Torn by Love (Scarred by Love #4) (10 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

Lily

My day had been long and exhausting. It probably hadn’t helped that I stayed up half the night cramming for the exam I had today. I still wasn’t sure I did the best I could have. The whole situation with Tanner demanding that I move in with him was constantly nagging at me. Yes, living with him would solve all the problems I currently had, but it may only create others. Problems I wasn’t sure our relationship was strong enough to handle at this point. I worried about Tanner not being ready for that step yet making it because he didn’t want me to move to Texas. That really wasn’t a good enough reason to make such a big decision.

I dragged my bag along as I approached the front door of the apartment I shared with Logan. I would miss this place. He and I had made some good memories here after Dad died. We’d left behind our home, the house we were raised in, Logan was finishing college, and I was still in high school. We’d had to downsize. My mother, if that’s what you wanna call her, had taken off long ago, and I didn’t care if I ever saw her again.

Logan had made the best home he could for us, and it would soon be someone else’s. My feelings about that were bittersweet.

My brother and Sam were laughing at something on TV when I walked in. They stopped as soon as they saw me and eyed me closely.

“Hey,” I groaned as I walked past them.

I could have sworn I heard one of them mumble, “Oh shit,” but I brushed it off. I didn’t notice the note taped to my door until I had already pushed it open. I had envisioned coming home and soaking my exhaustion away in a tub full of hot water, but that vision faded as I stood in the doorway of my room, staring at nothing but emptiness.

My face heated and I clenched my hands at my sides. “You’ve got to kidding me,” I complained. I took a deep breath, attempting to calm my irritation, but failed.

I yanked away the piece of paper that was taped to my door and flipped it open.

It read:

I told you that you belonged with me
,

“I’m going to kill him,” I groaned as I jerked my bag up from the floor and dug inside my purse for my phone. I stormed down the hall and into the living room, where I pointed at my brother and his partner. “When I’m done with him, you two are next. I can’t believe you let him take all of my things.”

I slammed the front door behind me, not waiting for either of them to explain.

Walking straight for my car, I tapped out Tanner’s number on the screen. If it was possible for a person to breathe fire from anger, I would have been at that moment.

“Hey, babe.” I could tell by his voice he was expecting my call.

“You better lock your door, Tanner Parks. And if you want to live through the night to see tomorrow, you better hide. Because I am gonna to kill you.” I hit End and threw the phone back into my purse.

***

When I pulled up to Tanner’s house, Max was just getting into his truck. The trailer hooked to the back of it showed me that he was an accomplice.

When he saw me, he shot me a cocky grin that reminded me so much of Tanner I seriously wanted to kick him in the shins. But Max was a grizzly bear, so I wasn’t sure it would even faze him. I glared at him instead and then zoned in on the front door of Tanner’s house.

“Go easy on him, Lil.” Max chuckled as I stormed off. “Don’t hurt him too bad.”

“I’m not making any promises,” I growled. The fierce tone of my voice surprised me.

I didn’t knock. I didn’t pause. I shoved open the door and went straight to the room I knew I would find him in. The moment I rounded the corner I stopped dead in my tracks, scanning the room that had once been his. I covered my mouth as I gasped.

Tanner had created almost an exact replica of my room at the apartment. He had even painted the walls lavender to match the bedspread that now covered his bed.

“What are doing?” I asked.

“Moving in my girl.”

I turned to observe him as he rounded the chair near the window. The look on his face had depleted all the intentions I had of inflicting pain on his caveman ass. He looked so hopeful—and happy.

“We’re not ready for this,” I whispered as he closed the distance between us.

“Who says?” he asked.

“We’ve only been together a short time.”

“But we’ve known each other a long time.” He cupped my face and forced me to look at him. “I purchased this house before you and I officially started dating, but the idea of sharing it with you one day was always in my mind. Yeah, we were just friends at the time, but I knew I wanted more. I placed an offer on this house with you in mind.”

My eyes grew wide.

“I hoped at that time we would one day be more, but if we weren’t, I still wanted you to be a part of my life. Your friendship means the world to me, Lil. You’re the first person I think of when something big happens or even when I’m just having a bad day.”

He leaned in and kissed me softly. “Lily, I want this. I’m not the kinda guy to make these sorts of decisions lightly. But I can say without a doubt in my mind that I want this.”

I allowed him to guide me to the bed and slowly undress me.

Tanner had shocked and awed me. I had never expected him to go to this extreme. He wanted me here, which was evident now. It was time for me to stop waiting for the ball to drop.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Tanner

I had been lying in bed next to Lily for close to an hour watching her sleep. It was surreal to think that she now lived with me.

