Chapter Eight

When Tanner’s hands caressed her skin Mia’s eyelids fluttered closed, and she moaned, lost in the feel of his strong hands roaming her body.

He slipped an arm underneath her and rolled her toward him to attack the fasteners that held her breasts captive in their lace confinement, then slowly slid the straps down her arms, and pulled the undergarment out of his way.

“You’re magnificent,” he whispered, kissing down the side of her neck as he slid down to pay homage to the perfect breasts he’d laid bare.

Mia moaned again and arched her back when his mouth made contact with the left one, digging her nails lightly into his shoulders.

Then his right hand traveled down and cupped her, and her whole body shivered.

Tanner chuckled, his breath on her skin fanning the flames of her want.

“Like that, huh?” he whispered.

“More,” she whispered back.

“You know,” he murmured against her flesh, “you’re supposed to be taking it easy. Light activity only. Remember?”

“I know what they said. I don’t care.”

“Hey, I’m just trying to make sure you don’t overexert yourself,” he teased. “Maybe we should just stop right here.”

Mia growled.

“Stop teasing me, Tanner, and take me,” she said huskily, and watched his eyes smolder with passion.

***

He took hold of the waistband of her yoga pants and gently slid them down, nodding his appreciation when black lace panties that matched the bra came into view.

He’d just reached for them when his cell phone began to ring.

“Ignore it,” Mia pleaded as he pulled away from her again.

“I can’t, baby. It might be the sheriff’s office needing me to go help somebody else caught out in the storm,” he told her, raking a hand through his hair in frustration before he stood and rummaged through his jeans pockets to find his phone.

“Tanner Greysen,” he barked into it as he seared Mia with a lustful look.

“Tanner! Thank God! Where’s Mia? Is she okay?”

Tanner closed his eyes and shook his head, then opened them again and glanced over at Mia, who had tilted her head in confusion.

You’ve got to be freaking kidding me. What, he’s psychic now?

“Yes, Blake,” he said, never taking his eyes off Mia, “she’s fine. She’s right here.”

***

Dammit, dammit, dammit. I finally have my chance with Tanner, and Blake calls?

My brother’s timing sucks. Seriously.

Tanner held out the phone and Mia grabbed it.

“Hey Blake! Sorry, I forgot to charge my cell phone again,” Mia said, scrambling off the bed to go pull her phone and charger cord out of her purse.

He laughed.

“That’s a total shocker, let me tell ya,” Blake answered. “So, what happened with Gracie?”

Mia shrugged, raising an eyebrow when she noticed Tanner’s visible reaction to her moving around his room in just her underwear. She licked her lips seductively at him and grinned when he groaned.

She fought back a giggle to concentrate on the phone call.

“I was driving down the road, and she did that weird thing she does sometimes where it feels like I’m about to lose power steering,” she told her brother. “Only this time, it actually happened. Not just that – everything stopped working. Even the headlights.”

“Wow. Not good. Bet that was scary.”

“Not as scary as having to go hike for help in the storm,” she admitted, then winced and pulled the phone away from her ear as Blake bellowed.

“Mia Diane! Are you nuts? You could’ve really been hurt.”

“Okay, Dad,” she snarled as her usual acceptance of her brother’s protectiveness vanished into thin air. “I wasn’t able to control the car, Blake, and I had to park on an exit ramp, and it wasn’t safe to stay there. I waited almost half an hour, and no one drove by, and so I decided to leave Gracie to go find help.”

He started to speak but she cut him off.

“Now, I need to call Cheryl, who I am sure by now has called out the National Guard to search for me. You two would be perfect together, by the way – she’s another one who doesn’t think I’m capable of handling myself. Here’s Tanner,” she snapped, and thrust the phone a shocked Tanner’s way before scooping up her clothes and storming out of the room to plug in her own phone.

***

Mia sat on the couch, muttering to herself as she untangled her yoga pants enough to shove her legs back into them.

“Unbelievable. He’s got some nerve,” she hissed under her breath as she stood and bounced, working the fabric back up over her hips, then grabbed her bra and put it on. Last came the tank top. Once it was back in its proper place, she stalked to the kitchen counter and pulled up her messages.

“Huh. Only four missed calls and six texts this time? Cheryl must be slipping,” she snarled out loud, and dialed, tapping her fingers impatiently on the countertop.

“Thank God you’re okay,” she heard her roommate say, and Mia closed her eyes and tried her best not to lash out.

“Hi,” she said. “I’m okay, I’m fine, but Gracie left me stranded.”

“Oh, no! What happened?”

Mia walked her quickly through the night’s events.

“So, let me get this straight. You’re stuck alone with the man you’ve crushed on for years? Oh my God, girl! What the hell are you doing on the phone with me then? Go have some fun. You’re fine, I’m fine, and I want details later, Mia. Like, lots of them.”

Mia giggled, her roommate’s enthusiasm taking the edge off her anger at her brother. “I fully intend to. I’ll call you later, all right?”

***

“What the hell did you say to her, Blake? She’s seriously pissed right now,” Tanner murmured.

Blake sighed. “I know. I know she’s a grown woman, and I do trust her ability. I just… it’s my kid sister, man.”

“Trust me, I’m aware,” Tanner said, but not quite neutrally enough.