Текст книги "Scorched"

Автор книги: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

Chapter 6

Andrea

The hamburgers were chilling in the fridge, gussied up and ready to go on the grill later, and I’d taken my time getting them set. Everyone was out in the pool, and I was hovering in the kitchen, wasting time watching the local news on TV, and the only thing I discovered was that someone had spray-painted a mustache on some statue in some town I’d never heard of.

Breaking news around these parts.

I moved to the kitchen door, nursing a bottle of hard lemonade. From my vantage point, I could see everyone. The deck connected to the pool in a very interesting design, with a wide bridge connecting the main deck to the pool deck, which was at a lower level since the pool was an in-ground one. Having grown up with a rather large pool in the backyard, landscaped to mimic a rocky beach, I knew the owners had to have paid a pretty penny just for the deck and pool.

Syd and Kyler were on one side of the pool, trying to drown each other, or at least that was how it appeared to me. My gaze drifted to the left, and I swore under my breath.

Tanner.

Dammit.

My lips parted. There might’ve been drool forming, but I honestly didn’t think anyone would blame me for that.

Tanner currently looked like he was posing for a photo for one of those “hot guys” Tumblr pages, especially the one with the kittens. God, I loved the hot guys and kittens Tumblr page. Whoever came up with that page deserved an award—a lifetime achievement award.

His arms were braced behind him on the side of the pool. Muscles bunched in his shoulders, and his biceps were flexed. My gaze traveled over his broad, defined chest and the tightly packed abs that rested underwater. His head was thrown back against the ledge of the pool, face tipped up, and the sun kissed his cheeks and well-formed lips. He was grinning, a private smile that made me feel like he knew I was hiding in here, watching him like some kind of lovesick girl.

But I wasn’t lovesick.

And I was hiding.

Before I made the hamburgers, I’d changed into my bathing suit and had slipped my clothes back on over it. Why in the world I had thought it would be a good idea to wear a two-piece was beyond me. For some dumb-ass reason, I had reasoned that because it was black, it was slimming. Which was stupid, because honest to God there was truly no such thing as a slimming bathing suit no matter what the advertisements claimed.

At the moment, Syd hauled herself out of the pool, her hair glossy and black and her body… I sighed. She was a tiny girl, and she looked perfect in a bikini, completely at ease. I should’ve packed a one-piece, but I didn’t think I owned one.

Clutching the bottle to my chest, I glanced at Tanner. He hadn’t moved, and I felt like one of those cartoons where the character’s tongue rolls out of its mouth. Both guys out there blew the hotness charts, but Tanner…he’d always caught my eye.

And I’d never caught his, until now.

What the hell was he up to? His behavior in the car? In the bedroom earlier? Yeah, it was weird that he’d come over last night to apologize and make sure we weren’t going to ruin the trip for Kyler and Syd, but his impromptu visit hadn’t prepared me for the way he was acting. And I seriously doubted “behaving ourselves” meant hooking up.

Could I hook up with Tanner?

Apparently I could kiss him when I was drunk.

He lowered his chin, his lips spreading wide as he laughed at something Kyler shouted from the other end of the pool. I couldn’t hear it, but my tummy fluttered nonetheless.

Oh, yeah, I could totally hook up with him.

That moment, without warning, I felt it—the flutter in my stomach had moved to my chest. And it wasn’t a pleasant, delicious feeling. Oh no, it was sudden and sharp, kicking my heart rate up.

No. No. No. This is not going to happen.

Turning away from the door, I leaned against the counter and closed my eyes. I tried to take a deep, even breath, but my chest squeezed in, cutting it off. No. My chest was not squeezing in. Nothing was happening. It was all in my head. It was always in my head and nothing more. Pressure clamped down, but that also wasn’t real. I forced my lungs to expand, desperately ignoring the way my heart raced. My knuckles ached from how tightly I held the bottle. A wave of shivers rushed up my neck and over my scalp like an army of ants.

