* * *
Tanner didn’t know what possessed him to ask Izzy to dance. He just knew that he didn’t want his evening with her to end, and he’d blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. But now that she was in front of him, her hips swaying to the rhythm of the music, he was glad he did. Her entire body embraced the music, like she was one with the beat. She told a story with her hands and her head and her hips.
And he was listening. At least his body was. Tingles built in his gut and his cock stood up and took notice of the sexy woman.
His hands drifted to her hips as he attempted to keep up with her, but he wasn’t sure she noticed. Until her hands covered his. Their bodies pressed together, back to chest, hip to hip, ass to groin as they swayed to the beat.
She had to feel the thickness in his crotch.
She pulled his arms around her waist and sank into him. The musky scent of her perfume had him grinding his groin into her backside as his erection grew practically painful. He rested his head on hers and pressed his lips into her hair. Was this moving too fast? Absolutely. But she had cast a spell over him, and he was powerless to resist.
When he’d come out with Kevin tonight, his goal had been to have a little fun, a few drinks, and maybe meet a woman to spend the evening with. But now that he was with Izzy, he wanted more. Izzy was not a woman you spent just a few hours with. He’d never scratch the surface of what made her tick in that short time. He was intrigued.
The upbeat song ended and the music tailed into a slow ballad. Izzy started to step away from him, but he grabbed her hand, spun her, and wrapped his other arm around her waist. Their clasped hands rested between them. Her eyes widened for a moment and then she settled in. A minute later, her free hand slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck.
He stared into her eyes until the hazel deepened to a deep green color. Her hand squeezed his and he felt her body tense up, but she didn’t break his gaze. The other sounds of the bar faded away, and it was just the two of them, swaying to the romantic strains of a country song. A sea of emotions swirled in her eyes, and he wondered if she was as confused by this turn of events as he was. He’d just met her today—when he was in “dad mode,” no less—and now here they were, wrapped up in each other’s arms.
There was no way he had misread the attraction in her eyes. But there was also conflict. Like she was interested in him but didn’t want to be interested in him. If anything, that made her even more attractive to him.
Her hair hung long, a stark contrast to how severe it had looked pulled off her face and in a bun at the open house. The honey-colored curls tumbled around her shoulders and down her back. He itched to run his fingers through it, to see if it was as soft as it looked, to wrap the silky strands around his hand and gently tug her head back. To position it as his lips lowered over hers, their breaths mingling together just before he…
She stiffened and pulled back from him. Then he realized the music had stopped. He’d been so wrapped up in his daydream that he hadn’t even noticed. The silence grew uncomfortable between them as he continued to stare at her. He couldn’t look away. It was like he was caught in her web and she was drawing him in.
“Tanner?”
“Sorry.” He raised his hands and backed a step away. The sounds of the room began to filter into his mind. The crowd had thinned considerably. “Thanks for the dance. Can I…?”
Her brows furrowed, Izzy looked as confused by the turn of events as he was. “Can you what?”
He gestured for her to walk ahead of him and rested his hand on her lower back as he escorted her into a quieter corner of the room. She leaned against the wall and he crowded close to her, one hand pressed beside her head and the other on her hip. She was tall. At six foot three, he often towered over women he dated. But Izzy came up well past his shoulders. He could easily look her in the eye. “Can I see you again?”
She bit her lip and gazed up at him from beneath her lashes. The move made her look even more sexy. But she didn’t answer right away.
As the seconds ticked away, he worried that he’d come on too strong. “Too soon?”
“No, it’s not that.” She lowered her gaze so he could no longer see her eyes. Could no longer see what she was thinking. He slid his knuckle under her chin and raised it before he leaned in.
“What is it? There’s a connection between us. I feel it and I think you feel it, too. I want to see where it could lead.”
“What about Hayley? I’m going to be her teacher.”
He raked his fingers through his hair. Hayley had connected with Izzy in a way he hadn’t seen with his daughter in a long time. In the past, he’d made sure not to bring his dates around Hayley. He wasn’t about to have her build a relationship with someone only to have that woman abandon Hayley when they broke up. “That could be a problem. I saw how she warmed up to you today.”
A grin broke across Izzy’s face, and it was all he could do to not cup her cheeks and brush his lips over hers. “She’s a really sweet girl. She reminds me a lot of me at that age, when all I wanted to do was dance. My father…”
The smile fell from her face, and her brows furrowed.
“What about your father?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. But I am worried that if we were to, you know…”
“Date?”
“Yeah, if we were to go out on a date, Hayley could get the wrong idea.”
As much as he regretted it, they were pretty much on the same page. “And then, when it didn’t work out—”
She scoffed. “What makes you think we wouldn’t work out?”
Her indignation made him want to kiss her all the more. This woman was a spitfire, sexy and passionate. And what he wouldn’t give to see her unleash that passion in a more intimate setting. “I’m just saying that I agree with you. That it’s a risk.”
“It’s important for me to focus on building my business, and that includes my relationships with the students. That has to be my first priority right now.”
“And I don’t want to put Hayley in a position to be disappointed.”
