Page 14
Story: Her Protector on Route 14
I end up with a mojito—my favorite—and take a slow sip while trying to figure out how to start. My fingers play with the straw as I stare down at the glass.
“You know… I didn’t really expect to see you again after you dropped me off at the Nighty Nigh,” I say quietly, glancing over at him. “I kept thinking maybe I did something wrong with the kiss. That you didn’t like it. And if that’s true, I’d rather you just tell me than pretend everything’s fine.”
I take another sip, longer this time, before finally meeting his eyes. My stomach flips.
“If you’re not interested in me like that, it’s okay. I mean, I get it. I just… I really appreciate that you still looked out for me, no matter what.”
I pause, steadying my voice.
“There’s a lot I haven’t done,” I admit. “I’ve kissed guys before, messed around a little, but not… everything. And I know I can come off naïve. I act on instinct sometimes. So if I misread things—or turned my head the wrong way or came on too strong—I’m sorry. I just wanted to be honest.”
“You’re too smart to think I didn’t want to kiss you,” he says before draining his beer and setting it down. “Ikissedyou.”
Chapter 10 - Tanner
She looks so damn shy, so nervous. Her cheeks are a faint red, but she keeps hiding behind her hair and playing with the straw in her mojito like it can answer all her questions better than me. She only paused briefly when I reminded her who started our make out session. The one I haven’t been able to forget, the one I’ve nearly repeated every time I get the whiff of her vanilla perfume and the gentlest feel of her body against mine.
Holly clears her throat, then turns to face me. “You understand what I’m- I’m saying though, right?”
That she’s a virgin, that she doesn’t have much experience, that she still, for some reason, thinks that she’s not enough. Which is probably my fault for how I ended our kiss. Taking a slow breath, I move slightly closer to her. “Your innocence is part of what draws me to you.”
She blinks at me.
“I mean, you’re not naïve. You’re sweet and warm, still have a glow of softness and you’re not jaded by the world. I like that you’re ... you, exactly as you are,” I say, sure I’m butchering the explanation. “Which makes it hard to remember that I’m fourteen years older than you and shouldn’t be interested.”
“Says who?” she asks gently. “Because I’m ... I mean, it should be obvious. I like being with you, I trust you and ...”
She wants me too. Which makes my worry about our age feel ridiculous. She’s twenty-four, not eighteen. She has goals and she’s determined, so why am I holding back when she’s right here? I’m sure there’s a reason, one I should know, one that I should be able to hold on to.
Holly brushes her fingers over my hand, her skin as cool as her drink with beads of condensation on her fingers. Her touch breaks me. I don’t know why. I’ve touched her plenty in the last few days. She’s leaned into me. I haven’t let her beyond my reach unless we’re at the hotel, but ...
“Tanner,” she breathes, eyes pleading and hopeful as she peers at me from under her lashes. Her touch, her sweet smell, her voice, everything about her.
I pull her up and between my legs, kissing her as if I can fix the last few days – as if I can pack every kiss Iwantedto give her into one. It’s tender, deep, hungry, and restrained. Her soft moan and the way she pulls me closer isn’t a warning this time, it’s a fucking invitation and I’m not strong enough to resist it.
I slip my tongue along hers and let my hand slide down her back, then back up so I can feel the soft skin between her shoulders. She’s decadent, perfect, and melts against me in a way that makes me twice as determined to protect her, support her, take care of her.
When I draw back, we’re both panting.
“We should go upstairs,” I say softly before sucking her bottom lip. “Rather than doing this so publicly.”
“Yeah, that’s smart,” she whispers.
“Even if you just want to make out,” I promise as I get up and toss twenty five dollars down on the bar. “We should do that in my room.”
I take her hand and lead her to the stairs. She swallows. “And if I want to do more than make out?”
“Then I’m a damn lucky man, Holly,” I say, pulling her up onto the landing to kiss her again, and again since she turns me into a glutton. “So lucky.”
“My room’s closer,” she breathes.
“Sounds like that’s where we should be then,” I answer, brushing my lips across hers.
It’s almost a miracle that we make it to her room and get the door shut. Kissing her is addictive. She’s a fast learner and so responsive. Every flick of my tongue is answers, every long stroke, gentle curl, she returns to me until I’m somewhere between floating and more grounded and present than I’ve ever been.
When she fists my shirt, then clumsily pulls at the buttons, I catch her wrists and pull them around my neck as I bend down to kiss her deeper. I stroke down her back and walk her backwards. “Patience, darling.”
