That seemed to spark something in Kaylee’s eyes, and she nearly pushed me into his arms, offering me up as some sort of sacrifice. “Then, yes, y’all should totally go shopping. Don’t worry about this. We’ve got it covered. Stella should be back any minute now to help.”
I glanced down at all the presents. “Are you sure? How is Lincoln feeling?”
“She’s already back to her normal self and mixing a bowl of chocolate ice cream and pickles.”
Tanner gagged, then asked, “Are you serious? That’s really a thing? Pickles and ice cream?”
Kaylee shrugged. “I guess so. She’s currently making herself a giant bowl, and not even moments ago she was hurling in the toilet.”
“That’s disgusting,” Tanner and I said in unison.
He smiled. “Great minds think alike,” he said as he reached for my hand. “Let’s go put that to good use.”
I took his hand and let him lead me through the pile of wrapping paper, bows, and presents.
“You two kids have fun, but not too much fun! And sex in the back of a truck is not all you think it is, Timberlynn!”
I glanced back at her, positive I had a shocked expression on my face. Tanner wrapped his arm around my waist and said loud enough for her to hear, “Don’t listen to her, sweetheart. Besides, I’d take you in the bed of my truck, not the back seat.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Kaylee’s expression, not sure if he was teasing or not—and not wanting to admit that I hoped he wasn’t.
“Tanner Shaw!” Kaylee cried out, but she was cut off as we rounded the corner.
“I don’t know what I should be more disturbed by,” I said. “The fact that my cousin had sex in the backseat of Ty’s truck and I have to sit back there, or the fact that you’ve used the bed of your truck as an actual…bed.”
He chuckled and wrapped his fingers around mine, guiding me through the house while holding my hand. I knew I should pull it away so I didn’t give him the wrong impression, but my goodness, it felt good to have a man treat me like this. The skin-to-skin contact did things to my body that I rather enjoyed. “Do you need to get anything out of your room?” Tanner asked.
I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like I desperately needed water for my dry mouth and throat. “No, my purse is by the front door with my coat.”
His blue eyes danced with excitement, or maybe it was mischief. I couldn’t tell. But he smiled ever so slightly, and I tried not to look at the small dimple in his right cheek. I failed. My heart hammered in my chest, and I had the sudden urge to turn and run from him. Or maybe it was an urge to ask him to touch me. Anywhere. Everywhere. I needed to feel his hands on me, and I had never longed for that before. Not that I didn’t enjoy a man’s touch—I had, but only when I was in full control over it all. With Tanner, I had no control, and that was slowly starting to not bother me. Lord, what was he doing to me?
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” he said, dropping my hand as we reached the door. “I lost my virginity in the bed of a truck.”
“Are you serious?” I reached for my coat that was hung up at the front door. My scarf and gloves were sitting on top of my purse. Tanner reached for the scarf, wrapping it around my neck and pulling me to him. Our faces were so close that his breath mixed with mine, and I found myself searching for air.
“Yep. With a woman three years older than me.”
I stared at him. “What?”
He laughed, then leaned in even closer. “I was fifteen and she was eighteen.”
I was positive my jaw was on the ground.
“That’s…you were a child!” I said with horror in my voice. Had she forced him? Seduced him and made him do something he hadn’t wanted to do? The thought made me both angry and sick to my stomach.
A sexy smile spread over his face. “She thought I was older. I told her I was seventeen because I really wanted to have sex with her.”
“Tanner Shaw. You lied to have sex?”
“At first. I told her the truth before things went too far, and then in her eyes I became a little project. She taught me how to satisfy a woman that night.”
I swallowed hard as his body pressed up against mine. He hadn’t let go of the scarf yet, and I certainly didn’t want him to. My mind raced for something to say. “Did she…I mean, did you learn a lot from her?”
I regretted the words almost instantly.
He leaned in and pressed his mouth to my ear. My entire body shuttered, and I was positive he felt it because a soft chuckle slipped from between his lips before he spoke. His warm breath made my body feel as if I had melted into him. “Yes, want me to show you some of it?”
I needed to take back control. I laughed as I placed my hand on his chest and gently pushed him away. “You are a rake and a shameless flirt, Tanner Shaw.”
He tied the scarf around my neck before he tapped the tip of my nose with his finger. “I don’t know about a rake, but a flirt, most certainly.”
I rolled my eyes and smirked as I watched him step away and open the front door. “Where’s your coat?” I asked as I followed him out the door.
He gave me a mock wounded look. “A coat? Please, I grew up here. I don’t need a coat.”
I shivered when a blast of air hit me, cold enough to steal my breath. “It’s freezing! How can you not wear a coat?” I yelled while I
