“This will be nothing like a James Bond movie, Tor. I’m serious—I won’t let my daughters get caught up in any of this. As far as they are concerned, you are just the neighbor who lets us play with his puppy and sometimes eats over.” Torren tooka step back from her and held out his hand. She shook it and smiled up at him.
“Deal,” he agreed. “But just so we’re on the same page, I do get to kiss you when they aren’t looking?” Suddenly, shy Tana was back. She nodded, looking down at the floor. Torren checked the back door and pulled her into his arms again, sealing his mouth over hers and dammit if she didn’t still taste like honey and sunshine all rolled into one delicious woman.
Tana wasn’t sure if she was making a good or bad decision, but at the moment, she didn’t care. Being in Torren’s arms, having him kiss her mouth like a man starving for her taste, was probably the hottest thing she had ever experienced. No one, not even her ex-husband, ever kissed her like Torren Harrison did.
“So, you made me cookies?” He gasped as he ended their kiss. She knew she looked as though she had just run a marathon, but she couldn’t help it. Torren made her crazy with lust and need, leaving her panting for more every time he kissed her like that.
Tana shrugged, “It’s no big deal. I made chocolate chip cookies for the girls and had a few extras.” Torren grabbed the container from the table and opened it, inhaling the sugary goodness that filled the air.
“Wow, they smell good. You really baked these?” Tana wasn’t sure where Torren was going with his questions.
“Yes, I really baked them with my own two hands,” she said with a little heat, wiggling her fingers in his face. “What’s with all the questions, Torren?” He replaced the lid and set the container on the counter.
“No one has ever made me cookies.” Torren shrugged, grabbed another plate, and started drying it.
“No one? Not even your mom? Geez, I thought it was in the mom handbook that we had to make our kids cookies, at least once.” Tana laughed and noticed that Torren’s expression darkened—not the reaction she was hoping for.
“My mom died when Tag and I were six. She was sick for so long, I guess baking cookies wasn’t something she thought about doing.” Tana took the plate from Torren’s hands and put it away in her cabinet. She felt like a complete ass for prying into his personal life—they weren’t to that point in their relationship. Heck, she wasn’t sure if they even had a relationship. She just agreed to go to a wedding with him.
“I’m sorry, Tor. I didn’t mean to bring up such a painful memory for you. It wasn’t my place.” Torren dropped the wet towel on the counter and wrapped her in his arms.
“You didn’t know, and I don’t mind talking about her. She was a great mom until she got sick, and then she was just gone.” Tana leaned into Torren’s hold, resting her chin on his muscled chest. “What happened to you and Tag after she died?” Torren’s smile turned sad, and she felt guilty for pushing him for answers.
“We went to live with our grandfather, Dane. He taught Tag and me how to survive in the wilderness. If it weren’t for Dane, Tag, and I wouldn’t be where we are today. He was our inspiration behind opening our adventure store.” He kissed Tana’s neck, and she wondered if he was trying to distract her because he was doing a good job of making her forget her next question. Whenever Torren touched her body, it hummed with awareness and craved more. He made her want everything from him, and that scared her because she wasn’t sure he would want to give her more than just a good time.
“You know that when you do that, I can’t think straight?” Her voice sounded breathy and needy. Torren chuckled against her skin, making her shiver.
“Good to know, honey,” he whispered.
“Torren.” She pushed him back and instantly regretted the loss of his lips on her neck. “We were talking, getting to know each other.”
He sighed, taking a step back from her. “All right, honey, let's talk. But just so you know, when I’m done answering your questions, I’m going to have a few of my own for you.” Tana felt her grimace, knowing that she was probably not going to like his questions. She could tell that Torren was curious about her ex-husband and what brought her to Harvest Ridge, but she wasn’t sure how much she could tell him. Trusting Torren wasn’t the issue—he seemed like a stand-up guy. She just didn’t want to put him in the middle of her messy divorce. She was always one to handle her problems, not wanting to involve anyone else. If she had made the problem, she would have found a way to clean it up, and as far as she was concerned, her ex was her problem. She was the one who agreed to marry him, and she was also the idiot who went back with him after the girls were born. Torren watched her, waiting for her to ask her next question.
“What about your dad? Were your parents divorced?” Torren shook his head. “Nope, my dad was just an asshole. After my mom died, he left Tag and me on Dane’s doorstep. He said he couldn’t handle raising us boys without my mom, so he took off. We never heard from him again. No Christmas or birthday cards—nothing.” Tana couldn’t help herself—she crossed her kitchen and wrapped her arms around Torren’s waist.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Tor. I couldn’t imagine being left like that—you were so little.” Torren’s muscles flexed, and she knew that he was trying to act like it wasn’t a big deal,but it must have been. What six-year-old kid gets over being left by a parent, unscathed?
“So, I answered your question. Do I get to ask one now?” Tana froze, not sure if she was ready for his questions. But turnabout was fair play.
“Sure,” she hesitated.
“Will you let me bring pizza over tomorrow night for you and the girls?” Torren asked.
She smiled up at him, not expecting that to be his question. He caught her off guard, but she was guessing that was what he wanted. “You can even pick a movie, and maybe we can watch it after the girls go to bed?” He looked so hopeful that she couldn’t help her giggle.
“All right,” she agreed. “Since it’s Saturday, we don’t have any plans, and the library is closed on Sunday.” Torren pulled her body up against his so that her feet left the floor and kissed her. Tana could get used to being rewarded by Torren every time she agreed to his plans. He released her, letting her slowly slide down his big body, and she gasped when she felt his erection against her belly. She had no idea that she was affecting Torren just as much as he was affecting her. That knowledge gave her a heady power trip, leaving her wanting more. She needed to keep her wits about her because the girls were just out the back door, and she didn’t want them getting caught up in whatever was going on with her and Torren.
“I do have one stipulation,” she stuttered. “The girls can’t see us doing this.” She motioned between the two of them and felt her heart skip a beat at the way Torren smiled down at her. She didn’t miss the challenge in his eyes.
“You mean this?” Torren leisurely kissed his way down her neck, and she couldn’t help her moan. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, and Torren was loving every time he coaxed abreathy sigh or moan from her. He seemed to like making her needy and getting her all riled up.
“Tor.” She tried to find her voice but was finding it hard to make any coherent words.
“Hmmm.” He hummed against her sensitive spot just behind her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She pushed at his muscled chest, not gaining any space.
“Torren, we need to remember that they are only four and won’t understand what this is between us.” Torren froze and took a step back from her.
“What is going on between us, Tana?” he asked. She closed her eyes, trying to replay the last few seconds of conversation in her head. She presumed that something was going on between them, but honestly, she couldn’t answer his question. Tana shrugged.
