She opened her mouth to respond to that and his lips caught hers, his tongue making itself right at home with hers.
“The next time,” he said when they broke free for air, “it will be forever. Now.” He waited until she looked up at him. “Say it again. Tell me what I want to hear while you’re looking at me, talking directly to me.”
She waited for the chest pain of anxiety to hit but it didn’t. In fact, the words were right there on her tongue, ready to be said. “I love you, Tanner.”
He let out a whoosh of air and pressed closer, dropping his forehead to hers, making her realize she hadn’t been the only one feeling the strain of a possible rejection.
Then he lifted his head a fraction of an inch. His mouth brushing against hers, he said, “Again.”
She cupped his scruffy jaw and met his gaze. “I love you,” she told him.
His mouth curved. “Did it hurt?”
She laughed softly. “No.”
“Good. Again.”
She kissed one side of his jaw, and then kissed the other, and then his chin. And finally his mouth. “I love you,” she said against his lips.
He caressed her cheek with his thumb, the palm of his hand warm against her jaw line. “I’m not going to be able to get enough of that.” He entwined their fingers and put her hand to his chest so that she could feel his heart beating strong. “It hurt when I thought I’d blown it enough that I might not ever hear that from you,” he said.
“You didn’t blow it,” she told him. “I did, by not letting myself free fall for you even after I knew you’d catch me.”
“Always,” he vowed, and brought tears to her eyes.
“It’s you and me together now,” she said, giving him a vow in return. “I won’t hold back again.”
“I know. But you and I are still in a vulnerable place,” he said. “I want a commitment.”
She stared at him, her heart surging with emotion. Good emotion. “A commitment?”
“Yeah,” he said, and then kissed her.
Just as the kiss got as serious as his statement, including a good amount of tongue and heat, there was a knock at the back door.
“Ignore it,” Tanner said. “We’re busy. They’ll go away.”
“Wish we could” came Cole’s amused voice.
Callie pulled free of Tanner and looked at the door. Cole, Sam, and Troy stood there, all three of them bent and staring in through the window—although Cole had his hands over Troy’s eyes.
“Are they done macking on each other?” Troy asked.
“Yep,” Cole said, and dropped his hands. “It’s safe.”
Callie felt her face heat as she hopped off the counter. “We were just…”
“We know what you were just,” Sam said, laughter in his voice, the guys filling Lucille’s tiny kitchen with testosterone.
“What the hell are you all doing here?” Tanner asked.
“The kid insisted,” Cole said. “Called me for a ride.”
“I wanted to make sure Callie knew it was my fault that you forgot her,” Troy said. Horror crossed his face. “Wait! Forgot is the wrong word. He didn’t forget you,” he said to Callie. “Forget I said forget, okay? He got busy kicking ass and taking names at the school and—”
“It’s okay,” Callie said, and hugged him. “Not your fault.”
Troy wrapped his lanky arms around her in return. “So you forgive him, right?” he asked, his voice muffled against her. “You’re not going to dump him because of me?”
“Never.” Choked up again, she squeezed him tight. “I’m not dumping him. I’m keeping him. I’m keeping you too, if you’ll have me.”
Troy pulled back to stare at her and then turned to his dad. “You haven’t asked her yet?”
Callie looked at Tanner. “Ask me what?”
Cole turned to Sam, palm out. “Pay up.”
“Hell, no,” Sam said. “He hasn’t asked yet. The deal was fifty when and if he asked.”
“One hundred, not fifty,” Cole said. “And he’s going to ask. So pay up.”
“Jesus.” Tanner pinched the bridge of his nose and then pointed at the door. “Everyone out.”
“You sure?” Cole asked. “You might not do it right and need backup.”
“Do what?” Callie asked, heart thudding in her chest.
Tanner closed his eyes, muttered something that sounded like “fucking nosy bodies,” and then reached for Callie’s hands to pull her into him. “I told you I had things to say to you.”
“I thought you said them. You told me what you feel for me.” She hesitated. “Right?”