Page 57 of Wanting You

“It’s my issue, Tanner, and I’m going to get over it. Teaching at Sweetbriar has been my only job, so I’ve never had to deal with this kind of situation before. And if it wasn’t you in the room next door, it would be another teacher and potentially the same situation. I was living in a bubble, and you know…bubbles burst. I’m an adult and I’ll deal with it.” She stared down at her tea. “I just hope you can forgive me for being a brat.”

Reaching over, he took one of her hands in his. “There’s nothing to forgive. And I really didn’t mean to hurt you by not talking about my lesson plans. It just didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me. But if you want, we can compare binders moving forward and…”

“No,” she interrupted. “That’s unnecessary. There are going to be things that we have to work on together, but…there’s no reason for you to have to run anything by me. It’s not my place.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. Maybe I need to stop being so secretive and keeping things to myself because I fear someone’s going to find a weakness or…or…whatever. Skiing was an independent thing. I was a team of one. Perhaps it’s time for me to stop thinking like that.”

When her eyes met his, she smiled, and damn, did he love her smiles.

“Since I’m a twin, I’ve never been a team of one. I think that’s what took me the longest to adjust to when I started teaching. I was completely independent, and it felt a little disconcerting. That’s probably why I’m being so sensitive about this with you. With our…you know…relationship, I guess I felt like maybe we were a team. But then you were doing stuff that you didn’t even mention to me and…”

“And you felt alone.”

Another nod. “Exactly.”

Tanner breathed a sigh of relief because this was all great information for them to share with each other. He was really falling hard for Chloe and as much as he thought he knew a lot about her, it was fascinating to delve a little deeper.

Plus, knowing more about her meant that maybe he wouldn’t screw this up.

He gave her hand another squeeze before pushing away from the table and standing. “Thank you for being willing to talk to me about this. I’m not usually the kind of person who just shows up unannounced on someone’s doorstep late at night…”

“It wasn’t that late,” she gently corrected.

“Still, you asked for time and I didn’t give it to you. But in my defense, I was genuinely worried, and now I’m glad I took the chance and came over.”

She stood. “Me too.” Glancing around for a moment, she asked, “Would you like something to drink? I know I should have asked when you first sat down, but…”

“But you were mad,” he said with a grin. “And rightfully so.”

“It didn’t give me the right to be rude.”

“Chloe?”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t need anything to drink.” He moved closer and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “It’s a school night, so I’m going to go home because I know you prefer to be in bed by ten.” Another kiss. But when he went to release her, she held on tight. Resting his head on top of hers, he decided to simply enjoy holding her for a little longer.

“Tanner?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you have to go home?” she quietly asked, and he felt himself smiling.

“No, I do not,” he told her. “Everything’s locked up and I don’t believe there’s anything there that I need.” And yet another kiss. “I have everything I want and need right here.”

When he lifted his head, Chloe looked up at him and he saw the play of emotions on her face—the want, the need, the relief…

“Ask me to stay,” he said gruffly.

“Stay.”

Without a word, he scooped her up in his arms, strode out of the kitchen, and went straight to her bedroom. It wasn’t until he placed her on the bed that he smiled and said, “I like your jammies.”

She groaned even as she softly laughed. “They are the least sexy things ever. I should be mortified.”

But Tanner shook his head. “Whatever you’re wearing is sexy. You looked like an absolute fantasy when we stayed at the lodge. All that silk and lace made me forget how to breathe a time or two. But there is also something incredibly arousing about all this flannel that has me dying to know what you have on underneath.”

The impish grin she gave him said she couldn’t wait for him to find out.

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