Blindsided (13 page)

“Sorry,” he apologized, “I’m a dick for scaring you with my Indy 500 driving.”

“It’s okay.” She pried her fingers off the dash and placed them primly in her lap.

“It isn’t okay. That was inconsiderate of me,” he said contritely. Emma marveled that he even cared enough to apologize. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

She opened her mouth to tell him that wasn’t necessary, but he veered off the main road a half mile from the barn and turned down a gravel drive.

“Where are we going?”

He didn’t respond, just stared straight ahead. Puzzled, she studied his profile, hoping she’d find the answer there, but she didn’t. Other than an almost smile playing at one corner of his mouth, he gave nothing away. The long driveway, surrounded by trees on both sides, opened into a clearing. An old blue-gray farmhouse with white shutters gleamed in the early evening sunlight with what appeared to be a fresh paint job. A wraparound porch with a white railing welcomed them with open arms. Flower beds full of bright blooms ran the length of the house, and more brightly colored flowers hung in baskets on the porch on either side of a bright red entry door. Emma immediately had a good feeling about the place, but she still didn’t understand why they were here.

“Do you like it?” Tanner’s furrowed brow gave her the distinct feeling her answer was important to him.

“I love it,” she said with absolute sincerity.

His handsome face lit up with satisfaction. “Good thing. It’s ours.”

Emma’s hands flew to her mouth, and she gasped. “Ours?” She turned to face him, but he was already out of the truck and opening her door for her. He helped her out like a gentleman, turned her to face him, and put his hands on her shoulders.

“I couldn’t see you happy in my condo so my realtor found this place at a bargain price. I’m not wild about it being walking distance from Isaac, but I’m guessing you’ll like being near your twin.”

Right now, not so much, but she’d eventually appreciate the closeness once Avery accepted Emma’s choices. “I can’t believe you did this.” She stared up at him. His green eyes danced with pleasure. Planting a kiss on the tip of her nose, he grabbed her hand and led her up the flagstone walkway to the front steps.

“It’s been completely remodeled, but my realtor promises the house still has its country charm.”

“It’s beautiful. Like my dream house,” Emma responded feeling as if she were in a dream right now. She couldn’t fathom why this man would buy her a house when theirs was only a temporary marriage. She decided not to read anything into his purchase other than it most likely being a good financial investment.

“Want to see it?” His excitement reminded her of a little boy on Christmas day. He could barely stand still, and his hand gripped hers tightly.

“You have a key?”

“Of course, I’m always prepared. Usually that means plenty of condoms, but tonight it means a house key.” He cocked his head to the side and turned on his most adorable smile. “Not that I don’t have the condoms, too.”

“It’s hard to unlock a door with a condom,” Emma shot back.

His brilliant smile stole her heart. “Honey, you’d be surprised how many doors those babies have unlocked.”

“I can only imagine.” She deadpanned, enjoying their playful banter. Usually she was tongue-tied around men, but Tanner was different. He was easygoing and fun-loving, and his entire demeanor loosened her up.

He led her up the wooden steps onto the broad porch. Emma waited while he unlocked the door. She loved the house already without seeing inside, a fact which made her giddy with excitement and sad considering the reality of the situation. This house needed a passel of loud and rambunctious kids playing catch with Dad on the front lawn while Mom watched from the kitchen window while preparing dinner. Or maybe Mom should be playing ball and Dad should be cooking dinner.

She grinned as she pictured a bare-chested and barefoot Tanner in a pink apron chopping vegetables.

“What’s so funny?” he asked with narrowed eyes.

“Do you cook?” she said, all innocence and smiles.

“Not one damn bit.” He studied her for a moment longer and threw open the front door, leading her inside. “The house is old but was remodeled from top to bottom last year. Of course, the guy lost his job and then the house.”

“That’s awful.”

“Yeah, well, his loss. Our gain.” He didn’t seem particularly concerned about the previous owner’s fate.

They walked through the rooms, and Emma loved every inch of this house from the original hardwood floors to the high ceilings and rock fireplaces. She couldn’t wait to put her stamp on the house and make it a home, despite her doubts and their uncertain future. She always believed if you visualize what you want and work hard, your dreams could come true. This house and Tanner represented one half of her dreams, but singing represented the other. Both were within her reach, but both required tough choices and sacrifices she didn’t want to ponder right now.

