remote chance of comfort or joy.
Chapter Sixteen
A re you freaking kidding me?”
With the light from his phone, Tanner had finally found a flashlight, and he flipped it on. Then he went back to cursing into his cell. He was barely able to hear the voice on the other end past the rushing sound in his ears; it was born of pure fury. “What do you mean, there’s nothing you can do? If I say get down here, I mean it!”
The person at the other end of the line continued speaking but was absolutely no help whatsoever. Slamming the phone’s End button as hard as he could, Tanner dropped the device on the counter and ran his hand through his hair.
“How in the hell does anyone tolerate this damn building?” he shouted into the air. Yes, he knew he sounded like a crazy person, but if it wasn’t one problem then it was another. His pipes had burst, mice ran around rampant, and now the damn electricity was out.
The guy said it was most likely a breaker, that too
Although he disagreed with her interpretation and still hated the film, Tanner shut up and watched the movie with her. As it continued to play, he scooted closer and closer to her on the couch, draped his arm around her, and began stroking her neck. But he kept his eyes focused on the TV.
She was a bit stiff at first, but she soon relaxed, raising her hand to rest on his chest. Then she snuggled closer and sighed at parts of the movie she particularly liked.
When the movie ended, Tanner looked down and noticed that she was so relaxed, in fact, that she’d fallen asleep in his arms. Carefully cradling her to him, he lifted her up and proceeded down the short hallway to what was obviously her bedroom.
He managed to pull back a handmade quilt while still holding her, and then laid her down on the soft sheets. After covering her up, he stared down at her face, so beautiful and at peace.
Turning and walking away – God, it was hard — he switched off her lights and made sure her front door was locked. Now this was frightening. In less than three weeks, this woman had become more than just a conquest to him.
The question was, what did he want to do about that?
When he stepped back inside his apartment, feeling pretty great, if still confused, his foot suddenly slipped out from beneath him and he went flying into the air, a resounding oof coming from his lungs as he landed hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Once he caught his breath, he realized he was flat on his back and in at least two inches of water. If he’d been paying attention, he would have noticed the water leaking out into the hallway.
Jumping up and feeling a nasty ache run down his back, he sloshed his way through the water and made it into his kitchen, where he could hear the distinct sound of gushing. When he opened the cupboard below the sink, he was immediately sprayed in the face. He jumped back and found himself staring at a burst pipe.
He was drenched by the time he located the shutoff valve, and the language he was using about this building and all its problems wouldn’t have gone over well with the cute little kiddies at the mall. This was hell, pure damnation, and suddenly the rest of his sentence in this building seemed like it would stretch an eternity.
He snatched up his phone and woke his assistant up to demand that a plumber be sent over right freaking now. This was going to cost him a fortune. Because of the judge’s orders, now that he had to repair the pipes in his own worthless apartment, it looked as if the entire building would be getting new ones too.
When he called the police to explain that he needed to change apartments, they were less than sympathetic, offering to bring him a pair of hip waders. After slamming down the phone, Tanner sloshed to his bedroom, his good mood long forgotten as he prepared himself for a “holiday” week without even a remote chance of comfort or joy.
Chapter Sixteen
A re you freaking kidding me?”
With the light from his phone, Tanner had finally found a flashlight, and he flipped it on. Then he went back to cursing into his cell. He was barely able to hear the voice on the other end past the rushing sound in his ears; it was born of pure fury. “What do you mean, there’s nothing you can do? If I say get down here, I mean it!”
The person at the other end of the line continued speaking but was absolutely no help whatsoever. Slamming the phone’s End button as hard as he could, Tanner dropped the device on the counter and ran his hand through his hair.
“How in the hell does anyone tolerate this damn building?” he shouted into the air. Yes, he knew he sounded like a crazy person, but if it wasn’t one problem then it was another. His pipes had burst, mice ran around rampant, and now the damn electricity was out.
The guy said it was most likely a breaker, that too
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