Page 66 of Teaching Tanner

It’s in my purse and I pull it out, smiling when I see I’ve got a message from Tanner.

No… I’ve got two. This latest one just says, ‘Are you okay?’ and I frown, scrolling back to the first, which came in about twenty minutes ago, not long after I got in the shower.

— Hi. It’s me. I’ve been home for five minutes and I miss you already. How am I supposed to survive until Sunday? Any helpful answers would be appreciated. T xx

I chuckle and type out my reply, perching up on a stool as I do so.

— Hello. Sorry for taking so long to come back. I was in the shower. I miss you too, but I’m afraid I don’t have any helpful answers for what to do about it. xx

He comes back immediately.

— Don’t say things like that. xx

— Like what?

— Don’t tell me you’ve been in the shower.

— Why not?

— Because I want to be in there with you.

I suck in a breath, smiling at the thought.

— How do you think I feel? You’re only using your imagination. I’ve seen the reality. xx

— The reality of what?

— You, immediately after a shower. xx

My body heats at the memory, but I press ‘send’, and hold on to my phone, smiling when it beeps almost straight away.

— If I remember rightly, you liked what you saw. xxx

— I did. Very much. xxx

— If I wasn’t waiting for you, I might have to suggest we did something about that. xxxx

He keeps adding extra kisses, and I like that. I just wish I could feel them for real.

— Like what? xxxxx

I add an extra kiss of my own, my skin tingling.

— Don’t tease.

No kisses at all? I don’t know whether to feel reprimanded, but I don’t want to stop, either.

— I’m not.

— And now I miss you more than ever. xxxxxx

I chuckle, but before I can reply, another message comes in.

— I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you later. xxxxxxx

I send back a row of eight kisses and get to my feet, although I can barely feel the floor beneath them as I make my way to my bedroom.

It transpires Tanner’s idea of ‘later’ is fairly late. I ate dinner ages ago and cleared up after myself. After that, I unpacked a couple of boxes while pretending to watch a dreadful movie, and now, even though it’s only nine-thirty, I’m exhausted.

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