Still The One - Carrie Elks Page 0,61
today, in a little pink-and-grey checked sleeveless dress, tight on all her curves and stopping at mid thigh, her golden waves tumbling over her bare shoulders.
“I’m not staring,” Tanner told him. “I’m just looking around, taking everything in.”
“You’re right. You’re not staring. You’re ogling. And possibly panting.” Logan grinned. “Damn, have you even had sex with her yet?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no,” he said, his voice short.
Logan raised an eyebrow. “No?”
Truth was, they’d done everything but sex, and right now that felt pretty good. Especially since neither of them had their own place – something he was working pretty hard on resolving. And the sleeping was awesome. He’d curl up behind her and she’d curl her back against his chest, his arms wrapped around her like he was her human shield. He slept so deep his alarm barely woke them in the morning. It was as though his body was finally able to relax after all this time.
But today he didn’t feel relaxed. He felt excited and needy and full of desire. Every time she walked past him while they were sitting watching the movie, he’d wanted to reach out and slide his hand up her leg.
She knew exactly the effect she was having on him. Now and then their eyes would meet, and her lips would curl up, her face flushing. And he’d swallow down the urge to stand up and tell everybody that this gorgeous, funny, beautiful woman was his.
She was talking to Maddie right now, the two of them laughing at something Van just said. Her eyes caught his for the hundredth time. Then she touched Maddie’s arm briefly, and walked through the open glass doors to the expansive deck Gray had built, leading to the wide grass lawn, and the wooden bar stocked with every flavor of liquor and beer.
“I’m going to grab another drink,” Tanner said, standing.
“Sure you are.” Logan smirked, and turned back to the TV, where the first game of last season was flickering on the screen.
Tanner shook his head and followed Van’s path through the doors and down the lawn to the wooden tiki bar. She poured a glass of soda, throwing some ice into the mix, completely oblivious to the fact he was a few feet away from her.
“I need to talk to you.” He kept his face impassive.
Her head shot up. “Jeez, you scared me.” Her lips curled into a smile. “Hey you. What do you want to talk about?”
“Not here,” he said, curling his fingers around her wrist. “Somewhere private.”
Her eyes widened. “Is something wrong?”
“Yeah.” He pulled her around the back of the bar, toward the copse of trees that had been there long before Gray had built his house. When they were in the center, he checked to see that nobody else was there, then pushed Van’s back against a thick trunk.
“What is it?”
“This dress,” he murmured, tracing the line of the bodice across her chest. “It’s very, very wrong.”
Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his head to kiss the swell of her breasts, where they met the top of her dress.
“As your employer, I’m going to have to issue you a formal warning. Don’t wear this dress and expect me not to kiss you.”
She laughed as he slid his lips toward the dip in her throat. “I’d like to appeal that warning.”
He curled his hand around her bare thigh, the way he’d been dreaming about all afternoon. “No appeals,” he murmured. “Though you can beg if you really want.”
Her eyes sparkled as he kissed his way up her neck, along her jaw, pressing his mouth to the corner of her lips. She tipped her head back against the tree, letting out a soft moan as his lips met hers, his fingers brushing the tender skin of her inner-thigh.
“Do you know what you do to me?” he asked, tracing the edge of her panties. “All afternoon I’ve been looking at you. Thinking about how you taste.”
“I know.” She grinned. “I’ve been kind of enjoying it.”
He slid his hands over her hips, pulling her against his thighs until she was under no illusion how hot she made him. “Did you wear this dress to tease me?”
She shrugged. “I might have.”
“Wear it tonight. In bed. I want to peel it off you.”
“Who says you’re coming to my bed tonight?”
He blinked, his eyes meeting hers. “That wasn’t a request. Don’t forget you’re under disciplinary review.”
She tipped her head to the side, her eyes still