Page 67 of Make It Last

“Ava?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you worried about?”

“Oh my God, am I thinking that loud?”

I loved feeling his chuckle rumbling between my shoulder blades.

“I wouldn’t say it’s loud. I can just tell you’re awake, and you seem tense.”

I let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I don’t sleep that well, and I tend to worry when I wake up in the night.”

“What are you worrying about?” he asked, his tone concerned.

My little hopeful heart cracked wide open. “Well, actually, I’ve only had one man sleep in a bed with me—my ex. When I woke up a few minutes ago, I got afraid that my divorce and getting away from him had been a dream. But then I realized it was you. Then I started worrying about what I’m going to do because I don’t really want to go home, but I’m worried about money because I help my parents, and...” My words ran out. Because it all sounded ridiculous in the middle of the night.

“I hate nighttime thinking,” Tanner said softly, his hand moving in a slow, soothing pass over the curve of my hip, into the dip of my waist, and back down again. It wasn’t a sexual touch—or I didn’t think it was—but it felt good.

“It is the worst,” I whispered. “Thanks for listening.”

I felt the curve of his smile against my neck, just before he dusted a kiss there. “Of course. Do you think you can fall back asleep?”

“That’s the goal, right?” I quipped.

“I don’t know, is it?” he teased between languid kisses on my neck.

“I like you, Tanner,” I whispered in the darkness.

“I like you too, Ava.”

That was the last thing I remembered before I fell asleep. The soothing rhythm of his palm on my hip rocked me right back to sleep. When I woke the following morning, he was gone. There was a note on the counter.

Ava, I’ll text you later. I have a few errands to run and some work to do. I want to see you again. Soon.

Tanner

His neat and tidy writing kind of surprised me. But then, maybe it shouldn’t have.

Chapter Thirty

Tanner

Ghosts at the café

I rolled into the gas station. Moments later, I was filling my truck with gas, my mind on Ava. Because, well, my mind was almost always on Ava lately.

After night one, it had turned into night two because she needed someone to keep her company. Or that was what I told myself when I texted her and offered to come out. I tried not to think too hard about how good she felt and how easy it would be to spend every night with her. I tried not to think about how much I wanted her to take that job offer.

Because then she would be here. But that was complicated. Because that meant wanting something more. I was just about to climb back into my truck when I heard my name. I knew that voice.

“Tanner, hey there!”

I dipped my head in acknowledgment, trying to ignore the uneasy jolt I experienced whenever I encountered Kathy.

“I always love seeing you,” she said, beaming at me.

“That she does,” her husband John added as he rounded the front of the truck.