Sweet Cheeks (18 page)

I swallow. Oh god. That is so hot. And I really wish I could track back a few seconds, to where we were, but I really want to know his thoughts.

I frown. “But I thought you only wanted to be friends.”

Tanning sighs and leans back on the couch pulling me with him so I’m now cradled in his arms. He strokes my hair and I have the urge to start purring like a contented kitten. This is so perfect.

“I have never, not in all the time I’ve known you, wanted to be just
friends
with you.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve had a crush on you since I first saw you. And even with all the stuff you did to me in High School, I couldn’t help the way I felt. I kind of hated you for it, actually.”

“Great. That makes a girl feel all kinds of gooey inside.” I chuckle into Tanning’s chest and he squeezes me tighter and lets out a small laugh.

Then he continues, “After I left town, I got over you. Or I thought I did, till I came back and saw you in that frigging towel.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh. All those feelings came crashing back, and I hated you even more. That’s why I was such an ass.”

“You weren’t that much of an ass.”

“Yeah. I was. I’ve never acted like that around anyone else. Only you. You drive me crazy. You always have.”

I grip his shirt tight and snuggle in closer to him.

“So, why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

Tanning brushes his hand across my cheek, and it’s so gentle and soothing. “Because I had no idea if you’d changed or not. I didn’t want to be sucked in by you again and go back to where I was all those years ago. And then there was Travis.”

“Travis is an ass. He was my biggest mistake. Treasure Pot was the only good thing out of all that.”

“Yeah, well I kind of figured that out. Just took me a while.”

I smile and raise my head to look into his eyes. “You know that kiss in High School?”

Tanning grins and brushes a strand of hair from my face. “Oh, yeah. I know that kiss.”

I reach up and rub my fingers over the stubble on his chin, then trail my finger over his perfect lips. “Do you want to know a secret? One I’ve kept for years...”

Tanning nods, still grinning.

“That was the best kiss I ever had.”

Tanning bites my finger and a zing of electricity shoots through my whole body. “Is that a fact?”

My breath hitches as his eyes glaze over and he stares at me, then he leans down and brushes his lips over mine and it’s the sweetest most gentle kiss. But I’m hungry for more and I press my lips harder to his, when I feel his lips turn into a smile and he pulls away again. I let out a whimper.

“Now, since we’re both in a
chatty
mood, stop distracting me, and start fessing up. I meant what I said, I want you to tell me about tonight.”

I twist my swollen lips and play with the buttons on Tanning’s shirt. I could keep distracting him. I don’t think it would take much. But that was the old manipulative Jennifer. I don’t want to manipulate Tanning. I want to be honest with him. But I have to know something first.

“Why haven’t you told your parents about me?”

“What?”

“I um ... I was home before. When your cousin was here, and I kind of heard what she said.”

“Shit. I’m so sorry Jen. She had no right to say those things. She’s just a little protective of me. Acts more like my older sister.”

“Yeah, well I’ve heard worse. And I do get it. I’m not exactly the kind of girl you’d want to introduce to your parents. They’d probably think I was a sl ...”

I don’t get to finish that sentence as Tanning captures my lips in another kiss and takes my breath away.

“Don’t. Don’t ever say that about yourself,” he breathes hot and heavy, resting his forehead on mine. “You’re amazing. You blow me away with how brave you are, with all that you’ve gone through and now with the baby.”

Oh wow, that kind of makes my heart squeeze in my chest. No one has ever said that about my decision to keep Treasure Pot. Most people either dodge the conversation, or give me sympathetic glances, or dismiss me as being a town whore, because I got knocked up by a fly-by-nighter.

Suddenly I want Tanning to know I’m not like that. I grab his hand and hold it to my face. “Thank you. Thank you for saying that. It means a lot. But I really want you to know, Travis was a mistake. And well, he was only my second mistake.”

“Huh?” Tanning says, wrinkling his cute brow.

“Yeah. I know what the rumour mill spread at school. Hell, I fuelled most of those rumours. All the guys were on board with it, as it made them look good. But in all honesty, except for Will, none of the others got past second base. I slept with Will after graduation, only because I got drunk and I was depressed. You know after losing everything.”

Tanning sighs and rubs my back.

