Follow Your Heart (Catalina Cove #4) - Brenda Jackson Page 0,83

just a phase? You’ll get over it.”

He pushed off from the door. “I honestly don’t think that I will. I want all of you, Lyric. Not just the sex. You’re different.”

“How so? I fell into your bed quick enough like all the others.”

“But you are different. You’re not a one and done, or even a casual hookup.”

“Really? Then what am I?”

He took another step closer to her. “You’re the kind of woman that a man would want to be in a relationship with for the long haul.” He chuckled in surprise. “You’re the kind I would usually stay damn clear of. You’re a keeper, Lyric.”

* * *

LYRIC STARED AT TANNER, thinking he had it all wrong. She was definitely not a keeper for anyone. Westley had effectively proven that. She hadn’t permanently written off having a serious relationship. Just not anytime in the near future. She had trust issues she had to deal with before giving her time and attention to any man, and she didn’t even want to think of her heart.

She knew people could change, even die-hard womanizers. Her brother was a prime example of that.

“I’m going to ask you again, Tanner. What do you want of me?”

He took another couple of steps and now stood directly in front of her desk. “A chance for you to get to know me and for me to get to know you. I shared some of myself with you, but not all. I want you to get to know the real Tanner Jamison.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “What good would that do?”

“We won’t know until we do it. It’s not about sex, it’s about us. As much as I want you, Lyric, I will be operating on a hands-off policy until you give the word.”

She stared at him. “And if I never give the word?”

“I feel certain that you will one day. I believe by getting to know me you will see that I would never hurt you and that I’m ready for a change in my life.”

Lyric wished she could believe him, because although she was deliberately acting standoffish, resisting every point he was making and trying not to succumb to the desires she was feeling, she had thought of him every day and every night, too. At work, at play and even when she was helping out at her favorite charities. Should she even waste her time with him? He wasn’t giving her any guarantees of anything, other than what sounded like an exclusive relationship for the time being. Is that what she wanted again? She’d shared one with Westley and look what had happened.

However, he had said she would be in control. A hands-off, “get to know you” period was an interesting idea. They knew they had amazing chemistry and it would give them a chance to figure out whether or not they even liked each other. But how long would they last without sex? He’d said he’d let her decide when she was ready to engage, but just having him stand in front of her desk was wreaking havoc on her mind and body. The temptation to give in to desire would be very strong.

“How often do you want us to see each other?”

“Every day.”

Surprised, she echoed, “Every day?”

“Yes. I want us to spend time together doing something constructive every day this week. I’m flying out early Friday morning to Texas for an aunt’s birthday party and won’t be back until Sunday night. I want to spend as much time as possible with you before I leave. You can, of course, come with me.”

“No, thank you. I don’t want to travel anywhere with you again. And what will we be doing every day we spend together? What’s the meaning of constructive in your book?”

“Whatever the meaning is in yours. I want you to decide how we spend our time together. You work ten-hour days so you might not want to do anything but sit around and watch a show on television with me, meet up for dessert and wine, or enjoy dinner somewhere. You have to eat sometime, right?” He paused a moment, then added, “I want to prove to you, Lyric, that you are a keeper.”

Lyric gazed into the depths of his dark eyes and saw something she hadn’t seen before in the time she’d known him. A plea. A desperate plea. He actually wanted this, although she wasn’t sure what he thought he would be getting out of it when she would be calling