Tanner?”
He didn’t know where to start since he’d never done anything like this before. He closed the door and leaned against it. “I needed to see you again.”
Her brow furrowed. “Why? I think you made it absolutely clear I was an OD.” At what had to be his surprised expression, she said, “I told you about my brother and that I know all the codes you players use to categorize women.”
Yes, she had said that.
“Why this need to see me again? And if I recall, I made it pretty clear you were an OD to me, as well.”
He didn’t like her reminding him of that.
“So what’s the problem, Tanner? You want to upgrade my status or something? If so, I’m not interested.”
He frowned. “Could we dispense with the talk of codes and statuses, please?”
“Then I don’t know what you want from me,” she said, glaring at him. “You can’t just waltz in here when we’ve both made it pretty damn clear it was just that one day for us. That’s all I wanted and all I was prepared for.”
He hoped she didn’t mean that. Especially when he knew he wanted more, although he hadn’t been prepared for it, either. The moment she had opened the door and he’d seen her, he’d known. She was the woman who had gotten under his skin so deep that he doubted anything could get her out now.
“Monday was a game changer for me, Lyric. After having you, I figured my desire for you would disappear. But it didn’t. I’ve been thinking of you a lot. Day and night. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Memories of our time together are constantly on my mind. I remember all of it, not just the sex.”
He paused a moment to rub a hand down his face. “I keep thinking about the flight over to Crystal Beach and back, our conversations, the picnic. I had no idea you could become an ache I can’t get rid of. I’ve never had these feelings for a woman before. Nothing even close.”
There was no need to admit to calling his oldest brother, Mason, not once but twice. Hell, he’d even talked to Blade again. He’d been trying to get some perspective on what the hell was happening. He hadn’t liked it, and figured he could fight it, ignore it, or just not give a damn about it, but found none of those options worked. Unless he wanted to become a drinking man, he had to eventually face the fact he’d been p-whipped by a woman who hadn’t even been trying.
Of course, his brother and Blade thought they had it all figured out and felt it was more serious than that. They thought he’d fallen in love. He’d tried to assure them that such a word wasn’t even in his vocabulary. They’d laughed and said it hadn’t been in theirs, either, and they’d been unexpectedly tackled by love pretty much the same way.
“I haven’t wanted another woman since having you,” he said. “The thought of sharing another woman’s bed no longer has any appeal. The very fact that I’m even admitting all this to you is crazy. But I can’t help it. I need you to know where I’m coming from and why, Lyric. What’s been happening to me since Monday is some really weird shit. Normally I like women, but now the only woman I want is you.”
Damn, he’d said a mouthful and all of it had come from his heart. His heart... Could he really be in love with her? Hell, if he was, then it made sense now. What other reason could there be for this madness?
She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s a phase.”
“A phase?” Is that what she thought after all he’d just said? News flash. He didn’t go through phases.
“Yes, and there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll eventually get over it.”
No, he wouldn’t be getting over it. “When it happened to your brother, did he get over it?” he asked her.
She didn’t say anything for a minute. Then she asked, “What do you want of me, Tanner? Why did you come here? For more sex? To let me know I’ve been promoted to CH, your casual hookup list?”
Her words sent sharp anger through him. If only she knew how vulnerable he felt right now, and it was something he’d never had to deal with before. “I told you, Lyric, I don’t desire any other woman.”
“And did you not hear what I said about it being