“And Travis. Well Travis, was a way for me to get Cam’s attention. Stupid, I know. You were right about me trying to get between him and Bailey. That was my plan, initially, and then you showed up, and you kind of turned my world upside down.”

“I did, huh?”

“Yeah. Big time.”

“So ... what about this Jason guy? Where does he fit into all this?”

I blow out a breath. “He’s a drug dealer, and apparently, Travis is his best customer.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. And he wants to black mail me.”

Tanning sits up straight and pulls me up with him. “He wants to what?”

I take another big breath and explain it all. The whole conversation between Jason and me on the dance floor.

“Jesus, Jen. And you were going along with it?”

I shiver a little and suddenly want to take a shower, remembering Jason slobbering all over me, and how I agreed to let him do other unspeakable things.

“And you weren’t going to tell me?”

I give my head a small shake and Tanning narrows his eyes. “Why not?”

“Um ... because it’s not your problem. I made this mess. I need to deal with it.”

Tanning grabs my chin. “You’re not alone anymore Jen. You never have been. I’ve been right here. And Travis and Jason are to blame, not you. I could seriously kill them both after what they’ve done to you.”

“No.” I cry out. “Please. You can’t get involved. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you. Please ... please promise me.”

Tanning strokes my hair, and I snuggle in close to his gorgeous chest.

“Okay, Sweet Cheeks. I won’t go near them, but neither are you.” He kisses the top of my head and I close my eyes and take in the warmth and comfort of him.

There is not a place on earth I want to be more than right here, right now. I bathe in the scent of Tanning, and for the first time in a long time, sigh in pure contentment and pure relief.

TWeNTY

_________________________

I slowly open my eyes and blink. I’m not sure I remember coming to bed last night, but here I am. Sitting up, I check what I’m wearing. My pink pyjama pants and matching t-shirt. I definitely don’t remember putting those on, or coming to bed. Then I rewind back to last night. Mmmmm ... Tanning. Cuddling in his big strong arms.

Oh, my.

I start to wonder for a small second if that was just the best damn dream ever, when there’s a knock at my bedroom door, and Tanning is standing in the doorway, a tray in his arms, a big grin on his face.

Oh, boy I could get used to waking up to that every single morning. Though it would be a hundred percent better if he was lying naked, next to me and not standing fully dressed in my doorway.

“Morning, Sweet Cheeks, I brought you some breakfast.”

He strides into the room and comes over to my side of the bed. I pull myself up and rest a pillow behind my head while Tanning places a tray filled with a plate of bacon and eggs, a tall glass of orange juice and a pink rose in a vase. Wow. He is just the sweetest guy in the universe. He bends down and gives me a quick peck on the forehead.

I tilt my head and smile wide. “What did I do to deserve this treatment?”

He shrugs. “No reason. You’ve been cooking for me for the past month, thought it was about time I returned the favor.”

“I like cooking for you,” I say in all honesty.

Tanning sits on the edge of the bed and sweeps a lock of my blonde hair behind my ear, then strokes my cheek. If he keeps that up, I won’t be having bacon and eggs for breakfast I’ll be devouring those gorgeous lips of his, which I can’t help staring at right now.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he growls. “Eat, your food, then we need to talk.”

Oh, crap. I roll my eyes. If he’s going with the whole,
last night was a mistake routine
, I’m going to punch him. That or hold him down and remind him what a good idea last night was.

Tanning chuckles, then tweaks my nose. “You are too cute for your own good. And it’s not what you’re thinking.”

How the hell does he read me so well?

I swear he’s the only one who has ever got beneath the steel guard I usually keep firmly in place.

“What is it then?” I ask.

Tanning sighs long, reaches for the knife and fork, unwraps them from the cloth napkin, he really has gone all out, then proceeds to cut up my breakfast and feed it to me. Oh lord, I never knew eating could be so seductive. Every mouthful he feeds me, is sending hot tingles to all the right places, and I’m finding it hard to swallow. Even though it tastes divine and I’m hungry. I’m more hungry for a certain hot someone who is dressed in his gray sweat pants and tight white t-shirt, which I’m having fantasies of ripping off him right now.

