Rushed (Adventures in Love #1)(38)

“Choose, sunshine.” He passes me the remote, and I study it, surprised that he’s just handed it over. The guys I’ve known have treated the remote like some kind of weapon of mass destruction, not to be trusted in the hands of a woman. “Cybil.”

“Sorry, I’m just trying to figure out if I’m worthy of this kind of power,” I say, and he laughs, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

Resting my head on his chest, I scroll through until I find something I haven’t seen before and then press play. As the movie begins and the couple on screen struggles to get to know each other, I relax into Tanner and start to wonder if it’s abnormal to feel this level of comfort with someone you just met. I mean, I know we spent a week together, but we still haven’t known each other very long. And besides the underlying current of sexual tension that seems to surround us all the time, things between us are easy.

“What are you thinking about so hard?” he asks, breaking into my thoughts, and I stop twirling my hair.

“Nothing.”

“Liar.” He takes my hand when I sit up and then kisses my fingers. “Is your hand okay?”

“Yeah.” I chew the inside of my cheek, then blurt out, “Is it always like this?”

“Like what?”

“Easy.” I motion between us. “I mean, I don’t know; it feels like things are really easy with you.”

“Should they not be?”

“I don’t know,” I repeat. “It’s not like I have a lot of experience with this kind of thing.”

“Do you want me to give you the cold shoulder and then start chasing you because I finally realize how special you are?” he asks with a smile, basically relaying what’s happened so far in the movie we’re watching.

“No.” I roll my eyes.

“Maybe we should stop watching this movie before you take off back to Oregon because we have some stupid misunderstanding, only for you to have to beg for my forgiveness.”

“How do you know that you wouldn’t be the one begging for my forgiveness?”

“Because I would never do something to fuck this up,” he states plainly, and my heart gives a funny thump.

“Neither would I,” I say, and he pushes my hair back away from my face, tucking it behind my ear.

“I’m sure, given time, we’ll find shit to fight about and piss each other off. So right now, let’s just appreciate how uncomplicated this is.”

I bite my bottom lip, then let it go and nod. “I think that’s smart.”

“Good.” He smiles as he drags me forward for a kiss, and I sink into him, getting lost in the moment of his tongue touching mine. Needing to be closer, I climb onto his lap with his help. “Keep your hand here,” he orders, capturing my wrist and placing my wrapped palm against his hard chest. “Move it and we stop.” He leans up, nipping my bottom lip.

“I won’t move it,” I vow; then I feel his hand on my ass as he drags me forward, which means his hard-on that’s barely restrained by his thin shorts hits me right between my legs. My breath catches, my core clenches, and wetness spreads right . . . there.

“You okay?” His hand moves up over the curve of my ass.

“Yeah.” I rock against him without thought, and his eyes darken.

“Come here.” He lifts his head enough to nip my bottom lip.

“I’m right here,” I pant against his mouth before nipping his bottom lip like he did mine. Then his fingers thread through the hair at the back of my head, and he urges my mouth down to his as I rock against him again.

“I can see you’re going to be a test of my willpower.”

“Why do you say that?” I ask, but instead of answering, he thrusts his tongue into my mouth before biting and licking my lips while his hand on my ass travels around to cup my breast. Out of pure instinct, I press closer and rub myself against him. I have never been this turned on, and I’m pretty sure I might cry when he slows the kiss and pulls back.

“Your hand.”

“Sorry.” I wince when I find that my hand has moved up to his hair and is gripping it tight enough to cause me pain.

“I might have to tie your wrist to the bed for your own good,” he says, and a shiver of excitement travels down my spine while a smile that can only be described as devilish curves his lips. “But not tonight.” He leans up to kiss me swiftly, then carefully helps me off his lap. As he rewinds the movie and I settle into his side, I try my best not to pout, but I know I don’t succeed when he glances at me and laughs.

“It’s not funny.”

“Sunshine, trust me when I say this hurts me more than it hurts you.” He adjusts the bulge in his pants, making me feel somewhat better. “That said, I’m not going to risk you opening your wound back up.”

Knowing he’s right, I sigh, ignoring the feel of him shaking in silent laughter while hiding my own smile by tucking my face against his chest.





Chapter 16


CYBIL

Standing in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand and still half-asleep, even after my shower, I watch in a daze as a shirtless Tanner does burpees on the back patio. As his muscles bunch and move under his tan skin, all I can think is it really should be illegal for a man as hot as him to work out half-naked, especially when he has a sexually frustrated woman staying in his house.