Page 49 of Tanner

“Does it make you want me less if I say I’m ridiculously excited to see you again?”

I bite my lip. “Not in the slightest.”

We hang up, and I squeal in my chair. I literally let out a squeal like I’m a thirteen-year-old girl who just hung up with the boy she has a crush on. I might be thirty, but I can still get excited about a man who is rocking my world.

Standing from my chair, I hurry into the next classroom where Willa teaches. She’s sitting at her desk, grading papers and mumbling as she puts a large red X over an answer. I knock on the door to get her attention.

“Got any plans tonight?” I ask.

She looks up and raises a brow. “Why do you look like the cat that ate the canary?”

“I have a date, and I want you to come with me. I’m meeting him at the Lion’s Head Tavern. Will you come? He says he has a friend.” I swish my body from side to side.

She shrugs. “Yeah, why not? It’s been a few years since I’ve been there. Man, I could tell you stories of that place.” She chuckles under her breath.

I always kind of assumed Willa had a wild side, but I guess I’ll get to fully see it tonight.

* * *

We arrive at the bar at nine, and the line to get in is about twenty people deep. Willa and I stand in the back of the line and wait behind a girl who is wearing a short skirt and hooker boots.

“I’ve only been here once before,” I say, peeking through the window.

“Didn’t you go to the Columbia Teachers College?” she asks, fluffing her black hair.

“I came here the first week of freshman year with a fake ID. I lasted an hour before the bartender kicked me out. I was so embarrassed that I never tried to come back. I turned twenty-one my senior year, and by then, I had a boyfriend who didn’t like the bar scene.”

“Sounds like a real drag.”

“Tell me about it,” I mumble as my phone vibrates with a text.

Tanner: I see you …

I glance at the front of the line and see Tanner standing by the bouncer. I head toward him. His hair is pulled tight, and his beard is a little longer than before. His blue eyes pop against his golden skin, taking my breath away.

Even while he’s in jeans, I can see the outline of the masculine thighs and the bulge I had the privilege of riding just a few days ago. It was during round two of our chocolate sex.

Damn, this man can fuck.

“That’s Tanner?” Willa stops me, holding on to my arm.

I turn to her and smile.

“Is his friend as hot as he is?” she asks with wide eyes.

I nod even though Ryan does absolutely nothing for me. I’m so into Tanner; it’s blinding. Willa squeals like I did earlier and adds a skip to her step as we pass everyone in the line.

There’s an air of authority about him as we approach. His arms are crossed in front of his body, and his chin is propped up, making him look even taller than his six feet.

The bouncer sitting outside nudges Tanner’s arm. “Is this your girl?”

Tanner is staring straight at me. “That’s my girl.”

The bouncer turns to Willa and me. “This guy’s been sitting here for the last twenty minutes.”

Tanner hits his arm with the back of his hand. “Real cool, Derek. Way to have my back.”

He laughs as he gets up and holds the door open for us to go in. “Hey, I just speak the truth. I’ve gotta say, man, I get it. You were right; she’s beautiful.”