Page 26 of Shelter for Tanna

“Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.” Without another word, Tanna leaped into the truck’s cab, fired it up, and took off, the car bouncing on the wheel lift behind her.

She drove straight to the local impound lot and in through the gate. Once inside, the employee there took the paperwork, then helped her get the car free from the tow truck and into its new parking space. As he disappeared back into the shed turned makeshift office, Tanna pulled out of the parking area and headed back to Charlie’s.

The towing office was almost in sight when she heard her radio crackle. “Tanna?”

“Yeah.”

“Got an accident at Fourteenth and Clay. Need a wrecker down there. You free?”

“Yeah. On my way.” She turned her truck’s spinning yellow lights back on and made a right at the next corner to cut across town.

Her truck rolled to a stop right outside the scene of the accident. Taylor’s Wrecker Service was there too in one of their big green trucks. Two police officers she didn’t recognize were running the scene, and one pointed her to a crushed-up compact car while the other directed Taylor’s driver to a pickup truck. Only one fire truck had come out, and they were guys Tanna hadn’t seen before. One of them approached her, and she thought about when she’d met Braden. “Hey, need some help here?”

Instead of snarling at him, she nodded. “Sure. This door will be heavy,” she answered, pointing to the torn-off door of the little car.

“No problem. Let’s get it up there.” He grabbed one edge and Tanna the other, and in a few seconds, it was secured on the bed of the truck. “There ya go! Glad I could help.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Anytime.” She watched him go and smiled. They really were nice guys who just wanted to help people. Her eyes scanned the big chartreuse truck?StationTwo. She’d have to remember to tell Braden how much she appreciated the man’s help.

The rest of the day was spent at the office, helping Charlie with billing for insurance companies. He might’ve known all about wreckers, but he was woefully ignorant of business practices, and she wondered how much more money he’d make if he just had some idea how much he let slip through his fingers with poor billing and sloppy invoicing. It was almost time to go home when her phone pinged:Hey! What’s for dinner?

“What are you grinning about?” Charlie hacked through his cigarette-induced coughs.

“Just a friend asking what I’m having for dinner.”

Charlie rolled his eyes and coughed again. “Damn cell phones. Them things gonna give you cancer.”

“And those cigarettes aren’t? I’ll take my chances with the cell phone,” Tanna fired back with a grin. Then she sent a reply:Haven’t even had a chance to think about it.

Wanna take the boys to a burger place? My treat.

He wanted to see her! Every day! The thought made Tanna almost giddy. This guy wasn’t kidding. And it appeared it didn’t have to be a fancy date. Just a quiet night with her and the boys seemed to be more than enough for him. It only took her a few seconds to answer:Yes! That would be great!

Is it okay if I go on over before you get off work? Get them ready to go so we can go as soon as you get there, and you can shower when we get back?

God, she was hungry and that was a good suggestion.Sure. Works for me. See you in just a little while.

Her eyes almost popped out of her head at his reply.Great! Can’t wait, doll. XOXO

Hugs and kisses. Yeah, she wanted hugs and kisses from Braden, and she didn’t want it to stop there. The more she’d thought about the day before, the more she wanted those hands all over her. It had been way too long, and she hoped the wait was almost over. Not only that, but there was no doubt in her mind that he could get the job done. If his equipment was proportionate to the rest of him…

Stop it, Tanna!a little voice squeaked in her head, but she grinned instead. He’d been a thought here and there at first, and now he was invading her dreams, asleep and awake. Telling her goodbye the night before, he’d nuzzled the side of her neck and the scrape of the stubble on his jaw had sent shivers down her spine, shivers of anticipation and excitement. Trying to imagine that same bristling on the inside of her thigh, she shuddered. But when would they even get a chance to get that close? The boys were always with her.

Then she thought about Braden’s house. The bedrooms upstairs were perfect. They were far enough away from the big downstairs master suite that if she and Braden were quiet, they could get pretty carried away without Daniel and Max ever knowing. But it was still close enough that if one of them cried out in the night, she could hear them. It made her toes curl to think that Braden was thinking that exact thing. That’s why he’d shown her the upstairs bedrooms and asked how she thought the boys would like them. He wanted to be alone with her.

Friday seemed too far away, but it would have to do. There was no way they could stay at Braden’s when the boys had school the next day, so the weekend was the soonest they could be together.

And she could hardly wait.

* * *

Braden’s hand reached into his shirt pocket and took something out.Plunk. It sat upright on the table in front of all of them.

Max’s eyes were huge. “Oh my gosh. It’s Angrynaut,” he whispered almost reverently.

“Been looking for this one?” Braden asked, trying hard not to laugh. The main character in the kids’ cartoon was extremely popular, and Max had mentioned several times that he was looking for the dispenser.

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