“No, you weren’t.” She moved to grab the plate again but he stopped her.
Stroking a finger along her temple, her ear, and then her jaw, watching the movement of his touch, he said, “You have a lot to offer, Callie. I don’t like thinking you aren’t going to ever try again to find the right guy.”
She shook her head, even as something deep inside her quivered. She didn’t know if it was because he clearly meant every word or because she understood he wasn’t talking about himself. Or maybe she was just hungry. “Why does it matter to you?”
He was quiet a moment. “You matter to me.”
The words were a little thrill, but they came with some of that pain he’d not wanted to cause her. “Let me get this straight,” she said slowly. “You want me to find a guy. The right guy.”
“Yeah.”
“Now?” she asked. “Because I should probably change out of your shirt first.”
He took her in from head to toe, slowly. “At the risk of sending mixed messages,” he finally said, yanking her into him, “you’re not going anywhere.” He slid his hands beneath the shirt, cupped a cheek in each hand, and hoisted her up until she wrapped her arms and legs around him. He carried her to the bed, which was now minus most of its bedding thanks to their extracurricular activities.
And oh, holy cow, they’d had some serious extracurricular activities. Like the most amazing extracurricular activities she’d ever had. The night was a bright one, a million stars and a near-full moon bathed them in a light blue glow.
Tanner went back for the snack plate. When he sat at her side, he set the plate down and pulled the shirt over her head, tossing it to the floor so that they were both once again naked.
“Hey,” she said, and lifted a hand to cover herself.
He took that hand in his and brought it to his mouth, his eyes dark as he studied her. “Snacks consumed after midnight have to be consumed naked. It’s a rule.”
“Where?” she asked. “Where is that a rule?”
“In the rule book. Damn, Callie,” he said softly, reaching out to feed her a bite of cheese, “you look good in nothing but moonlight.”
He ran a finger along a red spot at her throat, where he’d buried his face as he’d come. “I marked you.”
“Oh.” She covered the spot. “It’s okay, I—”
“You what?”
“You know exactly how much I liked what we did,” she said, picking up a piece of apple and cheese and stuffing it in her mouth. “I didn’t think I needed to stroke your ego by saying it out loud.”
He laughed and when he did, his eyes lit, his mouth curved, and he let her see everything he was feeling in that moment. It was even more intimate than being naked. As she stared at him, soaking him up, she…choked.
Still laughing, he pulled her closer and gently patted her on the back. “Sorry,” he said.
“Not your fault,” she said. “You look good laughing.”
She picked up the plate and busied herself making a selection. She’d never eaten naked before. It felt incredibly revealing and yet somehow freeing at the same time. Still, she was pretty sure she wasn’t ever going to be a nudist. How did one cook nude anyway? She’d have to give up bacon. And fried chicken. She really liked bacon and fried chicken—
“You’re talking to yourself because?” Tanner asked, relaxed and sprawled out for her viewing pleasure like he’d forgotten he was butt-ass naked. And why shouldn’t he? He looked amazing.
“I’m not talking to myself,” she said.
Looking amused, he grabbed the plate and returned it to the kitchen. Coming back to the edge of the bed, he was limping more than he had earlier in the night. She waited, holding her breath. Was he going to stay? Go? “Your leg’s bothering you,” she said softly.
He didn’t answer. Which was the same thing in testosterone-guy-speak as yeah, his leg was bothering him. And then she realized that he was waiting for her to make a decision on the rest of the night. Holding his gaze, she lifted up the covers in an open invitation.
He slid in and pulled her in close, his big body warm and solid against her.
“Can I get you something?” she asked, shivering in delight when he buried his face in her neck. “Advil? A hot pack? A massage?”
She felt him smile against her skin. “You want to give me a rubdown?” he asked, voice husky.
“Would it make you feel better?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “A beautiful woman touching my body would make me feel a lot better.”
“Do you always make everything dirty?”