A sharp pain lanced across my chest, and I shook my head, clamping my lips together so fiercely my jaw ached. What if it was going to happen? What if I couldn’t stop it? I would—

I cut those thoughts off as I opened my mouth wide, gulping air. Nothing was going to happen. Nothing had happened. The sudden violent anxiety wasn’t really tied to anything. It was all in my head. A handful of seconds turned into a minute, and that minute turned into two. Eventually my pulse slowed and the tingling receded from the back of my neck. Hand shaking, I lifted the bottle and swallowed.

The sliding glass door opened, and I opened my eyes, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw that it was Syd. Hair twisted over one shoulder, she was securing a beach towel along her hips. “There you are,” she said. “I’ve been wondering where you were.”

My smile felt as weak as my knees. “I was just getting the hamburgers ready for later.”

She glanced around the kitchen. “You were?”

“Yeah. Just finished,” I lied, pushing off the counter. “They’re in the fridge.”

A knowing look crossed her face. “You’re hiding.”

“No. No, I am not.”

She crossed her arms as she lifted a brow and waited. I sighed.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Syd knew that sometimes…sometimes I wasn’t okay. In the beginning, I’d tried to hide it from her, but being that Syd was going for a doctorate in psychology, there wasn’t much she missed when it came to my weird behaviors. She was one of those people who always read you within five minutes of meeting you, and was dead-on in her observations.

“I’m okay.” I took another drink and then set the bottle on the counter. Tugging the elastic band off my wrist, I swept my hair up in a quick, messy ponytail. “I am hiding. Kind of.”

“Do tell.” She headed to the fridge, grabbing a soda. She wasn’t much of a drinker.

I glanced at the door. “Tanner…he’s acting weird.” I knew I had her full attention in that moment. “He actually came over last night.”

“What?” Her eyes widened. “You didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t think it was a big deal. He wasn’t there for long. He actually apologized for being a dick the other day.” I stopped, pursing my lips. I so wasn’t ready to vocalize the fact that I had kissed him Saturday night. “Well, I wasn’t very nice either, but whatever. He stopped by to apologize. I didn’t think much of it.”

“I think a lot of it,” she replied. “He could’ve called you. Or he could’ve said something here. He didn’t need to stop by your place.”

“I know.” I picked up my bottle and then drifted toward the glass doors. Water sprayed out of the pool as Kyler and Tanner screwed around. “He’s been really flirty. I mean, really flirty.”

“I’ve noticed that. I’m not surprised.”

I shot her a look.

“What? You two have been dancing around each other since you met.”

My stomach dipped. “But why now? Why all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. Does there have to be a reason?”

I laughed. “Yes.”

“There really wasn’t a reason why Kyler and I finally moved from friends to more. Yeah, we were stuck in the cabin together, but it could’ve happened at any other point. It just did then. Maybe it’s the same thing with you and Tanner,” she explained. “Maybe you two just needed to be someplace—a place like this, all romantic and what not.”

“I don’t think he’s looking for romance.” I faced her. “I think he’s looking to get laid.”

She rolled her eyes. “How do you know that?”

“Um, let’s see. He’s pretty damn vocal about not doing relationships. Based on Tanner’s dating history—or should I call it, hook-up history, because I don’t think he really dates—I’m going to go with, he’s looking to get laid.”

“People change. Kyler did.”

“That’s because he was always in love with you.”

Syd smiled brightly. “True. But maybe Tanner has always—”

“Oh my God, don’t even finish that statement.” I snickered. “Because that would just be absurd.”

“Okay. Fine. Are you looking for a relationship?” she challenged.

I opened my mouth to say no, but I snapped my jaw shut. I had no idea if I was or not. I wasn’t actively seeking one, but if a good thing fell in my lap, I wouldn’t toss it away. And even though I probably wouldn’t throw Tanner out of my lap either, I knew he wasn’t a good thing. Well, that was a complete lie. He would be a great thing, but there was no way someone like him wouldn’t grow tired of me—of my bullshit. Sometimes I was tired of it.

