Page 67 of Clean Sweep
Was this what Lizbeth always crooned over during our book clubs? I’d never understood it until now. The happy feeling that it sent all the way through my body made me feel light, and I couldn’t wait for him to wake up already.
Carefully, I crept around the house. Slipped into a shower and let the steam wake me up. Put on a pair of comfortable yoga pants and a red-and-green long-sleeved shirt over a t-shirt. The whole casual vibe felt just right for Christmas because Tanner had only ever seen me in my work clothes.
With my hair in a loose ponytail on my shoulders, I slipped back out of the bathroom. He hadn’t budged on the couch, which I took as a good sign. I shuffled around the kitchen, got the fire going in the fireplace, started up the coffee machine, and responded to text messages. It gave me time to think through last night.
What now?
Had we been caught up in the moment last night?
Did the kiss mean something?
Was it better than Ethan’s? Definitely. Unequivocally. Tanner had been gentle and calm, everything about him warm and strong and solid. Ethan and I had been young, so it had almost felt like an attack of hormones. This? This had been perfect, from the connecting time before to the snuggle afterward.
The book club was gonna die.
I grabbed my phone off the table, Lizbeth on my mind.
Leslie:Merry Christmas! Everything going okay over there? Maverick told me I couldn’t text him and check in.
Lizbeth:MERRY CHRISTMAS LESLIE!
Lizbeth:Everything is lovely. We’re whipping up breakfast and there have been no wrinkles so far. What are you doing today with the boys at Ethan’s? You should come over! No one should be alone on Christmas Day!
I chewed on my bottom lip. Dare I tell her about Tanner? Wrong question. Dare Inottell her? New-Mama Lizbeth had a scary side when the hormones of postpartum infused her.
She’d always been more intense about love and romance than most people, but now she was positively belligerent about it. If I didn’t share with her a romantic moment, she’d flip.
Besides, I really wanted to tellsomeone.
I snuck a quick glance up. Tanner hadn’t moved. With only a moment more of indecision, I quickly typed out a reply.
Leslie:I’m not alone. I’m . . . spending it with Tanner?
Lizbeth:WHY IS THAT A QUESTION?
Leslie:Lots to tell but we sort of had a lovely date last night and fell asleep watching a Christmas movie on the couch.
So many happy emojis followed that they filled my screen. I had to scroll to find her actual reply.
Lizbeth:WHAT? Where are my details?
Leslie:I’ll tell you later, I promise. Just wanted to make sure that everything was set over there. Sounds like it is!
Lizbeth:I will hunt you down if you don’t find me by tomorrow evening and tell me everything.
Leslie:Agreed!
I clicked the phone off and glanced up. The couch lay empty. A second before I almost whirled around, a firm body came up behind me. Two arms snaked around me from behind with a low growl.
“Good morning.”
I shivered as his fresh stubble grazed the sensitive skin on my neck. Tanner pressed a quick kiss there, then spun me around. I melted into his still-sleepy gaze and tousled hair.
“Good morning,” I whispered with a little smile. Whatever awkwardness I thought I might feel disappeared in a poof. Resistance to the inevitable fall of my heart had begun to fade as well. I put my hands on his arms.
“Sleep well?”
His crooked smile made an appearance. “Very well. You?”
