Page 36 of Endurance
“Well, I have an idea, but are you really asking? Because I’m happy to take the lead here, but you seem to have an issue letting go of control.”
“Oh fuck off, Tanner,” she baulks and crosses her arms as she turns away from me.
Darkness clouds my vision. Enough of this shit. I’m not letting her control me anymore. Not if it turns her into this owly, moody, stubborn arse. She used sexy pyjamas to gain power over me last time. Well, two can play at that game.
She turns when she hears my approach. I don’t stop until she’s backed up all the way against the wall. Her red painted lips are begging to be kissed and I can smell the fragrant shampoo of her hair that’s hanging down loose over her shoulders. I cage her in with one hand on the wall beside her head and the other gripped firmly on her hip.
“How about this,” I whisper in her ear and feel her tremble beneath my touch. “Tonight, after we put on this charade, I’m going to take you back to your place and I’m going to fuck you.”
She opens her mouth to argue, but I cut her off. “Let me finish or I’ll kiss those words right off your mouth. I don’t give a shit if Indie and Cam come out.”
She closes her mouth and swallows.
I tilt my head and eye her entire face thoughtfully, committing each tiny freckle to memory. “Then tomorrow, I’m going to text you to see when we might be able to fuck again because, believe me when I tell you, Belle, these past few days you were all I thought about. Naked. Panting. And so fucking wet.” I pull her hip toward me and she greedily arches into my touch. “So if a call is all it takes to get you back in that position, baby, you better watch your mobile because I’m going to blow it the fuck up.”
My lips are an inch away from hers, so I am able to taste her audible gasp at my sexy promise.
“You think I’ll come to you just like that?”
I half smile. “With what I have planned for ya…Yes, Belle. Yes, I think you’ll come. Just. Like. That.”
I drop a soft kiss on her lips, and she breaks her façade completely with an amused laugh. She playfully shoves me away and I inhale deeply with a proud smile. I see something out of the corner of my eye and turn to find Indie and Cam staring at us from the hallway.
“Oh fuck,” Belle murmurs behind me.
I look back at her with a sheepish smile. “I should have mentioned that you can’t hide shit in my family.”
“So you two slept together?” Indie’s cheeks blush as her and Cam sit across from us in the back of a cab.
“Yes,” I reply.
“So what does that mean then?” She glances between the two of us.
“It means we had sex,” Tanner replies and I elbow him in the ribs. “But the really respectful kind.”
Indie’s eyes roll skyward. “I know whatthatmeans, but what does it really mean?” She looks at me.
“Nothing. It’s no different than any other Tequila Sunrise fling.” I say it in words I know she’ll understand.
Tanner smiles proudly and drapes an arm on the back of the seat. “I’m a fling, bro. Are you proud? It’s a step up from a one-night stand.”
Camden shakes his head and pulls a confused Indie closer to him. Using his classic Queen of England voice, he replies, “These two turtle doves are beginning their journey toward finding their truest love.”
Indie shoves Cam. “Well, if you’re both happy, then I’m happy.”
I exhale a deep breath as Indie frowns at the two of us as if we’re the strangest pair in the world, which is probably accurate. She’s seen nothing but fighting between Tanner and me for months. This is certainly a change of events, but I really hope she’s not idealising this into something it’s not.
Tanner leans forward and pats Indie on the knee. “Just don’t overthink this, Indie. I’ll be good. I promise. Let’s focus on having fun tonight, all right?”
It’s nearing eight o’clock by the time the cab drops us off in front of the London Eye. My eyes are wide and excited as I take in its grandeur and all the city lights twinkling around it. I can see why this is the perfect place to take a date.
We queue for tickets and Camden and Tanner buy out a whole pod so we don’t have to share one with anyone else. Indie tries to argue that it’s not worth the money, but neither of them give it a second thought.
I can feel people’s eyes on us as we file in line for the ride. They might not be recognising Camden and Tanner straight away, but they can tell they are important. They’re both so tall and muscular and striking. They look practically inhuman, like Greek gods walking amongst mortals. And with Tanner’s extensive ink and long blonde hair, he stands out even more.
My parents must hate seeing me all over the news being romantically photographed with a tattooed footballer. I can’t believe they agreed to all of this. They have to be getting something more out of this in the end. I just don’t know what. I eye Tanner for a moment, trying to decide if he knows. He looks at me with a smile and I quickly shake the idea away.
As we wait in line, Indie and Camden are all over each other and it makes Tanner and me look like boring arseholes by comparison. We both stare at them for a bit and then look at each other. Exhaling in unison, we come together. His hands snake around my waist; mine reach up to hold onto his arms.
