Page 32 of The Pass
He splashes water at me again.
“Can we talk about this on the way back? My legs are jelly, and if we keep treading water, you’re going to have to carry me back to the house.”
His gaze drops below my face but from the neck down I’m below the water, so his scan of my body is thwarted. It gives me a small thrill that he attempted to check me out anyway.
“I’m enjoying this. Grab on.”
I wrap my arms around his chest from behind and without thinking, circle his waist with my legs. It isn’t until my foot brushes against his dick that I realize my mistake and quickly bring my legs back behind him. Bare ass I can handle… bare dick… big nope.
“Try not to kick me in the balls.” He chuckles.
If he’s felt uncomfortable since our kiss, he hasn’t shown it. I desperately wish I could go back to when I wasn’t so aware of him. They were simpler times.
But Iamall too aware of him. His back, for example. The man has back muscles that are hard and flex in front of me. And his chest and abs are defined. Not too bulky, but it’s obvious that he’s got more than a skinny-guy six-pack. I’m not even going to mention his butt. Captain America has America’s ass? Please. Tanner wins that contest every day of the week. His aforementioned lack of modesty has given me plenty of glimpses over the years.
Yeah, Tanner’s ridiculously hot. I’ve always known all of these things. I didn’t suddenly gain the ability to see. That kiss just made me less objective about it. Hot is just hot, but the chemistry I felt kissing him can’t be as easily dismissed. Long ago before I knew how awesome he was, maybe. Definitely not now. Especially when I know he feels the same way—or did.
“Okay, so back to my genius idea,” he says.
I don’t have to look at him to know he has an excited grin on his face. Tanner doesn’t always show his emotions on his face, but right now as I glance to confirm my suspicion, he’s easy to read with a big smile that stretches ear to ear.
“We promise to meet up here every summer. No matter what.”
“O-kay.”
“You agreed to that way faster than I expected. Damn, I’m good.” He twists his head around so our faces are close enough that I could kiss him by barely moving. “You mean it?”
“I think I can manage that.” Even as I say it, my stomach dips at the thought of only seeing him once a year. Yeah, I’m sure we’ll stay friends but eventually he’ll get a serious girlfriend and get married and we’ll drift apart. I think he’s far more likely to back out on our deal than I am.
Unlike me, Tanner’s had some semi-serious relationships over the years. None of the girls were even remotely good enough for him, but I liked them well enough.
“Have you heard from Amelia?”
“Nah, that’s definitely over.”
“I’m sorry. I know how much you cared about her.”
His shoulders shrug. “Yeah, I guess. I mean I did, of course I did, but I feel fine about it. She isn’t someone I could see myself with long-term.”
“That’s because you know as soon as you get back to Valley, you’ll have your pick of girls again. Boys have it so freaking easy.”
“What, like you couldn’t have any guy you wanted? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve almost maimed someone in the locker room for speaking their unfiltered thoughts about you.”
“Really?”
He chuckles at my excitement. “Really.”
“Hmm. Maybe you can hook me up with one of them.”
His blue eyes bore into me as if he’s checking to see if I’m serious. “No.”
“Why not?”
“They aren’t good enough for you. College guys are trash.”
“Oh, please. Come on, there has to be someone you like well enough to set me up with? It’s been months since I dated anyone. I think I’m ready.”
He studies my face for a second as if to gauge my sincerity. “All right. I will think about it, but no ballplayers. It’d be too weird.”
