Western Flame

Chapter 17

Notice - Explicit sexual scenes in this chapter

Dropping to her feet on the carpet of his room, Liana looked around. She hadn't been in here in a long, long time. It had changed.

Gone were the PBR posters, dishevelled furniture and piled up books, replaced with a massive set of dressers and some landscape paintings on the far wall. The books were neatly away, a couch where his desk used to be. All dark wood and brass. The red plaid comforter stood out, flung back from what was obviously his side of a very rumpled king sized bed.

Tanner was leaning against the closed door, his hands on the knob, watching her like a big cat stalking a rabbit before they pounced. She'd seen enough Animal Planet to know that look. So she looked back, challenging him.

He strode to her, lips finding hers the moment he reached her, his intent clear. Lifting her off the floor, Tanner headed towards the bed, and she stiffened. She didn't want to be on the bed. Not yet. That was too intimate. She didn't want intimate. She wanted raw, and hard, and hot.

He set her down.

"If this isn't okay, you tell me now," he guttered out. She could see, from the outline of his jeans and the way he was breathing, just how much he wanted her, but he was giving her an out.

Only a madwoman would say no to that, he was so fucking hot it was making her brain short-circuit. She ran her hand up his arm, flicking a glance down his body. She didn't want to overthink it or the consequences of tomorrow. Today had been a clusterfuck of crazy, and even though they were both drained from it, the antidote to the tension they were both carrying was right here, right now.

"Don't get soft on me now," she replied, and pulled on his shirt, one eyebrow quirked, a silent question. She wanted to see him. All of him.

Tanner's shirt went flying, and she held back a swear word—or two—because it was not possible for a man to look that damned good when his arms flexed, peeling his t-shirt off. She trailed fingers over his muscles, down his abs, up over his chest. Goosebumps followed in the wake as she played them through the soft hair on his chest. He stood stock still letting her explore, his eyes following her, but not touching her. She leaned in close, tilting her head up to him.

"You've grown up," she murmured.

"So have you," he replied, and hooked fingers into the waist of her jeans, pulling her flush to him with a jerk. "My turn."

Her long sleeve shirt lifted, and his hand slid underneath, his callouses rough on her skin. He kissed her again as his hands explored, inching the fabric up. Leaning back, she raised her arms and he pulled it over her head slowly, an appreciative growl rumbling as it left her body.

"Damn," he whispered as a hand cupped her breast, thumb flicking over the raised nipple under the fabric. With another growl, he bent over and his lips replaced his thumb as he bit and sucked through her bra.

It hit her how much they had changed. She was more confident, he obviously more experienced. She let go of the last doubts when he moved back up to her neck.Clumsily she unclipped her bra, and it fell to the floor between them.

"Uh uh," she hummed, and shook a finger at him as he reached for her. She was going to have fun with this. If this was going to happen, and likely be a one time deal, she needed to relish each and every moment. She toed off her boots and undid the top button on her jeans. His eyes were riveted to her fingers as she very slowly pulled the zipper down, and wiggled to slide her jeans off her hips.

"Woman," Tanner growled impatiently, and she laughed as she shimmied them further down, stepping out of them when they were at her ankles.

"Your turn, big guy," she said.