"They're either really dumb, or really desperate to abandon this in such an open location," Shaun remarked as he shon his flashlight on the front bumper of the truck. Tanner stood with him, hands in his pockets, contemplating the exact same thing.
Shaun had radioed for a tow truck, and sent in the VIN to check stolen vehicles. He'd taken some brief notes, and Tanner had helped him clear some snow to get to the tow bars on the front.
"I need to get her home, do you need anythin' more from me?" Tanner asked, thumbing back at the car, where Liana was still sitting.
"No, no. we're fine. I'll make a quick set of notes from what you told me," Shaun said. "But this doesn't feel right."
"Nope," Tanner replied.
"Alright. Tell Brady I hope he mends quick."
"Will do. Thanks again," Tanner said and turned for the car. Liana perked up as she saw him. What was he going to do about the woman sitting in the passenger seat of her car? He wanted to take her home to the ranch, carry her into his room and finish what they'd just started in the car.
Which was the stupidest idea in the world. She had responded to him, had indicated she wanted him just as much but when push came to shove, what did it mean after the fact? He hesitated before he got back in. It still felt so damned weird to be playing this game with her, attraction warring with the memories, familiarity and hurt butting heads. But as she smiled a small smile, lust gave him a kick in the jewels and his brain reminded him of how much he wanted her.
"Dammit," he muttered, and got into the car.
"All good?"
He nodded. "They'll tow it back. We'll know more tomorrow."
She sat back, hummed an uh huh and he put the car in reverse, waving to Shaun who was greeting the tow truck driver arriving at the same time. The clock on the dash glowed nine pm as they headed up the road, back towards Brightside.
"You okay to drive home from the ranch? It's getting late."
"Not a spring chicken, cowboy. I am capable of driving in the dark," she replied, and settled a hand on his thigh. She used to do that in his old Chevy one-tonne rig. Would sit in the middle seat, head on his shoulder, hand on his thigh as they drove. He let out his breath slowly so he could hide what her touch was doing to him.
More silence, and she turned up the radio. The lights of Brightside came into view, and Tanner drove around Main street to skirt up to the road back to the ranch. Liana sighed and stretched out her legs.
"Tired?" he asked as she leaned the seat back and closed her eyes.
"Exhausted."
He wondered if he could convince her to stay the night. He didn't want her driving so tired. Was it selfish of him to be preoccupied with her, instead of Brady? Finding that truck made him wonder if Dermott was escalating. Fist fighting seemed to be the worst that idiot would get into, and running someone off the road was deadly. Dermott was not that dumb.
In the next breath, he reminded himself that they didn't know whose truck that was, and he needed to stop jumping to conclusions. His brain was stubborn though. He had no idea what Dermott was capable of, he didn't really know him anymore. High school was a long time ago.
The prickle of thinking he was the reason his brother was in the hospital went over his scalp as he turned onto Cattail road. Brady had been seriously hurt today. He's almost lost him. The idea of Liana being next was—
"Hey."
Tanner glanced over at Liana, who was patting his leg to get his attention.
"What?" he asked.
"Settle. You're speeding, and your leg is cocked to go off. It's okay, Tanner," she said, and squeezed his rock hard leg muscle for good measure.
He eased off the accelerator, and let out a breath to get himself to relax. Here he was, a hair-width away from losing his own shit again over what happened today. The driveway for West Line was just ahead, and he pulled in and stopped right before the cattle gate.
"Fuck," he swore, and leaned, forehead on the steering wheel. "What the fuck is wrong with me?"
"You had a traumatic event happen in real time, darlin'," Liana drawled. "Even big, rough tough cowboys get a little bit spooked by stuff like this. You could be up to your elbows in blood and guck with a cow, but when one of your family hurts, that is a different thing entirely."
"When'd you turn shrink?" he muttered, looking at her.
"I had to grow up quick, remember?" she said softly, and leaned over to run a hand over his head, settling on the back of his neck. It soothed him immediately, her steady pressure stopping the prickle of anxiety in its tracks.
