“That went well,” I say.
A happy smile flits across her face. “Yeah. Harlow has always been the sister I didn’t have, and it hurt me so much to think she might never speak to me again because of my stupid choices.”
“According to Noah, she’s missed you, too.”
“She told me.” Mandy’s smile widens. “It was great to see her again. It felt like we had never been apart.”
I don’t mention the jobs Noah and I discussed. If Harlow is willing to hire Mandy, that should come from her.
At the range, I rent Mandy two different guns and let her fire mine. She’s much less hesitant and a lot more confident than yesterday. I don’t even have to instruct her; she simply loads both the new revolver and the semiautomatic’s magazine. With ammo in place on each, she fires away at the targets, hitting her paper intruder a lot more, some shots even dead center.
“You did great,” I say as we head back to the Mustang.
“It feels good. I’m actually believing that I could defend Oliver and myself if I had to. Hopefully, I won’t.” Once we slide into the car, Mandy reaches for my hand. “Thank you for this morning. For listening and not judging me too harshly. I’m not convinced my family would be half so understanding.”
“But they don’t know the truth?”
She shakes her head. “They don’t.”
I scowl as I stop at a red light. “Why not tell them?”
“Honestly? I don’t think I could stand the disappointment on my dad’s face. I always wanted to be a daddy’s girl…and he wasn’t interested.”
With one sentence, the pieces of the puzzle come together. “You gravitated to Barclay because you could feel both like a daddy’s girl and a woman.”
She winces. “That sounds really messed up, doesn’t it?”
“It sounds human, baby. No one is perfect, and anyone who you tells you differently is selling something.”
“Probably.”
“I think you should level with your family. You’re hiding here and—”
“I don’t want to move back to New York.”
“Fair enough. But they’re still your family. They might understand a lot more than you think.”
She’s quiet for a long minute. “I’ll think about it. Where are you taking me?”
“Lunch?”
“Please. I’m starved.”
We find our way to a little café known for its homemade soups and breads and munch on a quick bite. Mandy isn’t saying much, but the way she keeps looking at me grips me by the throat. She’s got something on her mind, and I have a suspicion it’s big.
“Out with it,” I demand. “What are you thinking?”
“Why do you assume I’m thinking anything?” But her secretive half smile reaffirms that she is.
I raise a brow. If she wants to play that game, fine. I’ll play along…for now. “Anywhere else you want to go? We don’t have to be back to Noah and Harlow’s for about five hours.”
“To the villa?”
I’m not sure what she’s up to, but I shrug. “If you want.”
The ride there is quiet, but I sense her thoughts still churning. It’s fucking with my head.
By the time I pull into the garage, close the massive door behind us, and climb out of the car, the air between us pings with tension.
Inside, she pulls her phone from her purse, checks it, then sets it aside. “I should do laundry.”
“Or we could brush up on your self-defense.”
“We could, but…” She draws in a deep breath. “Tanner, I told you I’d give us some thought, and I have. You’ve protected me even when you knew I couldn’t pay you right away. You listened to me. You didn’t judge me. You’ve supported me. You’ve been everything I wanted Barclay to be, only better. While we should maybe see to other responsibilities, and we can if that’s what you want, but I’d rather you kiss me again…and maybe not stop this time.”
Chapter Nine
My heart starts revving instantly. I swallow back my excitement enough to ask the right questions. “You have no idea how much I want to, baby. Are you sure?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. Through the nearby window, the sun slants in, lighting her blond hair with a halo and illuminating her skin with a glow. But she’s more than beautiful to me. It’s somehow sexy that, despite not having known her long, I know her truth—and the real her—probably better than anyone else.
“Are you worried I’m repeating my history or making the same mistake again?”
I don’t think so, but I want to make sure I understand. “What do you mean?”
“Well, here I am again, throwing myself at an older man who—”
“Stop there. First of all, you’re not throwing yourself at me; we’re talking together about the possibility of taking a forward step in our relationship, like adults. And that’s the second distinction. You’re an adult now. You understand what sex is and the ramifications of it. So to answer your question, no, I don’t think you’re making the same mistake again. I’m older than you, sure. But not old enough to be your father. And I’d never want to replace him in any way.”
“I wouldn’t want you to. My dad and I have always had a complicated relationship, and we have to work that out. But my brother telling you I need a ‘daddy’ is his oversimplification of my desire to have the kind of man in my life who will protect me.”
“I’ll do more than protect you, baby. Give me a little time, and I’m convinced that nothing will stop me from falling in love with you.”
She sends me a tremulous smile as tears tremble on her lashes. “Give me time, and I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself from falling in love with you, either.”
Once I hear that, I can’t keep my hands off her anymore, so I wrap one palm around her nape. The other hand filters through the silken strands of her hair. “Does that mean you’ve thought more about us?”
She lays her hands on my shoulders and sways closer, nodding. “That’s why I told you to kiss me.”
“You also said not to stop. So that’s a yes?” I fuse my gaze to hers. “I want to be very clear.”
“I know, and that’s another reason I don’t think I can stop myself from falling in love. You’re honest and honorable. And you’re ridiculously hot.” She laughs at herself. “Even if we’re crazy for thinking we can build a future together after knowing each other for a couple of days, I don’t care. It feels right.”
“It does to me, too. So…we’re doing this?”
“This?” She raises a brow. “If you mean sex, hopefully that’s a given.”
I chuckle. “It is. But I meant life.”
“Let’s try. I just don’t know how good I’ll be at it. I’ve never tried to spend my life with anyone.”
“Hey, I have, and it didn’t end well.” I shrug. “Maybe I’ll suck at it again.”
“Or we’ll learn together.” She presses closer. “You always try to make me feel better. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”