On the Sidelines

Chapter 24 Evie

The drive to the city was long but doable, I guess. I'm struggling with the idea that one of us will have to make this trip just to see each other but we'll figure it out, we have to. I refuse to let this be a failed relationship.

We checked into the hotel an hour ago with plans to go out to eat. We have two tours scheduled for tomorrow and the other two are on Sunday with plenty of time to explore the city in between them.

I zip up my combat boots almost ready to leave. Tanner's singing in the bathroom while he does whatever he's doing in there. I think he's shaving but I haven't checked since he kicked me out of the bathroom so he could use it.

Thankfully it's summer and the weather has warmed up significantly. I grab my purse and take a seat on the bed as I wait.

"Where are we going so, I can pull it up on the map."

"Rosemary's." I type it into google maps and look at all of the ways we could take. I don't know how the traffic is here, so I click on the fastest and pray that we won't get caught in traffic.

He emerges from the bathroom in a button down and slacks. He's freshly shaven and smells incredible.

"What cologne are you wearing?" I stand and approach him, meeting him halfway. I mess with the collar on his shirt, needing to touch him in some way.

"It's new, do you like it?"

"I love it." His cheeky grin tells me he likes my answer. I kiss the smugness away or try to at least because when I pull back it's still there.

"God, I love you." My belly flutters with butterflies. I love it when he does this. He tells me how he feels and looks at me like I'm the most beautiful person he's ever seen. He knows how to make me feel special because somehow, I know I'm the only girl who has ever gotten this look from him.

"I love you too." But those words don't encompass even half of what I feel for him.

"And I love those heels. Jesus babe, those are fucking hot." A giggle slips past as I look down at my shoes.

"I'll keep that in mind for the future."

"Oh please do."

"Come on, if we don't leave now, we won't leave at all." That cheeky smile makes a comeback.

"That doesn't sound too bad." I roll my eyes as I step out of his arms, putting necessary distance between us so I can think with my head and not other body parts.

"Maybe, but I'm hungry." I put my phone in my purse and walk to the door. Tanner watches me, more specifically he watches my ass. "Tanner?"

"Hmm?"

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, dinner." His gaze never leaves my ass.

"Baby? Dinner comes before dessert. Let's go get dinner so we can have dessert later." Without breaking eye contact, he walks over to me.

I link our hands together and tug him out of the room. At some point he moves his attention North and becomes immersed in the conversation I've been trying to have with him.

"A girl on the platform I post my stories on reached out and asked if I would be willing to edit some of her books part time. It pays well so I'm thinking I might take her up on the offer. She's a well-known author on the platform and has published seven books. She posts them on the platform and leaves them up for three months then she publishes them."

"Is that something you might want to do for a career?"

"I don't know. I told her I've only edited my own work and she said that was fine. Her previous editor has decided to be a stay-at-home mother. She has a newborn and doesn't think she'll have the time to do everything that needs to be done. I told her I'd get back to her in a few days." The elevator opens to the main lobby and we exit, heading toward the parking lot.