I shrugged as I glanced back outside. Tanner was standing next to the pool, hands on his hips. He was staring at the doors, and I stepped back, feeling my cheeks heat. Thank God he couldn’t hear us. “I don’t know. I mean, who wouldn’t go slut-a-roo for him?”

Her laughter filled the kitchen. “Slut-a-roo? Hooking up with someone doesn’t make you a slut.”

“That I know for sure.” I sent her a cheeky grin over my shoulder, and she laughed again. “I don’t know. It’s just weird. It’s just…” I nibbled on my lower lip. “I’ve never told you this, because honestly, I never saw the point and it was before I knew you, but…I met Tanner my freshman year.”

There was a pause and then, “What?”

Wincing, I swore she’d hit a decibel higher than normal. I watched Tanner dive into the pool. “Well, we didn’t really meet. He had no idea who I was. He was just in two of my classes, but I had the biggest crush on him.”

“Why did you never mention this before?”

I shrugged and then faced her. “When I say he had no idea who I was, I’m not kidding. After my freshman year, I didn’t think I’d really see him again, just around campus, but then he turned up at the bar with Kyler that one night.”

She eyed me closely. “Okay. Now your attitude toward him is starting to make sense, and I know it’s more than just him not seeing you or paying attention. What did he do?”

My cheeks started to burn. “Remember Clara Hansen? She was my roommate my freshman and sophomore year.”

“Um. Yeah. A little. She wasn’t at your dorm a lot. That I remember.” Syd joined me at the door.

“Well, she had one of those classes with me. Clara had to know that I had the hots for him, because I think I drooled on myself every time he walked into a lecture. I mean, I never told her that I did, but… Whatever, it doesn’t matter.” I took another drink, enjoying the burn it made cascading down my throat. “One night I was studying at the library and came back to the dorm late. Clara wasn’t alone. She was in bed and she was most definitely having sex.”

“Oh. Oh no.” Syd groaned. “Let me guess. She was with Tanner?”

“Yep.”

“What a bitch!”

“Like I said, I never told her that I liked him and I never even talked to him.”

Anger pinched her pretty face. “Whatever. How in the world does he not remember you when you walked in on them?”

“He was um…he was busy, and the moment I saw who it was, I backed out of that room faster than I’ve ever moved.” I finished off the bottle. “He had to have known someone had opened the door, but he doesn’t know it was me. And I know it’s stupid, but that whole situation has always bothered me.”

“I can see why,” she said quietly.

Walking over to the garbage can, I tossed the empty bottle. “But it’s dumb. Because he didn’t know me. I totally recognize that. I like to think I’ve matured a bit since then.” I laughed when Syd raised her brows at me. “So, yeah, that’s that.”

“What are you going to do about it now?” she asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

A slow grin spread across her face. “Well, I think you’ll figure it out. But only if you come outside and stop hiding.”

Tanner

The hamburgers Andrea made were literally the best damn burgers I’d ever tasted, and I tried to tell her that, but she’d spent the better part of our little cookout up Syd’s ass, and now that it was dusk, we hadn’t exchanged more than a handful of words.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was avoiding me.

And I wasn’t down for that as I was feeling rather attention-seeking at the moment, especially since the lovebirds were plastered to each other in the shallow end of the pool. Syd was in Kyler’s lap, and I really hoped there were no shenanigans going on.

Sitting on the ledge of the pool with my legs dangling into the water, I leaned forward as Andrea came back outside. Arms crossed under her chest, she came to the edge of the pool and looked at me.

I waved.

Her head tilted to the side, and in the fading sun, her hair was a burnt auburn, reminding me of the season not too far away. Lips pursed, she glanced in the direction of Kyler and Syd.

“Andy,” I called before she interrupted them.

