Page 37 of Grip Me Tight
“I should go.”
He shoots off the couch, his long body reaching me in about four strides. He takes my phone, tapping the screen so the message stays open. “You should. But you won’t.”
I reach for the phone. “Don’t be a jerk. I know when I’m not wanted.”
He spins with my phone, typing something. He glances back over his shoulder. “No one said you weren’t wanted. Do you want Emil?”
That’s a different question than whether I want to go with Emil, and the darkness in his eyes tells me his choice of words is deliberate. I bite my lip and walk past him, lifting my phone from his hand. I see he’s typed ‘no thank you’ but hasn’t sent the message. I quickly delete the message and re-type, hitting send as I feel the heat from Tanner’s body against my back.
“I’ll get your things,” he says.
“No need.” I walk away, heading back to the couch and moving my stuff to my bag. “Pizza with a side of grumpy rock star sounds like a perfect way to end the evening.” I don’t need to turn around to know he’s surprised.
One of the security guys comes into the living room with a cart full of food. He’s removed his jacket and has his sleeves rolled up, revealing crazy swirls of color on his forearms. He’s huge, like the rest of the security team I’ve seen, and looks incongruous as he pushes the cart in, laden with pizza, burgers, fries, drinks and what appears to be a large cupcake box.
“Where to, boss?”
Tanner looks over to me and I shrug. I am not in charge here.
“Anywhere Hamish. Did you guys already take yours?”
Hamish nods. “Yep, thanks. We’re set up in one of the bedrooms if you need us.”
“I’m sure I won’t, but thanks.” Tanner says.
“Laird’s orders, boss. No one moves without full detail tonight.”
“And you guys got stuck with me?”
Hamish winks at me. “Much easier watching this guy.” He positions the cart out of the way and starts unloading food onto the coffee table. “Just have to keep anyone from finding out you’re up here. When that happens, there’s usually a run on the elevator, unless we lock it down. The others are having a wild time chasing the boys tonight. Seems like there isn’t a club they don’t want to check out.”
That sounds like Noah, and from what I hear, the twins are even harder partyers, but I’m kind of surprised Tanner is happy to hang out here. With me. I debate asking Hamish to escort me downstairs, but the pizza smells amazing. I can take time to eat.
Hamish finishes up and passes the remote control to Tanner. “Five A.M. for our run, boss?”
Tanner twists his wrist, checking the heavy watch. “Yeah. See you then.”
I lean forward to grab a Perrier, opening it and pouring it into one of the glasses with ice Hamish left in front of me. Another dish is filled with prettily sliced limes and I squeeze it before popping it in, watching it fizz to distract me from the six feet of muscular rock star who is clicking through movies like we’re on a regular date.
This is not a date.
I’m having a slice of pizza and I’m leaving.
“Hey, look what I found,” he says.
I glance up to see Tom Cruise grinning back at me from the screen, a flight helmet tucked under his arm. “No way.”
“Absolutely. I didn’t order extra cheese, but it looks like it’s on the menu anyway.” He grins and my heart squeezes.
Tanner piles a plate with a cheeseburger and fries, adding extra veggies, and grabs a Perrier before sitting down next to me on the couch. “Hand me some napkins would you?” he says around a mouthful of fries.
I pass him some napkins as the opening sequence of the movie starts, with the flight crew silhouetted in dark orange as the wind blows and a jet engine fires up. I glance over at Tanner, who is fixated on the screen, relaxing back against the couch. If I squint, I can still see the tall, rangy teenage boy who used to sit next to me on the end of the couch.
But as sigh-worthy as I thought he was back then, the man he is now is something else entirely. My heart flutters in my chest, even though I know it’s a terrible idea to pretend this is anything other than some weird interlude until he switches back to sarcastic mode – or worse – pretending I don’t exist mode.
“I can feel you watching me instead of the movie,” he says.
“Ugh!”