They paused on the back porch to look out at a small pond complete with ducks and lily pads. “I love it, Tanner, but it’s too much. We can live in your condo.”

“Too late, baby. Don’t worry, I got a deal. If I sold it tomorrow, I’d make a tidy profit.”

She tried to smile, but he’d just told her why he was buying the house, and the purchase had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with the money he’d make.

Tanner pulled her to him and smiled down at her. “Why so sad? I thought you’d be happy. You don’t like it?”

“I—I love it. I’m just overwhelmed.”

“I am an overwhelming guy, but you’ll get used to me.” He touched his lips to her forehead.

She looked over his shoulder through the window at the country kitchen, all brand-new and shiny, yet true to the age and style of the house with hickory cabinets and pepper patterned granite. She’d fantasized about a house like this, a man like this, a future like this. The future part she’d never have, but two out of three wasn’t bad. Why couldn’t she enjoy the ride while it lasted?

“Doesn’t anything faze you? You’re always so cool, so calm, like nothing gets to you.” Emma remembered his nickname at the U-Dub—Joe Cool.

“Not much,” His eyes flickered with something she couldn’t put her finger on, but it was gone in a flash to be replaced by that familiar twinkle. “I just go where the ride takes me.”

She could learn something from him. She’d been planning every aspect of her life since she was a little girl. “You’re lucky.”

He raised a brow. “You think?”

“Yes, I do.”

Tanner frowned. “Hardly.” Again that almost indiscernible flicker momentarily dulled his deep green eyes. Emma pledged to find out who the man was under the big smile, certain he went a lot deeper than he wanted others to discover, and it all started with his deceased sister and Isaac, if not much, much earlier.

“So do we have a date for the wedding?” He rested an arm across her shoulders as they watched a duck and her ducklings float in the pond.

“There aren’t a myriad of choices considering you start training camp in two weeks, and I haven’t found a venue,” Emma responded. She’d gone over the pros and cons of each possible date to the nth degree and put out a few feelers for locations.

“Actually two-and-a-half weeks. Starts on a Thursday.” Tanner chewed on a toothpick, totally unconcerned with anything going on in his world, or so he seemed.

“Okay.”

“And we have a venue.”

“We do?”

He raised a brow. “Oh ye of little faith. This man took care of it.”

“He did, did he?”

Tanner nodded, “Madrona Island, Reynolds’ estate, courtesy of Carson Reynolds. Name your date and time.”

Emma couldn’t believe it. Her impromptu wedding would have a fairy tale setting on an island reputed to have special magic. She couldn’t possibly ask for anything more. She threw her arms around Tanner and kissed him soundly until both of them were breathless and ready to get naked on the porch of their new home. Tanner held back this time, extracting himself from her embrace and keeping her at arm’s length.

“I’m just a man, Emmie. Keep that up, and you won’t make it to our wedding night.” He ground his teeth together, his entire body strung tight from his iron control. “When do you want the wedding?”

Emma took several seconds before she regained enough control to answer him in any coherent fashion. “I’m going to say next Saturday, a week from today. That doesn’t give me much time, but I do have three sisters who are experts at putting on parties, and now we have a location.”

“Please tell me this won’t be a big huge wedding?” he pleaded playfully.

“It won’t. Maybe a couple dozen people. I want to keep it secret so we don’t have any paparazzi there.”

Tanner shrugged. “Fine with me. I’ve been at a few outdoor weddings with helicopters flying overhead the entire time. Somewhat destroys the whole mood.”

“I’m sure it does.” His words reminded her how they travelled in different circles. He attended Hollywood celebrity weddings as a guest while she was hired to attend weddings for the sometimes rich and sometimes famous. Despite wanting to be a singer, she hated being in the limelight, while Tanner basked in it to the point of a sunburn.

Tanner guided her to the side yard, which was much more than a side yard. Along with a huge lawn, there was a large, overgrown vegetable garden, and beyond that, a few acres of pastureland.