Her head swung toward me. “Tanner?”

“Come here.” I smacked the spot beside me. Surprise shuttled through me when after a moment of hesitation she made her way over. After that afternoon, I figured I’d have to get down on my knees and beg her. As she sat down beside me, dipping pretty toes into the water, I could barely drag my gaze away from her shapely legs. “I’ve missed you.”

She laughed as she folded her hands together. “You did not miss me.”

“Yes, I did.” I leaned back on my hands as she stared at the water. There was a freckle under her left ear. I wanted to taste it.

“I’ve been right here,” she said, splashing the water with her feet.

What would she do if I ran my tongue along that little speck? “Still missed you.”

“You are so full of shit,” she replied, but she was smiling, so I figured that was a good thing. Not good enough for me to lick that freckle. She’d probably punch me in the balls if I did that. Glancing at me, she lifted a brow. “It’s a good thing you’re cute.”

“You think I’m cute?” I reached up, tugging gently on the black string around her neck.

“Sometimes.” She smacked my hand away.

Grinning, I tapped her fingers with mine. “That’s because the other half of the time you think I’m a sexy beast.”

“Sure.” Her eyes flashed to mine. “If that’s what helps you get on with your day.”

I laughed deeply. “You know what will help me get on with my day?”

“What?”

“Seeing what’s under this top and those shorts,” I told her. “You’re wearing a bathing suit, and seeing that is something that will definitely get me through the rest of my days.”

Shaking her head, her attention returned to the pool, to where her feet paddled in the water. “You are just on a roll, aren’t you?”

“I have no idea what you mean.” I totally knew what she meant. Leaning my arm against hers, I savored the warmth of her skin and the way she bit down on her lower lip. “So… you changed your major, right?”

She nodded as she tipped her head in my direction. “That’s right.”

“What do you plan to do, then?” I asked, genuinely curious. “Live a life of leisure?” The moment that question came out of my mouth, I wanted to punch myself. It was supposed to be joke, but it was about as funny as an accident on the beltway.

Andrea twisted at the waist, facing me. Her brown eyes had darkened, turning stormy. “Contrary to popular belief, asshole, I don’t sit around all day and have people wait on me hand and foot.”

I pulled back. “Andrea—”

“I’ve changed my major to teaching, and as you know, teachers aren’t living the life of Riley. And when I’m not in class, I’m not just hanging around, getting manicures and pedicures. I spend the bulk of my time volunteering at Holy Cross Hospital. And not as a candy striper, either.” She pulled her feet from the water and stood briskly. Too quickly. “You don’t—”

Her feet slipped in the puddle gathering on the deck and she went down, her knee cracking off the edge. My hand shot out, reaching for her arm as she started to pinwheel, but I wasn’t fast enough. One minute she was standing next to me, and the next second she was in the pool, water spraying into the air.

“What the…?” Kyler broke away from Syd and turned toward us. Disbelief colored his tone. “Did you push her?”

Ignoring him, I jumped into the pool just as Andrea’s head broke the surface. “You okay?”

Gasping from the cold shock, she treaded water, her eyes wide when they met mine. Anger flashed across her face, quickly followed by a red stain that seeped into her cheeks. I doubted that was anger. Oh no, that was a very different kind of emotion. With a little shake of her head, she turned from me and swam to the ladder. Soaked, her hair stuck to her cheeks as she climbed out of the pool, her clothing clinging to her curvy form.

I followed, but she stormed across the deck, not looking back. Cursing under my breath, I reached for the side and launched myself out of the pool.

“What happened?” Sydney asked, already starting toward the steps.

“She fell.” I shot them a look. “I got this.”

Sydney frowned. “But—”

“I got this,” I repeated, and thank God she backed off, because Kyler would probably flip his shit if I had to repeat myself for a third time, because it would not be pretty.

“Tanner,” Syd said.

