Page 34 of Grip Me Tight
I look over to Emil for support, but he’s packing up his stuff. I want to snap back that I don’t need a babysitter, but I’m already embarrassed from my earlier sarcasm about Lexxie and Vera and the last thing I want is for the guys I have to work with wondering why Tanner is paying such special attention to me. Thanks to Noah, most everyone knows I’m the kid sister, but I don’t want special favors or anyone thinking it’s the sole reason I have this job.
I take a deep breath. “Okay. Sure.” I push my own chair back and stand. “Emil, why don’t you ride with us?”
Emil glances at Tanner, who bares his teeth in what I assume is meant to be a smile before shaking his head. “Uh, not enough room for my stuff.” He pats his bag. I’ll see you there.” He looks at Tanner again. “Or not, whatever.”
“I need those photos, please, Emil. And make sure you copy them to Vera.” I say, hating that all eyes are on us. I grab my tablet and reach for my bag, but Tanner’s already there, lifting my pink canvas tote over his shoulder next to his beat-up duffle bag. “Um, thanks.”
I follow him out of the room, noting the three security guys with earpieces who fall in next to us. At the end of the hall, uniformed police officers are checking as people leave and one of the bodyguards speaks with a cop as we pass. Tanner keeps his eyes forward, not speaking as we snake down several hallways. Finally, we reach an exit where three more security guards are waiting by the door, along with a police officer who nods at us and holds the door to where a large, black SUV is waiting. One of the guards opens the door and Tanner waves me in first, before climbing in behind me.
As soon as the door shuts, the vehicle is moving and the momentum of the first turn makes me slide on the leather seat, right into Tanner’s hard, warm body. His arm comes across my chest, pinning me and my nipples go hard instantly. I freeze for a moment, and it takes me a second to right myself and pull away. His arm tightens a fraction before he lets me go, looking out the window while I put on my seatbelt.
“I texted your mom. I gave her enough information so if she’s awake, she knows everything’s fine and to call if she wants to, and if she’s asleep, well, she likely won’t hear about it until tomorrow anyway.”
“Thanks.”
We drive through the darkness in silence, his scent torturing me. I can see his profile out of the corner of my eye, his long body sprawled on the seat, legs spread, his head tilted back. I think he must be dozing, but he rolls his face towards me.
“I can feel you watching me.”
“Sorry.”
He rolls his head back. “It’s fine.”
“I can feel when you’re watching me too. Like back at the stadium.”
He stays silent so I rummage in the bag he’s dropped on the floor, pulling out my tablet. I scroll, checking out any mention of the concert, or Ajax. Most people mention it being a crazy good time. There are several posts from whatever club they were at last night, Ajax kissing a dark-haired woman. Hmmm.
“Do you know who she is?” I hold the tablet up for him to see. “I’m pretty sure Ajax didn’t have a girlfriend when he was at my parents for the Fourth.”
Tanner shifts to see the screen. “He didn’t. He just met her last night.”
“Really?” I zoom in. “That’s some kiss.”
“Sometimes that’s how it is. You forget where you are. Who you are. Everything except the person you’re holding in your arms.”
I look over the tablet, meeting his eyes in the darkness. We don’t move and the only sound is the purr of the vehicle as it glides through the city. He’s not touching me, but somehow every cell in my body feels like he is. I feel like I’m floating, caught in dark promise I see in his eyes. It’s like having an out-of-body experience. I glance back down at the tablet. Will I find pictures of Tanner like this, if I go hunting?
We pull up to the hotel and the driver heads directly into the underground parking. I blink at the sudden bright light and grab my bag as someone opens the door. Tanner gets out behind me, his big body crowding me as we head into what looks like a utility room to a big, metal elevator. He pulls on the strap of my bag, and I pull back. Giving a little shake of his head, he takes the bag from me and hoists it over his shoulder.
“I’ve got it,” Tanner says, waving off the guy who steps forward to take the bags from him.
“Fancy elevator,” I say, to cover up my fluster. It’s just a bag. It’s not like he offered to carry me over the threshold.
He chuckles. “Oh, the places you’ll go when you’re with the band.”
My ears pop on the way up and the doors open to another floor. “Where are we? I don’t think this is where I get off.”
“This service elevator takes us to a private access floor. We’ll get out here and then take an elevator up to my room.”
“I’m not going to your room.”
Tanner smirks. “According the security you are. They need to get me in and report to Laird. So, you can come with me now, and then when they’re clear, they’ll take you to your room.”
I roll my eyes. “This seems very unnecessary. No one knows me. I can get to my room myself.”
“My security team thinks otherwise and they’re the experts.” He blinks at me innocently, his long eyelashes tangling in the lock of hair that droops over one eye.
I am so screwed. My heart scrunches up into a little ball of longing. I can’t spend the entire tour like this, torn between frustration and attraction. I can separate myself from my feelings. I am not a stupid teenager with a crush. We get to the second elevator and he flashes a grin at me as security presses the up button. No floor numbers, just up or down. I guess I’m heading to his room.
