Page 144 of Wildest Dreams

Tanner holds me closer, gazing toward the warm orange tent canopied above us.

“He’s home,” he says simply, “so I need to head over there and see him.”

My eyes flick between his strong handsome face and the large muscles of his chest.

“Okay,” I whisper, even though I wish that I could keep him here with me until my own journey at Larch Peak is over – until my mom has seen my first renovation and decided whether or not I can start working on a small-town house-flipping branch of their business. I listen to the powerful thump of his heartbeat. “I hope that you have a lovely time.”

His large muscles shift beneath me and when I look up he’s lifted himself onto one elbow. His brow is slightly raised and he’s giving me an amused lazy smirk.

“Ash, are you fuckin’ kidding?” He laughs quietly as he grips my ass, dragging me back on top of him. “You’re obviously coming with me. I’m not about to leave you here.”

I blink down at him in surprise and let him push my chest roughly down onto his.

“I can’t meet your parents,” I whisper, gasping when his palms cup my breasts. “Especially when your dad has just got back from d-deployment.”

Tanner rolls me onto my back and takes my mouth with his.

“Good a time as any,” he rumbles. “He’s away so much you gotta take every opportunity you can get.”

My heart squeezes in my chest at the thought of Tanner, younger than he is now, waiting for months at a time and wondering if he would ever see his dad again.

“Tanner…” I argue, not wanting to intrude. “That’s a really big deal. It’s, like, family time.”

“Exactly,” he rumbles. “That’s why you should be there.”

I try to smooth away the little crease in my brow. “But we aren’t even together yet. It’s way too soon.”

A hint of a smile crease flexes in the strong hollow of Tanner’s cheek.

“If it was up to me we would have already done this four years ago. Trust me baby, it’s not too soon.”

He hunches down to kiss me slowly and then he rolls onto his back, pulling me along with him so that I’m laying on his large chest.

“Everyone here is going to know,” I whisper as he pulls back slightly, cupping my face in his big warm palms.

“What d’you mean?” he murmurs, kissing my cheeks as I frown at my own thoughts.

“Like, no-one knows about us yet,” I whisper, “and if we suddenly both leave the campsite–”

“We don’t have to stay in Carter Ridge,” he murmurs quickly, voice rasping as he kisses my neck. “We’ll come back as soon as you need. Your mom’s gonna check out the lake house next week right?”

I kind of can’t believe that he remembered me telling him that.

“Yeah,” I say warily, “but–”

“We’ll be back before that, by at least four days. And fuck the guys here knowing where we are – as long as we tell your brother, it’s no-one else’s damn business.”

“You think we should tell Connell?” I gasp, swallowing nervously as Tanner shifts us again and ranges his large body on top of me.

“I don’t wanna lie to him,” he rumbles, his stunning eyes looking sincere as they carefully search mine. “Do you… not want him to know? I’d just rather be honest, let him know where you are.”

I nibble nervously on my lower lip, eyes on Tanner’s chest as I try to calm down.

“I know you’re right,” I admit quietly, “it’s just hard for me to be so open about… feelings and stuff is all. Putting my heart back on my sleeve,” I whisper, glancing down at my little freckle.

Tanner flashes me a handsome grin and lifts my arm up so that he can kiss the tiny love-heart. He grins as I smother my laughter with my free hand, and he starts licking at it like an animal, groaning obscenely when I try to kick him away.

“You’re such a caveman,” I pant, giggling into the pillow as he rolls me over.

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