Losing my patience, I faced her. “I—”

“She volunteers in the mental health part of the hospital,” she said, letting me in on the fact that she’d heard a part of our conversation. “And she also volunteers at the suicide hotline center in Georgetown whenever they need her.”

Stunned, I blinked. “What?”

Kyler was staring at Sydney like she’d sprouted a third tit. “Are you serious?”

She nodded. “It’s not something she broadcasts, but I thought you should know.”

For a moment, I didn’t move as I absorbed that hidden piece of knowledge about Andrea—the girl I thought of as a rich girl, a little spoiled and definitely a party animal. Never once had it crossed my mind that she volunteered her time for anything, unless the volunteering involved drinking or shopping for purses.

“Shit. I had no idea,” I said, but that wasn’t an excuse.

Sydney didn’t respond, and guilt exploded in my stomach like buckshot. Again, I was reminded of the fact that there was so little I knew of the real Andrea. I murmured a thanks and then made my way across the deck.

Tiny puddles led the way for me once I was inside the house. She’d gone upstairs, and I took the steps two at a time. I went straight to her room, ready to admit to being a complete dick.

“Andy, I’m—” I opened the door, and words left me, flew right out of my mouth and did a power dive out the window, head first. My brain shut the fuck down. I didn’t blink. I’d never blink again, and there was no way I’d ever get this image of Andrea out of my head. I wouldn’t want to, because standing in the middle of the bedroom, Andrea wore nothing but a towel—a small towel. A whole lot of pink skin was on display, sweetly curved and soft-looking, especially where the towel gaped.

Lust—a heated, insane kind of primitive lust slammed into me and I grunted out, “Fuck me.”

Chapter 7

Andrea

It was like someone had pressed the pause button on life. I stood a few feet from the bathroom, my arms at my sides as I stared at Tanner. Neither of us moved for a long moment, but my heart pounded as a flush raced across my cheeks, down my throat and under the towel. Pool water still clung to his bare chest, coursing down his abs, forming little rivers.

Tanner…he stared at me with a heat and intensity that was hard to mistake. My knees weakened for the first time in my life. In that moment, he didn’t look at me like I’d just busted my ass right in front of him and fallen into the pool. Right now, he didn’t look at me like he thought I was a useless party girl.

He looked at me like he saw a woman he wanted—he needed.

Then he moved.

Kicking the door shut behind him, he steadily advanced on me. The thud of the door closing snapped me out of my stupor. “What the hell?” I shrieked, clutching where I knotted the towel above my breasts as I took a step back. I was completely nude under the towel, and I’d never been this undressed in a room with Tanner before. It was too much. “What are you doing up here? Do you know how to knock?”

Tanner didn’t look like he heard me. “I came up here for a reason, but hell if I remember now.”

“W-what?” I sputtered. “You probably came to hurl more insults at me.”

He lifted his gaze to mine then. Some of the heat evaporated from his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be insulting, but I was. That’s why I came up here. To tell you I’m sorry.”

For a second, I forgot I was in a towel and he had barged in on me. This was the second time he’d apologized. Never before had he ever apologized. Neither had I. I blinked slowly¸ having no idea what to say.

Tanner’s gaze dipped again, and his lips parted. A rough sound emanated from him, causing my toes to curl against the hardwood floors and my tummy to twist. That was about the moment when I realized there was one hell of a gap in the towel.

Holy crap.

Since I wasn’t a size 2 or even a size 10, a normal towel didn’t cover me completely. The towel parted just below my left breast, exposing the side of my stomach, my hip and my entire upper thigh. I knew he could see the underswell of my breast, and if he looked hard enough, God only knew what else he could see. I couldn’t even fool myself into thinking something different. If I moved too quickly, he’d definitely get an eyeful of my goods.

I almost laughed, because I’d been so against him seeing me in a bikini a few hours before, and now he saw pretty much just the same. But the back of my throat and my eyes burned, and if I laughed, it might’ve sounded a little crazed.