"Besides, I cut hair. There isn't any better therapy than a new 'do and a gab with your stylist. You have no idea the problems I hear about," she laughed, and he had to smile as she said it.
She kept her hand on him as he put the car back in drive and bumped over the cattle gate towards the house. She didn't remove it until they were parked in front of the house. The lights were blazing, and Peony opened the front door, Liz right behind her.
"You good to go in?" she asked as he reached for his hat in the back seat. "Going to be a lot of questions."
He nodded, not sure if he was or not. As they walked towards the house, Liz clattered down the steps to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Tan—" She was obviously upset.
"Get it together Lizzie. He's fine. Tougher than rawhide."
She burst into tears and buried her face on his shoulder. He had no choice but to hug her back. Liz needing touch was rare, which meant she'd been stewing. Likely all afternoon and evening. Jake had his hands full with this tonight.
"Where's your husband?" he muttered as he shouldered her back towards the house. "Did he not tell you everything when he got home?"
"He did. I needed to hear it from you," Liz murmured under her breath.
"Well, he's good. Caitlin's with him, and he'll likely be home tomorrow."
"I know, I know. I saw his truck and—" she clipped, then sighed. "I should be asking you if you're okay. Jake was rattled. I imagine the boxing bag in the back of the cattle barn office is going to be thoroughly beaten later."
"I'm fine. I don't doubt it," Tanner replied, trying his best not to let it get to him like before. Jake had an outlet in his boxing workouts that seemed to help him when things got stressful. Brady welded and tinkered on something and cranked his terrible taste in music. He himself didn't have an outlet, just doubled down on whatever work needed doing.
For the first time in a long time, Tanner wondered if that was the best thing to do. A long ride often helped, but in the middle of winter, that wasn't an option. He had to ease the pressure and he had absolutely no idea how. Maybe Liana was right, he should follow her bullcrap about talking it out. Which was completely against his nature. He needed to move, not sit and chat like an old lady.
He slipped around to the back of the house, into the mudroom, leaving Liz with Liana and Peony. He didn't want to answer any more questions, or rehash the day again. No one followed him as he levered off his boots, hung his jacket and hat. As he stepped into the kitchen, Peony arrived as well with empty mugs that she set into the sink.
"Hello my dear," she said, her hand folding over his bicep. He stopped, and put a hand over hers and deliberately tried not to scowl. Peony tsked and patted his cheek. He wasn't fooling her at all.
"You look a bit more at ease," she added, teasing him, and he rolled his eyes at her.
"We happened across the truck we think hit Brady, on the way home. We'll know more tomorrow I'm assuming."
"So Liana just mentioned. This is so strange, having someone do that in broad daylight. Do you think it was intentional, or a drunk driver?" she asked.
"Dunno. Liana said it was odd because Brady is too nice to have anyone want to hurt him, and she has her suspicions it was just an idiot in a truck."
"Well yes. I'm so very glad it wasn't worse. My heart could not take it if—"
"Shaun is going to look into it more, I'm sure," Tanner interrupted, not wanting her to even voice what could have happened.
"He's a good officer. He'll get to the bottom of it," Peony replied. "Just something seems... off."
Tanner took a breath in, then out. Yes, something was off, and all the thoughts of it being his fault wound back up the base of his skull. Fuck. He needed to get past this.
"I'm hoping it wasn't retaliation for my bonehead idea to put Dermott in his place the other—" he blurted out, and then turned away, not wanting Peony to see his frustration with himself or the situation.
"Now hold on," Peony clipped, cutting him off. 'If it was, it isn't your fault. You cannot control everything my dear. Sometimes people will do what they want, no matter how much you glare at them or threaten them. You can't fix stupid."
Tanner barked out a laugh at her statement and shook his head, opening the cupboard for a glass. "No, I suppose you can't."
"Liana doing okay as well? You two have a nice dinner?" Peony then asked, the tone in her voice somewhat amused, changing the subject at lighting speed. Tanner glanced at her. She was angling for something. He filled his glass, and regarded her over the rim of it as he took a sip.
"It was. Took me to one of her favourites, apparently."
