too. “Can you give me a ride back to my apartment? I let a friend borrow my car.”
“Sure. Come on. See you tomorrow at the hospital,” Keira said to Tris. They were bringing their pop home first thing in the morning.
Keira and Sean disappeared down the stairs and Tris leaned toward her, placing his arm across the back of her chair. “I need to talk to Ewan about tax stuff for a little while.
Do you mind if I leave you alone for an hour or so?”
“I’ll be fine. I borrowed a couple of books about caring for stroke victims. I’ve been reading them the last few days, but I’d like to take another peek, make some more notes.”
He nodded and rose, taking her hand to help her up as well. “Okay. I’ll see you later then.” He bent down and kissed her. She expected his kiss to be a quick one, but as always happened with the man, he threw her for a loop. His arms engulfed her as he used his tongue to push her lips open. She clung to his shirt as he took complete ownership of her lips. When he finally moved away, he grinned at her. “I guess that will tide me over ’til I see you again.”
“You’re only going to be gone an hour. That felt like a farewell kiss to cover months of separation.”
49
Mari Carr
He shrugged and her heart gave a painful lurch as she realized he truly was afraid of her leaving again.
“I’ll see you later,” she whispered, offering him another quick kiss. “Promise.”
* * * * *
Tris walked upstairs with a distinct spring in his step. Then he realized he was grinning. Shit, he had it bad. The fact that Lane was now living in his family’s apartment thrilled him. The last year had dragged by relentlessly from one nothing day to another.
While he didn’t pretend it was going to be easy to break through the barriers she’d built to protect herself, he sure as hell intended to give it the old college try. Her words earlier had broken his heart as he considered how much she’d suffered in her young life. Despite her assertions about being a strong, independent woman, Tris could see the scared, lonely little girl still cowering inside—desperate for love and acceptance.
Somehow he had to prove to her she could have it all—freedom, love, companionship.
He was determined to win her heart and, to achieve his goal, he’d decided to proceed with his plan to seduce Lane into falling in love with him. She seemed much more comfortable with the idea of a physical relationship. While he’d prefer to win her heart first, he knew—with Lane’s inability to get close to people—he’d have to start at the end.
He looked around the living room, surprised to find it empty. Walking down the hallway, he saw the door to Riley’s room ajar. He stepped inside and found Lane curled up on her side on Teagan’s old bed, fast asleep.
No time like the present to advance his plan.
He closed the door, then tiptoed over and took the book she’d been reading out of her hand. She stirred, her eyes opening slowly.
“Hey.” She looked around the room and he watched her become aware of her surroundings.
50
Waiting for Wednesday
“Must have been some stimulating reading,” he teased.
She grinned. “Not really. Medical texts. Better than counting sheep on restless nights. The journals never fail to put me out in seconds. How are the taxes going, Everest?”
He laughed at her use of his nickname and realized, with her lying down and him standing over her, he probably did resemble a mountain. He sat on the edge of the bed, pleased when she didn’t stiffen up or try to move away. He was making progress.
“I don’t want to talk about taxes.” He studied her lips, his arousal growing when her tongue darted out to lick them nervously.
“You don’t?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to talk at all.” He bent over to kiss her, giving her time to balk, to refuse him if that was her intent.
When she reached up, threading her fingers in his hair and pulling him closer, he knew
“Sure. Come on. See you tomorrow at the hospital,” Keira said to Tris. They were bringing their pop home first thing in the morning.
Keira and Sean disappeared down the stairs and Tris leaned toward her, placing his arm across the back of her chair. “I need to talk to Ewan about tax stuff for a little while.
Do you mind if I leave you alone for an hour or so?”
“I’ll be fine. I borrowed a couple of books about caring for stroke victims. I’ve been reading them the last few days, but I’d like to take another peek, make some more notes.”
He nodded and rose, taking her hand to help her up as well. “Okay. I’ll see you later then.” He bent down and kissed her. She expected his kiss to be a quick one, but as always happened with the man, he threw her for a loop. His arms engulfed her as he used his tongue to push her lips open. She clung to his shirt as he took complete ownership of her lips. When he finally moved away, he grinned at her. “I guess that will tide me over ’til I see you again.”
“You’re only going to be gone an hour. That felt like a farewell kiss to cover months of separation.”
49
Mari Carr
He shrugged and her heart gave a painful lurch as she realized he truly was afraid of her leaving again.
“I’ll see you later,” she whispered, offering him another quick kiss. “Promise.”
* * * * *
Tris walked upstairs with a distinct spring in his step. Then he realized he was grinning. Shit, he had it bad. The fact that Lane was now living in his family’s apartment thrilled him. The last year had dragged by relentlessly from one nothing day to another.
While he didn’t pretend it was going to be easy to break through the barriers she’d built to protect herself, he sure as hell intended to give it the old college try. Her words earlier had broken his heart as he considered how much she’d suffered in her young life. Despite her assertions about being a strong, independent woman, Tris could see the scared, lonely little girl still cowering inside—desperate for love and acceptance.
Somehow he had to prove to her she could have it all—freedom, love, companionship.
He was determined to win her heart and, to achieve his goal, he’d decided to proceed with his plan to seduce Lane into falling in love with him. She seemed much more comfortable with the idea of a physical relationship. While he’d prefer to win her heart first, he knew—with Lane’s inability to get close to people—he’d have to start at the end.
He looked around the living room, surprised to find it empty. Walking down the hallway, he saw the door to Riley’s room ajar. He stepped inside and found Lane curled up on her side on Teagan’s old bed, fast asleep.
No time like the present to advance his plan.
He closed the door, then tiptoed over and took the book she’d been reading out of her hand. She stirred, her eyes opening slowly.
“Hey.” She looked around the room and he watched her become aware of her surroundings.
50
Waiting for Wednesday
“Must have been some stimulating reading,” he teased.
She grinned. “Not really. Medical texts. Better than counting sheep on restless nights. The journals never fail to put me out in seconds. How are the taxes going, Everest?”
He laughed at her use of his nickname and realized, with her lying down and him standing over her, he probably did resemble a mountain. He sat on the edge of the bed, pleased when she didn’t stiffen up or try to move away. He was making progress.
“I don’t want to talk about taxes.” He studied her lips, his arousal growing when her tongue darted out to lick them nervously.
“You don’t?”
He shook his head. “I don’t want to talk at all.” He bent over to kiss her, giving her time to balk, to refuse him if that was her intent.
When she reached up, threading her fingers in his hair and pulling him closer, he knew
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