Tanner exhaled harshly, jarring me. “You’re beautiful, Andrea.”

Anger and pleasure warred inside me. He’d said that earlier, but I’d dismissed it. Buried it so deep in my thoughts that it was like hearing it for the first time. “Don’t say things you don’t mean. Not stuff like that.”

He frowned as his eyes met mine. “I do mean it.”

I swallowed hard as I shook my head. My fingers tightened on the knot. I didn’t know what to say to that. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“I know.” But he made no effort to leave. “You hurt your knee.”

Huh? I glanced down, and saw he was right. Tiny drops of blood beaded over my left knee. “I…I must have skinned it when I fell.” As impossible as it sounded, my face burned even brighter.

“Let me take a look at it,” he said.

“It’s fine. Just a scratch.”

Tanner’s long legs ate up the remaining distance between us, and he was suddenly standing right in front of me. “I’m sure it’s fine, but I’d feel better if I looked at it. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but why don’t you put some clothes on and let me check it out.”

I wanted him to get the hell out of my room, but he was giving me the option to escape. Shuffling to the bed, I grabbed the clothes I’d laid out before Tanner burst into my room. I stopped at the bathroom door and glanced over my shoulder. He still stood there, his hands clenched at his sides. Something about his stance unsettled me.

Actually, everything about Tanner right then unnerved me.

I slipped into the bathroom, legs shaking. My reflection in the mirror confirmed that my face was only a shade lighter than my hair. God, tonight had gone just amazing. Slipped and fell into the pool like a dork and then caught standing in a towel. I was ready to crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head.

Or down half a bottle of tequila, because if there ever were some moments to get shitfaced, this was one of them.

Picking up my clothes, I realized I’d forgotten to grab a bra. Fuck me. Seriously. Maybe I’d get lucky and Tanner would fall into a black hole or something. I quickly changed into the cotton shorts and shirt, cringing when I could plainly see my nipples pressing against the material. God was not a fan of me right then. I was pretty sure he was smiting me.

My knee ached a little, and I grabbed some tissue. I’d just sat down on the rim of the bathtub when there was a knock on the door.

“Are you clothed?” asked Tanner.

“Yes.” Immediately, I knew I should’ve said no, because the next second, the door was opening, and he was stepping into the bathroom. Still shirtless. Still wet. God, wet abs were hot. I shook my head in disgust as I scowled up at him. “I could’ve been peeing.”

He lifted a brow as he stopped in front of me. “I’d hope you would’ve said that.”

“Why would I tell you I was peeing?” I fired back. “I shouldn’t have to tell you anything. You shouldn’t walk willy-nilly into rooms.”

“Willy-nilly?” His lips twitched, and I swore in that moment, if he laughed, I was going to kick him in the balls, total kung-fu style. He grabbed the tissues from my hand and knelt. “Are you okay?”

I didn’t know what he was referencing at first. “I said I was okay.”

He tilted his head as he wrapped his hand around my left calf, causing me to jump a little. Pausing, he peered up through thick, sooty lashes. “Did I hurt you?” His voice was low, thick like velvet.

There was a distinct impression he meant more than touching my leg. Before I could respond, he went back to staring at my knee. I tried to picture him doing this on calls when he worked. Unlike now, he’d be covered head to toe, but I bet with that uniform, he’d induced a lot of swoons.

Tanner gently swabbed at the skin, dabbing at the blood. Several moments passed and then he said, “I really didn’t mean to say what I did out there. I don’t think you sit around all day and do nothing.”

I stared at the top of his head. Wet, his hair was a dark brown, and I could see the tiny droplets clinging to the short strands. “Are you sure about that? Because I honestly think you do believe that.”

His hand froze a few inches from my knee and then he lifted his chin. Cobalt eyes pierced mine. “You know, you’re right to ask that.” Settling back on his haunches, he didn’t look away. “And you do deserve my honesty. Up until a couple of days ago, I really didn’t think you did anything with your spare time. I had no idea you volunteered at the hospital or the suicide hotline.”