“I want you,” she breathes.
“You know… I didn’t really expect to see you again after you dropped me off at the Nighty Nigh,” I say quietly, glancing over at him. “I kept thinking maybe I did something wrong with the kiss. That you didn’t like it. And if that’s true, I’d rather you just tell me than pretend everything’s fine.”
I take another sip, longer this time, before finally meeting his eyes. My stomach flips.
“If you’re not interested in me like that, it’s okay. I mean, I get it. I just… I really appreciate that you still looked out for me, no matter what.”
I pause, steadying my voice.
“There’s a lot I haven’t done,” I admit. “I’ve kissed guys before, messed around a little, but not… everything. And I know I can come off naïve. I act on instinct sometimes. So if I misread things—or turned my head the wrong way or came on too strong—I’m sorry. I just wanted to be honest.”
“You’re too smart to think I didn’t want to kiss you,” he says before draining his beer and setting it down. “Ikissedyou.”
Chapter 10 - Tanner
She looks so damn shy, so nervous. Her cheeks are a faint red, but she keeps hiding behind her hair and playing with the straw in her mojito like it can answer all her questions better than me. She only paused briefly when I reminded her who started our make out session. The one I haven’t been able to forget, the one I’ve nearly repeated every time I get the whiff of her vanilla perfume and the gentlest feel of her body against mine.
Holly clears her throat, then turns to face me. “You understand what I’m- I’m saying though, right?”
That she’s a virgin, that she doesn’t have much experience, that she still, for some reason, thinks that she’s not enough. Which is probably my fault for how I ended our kiss. Taking a slow breath, I move slightly closer to her. “Your innocence is part of what draws me to you.”
She blinks at me.
“I mean, you’re not naïve. You’re sweet and warm, still have a glow of softness and you’re not jaded by the world. I like that you’re ... you, exactly as you are,” I say, sure I’m butchering the explanation. “Which makes it hard to remember that I’m fourteen years older than you and shouldn’t be interested.”
“Says who?” she asks gently. “Because I’m ... I mean, it should be obvious. I like being with you, I trust you and ...”
She wants me too. Which makes my worry about our age feel ridiculous. She’s twenty-four, not eighteen. She has goals and she’s determined, so why am I holding back when she’s right here? I’m sure there’s a reason, one I should know, one that I should be able to hold on to.
Holly brushes her fingers over my hand, her skin as cool as her drink with beads of condensation on her fingers. Her touch breaks me. I don’t know why. I’ve touched her plenty in the last few days. She’s leaned into me. I haven’t let her beyond my reach unless we’re at the hotel, but ...
“Tanner,” she breathes, eyes pleading and hopeful as she peers at me from under her lashes. Her touch, her sweet smell, her voice, everything about her.
I pull her up and between my legs, kissing her as if I can fix the last few days – as if I can pack every kiss Iwantedto give her into one. It’s tender, deep, hungry, and restrained. Her soft moan and the way she pulls me closer isn’t a warning this time, it’s a fucking invitation and I’m not strong enough to resist it.
I slip my tongue along hers and let my hand slide down her back, then back up so I can feel the soft skin between her shoulders. She’s decadent, perfect, and melts against me in a way that makes me twice as determined to protect her, support her, take care of her.
When I draw back, we’re both panting.
“We should go upstairs,” I say softly before sucking her bottom lip. “Rather than doing this so publicly.”
“Yeah, that’s smart,” she whispers.
“Even if you just want to make out,” I promise as I get up and toss twenty five dollars down on the bar. “We should do that in my room.”
I take her hand and lead her to the stairs. She swallows. “And if I want to do more than make out?”
“Then I’m a damn lucky man, Holly,” I say, pulling her up onto the landing to kiss her again, and again since she turns me into a glutton. “So lucky.”
“My room’s closer,” she breathes.
“Sounds like that’s where we should be then,” I answer, brushing my lips across hers.
It’s almost a miracle that we make it to her room and get the door shut. Kissing her is addictive. She’s a fast learner and so responsive. Every flick of my tongue is answers, every long stroke, gentle curl, she returns to me until I’m somewhere between floating and more grounded and present than I’ve ever been.
When she fists my shirt, then clumsily pulls at the buttons, I catch her wrists and pull them around my neck as I bend down to kiss her deeper. I stroke down her back and walk her backwards. “Patience, darling.”
“I want you,” she breathes.