“So, we’re agreed.”
Well, damn. That conversation had gone sideways quickly. She could have at least shown some disappointment about not pursuing a relationship with him. “I guess. It’s just…”
“What?”
“This.” He wrapped his fingers around her neck and pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers. She resisted for a moment and then her arms wound around his neck.
He reveled in his first taste of Izzy Harper. She tasted sweet and sexy, and she was no wilting flower. No, this sexy woman could give as good as she got. He nudged her into the wall, pressing his body to hers, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip. Her breasts pressed against him, her nipples teasing his chest. His cock grew even thicker as she snaked her hands around his back and grabbed his ass. He teased her lips open and slid his tongue against hers, his mind going blank as he consumed her. It had been a long time since he’d been this aggressive with a woman, but Izzy cast a spell over him and he was powerless to resist.
Resist was exactly what he needed to do. They had agreed that this wasn’t a good idea. He had Hayley to consider. But his first taste of Izzy had him reconsidering.
He pulled back, brushing his lips gently against hers one more time before drawing in a deep breath. He rested his forehead on hers while he caught his breath. The heavy rise and fall of her chest told him she was as affected as he was.
“That was…”
He waited for her to continue.
“We shouldn’t have done that.”
His heart fell. He knew, deep down, that she was right. He’d worked so hard to protect Hayley. Getting involved with her dance teacher wasn’t smart. He backed up a step and locked his eyes on hers. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I just…”
“What?”
“Nothing.” He scanned the room. “Your friend left. I guess mine did, too. Can I offer you a ride home?”<
br />
She shook her head. “I drove myself.”
He gestured toward the door. “At least let me walk you to your car.”
She hesitated a moment, as though considering that thought. He wasn’t sure himself, but his father had raised him to be a gentleman, and Tanner wouldn’t let a woman walk alone in the dark while he was around.
Eventually she nodded and headed to the door. He fell into step beside her. His hand slid to the small of her back, but he thought better of it and tucked his hand in his pocket. Staying away from Izzy Harper was going to be a challenge.
The quiet of the street outside the bar was a stark contrast to the sounds of the music and patrons inside. It was too quiet. Izzy didn’t say a word as she headed through the parking lot, which left him alone with his own thoughts. Thoughts that betrayed him, trying to convince him that he could find a way to be with Izzy and protect Hayley at the same time. Who was to say Izzy would leave like Vanessa? Izzy’s eyes weren’t on the horizon. She’d just opened a business here. She’d grown up here. You couldn’t get more permanent than that.
Maybe they could explore this attraction between them without Hayley knowing. It could be private between he and Izzy until they figured out whether this was more than the intense attraction arcing between them.
Now he had to convince her.
She stopped in front of a little blue-green convertible and turned to him. “Thanks for walking me to my car.”
“Izzy, I—”
She raised her hand. “Don’t say it. That shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry I let myself get carried away.”
He sank back on his heels and shoved his hands further into his pockets. It wouldn’t do to reach for her now. Not when she was so skittish. But he couldn’t help the grin that turned up the corners of his mouth. “I’m not.”
“We agreed this was a bad idea.”
“I reconsidered.”
“Well, un-reconsider. Friends is all we can be. I have my business to focus on, and you have Hayley to consider.” A blush rose on her cheeks, and she stuck out her hand. “It’s been nice to spend time with you, Tanner. I’m sure I’ll see you at the studio.
He studied her hand and then took it, her soft skin sliding over his. Her eyes fell to where they were joined. She quickly snatched her hand away, like she regretted the contact, and pressed the button on her keys. The car beeped and the inside lit up.
He reached beside her and swung the car door open. He took a step back and gestured for her to climb in. She didn’t say another word, and once she was buckled in, he leaned down. “I will definitely see you around the studio, Isabella Harper. But this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
“Is that a warning?” Her words might sound ominous, but the sparkle in her eye betrayed her true feelings. She was as interested as he was.
“No, it’s a promise.”
Chapter Five
Climbing out of bed the next morning was harder than normal for Izzy. And it wasn’t just because she’d abused her knee yesterday, first at the studio and then at the bar. It was the lack of sleep slowing her down. Because as soon as she’d crawled into bed late last night, her mind had begun to race. When she closed her eyes, all she could see was Tanner’s face, his eyes hooded as he lowered his mouth to hers. The feel of his hard chest against her. And her own body betrayed her, melting in to him like she had just crawled across the desert and he was water. And she was thirsty. For his kisses, his touch.
He made her… well, he made her feel. And she wasn’t sure she could anymore after shutting herself off from the hurt for so long. Erik had done a number on her, and her trust of men in general had been shattered. Evidenced by her many first dates but no second ones. How had Tanner slipped past her well-honed defenses? That was the question that had kept her awake for most of the night.
After she stretched, her joints felt better. She had just padded down the hall when the front door to her cottage opened and Justin and Serena stumbled in.
“Morning, you two.”
Justin sauntered over and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He placed a kiss on her head, like he had when she was a little girl. “Hey, Izzy. Rough morning today?”
