Western Flame

Chapter 29

"He's here with me."

Dimmed darkness met Tanner's eyes as he opened them, a tangle of sheets and comforters around his waist and he took a moment to get his bearings, sitting up in bed. Light filtered in through the cracked door, slanting across the pile of clothing near the laundry hamper. Tanner forced his tensed muscles to relax and he flopped back into the soft mattress with a heavy breath out.

Right. He was at Liana's and they had just cleared the air in spectacular fashion.

"I'll get him to call. He's sleeping right now."

She must be on the phone with someone from home. He scanned the room and found the digital alarm clock. It was only ten-thirty. He'd passed out after they'd made love, she had too, and the indent in the bed beside him was still warm.

"Yes, of course. I'll let him know."

His bladder signalled him to get up and deal with himself, and he slipped out of bed, found his underwear, and tiptoed through to the bathroom opposite her room. He closed the door quietly and as he was standing over the toilet, he yawned and looked around him. A shower curtain with a garish smiley face pattern on it. Curling irons, hair spray bottles, makeup and tubes of cream scattered across the vanity. A giant bottle of the same lotion he had at his place front and centre on the back of the toilet. The sign above the toilet was also appropriately Liana. 'I Don't Sing in the Shower, I Perform'. Indeed she could, he thought, remembering the night before.

She was everywhere in the room and he inhaled slowly. Her scent was burned into his brain, had been for a long time, and here it was close and personal. He'd kept the damned bottle of the cocoa butter stuff because when he used it, for his feet like he'd told her, he tortured himself with memories of her.

You're such a shithead, West. As he washed his hands, he grimaced at himself in the mirror above the vanity. He still had a lot to apologise for. He hoped she understood that he needed to.

She was in the kitchen when he emerged and he walked into her in his overshirt and nothing else, rummaging bent over in the fridge. She was humming something, her legs wiggling back and forth, which made her ass jiggle just a little. He leaned against the doorframe to watch her. He could watch her forever and never be bored, he decided, especially if she was dressed like that.

When she stood up, she had a carrot stick in her mouth, the milk in her hands.She turned and squeaked, dropping the carrot to the floor. "Tanner! Jesus."

"Hey," he said, and stepped to her, pulling the milk from her hands and setting it on the nearby counter. "That shirt looks good on you."

"Yeah?" she replied and ran a hand over his chest, stepping into his space, her toes curling over the top of his gently. "Can I keep it?"

"Hell no, that's my favourite shirt. I like wearing it for calving season, stains come out easy," he teased and the look on her face went from saucy to horrified. She undid the snaps and it was shucked at rapid speed while he laughed. She shoved it at him, the look on her face priceless.

"Gross," she said, and she started laughing as he took it from her and set it on the counter too.

He slid an arm around her waist and leaned in, kissing her as she laughed, and she swayed into him. Something inside him felt lighter, more at ease and he went with it. She was in his arms, he was here, with her, with this simple intimacy. Maybe the feeling currently spreading across his chest was happiness?

"Well, you got me naked again, cowboy. What are you gonna do about that?" she almost purred, and he chuckled more and set her down, with another quick peck on her lips.