One
Tanner
Looking down at the woman lying in bed next to him as she shifted on the mattress, Tanner Scott smiled softly as she mumbled in her sleep. Yeah, he’d worn her ass out and loved her so damn good, he put her ass to sleep.
Then again, she’d put it on him just as good and he pulled her body closer to his as he lay there reflecting on how this night would end. He wanted to wake her up so he could feel her body writhe in passion for him. Taking a deep breath, he smiled at the thought of her voice, raspy from her screaming his name. Her tight, curvy body fit his perfectly. He’d always known she was made for him. One long finger traced her lips, and he thickened at the remembered feel of her kissing his naked flesh.
His deep love for her was expressed in their whispered conversations as they lay in each other’s arms. Every kiss she bestowed on him to seal her words of love. Stolen moments with only the two of them is what he lived for. When they were alone, and the outside world was shut out, those were the times he felt truly alive.
When no one else was around to question their love or how they felt about each other, was pure fucking bliss. These private moments were the only time they could express just how deeply they felt for each other. Chantell was his entire world. His everything.
If only he’d shared his feelings about her with his family. His friends.
For twenty years, he’d loved her more than he’d loved himself.
And for every one of those years, he’d hidden his love for her from the world.
For that sin against his woman, he knew he’d have to pay the price one day soon. But that day was not today. Some would call him selfish. Others may call him an asshole. If Chantell called him hers, the other names meant nothing.
Tanner looked down into Chantell’s beautiful face and he knew no matter what happened before this moment, or what they had to deal with in the future, there was no way in hell he’d give her up.
He’d been playing a dangerous game for a while now and time was up. His need to keep her close outweighed any reservations he had about keeping their relationship quiet.
Briefly closing his eyes, he thought about how they’d gotten to this point. The things he’d done, and would still do, made him cringe. He’d be more disgusted with his behavior if the benefit of having Chantell in his arms didn’t feel so damn good.
In his quest to gain revenge against his father, he’d asked her to hide away as if he were ashamed of her. He wasn’t. She was his greatest joy and the one person who could give him peace. But Tanner knew he’d asked too much of her. Yet, she gave willingly whenever he asked. Exhaling slowly, he was coming to a decision and that shit didn’t feel right at all.
It was time they stopped hiding.
The things he’d asked her to do were beneath him and they both knew it. Sneaking around. Going out on dates where no one they knew would see them. Showing up at her home only after the sun had gone down, and stars blanketed the dark skies.
He thought of the sadness reflected in her eyes when he’d arrived tonight under the cover of darkness. Her eyes told him she was at her limit. That this couldn’t go on this way much longer.
Hurt and shame began to fill him as he took in the irony of their situation. But at the time they’d started down this path, there’d been no other way. Or at least, that’s what he’d told himself at the time.
Tanner knew his behavior wasn’t fair to Chantell, but his need for her was too great. Nothing could pull him away from her and he’d dare anyone to try. Hiding in plain sight wasn’t how he’d planned for them to live their lives together, but this was where they were. At least for a little while longer.
There were many times she’d tried to break it off with him, but he wasn’t having that shit. She knew it, too. On the occasions when she did try to pull that mess and break it off with him, he shut it down quick. Leaving him wasn’t something he’d willingly accept. Hell, he wouldn’t accept that shit under any circumstances.
The woman lying next to him been part of his life for so long, he knew surviving without her by his side was not possible. Not now. Not ever. Chantell was the other half to his twisted, imperfect soul.
Frustrated with the direction of his thoughts, he rubbed a hand down his face to clear his thoughts. With his past reactions to her requests to break things off, how would he explain his actions at the end of the night?
His friend Jason, the only one who knew about Tanner and Chantell’s relationship, told him he was going about this the wrong way. He’d warned Tanner that he was going to break her heart for good. That he was risking their relationship and making decisions without involving the other person. Tanner knew his friend meant well but there was no way that would happen. She loved him too much to simply walk away.
All he needed was a little more time to make things right. Chantell knew this better than he did. Chantell would understand once he explained what had to be done. They’d been together so long; she could almost read his mind. Over the years, she’d come to know what he was thinking before he got the words out. There was no way she’d ever fault him for doing what was best for them.
Then again, sometimes his baby just got so wrapped up in her dreams of their future, she forgot what was most important. When his twenty-eighth birthday hit, life would change for them. He’d finally have what he needed to build something real for them, without his father hanging over their heads.
Once he had access to his trust fund, they could live their life without worry. Move to another city and start over. He just needed more time. Six more months. It was a blip on the radar compared to twenty years of being by each other’s side.
And until the time came when he could take his woman and leave this backward town behind him, he was right where he wanted to be. With his woman’s warm, enticing body next to him, ready to accept him into her body as he made love to her all night. There was no feeling in the world like her warm sheath welcoming him home. Being with her like that was how he wanted to end every day.
Over the years, he’d become addicted to her special brand of love. Unless he got to lay between her beautiful brown legs and stroke inside her body until they both moaned out an orgasm, he couldn’t sleep at night. Her sensual sounds when they made love were his evening lullabies and she rocked him to sleep every damn night. Hands so soft, they felt like satin on his skin, would rub the tension from his shoulders as they sat cocooned in their private bubble. Nothing could compare to what he had right here.
As he lay there thinking about their relationship, he could finally admit to himself that he’d asked more from her than he should have. And she’d loved him enough to give him everything he needed.
Every time.