Flicker of Hope - Chapter 18

I am sorry for the long wait. In the meantime, you should really read this story called "The Promise of tomorrow." The story is really romantic, and I love it. I am pretty sure you guys will like it too. It is WAY better than my story, and I sure wish I could write like that, but unfortunately we are all very different. Lol. Anyway, please check that story out for me.

"Um, Tanner?" Emily asked.

"Yea?"

"Can you not sleep in the couch? I mean, the bed is really big, and we can both fit in there."

She was playing with her hand, and he could tell that she was nervous.

"But why?" Tanner pushed, wanting to hear what she had to say.

"I don’t like…. being alone in the bed." It was only half truth but it will have to do to make Tanner sleep in the bed.

Tanner found it amusing. "You scared of the dark?" He raised his one perfect brow at the remark, and Emily shivered. If he was going to be like this, it was going to be impossible to sleep in the same bed with him. He was impossibly irresistible.

She could only nod, not meeting his gaze.

Tanner knew he was testing himself by taking the next step, but he wanted to be beside her at every step she took, including when she was afraid. He loved the idea of being with her more than he should but she was making it very hard for him.

After 10 minutes, they were both in the bed sleeping beside each other. Emily felt the comfort she had missed for the past couple of weeks, and the feeling of wanting him just grew. She was so in love. She could feel his presence, his smell, his everything.

Tanner wished he wasn’t so aware of her sleeping beside him, and knew that sleep was a long way off. She moved close to him and rested her head in his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her, without a second thought. She cuddled comfortable close to him, and let herself enjoy the scent of him.

"I want to take you somewhere nice for dinner tomorrow."

Emily pulled away from him to study his expression, but the dark wouldn’t let her. "Why?" She cuddled back into his chest.

"I just want to. I will pick you up at your work."

She was just stunned, but she knew that she liked the idea of going somewhere nice with Tanner.

"Okay."

"Aren’t you going to ask me where I am taking you?"

"Nope." She smiled. "I trust you. And plus, you are only taking me for dinner, and it doesn’t really matter where I am as long as you are with me."

She was so trusting, and he felt his resolve melting. "You shouldn’t trust anyone so easily."

She pulled away and tried to study him despite the dark. "But you are not just anyone." She protested.

His lips curled into a smile. "What exactly am I to you?"

She pretended to think. "I will answer that after you answer me what I am to you?" They were so close, their noses almost touching.

With her so close, he could only speak the truth. "Everything that matters," he whispered, and pulled away. "We need to sleep. It’s getting late." Emily put her hand in his face, and started closing what little distance was left between them.

"If you really don’t want to kiss me, stay very still because I want to kiss you." Her voice was husky. She was close with their lips almost touching but Tanner pulled her away.

If she kissed him, there was no way he could resist kissing her back, and they both knew it.

"I think its enough for tonight. We should sleep." He hoped he didn’t sound so desperate.

"It really isn’t fair," she protested.

"What isn’t fair?" Tanner asked.

"If you get to kiss me, I get to kiss you too." Her voice sounded strangely pleading, and there was no way Tanner could resist it.

"Fine," he tried to sound angry.

Emily started getting close to him, and he shut his eyes tightly, vowing to not give in. Instead of just kissing him like he hoped she would, she started toying with him, gently kissing his neck, and making her way towards his chest. He made a sound when she bit his skin softly. She trailed soft kisses along his jaw lines, and made her way to his ear, nibbling it gently. He moaned. She kissed him everywhere, but his lips. She was playing with him, and he knew she enjoyed his torture. When he realized that she wasn’t going to kiss him so soon, he pressed his lips into hers, and kissed her hotly. When she opened her mouth to his all too willingly, he kissed her more desperately.

When she was breathless, he pulled away, satisfied with himself, but pretty aware of the need she was arousing in him.

"So not fair," she complained.

"And why is that? You did get your kiss. Actually, you got way more than just a kiss."

"But you kissed me first." She whined.

"I think it was enough for the day. Just sleep." He kissed her temple lightly. "Good night."

She knew there was going to be no more arguing so she did as she was told. She slept but only with her head rested in his chest, and his arms secured around her. She was in her comfort zone, a place where she loved to be.
*
The dinner date was perfect for both of them. After the long, tiring day, the quite dinner seemed lavish. She had loved spending time with him, and she had learned more about him.

Tanner had kept his distance from her, and Emily didn’t want to force herself to him. She was only content to be sleeping beside him, and spending more time with him, learning new things about him. There was just so much to know about each other, and her physical needs could wait.

They kept having their dinner dates, and it was probably the best time of her life. She had called Kelly, and explained everything about their relationship. Kelly had finally seemed to understand, and she wanted to meet Emily. They had decided to do something fun together during the weekend.

It was Thursday when Jared called her again during work.

"Can I please meet you somewhere? I really need to talk to you." As much as she had wanted to talk to him, she knew that keeping distance from Jared was the best thing since she wasn’t too sure of Jared’s intentions.

Unsure as what to do, she cut the phone.

Jared slammed the phone hard against the counter after she hung up. She was ignoring him again. What was wrong with her? She had never been like this before. He knew he didn’t exactly love her, but he wanted her like crazy. He needed her to be with him. It nearly drove him mad.

All his life he had longed for someone to care about him, and she was the only one who liked him just as he was. He needed her anyhow, and he was going to make sure to have her. And if he didn’t have her, he would make sure Tanner wouldn’t either.

Tanner didn’t deserve Emily; she was only his.