Tanning licks his lips as he slices through the last bit of bacon and eggs mix, and feeds it to me. My heart is racing, then it near explodes out of my chest when he reaches across the tray and wipes some egg from my lips and puts his finger in my mouth to lick it off.

Holy crap
.

Tanning stares at me with such intensity, I make a point of seductively biting on his finger before he slowly removes his finger from my mouth.

“Jesus, Jen,” he whispers as he quickly removes the tray from my lap and moves to lie over me, in a push up pose, his lips a mere breath from mine. He’s obviously trying to be careful not to lie directly on my swollen stomach. Then he pushes his body down a fraction and gives me a light kiss, before attempting to push up again, but I lock my arms around his neck, keeping him in place.

 ”Now, how about we try that again.” I say softly, against his mouth then part my lips so we can deepen the embrace. God he tastes, like the sweetest fruit and I can’t get enough. I want him closer, there is too much space between us, so I try to pull him down and wrap my legs around his lower half. That’s when he breaks our kiss and rolls off me.

Aw. That wasn't what I was going for.

I can hear him taking deep breaths, like he’s trying to calm down. I close my eyes and do the same, not sure why he’s not ready for this next move. I mean I know he likes me, and it’s a no brainer that I feel the same way. Not really sure what the problem is.

Then I feel a stroke on my cheek and I turn my head and open my eyes, to see Tanning looking at me. “Jen, we really need to talk.”

I twist my lips, and give him a small nod. “Okay.”

It’s just at that moment Treasure Pot decides to wake up for the day and gives me big kick. I startle a little bit, surprised at how strong that one was. He’s going to be a football player or a karate instructor for sure.

Tanning shifts closer. “You alright?” he asks, with a small frown creasing his cute forehead.

“Yeah. Just Treasure Pot saying good morning,” I say with a chuckle and give my stomach a rub.

Tanning bites his lip and looks down to my swollen belly. “Um ... can I ... can I feel ... “

“ ... Feel me up? Thought you’d never ask,” I cut in, and let out a giggle, at the wide eyed expression Tanning is giving me.

Tanning grabs my two wrists and puts them above my head with one of his big strong hands.

“You’re honestly killing me here, Sweet Cheeks. I think you might have to pay for that one.”

Oh, I’ll pay alright. I’ll pay with whatever punishment he wants to give me. I lick my lips and Tanning growls at me again. “Stop that, or I’ll have to spank you.”

O.M.G. Why does that sound so hot?

I mean I’ve never been into that, I’ve read about in a heap of romance novels, but never thought I’d ever contemplate it in my own sex life. Now with Tanning just mentioning it, I’m like a puddle of jelly at his disposal, ready and willing to do whatever the hell he wants.

I swallow and lick my lips again.

“Shit, JJ. I’m seriously going to lose it, you’re driving me crazy.”

I flutter my eyelashes and bite my lip this time. He’s still got my wrists in a tight grip and he rolls onto his side and presses his body up against mine. Wow, well that is so much better. Note to self, biting and licking your lips makes Tanning all kinds of sexy crazy. Good note.

“I meant, can I feel the baby move,” he says shaking his head at me.

Oh. Now he’s talking about Treasure Pot and being adorable, I kind of lose the lusty vibe we had going on.

I give a small smile and nod. He lets my wrists go and I reach for his hand and put it under my t-shirt, positioning it on my belly.

“You might have to wait a little bit,” I say, then watch Tanning. He’s frowning in concentration, like he’s waiting for the jack-in-the-box to pop up. Then Treasure Pot gives a little kick, and Tanning jumps back in surprise, wonderment written across his face.

“Wow, he packs a punch,” he says, his eyes still shining with excitement.

“He’s a feisty little fellow,” I say, as Tanning puts his hand on my tummy again, grinning a goofy grin.

I’d like to say that having his gorgeous hands on my bare skin, was erotic, but in this moment it’s far from that, it’s more like the sweetest thing in the world, and I can feel tears burning my eyes. Right here, right now, for the first time, I really wish this moment was for Tanning. I wish with all my heart the baby was his.

 A tear leaks from my eye, and Tanning moves his hand away from my stomach, and reaches up to wipe the tear from my face. “Hey, what’s wrong?”