He was hard almost immediately. She scooted forward, her body brushing against him as he let out a sigh. Then she was kissing him, her hands still tethering his wrists to the ground, her body wriggling all over his.
He could have pulled his hands away easily. Could have flipped her over and ground his body into hers until she was gasping with pleasure. But he was curious as to what she’d do next.
“Hmm,” she breathed, his nose brushing against his. “I kind of like being in control.”
“When it comes to us, you’re always in control,” he said, swallowing a groan as she laid herself over him, her groin pressing into his.
“If I’m in control then I can do this, right?” She tugged at his Henley, pulling it up until his skin was exposed to the cool evening air. Then she slithered down, pressing her lips against his stomach, her mouth warm against his skin.
He was achingly hard. So aware of her lips as they slid down his abdomen, reaching the thick leather of his belt. Her fingers pulled it loose, then deftly unfastened his jeans, her hand sliding under the waistband of his shorts, until she closed her fingers around him.
Slowly, she slid her palm up, the friction oh-so-good yet not nearly enough. He thrust his hips against her and she looked up at him with a smile. “Am I torturing you enough yet?” she asked.
“Oh yeah.”
Without saying another word, she slid her hands beneath his waistband and released him, sliding her lips around his plush head. He closed his eyes, Jerry Maguire and his money long forgotten, as he submitted himself to the pleasure only she knew how to give.
The movie was coming to an end. Van was laying back against Tanner, his arms circled around her as he leaned back against the grill of the car. His fingers were tracing circles along her abdomen, his lips pressed against the top of her head as they watched Jerry walk into his house. It was full of women. They all stared at him as he declared his love for his wife.
Jerry’s voice cracked as he told Dorothy that his life wasn’t complete without her, and it made Van’s breath catch.
Tanner shifted her slightly on his lap, leaning forward until his chin was against her shoulder. “Are you crying?”
“Not yet.” She bit her lip. “Give me a minute.” Jerry told his wife that he missed her, and Van felt her throat tighten as tears pooled in her eyes.
“Don’t cry, baby,” Tanner said, kissing her cheek.
“I can’t help it. It’s just so beautiful.”
“You think Tom Cruise crying is beautiful?”
She shook her head. “I think a man admitting he’s lost without his woman is just…” Van sighed. “It’s just everything.”
“I was lost without you.”
She sniffed. “Stop it.”
He brushed his lips against her ear. “I was. I fucking missed you. Every day. I’d meet new people – friends – and wonder if they could ever fill the space you left.” He scooped her hair over her shoulder, then kissed her neck. “And they didn’t. Not one of them.”
He splayed his fingers across her stomach, pressing her closer into him. “It was always you, Van. Always. And I’m so damn glad you came home.”
She was crying now. Hot tears trailed down her cheeks to her chin, dropping onto her chest. He turned her around until she was straddling him, his hands cupping her face.
“Don’t cry.”
“I can’t help it. You’re beautiful, too.”
He shook his head. “I’m a cartoon next to an old master.”
“I missed you, too,” she whispered. “So much.” And maybe she hadn’t realized how much until now. All those victories when she’d turn to tell somebody, but he was never there. The sad movies and the happy parties, the wins at work and the nights she couldn’t sleep. He was her ghost limb, a memory that never left. And now he was here, in beautiful Technicolor.
“You’re mine,” she whispered, as much to herself as to him. She was full of wonder as she touched him, tracing the line of his nose, the swell of his bottom lip.
“Damn right I am.” He leaned his face into the crook of her neck, kissing her skin. “So now will you let me tell everybody?”
“I already told Zoe.”
He chuckled against her neck. “You did?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s good. Because I told Logan,” he said sheepishly.
She grinned at him. “I think Maddie’s guessed as well. We’re such terrible liars, aren’t we?”
“Nah. Some things are just too good not to share. So when are you going to let me parade you through town?”
She shook her head. “Not happening, Hartson. But maybe we can start, I don’t know, being seen together or something? After the opening gala, maybe. Let’s get through that first.”
“The day after the gala.” He nodded seriously.
“Yeah. We can go for brunch or something. Keep it casual.”
He slid his hands beneath her, his fingers cupping her behind as he dropped his lips to hers. “One thing you need to know, babe, is that there’s nothing casual about us.” He kissed her hard. “I’m serious as hell about you. Just so we both understand.”
She leaned forward to kiss him again. “Understood and reciprocated,” she whispered against his soft lips.
For the first time in forever, it felt like her life was sliding into place. Piece by piece, things were getting better. Zoe was happy, her mom was sober, and she was in love with Tanner Hartson, the first boy to ever steal her heart.
Maybe it really was possible to have it all.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Zoe, your friends are here,” Tanner called out, pulling open the office door. As soon as he saw her sitting with Van at the brand new desk they had delivered yesterday he grinned. “And the refreshment booth is officially open. Show time is in twenty minutes.”
Van had been showing Zoe around the drive-in while they waited for her friends to arrive for the dry run. And of course she’d been most excited by the refreshment stand. The construction team had finished the installation three days earlier, and this was the first time they were trying everything out in real time.
“They’re here? Oh boy!” Zoe’s face lit up as she looked up at him. Van was pretty sure he had a fan for life.
She was still choked up that Tanner had been so thoughtful to let Zoe’s friends come to their dry run. Last weekend they’d all gone to Maroon 5 without her, and Tanner had taken Zoe and Van over to Gray’s studio, where he’d played her some of his new songs, and put a photograph of the two of them on his Instagram account. For the past week, Zoe had been like a superstar at school, especially now that her entire class was invited to watch the newest Troll movie with free refreshments.
“A few of the parents are hanging around,” Tanner told Van as Zoe rushed out of the office and down the metal stairs. “I told them I’d give them a backstage tour and grab them refreshments. I figured the kids won’t want them cramping their style.”
Van smiled at him. “You’re pretty good at this, aren’t you?”
“At what?”