Chapter 23
Tanner
I stand in the middle of Dani’s room looking like a complete idiot.
“Dani…...I don’t think this suits me.” I make a face as I examine the outfit, she wanted me to try on. She claimed I needed to “broaden my horizon” with my wardrobe. I hate to break it to her, but fishnets are her thing. Not mine.
“Girl. You look hot.” She whistles and circles me like she’s stalking her prey.
“Mav!” She yells and he pauses by her bedroom door. He reaches up and grips the frame as he leans in.
“Tell Tanner she looks hot! She thinks this doesn’t ‘suit her’.” She chomps on her gum waiting for his approval.
I glance over at him. Which has me wanting to crawl in a hole and die. I look like a biker wannabe.
Dani raises an eyebrow at me, and I shift my focus back to Maverick.
It’s small. But I notice the slight turn of his lip. His hungry gaze travels from my black boots, up my legs and stays a second too long on my breast before they reach my eyes. “It suits you, Vix.”
Dani smiles in triumph. “Told you.”
I roll my eyes. “Well I appreciate y’all’s compliment, but I think I will stick to my signature cutoffs and a t-shirt.”
“Whatevs.” She waves a hand. “I’m in the mood for some chocolate. Want any?”
“No thanks.” I reach down and slip off a boot.
Dani squeezed through the door by Maverick, but he didn’t budge after she left.
I kick off the other boot. “Are you just going to stand there like a creeper?”
His arms flex as he grips the frame tighter, and I smile. I love pushing his buttons.
“See you tonight, Vix.” He winks at me before backing away from the door.
I’m sitting on top of Maverick in my bed while he presses his lips to every inch of skin on my neck.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the storm,” he asks before placing a warm kiss right beneath my ear.
I shrug. “I never really told anyone. Just Travis.”
He leans back against the headboard and frowns. “You never told your parents?”
My fingers automatically begin tracing the black ink on his chest. It’s my new favorite distraction when talking about things that are uncomfortable.
“No…. they really didn’t want to deal with it.”
“Deal with it?” I subtly flinch at his sharp tone. His hands smooth over my thighs. “That pisses me off that you had to deal with it alone.”
A smile escapes me and my heart swells. “I was fine, Zeke. I can handle it.”
He gently tugs on my chin. “You think you can handle everything, Vix.”
“Most of it I can. I don’t have a choice.” I bite the inside of my cheek. “My parents weren't bad people. They were just busy. They worked a lot.”
His hand threads through my hair. “I know it’s hard when you lose a parent. You lost both.”
I watch my finger trace the shield that’s over his heart. “Yeah, it was. Honestly, I had only seen them a handful of times in the last four years. I know they loved me, and I loved them. We just…. weren’t close.”