She was angrier than the devil when she first got to the house. But that all faded when she saw what I had done to the bedroom. I’d painted it earlier in the week, and last night Max and I had busted ass to make it the closest we could to her room at the apartment.

She had to know I meant business when she saw that. I mean, come on, lavender walls. I almost cried when I made the first swipe with the brush. I was definitely sunk like the
Titanic
. I had expected a night full of arguing leading up to some hot make-up sex. What I got instead were hours of slow, meaningful touches. Making love had never been something I wanted to experience. But after last night I had an entire different outlook. Something shifted inside me, and I wasn’t sure what exactly had changed, I just knew there was no way I would ever live a day without Lily in my life.

I left her standing in the kitchen, talking to Logan. She was laughing at something he said as I kissed her good-bye.

She had no idea what I had prepared for us tonight, but she would find out soon enough.

***

“So I see you made it through the night without any cuts or bruising,” Max said when I entered his place.

“Yeah, I was worried for a brief moment, but when her screams turned to moans, I knew I was in the clear,” I fired back, earning a grin. He and I were sometimes too much alike.

Bree came bouncing down the stairs with Paisley following close behind.

“I heard Lily was all kinds of mad when she showed up at your place last night.” She passed me Princess’s bag and placed her hands on her hips.

I shrugged my shoulder. “I have skills that make her forget all about her anger, if you know what I mean.”

Bree looked over at Max and narrowed her eyes. “Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Apparently that’s a skill all you Parks boys possess.”

Max and I shared a laugh before I leaned down and picked up Paisley. When she gave me a big smile, I had to do a double take. “What happened to you?”

“I lost my toof,” she replied. She opened her mouth wider so I could get a better look.

“Your toof, huh? Well did the tooth fairy leave you something special?” I asked.

Her little head bobbed in excitement. “Ten dollars.”

“Wow, the tooth fairy must have been feeling generous. All I ever got was a quarter.” Paisley wrinkled her nose at the idea.

I looked back up at Bree, and she shook her head no, nudging her thumb in the direction of my brother. Paisley not only had me wrapped around her little finger but Max as well. It was crazy seeing him all domesticated and shit. It looked good on him, though.

“Well, the little lady and I are off. We have to go get Riah from Mom. She’s keeping Isabella and Carley. I’m not sure I’m ready for diapers and vomit yet.”

I was already questioning my choice to keep Mariah and Paisley. I had volunteered to watch them when Max pretty much begged me. He had gone on and on about not having any alone time with Bree anymore, and then Mason laid it on thick, saying I owed them for all the trouble they had saved my ass from growing up. They were just two little girls. It couldn’t be all that bad. Right?

After my second stop I was now loaded down with dolls, dress-up clothes, and an entire tote full of toys, food, and dishes.

The squealing and giggling coming from the backseat of my Tahoe only made me smile. Who would have thought I would be babysitting my nieces while their parents had a night out on their own? Something about me had changed, and I was surprised myself.

The girls didn’t wait for me. The moment their feet hit the ground, they went running for the house. I walked inside, my arms full of all kinds of girly shit, to find Mariah and Paisley dancing around with Lily in the center of the living room.

“We are having a girl party,” Paisley announced as I lowered the toys to the floor. “Aunt Lily said we can paint her toenails.”

My eyes wandered back up to Lily, and she smiled. She was just as excited as the girls were, and I’ll admit I may have fallen for her just a little more in that moment.

“But what I forgot to mention is you can paint Uncle Tanner’s too.”

More screaming and excitement spilled from the two girls.

I held my hands out in front of me. “Uh, no. Not happening, Squeaky One and Squeaky Two. Uncle T’s toes are off-limits.”

Lily floated toward me with a mischievous look in her eye. I knew she was up to something. I also knew she was about to get her way. Damn, I had it bad.

She rose up, brought her lips closer to my ear, and whispered, “Do you remember that bag I told you not to look inside of? The one from my shopping trip and makeover day?” She nipped at my ear, and I nodded. “What if I tell you that I’ll wear what’s inside of it after the girls are in bed? What if I told you that I promise to make your toes curl with the pleasure I’ll give you?” Oh fuck me running, she knew how to work me over. “All you have to do is play nice and let the girls paint your toes.”

At that moment I think I would have agreed to wear a damn dress. Okay, well maybe not, but I was pretty damn close.

Lily knew she had me by the balls. She turned around, fist-pumping the air. “We’re painting his toes, little ladies.”

And the squealing once again broke out. What had I just done? I would never live this down.

Max was going to love this shit.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lily

I left Tanner with the girls while I snuck away to whip something up for dinner. Our toes had been painted, but Tanner drew the line when it came to his fingers.

