Page 30 of You are the Reason

Kinsley

Tanner holds out his hand, steadying me as I step into the huge bathtub.Why haven’t I taken advantage of this tub before?The water rises as I lower myself in, the bubbles coming up to sit just below my collarbone. I look around, taking in his space. It’s elegant, yet masculine; I wonder if he designed it himself?

“Something on your mind again, Pip?”

I let my eyes follow the phoenix which has its wings spread down the left side of his neck to the blooming baby’s breath covering half his chest. They all blend together so beautifully, almost as though the bird is rising up,out of the flowers.

“The flowers,” I ask, moving myself forwards so I’m kneeling between his legs. “Why baby’s breath?”

He shrugs. “It symbolises hope, new beginnings, and everlasting love.”

“And the phoenix symbolises a rebirth, rising from the ashes?”

“Rising from the flowers.” His lips curve into a cheeky grin.

“Choosing to stay mysterious now, are we?”

“I’ve got to keep you around one way or another, can’t give away all my secrets in one go.”

I lean in close to allow my lips to graze over the right side of his neck and whisper, “What about this one?” Beginning just below his ear, the illusion of smoke and haze swirl around the words which read,‘Don’t take life so serious, it’s not like you’re making it out alive.’

“I’m surprised you don’t recognise that one, ever watchedThe Dark Knight?”

“Oh, the one with The Joker? Heath Ledger wasn’t it?” I sit back on my heels. “I always got creeped out by the masks.”

“Well, guess what we are doing after this?”

I bite my lower lip. Tanner brushes his thumb along, releasing it. “Unless you had other ideas?”

Chapter Twenty

Kinsley

When I woke up this morning, my legs were tangled in between Tanner’s and I was wrapped in his strong arms. Though the intimate moment quickly fizzled out when I realised I, in fact, had drooled all over his bicep in my sleep.So sexy, Kinsley.

Somehow, I managed to wriggle out of his hold and dry off his arm without waking him. Now, I’m standing in his big ass kitchen, wearing my fluffy pink bed socks and one of his tee’s that sits mid-thigh, with a smile I cannot wipe off my face. Whatever he did to me last night, I’m still riding the high.

I know there is a sound system in this open kitchen and living space, Tanner always has music playing and I can see all the scattered speakers, but do you think I can work out where or how to connect to the thing? So instead I’m playing music from my phone,Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like a Womanplays as I pull out eggs, bacon and an avocado from the fridge. Using the whisk as a microphone, I belt out the chorus; singing and dancing around Tanner’s kitchen.

When I spin around and see him, he’s shirtless wearing grey sweatpants and leaning against the far wall, a huge smile on his face. I hide the whisk behind my back on instinct, as if that will erase the image of me singing and dancing. It won’t, of course, that will be forever etched into his memory now.

“Crap, the bacon,” I mumble, spinning around to find charcoal in the pan. “Dammit.”

Tanner’s arms are either side of me, one hand removing the pan from the heat and the other confiscating the whisk.

“You can’t flip bacon with a whisk, little lady,” he whispers against my neck. “How about you finish whisking the eggs and I’ll take over here?”

I wriggle around to face him. “I was planning on surprising you with breakfast.”

“Instead, I get breakfast and a show.” He winks and I press my palm against his chest, a dismal attempt to move him out of my way. Tanner tips his head back and laughs, and I lean my forehead against his chest. “Who sings that song?”

I glance up through my eyelashes. “You’re kidding right now? Shania Twain!”

“Why don’t we leave it to her from now on?”

“Hey!” I swat at his chest. “I wasn’tthatbad!”

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this carefree, so if he’s laughing at my expense, I’ll let him. This side of him doesn’t come out very often.

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