Page 113 of Let Me Be the One
“I’ll make coffee. Give a yell if you need me.”
God willing, she wouldn’t have any drop-in visitors today. This morning, her entire body felt broken, though she knew it wasn’t anything that serious. It took an effort to clean her teeth and pull up cotton shorts. No way could she brush her hair or manage socks with the dull pulsing pain in her arm.
When she entered the kitchen a few minutes later, Tanner helped her into her chair and set a mug of steaming coffee in front of her.
“I’m going to take a quick shower. Blu’s already been out back. While he did his business, I took care of the goats and chickens.”
In disbelief, Callie stared up at him. “I was only in the bathroom five minutes!”
“Ten,” he said with a smile, then he bent down to kiss her lightly on the mouth. “Let me help out, okay?”
A little slow to process this morning, she nodded. “Um…okay. Thanks.”
He kissed her once more. “Drink your coffee, then you’ll need to use those ice packs again.”
That alone was reason to groan. “I hate being cold. Wouldn’t heat work, too?”
He shook his. “Not yet. Ice first for swelling. Maybe tomorrow, depending on how it looks, a hot soak in the tub would be okay.”
“That sounds like experience talking.”
“Between Kam and me, we’ve had our share of mishaps.” One more kiss and a quick “Be right back,” and he was gone.
True to his word, Tanner took a speedy shower. He reentered the kitchen shirtless, wearing only the loose jogging pants from the night before. They hung low on his hips, making her think he’d skipped boxers.
Barefoot, with stubble darkening his jaw, upper lip, and chin, he was sexier than ever—and as usual she looked like death warmed over.
Her gaze went all over him. She imagined he’d taste even better than her coffee, and that was saying something.
In short order, he took her mug to refill it, then handed her two aspirin and got the ice packs arranged against the worst of her aches.
Sliding into a seat beside her, he asked, “Did you find even more bruising today?”
How unfair that he was once again here, looking like original temptation, and she was down for the count. Seeing no reason to lie about it, she admitted, “They’reeverywhere, but I didn’t do inventory.” None of them were as bad as the two main injuries.
“I figured.” He smoothed her hair, brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek, and got down to business. “Will you let me stay?”
Because she hadn’t seen that coming, she almost choked on a sip of coffee. When she caught her breath, she asked, “Here, with me?”
“Today, tomorrow, until you’re back to one hundred percent.” Lifting her right hand, he kissed her palm. “I thought about trying to do this in stages, pushing for a few hours, then the night, taking it one day at a time. But I want to be here, Callie, and that means I need to get a few things together.”
“What things?”
“Food for Blu, my razor and toothbrush, change of clothes.” He shrugged. “Your soap and shampoo smell like you and I love the scent—on you. On me…? Somehow I don’t think it’ll be the same.”
“Probably not.” It dawned on her that he meant stay-with-her as instay-with-her. Around the clock. “I…” Her voice croaked, so she cleared her throat and tried again. “I see. Won’t that be an awful imposition on you?”
“Having to be away from you for long would be the imposition.” He was quick to add, “Not that I’ll be here around the clock. I have a couple of things scheduled today that I can’t get out of, but I want to come back and I want to be here after work. I want to sleep with you again.”
“Oh.” He’d already said that hemorethan liked her and now he wanted to stay over? And keep sleepingwith her? She really wished she understood how involved he planned to be.
As if he’d read her thoughts, his mouth curled. “For now, I want to sleep with you in case you need anything, but as soon as you’re ready count me in for more.” He leaned forward, his expression intent, ready to say something…
And a knock sounded on the door.
Frustration hit her hard. “Damn it, if that’s my parents again—”
“It’s probably Addie. I called her first thing so she wouldn’t worry.”