I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face as I remembered his look of horror when the girls chose pink nail polish. He groaned and covered his eyes. He grumbled and complained, mumbling something about no longer being a man. I laughed a little too loud, earning a
you are so gonna pay for this
glare.

When I finished with the macaroni and cheese and hotdogs—because what kid doesn’t love those things—I went to gather the troops. The laughter coming from the spare bedroom had me sneaking over quietly to peek in without being seen.

There in the center of the room, with his legs tucked under him, was Tanner. He held a tiny little teacup between his fingers, his pinky pointed straight out.

“Would you like more tea, sir?” Paisley asked.

“Why of course. I have never tasted anything quite this good,” Tanner replied. “I’d love another cupcake, Miss Mariah. Your baking skills amaze me.”

I covered my mouth to stifle my giggle. If I didn’t know before, I surely knew now—I loved this man.

He looked up and winked at me before taking another sip of his pretend tea, making an
mm
sound as he rubbed his tummy.

“Girls, are you hungry?” I asked.

They both dropped their fake dishes and bolted for the door. I moved aside just in time. Tanner stood and sauntered over to me.

“That was so adorable,” I confessed.

“You told me if I played nice, I could get rewarded later.” He wagged his eyebrows.

“Something tells me that isn’t the only reason you were playing. I’m pretty sure it has a lot to do with how much you love those little girls.” I rose up on my tiptoes and kissed his lips. “You’re so good with them.”

We stared at each other, and the words that laid heavily on my tongue were momentarily halted by squealing from the other room.

“We better go feed them.” I stepped back, and he watched me as I backed away. There was a look of unspoken desire in his eyes.

I was just about to round the corner of the hall leading into the kitchen when he hollered after me. “Hey, Lil?”

I turned back around to face him. He still stood in the same place, watching me.

“You know I love you, right?”

I swear in that moment my heart thumped harder and faster. My head was spinning from how good his words made me feel. I shook my head.

“I do, baby. I love you.” He smiled.

My eyes burned, and I forced a swallow past the lump in my throat.

“I love you too,” I said as he finally began walking toward me. When he stopped only inches from me, I continued. “I’ve been in love with you for months, but it finally hit me tonight. I am so in love with you it hurts.”

Tanner kissed me, then rested his forehead against mine. “I had no idea you were my game changer. The one that would rock my world and make everything different.”

***

Throughout dinner I continuously found Tanner staring at me. He would wink when he was caught.

The girls insisted on watching a movie after dinner, and we allowed them to pick. I wasn’t surprised when they both sang out “
Frozen
”
in unison. After all, it was their favorite movie, and Paisley had brought her DVD from home.

I gave them both a quick bath and helped them into their pajamas while Tanner made a big, comfy pallet on the floor. There were so many blankets and pillows they were going to get lost in them, I was sure of it.

Tanner was so proud of himself when they both dove into the heaping pile. He sat on the couch and patted the spot beside him. I more than willingly curled into his warmth, and he pulled the blanket up around us.

During the movie he stole some kisses and whispered a few naughty things in my ear, but mainly he just held me close. The girls both passed out before the movie was over. Uncle Tanner had done a great job wearing them out.

Tanner grabbed the controller and turned off the DVD, then lowered the volume before turning to face me. The flicker of the television was still lighting the room just enough to allow me to see the gleam in his eyes. It was my only warning before he brought his body over mine and lowered me to the couch.

He slowly kissed along the side of my neck before trailing his lips along my upper chest. His tongue tasted my skin as he ascended.

I bit down on my lip to keep from moaning. The pleasure of his mouth on me was overwhelming. Being with a man like Tanner was almost like an out-of-body experience. It was sometimes hard to control my reactions. The last thing I wanted was for either of the girls to hear me.

“The waiting is killing me, Lily. I’ve been dying to know what’s in that bag,” he whispered.

He pushed his growing erection against me, and I smiled. “We need to move this to the bedroom. And don’t you think we should put them in bed first?” I asked, causing him to groan in protest. He pouted for a second before rising up and pulling me along with him. He slapped my ass, and I yelped from the sting.

“Move it. I’m all out of patience, woman.”

I have never seen someone move so fast. By the time I had the covers pulled down, he was lowering Mariah to the mattress. He didn’t even pause before jogging off to grab Paisley. After placing her next to Riah, he lifted the bed guards up on each side and spun on me with purpose.

He held my gaze as he backed me out of the room, and my back hit the wall just outside the bedroom on the opposite side of the hallway.

He smirked down at me. “You have five minutes. If you need more than that, forget about what’s in the bag. This has been one of the longest nights of my life, and right now all I want is to be inside of you.”

Oh my holy hotness, my legs were about to give out.

“Five minutes, Lil. Then I’m coming after you.”