AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ha-ha,” he said. But he secretly loved that her sassy side was peeking out.
She finally slipped her hand into his, and he couldn’t help but frown. “You’re cold.”
“Oh, I’m always cold. It’s fine.”
It wasn’t, though. He was really concerned about her. They walked out into the staff room. “I don’t know if you should be out here.”
“Baby, I go where I want.”
“See what I mean? Giant ego.”
He just grinned and placed her food on the table. She sat and he picked up a chair, moving it around to sit next to her. Grabbing a piece of chicken, he brought it to his mouth, then blew on it.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure this isn’t gonna burn you.”
She blinked at him. “Seriously?”
“Uh, yeah. Why is that hard to understand?” he asked.
“Well, no one has ever . . . I mean . . . I don’t need you to do that.”
“Didn’t think that you did. I want to do it.”
“You’re a strange man, Tanner Malone. One minute you’re easygoing and fun. The next you’re all stern and bossy. One minute you like me, the next you don’t, then you do again.”
“That’s just the mystery of Tanner Malone,” he told her, holding piece of chicken to her mouth. “Open for me, baby.”
A blush filled her cheeks.
“Ooh, what are you thinking about right now?” he teased.
“Nothing.” She bit down on the chicken. Probably so she didn’t have to answer him. But he didn’t care. She was eating and that was a win.
“Hmm, I’m not sure. I think you were thinking about something else. Like, maybe you were thinking about opening your mouth so I could place my —”
“Tanner!”
“Finger into it.” He fed her another fry. “Why, Lilac, what did you think I was going to say, you naughty girl?” He leaned into her. “Did you think I was going to say my cock?”
With a groan, she rested her forehead on the table. “Dead. I’m dead.”
“I sure hope not. Would make it less fun to tease you.”
“Can you please leave and maybe not ever come back so I don’t have to remember how embarrassing this was.”
Something about those words hit him hard. “That’s one thing I won’t do. I won’t ever leave and not come back.”
Ouch.
Double ouch.
Sitting up, she looked over at him. She let all the sorrow she felt fill her face. “I’m so sorry I did that to you, Tanner. I don’t think there are enough sorries to make it up to you, but I want to try.”
He eyed her for a long moment. “You can start by eating a bit more dinner.”
She sighed. “You can’t guilt someone into eating.”
