Page 42 of Let Me Be the One
Instead of replying, Tanner just kept walking, leading her across the yards.
“You’re awfully quiet.”
“I don’t want to overstep.”
That made her laugh. “Seriously? You tell me to leave with every other breath, but now you’re circumspect?”
In the dim light, she could see his half smile. “Fair enough, but it’s different when it comes to family.Someone could insult me all day and I wouldn’t give a damn. Insult my family, though? That crosses a line.”
They reached her front porch. Callie wished she had turned on the outside lights, but she hadn’t thought of that either. She’d add automatic light sensors to her ever-growing list of things the house needed.
In the distance, she could hear some rowdy laughing and foul curses.
“Garmet brothers,” Tanner groused. “Stay away from them.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d given her that warning. As she went up the porch, she asked, “What were you going to say about Glory?”
“You want to have this conversation?”
“If you’re going to insult her, I’ll need to reprimand you.”
He huffed—especially when she opened her door.
She stepped into the house and flipped on the light, only to see the angry incredulity on Tanner’s face, and that ignited her own temper. “Hey, look, if you’re planning to say something awful about her, you can turn around and leave right now.”
Instead, he stepped in, crowding her back, and closed the door behind him. “You didn’t have it locked.”
Wait, what? “You’re talking about my door?”
“Yes, your door.” He moved her aside and set the first aid kit on the coffee table. “Wait here.”
“Not a chance.” She caught his shirt as he started to walk away. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Checking your house,because you left your door open.”
More umbrage rose up. “No one uses that tone with me.”
“You’re not in Kansas anymore, sweetheart. I told you that, but apparently it hasn’t set in yet. Around here, you damn well lock your doors.” Again, he turned to walk off.
Again, she stuck close. A different kind of nervousness plagued her now. “It’s actually dangerous? We were right next door!”
“Out of sight, inside where we wouldn’t hear a thing. Yes, it’s dangerous. Especially with Dirk and Lang Garmet next door.”
It wasn’t just the creepy woods surrounding the houses, or the night sounds in the air, or an unfamiliar setting. His worry became her own.
Tanner glanced through the kitchen first, then strode across that room and locked her back door, after shooting her another disbelieving frown.
She shrugged. This, clearly, was another thing she needed to learn.
Next he looked into the bathroom. Thank God she’d put her dirty laundry into the hamper. All he saw was her damp towel hanging over the rod.
The storage room got a quick glance, but she was confident nothing and no one else could fit in there. Reggie had left it packed. Even the closet stood open, filled with junk.
The living room had been obviously empty, so that left only her bedroom.
Staying close to him meant she bumped into his back every three or four steps. He didn’t mention it, and she wasn’t about to give him more room.
The bedroom looked the same as she’d left it. No mattress. Bare box springs.