"How nice. I'm glad you two have made peace. It was quite the thing watching you both dance around one another for the past year. I swear sometimes the way you looked at her... My stars she cares about you, you just don't let her near enough to show. Maybe this whole thing with Dermott was God's way of smacking you both upside your dense, stubborn melons."
Tanner hung his head.Yeah. That. "We have. It's a start." was all he gave her and she sighed.
"Well, it's a good one. Mind you take time to talk about it as you go. The last thing we want is you two avoiding one another again, because she's good for you. I already see how much she centres you."
"It's complicated," he muttered. It wasn't that she was good for him that was the dilemma. It was whether he was good for her. He'd made the wrong choice before, and hadn't stood up for what he really wanted. Some things you couldn't go back to, or fix, even if they were playing at something more than friends with that kiss in her car.
"Complicated as you make it. Now, on the topic of Liana, she'll stay tonight? Or is she determined to drive home?" Peony asked.
"She should stay, it's already late, but I won't stop her if she wants to go."
"Yes you will, don't lie to me Tanner West," Peony replied, reached up, kissed his cheek, and bustled out of the room.
Tanner drained the water, and palmed the glass, touching the faceted sides. Dammit. Peony was right. Liana riled him up and made him possessive, and he hated how compelled he felt to protect her. His control slipped when he was with her. The thought whispered through him that he enjoyed that, being able to let go of holding himself together so hard that it hurt, and give into the want he'd discovered since last week.
So yeah, he'd ask her to stay, because he wanted to torture himself like a damned fool. If she was here, in his house, now that they had taken things further, could he walk away and not take her to bed? He was so damned tired, the effort to resist would be massive.
Muffled conversation floated down the hall from the living room and he stayed put, enjoying the solitude for a few more minutes to get his scattered brain to settle down. He leaned against the counter and looked out the sink window, purposely lowering his shoulders, they were tight and aching now that he was home and the hurried stress of the day was behind him.
Footsteps on the tile turned his head as Liana joined him at the counter. His body went still, his shoulders loosening the moment she was beside him.
"I'm going to go," she said softly. "Thank you for driving."
"Stay," he said quietly, and reached for her, arm circling her waist. He pulled her closer, and dipped his head towards hers. It was now or never to see if that line could be crossed. He needed something, and when she was near him, it was very clear what it was.
Her.
"Stay? I have to be in early tomorrow morning. I—"
"Stay," he repeated, and looked into her eyes. Would she understand? Would she want what he was asking of her now?
She slipped hands up his chest to his neck as she turned to face him fully. She studied him and he waited for her. When her hips touched his, his other arm went around her and he pulled her as close as possible.
"Hey," she murmured. "What do you want, Tanner? I need words, cowboy."
He forced himself to breathe as she slowly slid her hand up onto his face, holding his jaw in her palm as their eyes stayed locked to one another. His hand splayed out over her back, the other arm wrapped around her. She quivered slightly, and he closed his eyes.
"You, dammit," he whispered, and leaned his forehead on hers.
Her thumb traced his lower lip, and he opened his eyes as she leaned in and kissed him, her mouth gentle and strong against his. He dove in at that point, heedless of where they were. He pressed against the counter, her quiet breathy moan rendering him rock hard in seconds. He lifted her, setting her on the counter. Her hands still on his face, he studied her, looking for the acceptance he needed.
"I told you we weren't done," he added, prodding her to say something, to indicate what he was about to do was okay with her.
"You did," she replied.
The flush across her face and her lip in her teeth when she leaned back gave him his answer. Nose to nose with her, he picked her up in one swoop and left the kitchen before she could change her mind.
"Tanner West! Put me down!" she laughed out, draping her arms around his shoulders despite her protests, which echoed through the house. Conversation in the living room paused.
"I think she's staying," they heard Jake remark. Tanner groaned inwardly and paused at the edge of the hallway towards his bedroom, waiting for someone to walk out and catch them. He was going to hear about that.
"I am," she murmured in his ear, still giggling, and pressed her face into the crook of his neck.
"Damn right," he muttered back, and kept walking.