Page 93 of Tanner

Miles almost smiled. “I know.”

A tired sound left Tanner. He looked down at Savannah and then back at him. “She’ll wake if I move.”

“And?”

“And if she wakes and you’re gone…” He trailed off.

Miles held his gaze. “I’m not gone.”

Tanner looked away first. “Chair’s there.”

Miles glanced at the chair by the window. “That thing will wreck my back.”

That got another one of those small sounds from Tanner. “There’s room on the bed,” he said. “Don’t make it weird.”

“Wasn’t planning to.”

Miles took off his boots and lay down on the far side of the bed over the covers, leaving space between them. Savannah stayed tucked against Tanner’s chest.

For a while neither of them said anything and then Tanner spoke into the room without looking at him. “He thinks I’ll run again.”

Miles looked at the ceiling. “He thinks you might if you get scared enough.”

“That’s the same thing.”

“No, they’re not.”

Tanner’s hand moved over Savannah’s back. “You’re really into saying no to me tonight.”

“You’re saying things that aren’t true.”

They were both silent for a minute then Tanner asked, “Do you think I’ll do it again?”

Miles took his time to answer. “I think tonight scared the hell out of you.”

“That wasn’t the question.”

“I know. I think if you were on your own, maybe.” Miles kept his voice low. “I also think you’re not on your own.”

Savannah shifted and pushed one foot out from under the blanket and Tanner tucked it back under. After a while Tanner said, “I left that note because I didn’t want Mrs. Hemsworth thinking I’d taken Savannah and disappeared.”

“I know.”

“I know you know. I’m telling you why.” Tanner stared at the ceiling. “I still did something stupid.”

“Yeah.”

A couple of minutes later, he said, “You turned the letter over.”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Miles kept his eyes on the ceiling. “You’ve had enough for one night.”

Tanner was quiet for so long Miles thought he was done. “Thanks,” he murmured.

Miles answered the same way. “Yeah.”