Twice as Sexy (The Sexy 2)

His taste lingered and she agreed. This day had been as special as the man himself.

A little while later, they were in an Uber on the way to her apartment.

Scarlett lay her head on Tanner’s shoulder, overwhelmed in the very best way. Even if she’d celebrated her birthday every year as a child, she couldn’t imagine anything better than what he’d given her today.

She sighed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, threading his hand through hers.

“I’m just tired.” She wasn’t lying but she couldn’t share what she’d really been thinking. That would come soon enough.

Because though she’d never had such sexual chemistry with a man, let alone synced on a personal level, Tanner was the one man who could distract her from her goals. And she’d promised her brother, while standing at the cemetery, nobody else would go free and not pay for their crimes if she could help it.

She wasn’t looking forward to ending things with him. They’d barely begun and what they had experienced was real, genuine, and fun. But timing was everything, and if she looked at her life and the goals she’d laid out for herself, she had no choice.

Chapter Four

As Scarlett’s head rested on Tanner’s shoulder, nothing had ever felt so right, but he couldn’t stop the concerning thoughts circling through his mind.

A district attorney. At her words, everything inside him had frozen. His past, his secrets, the things he was ashamed of were all tied to his acting out and ending up on the wrong side of the law thanks to the temper he worked to keep in check, though it was only directed at people who hurt those he loved. And he knew damn well why he had such an anger issue too. As a kid, he’d felt impotent against the father who used words as a weapon, and he’d been powerless to do anything to stop him from belittling him and his sister. The anger would build and build, but he couldn’t direct it at his parent, so he acted out against others who hurt those he cared for.

As she’d spoken, he’d had to do his best to school his features and hide his emotions, not wanting Scarlett to know her career had thrown him for a loop. Although it sure as hell had reinforced the fact that she was too good for him.

The Uber pulled up to the curb outside her apartment and they exited the vehicle. In silence, he led her to her apartment, his hand on her back.

Once at her door, she turned to face him. “Tanner–”

“Scarlett–” he said at the same time. He shook his head. “You first.”

She visibly swallowed hard. “I had such a good time today. I mean, you have no idea what the birthday celebration meant to me and I’ll never forget it. But I meant what I said when I told you my job is all consuming. I don’t know how to carve out time for a relationship.”

Although he hadn’t let himself think about where they were going from here, she’d made her position clear this morning. He had pushed for more, had hoped their day together would change her mind. But now that he knew her career, well, he understood they couldn’t be more different.

Had he planned to end things? No. Hell, he wasn’t even sure what he’d been about to say, but she was giving him an out.

An out he didn’t want to take. He brushed her hair off her cheek, stroking her skin with his hand as he did. “I’m going to give you what you want for now. I’ll back off.”

Meanwhile, he’d take the time to think and regroup. But not before he gave her something to remember him by. Leaning in, he sealed his mouth over hers.

Without hesitating, she parted and let him in, her tongue tangling with his as if they’d been doing this dance forever. And as he took his time, sliding his lips over hers, teeth clashing, mouths devouring, one thought went through his mind. He could see himself doing just that.

* * *

Shaken by the depth of his feelings and today’s revelation, Tanner headed to the club. He didn’t want a drink. Since Levi’s death, he usually avoided alcohol for himself, which made the fact that he owned the club somewhat ironic. But when they’d decided to open a business and Jason’s cousin Gabe had expressed interest in helping them start up what he knew best, the nightclub idea had been born.

Right now he needed to be with the men who understood him best. He passed through the busy club, taking a moment to appreciate what they’d created together before joining his partners in the office on the second floor. He found the guys sitting at their desks, feet propped up, chilling, screens around them showing various sections of the club downstairs.