blaming yourself won’t bring him back. It’ll only cause you a lifetime of pain.”
Tanner and Tank came back over to the table with our drinks. I stood and moved to wrap my arms around Tanner. His eyes were suspicious. I kissed him. Tanner kissed me back. When I pulled away, I said, “I’m going to the bathroom.”
“You okay, princess? Really?”
“I will be.”
I left the bar and headed in the direction of our room. But I stopped when I passed the medical room that Edge and Rider worked from. Checking no one was around, I tried the knob. It opened, and I slipped inside the dark room. Using the light from the moon outside, I searched through the drawers until I found what I was looking for. Putting it my pocket, I went into Tanner’s room and placed it where it was accessible but out of sight.
Going to the desk Tanner worked from, I pulled open the drawer and took out one of the burner cells. Making sure the door was locked, I turned the cell on and called the number. The minute the cell clicked on, I said, “En cuatro horas nos vemos en el sur de la propiedad Hangmen. Me regreso a casa.” I hung up, turned off the cell and put it back in the drawer exactly where I found it.
I went back to the bar, and the men got drunker and drunker as the night went on. Eventually, I turned to Tanner. “Can we go to the room, mi amor? I’m tired.”
Tanner finished his whiskey, then got to his feet. Before we left, I reached down and hugged Beauty. She smiled at me when I pulled back. “Thank you for everything,” I said so only she could hear me. “And for caring for Tanner like you do. You’re his family.”
“Yours too, I hope.”
“Always,” I replied, and tried to hide the emotional hitch in my breath.
Tanner put his arm around me, and we walked to our room. We passed Phebe and Saffie, and I gave them a small wave. My chest felt full when Saffie gave a shy wave back. The minute we were back in the room, I locked the door. Tanner went to his computer and checked something. I didn’t know what. He didn’t know I was watching him. And I was glad. Because I got to commit him to memory. His blue eyes and light lashes. The stern face that lit up only around me. His lips that so beautifully kissed mine, and his hands that always sought to hold me. Always touched me and told me, without words, that he loved me more than I ever thought I would ever be loved.
When he eventually looked up from his screen, I silently held out my hand. Tanner turned off his computer and came over to me. He didn’t take my hand. Instead, he picked me up, bringing my legs around his waist. We didn’t kiss as he led us to the bed. We didn’t talk. There was nothing to be said. Tonight was for silence, and me showing this man how much I loved and adored him. How he had given me more in the short times we had managed to be together than some people got after forty years. I wanted him to know that I cherished him and what he had given up for us. And I was proud of him. Proud of the abused boy who had walked away from his aggressive and controlling father and had risen out of his darkness and into the safety of light.
Tanner rolled on top of me and started taking off my clothes. I let him touch me softly and slowly, his fingers caressing my skin. I let him drop my clothes to the floor, then crawl above me, kissing every inch of my body. I sat up, so we were kneeling on the bed. I pushed off his cut, lifted his shirt above his head and pushed down his jeans. Tanner’s breathing increased as I ran my hands over his broad chest, kissing every scar and old wound I could find. Finally, I ended up at his mouth. I kissed him gently, threading my fingers through his hair.
Pushing him down on his back, and never breaking our mouths apart, I crawled on top of him, and slowly sank down, letting him fill me. On a soft moan, I placed my hands on Tanner’s chest and stared down at his face. I never looked away. Not