“How much of this belongs to this property?”

“It’s a five-acre lot.”

“I love it.”

“Me, too.” He winked at her. “I never thought I’d be much for country living, but this suits you, and I’m good with it.”

He pulled her back into his arms for a deep, tender kiss, the kind of kiss a man gives a woman to show her how much she means to him. He kissed like he meant every luscious second, not that Emma had much experience recognizing when a man was sincere. She’d failed miserably before. Why should Tanner of the silver tongue and laughing green eyes be any different?

Because she wanted him to be.

And perhaps, she’d dwell in her fictional world as long as possible.

Tanner walked her over to a porch swing and pulled her down on his lap. “I’ve missed you. Did I tell you that?”

“Missed me? You saw me last night.”

“Yeah, but I thought about you all day, and it’s been a long day.”

“It was for me, too.”

He sobered a little. “Isaac cornered me as I was leaving the Bridge.”

“Oh, no, how did that go?” Emma tried to concentrate on his words, but he started nibbling on her neck.

“Weird, but okay. He’s not going to oppose the marriage.” He nipped at her collarbone, drawing a whimper from her. “After Bella, how was the rest of your day?”

She fought to remember what her day was like past seeing Tanner earlier. “I talked to Avery.”

He stopped the sensuous torture and cocked his head to gaze into her eyes. “How did that go?”

“Weird, but okay.”

Tanner chuckled. “Maybe it’s a full moon.”

“Actually next Saturday night will be a full moon.”

“Our wedding night. Good, the moonlight makes it easier to see your face when you come for me.” He continued his sensual assault where he left off. He slid his tongue up her neck and along her jaw. Raining little kisses across her cheek, he sucked her lower lip into his mouth, biting down softly on it. She moaned and arched her back. Tanner slid his big, strong hands along her spine. He slid down the straps on the sundress to reveal her not-so ample cleavage and slipped his hands underneath the fabric of her dress to touch the swell of her breasts. Emma drew in a sharp breath as his talented mouth made her forget her name and his equally talented hands pushed the dress down to free her nipples.

“Good choice,” he murmured.

“What?”

“The dress. I love it. Now if only you told me you weren’t wearing panties, I’d die a happy man.”

“Sorry. I am.” In fact, she was wearing what Avery referred to as her granny panties, not the least bit sexy.

“You are beautiful.” He gazed down at her, nudging her general sense of modesty to wake up and play ball. She’d promised herself, and she only had one more week. Emma pulled the dress up and repositioned the straps.

Tanner was grinning, and his eyes were dark and half-lidded. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“You need to wait.”

“Ah, baby, I’d wait forever for you.”

Emma rolled her eyes, not buying his lines. “Are you ever serious?”

“Do you ever lighten up? Other than when you’re singing?”

Emma shook her head, almost sadly. “I don’t know how.”

“One year with me, baby, and you’ll be a changed woman.”

One year? There he went again, never letting her forget this marriage to him meant nothing other than a license to have guilt-free sex and a reputation boost with his team. Yet, he confused her by talking as if they’d plan a life together.

Emma had to quit analyzing the hell out of everything, and enjoy the moment.

Almost a week later, Tanner finished his last workout as a single man before boarding a small floatplane to the San Juan Islands. Tomorrow, he’d be married. A concept he’d never embraced nor considered in the realm of possibility. He’d never been the kind of guy who wanted kids and a family, mostly because he hadn’t a clue what real family life was like. He’d probably suck at it, and the last thing he’d ever do is subject a wife or kids to the kind of life he’d had.

As he toweled off after his shower, Hunter sat down at the locker next to his. “So how much did the ring set you back?”

Tanner blinked a few times. “Ring?”

“Yeah, the ring. You know, diamonds and whatever that women love.” Hunter studied him, reading his expression perfectly. “You forgot to buy a ring?”

Tanner nodded.

“Not even an engagement ring?” Hunter raised one black brow in silent accusation.

“Shit.”

“You know crap like that is a big deal to women. Man, you are a dumb shit.” Hunter shook his head and pulled on his jeans.

“I guess I’d better find one and fast. I don’t even know her ring size.”

“Call Avery. She’ll know.”