I sucked in a breath. “Syd opened her mouth?”

He nodded.

There was a tiny, black-haired girl who was going to get throttled. I could not fathom why she’d tell Tanner about that. Then again, she could’ve overheard our argument by the pool, which proved she could multitask while she sucked face with Kyler. I wasn’t embarrassed by my volunteer activities. It just wasn’t something I ever believed Tanner would care to know.

“I think that’s pretty amazing,” he said, flashing a quick smile. “Not a lot of people could do that.”

“No.” Most could not surround themselves with those who were ill, or listen to the calls from people who so desperately needed help. I honestly had no idea how I could do it, but I guessed it had something to do with…well, with who I was. “So, what? Now you think I put the ‘awe’ in awesome?”

He grinned wryly. “I always thought you were pretty awesome, despite my obviously incorrect assumptions about you.”

I pursed my lips together. “I find that hard to believe.”

“It’s true.” Leaning back, he tossed the used tissues in the little wicker trashbasket. “I always knew you were smart. You were taking pre-med when we met and it wasn’t like you were failing at that. You’ve always been funny. No one can twist words quite like you. And I’ve seen some profound moments of sweetness from you.”

Oh geez, the burn was in the back of my throat, and I had to look away. I ended up seeing our reflection in the mirror, and it was so strange, him kneeling in front of me, his head tilted back, staring up at me.

“And you have to know that I always thought you were hot,” he added. “For fuck’s sake, you’re a redhead. That alone puts you into the sexy-as-hell category.”

I coughed out a short laugh. “That’s not what most people say about redheads.”

“Fuck them.” His hand slid up to the back of my knee, causing me to draw in a quick breath. A series of shivers traveled over me. “You probably already know you should put some peroxide on this, but you’ll live.”

My belly was fluttering as he ran his thumb along the back of my knee. Sensations rioted. I’d had no idea that area was so sensitive. “I know.”

Curling his hand around the space just above my knee, he peered up at me again, a small half-grin on his handsome face. Then he rose, slipping his hand off my leg. Instead of straightening, he clasped my cheeks in a gentle grasp that sent my heart thundering. “Let’s start over. Okay?” he suggested softly. “My name is Tanner Hammond.”

I stared at him in what had to be an attractive, bug-eyed look. He was being serious. There was no ignoring the earnest touch to his expression. Could people ever truly start over? I didn’t think so. The past didn’t just simply vanish because we wanted it to, but what harm was there in pretending? That was something else that I excelled at. “My…my name is Andrea Walters.”

There was a brief glimpse of his smile growing wider and then he kissed the tip of my nose. “It’s good to finally meet you.”

Tuesday night was different. Not bad or anything, but most definitely different. The four of us sat on the deck, under the stars, and chatted about everything and nothing in particular. All of us were drinking, but not to get sloshed, and I was okay with that. Maybe it was the peaceful scenery. Maybe it was the people I was with. Either way, I didn’t feel like I needed more to have a good time or to relax.

Kyler was excited to start veterinary school, while Syd was eager to get done with grad school and she hadn’t even started it yet. Tanner and I were the odd people out, both of us on hold until the spring.

Not once did we argue.

Okay. That wasn’t entirely true. We bickered, but it wasn’t a knock-down, drag-out argument that ended with me threatening his ability to reproduce in the future. I wasn’t sure, even after starting over, we’d ever be able to not snap at one another.

We stayed up late, and I ended up pouring myself into bed, falling asleep without having to take a pill to get there, and on Wednesday morning, Kyler and Syd made breakfast before they headed off on their first hiking adventure.

I stayed behind, because, well, bears. And coyotes. And deer. And physical activity. Plus, I was pretty sure they’d be stopping every couple of minutes to make out, and I really didn’t need to see all of that.