Page 38 of Shelter for Tanna

“Come on, Mom. Let’s get you settled,” Braden whispered in her ear as Daniel passed them on the stairs, and she could hear the boys chattering as she and Braden stepped into the living room. In seconds, they were in the master bedroom, and he showed her the space he’d made for her in the closet and the drawers he’d cleaned out for her. “If you need more room, you just say so and I’ll do some more cleaning,” he said with a smile, and she could feel her cheeks warming.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Thank you for being here. This is a big weekend for us, baby.”

Tanna nodded as she unzipped her bag. “Yeah. It is.”

He took the distance across the room in four strides, wrapped his arms around her waist, and gazed down into her eyes. “It’s all going to be fine. You’ll see. I know it’ll be awkward at first, getting to know each other’s bodies and what the other likes, but we’ll figure it out. We’re not kids. We can talk about sex.”

“I’ve never talked about sex,” she whispered.

“There’s a first time for everything, doll. We’ll be talking about it because as long as we communicate, we’ll do fine. It’s when we stop talking about sex and money and the kids and work and groceries and utilities and all that shit that we’ll get lost and drift apart. As long as we keep talking about it, we’ll be fine. And Tanna?”

“Hmmm?”

“I don’t want you left wanting. If I’m not satisfying you, you need to tell me. Please. I don’t want to find out a year down the road that you’re unhappy because I didn’t do this or that. I mean, I know my way around a woman’s body well enough, but I don’t know my way aroundyourbody, and every woman is different. You tell me what you need and I’ll do my damnedest to deliver, okay?”

“Okay. Same here. I’m not very well-versed in all things sexual, but I’ll try to please you.”

“I have a feeling you’re going to do just fine.” He leaned down to her ear and whispered, his breath hot on her skin, “Being inside you is all I’ve thought about since the first time I saw you.”

Tanna could barely breathe. Since the first time he saw her? Jesus, that was hot as fuck! No man had ever lusted over her as far as she knew. Hell, she and Michael had screwed in the back seat of his dad’s truck the first time they went out, all knees and elbows and teenage awkwardness. She’d wondered from the very beginning if waiting was Braden’s way of trying to figure out if he wanted her or not, but she realized something she’d never thought about before.

Contemplating sex with him, being that close to him but not doing it, had left her wanting and hungry for him. Instead of being all weird and awkward, she was really, really ready. All that talk about anticipation making it better had always seemed like a crock to her, but now she realized it was true. It had, quite frankly, turned her into a horny she-devil, and she couldn’t wait for him to plow into her, frenzied in his desire for her body.Shit, I’m thinking like some chick from a silly romance novel!she told herself, but that made her grin. All those nights lying alone in her bed had left her fantasizing, and she was praying her fantasies were only half as good as the real thing. Somehow, she knew that would be the case.

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot too,” she admitted, her cheeks burning even as she said it. She’d never talked to a man that way. Was it too bold?

“Good. I’d hate to think I was in this alone.” His lips found hers and Tanna kissed him back with an eagerness she didn’t know she possessed. Everything about Braden was perfect, and she was beyond excited about all the possibilities.Wouldn’t it be nice if he could love me?she thought longingly. From him, she’d take just being happy to be with her. That would be enough. He broke the kiss and smiled down at her. “Now, we’ve got dinner to do and an evening to spend with the boys. And then the rest of the night is ours, beautiful.” Tanna could feel her lower lids filling with tears, and she knew she hadn’t hidden it well when he asked, “What’s wrong, babe?”

“Y-y-y-you called me beautiful.”

One hand rose and cupped her cheek. “That’s because you are, Tanna. Everything about you is beautiful, but especially your heart. You have the biggest heart I’ve ever met. I love that about you.”

She pressed her palm to the back of his hand as it rested there on her cheek. “And I love how patient and kind you are to my boys. They really want to be around you, Braden. They look up to you and they think you’re just the greatest.”

He let out a sharp sigh and she wondered if she’d said something wrong until his eyes closed and a wistful smile pulled the corners of his lips up. “I think they’re the greatest. They’re special little guys. You’ve done an amazing job with them. And one of my goals is to see Daniel get to be a kid and do the things other kids his age do.” In a split second, his eyes opened and they rolled skyward. “Listen to me. My goal for Daniel… I don’t even know if you want me to be that close to them.” Tanna burst into tears. How could he even wonder? “Babe, I?”

“I want you to be that close to them, and I want them to be close to you. Oh, god, I feel so stupid because I haven’t even slept with you and I’m falling in love with you and you can’t possibly?”Shit! I said I was falling in love with him! God, I’m such an idiot!a voice shrieked in her head. “I didn’t mean that I, I mean, I… It’s okay if you don’t?”

A finger pressed against her lips and silenced her. “Hey. It’s okay. I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. I thought you hated me but I couldn’t just walk away and I wanted to know for sure. And now? Now I know.”

Tanna dissolved in Braden’s arms, sobbing aloud, but they were tears of pure joy. Hell, she didn’t care if the sex was lousy?she just wanted to be with him. He was strong and honest and trustworthy, and she needed him in her life. Her boys did too. With her voice muffled by his shirt, she spoke into his chest. “I guess you think I’m crazy.”

“No. I think you’re exhausted and frustrated and need somebody in your life to share the load with you. And if I can be that somebody, I’ll gladly do it.” He kissed her forehead. “Now, straighten yourself up. The boys won’t understand why you’ve been crying, and we’ve got to feed them. But know this.” He gripped her chin with a thumb and forefinger and lifted her face to look into her eyes. “I’ve got your back, babe. I’m your go-to guy. Your ride or die. The person you can cry to, cry on, and come apart with. I’ll be right beside you, and you won’t walk it alone anymore, Tanna, unless you decide you don’t want me.”

“Th-th-th-that’s not going to happen,” she stammered.

“Good. Because I sure as hell want you, and I mean that ineveryway, not just in here. Although,” he said, a twinkle in his eye, “I’m not going to lie. I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

“Me too.” And she meant that. Every speck of apprehension she’d had about being with him had vanished. Just evaporated. Tanna took a deep breath, held it, and let it out before she spoke. “Now, what’s for dinner?”

“I made a huge pot of chili, and I’ve got hot dogs and buns, and?”

“Hey! Anybody home?” a feminine voice called out.

Braden chuckled. “Jess.” With a quick kiss dropped on her forehead, he strode out of the room and toward the voice.

“Found these on sale and I know how you like ‘em, so I bought a bunch.” She was unloading some kind of boxes onto the counter.

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