Her family were the only ones who knew the true extent of her injuries. When she’d announced her retirement, she’d let everyone think her age combined with a minor injury had prompted the change. But the people she loved the most had seen through the bluster. And it was just as well. She’d needed their support, emotionally and physically, when she’d returned home with her tail between her legs.
A coffee cup slid in front of her, and Serena leaned her elbows on the island beside Izzy, her hands wrapped around another mug.
Izzy took a sip of her own, then turned to her sister. “Don’t you have coffee at your own place?”
“Sure, but yours is better. And it’s made the minute I walk in the door.”
“And yours would be, too, if you learned how to use the timer. And what about you, Justin?” She gestured to her brother whose nose was buried in his own mug.
“Maddie is on a caffeine-free kick right now. Won’t allow regular coffee in the house.”
Poor Justin. He and Maddie had been trying to get pregnant again after Aiden with no success. The stress of it was evident in the deep creases on Justin’s forehead and the shadows under his eyes. He had discussed with Izzy, more than once, the strain Maddie’s obsession with getting pregnant was putting on their marriage. They’d weathered his professional baseball career with fewer obstacles than this. If things didn’t lighten up soon, Izzy didn’t put a lot of faith in their marriage surviving. Justin was madly in love with his wife, but even he had a breaking point.
Serena straightened and scanned the kitchen and living room. “Where’s Freddie?”
As if he heard his name called, her undersized Jack Russell hustled through the dog door, the flap slapping behind him as he barreled into the kitchen on his three legs. He skidded to a stop just short of the island and turned his head until he could see Serena with his one good eye. Izzy could swear he smiled, his tail wagging a mile a minute. Serena scooped him up and nuzzled his nose. “Hey, sweetie. I missed you.”
“You wouldn’t have to miss him if he lived at your place. I’m worried he’s not going to get enough attention now that I’m going to be spending a lot of hours at the studio.” Thankfully only two of those hours a week would involve Tanner Ross. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to resist him, if last night was any indication.
“I hardly have room for the ones I have, and the shelter is, as always, overflowing. I’ve taken in every one I could.” Serena spread her arms wide. “You have all of this space and the fenced-in back yard. With Mom right across the lawn, you know she’ll help any time you need it.”
Sure, Izzy was grateful that Mom had offered the guest cottage when Izzy had returned to Cedar Hill. And she felt guilty that Mom wouldn’t allow her to pay rent, an amount that would be decent for a cottage this nice. But Mom wouldn’t hear of Izzy getting her own place. It had been easy to give in at the time, on crutches and needing assistance with everyday tasks, but now that she was almost fully healed, having Mom close could be suffocating. Not to mention her siblings who dropped in on a regular basis. She loved all of them, but sometimes there was too much of a good thing.
But she couldn’t begrudge them a little extra sibling time these days. The bombshell that had been dropped on them last month had left all of them reeling. With Dad no longer around to explain himself, it was even more difficult to process what they’d learned. What she wouldn’t give to be able to talk to, or more specifically, yell at, Dad about the whole thing.
Her siblings hadn’t wanted to discuss it… yet. Each of them was processing it in their own way. Justin had become more withdrawn, while Serena acted as if nothing had changed. But she was most worried about Alexis. The announcement had triggered a downward spiral for Serena’s twin, and even their close bond as twins hadn’t helped Alexis open u
p and share her feelings.
Izzy—she poured herself into her work, fast tracking the completion of the studio to prove to herself that she still had it. If yesterday was any indication, she was well on her way. Most of her classes were more than half full already. The turnout at the open house had exceeded all of her expectations.
And then there was Tanner. Would she be able to walk into the studio without imagining the way he’d admired her yesterday, the way his eyes had lingered on her as she’d given him and Hayley a tour? And what was worse, she wasn’t sure she wanted to forget. What she needed to do was dance, to throw herself into a piece until all of her emotions were sorted out and she could move forward and forget about the turmoil her father created… and the incredibly sexy Tanner Ross.
* * *
She’d barely stepped through the front door of the studio later that morning before Natalie grabbed her arm and hustled her back to the office.
“What?”
“Don’t give me that. I want to know what happened with that sexy man.”
“You first.”
Natalie always shared stories about the men she met, and it would give Izzy a chance to organize her tumbled thoughts.
“Nothing to tell.”
Izzy didn’t believe that for a minute, not with the way Natalie avoided her gaze and color rose on her cheeks. “That good, huh? You went for coffee, and…” Izzy’s gaze landed on Natalie’s outfit, a bit revealing for a day at work but perfect for… “Walk of shame outfit? Really, Natalie?”
Natalie yanked her low-cut shirt higher and tugged at the hem of her skirt. “It wasn’t like that. We just talked.”
Izzy shook her head. “Nuh-uh. Don’t buy it.”
“No, really. Okay, maybe we kissed a little. But nothing like you and Tanner.”
What did Natalie know? She’d left before they’d even stepped on the dance floor. “We didn’t kiss.” Izzy felt heat flush her face. She’d never been good at lying to her friend.
Chasing Dreams_A Small Town Single Dad Romance Page 4
