Be with Me (Return to Haven 2)

Ironic considering their current status, but he needed Melanie to feel secure.

“Why did you kiss me?” she whispered.

Tanner eased his hand around and ran his thumb over her moist bottom lip. “Because I’ve been wanting to since we slept together and because you looked tense as hell when you walked in here.”

“I am tense,” she replied with a half smile. “You ask me to come over and I don’t know if you want to talk or rip my clothes off.”

Tanner couldn’t stop his laughter. “You’re always honest. I appreciate that. And for the record, if I thought tearing your clothes off was something you were on board with, you’d already be naked.”

Melanie’s bright eyes darkened just enough for him to see the arousal staring back at him. Perfect. He didn’t want her immune to this chemistry.

“How are you feeling?” he asked as he closed the door behind her.

When he turned, he reached for her purse and hung it on one of the pegs beside the door.

“I’m feeling good. A little tired and had some nausea this morning, but the doctor said all of that was to be expected.”

Tanner didn’t want her to feel anything but perfect, but he also knew she was carrying a child. There would be difficult days, he just prayed like hell nothing would go wrong.

“Hey.” She reached out and touched his arm. “Everything okay?”

He wasn’t ready to get into the past. “I’m fine. I asked you over because I wanted to see you, but I picked up a surprise for you.”

Melanie’s brows shot toward her hairline. “A surprise? What on earth for?”

“Because I wanted to.”

She propped one hand on her hip, pulling her long-sleeved tee tighter across her chest. “You got me a surprise for no reason at all?”

“Why is this so hard for you to believe?” he asked. “Trust me, it’s nothing major.”

“Still, I’m just . . . confused.”

That pretty much told him all he needed to know about the prick she’d been married to, or any other man that had come along in her life. Clearly she’d never been taken off guard in a good way, and Tanner vowed to make this the first of many.

“Maybe you should have more surprises in your life,” he told her as he took her hand. “Follow me.”

“Did you get me a dog? I always thought when I had kids I’d have a dog, too. I feel like they go hand in hand, you know?”

Tanner laughed as he led her down the hallway toward the kitchen. “Sorry. That can be the next surprise.”

“It’s not much of a surprise if you tell me, but if you get me a dog, make sure it’s a rescue animal. I’m a firm believer in the adopt-don’t-shop motto.”

He stopped and turned to face her. “You’d want a rescue dog?”

“Of course.” Those beautiful eyes held his and gave another punch of lust to his gut. Damn it, he could still taste her. “Why buy an expensive dog or one from a puppy mill where the moms are abused? There are so many precious dogs at the shelters. It’s heartbreaking.”

Melanie continued to amaze him in so many different ways. “I never would’ve taken you for a shelter shopper.”

“Well, I’ve never had a dog,” she amended. “But there’s no way I’d pay for one. I’d love to rescue them all if I had the land to care for them. I definitely think I’ll get at least one or two when I find my own place.”

“Maybe we should go look for a dog, then.”

Where had that come from? He’d invited her over for a damn cupcake, not to get a joint pet. When the hell could he take care of one? Added to that, they didn’t live together. Did he want to share custody of a child and a dog?

Tanner didn’t want to share. Period. He wanted to do everything with Melanie—together. While he’d resisted all committed relationships for years, he couldn’t keep denying he wanted to at least give it a try with her.

“We?” she asked, her eyes wide.